Belstaff Trialmaster
 

Anyone got one? They look decent. Tricky to get my head round all the different models/versions though! I like the look of the new tourist trophy... :)

Yes I have one. Bought my first Belstaff when a 17yr old (a long time ago). That one was obviously made in Britain. My present one which I bought about 3 years ago was made in Treviso Italy. As far as quality goes mine is just as good if not better than my original - and has some armour which is in itself an improvement.
They have gone up in price since I bought mine and are very expensive IMO.
But if you like them........ It is the most waterproof jacket you can get - I've tried other expensive textile jackets which are supposed to be water proof but not found one that lives up to the billing - maybe I was unlucky?
Keep a Belstaff waxed and it will serve you well.
Off road - well be prepared to sweat.
Winter riding get yourself some good thermals underneath, layer up and its fine. Treat it as being a outer layer only when it really gets cold.

fiddich

correct me if im wrong but did jim not have one of those jackets up in the dufftown when i test rode your ten?

Cause he mentioned of the factory i think where they are made have ones that dont pass QA so instead of scraping them or cutting them to bits and starting agian they sell them off on the cheap as jacket with no warrenty but at a bargin.

Jim has a Belstaff wax jacket and trousers - not sure what jacket it is.
The cheap rejects rings a bell with me but again not sure mate.

ah he mentioned about thats where he got his years ago and hes still using them, all be it they are a bit dogged but still work.

He said the rejects are sometime only that sticitching isnt straight, theres a slight mark here etc etc efffectively the jacket is still good but minor minor problem. but cause of that they cant sell it on main line so put it in the back line so to speak and a considerable discount. I must look into this myself now as i he was saying �100-�150 for some of the jackets and all you need to do is give them a good old wax and your away

back in the days when all this was fields & Belstaff was a British brand the factory was just down the road from me every couple of months they would have a factory sale on a friday night a trialmaster jacket would cost between �5 & �15, this was bike gear heaven for us pennyless bikers,(I got my first ever Arai Giga Doohan rep this way for �80 because the box was ripped) these days Belstaff is an Italian aspirational lifestyle brand and as such is V expensive
I currently fancy a Mojave jacket but at �400 its a bit salty for me

Max your correct, all the jackets are new but have just failed Qc for minor reasons and are much cheaper, i will be replacing my old belstaff soon after nearly twenty years it needs a rest! so i will get down and have a look in about ten days and let you all know what the prices are like now.
Regards,
Jim

Forgot to say that the Factory outlet is in Jarrow near Newcastle.
Regards,
Jim

And its Barbour, not having a good computer day at the mo!, my new one wont let me post for some reason.
Regards,
Jim

Dont worry jimf ive just bought myself a 2nd hand i phone 4 and at 24yrs old feel like a 90 year old with a tv remote......where the numbers......hand me my glasses dear:hahaha[1]:

have you a web link for the shop or is it just in store?

http://www.barbour.com/shop/barbour-factory-store# see if that works, its the factory store but probably better to visit as it was cheaper by a fair bit from online prices, will let you know when i get down.
Regards,
Jim

good man will have a wee neeb here now but moneys going to be tight again for a while as ive just went and bought myself another present, this one a bit more expensive than the i phone 4 i bought this morning.

haha, brilliant, I love all these old stories...

I am stuck between two of their jackets. 1 The trialmaster; Apparently a lighter cotton (8oz) and not as waterproof as some other models. However, A nicer jacket.

2: the tourist trophy; A heavier jacket at 10oz cotton, better on a bike, more waterproof but not as good looking IMO.

Would the lighter cotton be any less waterproof? I know its to do with the wax coating obviously but on the website it says the tourist trophy is more waxed therefore more waterproof.
for all the times i get caught out in a shower i think the 8oz would be good. but i can hear myself saying as it's P****ing down " I should have got the heavier waxed jacket " I guess i should just go and try them on and see what fits right and feels right!
always good to get advice though, because they are very expensive these days, but you only need to buy it once :) the mojave jacket is nice too but i don't have the harley to match ;)

Think you've hit the nail on the bonce - try em on and you'll make your mind up - heavier is warmer? not sure but I guess so.
By the way barbour wax is cheaper and does exactly the same job as Belstaff. Got the last lot off ebay.

Barbour look good too, up here The barbour reputation would not do you any favours on the bike though! We shall see, a trip to the big city to try a few on is in order. By the way, are they easy to wipe clean? I live in the country/rural wich makes for a lot of bugs to the jacket!

Yeah mine is easy to clean, no problems getting bugs off because the finish is pretty smooth, i usually dont bother cos the rain gets rid of them anyway! i had a barbour international before the belstaff and found them much the same, fiddichs new one seems to be constructed more sturdily than my old one, have a try and see i suppose, good luck!
Regards,
Jim

In dry weather I would wash only to get rid of grit/dust as it is pretty abrasive in those creases on the arms of the jacket and can lead to premature splits in those areas over a long period of time. Keep an eye on it, wax it and its your friend for a long time.:headbang:

For what its worth, I bought my Trailmaster jacket & pants in the early 1990s. They've copped a flogging over the years, & despite a bit of wear/damage here & there, they're still quite serviceable. They're fantastic in the wet. I've ridden in torrential rain for long periods, & not a drop's gotten in (provided I'd resealed it reasonably recently). Very occasional washing (I think I've only 'washed' it about four times in the last 20 something years :icon_puke_r:) consisted of wiping down the outside with a damp cloth, & using a powder carpet cleaner/vacuum on the inside.

I don't know how any of this compares to the newer stuff from Belstaff.

The down side for me is they're so bloody hot (for me here in Australia at least). I'd cook every summer, but found them great in winter, and I could throw on jumpers underneath if it got real cold.
The only other problem for me is the lack of armour.

Its for these reasons that I decided to trade up when I bought my Tenere this year. I was going to go for Klim gear, but instead opted for the Revit Defender suit (which I couldn't be happier with BTW).

My Belstaff gear is now packed away, forlorn & neglected :eusa_boohoo:. Maybe one day I'll be able to get some sort of vintage bike to use it with, or maybe a ural sidecar rig or something.

Been looking for a new jacket as my Weise Psycho is now 3 years old. Still good & 'only' cost �120. I've been looking at Belstaff kit - looks really well put together & VERY stylish. But the PRICE!!!! OMG!!!! How do they justify premiums like that??????????????????

I've used Trailmaster and Roadmaster Belstaff jackets over a looong period of time - and they're great but modern textile stuff is much better.

Having said that I still did my recent Istanbul & Balkan trip in an old Trailmaster.

The current Belstaff brand jackets are fashion items (designed and made in Italy I believe).

As workaday bike gear the only old Belstaffs available are on eBay.

http://www.barbour.com/shop/barbour-factory-store