Zipping in - how critical?

[ThunderGuts]

So my "normal" biking kit is a matching textile trouser and jacket combo with a 3/4 zip that runs around the waist. They're the same manufacturer so zip together flawlessly and I always use this feature. This is my go-to kit for any high speed rides.

The question I've got relates to a nice new jacket I've bought which I intend to use for slower, more casual rides (i.e. pairing with motorcycle jeans). It's quite long and has got a proper buckled belt so it can be made secure around the waist and the jeans are worn with a belt so they're not going to slide down if I'm sliding head-first owing to my hips being wider than my waist. How critical is it I get a zipped connector for the jacket and jeans? I can see it being rather a faff to get it sewn into either the jeans or the jacket, but especially the latter as I'd have to puncture the external material.
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TG.

[P.]

I've not zipped mine together in years. Just don't come off and you'll be fine.

[ThunderGuts]

[MarJay]

Any that can zip together I always do, but any that can't obviously I don't really bother. I did crash in a textile jacket and jeans, and I didn't receive any damage to my mid section and I did slide a long way. The main abrasion was on my backside and elbow.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[rpsmith79]

I feel your pain, as i too went through this whole debacle when i first got into riding a couple of years back

At 1st i had RST trousers and jacket (textile, then added some leathers) and all seamlessly zipped together

I then bought some kelvla jeans, which actually had a short zip already attached to the back (about 8" long), so i sewed the other half to my most commonly used jacket, and all was good.....

...... until i bought another pair of jeans, this time with no zip, so i thought, how hard can it be to source a matching zip to my other jeans and sew half to the new jeans and the other half to my other jacket

The answer is very difficult, so in the end i ended up buying half a dozen 8" YKK zips from eBay for a few quid, and simply replaced the zip on the original jeans, and added a zip to the new jeans, and still have plenty of spares should i buy anymore kit
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Current Bike: Honda CG125 ES4 // Honda CB600FS Hornet // Triumph Street Triple R

[rpsmith79]

Another option, depending on what kit you have, is to see if the jacket manufacturer offers a belt loop zip, (like RST and Dainese offer)

RST version

https://tinyurl.com/y445rgoy

I had one for my RST kit, but now upgraded to Dainese, but the Dainese version is 4 times the price, so i'm making do with my 8" zips for now
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Current Bike: Honda CG125 ES4 // Honda CB600FS Hornet // Triumph Street Triple R

[thx1138]

I've only zipped together for track days

[Teflon-Mike]

As suggested, no crash, no need crash-hat...
Beyond that?
Cost, Comfort, convenience.
I have a tailor made one piece race suit. Virtually unwarn, 'cos its a royal PITA to put on or take off!
I have a full-zip together touring suit. A one piece that zips all the way-around. Far more usable most of the while, but at the expense of ultimate protection.
Most often I wear just normal street-jeans, not even armour-pocket bike wear... its practical and its comfortable.... and I try not to fall off!

In years past I have had some irregular 'tab-zip' trousers and jackets... and where they have actually zipped together I have been a bit sanguine over them.... still seem to end up with builders-bum syndrome with the jacket riding up and the trousers trying to fall down, and a gap around my cold kidneys! Main gripe, though has been that unused, the flaps are like an inconvenient key in the pocket, rucking up and digging in and generally being a pita... back to that cost/comfort/convenience equation.

Bottom line, its your arse kimo-sabi, your call... what are you comfortable with? It's as important or unimportant as you convince yourself it might be, really.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[t121anf]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[ThunderGuts]

Thanks guys. To be honest, if the jacket had a zip already then it'd be a no brainer and I'd get an adaptor for the jeans, but the jacket doesn't hence the quandry. I think I'll probably live with it "unzipped" for now as I'm not intending to hoon around the countryside in that particular outfit. Although, maybe I should gear up and get the Mrs to drag me across the drive to see if the jacket rides up?
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TG.