Dainese Avro 4 review | A two-piece suit that promises the best of both but misses the mark

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Dainese have been making two-piece leather suits for a very long time, as part of their 50-plus year history. The Avro is just one of six options currently on sale at the beginning of 2024, and I opted to test it having grown tired of the discomfort caused by race-ready one-piece leather suits, which are often pre-cut for a tucked in position.

I hoped that this would provide the best of both worlds – offering more comfort and practicality on the road, whilst also being capable of performing well on a trackday.

Comfort

Once on and zipped up, the jacket and trousers do feel very comfortable. I’ve worn the Avro suit for a day of riding and was perfectly fine. However, I’ve become less inclined to detach the top half from the bottom, as it’s quite a stubborn zip to get round by yourself and I’ve got it stuck on more than one occasion.

What’s more, tucking the bulky legs into my boots can also sometimes be an issue – causing discomfort on foot unless perfectly positioned. For this reason, I would also suggest putting your boots on before zipping in the jacket, as it only adds to the difficulties.

In the interests of fairness, I should point out that these boots were not made by Dainese, however have a very wide opening and have taken in any other pair of leather trousers I have tried. The bulky construction on the Avro’s shin is what can make it a problem; however it could be remedied by wearing a pair of Dainese footwear.

Practicality

The hump on the back of the jacket is far smaller than many one-piece designs and so does mean you can wear it with a rucksack in place. The styling also fits with motorcycles of pretty much any colour, with the shoulder and wrist zips easily accessed and adjusted on the go with a gloved hand.

This is where the practicalities sadly end though, as although this suit will be worn largely by road riders, there are no pockets at all. This means some form of luggage solution, or bag, must be worn with pretty much every use – a glaring omission on a product this expensive.

What’s more, the short cut of the jacket means I don’t feel comfortable wearing it without the jeans attached, and the unique cut of the garments mean only specific back protectors will fit in place without discomfort.

Back to the good points though, and the knee sliders are adjusted without fuss – meaning no stress or cut fingertips. They also wear nicely once touched down, with a decent contact patch and a sturdy material that gives the impression it’ll put up with season after season of casual circuit riding.

Looks

There’s no denying that the Dainese Avro 4 two piece suit is a good looking set of kit. The subtle licks of white over soft black leather go well with motorcycles of multiple genres and colour schemes, and the smaller hump on the jacket looks less flashy than an all-out racing design.

Sticking with less flashy, there’s also no inclusion of elbow sliders – a welcome design choice if you ask me. The chances of a rider that opts for a two piece suit chasing an elbow down is slim to none, and I’ve always found their inclusion on kit like this slightly ridiculous.

Like any piece of riding kit finished in white, bug splats show up noticeably, however can be wiped clean easily. What’s more, once zipped together, there is minimal evidence of it being a set of two-piece leathers – with none of the seam visible even when bent into a riding position.

The sleeves are a little short, which means longer layers worn under your jacket will stick out a little. That’s fine of it’s a thin base layer top, but something like a jumper on a colder day can be a little more awkward when zipping up.

Quality

As you’d expect for something of this price, the Dainese Avro suit feels like a quality item – with nice stitching and a supple exterior finish that took next to no time to break in and make comfortable. It feels like it’s going to stand the test of time, and I’ll continue to use them after submitting this review.

The zips are also chunky enough to operate with gloves on, and the venting towards the shoulders provides noticeable relief on hot days. I was particularly grateful for this feature when taking part in a summer trackday at Cadwell Park – reducing the risk of fatigue by circulating cooling air.

Protection

The Avro leathers meet the AA CE rating, with the internal armour meeting EN 1621.1 levels. You’ll also find an aluminium plate on the shoulders, however there is no back protector installed as standard.

Furthermore, the short cut of the jacket and raised trousers mean that thicker back protectors can feel awkward and restrict movement on the bike. This is less of a problem on the road, but you need freedom of movement on a trackday.

I ended up equipping a CE level two Dainese Pro-Armour Short 2 to keep my spine safe – adding an extra £169.95 to the bill. You may already have another that fits, and I’d recommend trying it all on before making a purchase.

Value

For the price, I would expect more practicality. The lack of pockets means I can’t even carry a mobile phone without some kind of additional bag/luggage.

I’ve been getting around the problem with my excellent £79 Kriega R3 Waistpack, but it shouldn’t be a problem to contend with in the first place. The only reason to buy a two piece is the practicality and comfort it brings over a one piece suit, so this is a definite blunder from Dainese.

There are also much cheaper options on the market too, including RST’s Tractech Evo 4 CE, which is priced at £299 for the jacket and offers a AAA rating and level one armour in the shoulders, back and elbows as standard. These can then be attached to a range of compatible riding jeans – all far cheaper than the Dainese option.

Whether you want to pay more and bag an arguably more desirable brand name is up to you.

Other options to consider

Verdict

The Dainese Avro 4 leather two piece suit is nicely made, and looks good when worn, but it really should be given the price. However, the fact that it features no pockets for storage, and slightly restricts movement on the bike when used on track means that it doesn’t quite hit the mark for either a track rider, or sporty road rider.

What’s more, I’d be wanting some form of back protection included when paying over £1000 for a set of leathers. Other brands are able to sell you kit with airbag technology for slightly more money, so this feels like a mickey take to me.

Sure, it’s comfortable when worn, and you can retain a sporty look on the road without the discomfort of a one piece suit, but I don’t feel like it goes far enough to appeal to the road riding market.

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