"motorcycle jacket"

[roadking04]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I stubled upon the lounge when I was looking for a new riding leather. After reading a few post I got sucked in and became a lurker, and now I finally am a member. Everyone seems very helpful so I am hoping you guys can help me out. I am looking for a new motorcycle jacket and am set on getting an Aero. I am interested in the indian ranger, king of the road, the Elvis, and the "motorcycle jacket". I was wondering if anyone had advice or pics on any of these jackets. I was wondering if the sleeves and back are longer, or do you have to request them to be longer. I am also not sure as to what lining to get. I live in Cleveland, Ohio and ride most of the year when there isnt any snow of coarse, so i am looking for a lining for all three seasons, if that is at all possible. Any advice or comments at all will be very helpful. Thank you for your time.

 

[captaincaveman1]

Fit is so important on a riding jacket. A good jacket is cut so that you can reach forward to the bars yet tapers toward the waistline to keep out drafts and to prevent the jacket from riding up should you fail to keep it shiny side up.

Unfortunately, fit seems to be hit or miss with Aero. I've seen some pretty bad fitting highwayman jackets. On the worse examples, there is alot more room down in the waistline and not enough taper. I guess this is fine if it's used as a utility jacket but if I paid Aero prices I would expect a tailored fit.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Welcome to the FL roadking04
In my view..the Aero highwayman..or HalfBelt aren't really a dedicated MC jacket although it can be worn or altered to be worn as one.
From my experience Aero's MC jackets in stock form seem to be patterned quite short waisted as some vintage classics and also not as long in the sleeve as most modern versions. However..if you send exact measurements and have them build one for you it should be just the length that you want. Their regular FQHH is quite thick..heavy and stiff..that I found uncomfortable for long trips..and would suggest considering the "Vintage" FQHH which is softer..more flexible..and comfortable from the start.
I live in eastcentral Indiana and found Aero's hvy twill lining(although durable) to not be warm enough for me especially after dark in damp night air on the bike. Many vintage jackets used colorful plaid...or even rayon/satin linings as Aero also offers. I have the satin in a Aero "Levis" Bootlegger type jacket that seems even warmer than their hvy twill and with the advantage of being easy to slip on and off. I ride when the salt is gone. If it gets too cold..will slip on a vest as well. I do think that Aero's alpaca wool lining would be too warm for summer months. Hope this helps...
HD

 

[captaincaveman1]

One more thing... you say you're looking for a lining suitable for three seasons. I have yet to find any jacket that is suitable for summer/fall/spring despite the claims the jacket manufacturers may make.

Better to get a perforated jacket for summer and an unperforated one for other seasons. Theoretically, you could put layers under the summer jacket for cool weather riding but then you'd need to go up a size. I've found this to be a poor compromise because you're either left with a jacket that fits too tight when you layer or fits too loose when you open up the vents and strip out the layers/linings in summer.

I would think an Aero would strictly be a cool weather jacket. Above 75 degrees I sweat like a pig in anything other than mesh or full perforations.

 

[Peacoat]

Welcome to the Lounge. I like your choice of motorcycles. I ride a 2006 police model RK, having recently sold my 2004 Ultra.

From your post it seems you are looking for a jacket you can wear in the Winter as well as Fall and Spring? I assume you have already discovered the joys of heated vests and jackets? Also, I assume that you are not intending to ride in the leather jacket during the summer months. With my background I have seen the aftermath of enough motorcycle crashes to convince me to always wear at least minimal protection. In the Summer I choose a mesh jacket with armor in the elbows and back. Keeps me cool but also gives some protection in the event of a go down. Even a leather jacket with perforations, as suggested by Caveman, soaks up too much heat in the Summer for me.

Many of my rides start out cool in the morning and heat up after lunch. For these rides I use one of my vented jackets with a removable liner. The Fox Creek is a good choice for a vented jacket. I also have an older jacket, probably Pakistani, with vents and an excellent patina. It is large enough that I can layer under it with no problems.

For rides in colder weather, when I won't be opening vents, I will choose a standard non vented jacket. The Highwayman may get the nod, but usually I opt for something which allows for more movement and is more comfortable on the motor. There are a lot of choices in this category: Taylor police jackets(although I prefer thicker leather for a police motor jacket), Vanson, Langlitz, Aero and Schott (again, I prefer thicker leather for a serious motorcycle jacket). I also have a German police jacket in goat, which appears to have been an issue jacket. A fellow Lounger was kind enough to help me get it.

Good luck on the purchase of your next motorcycle jacket. If you have more questions, let us know.

 

[oneterrifichog]

Hey RoadKing 04 welcome, I'm relative new as well and own an Electraglide Ultra so like your choice of motorcycles. I have an Aero straight Motorcycle jacket and if you want a longer bike jacket I am like Hoosier Daddy in that if you like some rear coverage the vintage jackets may not be your interest.
I like em shorter cause they don't ride up on me on long rides. I have not owned a King of the Road but it looks like it may be a bit longer like the Lost Worlds J-23 which I have owned and it's almost 29 inches long. One thing is for sure I imagine you could get Aero to put a beaver tail on the back. That way you could get that extra length without the sides pushing up the jacket.

