Would a Lost World's Rigger Make a Good Motorcycle Jacket

[Vespizzare]

I'm thinking very seriously of a Lost Worlds Rigger as an addition to my biking trousseau. I think it would be great for those times when I don't want to be wearing a biker jacket when I get where I'm going. The lack of zip-up sleeves doesn't bother me because I have other stuff to wear when the weather is warmer and I sort of like the way the knit cuffs interface with some gauntlet gloves I have. My major concern is with whether or not the knit in the waist will make a good enough seal against the cold wind. (I was also considering the "Happy Days" Fonzie style jacket from Aero, but I rejected it because it seems too long.)

 

[IXL]

Hi, Vespizzare! With the other jackets you have, this one should fit right in. It might even seal better at the bottom than many leather-only styles. And besides, you're in CA, how cold could it get? I trust the collar would not flap about while riding. It's a good looking jacket. My only concern about a jacket of this type is that although the jacket itself is bulletproof, I'm always afraid that the knit waist and cuffs are going to wear out, tear, or stretch, leaving me with a bit of a problem. Probably an unfounded fear, based on the popularity of this style of construction.
I just received a Vanson Model B, which I find quite nice.
Good luck and safe scooting!!

 

[gtdean48]

What is your riding position? Are you set back riding a cruiser, straight up on a standard or leaned forward like a cafe racer or sport bike?
For me, I don't care for the knit waist because it rides up & stays when I reach forward. My jacket moves & has a longer back. JMHO

 

[Peacoat]

The knit waist will keep the cold air out, as long as it doesn't ride up, as mentioned by dean above. A cruiser shouldn't be a problem for riding; a crotch rocket is always a problem.

 

[Vespizzare]

The knit waist will keep the cold air out, as long as it doesn't ride up, as mentioned by dean above. A cruiser shouldn't be a problem for riding; a crotch rocket is always a problem.

I have a Vespa and sit up pretty straight, so I guess I'm okay.

 

[Jaxworx]

I have a Vespa and sit up pretty straight, so I guess I'm okay.

Zip-down cuffs do more than keep out wind. They also anchor the sleeve down against your glove. That keeps you from losing skin there if you biff your scooter. This is the same reason that riding glove (you DO wear sturdy leather gloves to ride, right?) typically have a wrist strap or equivalent: it keeps them from shucking off in the event that you find yourself sliding along sans bike.

Collars that don't stay in place also tend to whip your chin when underway. If you run a windscreen on your Vespa, this shouldn't be a big problem.

My stepdad has a straight-zip jacket with knit cuffs and waist like that. He ordered it from Langlitz Leathers in the 1980s. The mouton fleece collar liner lasted until about 2002. By then, he'd had the knit cuffs replaced twice, and the waist didn't have much stretch left. He still wears it sometimes, even though he rarely rides now at 75. It is replete with, um... "character."

 

[Vespizzare]

Zip-down cuffs do more than keep out wind. They also anchor the sleeve down against your glove. That keeps you from losing skin there if you biff your scooter. This is the same reason that riding glove (you DO wear sturdy leather gloves to ride, right?) typically have a wrist strap or equivalent: it keeps them from shucking off in the event that you find yourself sliding along sans bike.

Thanks, that's a good point on the zip-sleeves keeping the gloves on. Sometimes I think I really want an Aero but don't want to wait soooooo long.

 

[Sloan1874]

Delayed gratification is so underrated

 

[ButteMT61]

FWIW, Kushitani makes a nice "A-2" for riding. It's nt cheap, but I like it. I've owned Kushitani gear over the years, and it's very nice.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KUSHITANI-LEATHER-A-2-JACKET-K-0620-/110960272354