Winfield@Amsterdam

Both of course high quality Italian brands
Two piece is more practical.
One piece is a bit more work to get in (or out for that matter).
Fitment is very important. It is to some extend the same as with helmets.
A very expensive suit is wothless if you fit it poorly.
I have crash tested the Spyke suit twice.
First time was a minor crash, nothing special.
2nd time was more serious, and the leather was severely damaged at the elbow where the elbow protector is. In both crashes the seems held up fine. I have had the suit repaired and am still using it.

BeeRock::Riding Red

off unlike the icons. when you take off the icon the liner coems out with your arm, pain in the butt

the speedmaster 7 is prolly out of your price range but i tried on there other jackets as well and they all are well made and have no irratating liners that come out with your arm

BeeRock::Riding Red

gloves.

there made of kangaroo leather and lined with kevlar, also they dont use the stupid carbon fiber knuckels(which make your levers farther out) the knuckle gaurds the speedmaster 5 use are like batmans gloves really suttle and very comfy

i got my jacket for 300 and gloves for 100 retail on thagt jacket is 600 and gloves are 150-200

sidespar

I'm gonna buy that Alpinestars jacket you recommended, but there is no place around here that carries them for me to try on. I tried on a 2XL Icon Daytona jacket that fit pretty well. The sleeves were a tad long and the chest was a little too bulky, otherwise it was fine. Would you say I should go for a size 54 (euro) in the alpinestars?

MonkeyLover

...but I'm having a hard time believing a 2XL fit you if you're tall and somewhat skinny. I'm somewhat built up top and I'm wearing that 42. Start as small as possible and get the jacket that you can *just* zip up. Remember, it's supposed to be a second skin and fairly tight. You don't want it twisting around in the event of fall. Like I said before, leather will break in quite nicely as you wear it. So don't get too big of a jacket. Also again, remember that sleeve length is not that important. Try starting small and which ever size is so tight you can ALMOST zip it, or just BARELY zip it up, the next size up is probably your size.

EDness

A* is for skinner people w/o a gut. I've had both and since i'm a small guy, A* fit me better.