I agree about the Vintage Horse it is still thick and breaks in super quick. 3 Seasons is more difficult I have a Lost Worlds Trojan with the heavy Bemberg Nylon (Aero offers this as well) and it works pretty well but in super cold weather I usually wear a motorcycle sweater underneath. The shot below was from a ride my wife and I took on Labor Day up into VA. Jacket and sweater in the a.m. down to T-Shirt that afternoon. It worked pretty good.

 

[HDRnR]

My best advice is to just get a Langlitz. I've had them all and in the end there is nothing better.

 

[Dudleydoright]

Hi,
Welcome aboard ! It's a cool place to hang out.

Here's a link to a review I did on my latest Aero which I want to use for biking.....

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=46290

I asked for the waist to be tapered as the standard Highwayman is a bit too boxy for biking. I also got lots of zippered pockets. The mods were done FOC.

As for a lining for three seasons ? I've never been able to achieve that myself. I prefer a lining in the tartan which is fine for summer and most spring and autumn days and prefer to use a lightweight fleece vest as a liner when it's cooler. I also use a merino wool rollneck thermal undershirt if it gets even colder. That flexibility works great for me as I can finely regulate things and if I get too hot, easily remove the underlayer and store it on the bike.

Keep us posted on your choice .

Ride safe !
Dave

 

[JakeHolman]

Hi, I recently took delivery of an Aero CHiPs jacket for riding around on my old RE Bullet - at least that was the theory, the weather had other ideas, when will it stop snowing!?!

As mentioned, getting accurate measurements to Aero is essential. My jacket is both roomy enough around the chest and tapers at the waist which can be adjusted with the lace pulls. It took a while going back and forth with Amanda but she's very patient and it's worth sending that extra email, even if you think it's a silly question, to get it right.

Some pics at the link below and hopefully i'll get some of me on the bike when the weather breaks (I must be about the least frequent poster here but i'll try my best!)

http://sailorjackbones.wordpress.com/

 

[jamespibworth@n]

If you are looking for a traditional motorcycle jacket that can be worn all year how about this from Lewis Leathers?

http://www.lewisleathers.com/store/jackets/product35.html

The two zips seem to be a workable idea.

James

 

[MKB]

Go with the original...

http://www.schottnyc.com/products/lifestyle/motorcycle

Really. Get in touch with Gail. She'll happily answer any questions you've got, and she'll answer them quickly.

 

[captaincaveman1]

One more thing... I prefer to ride with integrated armor but that's just me. Most of the traditional leather jackets including ones from Aero and Schott don't offer that.

 

[roadking04]

WOW!! you guys are great. Thanks for all the advice so far. Every little bit is very helpful. If for some reason i get the jacket and it is not long enough in the body or sleeves, will Aero make me a new one? I am leaning very heavy on the alpaca lining, I was wondering if it is itchy and harder to take on and off. I dont really want it to be like velco if you know what i mean. Once again, I would like to thank everyone for all of thier input, every little bit helps.

 

[Peacoat]

I have the Alpaca. It isn't itchy, nor is it difficult to put on or take off. I think there is another lining material in the arms--maybe the cotton drill? Don't expect a lot of warmth from the Alpaca, however. It is only 1/20 of an inch thick.

 

[roadking04]

Thanks Peacoat. I think I read a post here and someone said they had a jacket with a heavier or double alpaca lining instead of the standard one. Its no fun to be cold on a motorcycle going down the highway. I am gathering alot of info from this post. decisions, decisions.

 

[MKB]

roadking, give a lot of credence to peacoat's responses. He may not have as many posts as some, but he's a very nice guy and he really knows his $#!+.

 

[JakeHolman]

Just to add and agree, the alpaca isn't very thick but feels soft and comfortable. I'm wearing mine with a submariner style jumper underneath which seems quite warm enough for riding - for me anyway.

I did enquire with Aero about adding pocket for armour and they said they can do this and have done in the past although of course, it would alter the line of the jacket.

 

[roadking04]

Thanks for all the help. i am pretty much sold on the alpaca lining. Just really nervous about ordering without trying one on to see how it fits. i would hate to make a mistake while taking measurements. I am also tossing around the fur collar option. does anyone have any experience with one or comments. kinda curious how they do at speed on a motorcycle. does it add any warmth and does it stay put or tend to flap around?

 

[Peacoat]

A fur collar adds some warmth, or at least it keeps the cold leather from my neck while at a standstill, but I haven't noticed that it adds much warmth at speed. I normally use a lined leather bandanna to cover my lower face and neck when the temps are below 60 anyway, so the fur collar is of limited utility.

Don't plan on the Alpaca adding that much warmth at speed. But then I like to use an electric vest when the temps are in the 50s or below, so the lining isn't that important to me. An electric vest, or full electric jacket, adds warmth without bulk.

I'm going to grab my wife and let her read MKB's post above; maybe I'll get a bit more respect around here. But then . . . . maybe not.

 

[oneterrifichog]

Thanks for all the help. i am pretty much sold on the alpaca lining. Just really nervous about ordering without trying one on to see how it fits. i would hate to make a mistake while taking measurements. I am also tossing around the fur collar option. does anyone have any experience with one or comments. kinda curious how they do at speed on a motorcycle. does it add any warmth and does it stay put or tend to flap around?

First contact Mark Moye with Aero Leather USA he can give you a lot of info and he's a great guy.

Second I have a Sheepskin Fur collar for my LW Trojan. I find it constricting especially with a Full Face during the winter time. If you wear a Half helmet maybe; but It really doesn't help me at all. If it's that cold I'm wearing heat.