One day on twitter aspiring actress Megan Frai was excitedly tweeting the purchase of her new jacket from Gigi Montrose…how wonderful it was, how stylish, etc.

She then messaged me saying I just had to check it out.

It turns out the owner of Gigi Montrose lives only 15 minutes from me. So I paid Ginger a visit and got to learn about her new Moto Couture clothing line and how it came to be.

Ginger Damon has a fascinating history working with celebrities and a great story to tell about her new venture with motorcycle apparel.

Someday I’ll do a spotlight on her, but in the meantime, let’s check out the new Gigi Montrose ‘Speed’ Motorcycle Jacket.

Gigi Montrose Moto Couture Speed Motorcycle Jacket

Speed Motorcycle Jacket Features

The cut and design of this jacket is meant to accommodate the female physique and adapt to the riding position. It is a fitted jacket with a retro flare. Streamlined and sexy, it features:

• Fully lined in Dupont™ Kevlar^®
• 9 ounce Indigo denim with stretch for comfort
• Water resistant wax coating to protect against the elements
• Quality YKK zippers, covered to block wind
• Longer back and arms for better covering
• Broader shoulder area to lessen fabric pull or tightness
• Back pocket for keys, cellphone etc.
• Decorative signature red stitching
• Luxury finish lining
• Vegan friendly
• X-small to X-large sizing

The Ride Test

Although I had been wearing it daily for weeks, my Southern California home base didn’t provide much variation in weather conditions to really test the jacket out. However, I had an upcoming 3-day trip riding over five of the mountain passes in the Sierra Nevada’s.

The trip was the perfect opportunity to put the jacket to the test as I knew there would be varying temps, and most likely a variety of weather conditions. It was going to be an awesome ride because the Sierra Nevada range is the highest mountain range in the contiguous United States and home to Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks as well as Lake Tahoe. Needless to say, I was pretty excited about the ride!

Riding my BMW F 800 GT, a sport-touring bike, I made my way up to Bakersfield Thursday night to meet the rest of the group for the start of our trip. It was a perfect 76˚ ride.

That night I wore it out to the famous Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace, just because it looks so good. It feels more like a normal jacket than a motorcycle jacket. Never would I do that with my Kilimanjaro touring jacket—unless I wanted to look like a goof-ball!

Friday was mostly on the warm side. In the morning we crossed over Walker pass going by Lake Isabella. By lunchtime it was already 92˚. At one point I did undo the top button and unzipped about ¼ of the jacket to get some airflow. It was hot, but not miserable.

While riding, the jacket was super comfy. I never had any attention on it. Actually, my attention was mostly on the gorgeous scenery and–unfortunately–the numerous sand patches in the road. On one sharp switch back I almost dropped the bike when my rear tire lost traction, but thankfully was able to save it.

Anyways, after lunch we encountered some heavy winds just before crossing Sonora pass and then the temperature dropped to a sunny-sky 53˚. The jacket felt good and performed well. I do love how the back is longer—my back didn’t get cold like with my shorter jacket.

Mostly while stopping for breaks I kept the jacket on. It’s not big and bulky like other motorcycle jackets that you usually want to take off right away. But when I did take it off, it packed nice and neat in my trunk, not taking up nearly the amount of space other jackets would.

Saturday we hit much lower temperatures – mostly in the low 60’s with partly cloudy skies. Riding over Carson, Luther, and Monitor passes, it did get down to a cloudy 50˚ and then rained. It was a light rain but I liked how the wax coating on the jacket just made the water bounce off so I never even got wet. And with the added hoody layer underneath I never got cold. At one point we did have to pull over to put on rain gear because of the big gloomy skies and serious rain clouds ahead on our route.

Sunday was basically a fast-track home on US route 395. It started out cold, but got much warmer when we hit the lower elevations. Somehow this jacket keeps cool when it’s hot and somehow keeps warm when it’s cold. I don’t know exactly how that works, but I sure appreciated the comfort.

Pros & Cons

Overall I really like this jacket. It’s strong, stylish, and super comfortable.

First of all it’s made with Dupont™ Kevlar® . For those who don’t know, kevlar is extraordinarily strong. It’s best known for its use in bulletproof and stab-resistant body armor because of its strength and durability.

Kevlar is resistant to wear and tear, as well as heat and melting, making it one of the materials least likely to rip in the event of an accident. And unlike leather, kevlar is thin and lightweight, so it is not too heavy for warm weather rides.

The coated denim aids in wind fatigue and makes it easy to clean off road debris. Just wipe it off with a damp rag.

The fit feels secure and comfortable… comfort the likes of which I have not experienced with any other jacket. The zippers are reliable and the soft inner liner just plain feels good. And almost unbelievably, it works with multiple layers without getting bulky or too tight. Here’s some pics with various layering:

Usually you have to sacrifice style for comfort, but not with this jacket. It’s extremely comfortable and really classy looking. What’s not to love about that?

Lastly, true vegans will love it as an alternative to wearing leather.

The only downside is that it doesn’t come with armour. For those ATGATT types (all the gear all the time), that can be easily solved with an armoured shirt like one of these:

Knox armoured shirt

ATWYLD Convoy armoured shirt

Forcefield Pro shirt X-V

How does it look on other female riders?

I scoured some images from Instagram to show how this jacket looks on other female motorcyclists. Check it out:

And some glamour shots from the Gigi Montrose Moto Couture lookbook:

Here’s what one happy female Harley rider had to say about the Speed motorcycle jacket…

“When you think of a Harley, you think of leather clad bikers.  I was one of those riders.  And I hated wearing leather.  Not only because leather jackets are heavy and unflattering but I’m Vegan and didn’t want dead animals on my body.  So, when I met Ginger and learned about her Kevlar couture jackets, the sky parted for me.  Then I zipped the Speed Jacket up.  Holy-Instant glam.  Now, glamorous was not a word I EVER used in association with riding my Harley….until now.  In my Speed jacket, it’s a whole new ride.  I FEEL glamorous.  And protected.  These two things used to be mutually exclusive!  Speed is incredibly well made, hugs my curves, gives in all the right places, regulates temperatures during extreme heat, keeps me safe, and it’s GORGEOUS!  The red stitching, bad-ass cuffs, zipper back for my wallet, it’s hands-down, the greatest jacket I’ve ever worn.”  —Alison M.

Style. Strength. Simplicity.

The Speed Jacket is made in Los Angeles, CA and retails for $475.00.

You can get it at Gigi Montrose Moto Couture, a company whose goal is to define the identity of today’s female motorcyclist.

Follow Gigi Montrose Moto Couture on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.