Fans cheering on Ant West may have noticed the Aussie is the latest big name to switch to Furygan leathers, joining MotoGP rider Johann Zarco.
The French brand may not be instantly recognisable to many, but the company’s been involved with Grand Prix racing since 1972.
Australian distributor Bruce Collins Enterprises sent me a set of leathers six months ago, and I have been giving them plenty of track time since. Thankfully, I have not needed to call on the safety features – maybe they are my lucky leathers?
This Full Apex Perfo is Furygan’s top-of-the-range race suit; differing only slighty to the custom suits worn by Zarco. Manufactured from full-grain 1.4mm cowhide, the suit feels light and soft, which assists with its overall comfort level.
The elbows and shoulders are fitted with external high-abrasion plastic protection shells with aluminium internals for extra protection, and to minimise damage to the leather on high-impact areas. There’s also triple stitching in the high-stress seams.
What we like
The suit has no built-in back protector which is popular among other Furygan users I spoke with. Like me, they all prefer to wear the back protector of their choice, and a suit with a built-in back protector means extra bulk – and a higher price! There’s also no built-in hip protectors, so you don’t look like a penguin.
I ordered the same XXL size I have always worn, but the Furygan suit is a much snugger fit around the middle of the body, making it much more comfortable. An expandable panel built into the lower back of the suit means it remains a snug fit when you are both standing and riding.
The cotton lining only reaches the shoulders and the knees. At first I thought this would be a problem, but I soon realised that almost all riders wear an under-layer under their race suit these days, and a shortened liner means one less layer under your boots and wrist area, again assisting with comfort.
Thanks to the perforated leather, the suit breathes well, and I have enjoyed all-day comfort even in hot weather.
What we don’t
Even though the suit fits really well around the body, it’s short on the arm and leg length. I’m partly to blame for this because I have orangutan-length arms and legs, but this suit comes up shorter than any other brand I have owned in the same size. But anyone shelling out this sort of coin on a suit will be trying one on to make sure they’ve got the correct size.
The biggest issue I have had with the suit (and I think this all comes down to the sizing and my irregular body shape) is the main zipper. It does not come down far enough, making a trip to the bathroom a strip-down affair – just to take a quick leak, which I often do.
West, WSS600 race,Thai WSBK 2018
Verdict
Furygan’s Full Apex Perfo is a great looking suit, and it is one of the most comfortable I have owned. It’s a high-quality piece of kit and its simple yet sophisticated design makes it good-looking, too. I just hope I never regret not adding hip protection, or need to take a leak in a hurry!
Pros
- Looks
- Comfort
- No built-in back protector
Cons
- Short zipper
- Short arms and legs
Colours Red/White/Black, Yellow/White/Black, Green/White/Black,
Sizes 46-58
$1249
Bruce Collins Enterprises
www.bce.net.au
(03) 9645 2919
