Motoport Ultra II - one-year review Well, maybe it's all the rain we've had that has me in the mood, but I thought I'd sit down and write up my thoughts after wearing Motoport's Ultra II Cordura suit for more than a year and umpty-ump thousand miles. Hands down the Ultra II's best attribute is that it's water-proof, absolutely waterproof, but still versatile to wear in dry and hot weather. I've field tested it more times in more downpours than I care to remember. And the armor is top-drawer in my book. No need for a separate back protector, for instance. Truth be told, it has better armor than my leathers. But, that said, my enthusiasm for the Ultra II has cooled a bit for other reasons. I do have a few quibbles and concerns about fit and the longevity of these garments, after having it for a year plus. It has been used (donned at least twice a day) practically every work day and worn on one 5,000-mile trip and a bunch of shorter overnight and day trips. About 20-25K miles in all, I should think. 1) The quilted lining of the pants and the taffeta lining of the pants catches on my boots (like the Roadcrafter [RC hereafter] the bulk of the suit means you can't wear it inside your boots) and it's fraying badly. Smooth nylon linings like the Aerostich RC would take care of this problem, but less breathability would be the downside. Perhaps the smooth nylon would only be needed in the boot zone. 2) The outer cordura on the pants are fraying noticeably, mostly from catching on the Velcro and from walking when the pant legs rub together. If you're really concerned about appearances, which I am not, the pants look a little ratty, to tell the truth. The pants would be better if they used the zipper to close them and a separate Velcro flap, ala Aerostich RC, to adjust the cuffs. That way you wouldn't have to open the Velcro flap every time you put them on. 3) Elastic waistband is a little cheesy and insubstantial for my taste. It's fraying too. 4) One of the lining zippers is missing a tooth. 5) More serious -- one of the seams has an inch-long tear at the crotch. 6) Jacket sleeves need to be cut fuller at the wrists. With both linings in and the Gerbing jacket liner, the cuff zipper won't close, which makes it hard to get glove gauntlets over it. And I don't have beefy wrists. That means the potential for drafts in cold weather. I developed a work-around for that. 7) With the linings out, the jacket and pants flap in the breeze too much. The addition of Velcro cinches at the biceps and calves would probably take care of this. But perhaps that's the price of all-weather use since the linings, particularly the insulated quilted lining, is bulky and the garments are sized accordingly. 8) Overall, the heavy cordura outer shell does tend to fray in high wear areas. I wear an over the shoulder bike messenger bag to work and the jacket shows it. I do still like the adaptable nature of the suit and its all-weather properties and it flows very well in hot weather, although not as well as perfed leathers. But I've worn it from 105 to 15 degrees in (mostly) total comfort, so it can handle a cross-country trip and you don't need a rain suit. A few changes, especially in the pants, in the fit and detail finish area would make it a *lot* better, though. I would still buy one, just be aware that it's not perfect. One of these days I'm going to send these comments to Cycleport. I'd opt for the dual linings for the jacket and pants, which carry a slight upcharge. They can separate them on request and it makes the suit even more versatile. The quilted linings are just too hot above about 60 degrees, but you still need the Gore-Tex layer in the wet. Paul in DC 95 VFR May 23, 2003 12:37:38 PM CDT