Summer Motorcycle Jackets

Rich: Great jacket, and very pleased overall

Very pleased with this jacket and bought it to replace a Merlin vented jacket that was just too vented and too cool in most UK conditions that I ended up wearing a thin down jacket under it all the time! Everything else has been said about quality so I wont repeat it. But practically I think this jacket is great and, of course, pairs well with the Klim Zephyr. In my experience so far, on warm UK days 18-25 degs, the Marrakesh is fine on its own. If its much cooler than that you might need a Zephyr or extra base layer at faster speeds. On recent trip to the Pyrenees it was 34-36 degs and I was still too hot in this jacket, even with just a merino T shirt underneath, and was left in a sweaty mess. But how often do we get to ride in those temps! Most of the time this jacket will be perfect with layers and is now my go to piece of kit. In my experience, sizing is out. I normally wear Large UK size - 511 32-34 waist 42-44 chest. The L Marrakesh was way too big, baggy, square cut and didnt look or feel right. The medium was a great fit on the shoulders, chest and arm length but it was a bit snug around the waist which was the opposite to the Medium Zephyr - baggy on the belly, tighter on the chest. I opted for the Medium on balance and will just have to get a bit smaller around the waist. Worth bearing this in mind if ordering online. I understand now what Chris means in his review about not having enough sizes - the jump between M and L is quite significant. I ordered the multiple sizes and returned the unwanted items to Motolegends with minimal hassle. Great service as always from them and you cant fault the customer service and delivery speeds. Buy one in the right size and you wont be disappointed.

Simon: Another great product from Halvarssons

Im downsizing my bike gear and bought the Arvika to replace my now too large Marrakesh. So, inevitably, I find myself comparing the two. At this price point, the Arvika is a great ventilated jacket. It flows a lot of air through the vented panels, more obviously so than the Marrakesh. For me, the minimum comfortable ambient temperature is about 5C higher with the Arvika due to the more apparent wind chill effect. This does, for me, give the Marrakesh a slightly wider operating range for typical UK riding. The fit of the Arvika is great, there are plenty of sizes in the range to suit most people. This is the Achilles heel of the Marrakesh - there just arent enough sizes in the range to ensure the right fit. Both the Arvika and the Marrakesh are AA rated jackets, but the Marrakesh does feel more robust - both the material and the zips. The armour in the Arvika is level 2 compared to level 1 in the Marrakesh which can be upgraded to level 2 at additional expense. I find the back armour attachment strap in the Arvika isnt ideal, a simple pocket as in the Marrakesh would have been better. The Arvika can easily be zipped to my jeans using one of those Halvarssons belt attachments. So, of course, can the Marrakesh once an internal zip is added at additional expense. So where do my comparisons leave me? As with most Halvarssons gear, the Arvika represents great value for money, works well and looks smart. If you have a larger budget and can stretch to the Marrakesh plus the level 2 armour and internal zip upgrades and youre the right size to suit the limited options available, then the Marrakesh is the better jacket in my opinion. But then so it should be!

Bryn Thomas: Superb jacket

I have a number of Helstons jackets as well as their traditional mesh. I bought this jacket as I like the military base style and it goes with my green cargo pants and green Scott rain jacket. I have just finished a 2 week trip to France and am very pleased with the jacket. it is lightweight and easy to wear especially when it is hot but I find with an undershirt, Klim Zephyr jacket and Scott rain jacket it will deal with cold and wet weather.