Kudos to Olympia Moto Sports

[Crestwood330]

I dug through a few posts about BMW riding gear and saw a post about Olympia gear.

I went to my local and only BMW dealer, Bogarts, to try on some BMW jackets and pants only to get the BMW sizing ironed out. With the expansion of Bogarts new showroom, they are bringing in new accessories and apparel among other neat stuff.

Sitting right in front of my face was the perfect alternative to the BMW Venting Machine or the Aero something-or-other II. I wanted a lighter color, where the Venting Machine is only available in black. The Aero Flow II was available in silver or gray, but had mixed reviews from people on this board.

What I ended up with tonight is the Olympia Airglide 2 pants and jacket. Its a dual purpose setup where it has a substantial liner and is water proof. I now can have the best of both worlds with the Olympia Gear. After my first big motorcycle trip to Daytona, I learned luggage space is an absolute premium. The Olympia liners pack down really well. I can now be as warm as I want and cooler when I want by just removing the liners or wear the jacket liner as a windbreaker (which it is) off the bike. No more packing 2 sets of riding gear for dramatic temperature swings on a trip.

I currently have the Joe Rocket Phoenix 3.0 Jacket and the matching mesh pants. The set is ok, but what I don't like about the jacket is its shoulder padding. Its too bulky and its difficult to look over my shoulder. The back pad climbs up my back as I ride. The jacket doesn't pack down very well. The pants are nice and breezy, but there is a seam in the butt area that has sharp edges which are difficult to sit on for a length of time. I only wear boxers and a t-shirt under my summer stuff.

My cold stuff is a Gericke jacket and pants and the Gerbings heated jacket and pants liner. The jacket is ok to wear up to 70 degrees in the sun with the regular liner removed.

The Olympia set that I purchased is in a soft silver which should be a lot cooler sitting in the sun in traffic this summer. The quality seems to be right on par with the BMW stuff, well thought out placement of the pockets, ease of installation and removal of the liners, great comfort on the bike (no binding), well placed seams. Just a well thought out comfortable garment.

The cost for both pieces was about the cost of a BMW Santiango jacket. Thanks everyone for posting their thoughts on various riding gear.

David Allen
Birmingham, AL
2005 K1200LT, Graphite, XMXT, Xenon, Motolights

[grifscoots]

Get yourself one of those light windbreakers for cool weather. Unless it's downright cold outside, them liners are downright hot, they sure work good.

[KYchris02]

what did you pay for the Olympia setup compared to the Joe Rocket?

[Crestwood330]

The Airglide 2 jacket was 219.99 and the same model in pants were 189.99.

I believe my Joe Rocket Phoenix 3.0 was around 139.99 on sale and the pants, the Phoenix 2.0 were about 119.00 in the fall of 2003.

The Airglide 2 is much more substantial structurally on both pieces. Better CE armor and hip protection. no hip protection on the joe rocket mesh pants.

Dave Allen
Birmingham, AL
2005 K1200LT, Graphite, XMXT, Xenon, Motolights

[James_Texas]

I sure enjoy mine and they are the best of both worlds. Enjoy the goodies.

[jnybgd]

I'm new to touring and just bought my Lt in April. I figured that the Vermont Rally would be a great place to find out what all this BMW touring was all about.
I wanted some riding gear for the long trip (long for me).
My wife made a call to OMS to order a full set up for me (I was at work). She talked to the owner Kevin and he said I should wait until the rally so I could try everything on and not have to pay shipping if it was the wrong size etc. That made me like them right from the get go. I had my Joe rocket jacket to wear up there.

When I got to the rally the OMS set up was one of my first stops and I dealt with Karilea (Kevins wife). I even got to meet their neighbors. :wave She was so helpful and got me all set up with the Airglide2 jacket and pants.
I even got a comment from a Kawi rider on the ferry from VT to NY that BMW riders tend to be the best dressed bunch of riders. :)

I got to use every bit of that riding gear on my trip home. I left the rally Saturday morning to visit my grandparents in NH. It was cold so I put the jacket liner in and was comfy. Left NH Saturday afternoon and rode 4 hours in the pouring rain to New York. Stayed dry and warm once I pulled over and put the liner in the pants.

Rode home from NY to VA Sunday started off in rain then got warm in NJ. I only took out the jacket liner (easier to put back in in short notice for rain) left the pant liner in. Rode all the way to Virginia Beach Va in the heat with the liner in the pants and was not uncomfortable.

I love this gear! It looks great, fits great works great. GREAT PRICE! Couldn't ask for better people to deal with. Thanks Kevin and Karilea!

[TomMoss]

Jon:

I have also been extremely satisfied with the Airglige 2 gear. I got the silver jacket and black pants and have been very comfortable in temps to the high 90's. It is well made gear using name brand products at about half the price of the gear with the BMW logo.

[jamiekiel]

What is the difference in the Airglide and the Airglide 2 ?

[James_Texas]

I have the 1 but I have looked at the 2 and I think its " Improved ".

[VincesBMW]

So after using this set up for awhile what are your thoughts? I thinking of the same set up. I currently have first gear mesh tech for the summer and tourmaster for the colder wet weather.

[iowalt]

VincesBMW

I have both the silver airglide 2 and a firstgear meshtex. The Airglide is great from 40° up to about 85-90°. Since it is not entirely mesh there are problem with airflow in the sleeves and body in extremely warm and humid weather. Just not enough air behind an LT's fairing. It does work quite well on an un-faired bike.

Also the jacket lining is simlair to a tear away football jersy. It can feel a little clammy in humid midwest summer weather. My meshtex works fine into 100° weather. I agree the quality of Olympia's clothing is very good for the price, but not quite on par with what BMW sells. I had to trim the sharp corners off the velco tabs and clip off some poorly stiched seam ends. Drove me crazy from getting poked every few minutes when riding without the liner.

The airglide pant are unique in having legs that may be altered for length. The leg zippers stop short of the bottom so the end my be trimmed and hemmed to the correct length.

[BLBantz]

I have been riding with the Airglide jacket and pants for about a year and a half. I ride year round here in NJ and have put 30,000 riding in it and love it. When I left for Daytona last Feb. 28th it was 28 degrees out, but wearing just the outfit and long underwear I was fine. When I left in the morning from Dunn, NC it was 75 out and I just stripped out the liners and was comfortable. Like all riding apparel, it gets a little warm when the temps hit the 90's, but not too bad. The heat problem is mostly with the LT having so much wind blockage. I have had no quality issues, no sharp edges, no zipper failures at all. I have nothing negative to say about the Airglide system.