Biker jacket

[gtdean48]

I am no more a biker because I own & ride a motorcycle any more than I am a cowboy because I own & ride a horse.
I know bikers & cowboys. Their jobs & lives revolve around motorcycles & horses/cattle.
It is a lifestyle but can't be purchased at store or dealership though their clothes & rigs can be.
I know a guy that married a horse trainer. He went full blown western wardrobe, bought truck, trailer, horse, saddle, etc.
I sold him a 1996 Sportster 883 Hugger. He went full blown biker wardrobe too.
He ain't a cowboy or a biker.
I'm a horseman = I breed, raise, ride & sell horses, only mess with cattle at a team penning, sorting or working cowhorse event.
I own 3 motorcycles, Harley, Honda, Suzuki. My wife owns & rides a Harley. We have chaps, vest & jackets but ain't bikers.
Motorcycle enthusiast? You bet!

 

[repo]

I used to earn my living riding a bike for 8 hours or more a day (and weekends not riding were bliss!). After quite a long break, I now like to potter about on one of the new Triumph twins and don't care what subculture I fit in to but want to be one of those rich urban guys - I'd get more bikes and jackets.

 

[Edward]

I used to earn my living riding a bike for 8 hours or more a day (and weekends not riding were bliss!). After quite a long break, I now like to potter about on one of the new Triumph twins and don't care what subculture I fit in to but want to be one of those rich urban guys - I'd get more bikes and jackets.

:lol: Wouldn't we all? Harley gets a bit of a bum rap here in the UK. I'm sure it's different in the US, but over here they're in full on "we sell a luxury brand" mode. Most of us could afford the t-shirt, the boots, the belt buckle (had a couple of those in my teen years!), the aftershave... but the bikes? Yeesh. Scary money here, and I'm sure they're a harder sell with the Japanese at least matching them at their own game. (After all, in the UK, both a Harley and a Yamaha are imports...). I suppose it's a result of this, largely, that you only see them being ridden by guys who are hardcore lifestyle bikers (typically colours-gangs), and city boys deep in midlife crisis territory. Rarely spotted anything in between (though of course they exist). I always admired the Harley style, to a degree, but all said and done, when the time comes for a bike for me, it'll be something much smaller and more efficient. I'm a real sucker for 50s British bikes. My ideal would be a modern Royal Enfield Bullet - 50s British style, cheap as chips used, and all modern featurs I'd want (indicators especially). On the used market, the early 70s Japanese bikes come close, too, and they're generally very reasonably priced. The guys who try to buy into a lifestyle are harmless enough, but I can completely see why, to a harcore lifestyler, it could be perceived as something of an insult. But hey, live and let live. I wear motorcycle sweaters and don't even ride in London, so.... [huh]

 

[Monitor]

I used to earn my living riding a bike for 8 hours or more a day (and weekends not riding were bliss!). After quite a long break, I now like to potter about on one of the new Triumph twins and don't care what subculture I fit in to but want to be one of those rich urban guys - I'd get more bikes and jackets.

I was earning my living riding a bike, too. What kind of work was it, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[repo]

I was earning my living riding a bike, too. What kind of work was it, if you don't mind me asking?

Nothing very exciting - just a courier! How about you?

 

[Monitor]

Heh, same; long distance super fast deliveries. Business died out eventually... Well, there's always food but I sure as hell don't want to do that.
Retrospectively, I was a fun thing to do.

 

[rocketeer]

I had my major fun days on bikes when I was younger, that was before I passed by car test and after it was 50-50% going places, for more fun. Now the bike is mainly a summer plaything, though I do use the Busa all year just not as much when the weather is bad.
Had a great trip through France, Spain and onto the Faro bike show this summer gone, saw some of the 'real' Spain and met lots of people into all sorts of biking culture. 3761.5 miles of joy including a minor crash on Montjuic in Barcelona. Here[in Spain] riders wore everything from sportsbike riders in shorts, flip flops and girls in bikini's to us out of town'ers who could be spotted a mile off, or kilometre as we were in Europe, wearing our race rep leathers, vented jackets and Gortex. Some from the UK did not ride as I did but flew to Faro. Who were the real bikers here? SEriously, they all were. Just different styles for different lifestyles.
Me? as put down earlier, being from the UK and on a full tour, well it had to be full wet weather gear as I was travelling from England haha(But I did take some summer riding gear)

 

[AdeeC]

I grew up around motorbikes when a kid but after a serious and tragic accident I lost my passion and drifted away from the scene. I still admire a nice bike I might see and think wow but not for me. I also admire a nice classic bike jacket no matter who wears one.

I now only associate with a few people that ride and not too interested in the cultural aspect of biking but can tell of two extreme examples of people I know that ride.

My cousin has been a patched up member of an outlaw club for several decades. Once he was wild but now low key. Only rides his Harley and wears colours to meet club obligations. Prefers to drive a car for every day. If he takes his missus out for a country ride he takes his BMW bike. Privately he has not much nice to say about Harley's. He says, once there were panheads, knuckleheads and shovelheads, now there are D***heads.

