Komodo quality for under $600!

Komodo has announced a new addition to their product line; the Sport R/T, which will be available for shipment starting in April.  We here at  TrackdayMag.com were very excited to hear this, since we’d tested Komodo’s $1149.95 pro-spec K-FX and $995.95 big man’s K-LT last summer and given both suits rave reviews as some of the best built, most protective leathers we’ve sampled.  We were even more intrigued to hear the mission statement for the new, under $600 Sport R/T.  According to the company, “The Komodo Sport R/T leather suit is the latest example of Komodo Gear’s purpose driven approach to motorcycle apparel. The Sport R/T is positioned to provide more than adequate protection for track day and street riding at a price that enables the causal enthusiast to pursue their hobby in a safe and cost-efficient manner.”

“Wait a minute,” we can here you saying.  “Trophy or not, I can crash just as hard as any racer.  How can I afford to give up protection to save money?”  We asked the same question.  Komodo is well known for their near-bulletproof racing suits and we didn’t want to discover that this quality had been compromised in the Sport R/T.  According to Komodo, it hasn’t.  With their other offerings, Komodo has built “a suit within a suit” by adding redundant extra panels of leather in critical areas.  This makes them “multi-crash-worthy,” something a racer in pursuit of a championship really appreciates.  If you simply must race again in thirty minutes, you want those extra layers to keep you safe even if you’ve damaged the outer shell.  By omitting these backup features in the Sport R/T and choosing to make it a two-piece design, Komodo has rated their new offering as a Track Day/Street suit, rather than a full-on racing design.  The Sport R/T is aimed at the price-conscious buyer who wants a suit that makes as much sense on the road as at the track, yet offers Komodo’s legendary durability if it hits the ground.

Here are the specs on Komodo’s new offering.  The Sport R/T suit is built using 1.4mm full grain A-grade leathers to provide maximum protection. The suit is designed in a two piece construction to accommodate use of the top half as a stand alone riding jacket, but with a 360 degree zipper attachment to the pants for increased safety at high speeds when used as a suit. The jacket and pants incorporate accordion stretch panels and elastic stretch in the arms, crotch, back of the knees and calf to give a custom fit feel to an off the rack suit. All elastic stretch is genuine Keprotec Kevlar for extreme abrasion protection. The Sport R/T incorporates CE rated armor as found in traditional race suits. All seams of the suit are folded, glued and double stitched using Oxley nylon thread. Oxley nylon is the “next generation” nylon offering abrasion resistance similar to Kevlar, but with the ability to stretch upon impact. The seams on the biceps and forearms utilize a hidden seam construction to reduce abrasion effects on these areas of highest exposure in the event of a crash. Gluen reflective piping is installed to increase safety during street rides.  YKK zippers are used on the jacket and pant’s front zippers and sleeves. YKK zippers are the gold standard of zippers and give the greatest possibility of years of trouble free performance. Both pieces of the suit are lined in advanced fixed mesh to afford comfort and durability and are provided with multiple heavy duty nylon pockets for security and convenience whether on the track or the street.

TrackdayMag.com believes that your legs need leather and armor protection even when you’re just out for a street ride.  We also know how inconvenient and embarrassing it is to sit in a restaurant or walk around a gas station while clutching at your one-piece suit once it’s been pulled down to your waist.  (Those dangling, whipping, armored sleeves can knock over entire display units…)  While no two-piece suit can ever be as strong as a one-piece, a properly stitched 360 degree zipper is race-legal in most organizations and will surely make the Sport R/T more convenient for street rides.  We’ll be giving this suit a full test when it becomes available but based on our previous experience with Komodo products and knowing how much pride the company puts into every suit they make, we’re expecting the Sport R/T to be a winner!