Is the Buco J-24 overrated?

[Quan_love_leather]

I have to admit, the Talon repro zipper looks beautiful and very unique, but the actual quality is questionable.
I don’t know how you guys use your Bucos, but I bought a relatively recent Buco J-24 earlier this year. I mainly used it for occasional road trips and photo shoots.

At first, the zipper already didn’t feel very smooth, but I could live with that. The real problem started whenever I got caught in the rain while riding. The main zipper would become extremely stiff and almost impossible to pull. Only after drying the jacket would it work normally again.

I tried applying oil and even candle wax, but the result was still the same.

And today, the main zipper finally failed and separated.

The stitching is another issue. I don’t know if others have experienced this, but on my jacket, some areas have already started showing loose or deteriorating threads.

So now I have to take the jacket in for repairs.
Honestly, I expected better durability from a jacket at this level.

 

[jacketjunkie]

The Buck J-24 is a 50s jacket and if we are talking about that, then I would argue the design is a timeless classic and the construction and quality of vintage Bucos was good for the time-period. Would I buy a VTG piece for thousands of dollars? No. No matter how good the quality 70 years ago, after that many years on leather and zipper and everything, time takes its toll.

However, your jacket is some reproduction by I suppose a Japanese brand. If you want to discuss that, you will need to tell the brand,

 

[Quan_love_leather]

The Buck J-24 is a 50s jacket and if we are talking about that, then I would argue the design is a timeless classic and the construction and quality of vintage Bucos was good for the time-period. Would I buy a VTG piece for thousands of dollars? No. No matter how good the quality 70 years ago, after that many years on leather and zipper and everything, time takes its toll.

However, your jacket is some reproduction by I suppose a Japanese brand. If you want to discuss that, you will need to tell the brand,

Sorry, I should have clarified.
I’m talking about a modern Japanese reproduction, specifically The Real McCoy’s Buco J-24, not an original vintage Buco from the 19xx

 

[Zoro]

That jacket still looks gorgeous and I've never seen one in real life, nor do I think I will considering how expensive it is. I would say yours after some heavy use looks even better.

With this in mind, if you have been riding with it, even in the rain, you might be the person who has given the RMC J24 the most hard.core use in the world. The main zipper on these is infamous precisely for what you've experienced, you'll find plenty of people who had problems with it online, but I don't think I've seen anyone who doesn't really baby this jacket overall (or baby it compared to you).

 

[jacketjunkie]

Sorry, I should have clarified.
I’m talking about a modern Japanese reproduction, specifically The Real McCoy’s Buco J-24, not an original vintage Buco from the 19xx

It looks gorgeous but I agree with you that after such a short period of time, the problems you described should not be happening. RMC evidently sells fashion clothing, not actual functional motorcycle gear, but a moto- inspired and styled jacket such as this J-24 should perform better in the casual use you have described. My personal assessment: Not underrated in terms of looks, but definitely overpriced for how poorly it performs as a functional piece of clothing if yours is representative. Rugged only in marketing and looks and truthfully a Church-Day Sunshine stroll in the park piece, I guess.

 

[Bfd70]

The Real Mccoys hardware can be real trash. I am personally 2/2 on new jackets with main zipper failures very early in ownership. I’ll never buy another rmc.

To @jacketjunkie point perhaps you should edit your original post. You’re not talking about buco jackets but rather rmc japanese repro jackets with a buco label slapped on.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

That jacket still looks gorgeous and I've never seen one in real life, nor do I think I will considering how expensive it is. I would say yours after some heavy use looks even better.

With this in mind, if you have been riding with it, even in the rain, you might be the person who has given the RMC J24 the most hard.core use in the world. The main zipper on these is infamous precisely for what you've experienced, you'll find plenty of people who had problems with it online, but I don't think I've seen anyone who doesn't really baby this jacket overall (or baby it compared to you).

Thanks, bro. I’m actually really happy to hear you say that.
The truth is, I bought this jacket simply because I genuinely love it, and I never planned to sell it. I want it to be with me everywhere and through everything.

And yeah, like you said, I think many people baby these expensive jackets because they’re afraid of damaging them. But my mindset is different.
This is a teacore leather jacket. To me, the whole point is to wear it hard enough for the leather to reveal personalized wear patterns and develop its own story.
And the Buco teacore is pretty difficult to fade unless you really put it through some serious use.

I remember seeing a Buco J-24 on TFL that had been worn for around 10 years, but honestly it didn’t fade as much as I expected or hoped for. No judgment at all, I just personally prefer a heavier teacore look.

That said, I have to admit the pigment finish on the Buco is surprisingly water resistant.

 

[Boulderunner]

You’d be better off with a Lost Worlds version of the j24 it’s made for riding. I love my RMC j24 but it’s way less thick or protective comparatively. I originally had the same logic as you and rode in my RMC but honestly I question how much protection it would provide at least compared to serious riding gear.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

It looks gorgeous but I agree with you that after such a short period of time, the problems you described should not be happening. RMC evidently sells fashion clothing, not actual functional motorcycle gear, but a moto- inspired and styled jacket such as this J-24 should perform better in the casual use you have described. My personal assessment: Not underrated in terms of looks, but definitely overpriced for how poorly it performs as a functional piece of clothing if yours is representative. Rugged only in marketing and looks and truthfully a Church-Day Sunshine stroll in the park piece, I guess.

Exactly. At the end of the day, it’s just too beautiful for me to stop wearing it.
I can always modify and reinforce it to better suit road trips instead of keeping it as a “photo only” jacket. Honestly, if it ends up needing a lot of repairs anyway, I’m totally willing to heavily customize it,the same way I did with my Schott 611H.

