Custom 30's German bike jacket

[feltfan]

Thanks for the "open" shot. Great that way, too.
Love the way the top pocket flaps are already becoming
dogeared like those of the original. Having seen that
period photo you posted of the motorcyclist with the
similar jacket, I have to say the second row of buttons
is a bit much- good choice.

Another suggestion for a name for the jacket: The Lever.
The asymetrical design suggests it to me.

 

[MrBern]

I also thought:

...though now I look at it again, this has a slightly different design, as it's a buttoned on front panel - like a cowboy shirt.

Actually The rocketeer came to my mind as well.
And in a complimentary way.
Your custom jkt is quite dashing!

 

[Mr. Rover]

I thought of the Aviator Belstaff

 

[JWCoffey]

Great jacket.

Certainly jealous.

Would have replied to another thread in regards to how many leather jackets I own, but that would be one, and I felt a bit out gunned... haha

I have to say, if I were to purchase another, a custom Aero would be the way to go.

Thanks for sharing!

-

 

[jack miranda]

Good morning, John:

The more I see of that jacket, the cooler it gets. I like the capeskin or goat idea a lot, especially with a button-up jacket.

Are you left-handed? It would be awkward for me, a 'righty' to button/unbutton the jacket you're wearing. As the buttons proceed from bottom left to upper right, it would become harder and harder for me to use my right hand to button. And, that brings up a second thought--the pic of the German tanker showed the jacket buttoned like yours, on the right side. Most folks are 'righties', yet the jackets were built apparently for lefties. Maybe the thought was righties would be sterring (on a bike), or holding a weapon (tanker). Anybody have any thoughts on the logic of this? Or, do I just need another cup of coffe (5:15 AM here in SF.)

 

[John Lever]

I use both hands to fasten and unfasten the jacket. The reversed fastening would be for women I assume.
A soft but thick hide such a cape from mature sheep would be great.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The left over right fastening, i assume, is simply following the traditional "man's" fastening.

bk

 

[BigHairyFinn]

Totally rad, the kradjacke!

Though for the buttos, I'd go with the leathered buttons rather than the open ones... depends if you want 1928 or 1948 style though..

But totally a wicked good one! The cuffs are my fave details!

As for the fastening, which hand do you use to get stuff from the pocket? My double rows button on the right side so I can reach in... even I have some coats that are double and can be buttoned "leftie" or "rightie"...

 

[John Lever]

Totally rad, the kradjacke!

Though for the buttos, I'd go with the leathered buttons rather than the open ones... depends if you want 1928 or 1948 style though..

But totally a wicked good one! The cuffs are my fave details!

I had a careful think about the buttons and decided that the leather football type would be too difficult to fasten. The cuffs I saw on another jacket and decided to copy them. The pockets are usually fastened with that side of hand. i.e. right pocket, right hand.
Penguins in the northern hemisphere are you joking ?lol

 

[BigHairyFinn]

Penguins in the northern hemisphere are you joking ?

its a bait

 

[John Lever]

its a bait

Nearly as bad as the Man eating Badgers of Basra !

 

[herringbonekid]

Aero are going to produce this jacket and asked me to name it. So I have called it Radjacke, a shortened version of motorradjacke. I quite like Rad as it's modern sounding and Jack can also be a nick name for John as well as German [jacke]for jacket.

i take it this jacket never went into production ?

 

[cordwangler]

i take it this jacket never went into production ?

It did, but was first produced under Aero's previous management, now trading as Alexander Leathers, and they still make it...http://www.alexanderleathers.com/vintageclassics/motorrad-jacke.html

 

[Edward]

It did for a few years. When Lauder left Aero, Ken and his team immediately dropped from the range a couple of designs that they believed belonged to Will; I know there was this and the Stuart. I believe AL did offer a version of the Radjacke. In future I'd love to see Aero take on an exact repro of the original.

 

[herringbonekid]

thanks gents.

it might just be the leather that the Alexander version is made from but it doesn't look nearly as nice as the original custom one that started this thread.
i notice they've reduced the number and style of buttons too.

 

[John Lever]

My jacket was never a very good fit, it didn't taper properly to the waist, the arm holes were too low to allow free arm movement and the leather was too thick for the design. It would work better in thinner horsehide or even Capeskin. The heavy horsehide made the buttons almost impossible to fasten.
I gave the original 1930's jacket to Ken, I think there's a photo of it here somewhere.

 

[herringbonekid]

My jacket was never a very good fit...

really ? i thought the fit looked good in the photos on page 1.
i can understand the leather thickness issue though.

I gave the original 1930's jacket to Ken, I think there's a photo of it here somewhere.

this one ?

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...an-bike-jacket&p=718893&viewfull=1#post718893

 

[John Lever]

Yes that's the jacket. Notice it has darts at the waist to give the correct taper and it has double thickness patches for protection. At the time we rejected the patches because the skin was way too thick.
Anyway I have good news. Aero are bringing an improved version back into production so I have asked Ken to loan me one for a review.

 

[Sloan1874]

Now you have my attention... Will it have the double buttons?

 

[Edward]

it might just be the leather that the Alexander version is made from but it doesn't look nearly as nice as the original custom one that started this thread. i notice they've reduced the number and style of buttons too.

Yeah, certainly some of the more exotic hides they've used don't look great to me either, but I think it might be that they've played around more with the design as well. nothing I could put my finger on, just looked slightly... off.

My jacket was never a very good fit, it didn't taper properly to the waist, the arm holes were too low to allow free arm movement and the leather was too thick for the design. It would work better in thinner horsehide or even Capeskin. The heavy horsehide made the buttons almost impossible to fasten.
I gave the original 1930's jacket to Ken, I think there's a photo of it here somewhere.

Mn, my feeling is that this would be ideal for a midweight horse or the new goathide Aero is using. I'd love to see it in the black goat, with the padded elbows shoulders and w.h.y. returned. They should be viable in a lighter hide like that. I'm already imagining one of these in my wardrobe, damnit! It might just have to go on the list. (I'm not sure it;'s a good idea, though - there's a high chance I'd find an excuse to wear it with britches and a Pickelhaube....).

Yes that's the jacket. Notice it has darts at the waist to give the correct taper and it has double thickness patches for protection. At the we rejected the patches because the skin was way too thick.
Anyway I have good news. Aero are bringing an improved version back into production so I have asked Ken to loan me one for a review.

Patches will hopefully work on a lighter hide.... they're part of the look of the original that I really like. Interesting to hear that Aero are bringing it back in a form - are they basing it off the jacket you had made, or is Ken going back to the original and working up something closer to that?

I saw the original on display in the factory showroom back in July, btw... lovely piece of design. I imagine if it could talk, it could keep us up all night with it's history...