Alpinestars ST-1 Motorcycle Jacket Review

The Alpinestars ST-1 WP is one of those motorcycle jackets that makes quite a lot of sense once you stop expecting it to do absolutely everything.

It is a waterproof textile touring jacket aimed at riders who want something comfortable, practical and usable through a big chunk of the British riding year without jumping straight into the price bracket of a laminated premium touring suit.

You get a fixed waterproof membrane, removable thermal liner, direct chest ventilation, useful storage, Alpinestars armour and plenty of adjustment.

But is the Alpinestars ST-1 actually any good, and who is it really suited to?

Alpinestars ST-1 WP Jacket at a Glance

• Waterproof textile touring motorcycle jacket.
• Fixed waterproof membrane.
• Removable 80g thermal liner in the body and sleeves.
• Direct ventilation openings on the chest.
• Nucleon Flex Plus Level 1 shoulder and elbow armour.
• Tech-Air® Ready.
• EN 17092-4:2020 A-rated motorcycle garment.
• Pre-curved sleeves and ergonomic elbow construction.
• Adjustable arms, cuffs, collar and waist.
• Extended rear for better coverage on the bike.
• Connection zip for compatible Alpinestars trousers.
• Multiple external and internal storage pockets.

What Type of Jacket Is the Alpinestars ST-1?

The easiest way to describe the ST-1 is as a traditional waterproof textile touring jacket with a modern Alpinestars cut.

It sits somewhere between a basic commuter jacket and the much more expensive laminated adventure and touring gear.

That makes it relevant to quite a lot of riders.

If you commute, tour, ride at weekends or simply want one jacket that can cope with a fairly typical British mixture of cold mornings, rain, wind and the occasional warm afternoon, the ST-1 has been designed with that sort of use in mind.

It also looks relatively clean and understated. It has the Alpinestars styling without looking like you've accidentally wandered out of a MotoGP paddock on the way to Tesco.

Is the Alpinestars ST-1 Waterproof?

Yes. The ST-1 uses a fixed waterproof membrane.

This is worth understanding because it works differently from a laminated motorcycle jacket.

With the ST-1, the waterproof membrane sits inside the outer textile construction. The membrane is there to stop water reaching you, but the outer fabric itself can still become wet during prolonged rain.

That means the jacket may become heavier and take longer to dry than a good laminated jacket, where the waterproof membrane is bonded much more closely to the outer material.

There is nothing unusual about that. It is how a huge number of waterproof motorcycle jackets are constructed.

And there is a fairly obvious reason manufacturers still do it:

Cost.

A fixed waterproof membrane gives you proper wet-weather protection without turning the jacket into a £500, £700 or £1,000 purchase.

For riders who are not spending eight hours a day crossing continents in horizontal rain, that can be a perfectly sensible compromise.

How Warm Is the ST-1?

The ST-1 includes a removable thermal liner with 80g insulation through both the torso and sleeves.

That makes a noticeable difference on colder rides.

Keep it fitted for chilly mornings and the cooler ends of the riding season, then remove it once temperatures start climbing.

I would not describe the ST-1 as a heavyweight winter jacket in the same league as some dedicated cold-weather touring gear.

That isn't necessarily a criticism.

Making a jacket enormously warm also makes it enormously warm when Britain suddenly decides that Tuesday afternoon is summer.

The removable liner gives the ST-1 much more flexibility.

What Is the Ventilation Like?

There are direct ventilation openings on the chest designed to feed cooling air into the jacket.

For a waterproof touring jacket, that is useful.

Once the thermal liner is removed and the vents are opened, the ST-1 becomes much more comfortable as the temperature rises.

However, this is still fundamentally a waterproof textile jacket.

If most of your riding is happening in genuinely hot summer weather, a dedicated vented or mesh motorcycle jacket is going to move considerably more air.

The ST-1 is better thought of as an all-rounder rather than a substitute for a full mesh summer jacket.

How Does the Alpinestars ST-1 Fit?

Alpinestars describes the ST-1 as having a comfort-focused touring fit.

The arms are pre-curved and the elbows are shaped to work naturally in a riding position rather than feeling as though the jacket has been designed purely for standing upright in front of a mirror.

You also get adjustment at several points:

• Press-stud adjustment around the upper arms.
• Adjustable cuffs.
• Adjustable collar.
• Waist adjustment.

Those adjustments matter more than they might sound.

A motorcycle jacket needs to fit closely enough to keep the armour where it belongs without becoming uncomfortable when you're actually sitting on the bike.

The extended rear also gives a bit more coverage when you're leaning forward.

As always with Alpinestars, I would rather see somebody actually try the jacket than buy purely from the letter on the label.

Different riders are different shapes, and two jackets marked XL can feel completely different once you put them on.

What Armour Comes in the ST-1?

The ST-1 comes with Alpinestars Nucleon Flex Plus Level 1 armour at the shoulders and elbows.

It is relatively thin and flexible armour, which helps the jacket remain comfortable rather than feeling like you're walking around in riot gear.

There are also internal pockets for upgrading protection with compatible chest and back protectors.

The jacket is also Tech-Air® Ready, so it has been designed with Alpinestars' airbag systems in mind.

What Safety Rating Does the Alpinestars ST-1 Have?

The current ST-1 WP is certified as an EN 17092-4:2020 Class A motorcycle garment.

That is worth mentioning because A, AA and AAA are garment classifications rather than ratings for the individual armour inserts.

