Featuring a Maxtex 600D polyester and abrasion resistant mesh outer shell, DriRider’s Air Ride 5 jacket is a vented sports touring offering that’s available in an array of colours and sizes to suit any rider.
With sizing from XS through to 8XL, it can be had in eight different colour combinations, including Black/White/Grey, Black/Black, Black/Red, Black/Blue, Black/Grey, Hornet (which features hi-vis yellow), Black/Green and Silver/Black – as tested.
Key specs aside though, and we’ll get into those in a moment, the jacket buying experience is certainly something else. There are lightweight, midweight and heavyweight options, in multiple different materials, and some offer rain protection and some don’t.
The buying process is astoundingly confusing for the uninitiated, and sizing is a daunting thing, in and of itself. While this writer wears regular 2XL and 3XL t-shirts depending on the brand – a 6XL motorcycle jacket was never a thought – ever.
Way to go motorcycle industry, on how to make a fat guy feel extra large. That’s a joke by the way, and yours truly can fully appreciate the fact bike gear sizing is so completely different to regular clothing in the jacket space.
In this case, DriRider’s offering has rain protection, with an 8000mm/5000mm Reissa waterproof liner. It comes at a price though, as having it zipped in might just cook you if it suddenly gets fireball hot in the sun, post a storm, as it really has zero breathability.
We also struggled with the zippers in the liner, both in the sleeves and across the back of the jacket, which can be separated by hand without too much effort. That said, remove that bit of kit from the jacket and all the main zippers are sturdy and do a great job.
Priced at $219.95, the DriRider Air Ride 5 jacket comes with CE armour with a hi-density back protector, a mesh comfort liner, stretch panels in the chest, shoulders and elbows, and pre-curved arms.
The last of these takes a little getting used to for a new rider and you almost feel like you’re RoboCop the first time you put it on, but once you’re actually riding in it, we can confirm it’s comfortable, and you don’t even notice you’re wearing it after a while.
Zippers and straps everywhere (the arms and waist particularly), allowing you to customise the fit to your own body shape. There’s also a zipper to connect to DriRider’s matching pants, and two outer and inner pockets.
The latter are great for larger mobile phones, should you be bound by law not to have it on a locking mount on the bike (Learner and Provisional licence holders will be thankful for that one).
All-in-all the DriRider Air Ride 5 jacket is an affordable bit of riding kit that works a treat for the most part. Well-priced and feature packed it’s certainly worth a look. You can find out more from your nearest stockist, or by visiting the DriRider website.
Pros – Comfortable to ride in; looks the part; loads of colour combinations; affordable option.
Cons – doesn’t breath with rain liner installed; rain liner zippers are ordinary; can feel stiff.
Our test product was supplied by DriRider Australia. Exhaust Notes Australia was not paid for this review. Images courtesy of Heather Ware.
