Our Story At Vo2,
safety isn’t just a priority — it’s our foundation.
I’m Jonathan Farmer. The idea for Vo2Leathers didn’t arrive fully formed — it grew out of conversations on paddocks, late-night garage sessions, and the plain frustration of riders who couldn’t find suits that fit like they rode. Time and again I heard the same complaint: off‑the‑rack suits were compromises — fine for the hangar, but awkward on the bike. That nagging mismatch between body and leathers became my challenge.
I started with a simple experiment. My friends and I gathered several well-known suits, laid them out on a workbench, and took them apart piece by piece. We measured seams, mapped panels, and cataloged where each design failed the rider — tight shoulders, restrictive crotches, armor sitting in the wrong place, seams that pulled under stress. We treated every stitch and panel like a clue, learning how race geometry and real-world movement should inform construction. What began as curious dissection soon became a blueprint for something better.
For 18 months I lived between the track and the workshop. We prototyped endlessly: shaving leather thickness here, reshaping a sleeve there, swapping armor placements and testing them in aggressive riding positions. Every prototype went back on the bike. Every rip, rub, and uncomfortable hour of testing taught us how a suit should behave when it’s asked to perform. We tested in heat, in rain, in traffic, and on closed circuits — always refining until the balance of protection, comfort, and mobility felt right.
The first suit we released found its way to a man named Mark Morrow, a complete stranger at the time. I remember the nervous pride of that first sale and the relief when Mark came back months later with a grin, saying it rode like nothing he’d worn before. Ten years on, Mark is still part of the Vo2 family — a reminder that the product we build is only half the story; the other half is the people who trust it.
That ethos — listen, iterate, and ride together — is the heart of Vo2Leathers. We still pick up the phone, read every message, and take the suits back to the bench when riders tell us something isn’t right. Feedback isn’t just data; it’s direction. It’s led to improved armor placement, different paneling for varied body types, and options like airbag compatibility. More than that, it’s created connections: riders who recommend us to friends, who show up at track days in our gear, who critique and celebrate in equal measure.
We aren’t just making suits — we’re fostering a community. A suit can protect your body, but a community keeps you connected, informed, and safer on the road. Thank you for choosing Vo2Leathers. Every suit we make carries the experience of those who helped shape it, and every ride you take in our gear completes that conversation. We’re proud to ride with you.
