Summary
The Scorpion Women’s Elektra Jacket is a beautiful
armored leather jacket with a large degree of
adjustability to suit many figures.
Vents and a
full-sleeve insulated liner provide the rider with
versatility for warm or cool days.
Background
There was some debate on another website about whether I
put safety or fashion first. I want to be perfectly
clear – safety ALWAYS comes first. Period.
It’s better to be well protected than to look good. If
you have to choose one over the other, choose gear that
will protect you rather than something that just looks
great.
A side note for those men who think they look cool
wearing just a t-shirt on their ride: I think a guy in a
helmet and leathers is much sexier than a guy riding in
a T-shirt and shorts, just asking for skin grafts.
Men and women: please wear your gear all the time, no
matter where you’re going or what you ride. Just this
summer, two friends had minor accidents resulting in
injuries that could have been prevented.
One friend was riding in her driveway in shorts and got
a serious burn on her leg when she dropped her bike.
My
other friend was kick-starting his dirt bike in sneakers
and shorts, his foot slipped and the kick start
literally tore his calf apart – I’m talking 40 stitches
and a $3,000 hospital bill.
Those were both minor accidents that happened at slow
speed or a standstill – imagine what a high-speed
accident could do. Both those injuries could have been
prevented if they were wearing the proper gear. In a more
serious accident, protective clothing could even save a life; wear it
and wear it all the time.
Okay, getting off my soapbox now…the point I wanted to
make is that safety always comes first!
My mission is helping women find protective, armored
gear that fits right and looks good. In today’s world,
there is no reason why we can’t have it all –
protection, fit, and fashion.
Scorpion hit the nail on the head with the Women’s
Elektra Jacket. Not only does the Elektra have CE-approved armor and quality leather, but it is a
beautiful jacket as well. I liked the jacket when
I came across it online, but
when I pulled it out of the box, I was ecstatic!
In my opinion, the Scorpion Women’s Elektra Jacket runs
one size small. I normally wear a small, but in the
spring I tried on Scorpion’s Nip/Tuck, a textile and
mesh jacket.
The sleeves on the size small Nip/Tuck were a little short
for me and when I hopped on a showroom motorcycle and
reached for the handlebars, the shoulders were too snug. Motorcycle jackets should fit closely but should not
restrict movement.
When ordering the Elektra, I took the sizing of the
Nip/Tuck into consideration and got a medium, knowing
that if the body was too roomy I could cinch in the
sides with the adjustable straps. The medium fits well, similar to my size small Joe Rocket Jet Set
Jacket.
My belief is a small in the Elektra would have been too
binding for me. Also, the Scorpion sizing charts suggested a medium
based on my measurements. I’m able to fit
a sweatshirt underneath the size medium, but then the jacket is little
tight under the arms where the sweatshirt bunches up.
Obviously, with the insulated liner removed, the jacket
is roomier.
Safety, Construction and Functionality
Scorpion’s Elektra Jacket is full of features and
they didn't scrimp on either protection or style. I chose the
jacket in the "Ink" color – black with colored graphics.
Let’s start with the most important features - safety. The Elektra is
made from leather and it has CE-approved armor, providing
some of the best protection in motorcycle gear that
money can buy.
Besides the CE-approved shoulder and elbow armor, the
Elektra has
a 3/8 inch (1.5 mm) thick back pad. The armor and back pad
are perforated for breathability on warmer days. The
armor also stays in place when the insulated liner is
removed.
The 1.1 mm thick cowhide is drum-dyed, meaning the color
goes all the way through the leather. If it gets scratched, the color will be the same underneath. Patent
leather accents on the front and back of the jacket make
a nice contrast.
I love leather for riding, not only for the protection
it offers, but it is also resistant to dirt and water
and can look good for many years. Leather is usually
easy to clean, and most of the time can be wiped down
with a damp cloth.