The shoulder and elbow armour has its own separate impact-protection certification.

Class A generally represents a balance between protection, weight and comfort.

For riders wanting a higher garment classification, there are plenty of AA and AAA alternatives available now, particularly if abrasion protection is higher on your priority list than keeping the jacket lightweight and flexible.

You can compare those in our motorcycle jackets range.

Storage on the ST-1

One area where the ST-1 is very much a touring jacket is storage.

There are:

• Two expandable front cargo pockets.
• A zipped chest pocket.
• A large rear cargo pocket.
• Two internal mesh pockets.
• One waterproof internal pocket.

The rear pocket is particularly useful because Alpinestars has designed it so the removable thermal liner can be stored in there.

That means when the temperature climbs halfway through a ride, you don't necessarily have to find space in a top box or wander around carrying your liner under your arm.

Can You Connect the ST-1 Jacket to Motorcycle Trousers?

Yes.

The ST-1 has a trouser connection zip and Alpinestars produces matching ST-1 waterproof trousers.

Connecting jacket and trousers is worthwhile on longer journeys because it helps prevent the jacket riding upwards and also reduces the amount of cold air finding its way around your waist.

The matching trousers follow much the same idea as the jacket: waterproof touring construction, removable thermal insulation and a practical rather than overly complicated design.

What Is Good About the Alpinestars ST-1?

For me, the appeal of the ST-1 is that it is fairly easy to understand.

There isn't some enormous list of technology that you need a degree in motorcycle clothing to decipher.

You get:

• Proper waterproofing.
• Removable warmth.
• Useful ventilation.
• Comfortable armour.
• Plenty of adjustment.
• Lots of storage.
• Connection to matching trousers.
• Tech-Air compatibility.

It covers the things most road and touring riders actually need.

What Are the Downsides?

No motorcycle jacket is perfect, particularly when you are trying to balance waterproofing, warmth, ventilation, protection and price.

The first compromise is the fixed waterproof membrane.

It keeps the rider dry, but the outer jacket can absorb water rather than shedding it in the same way as a laminated shell.

If you're a serious high-mileage all-weather rider, laminated gear can be nicer to live with.

The second point is the Class A garment rating.

That gives the ST-1 a comfortable and flexible construction, but riders specifically looking for AA or AAA-rated road clothing will need to look elsewhere.

And finally, although the chest ventilation helps, this is not the jacket I would choose specifically for riding through the hottest part of summer.

Again, that's the problem with asking one jacket to do everything.

Who Is the Alpinestars ST-1 Best For?

I think the ST-1 makes most sense for:

• Everyday road riders.
• Commuters.
• Weekend riders who don't stop just because the forecast mentions rain.
• Touring riders who want practical waterproof equipment without premium laminated prices.
• Adventure-bike riders who spend most of their time on the road.
• Riders wanting a straightforward jacket that covers several seasons.

It makes less sense if your priority is maximum ventilation, a AAA garment rating or top-end laminated waterproof construction.

Is the Alpinestars ST-1 Worth Buying?

Yes, for the right rider.

The ST-1 is not trying to be the ultimate motorcycle jacket at any price.

It is a sensibly equipped waterproof touring jacket that gives you useful weather protection, removable insulation, good adjustment and proven Alpinestars impact armour without disappearing into premium touring-jacket money.

That is probably why it has appealed to so many ordinary road riders.

For British riding in particular, the combination makes sense. You can leave home cold, get rained on before lunch, suddenly become too warm at three o'clock and finish the ride wondering why you bothered checking the weather forecast in the first place.

The ST-1 is built to cope with that sort of nonsense reasonably well.

Try the Alpinestars ST-1 and Other Touring Jackets at RaceLeathers

The specification tells you plenty, but fit is still one of the most important parts of choosing motorcycle clothing.

At RaceLeathers in Darwen, we can help you compare Alpinestars with other waterproof and touring jackets, check the armour position and work out which size actually suits you rather than simply trusting a size chart.

If the ST-1 is unavailable or you want something with a different safety rating or waterproof construction, there are plenty of alternatives.

Browse our motorcycle jackets online, or visit us in store and try a few on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Alpinestars ST-1 waterproof?

Yes. The ST-1 WP uses a fixed waterproof membrane designed to provide wet-weather protection.

Does the Alpinestars ST-1 have a thermal liner?

Yes. It has a removable 80g thermal liner in both the torso and sleeves. The liner can be removed in warmer conditions and stored in the large rear pocket.

What armour comes with the Alpinestars ST-1?

The jacket comes with Alpinestars Nucleon Flex Plus Level 1 protection at the shoulders and elbows. Compatible back and chest protection can be added separately.

Is the Alpinestars ST-1 AA rated?

No. The current ST-1 WP is certified to EN 17092-4:2020 as a Class A motorcycle garment.

Is the Alpinestars ST-1 Tech-Air compatible?

Yes. Alpinestars lists the ST-1 WP as Tech-Air® Ready.

Is the ST-1 suitable for winter riding?

The waterproof construction and removable thermal liner make it suitable for a lot of colder-weather road riding. For severe winter conditions or very long cold journeys, a heavier winter jacket or additional heated/base layers may be more appropriate.

Can the Alpinestars ST-1 jacket connect to trousers?

Yes. It includes a trouser connection zip and can be paired with compatible Alpinestars motorcycle trousers, including the matching ST-1 WP trousers.