Best black biker for non-biker?

[Bigbenbs]

Schott should have what your looking for..........I'ed steer away from Fox Creek.............

Is there a reason to not do a Schott? Is the quality in the same league as the other makers?

 

[TREEMAN]

No reason not to get a Schott......Upper middle of the road quality.........

 

[Bigbenbs]

When you say a "classic motorcycle jacket," I take that to mean a cross zip jacket. Vanson makes a cross zip in completion weight steer. While it is a thick and stiff leather initially, it breaks in very nicely and becomes soft and pliable with wear. It also develops good graining with wear.

https://vansonleathers.com/mens-col...-Dominator-2-leather-motorcycle-jacket-C.html

Fox Creek is a quality manufacturer in Massachusetts. They have a cross zip that is a soft and supple leather that is broken in out of the box. I have one and have been impressed with it. Probably the most comfortable jacket on the market. I think this would be a good bet for street wear. While it is a thick leather, it is easy to wear off the motorcycle as well.

https://www.foxcreekleather.com/mens-classic-motorcycle-jacket-i/

These are two options that don't carry the expense of the custom jackets.

Good luck in your hunt.

So "street wear" is the better phase than "style piece" I see

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

^^^just plain
Cool jacket covers it all

 

[sweetfights]

And then I look back over those pictures and think, maybe it's the Lost Worlds...but then I've read posts saying LW is too heavy for a casual wearer...and so the cycle continues.

3oz Lost World's hide is very nice...

 

[Monitor]

You don't have to instantly drop a grand or more on a jacket. There are other, cheaper but very nice and not necessarily worse options out there. Just the opposite.

My suggestion is to find the style you like and start with eBay.

 

[ton312]

^absolutely. It might be that you actually won't wear the style as much as you'd think. I wouldn't go whole hog on the first one. Get something nice but don't over commit off the bat. That way if you decide to chuck it you're not over the barrel.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I think the best advice/suggestion is to browse Ebay. If I were just going to wear the black MC style cross zip jacket casually for only streetwear, I wouldn't want spend much more than a few hundred $ on it...unless I ran across something super sharp and stylishly enticing not necessarily in black ( Stay away from Thedi )..!!
HD

 

[Monitor]

^absolutely. It might be that you actually won't wear the style as much as you'd think. I wouldn't go whole hog on the first one. Get something nice but don't over commit off the bat. That way if you decide to chuck it you're not over the barrel.

Exactly.

I've done the same mistake of over committing on a few jackets that I eventually ended up selling at a loss. Best to go through a few jackets/styles before settling down on whatever you think works best for you.

It's completely possible that you're going to love a $60 eBay score 10x more than anything fancy that might set you back a couple of thousands. I'm not exactly sure what you're after but the price tag definitely doesn't equal the enjoyment - unless you derive enjoyment entirely from the perceived monetary value of the jacket. Which is okay too.

My main issue is that I can't really see a difference after a certain point with the top makers. They all look great and about the same as far as black bikers go. So I was hoping that some people would have some strong opinions about which, if any brands, are doing something special. Again, doesn't mean I'm just going to just accept those opinions, but it's informative (and also fun to read).

The difference is entirely in the eye of the beholder. There's no objective answer to this. One top tier maker won't make you an objectively better/nicer jacket than the other. Which is why mostly each does their own thing. Find the thing you like and go from there. But if you're, say, after a classic black motorcycle cross zip, you might as well just pick a maker at random and you won't go wrong.

 

[navetsea]

On the other side, there is the full-on riding jacket with armor, pads, and all sorts of dramatic bells and whistles. (See below) View attachment 138744

that's not full on biking friend.... that's a full on blue oyster tango

 

[El Marro]

I would look at both Langlitz and Vanson. I own jackets from both makers and I could not be happier with them.
If you find that stock Vanson sizes fit you well, as they do for me, then you probably need to look no further. As others have pointed out they offer some very simple no frills MC jackets all the way up to the heavily belted, buttoned, and zippered ones. The stitching and seam construction is not always as pretty as some of the higher end makers, but the jackets are very well-made and they feel like a truly authentic piece of riding gear.
Langlitz also offers a wide variety of options when building your jacket. I’d recommend checking out the Langlitz Japan website to see what some of the real aficionados over there have done with their orders. Everything you have read about them is true in terms of fit, quality and also superb customer service. If you are not satisfied with your order they will do whatever it takes to make it right, including making you a new jacket or refunding your money.
I also agree that you should check out eBay with an eye out for jackets from both of these manufacturers in your size. If you don’t find anything there, then maybe it is time to place an order for a new one. Either way I think you would be very happy with either a Langlitz or a Vanson (or two of each like me!).

