Testing the British Motorcycle Gear Adventure Jacket on the 2022 Kawasaki KLR650. (Photo by Drew Ruiz)

Like an adventure-touring bike, an adventure-touring jacket needs to be ready for anything, come what may. It should provide comfort and protection in a range of conditions and stand up to abuse. The British Motorcycle Gear Adventure Jacket was originally designed for the Dakar Rally, which puts more demands on riders, motorcycles, and gear in a fortnight than run-of-the-mill adventure riding will do in a year (or even a lifetime).

The Adventure?s outer shell is made of 500-denier nylon with anti-abrasion overlayers on the elbows and shoulders that are backed by EVA foam. The adjustable waist/kidney belt on the outside of the jacket also has EVA foam padding along the back. The inside of the jacket is lined with stretchy, breathable athletic mesh, and there are pockets for shoulder, elbow, and back armor. Knox CE shoulder and elbow armor is provided; back armor is sold separately for $29.
To deal with the variable weather conditions, there?s a waterproof/windproof layer that can be zipped over the jacket, and it can be conveniently stored in the large, rectangular pocket at the lower back. There?s a removable hydration system with a bladder and a long tube that secures to the front of the jacket. Zippered vents ? large ones on the inner forearm and smaller ones at the front and back of the shoulders ? provide ventilation. There are numerous fit adjusters (neck...