Leather Motorcycle jacket recommendations

[SoCalSoftailSlim]

It's important you try the jacket on while sitting on a bike, preferably your bike. It will give you a sense of how the jacket will ride.

A 2-way zipper is also a real plus. One problem with many lesser designed moto jackets is the collar (even a smaller mandarin collar) can ride up under your chin while seated on the bike -- if the jacket is too long or it's just pushing up from the hem. A double zipper allows you to fray the hem of the jacket, so this doesn't happen.

Jackets like the Perfecto don't need this double zipper feature because they are designed short to begin with and have that great collar design. (It snaps up to protect your throat in colder conditions.

Here's my old Schott Perfecto and you can see that design:

And here's my brand NOS Vanson, made in USA, Continental Comet with the double zipper:

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

It's important you try the jacket on while sitting on a bike, preferably your bike. It will give you a sense of how the jacket will ride.

Langlitz Leathers actually has a bike seat on a riser mounted to their floor. You sit on it when being fitted for a jacket or when trying on stuff that they have available off the rack.

 

[Peacoat]

Very informative post Peacoat. Have you ever posted any pictures of your JL jackets here on TFL? (I searched but couldn't find any.)

No, but I have been threatening to do so for the past 8 or 9 months. Maybe today, if I can get my wife to take some pictures.

 

[1911 Man]

Peacoat, thank you so much for chiming in. I read some of your previous posts in other threads regarding Johnson's and the leathers they offered, so having additional information about contacting them, sizing issues and such is very helpful, and pushes me further toward the Johnson camp. I imagine any of their 3.5 to 4 oz leathers will be great. I am also in the "very fit" category of men, so sizing wont be a problem, which is one of the reasons I was originally looking at the Schott, it's a slim fitting jacket. I have a 40-41 inch chest, and a 30" waist. Very slender and athletic.

SoCalSoftailSlim, I used to wear the Perfecto design years ago for riding, and agree it's a great jacket for riding. I might get another in the future, but I might have to limit myself to one more jacket, and want it to be just right. On a completely unrelated topic, I think Harley's new Softail Slim is an awesome looking bike, but haven't had a chance to ride one yet. Next year I plan to upgrade from my Sportster 1200 to either a Heritage Softail or standard Road King. Haven't decided.

 

[Peacoat]

Go for the Road King. I had an Ultra that I loved, got a Police Road King for competition and as a back up. Liked it so well I never rode the Ultra again. I fell for the RK when I took the police certification course on one. Nothing wrong with the Softail, but the RK is a touring bike, and the Softail is not built on the touring frame. Also they are notoriously low, and scrape at even moderate lean angles. I have had my RK for 4 1/2 years, and like it even more now than I did when I first got it.

The Heritage, though, is much more comfortable than the Standard Softail, which I had about 10 or 11 years ago.

Would like to talk motorcycles all night, but we have friends over and it is time for the game. PC.

 

[IXL]

I have a Road King as well as a XR1200X Sportster. I really enjoy them both and find they complement each other nicely.

 

[SoCalSoftailSlim]

I had a Sporty for years, 1911. Great little bike. I do love my Slim. It's more a stripped down city bobber than a tourer. You'll get as many opinions as there are model Harleys as far as which HD to get. Go with your gut, needs, preference and enjoy!

 

[Ntshebe]

I crashed twice, both times not going too fast, and both times wearing unarmoured thick cowhide jackets. The two jackets took the brunt of the punishment and are both still serviceable. After years of being bikeless, I finally have a Honda CX500 that's older than me to tinker with and ride about. I have no desire to go exceptionally fact on two wheels, even when I had a Japanese litre-bike capable of it I found myself being reasonable with the throttle. For my needs I thick leather is perfect, would love to try out some horsehide one of these days.

 

[mosten]

I have the Aero FQHH cafe jacket and I couldn't really recommend it for riding. The first problem being how still the jacket is until break in, which takes a *very* long time. The second is the way the arms are constructed. I previously had a Schott jacket and they had under arm "footballs" that would allow you to extend your arms forward without losing sleeve length. The Aero doesn't. This means when you order the jacket, add 4" to the sleeve length or your jacket will be riding up short when gripping the handle bars.

 

[Jens_Hoppe]

And here's my brand NOS Vanson, made in USA, Continental Comet with the double zipper:

I like that Vanson a lot! What's with those contrasting color panels, though? Are they made from the same kind of leather as the rest of the jacket?

 

[SoCalSoftailSlim]

The black panels are waxed cotton. I love the look, but I'm biased. They are there because they allow the jacket to breathe a bit more in hotter weather. You'll notice they are in places where breathability might come in handy and where the protection of leather might not be as important.

 

[Jens_Hoppe]

The black panels are waxed cotton. I love the look, but I'm biased. They are there because they allow the jacket to breathe a bit more in hotter weather. You'll notice they are in places where breathability might come in handy and where the protection of leather might not be as important.

Wow, brown leather and black waxed cotton is a combination I have never seen before! I am not sure how I feel about the idea in general, but yes, it does look good here.

 

[ron521]

For riding a motorcycle, one is ALWAYS creating one's own wind, so a good jacket must either have a collar which snaps down to prevent flapping (Schott 118/125), or which by design does not flap (Schott 141 and other cafe racing styles).

The other issue is wind/water up the sleeves, and through the front zipper. A motorcycle must have some sort of system to prevent ingress of wind and water. Zippered sleeves, storm flaps behind the front zipper, etc.

A jacket which does not address these issues is not a motorcycle jacket, regardless of the claims of the manufacturer.

 

[roughsedge]

there's a really nice Schott Perfecto 118 here http://leather-monkeys.com/details.php?recordID=4
they have a couple more 118's there too. i used to have a Perfecto 118 and it was amazing! i stupidly sold it when i had no money though... :-(

 

[Bunyip]

Just picked up a gorgeous Vanson CHP in chocolate brown with removable fur collar. It's a tank. Love it. I had been eyeing off the Vanson chopper for a long time, waiting for insurrection to get their stock, then out of nowhere I had an opportunity to get a mint brown chp in my perfect size....absolutely thrilled. Never seen a brown one before, and love it. It's a keeper....

 

[simonc]

An early 50's Harley Cycle Champ.

 

[Will015]

Bunyip, any chance on seeing some pics of that CHP. I'm quite a fan of the style. I'm sure no one else here minds seeing some more jacket porn.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Seeing as people are talking about AGATT, a few years ago I was in Hawaii for a holiday and rented a bike for a few days...apparently Helmets weren't compulsory for bike riders and I had to specifically ask for one??!!

I was back there this year and while I didn't get a chance to rent a bike again, I had noticed that seat-belts in cars are now compulsory, which is something that had changed in the past year or so....does that mean the laws re Helmets changed as well? Just curious as both belts and helmets have been compulsory in Australia for as long as I can remember.

EDIT: Sorry, just noticed that the AGATT talk was a few pages back...

 

[jiggy123]

Spam.

 

[jiggy123]

Spam