The Scorpion Elektra Jacket is flexible and non-binding
and should become even more comfortable as the leather
breaks in. The sleeves are also pre-curved so the rider
is not working against the leather when holding the
handlebars.
Scorpion's "Exo-Stitching" provides added strength to seams through
a process of stitching the seam, folding it over, and
stitching it a second time.
Visibility and Reflectivity
For night-time visibility, each shoulder has two strips
of "NightViz" reflective piping, which look black in
daylight. One strip is on the back of the shoulder, the
other strip is on the side of the arm just below the
shoulder.
I’m happy the Scorpion Elektra Jacket has reflective
piping, and would have loved the strip on the back of
the shoulder to continue down the back of the jacket for
even more visibility. However, Scorpion’s customer
service informed me the patent leather sections also
have reflective qualities.
I was skeptical, but after taking pictures of the back
with a flash, I noticed the patent leather sections
reflected the flash. Imagine what they’d look like with
headlights shining on them. More nighttime visibility is
always a good thing!
I do need to voice my one concern with black jackets,
and that is lower visibility versus something with
brighter colors. If black leather is a must, visibility
can be increased with a brightly colored lid or even a
high-visibility vest worn over the jacket.
Ventilation For warmer days, this jacket can adapt. A 5
inch (12.7
cm) zippered vent is located on each bicep, and two 7
inch (17.8 cm) zippered vents are located on the upper
back over the shoulder blade area.
There is also a 4 inch (10.2 cm) by 6.5 inch (16.5 cm)
perforated leather piece at the back of each arm that
goes partly under the arm pit to let heat and moisture
escape.
A brilliant design is the "Koolvent" full-length mesh
panel at the front of the jacket. Twin zippers let you
choose to expose the 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) wide mesh strip
or not. It is a great way to give this full leather
jacket immediate ventilation.
Zippers
The front zipper runs to the top of the 1.5 inch (3.8
cm) wide banded collar. I’d prefer for the zipper to
stop at the bottom of the collar, because I think the
zipper makes the collar stiff in the front and when it
is fully zipped it has a tendency to push into my neck
whether I’m on or off the bike.
When I secure the collar’s hook and loop closure, it
seems to pull the collar away from my neck a little bit. My hope is that as the jacket breaks in, this area will
become more flexible and won’t poke my neck anymore.
A tank scratch-elimination flap protects your ride’s
beautiful paint job and opens and closes easily with
hook and loop tape. While we’re discussing zippers,
which are all YKK, the Scorpion Elektra Jacket can also
unzip from the bottom up. This can be handy on or off
the bike, especially since this is a full-length jacket.
I own a Ninja 500 and in the riding position, the front of
this full-length jacket bunches up. The front zipper
along with two 4.5 inch (11.4 cm) long side zippers
which enclose gussets can be unzipped from the bottom to
help prevent bunching when riding.
I personally prefer my jackets to be a little shorter in
the front, but the zippers provide adjustability making
this jacket more versatile for all motorcyclists.
The sleeves taper at the cuff and close with a 5.5 inch
(14 cm) zipper and a Scorpion logo snap. The cuff is
fairly narrow and should fit under most gauntlet gloves. The inside of the cuff on my medium jacket measures 8
inches (20.3 cm) in circumference.
Insulation
The Scorpion Elektra Jacket has good ventilation, but what about
cooler days? Good news: the jacket includes a removable full-sleeve
"Everheat" thermal liner that attaches with snaps and a
zipper.
The full-sleeve liner is a great component to have and
provides more warmth than just an insulated vest. The
liner has ribbed cuffs (like on most sweat shirts) which
also lock out cold air. A 4.5 inch (11.4 cm) wide Kwikwick liner strip inserted in the back of the liner
wicks moisture away from the back quickly.
An interesting feature on the removable liner is it is
constructed with openings in the underarm. At first, I
thought it had a hole in it - well, technically it does
- but it is intentional and nicely finished. Even in
cold weather, one can sweat under the arms, and this
opening allows heat and moisture to escape, preventing
the dreaded under-arm sweat rings on your clothes.
