Rokker Ranger 2 vest in black

The Rokker Ranger Vest is not a typical Motolegends product, and truth be told had it been made by anyone else other than Rokker we probably wouldn't have gone anywhere near it. But we have a soft spot for the boys from Widnau, so here we are.

 

Even though Rokker has moved on from its origins as a Harley-oriented brand, the company's two owners, Michael and Kai, still go to bed at night dreaming about skinny wheels, kick starts and high-rise bars. And that's why sleeveless jackets like this are close to their hearts.

 

But you probably don't need to ride a Harley to wear one. We don't advocate riding in one over a T-shirt, but it would still look great over a riding shirt or leather jacket.

 

The purpose of a vest is still not totally clear to us, although what it's obviously going to do is help you to keep your torso, and therefore your core, warmer. The vest also gives you lots of extra storage. You get four pockets on the outside. And three more inside.

 

Will it give you any extra protection? Well, yes, I imagine so. The material is the same as that used on Rokker's chinos, so it's going to add a lot of extra abrasion resistance. But it's not CE approved under EN17092, so we cannot make any claims about its protective qualities. The vest is obviously not going to do much for your arms!

 

Interestingly, the vest has a pocket for a back protector; and technically it shouldn't under the regulations. I suppose one benefit might be that you could get away with not wearing a back protector in your protective, riding shirt or jacket. You could then take the vest off when you got to wherever it was you were going, and put it in a pannier. You could then wander around unencumbered by the weight of a protector. Just a thought!

 

Anyway, you will have to decide whether the Ranger Vest is your kind of thing. Personally, I cannot ever see me riding in one. I'm too old for a mid-life crisis, so there's probably not a Harley on the horizon. But never say never. What was a surprise to me was that a couple of people here have aready said they will want one for the summer. So maybe I've got it wrong!

 

Anyway, they come in eight sizes, and are on the shelf ready for despatch. The price is £169. You cannot pay extra for sleeves!