Welcome to NESR! Most features of this site require registration, including replying to threads, sending private messages, starting new threads, and uploading files. Click here to register.

Results 1 to 12 of 12

Kobe leathers?

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Waitsfield, Vermont
    Age
    43
    Posts
    625

    Kobe leathers?

    Saw a Kobe 1-piece leather suit on sale over at the WERA forums, and after a bit of googling it seems like a reasonable option to upgrade from a Teknic two-piece setup (which has the serious annoyance of putting the waist of the pants right about where the abdomen strap for my back protector would like to be).

    Any opinions on durability? How about fit (in particular, any ideas how Kobe's idea of a 44 would compare to Teknic's?)?

    Thanks,
    Kevin

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  2. #2
    Goodbye Sweet Dreams BLACK SQUIRREL's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Somewhere between Has Been and Never Was
    Age
    52
    Posts
    4,003

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Bergs Wears them and he crashes ALOT.

    He loves them

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Zip Tie Alley Racing #444


    Signature edit by Tricky mike

  3. #3
    LRRS EX #99 Kitt's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Lake Champlain, VT
    Age
    40
    Posts
    6,160

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Quote Originally Posted by BLACK SQUIRREL View Post
    Bergs Wears them and he crashes ALOT.

    He loves them
    Have you seen his shoulder? bleh...

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  4. #4
    AMA wannabe lrrs699's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    RI,NH, Derby,ct
    Age
    41
    Posts
    1,259

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kitt View Post
    Have you seen his shoulder? bleh...
    that thing looked pretty nasty....the zipper broke when he went down

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    LRRS Expert #99
    08 R6


    "why tip-toe through life to arrive safely at death?" Tony Campol

    Quote Originally Posted by Tricky Mike View Post
    To quote PK, I "went in too hot and ran out of talent".

  5. #5
    Changes come butcher bergs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    the humbling river
    Posts
    12,995

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Quote Originally Posted by BLACK SQUIRREL View Post
    Bergs Wears them and he crashes ALOT.

    Wow, Daniel. That was pretty much uncalled for.


    kbroderick - My Kobe Misano has held up well so far. Not sure what caused the zipper to blow out during my last off but the quality is otherwise acceptable. I'll be contacting the distributer to make them aware of this issue. We'll see how they handle it and where I will stand on future Kobe products.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Waitsfield, Vermont
    Age
    43
    Posts
    625

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Well, I did pick up a used Kobe X-Pro prior to the three track days I just did.

    I then proceeded to test it in 1A on Monday and entering 3 on Tuesday. The result: a bunch of scuffing, a small holeon the right forearm, and some minor seam damage about midway up the right arm (looks like the top layer of leather is separating in one of the reinforced, high-wear areas, but the main layer underneath looks fine).

    I'm fine. I do plan on getting the suit repaired.

    For impact comparison, the 1A crash bent my brake pedal and handlebar, even pulling the bar end halfway out of the bar, as well as causing some cosmetic damage.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  7. #7
    Nat Pixon! noxin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    1,186

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Quote Originally Posted by kbroderick View Post
    Well, I did pick up a used Kobe X-Pro prior to the three track days I just did.

    I then proceeded to test it in 1A on Monday and entering 3 on Tuesday. The result: a bunch of scuffing, a small holeon the right forearm, and some minor seam damage about midway up the right arm (looks like the top layer of leather is separating in one of the reinforced, high-wear areas, but the main layer underneath looks fine).

    I'm fine. I do plan on getting the suit repaired.

    For impact comparison, the 1A crash bent my brake pedal and handlebar, even pulling the bar end halfway out of the bar, as well as causing some cosmetic damage.
    Were you the ninja that lowsided and almost hit the tires?

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  8. #8
    Lifer legalspeed's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Somersworth, NH
    Age
    61
    Posts
    4,594

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    I always recommend Vanson.

    They are the only ones I have seen at the track with a stitcher applying sponsor patches and making repairs for free.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    LRRS\CCS\WERA #486

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Waitsfield, Vermont
    Age
    43
    Posts
    625

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Quote Originally Posted by noxin View Post
    Were you the ninja that lowsided and almost hit the tires?
    Yeah, that was me proving why it's important not to have your weight on the bars.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  10. #10
    Nat Pixon! noxin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    1,186

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Ahhh, okay, I was wondering what caused that.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  11. #11
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Waitsfield, Vermont
    Age
    43
    Posts
    625

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    Quote Originally Posted by noxin View Post
    Ahhh, okay, I was wondering what caused that.
    Well, it was a confluence of factors, I think. If you (or anyone else) happened to see it, I'd be interested in any other theories.

    Issues:
    1. I was riding at the limit of the bike/rider combination.
    2. I was trying to work on body position and wasn't consistently getting to where I needed to be, thus distracting from line, etc and also causing me to tense up my upper body (and put weight on the bars).
    3. I missed my brake-release marker into three.
    4. In response to (3), I think I may have tipped in too hard, too quick and not allowed for the bike to respond to the pavement variation coming through the corner.

    Per (4) I then ran out of either traction, lean angle, or both and put some more mileage on the leathers.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  12. #12
    Nat Pixon! noxin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    1,186

    Re: Kobe leathers?

    I don't really recall seeing what happened in 1A. I looked back from traffic that had just cleared two and you were sliding on the ground

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

Similar Threads

  1. Product | Kobe Pro Racing gloves
    By butcher bergs in forum Business & Product Reviews
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 11-22-13, 05:31 PM
  2. Kobe Pro Racing Gloves (like new)
    By Intrepidse17 in forum For Sale
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 03-10-13, 11:16 AM
  3. Used Leathers - 1 pc AGV and Kobe
    By Scottg22 in forum For Sale
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 08-14-12, 08:08 AM
  4. Kobe leathers no longer imported?
    By Petorius in forum General Bike Related
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-20-12, 10:26 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •