Caring for Motorcycle Apparel (Textile)

Let’s face it, textile motorcycle jackets and pants have their advantages.  They are lighter than leather, keep you warm in the winter and comfortable in the summer.  But just like any other piece of clothing, after a few road trips they being to look and smell funky.  How do you take care of them?

Cleaning
The first thing you need to do before cleaning your textile motorcycle gear is to determine how you should clean it. Many companies say you can machine wash their products while others require hand washing only. Personally, I hand wash all of my textile gear. I figure the less abuse it takes, the longer it will last!

Many people I know use plain old detergent to wash their textile gear. But I have found that detergent leaves a residue behind which attracts water and it eats at the waterproof coating on the outside of many winter jackets and pants. Not good when you are trying to ride through the rain in a supposed waterproof jacket.

Well, we found a solution to that problem for you, Nikwax Tech Wash. Nikwax has been in business for 30 years making cleaning and treatment chemicals for outdoor textiles and leather. Tech Wash is Nikwax’s product for cleaning textiles without leaving a detergent residue while not harming the waterproofing. It can be used in a washing machine or for hand washing.

Waterproofing
Many of us have experienced the once waterproof jacket or pant that develops a leak or begins to hold more water than it repels. Yes, you could buy a new jacket or pant but you might want to consider Nikwax TX Direct. It is one of Nikwax’s products for revitalizing the waterproof characteristics of a textile jacket or pant. We sell it in the spray-on bottle to allow you to spot treat or apply the waterproof treatment to only the outside of your textile jacket or pants.

Using a spray-on waterproof treatment is a very important step in treating motorcycle jackets and pants. Today’s textile gear is designed to help keep you dry if you start sweating. They contain wicking liners and vests which pull the moisture from you and allow it to evaporate quickly. Applying a waterproof treatment to the entire jacket (inside and out) with a wash-in product will make the entire jacket waterproof thus destroying the jackets ability to keep you comfortable and dry when the temperatures get hotter.

Summary
Caring for your textile motorcycle gear isn’t all that difficult. You just need to periodically clean them, hand washing is preferred, and apply waterproofing when/where needed. Keep this up and your textile gear should last a good, long time!

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