Aerostich Cousin Jeremy, Part Two

I must admit, after I did Part One of my review of an Aerostich Cousin Jeremy outfit early last spring, I was expecting to put a lot more miles on it during the summer than I actually could. But, you know, pandemics happen. However, I did wear the new pants and jacket on enough rides to add more insight into their merits.

One concern I had initially with the 10 oz. waxed cotton suit was its weight. I have worn textile outfits from Olympia and Aerostich (the R-3), and the Cousin Jeremy does seem heavy. Once on my bike, of course that feeling disappeared, but motorcycle wear’s main purpose is to protect, and I have confidence the heavy fabric paired with Aerostich’s TF3 armor will pay off in an encounter of the pavement kind. The fabric was also stiff at first, maybe even stiffer than that of a Roadcrafter or my old Darien jacket, but suppleness did increase with every wearing. I did tumble the jacket and pants in our dryer with no heat on for a while which hastened the break-in process.

When I was being fitted for the Cousin Jeremy in Duluth in February (not to be confused with Springtime in Paris), Aerostich Founder Andy Goldfine suggested I consider a one-piece suit, rather than a pant/jacket ensemble. At the time, I was thinking more about versatility and the cool looks of the jacket, but the more I wore the outfit the more I appreciated Andy’s advice. Once you learn and practice getting in and out of an Aerostich one-piece suit, it’s pretty quick and easy. Having to put on the pants, then the jacket is definitely more labor intensive, and I found myself leaving the pants in the closet for short hops, just wearing the jacket, which is obviously a risk. I was happy though that I had opted to get the bib which zips to the pants, provides more protection from the elements, and prevents any low rider issues.

The Cousin Jeremy certainly cuts the wind, keeping me snug in temps down to the lower 40’s with just a fleece and jeans on underneath. I expected the outfit to be hot, but was surprised how cool I remained when temps got into the 80’s; wearing shorts or jeans and a t-shirt, unzipping the under arm and back vents on the jacket and opening the wrist zippers and cuff fasteners really moved the air, especially with the jacket’s main zipper down a ways. The double zipper on the pant legs can also be adjusted to keep your nether regions ventilated. Whether a one-piece suit or jacket/pant combo, the Cousin Jeremy is about as hot in stop-and-go traffic as any non-mesh protective clothing. As Aerostich notes in their catalogue, the Cousin Jeremy is Street/Touring wear; for ADV I’d recommend something in Cordura.

I never got caught in a real deluge wearing the outfit, but my wife was more than happy to drill me with a pressure-washer to test its water resistance. Despite her somewhat disquieting enthusiasm for hitting me full force from all directions, water beaded nicely on the waxed cotton, and only a few droplets got under the jacket where it overlaps the pants (Andy’s advice rides again).

Aerostich has been designing motorcycle apparel for almost 40 years, and their many small touches like roll-over waist pocket flaps, forearm pocket, ultrasuede collar and a push-through slot for gloves bear this out. The Cousin Jeremy’s slick “supernyl” lining is also a high class feature.

As I indicated in Part One of this review, a large part of my desire to try Cousin Jeremy clothing was driven by its looks. I confess: Ron’s the name and vanity is often his game. In my mind, the Cousin Jeremy line from Aerostich is their sharpest looking outerwear. Packed with the traditional features all their suits have and Aerostich’s rich reputation for quality, durability and protection, is it wrong to also want to look good???

Aerostich Cousin Jeremy Jacket: $677
Aerostich Cousing Jeremy Pants: $597
Aerostich Bib Converter: $67