help with Aero cafe racer order

[sleepyMarmot]

Hi crew,

First time posting after about a year of lurking. I've learned tons about Aero leather from various contributors (HD, Jansolo, Widward, GriffDelaGriff, and many others) - thanks much for sharing all of your experiences. I'm about to order my first Aero and I'd appreciate any opinions on my specs so far (or options I may be missing):

brown FQHH cafe racer
darkest hide in stock
plain back
black cotton drill lining (any other dark cotton colors available?)
two breast pockets
two G-1 style pockets
antique brass hardware
1 1/2'' leather facing all the way around the bottom hem

Importantly, I don't seem to have the sizing dialed in yet! I'm 5'10'' 165# with a 39'' chest measurement. I want to jacket to fit very close for moto riding. Amanda at Aero recommended a size 40, but after reading some of the posts here, I'd like some more opinions.

I currently wear a Vanson model B in a size 40 that has has never quite fit as close as I like and I believe I've read that Aero cafe racer may fit larger than the Model B (?) Any experiences with both makers or opinions are appreciated.

 

[HorseHide]

Sleepy

What size suit jacket/sport coat are you? I'm a near perfect 40R and I own an Aero cafe racer and an Aero slim half belt, both size 40. Both are very comfortable fits but they both provide room for a sweatshirt/sweater. If you are looking for a tighter fit, the 38 may be the way to go.

By way of reference, I bought a used Aero cafe racer in size 36 for my teen-age son and I can put it on/zip it up (I'm not breathing a whole lot but it does zip up).

One more bit of advice, I too like the leather strip at the bottom of the lining but I didn't order it with the cafe racer because it already comes with the center panel leather lining. Not sure you need to spend the extra money on the fulling lining strip.

Can't help with the Vanson.

Good luck!

 

[sleepyMarmot]

thanks for the insights horsehide. I'm can wear 38R or 40R jacket, usually prefer 38 for a slimmer fit below the chest. You wouldn't happen to have the pit to pit measurement on your 40 cafe racer so that I can compare with my vanson?

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

Personally I am a 38-39" chest and there is no way I could use a size 38.
My 40 is tight. I am planning a new one and am thinking about maybe asking for a inbetween 40-42.
I do not ride motorcycle, but I just couldnt fit a 38.
Part of the "problem" is also that when I wear jeans and my gunbelt the is even less room in the hips-area.

That said I think it all depends on how a person is built.
The Caferacer is very tapered, and I supose its possible for a very v-shaped person to fit inside a size 38 with a 39" chest if the hips are smaller.

I am not very tapered at all so my caferacer is tight on the hips and looser directly under the arms.

This is measurements from my size 40:
(I added 1" length in arms and body on this size 40)

Pit to pit: 22.8"
Waist: (bottom of jacket) 20"
Front: (by the zipper) 21"
Back: (from collar seem) 26"
Armlength: 24.8"

And my bodyspecs is:
Chest: 38.6"
Chest inhale: 39.3"
Tummy: 35.4"
Hips: 37"


I think you should measure yourself chest, tummy and waist and ask Aero if you will fit into a 38.
Tell them how you like the fit "i barely want to be able to zip it up" if thats the case.

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

There is an aprentice made size 38 CafeRacer up for grabs on the Aero website for £375.
Its in lovely goathide. I would have grabbed it if it were a 40

Goat does not age at all like the FQHH tho, and the specific one doesnt have matched color panles nor a 1-piece back so think twice before grabbing it.

 

[sleepyMarmot]

thanks for the specs Griff. if only we could try them on! An aero leather store would be a dream. My Vanson is 22'' pit to pit with some room to spare, and I'm pretty sure that my hips are less than 37'' around...

 

[OneEyeMan]

One thing I learned on my Highwayman:
A G1 pocket behind an exterior breast pocket makes for a very thick bulge.
If you plan to wear this very close, this could make it very uncomfortable on both sides of the chest.
I'd suggest only one outside and one inside pocket, on opposite sides.
That's what I did on my 2nd Highwayman!
Lenny

 

[JanSolo]

Its in lovely goathide

Is it gone already? I can only see one in jerky horse... Jerky hh can look quite similar to goatskin though.

 

[sleepyMarmot]

Thanks for the heads-up Griff, now I'm quite interested in the seal brown jerky horse one up there..would be nice without a 4 month wait as well

Jan - I saw that you had a cafe racer in the jerky horse - what is your opinion of the hide in terms of weight and aging relative to FQHH?

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

Is it gone already? I can only see one in jerky horse... Jerky hh can look quite similar to goatskin though.

My bad, its jerky horse. I have been thinking about a Caferacer in goat and when I saw that 38 in that color I just asumed it was goat.
The brown/purplish color is amzingly similar, but now when I looked closer I can see it doesnt have the same texture as the goat.

 

[coloradorider]

Cafe Racer for Motorcycle Riding

Hey sleepy,

Here's my thoughts on some of the options you mentioned and some other questions for the forum members.

brown FQHH cafe racer - FQHH pretty much means Aero in a custom jacket if you want to keep <$1000. Fortunately for us - they make great jackets.

plain back - I very much prefer a gusseted back. If you've got a snug fit on the jacket you might not be able to reach forward for you bars when riding or your jacket may ride up around your ears when you do. To the forum - Are the Aero sleeves on the moto jackets canted so the natural fit is a riding position? I've got a Cafe Racer in goatskin that has canted sleeves so when I reach forward the jacket stays put on my shoulders. I'll post some pictures of my Cafe Racer so you can see what I'm talking about.

1 1/2'' leather facing all the way around the bottom hem - the Aero has a back panel so this probably isn't necessary.

