Cool design, mesh panels and adequate protection – is this one of the best riding jackets you can buy in India?
A good riding jacket is a must-have for anyone who rides motorcycles. It is meant to provide impact protection on key areas like your elbows, shoulders and back as well as resistance to abrasion against the road, in case of a crash. While there are quite a few Indian brands making good riding jackets nowadays, imported motorcycle jackets brands are still quite expensive in India. That’s where the collaboration between Reise and Spidi comes in. Reise Moto is primarily an India motorcycle tyre maker which has ventured into not only getting imported riding gear brands to India at decent prices, but has also collaborated with Italian riding gear giant, Spidi, to make some motorcycle gear specifically designed for Indian riders. And the Reise x Spidi Diablo riding jacket is one such product.
What is it?
The Diablo is a warm weather motorcycle riding jacket that is primarily meant for urban riding, and is equipped with armour in key impact zones like the elbows, shoulders and back. It has large mesh panels on the front, back and arms, to ensure good breathability when riding in hot weather.
Design
The one area where the Diablo jacket scores big points in our book is its design. It’s available in three colours – full black, red/black and yellow/black. The full black, in our opinion, is too subtle a colour, but both the red/black and yellow/black look great, with the latter being our favourite of course. The best part is that the yellow isn’t overdone, and is just there mostly on the sleeves, sides and a little bit on the front and back. And the white patches on the biceps with the Spidi logo add a nice bit of contrast to the whole design. Overall, it’s a very smart looking jacket that looks great both over a pair of black riding pants as well as riding denims.
Protection
The Reise x Spidi Diablo jacket is primarily made of a mesh material for ventilation on hot days, with 600D polyester on the shoulders, arms and some other areas to provide resistance to abrasion in case of a crash. The Diablo is a CE A-rated jacket, which means it actually has been tested for abrasion resistance. Although A is the most basic rating, the fact that it has been certified for abrasion resistance is a major plus point.
For impact protection, the Diablo jacket is equipped with Spidi’s Warriortech armour inserts in the elbows, shoulders and back. These are CE Level 2 armour inserts, which means they will provide higher impact protection compared to other jackets which feature Level 1 protectors which you’ll find in more expensive, imported riding jackets. And the inclusion of a Level 2 back protector is a big plus for us. That said, unlike a lot of riding jackets from Indian brands like Rynox or Viaterra, the Diablo doesn’t get chest protectors as standard, although it does have pockets for you to add these. Honestly though, while it’s good to have standard chest protectors for that additional bit of safety, these are usually unnecessary for road riding, and I, for one, would gladly trade chest protectors for better ventilation.
Fit, Comfort & Ventilation
Now I’m 5’9” and a pudgy 80kg in my birthday suit. I usually wear size L in most of my riding gear. And it’s no different for the Diablo jacket. Size L fits me perfectly – actually a little too perfectly. If I was to put on some more weight around my mid-section, the jacket would be quite tight around my belly. So if you’re on the heavier side, it would be better to size up. Everything else though – sleeve length, shoulder placement and overall length is perfect for my 5’9” frame. And I look really good in this jacket too, if I do say so myself.
Even though the fit around my belly is a bit exact, the jacket rides up very little, whether I’m sitting upright on a naked motorcycle, or even in a tuck on a sportbike. And the back is long enough to not expose any part of my body even if the jacket rides up a bit. But I really wish this jacket had a pants-connection zipper, or at least belt loops. That would let me rest easy knowing that the jacket will stay in place regardless of how I move on the bike. It also has velcro adjusters on the cuffs, biceps, waist and collar. These don’t allow for a massive range of adjustment, but it’s enough to ensure that the jacket and its armour stays in place.
The Reise x Spidi Diablo jacket is comfortable for the most part, but I’ve got a bone to pick with the materials used. The thick nylon panels, although meant for abrasion protection in case of a slide, make the jacket quite heavy. It weighs 1.865kg, which I think is a bit on the heavier side for a somewhat basic street riding jacket. On top of that, the material around the collar is quite stiff, which does tend to scratch my neck quite badly, particularly if I have just shaved. Maybe this might become softer after a wash or two, but I really wish Reise x Spidi would’ve added a softer material like neoprene on the collar to reduce irritation against your neck.
Now I’ve been riding with the Diablo jacket nearly every day for the past couple of months, right when the peak temperatures in Pune were well north of 40 degrees celsius. And in this heat, the ventilation was actually quite good, and kept me cool even during the hottest commutes. The only thing is that if you’re wearing a backpack while riding, it blocks off the jacket’s back mesh panel, and that leads to poor air flow through the jacket. But take your backpack off, and it’s perfectly airy for our climate.
Our take
The Reise x Spidi Diablo jacket is a good looking riding jacket that can work well for daily commutes as well as short rides outside the city. It provides ample crash protection and adequate ventilation even during peak summers. Granted, that at Rs 8,999, it is slightly pricier than equivalent riding jackets from Indian companies like Viaterra and Rynox, and it might miss out on chest protectors, but to be honest, I’m really sold on the design itself. If you don’t mind paying a little extra for a lot of style in your riding jacket, then the Diablo might just be right for you.
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