Asterisk
Cell Knee Braces
There are injuries worse than blowing up your knee's anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), but few are as painful. Torn ligaments have been a curse since the inception of dirtbikes, though there is a way to keep those internal rubber bands from tearing: quality knee braces.
Custom braces are pricey, usually thousands of dollars. Luckily, there's a low-cost alternative: Asterisk Cell braces. I got a pair a few years ago for motocross, skating and skiing, and they've saved my knees from injury several times.
The Cell braces are off-the-shelf items, but a bit of custom-sizing ensures they fit correctly. Just measure the circumference of your thigh, knee and calf, send Asterisk the numbers, and they ship you the correct size-S to XXL.
Constructed of carbon fiber, plastic, durable foam, nylon webbing and featuring adjustable nylon straps, the Cells are extremely light, easy to put on and compact enough to fit beneath just about any motocross or ski pants. Quick-release buckles make them easy to remove, and while in place they're surprisingly unobtrusive; after a couple of corners (or vert-ramp drop-ins) I can barely tell I'm wearing 'em. Their design helps protect knees from direct impacts, hyperextension and even twisting, and they're durable, too. My set has handled three years of dirt, sweat and snow with nothing more than an ugly stench-my fault for not washing them more often.
Off-road riding is a great way to improve your street-riding skills. And though it can lead to injuries, you can mostly forget about knee injuries if you're wearing these things. I won't moto without 'em.
BMW
Airflow 3 suit
Please don't hate us, but riding in the City of Angels means never having to wear electric clothing. For most of the year, lightweight, breathable gear is an L.A. rider's best choice.
BMW's entre into the breathable/mesh gear wars is its two-piece AirFlow 3 suit. BMW has taken a different tack than most makers and opted for slightly more protection than cooling. The AirFlow 3's outer fabric-Dynatec, chosen for its abrasion resistance-is a bit heavier and more tightly woven than what's used on many of its competitors' suits. Airflow is accomplished via panels of a material called Airtex, a more open mesh fabric.
The AirFlow 3 comes standard with removable CE protectors at the shoulders, elbows, back, hips and knees, and the elbow and knee pads are height adjustable via Velcro positioners, a nice feature. A zipper allows the jacket to attach to the pants, and Velcro adjusters at the sleeve/pant cuffs and waist allow a snug fit. Reflective striping on both the jacket and pants ensures conspicuity.
The suit seems very well made, with all seams nicely finished and all zippers and fasteners solid. Because of the heavier, denser fabric, the AirFlow 3 doesn't flow as much air as some other textile/mesh suits, a consideration if you live in an extremely hot climate. The amount of cooling is also dependant on the type of bike you're riding; you're obviously going to get less sitting behind a full fairing. All that solid construction means the suit remains rather stiff even after a couple months of near-daily wear. BMW assures us it will loosen up over time.
If you're looking for a textile/mesh two-piece suit with a bit more protection and aren't concerned with maximum ventilation, BMW's AirFlow 3 deserves a try. It's available in black/ gray and red/gray in Regular men's sizes 36-56 and Long sizes 40-46.