Colorful cafe racer thread

[BassandB3]

Aero board Racer in Bainbridge abyss blue

 

[jonbuilder]

I forgot my most recent acquisition cream Joseph Buegeleisen & company

 

[Salmosalar]

Lewis Super Sportsman....

 

[Edward]

Well, you wouldn't lose yourself in the dark wearing that one...

 

[technovox]

Blue "Shields of Toronto" Cafe Racer

 

[jonbuilder]

Blue "Shields of Toronto" Cafe Racer

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You look sharp in blue vintage congratulation

 

[jonbuilder]

Lewis Super Sportsman.... View attachment 326328

Good school bus escort jacket. I painted a vintage Trump 500 flat tracker this color when I was in high school in 1967. I took a lot of school bus jokes but hey I was still cool

 

[Robbie79]

Blue "Shields of Toronto" Cafe Racer

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@technovox Looks really cool and seems to be in very good condition! Great find!

 

[Robbie79]

Just arrived: 70's Harro:

 

[Marc mndt]

Just arrived: 70's Harro:

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Dang @Robbie79 you're killing it with your recent vintage buys. Super cool jacket.

 

[Robbie79]

Dang @Robbie79 you're killing it with your recent vintage buys. Super cool jacket.

@Marc mndt Thanks, man! I'm just surprised that I got this, without any question, high quality product for such a low price. There doesn't seem to be a real marked for the German vintage leather jackets like for other US vintage brands. Quality wise I don't really see any difference - very neat and accurate stitching, high quality leather and hardware and lining. Just perfect IMO and that's for less than 50€! You're paying more than 10 times the price for a vintage Lewis but I cannot imagine that these ones are any better then the Harro. Makes me want another one now!

 

[Marc mndt]

You're paying more than 10 times the price for a vintage Lewis but I cannot imagine that these ones are any better then the Harro. Makes me want another one now!

That's funny, I said the exact same thing to @Monitor the other day when I received the women's Harro I bought for my gf. Those vintage Harros are better made than Lewis Leathers of the same era yet they can be bought for a fraction of the price.

I think it's because unlike LL, the Harro company isn't around anymore. Plus LL has a well known history and they're featured in Rin Tanaca's book.

 

[Will Zach]

^^
Those last three words make the market.

 

[yellowfever]

Great thread.

It’s a lancer front, so wasn’t sure it qualified as a CR for posting here, but since Marc asked I’m posting some pics! If you’re very bored/trying to avoid working/have insomnia you can read all about this jacket and the refurb here (warning: v long multi post):

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...refurb-and-relining-tips.104074/#post-2806370

Anyway it’s undeniably colourful, even if it’s mellowed a bit with age from USA school bus colour...

 

[Marc mndt]

70s Shields racing shirt size 42

It's a rather odd jacket, not one of my favorites tbh. It features shoulder padding, side buckles and a triangular shaped back panel. The placement of the chest pockets relative to center zipper looks weird. Compared to the size 36 (the one with stars), they simply moved the pockets outwards without changing the width of the pockets themselves. Size 42 has the same sleeve and body length as size 36. The whole ensemble looks a bit out of proportion imo.

 

[Riu]

70s Shields racing shirt size 42

It's a rather odd jacket, not one of my favorites tbh. It features shoulder padding, side buckles and a triangular shaped back panel. The placement of the chest pockets relative to center zipper looks a weird. Compared to the size 36 (the one with stars), they simply moved the pockets outwards without changing the width of the pockets themselves. Size 42 has the same sleeve and body length as size 36. The whole ensemble looks a bit out of proportion imo.
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The back looks weird indeed, which also makes the buckles look strangely positioned. Love the fit though.

 

[jonbuilder]

Cal Leather

 

[yellowfever]

70s Shields racing shirt size 42

It's a rather odd jacket, not one of my favorites tbh. It features shoulder padding, side buckles and a triangular shaped back panel. The placement of the chest pockets relative to center zipper looks weird. Compared to the size 36 (the one with stars), they simply moved the pockets outwards without changing the width of the pockets themselves. Size 42 has the same sleeve and body length as size 36. The whole ensemble looks a bit out of proportion imo.
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Interesting jacket, Actually I like it. I love the colour especially, I need an all blue jacket in my life! Though I agree with you that the pocket placement is a bit weird, they should be closer to the centreline. On the back design, it’s like a more extreme version of typical 1970’s British bike jackets. UK jackets often had a not full width centre panel that tapered a little towards the hem (eg see my yellow Speedman jacket above - this design was common from a variety of UK manufacturers at the time). Your Shields jacket takes this further with a more pronounced taper to give a more obvious triangular shaped panel. But personally I think this helps give your back a nice triangular look and off-sets the otherwise slightly straight up and down look to the jacket (if I had a criticism of the styling, IMO it is that it could do with a little bit more taper to the waist as it looks a bit too boxy at least on you given you’re of trim build).

