I started with an Xpert leather jacket that was quality but not for touring and getting caught in the rain. Not the best below 10C either. So next I bought a Hein Gericke Timbuktu jacket one size too big and BMW summer pants 1/2 size too big... so I could wear street clothes underneath. For day rides this combination worked well, but rain meant having the waterproof liner inserted which is just too hot if > 23C or so.
Traveling with the liner is a pain on a naked bike. Even on a camping trip the liner takes up almost as much space as my sleeping bag!
Enter the Comfort Shell. Waterproof, Breathable to a new standard, cut more like a sport jacket, not as many pockets, not really a 3/4 jacket. Form fitting, thin without the bulk. So with a heated vest should be a 4 season set up.
Check out this link for detailed pictures of jacket, pants and pads for both. Click on picture for comments.
So how it fit? For this kind of scratch ...excellent. I have a long torso, 17.5 neck 35 sleeve dress shirt. 46 long jacket for the shoulders. 46 long is a 110 size for BMW. The lower back is tailored longer than the front and covers the small of my back well. The sleeves with the Uber elbow pads are snug on me. I am in reasonable shape but no major guns. I don't feel the spine pad at all and the shoulder pads fit, well perfect. no Frankenstein look . The sleeves cover to just above my knuckle with my hands at my sides. Collar and sleeves trimmed in leather or leather like material. Collar is tall enough to cover most of my neck but not jam my Aria Astral.
So how does it work?
I rode with it twice for 200 miles at 30 to 32C. I had all four vents open and loose cuffs. Comfortable at speed. It was odd at first feeling cool without the sense of air movement. You just don't heat up. The sleeves as I mentioned were snug and with a short sleeved wicking t shirt, my skin was against the inner sleeve material. See picture, it looks like regular nylon liner material. It stuck to my skin and was a minor annoyance. With no sleeve vents, I had to hold my arm straight in front of me to get some air in there. I suspect if I had a long sleeve micro fiber shirt on, this would be a non-issue. In urban traffic I zipped down the collar 6 inches and felt cool. Not Brando cool, just a breeze on the chest. The jacket and pants have some stretch to them, which is good because my shape stretches now and then.
Speaking of pants, the comfort shell pants breath well. Not quite as well as my BMW Summer pants, but close which is saying something since they are water proof. The sides are adjustable and the legs have some contour. I bought 46 regular normally wear 40 x 30 pants worn on my hips. The pants are a touch long with boots on but perfect length sitting on the Beakster. Only disappointment was the main button clasp on the pants broke as I was taking the pictures. I'm sure it will be replaced/repaired easy enough. Seems the BMW logo button is attached stronger than the main clasp. Go figure
I would like to see vents in the sleeves, but more vents are more seals to age and leak years out. I will send a cold weather report when basketball season starts.
Scary expensive but for me nothing came close in look, fit, and function. The dealer gave me 10% off. Check out the BMW propaganda, and the Schoeller fabric site has a good explanation of the c_change breathable technology, the UV reflective razzama taz surface. Enjoy