Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 Rideknit Leather Jacket

This product is sold in European sizes. We measured a selection of these jackets and also tried them on our Fit Check mannequins. The overall sizing of the jackets is pretty much what we expected as compared to other Alpinestars jackets. The measured chest of these jackets run at just about 10 points smaller than the Euro size, so a size 56 Euro has a max chest of about 46”. If you have experience in fitting recent models of Alpinestars sport jacket, you’ll find this one fits comparably.

This jacket, being a sport style, is cut to fit snug and close to the body, but the taper from chest to waist isn’t as severe as you might find in more track oriented jackets. In this jacket, the taper from the chest to the waist is about 2”-3”. Those with a belly need to be careful about size selection to make sure the jacket will be big enough for both the chest and belly. To choose a size, I’d suggest you measure yourself with a tape and get your chest and belly size. Then you can use the size chart to pick the smallest size jacket that will be big enough for both your chest and belly using the chart below. If your waist is smaller than the “max” indicated in the chart, you can still have a good fit here by using the side waist adjusters.

Sizing advice for adding option armor: Adding chest or back armor to this jacket will change the fit. To account for that, I’d advise you to add one inch to your chest measurement if you plan to add a back protector before making your size selection from the chart. Add another inch if you want to add the chest protectors.

Need help measuring? Get it here.

The Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 Rideknit Leather Jacket is new for 2021 and is a slightly re-designed version of the similar GP Plus R V3 Leather Jacket from 2020. This jacket uses a new material for the stretch zones in the underarm areas and around the shoulders. The “rideknit” material is part of a new line of gear including a textile version jacket, boots and gloves.

Recently I reviewed the new T SP-5 Rideknit Jacket textile jacket which uses the same kind of “knit” and more flexible and breathable materials in flex zones in the jacket. I was really impressed with the new textile fabrics of the jacket and the fit is very nice. This new leather version uses similar, more forgiving and comfortable material substituted for the standard material in last year’s design. I will agree, the softer and more flexible material does feel nice, but I’m not sure I’m sold on it as compared to the standard material, and here’s why: a sport leather jacket needs to offer a trim fit that will hold armor units well in position on the body in case of a fall. And the sleeve ends need to fit very close to the wrists in order for sport/race glove gauntlets to fit over them. This jacket feels just a bit more “flopsy mopsy” and I just don’t get the same secure feeling about it. And the sleeve ends seem too large to fit well under race gloves. And also, I’m a bit put out by the $100 adder for the new rideknit material, which represents a 20% increase just for the material swap. Maybe there’s more going on here, but I really don’t see much. Granted, the Rideknit material does feel for breathable, which will make this jacket more comfortable as compared to the GP Plus R V3 Leather Jacket, but those who need more air flow can opt for the perforated GP Plus R Airflow v3 Leather Jacket.

The armor supplied with this jacket is a new Nucleon Flex Plus Level 1 armor in shoulders and elbows. Please visit our armor department where this armor is sold separately if you are interested in a more detailed description, but just briefly the armor is a very flexible and low profile design that sits flatter on the body and is less noticeable than traditional molded rubber armor. The jacket has a pocket for an optional back protector. I’ve listed the Nucleon type options below. You’ll find MANY details on the back protector product pages, but for this jacket, I’d recommend the Nucleon KR-CELLi model for street use because of its lighter weight. If you plan to go to the track, then one of the other two would be better since they are most substantial and crash-worthy. Chest armor can also be installed, which we’ve also listed below. Please note the comments in our sizing advice is you plan to add chest/back armor.

Like other sport leather jackets, this one has an all-around zipper for connection to sport pants. You’ll get a selection of pockets to that will be suitable for street riders. While I do think this is a fine jacket, I just don’t like it quite as well as the standard GP Plus R V3 Leather Jacket, and certainly not a hundred bucks better. :: Paul, 06-15-21 (more about less-than-favorable reviews)

Alpinestars says: With a highly durable and abrasion resistant leather main shell and subtly incorporated class-leading Nucleon Flex Plus protection, the GP Plus R v3 RIDEKNIT® Leather Jacket is designed for the optimum blend of safety and comfort. Fully optimized for use with or without Tech-Air® 5, Alpinestars world leading electronic airbag safety system, this jacket is equipped with knitted technology fabric on the seam area for maximum stretchability, thus optimizing fit and comfort, while zippered air intakes provide crucial ventilation.