Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/646962
P90 CN III PRODUCT REVIEW ALPINESTARS GP TECH LEATHER SUIT LIST PRICE: $2199.95 www.alpinestars.com STANDOUT FEATURE: Immediate comfort from the first wear. RIDER ANALYSIS: Like a new business suit, I love new leathers, and this was my first ever Alpinestars race suit. I've become very picky with my race suits of late, and I don't think I've yet had one that fits me perfectly, but the GP Tech is pretty damn close. Previously I've been wearing a competitor suit in a 54 Tall, but this Alpinestars is a standard 54 and fits me better. One area I struggle with in suits is the top half is usually too short, but the GP Tech is close to spot-on for my 6'1" frame. There's a bit more room to move overall as Alpinestars doesn't cut their suits skin tight like some other companies do, which makes them immediately more comfortable. Much of this is down to the stretch paneling, which makes the suit more comfortable for longer rides. The first wear was a full day in the heat of Malaysia, and at the end I didn't feel like someone had been tugging on my shoulders for hours on end. The result—no uncomfortable back pain, and more blood flow when in a race tuck. Airflow is good on the GP Tech, although I must say I think my old suit flowed a little more air on the chest. It's by no means uncomfortable, as my day in the Sepang humidity proved, but it's a small issue that stood out. Thankfully I have not tested the GP Tech's crashing resistance. And I certainly don't plan to! But it's nice to know this suit is made so well that it's literally got my back in a crash. That's another thing—the construction is beautiful. The stitching is well done and very well protected, the graphics, sliders, cuffs, stretch panels, zipper—it's all absolutely top notch. It's a pricey product but in this case, you certainly get what you pay for. Welcome to Alpinestars' top-of-the-line racing suit, the GP Tech. Priced at $2199.95, this is a premium, MotoGP-grade one-piece suit—pretty much the same leather skin covering Marc Marquez's extremely valuable butt. The GP Tech is constructed using a mix of kangaroo and bovine leather with reinforced stitching to keep it from ripping apart when you invariably hit the deck. The GP Tech is loaded with CE-approved armor in the elbows, knees and tibia and allows for integration of the CE-approved Alpinestars Bionic Race Back Protector, which snap-locks into the top of the suit. It's a handy system, as the back protector now stays permanently in place and won't move around during hard riding. There are also provisions for the Alpinestars Bionic chest protector foam padding. The GP Tech features stretch panels on the lumbar, torso, calf, underarm, shoulders, crotch and thigh, which give this suit the ability to easily mold to the rider's body, plus the leather construction features a ton of perforated holes to keep you cool while you're hard at it.