Going over all the impressive features of this suit, the first and most obvious attribute was its overall weight. My scale reads four pounds lighter than my rally suit! With the comfort of an old shirt, the Carese II didn’t even feel like I was wearing a jacket. It just felt right. Much of the same could be said for the Torno II pants. The ease of movement due to the elasticated material above the knees is a pleasant surprise. And I loved what I saw in the mirror—the feel and look was of a militant superhero suit, not some heavy, bulky, albeit well planned out safety suit.

Ride testing consisted of the following conditions: damp, windy, and 75°F for most of the 237-mile day. Normally when I mount my GSA, I have to perform a “crane kick” to get a leg over the seat. But, to my amazement, wearing the Tornos I was able to lift my leg up as easily as I would in street clothes.

The anti-slip leather on the seat of the pants is a welcome addition as I’m constantly sliding forward in my seat. It made for a more pleasurable ride, and allowed for more miles in between breaks. Though it was windy and cold, I was snug as a bug while only using the jacket’s GORE-TEX liner. I could easily do 40°F weather in this suit, but how would it be in warmer weather?

Two days later it was up to 80°F in Pennsylvania. With scattered thunderstorms and high winds, I removed the GORE-TEX liner, but brought it along with me just in case. I opened up the suit’s twenty plus vents and headed out on a 187 mile “warm weather” ride. The greatest part of the vents is Held’s use of magnets. Not having to snap buttons while fumbling with gloves while scooting down the highway is a big plus. The suit’s “Cool Max” mesh moisture-wicking inner lining also helped combat the warmer temperatures, and it works. As far as keeping dry, I ran into a couple of rain showers but never needed to put the GORE-TEX liner in. The suit beaded the water right off. Though it wasn’t a torrential downpour, I would have been soaked to the bone in my old suit. With a quick one-two, I had all the necessary vents closed up to keep the weather out, all without breaking stride, and more importantly, safely.

Needless to say, I can now maneuver around on my large dual-sport with the flexibility to execute proper off-road riding form and techniques. One final note, I’ve found that quality and safety don’t necessarily go hand and hand with fashion and style in the adventure motorcycle industry. Held has managed to pull off one heck of a suit! MSRP: $850.00 Jacket | $620.00 Pants HeldUSA.com 

Where to Buy:

Held Carese II Jacket	Held Torno II Pants

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