The buckle placement is interesting. UK jackets of the era often had low set side buckles to adjust the fit and seal the jacket hem from drafts for riding and also help stop the jacket riding up in a crash. A belt was not used as the front mounted buckle of a belt would scratch the tank when bent over in riding stance. Your jacket has side buckles but higher set at a natural waist level, more like on a casual highwayman style half belt jacket. Maybe better for obtaining a more flattering casual fit (if you have the waist for it as you do - maybe cinching them more would give you a better less boxy silhouette?) but less useful from a biking perspective?

On fit, I think it’s nigh-on perfect for real world casual wear. It’s maybe a tiny bit bigger through the body than strictly correct given this style is meant to be very close fitting over a t shirt for on bike use. On you this jacket is just the right side of that very close fit, to be trim but still give a little breathing room for casual (rather than on bike) wear. The sleeves are perfect and I love the extra long wrist zips and the padded elbows. The jacket length also looks good to me and similar to UK jackets of the era - ie a bit longer than typical USA jackets front and back. Being hyper critical maybe a little more taper to the waist would work for you, but as it is it looks like it should allow a bit of thin layering so be wearable over more of the year? And maybe cinching those high set buckles a bit more could help too? IMO having a bit of a taper through the waist can also help make the longer length work too.

Here’s a photo of me wearing a very beaten up 1980s made to measure UK jacket from a serious bike leathers maker favoured by many club racers at the time. It has the longer UK length (it’s the longest short jacket I own) plus some waist taper sewn in (no buckles) which personally I think looks flattering (it was a second hand pick up that serendipitously fit me well).

Anyway, great thread and I think you should enjoy that blue beauty more, it’s a great look on you.

 

[Marc mndt]

Interesting jacket, Actually I like it. I love the colour especially, I need an all blue jacket in my life! Though I agree with you that the pocket placement is a bit weird, they should be closer to the centreline. On the back design, it’s like a more extreme version of typical 1970’s British bike jackets. UK jackets often had a not full width centre panel that tapered a little towards the hem (eg see my yellow Speedman jacket above - this design was common from a variety of UK manufacturers at the time). Your Shields jacket takes this further with a more pronounced taper to give a more obvious triangular shaped panel. But personally I think this helps give your back a nice triangular look and off-sets the otherwise slightly straight up and down look to the jacket (if I had a criticism of the styling, IMO it is that it could do with a little bit more taper to the waist as it looks a bit too boxy at least on you given you’re of trim build).

The buckle placement is interesting. UK jackets of the era often had low set side buckles to adjust the fit and seal the jacket hem from drafts for riding and also help stop the jacket riding up in a crash. A belt was not used as the front mounted buckle of a belt would scratch the tank when bent over in riding stance. Your jacket has side buckles but higher set at a natural waist level, more like on a casual highwayman style half belt jacket. Maybe better for obtaining a more flattering casual fit (if you have the waist for it as you do - maybe cinching them more would give you a better less boxy silhouette?) but less useful from a biking perspective?

On fit, I think it’s nigh-on perfect for real world casual wear. It’s maybe a tiny bit bigger through the body than strictly correct given this style is meant to be very close fitting over a t shirt for on bike use. On you this jacket is just the right side of that very close fit, to be trim but still give a little breathing room for casual (rather than on bike) wear. The sleeves are perfect and I love the extra long wrist zips and the padded elbows. The jacket length also looks good to me and similar to UK jackets of the era - ie a bit longer than typical USA jackets front and back. Being hyper critical maybe a little more taper to the waist would work for you, but as it is it looks like it should allow a bit of thin layering so be wearable over more of the year? And maybe cinching those high set buckles a bit more could help too? IMO having a bit of a taper through the waist can also help make the longer length work too.

Here’s a photo of me wearing a very beaten up 1980s made to measure UK jacket from a serious bike leathers maker favoured by many club racers at the time. It has the longer UK length (it’s the longest short jacket I own) plus some waist taper sewn in (no buckles) which personally I think looks flattering (it was a second hand pick up that serendipitously fit me well).

Anyway, great thread and I think you should enjoy that blue beauty more, it’s a great look on you.

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Great observations, I agree with you on all of them

A bit more taper through the waist would have been welcome. Anyway, it's an interesting jacket. Very well made too. It definitely deserves it's place in my collection.

I love your yellow Speedman. I started a search to find one for myself and found a black one listed for €40. Unfortunately the seller changed her mind after I bought it and canceled the transaction. I hate it when they do that

 

[yellowfever]

Damn! That is annoying and frustrating! €40 for a Speedman would have been an absolute steal, even though the brand is little known and hence relatively unheralded.

As I said in the thread on my jacket, it’s almost certain the jackets were all made by Highwayman (comparable to Lewis Leathers in quality/design only without the benefit of the long and storied history of LL), so you essentially get a LL quality/design jacket (albeit without the heritage) for sub Highwayman prices… the problem is finding one as they’re rare to start with then you want the right size. Coloured ones rarer still… sorry you missed out this time!