 

[JMax]

^absolutely. It might be that you actually won't wear the style as much as you'd think. I wouldn't go whole hog on the first one. Get something nice but don't over commit off the bat. That way if you decide to chuck it you're not over the barrel.

Sage advice from someone with a PhD in chucking lol.

 

[GHT]

Like I said, I'm not buying right now per se. Just trying to form a kind of Platonic ideal. But if I were buying, which I imagine I will eventually be, I think my upper limit would be around $1,500, but would prefer to spend a bit less if the enjoyment is the same.

Are you looking to buy new? You can get some very good pre-loved jackets at a fraction of the new cost. And have you settled on a style? Biker Jacket is more of a catch all phrase. My interpretation of that would be something like this:

But you might like a more distinct style, this one is called a cafe racer.

Perhaps you like both, that's why I suggested pre-loved. There's quite a few other styles that I could suggest, as well as brand names.
Now you know why it's so easy to become a jacket junkie.

 

[AeroFan_07]

^^ What he said is where I'd start. Go for a middle-of-the-road M/C Perfecto style (which seems to be what you are aiming at) and try a nice used one. Make a budget and try one out. The style, brands, hide, thickness, D-pocket or no D-pocket are all important aspects...but there's another one too:

The Lining.
This is where I separate from the Schott Perfecto & several Vanson styles as well. They have "quilted" linings which are poly-filled. These add warmth, whether or not you want it. In most of their styles there is not a snap or zip-out lining option, it's fixed and in there and "on" every time you put it on. Presently only my Lost Worlds J23 has this lining, and as soon as I can get it shipped out to Johnson Leathers, it will be removed and a standard cotton-drill lining installed instead.

I caution you on this, as well as making sure the style and jacket fits you. It's hard to find out after the fact that something just does not work out. The good news is there's lots of interest in these styles, so it's not hard to re-sell them.

 

[navetsea]

I think you need one that is slightly longer than bike exclusive one, and without lacing, belt, or action back. something that looks nice draping when worn open without any dangling belt or overly stiffed kidney panel.

 

[JMax]

Is that sold by Vanson or a partner?

Just remembered. Butterscotch also makes a Commando in a softer outta the box leather.

 

[Bigbenbs]

You don't have to instantly drop a grand or more on a jacket. There are other, cheaper but very nice and not necessarily worse options out there. Just the opposite.

My suggestion is to find the style you like and start with eBay.

That would also make my wife happier.

 

[Bigbenbs]

Are you looking to buy new? You can get some very good pre-loved jackets at a fraction of the new cost. And have you settled on a style? Biker Jacket is more of a catch all phrase. My interpretation of that would be something like this:
View attachment 138849
But you might like a more distinct style, this one is called a cafe racer.
View attachment 138850
Perhaps you like both, that's why I suggested pre-loved. There's quite a few other styles that I could suggest, as well as brand names.
Now you know why it's so easy to become a jacket junkie.

I love how no one takes me seriously when I say that I'm not looking to buy now. I guess you guys have been hanging around long enough to see through the mantras that people tell themselves as they keep digging.

 

[TheMarriedHermit]

I love how no one takes me seriously when I say that I'm not looking to buy now. I guess you guys have been hanging around long enough to see through the mantras that people tell themselves as they keep digging.

You have an itch, and you are going to scratch it.

Sent from my LG-SP320 using Tapatalk

 

[barnabus]

My advice follows what's been said before: trawl eBay for jackets that catch your eye and snag something as inexpensive as you can to start with.

You'll soon find it whether a certain style or look is 'you'. And then the spending begins in earnest.