Importantly, I don't seem to have the sizing dialed in yet! I'm 5'10'' 165# with a 39'' chest measurement. I want to jacket to fit very close for moto riding. Amanda at Aero recommended a size 40, but after reading some of the posts here, I'd like some more opinions. It's going to come down to giving Aero your measurements, instructions on how you'd like the jacket to fit, and you trusting them to get it right. This gent has the neat fit nailed in a non-bi-swing back so apparently you can ignore what I said earlier.


I currently wear a Vanson model B in a size 40 that has has never quite fit as close as I like and I believe I've read that Aero cafe racer may fit larger than the Model B (?) Any experiences with both makers or opinions are appreciated.[/QUOTE]

If you're going to consider other makers - I'd contact Langlitz in Portland about their Crescent jacket. Langlitz will have you take several measurements and provide your desired fit. Here's some pictures of a Crescent with a shirt-type collar.

 

[sleepyMarmot]

Importantly, I don't seem to have the sizing dialed in yet! I'm 5'10'' 165# with a 39'' chest measurement. I want to jacket to fit very close for moto riding. Amanda at Aero recommended a size 40, but after reading some of the posts here, I'd like some more opinions. It's going to come down to giving Aero your measurements, instructions on how you'd like the jacket to fit, and you trusting them to get it right. This gent has the neat fit nailed in a non-bi-swing back so apparently you can ignore what I said earlier.

I've seen eClairvaux's jacket that coloradorider links to above - that is pretty much the fit that I'm after. I've also seen that the aero CR has is a bit large in the back and wondering whether that provides enough room to reach forward without the bi-swing back.

I'm now fascinated with the jerky horsehide....the darker color may work well on a CR.

 

[Windward]

Comparing....

Maybe two pics can help you to make your choice between the famous brown FQHH and the amazing grainy jerky seal horse hide:

AERO's brown FQHH - will developed incredible character.

AERO's jerky seal horse hide - not as thick as FQHH and much softer - a unique colour great to see the reddish undertone comes through.
After one month of wear:

Both jackets are made with antique brass zipper - I think a better matching when it began to gain more patina.
And - all of my jackets got two inside gun pockets with leather puller and I like it.

 

[Windward]

The last pic was taken in direct sunlight so the real colour is darker than shown.
This pic will show the colour much better:

 

[sleepyMarmot]

on the contrary windward, I believe you've made the choice more difficult - both of those are fantastic looking jackets.

 

[Windward]

Strict Order: Go with Brown Heavy Chrome Excel Front Quarter Horse Hide ...

Was not my intention ::drama: - so I suggest - can you hear me...go with BROWN HEAVY FQHH for your first jacket - :rockon:
jerky seal hh is ONLY made - for leather nuts like me - who like to think about a second - or "another" - leather jacket!

 

[sleepyMarmot]

Was not my intention ::drama: - so I suggest - can you hear me...go with BROWN HEAVY FQHH for your first jacket - :rockon:
jerky seal hh is ONLY made - for leather nuts like me - who like to think about a second - or "another" - leather jacket!

haha...point well taken. Amanda has said that she'll send me some leather samples - really only interested in the jerky hide for the darker color.

 

[jon]

I've been lurking here for a while too, learned a lot (thanks, everyone!) but this is the first time I feel like I've had something worthwhile to say, so 'here goes....

I'm also 5'10", about 150lbs, chest 39" inhaled, 37" exhaled, waist 31.5" (pants size 30-31). I've got a 2-month-old FQHH Cafe Racer with a plain back, size 38, with a brown cotton lining, like this. Overall, I think it's a nice, trim fit - I can wear a shirt under it with no problem, but by the time I get to something as thick as a Patagonia R3 jacket it's wearable but I can definitely feel it binding. I was originally looking at a Highwayman but wanted a trimmer cut, so I went for a Cafe Racer with a Highwayman collar, and I'm happy with the result.

I don't ride a motorcycle, so I can't say how it does in that area; but I can get my upper arm up to about 40 degrees below horizontal before I feel it starting to pull. I think the sleeves are naturally canted forward, but only slightly - I'd guess the "neutral" upper arm angle is about 70 degrees below horizontal.

Mine has a fair amount of "excess" material across the back, which I'm sure helps with the ability to raise my arms (I specifically asked whether getting the plain back as opposed to the bi-swing would impede my range of motion, so maybe they made allowance for that) but which also made it look kinda sloppy when it was new and stiff. As it's broken in, it drapes better and now I think it looks fine, although nobody's going to mistake it for an Italian designer piece or anything ;-) Sometimes I wonder whether, if I had it to do over again, I might get a bi-swing back, on the theory that it'd give that extra leather a place to "hide."

 

[sleepyMarmot]

tthanks for the input Jon - very helpful. If you have any pics, please post! pics of the plain back aero CR are hard to come by..One question, how tight is your CR on the hips? I have a 33'' waist and and given advice from GriffdelaGriff, the waist measurement may be the deciding factor for a size 40 over a 38.

I'm struggling with the question of specifying bi-swing shoulders for just the reason that you mentioned - I'd like the slimmest back profile that is still functional.

This thread shows the shoulder-only bi-swing back and may have sold me:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...yman-–-incorporating-many-of-your-suggestions

very nice looking imo..

 

[jon]

I agree, that shoulder bi-swing looks nice.

The bottom edge of my jacket measures 38" zipper-to-zipper ... for me, by the time I throw on a pair of Levi's 501s (size 30x34) and a belt, I've got maybe a half an inch of slack, maybe a little less.

I'll try to snap some photos tomorrow night.