Spidi Solar Shortie Jacket

The Spidi Solar Shortie is built from perforated leather and mesh paneling across the chest, back, and arms, prioritizing airflow over weather sealing. The cropped, shortie-length cut gives it a café-racer silhouette that sits shorter at the waist than a standard jacket, trading lower back and hip coverage for a lighter, less bulky garment. CE-certified armor covers the shoulders and elbows, positioned to stay put through aggressive riding postures, and the jacket is built to accept a back protector, though that protector isn't always included depending on the version bought. At roughly 1.1 kg, it's noticeably lighter than a full touring jacket, and the abrasion-resistant panels in high-impact zones aim to balance that lighter build with real crash protection.

On the road, the perforation does its job, keeping air moving through the jacket even at low speeds or sitting in traffic, and the lighter weight makes it far less fatiguing on hot rides than a full-length textile jacket. Adjustable waist and bicep straps keep the fit snug and reduce the flapping that loose jackets suffer at highway speed, and the armor stays positioned rather than sliding out of place through hard cornering. The trade-off shows up the moment weather turns: the open mesh construction lets wind and rain straight through, and the cropped hem leaves the lower back and hips exposed in ways a longer jacket simply wouldn't. Perforated leather panels also show scuffing and wear sooner than solid leather sections over repeated use.

This jacket suits riders in hot climates or those doing short urban commutes who want café-racer style without sacrificing CE-certified shoulder and elbow protection along the way. It's a poor match for anyone expecting four-season coverage, cold-weather riding, or protection in sustained rain, since the mesh construction and short cut work firmly against it in those conditions. Riders will also want to check whether their specific version includes the back protector, since it's sold separately in some configurations from Spidi. Against dedicated touring jackets, it gives up wind and water protection and lower-body coverage in exchange for airflow and reduced bulk overall. For summer riders prioritizing comfort and style over coverage, it remains a strong niche pick.