If we’re talking about truly rugged gear, then Schott, Vanson, or Langlitz definitely fit the job better. Those brands feel more purpose built and honest about what they are.
Still… the Japanese really know how to make a jacket look and feel special.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

The Real Mccoys hardware can be real trash. I am personally 2/2 on new jackets with main zipper failures very early in ownership. I’ll never buy another rmc.

To @jacketjunkie point perhaps you should edit your original post. You’re not talking about buco jackets but rather rmc japanese repro jackets with a buco label slapped on.

Fair point, and I probably should have clarified that earlier.
I’m specifically talking about The Real McCoy’s Buco reproductions, not original vintage Buco jackets themselves.
I still absolutely love the design and overall look of the J-24, and honestly I probably always will. My criticism is mostly directed at the hardware durability and how the jacket performs under actual regular riding/use considering the price point.

 

[jacketjunkie]

Exactly. At the end of the day, it’s just too beautiful for me to stop wearing it.
I can always modify and reinforce it to better suit road trips instead of keeping it as a “photo only” jacket. Honestly, if it ends up needing a lot of repairs anyway, I’m totally willing to heavily customize it,the same way I did with my Schott 611H.

If we’re talking about truly rugged gear, then Schott, Vanson, or Langlitz definitely fit the job better. Those brands feel more purpose built and honest about what they are.
Still… the Japanese really know how to make a jacket look and feel special.

That Schott is a beauty too!

 

[Quan_love_leather]

You’d be better off with a Lost Worlds version of the j24 it’s made for riding. I love my RMC j24 but it’s way less thick or protective comparatively. I originally had the same logic as you and rode in my RMC but honestly I question how much protection it would provide at least compared to serious riding gear.

In Vietnam, wearing a Lost Worlds for daily riding would probably feel like suffocating.
I really like LW, but honestly I’m quite satisfied with how my J-24 feels on body, and I’m also pretty confident in my riding skills. Maybe next time I’ll try a LW piece.
To be fair, I think leather jackets were considered protective gear mainly because, back in the day, that was already considered good protection for the era. Comparing them directly to modern dedicated riding gear today is a bit unfair.
Realistically, what leather jackets can do well is reduce or prevent road rash and block wind.

I actually crashed once while cornering, and funny enough, my skin was completely fine but I still ended up with a cracked bone anyway.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

That Schott is a beauty too!

For sure

 

[Boulderunner]

In Vietnam, wearing a Lost Worlds for daily riding would probably feel like suffocating.
I really like LW, but honestly I’m quite satisfied with how my J-24 feels on body, and I’m also pretty confident in my riding skills. Maybe next time I’ll try a LW piece.
To be fair, I think leather jackets were considered protective gear mainly because, back in the day, that was already considered good protection for the era. Comparing them directly to modern dedicated riding gear today is a bit unfair.
Realistically, what leather jackets can do well is reduce or prevent road rash and block wind.

I actually crashed once while cornering, and funny enough, my skin was completely fine but I still ended up with a cracked bone anyway.

My lost worlds might actually be less hot than my Buco. I live in southwestern USA, it gets like 110 degrees in the summer and I still reach for the lost worlds more then any other jacket. The thick leather almost blocks the sun and insulates you. Humidity is another issue. I consider lost worlds leather the closest thing you can buy today to vintage riding leather. And I got no skin in the game I also ride in Schott Vanson Buco Freewheelers I don’t discriminate but I do think LW does a better more comfy riding leather then anyone else.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

My lost worlds might actually be less hot than my Buco. I live in southwestern USA, it gets like 110 degrees in the summer and I still reach for the lost worlds more then any other jacket. The thick leather almost blocks the sun and insulates you. Humidity is another issue. I consider lost worlds leather the closest thing you can buy today to vintage riding leather. And I got no skin in the game I also ride in Schott Vanson Buco Freewheelers I don’t discriminate but I do think LW does a better more comfy riding leather then anyone else.

That actually makes a lot of sense in your climate. Dry heat and strong sun are very different from the hot humidity we get here in Vietnam.
I think that’s why lighter jackets like the RMC work better for me in daily use. A Lost Worlds in Vietnamese humidity might turn into a portable sauna.
You did mention humidity though, and honestly I think that’s the real challenge for heavy leather jackets over here.
Actually, there are a lot of things I’d love to do with Lost Worlds, but now just isn’t the right time yet

 

[newtojackets]

For sure

What schott model is that? Never seen that one before

 

[Quan_love_leather]

What schott model is that? Never seen that one before

is Schott 611H,old model from 1994,I modified it a little to make it look more like a Buco J-24.

 

[Quan_love_leather]

What schott model is that? Never seen that one before

 

[ton312]

Of course anything from RMC is overrated. I honestly can’t believe people still buy from them as they lost touch with true quality at least 10 years ago. But the IG engine grinds out new customers. So the cycle perpetuates. LW, Aero, Eastman and Schott all make a better replica IMO. One that can stand up to the jackets intended purpose. I remeber Ivan and I bought the same RMC halfbelt and literally raced to see who could return it first.

 

[newtojackets]

Of course anything from RMC is overrated. I honestly can’t believe people still buy from them as they lost touch with true quality at least 10 years ago. But the IG engine grinds out new customers. So the cycle perpetuates. LW, Aero, Eastman and Schott all make a better replica IMO. One that can stand up to the jackets intended purpose. I remeber Ivan and I bought the same RMC halfbelt and literally raced to see who could return it first.

What don't you like about them? What changed in the last 10 years( I'm assuming this was still after they moved from NZ to Japan)?