I went for a few rides in temperatures ranging from
43-55 degrees (6-12 Celsius) and wore two thin
long-sleeved shirts with the insulated liner in place. In 43 degrees (6 Celsius), I got cold. At 55 degrees (12
Celsius), I was a little cool, maybe even chilled, but
not cold.
I should mention that I am often cold when others
aren’t, but this is definitely not a cold-weather
jacket. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to wear
it in warm weather, but when I do we’ll add an update.
(Note to self: move to a warmer climate!)
Liner and Pockets
The Scorpion Elektra Jacket also has a permanent
fine-mesh lining for comfort when the insulated liner is
removed. Both the permanent lining and the removable
liner are 100% polyester.
Have you ever owned a jacket where the lining ripped
under the arms? The permanent lining also has a leather
piece sewn into the underarm for reinforcement.
The inside of the jacket has a belt loop attachment at
the back which easily connects to Scorpion’s textile
Savannah Pants. This will keep your jacket down
when riding and will hopefully keep it down in the event
of a slide.
There are two 6 inch (15.2 cm) zipped hand-warming
pockets that are a little shallow at only 3.5 inches
(8.9 cm) deep. If I ball up my fists, they don’t fit all
the way inside the pockets. The only way to get my hands
entirely in the pockets is to angle my fingers downward.
One 6 inch (15.2 cm) zippered interior pocket is a
generous 7 inches (17.8 cm) deep - plenty of room to
hold a cell phone and other miscellaneous items. Zipper
pulls on the vents, exterior pockets, and the main
zipper make them easier to operate while wearing gloves.
Adjustments and Sizing One of the best things
about the Scorpion Elektra Jacket is the adjustable side
straps. Clearly, all women don’t have the same figure,
and these straps provide a custom fit for most shapes.
The cinching straps run from the chest to below the
waist, letting the rider choose where she needs more or
less wiggle room.
Whether you have a small or large
chest and a straight or curvy waist, cinch or let out
the straps to fit how you like. Need a little more room? Unzip the side gussets at the hip.
Scorpion also has long cinching straps on their Nip/Tuck
Jacket and Savannah Pants and Haley Pants. (Watch for an
upcoming review on the Haley Pants.) Kudos to Scorpion
for offering gear that can adjust to a wide range of
figures.
The Scorpion Elektra Jacket is even offered in women’s
sizes up to 3W. Customer Service also told me the Dahlia
Jacket in black and the Nip/Tuck Jacket in black or
white/gold are available up to a 3W. Their new Empress
Jacket and Savannah Pants are available in sizes up to XXL.
By the way, Scorpion’s Customer Service was excellent. They didn’t know I was doing a review, and were very
patient with my questions and receptive to my comments
on ideas for future gear.
Back to the jacket, if you’ve got to have “the look,”
Scorpion doesn’t scrimp on details. The solid black and
off-white versions of the Scorpion Elektra Jacket both
have black embroidery on the sleeves and the lower back;
even the Koolvent panel is embroidered with Scorpion's
"Get Stung" slogan.
But if you want some attitude, the Ink version
(pictured) is a must. Leather appliqués, custom
embroidery, and rhinestones add a lot of sass; this
jacket definitely makes a statement.
For those who like to coordinate, Scorpion offers
complete outfits; mix and match jackets, pants, gloves,
and helmets to get the look you want.
Conclusion
The
Scorpion Elektra Jacket is loaded with features and
details. Excellent construction, CE-approved armor, and
durable leather combine for more protection for the
rider.
Available in a wide range of sizes, side straps
also permit custom adjustments for most figures.
The jacket is also on closeout and
this link to Revzilla will
get you a jacket at 24% off the list price. All colors are
available in almost every size. Grab one while you still
can.
Scorpion says, “Get Stung.” In this case…don’t mind if I
do!
