KTM HQ Adventure Suit Review

KTM HQ Adventure SuitNearly every motorcycle manufacturer offers its own line of branded riding apparel, and KTM is no exception. Like its motorcycle lineup, the Austrian company’s PowerWear line includes gear for adventure, street and off-road riding, everything from jackets and pants to helmets, boots and gloves, most of it trimmed in KTM’s trademark orange.

Designed in-house and manufactured in Vietnam, the HQ Adventure jacket and pants are suitable for touring in mild climates where rain is a common occurrence. The outer shell is made of Sympatex Performance dual-layer material, which is abrasion-resistant, breathable and waterproof, and all seams and zippers are waterproof. Crash protection includes goatskin leather covering the shoulders, elbows/forearms and seat, CE-approved SAS-TEC armor at the shoulders, elbows and knees, and a foam backpad (the pocket will accept an optional CE-approved back protector). The jacket and pants are lined with stretchy mesh and they have removable insulated liners. There are only three vents on the jacket—two vertical ones on each side of the torso under the arms and a horizontal one across the back—and none on the pants. And there are seven pockets (two are waterproof), three on the jacket, one in the jacket liner and three on the pants. Adjustment tabs and zippered cuffs adjust fit, multiple reflective strips enhance nighttime visibility, and the jacket and pants can be connected with 8-inch or 25-inch zippers.

Preformed elbows and knees, accordion panels on the arms and shoulders and 5-percent elastane woven into the Sympatex shell make this suit very comfortable to wear on and off the bike. The tall collar, edged in leather and lined with soft fleece, does a good job of blocking wind but it can’t be snugged down in rain nor opened up on a hot day without flapping in the wind. The suit kept me dry during a rare California rainstorm, and, with the thermal liners in, it kept me comfortable with temperatures down to the mid-50s. When the mercury climbed into the 80s, however, the suit’s minimal ventilation became an issue. Admittedly I’m hot natured, but I wouldn’t recommend wearing this suit on really hot days, especially if strenuous adventure riding is involved.

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Available in black only, the HQ Adventure jacket retails for $629.99, pants for $429.99. Men’s sizes are S-2XL for the jacket, S-3XL for the pants; women’s sizes are S-XL for the jacket, S-XL for the pants.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: See your KTM dealer or visit ktmusa.com

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