The other example is a staff member of mine who I have known for over 25years. Never seen him ride a bike or show any interest about them until a few years ago when he showed up with a brand new Harley Fat Boy. Now all he wears is Harley branded gear even to work. Wears skull, knuckledusters rings and thick chains. Rides wearing a Falshirmjager helmet. His dog sports a Harley collar and leash. Spends too much time at work to my annoyance on social media chatting to like minded types. Because I have known him for so long and is a good fella I have to put up with him. Rides with his mates every weekend for the beach cafe run. I bumped into him once at a beachside hot spot with his bike mates and he was a different person. Treated me like a total stranger.

 

[Monitor]

The other example is a staff member of mine who I have known for over 25years. Never seen him ride a bike or show any interest about them until a few years ago when he showed up with a brand new Harley Fat Boy. Now all he wears is Harley branded gear even to work. Wears skull, knuckledusters rings and thick chains. Rides wearing a Falshirmjager helmet. His dog sports a Harley collar and leash. Spends too much time at work to my annoyance on social media chatting to like minded types. Because I have known him for so long and is a good fella I have to put up with him. Rides with his mates every weekend for the beach cafe run. I bumped into him once at a beachside hot spot with his bike mates and he was a different person. Treated me like a total stranger.

Never understood what happens inside a mans head to start acting that way, without realizing how much of a joke he has turned into. Is it the "I've been pushed around long enough" thing, or is the Sons of Anarchy TV show really that good?

 

[Big J]

Heh, same; long distance super fast deliveries. Business died out eventually... Well, there's always food but I sure as hell don't want to do that.
Retrospectively, I was a fun thing to do.

I learned everything I know about handling from crashing when delivering food when I was a student.

I'm still trying to convince my wife that she should let me take off for a couple of weeks and ride the back roads from Beijing to Shanghai on a used Honda Cub with a box of spares on the back.

 

[rocketeer]

I learned everything I know about handling from crashing when delivering food when I was a student.

I'm still trying to convince my wife that she should let me take off for a couple of weeks and ride the back roads from Beijing to Shanghai on a used Honda Cub with a box of spares on the back.

Honda 90 Cub, got T boned on one of these. Still a brilliant little bike, why did Honda stop making them as about half of the far east ride them!

 

[Monitor]

BigJ: Nothing wrong with the job, of course, I just don't want to ride a scooter. Can't. Won't!

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

It's definitely an individual choice to wear what you like. I commute via motorcycle year-round, riding most days unless temps are too close to freezing. I wear a leather riding jacket most of the year and a mesh riding jacket during the summer (and protective overpants year-round). I carry a full length rain shell for those days when it's really wet outside.

I too think it's a bit of a bummer for someone to dress up with the look while denying themselves the joy of the ride, but to each their own. If you like wearing motorcycle gear, but don't ride, more power to you. Personally I wouldn't wear any of my gear if I were to stop riding as I would feel rather awkward to be totally honest.

Ironically, that's what brought me to this forum to begin with - I was looking for other leather jacket options that I could wear when I wasn't out on the bike. So now in addition to my riding jacket, I have a couple of "civilian" type jackets. Sadly, they are under-utilized for the most part.

 

[rocketeer]

I took my Hayabusa to the Ace Cafe for Rocker and Cafe Racer day during the summer. Wearing my 1960s Kangol helmet, Mk8 goggles and straight zip black jacket(an Eastman Luftwaffe actually), the marshall clocked the gear I was wearing and sent me to park with the Tritons, then I revved it and he had a double take. I mean how can you not spot a Busa ridden by an old Rocker, it's twice the size of an old cafe racer

 

[rocketeer]

Being on the RnR scene for many years I have been surrounded by teenage boys and girls, men and women dressed in bike gear but mainly the black leather style. I am one of those who cannot wear the gear without the bike, I dont say you should not but that is just me. I think you can get away with the A2 G1 jacket simply because it fits in the more casual style jacket as were I have heard jokey comment such as "Where's your Spitfire" aimed at the Irvin weare I have never heard a single comment about A2s. Bike jackets on the other hand used to get the odd "Where's Elvis" call, but not in our clubs

 

[dh66]

Been wearing one perfecto style jacket or another for near on 35 years.
Guys like these are why I started.
Still do because I'm still me.

 

[dh66]

P.S. to the Sheepdog 149 - at a size 48 you don't need to be much concerned what the peanut gallery might have to say when you're rockin' your new jacket

 

[Edward]

Yip. For me it started with Alice Cooper, then Joey Ramone, then Johnny Strabler.... "biker" to me only ever meant z style of jacket, never its purpose. I've ridden pillion a hell of a lot more tha I've sat in a Spitfire, though. Still wear the Irvin.

 

[nick123]

If it's good enough for these guys...
http://www.lewisleathers.com/Famous-Wearers.html

 

[Sheepdog149]

dh66 -- Nice pics man! One has to love the nostalgia associated with a good leather jacket, especially older style biker jackets. I think they exhibit a sense of a rugged, free-spirited nature. I always do a double take whenever I see someone wearing a quality leather jacket, thinking -- wow, that guy or gal has good taste. The LW Speed Demon & Beck/Leathertogs M/C jackets caught my eye. I ended up choosing the SD as my 1st vintage style biker jacket. Maybe, I'll do a black LT next. I'm still trying to break-in my LW heavy horsehide vest . I've started wearing it to bed, despite what my wife says Once the heavy hh heats up with the warmth of my body, it becomes softer and more pliable. Yesterday, my wife took me out to dinner for my 44th birthday, and I wore my vest, receiving a few compliments from strangers.