D-pocket repros question...

[Monitor]

Perfecto/The Wild One style is quite possibly the most copied jacket design of all time, manufactured all over the world - but what about the D-pocket, specifically the J-22/24 style? I'm asking because I don't think I've ever seen a no-name D-pocket style jacket of a recent manufacture here in Europe so I was wondering, are the whatever-brand, made in India/Pakistan/China/etc. non-vintage replicas of this jacket more common in the US?
I can't even seem to find any on eBay, there are only either vintage pieces or repros made by manufacturers we know all too well.

 

[Bunyip]

Check out Alan at Johnson leathers, he does superb ones! Not sure with UK as Lewis leathers doesn't offer one, of course there is aero and AL. Thedi leathers in Greece does some nice ones too. Haven't seen cheaper brands do them though, so it's an interesting question.

 

[Edward]

Aero definitely have four different D pocket models - the J106, the Daytona (basically a J106 with the D reversed so the pocket is towards the left hand), the King of the Road, and the Elvis. ELC do the Roadstar model; not aware of other D pockets in the UK... Alexander might be doing one now, though (not looked at their site in a long time). I've got an early Roadstar, which is very nice; I also have a Johnson and it's a stunning jacket. In the mid-price region, Schott's recent 1928 model is a D pocket. Lewis don't have a traditional D pocket as such, but note the pocket layout:

It's a D with the "D" underneath rather than on the front panel. Same pocket arrangement (note also the pillion pockets to the rear - rare on jackets these days. I've only seen them otherwise on the early roadstar - Think ELC have dropped them now - and Aero's King of the Road). I could be tempted into one of these modified to the original 50s spec (i.e. drop the extra zip pocket on top of the left sleeve, which appeared some time in the early Sixties).

The cheapies tend by and large to copy the Perfecto to some greater or lesser degree. I assume it's because it's a simpler jacket to make - that D pocket requires just a little more machining, so... When it comes to putting togetherf a garment on a budget, every litle corner you can cut helps. That and the Perfecto is such an established style classic anyhow.... In the UK, it seems this vibe has come back into women's fashion of late - all in cheap pleather and lambskin, of course. Still.... I've seen some really interesting variations design-wise in the fashion cheapies, including one with a half-belt back and a D pocket front...

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Legendary USA
Made by Schott

http://www.legendaryusa.com/Legendary-Black-Stallion-Horsehide-Jacket-p/2400.htm

http://www.legendaryusa.com/Black-Stallion-Limited-Edition-Horsehide-Jacket-p/2400le.htm

HD

 

[rocketeer]

I had a cheapy, bought it off the 'Bay' for around £25 as the description was vague and the seller,also unsure what hide it was so I took a chance and won it. All the details were there, it was a straight copy of a Buco jacket(cant remember the model number) but in 'Mall jacket quality', so they are out there and this was a UK purchase.
When I came to sell it though, I had about 20 questions asking if it was Front Quarter Horse or similar, none of whom bid on it and sold it at a slight profit just shy of £50.
So, I would imagine, though there are hundreds of the 'Brando' jackets out there of varying quality, the Buco replica's appear to be desired mainly in premium quality hides.

 

[Plumbline]

Alexanders do a couple ... the Daytona Custom

http://www.alexanderleathers.com/vintageclassics/daytona-custom.html

and the Oakland

http://www.alexanderleathers.com/vintageclassics/oakland.html

I have a variant of the oakland ( without the D-pocket ) and it's a REALLY nice neat fitting jacket .... very comfortable on and off the bike.

Stu at Lost Worlds does a few as well ..

http://www.lostworldsinc.com/Leather_Motorcycle_Jacket_Trojan_Horsehide.htm


http://www.lostworldsinc.com/Horsehide_Leather_Motorcycle_Jacket_Buco_Rider.htm

http://www.lostworldsinc.com/Buco_J23_Horsehide_Leather_Motorcycle_Jacket.htm

http://www.lostworldsinc.com/Buco_J24_Horsehide_Motorcycle_Jacket.htm


Equally I'm sure if you had a design in question most of the smaller manufacturers ( Alexanders / Bill Kelso / Diamond Dave etc.) would be happy to do a custom design .... I've done this many times and have almost always been delighted with the results.

HTH

 

[Monitor]

Rocketeer, yep, that's exactly what I would like to find out more about! It's always the Perfecto. You can find it literally everywhere, especially nowadays when, as Edward pointed out, it indeed has made a come back into malls all across the Europe as women's fashion jacket - and you're right Edward, there are some very interesting variations and I always find it interesting to browse these jackets when I'm out with my girl, discovering what classics were used as an inspiration for some particular detail on a random $89.99 lambskin jacket made in sweatshops for, I don't know, Zara, H&M, so forth so on. (Perfecto is prevalent, but a Lewis Leathers pocket configuration can be spotted too).

Anyway, so nearly every single leather garments manufacturer, big or small, has at some point made their own version of the Perfecto jacket. That's why every single punk, metalhead, rocker, etc. has one, and if one were to look at the jacket tags at some heavy metal concert, one would be surprised to find two of these of the same brand. These jackets are dirt cheap.

But in all the time I've spent in second hand shops, pawn shops and flea markets, looking for leather jackets, I have never once seen a random Buco D-pocket repro, so I've began to wonder if such a thing even exist.

There are quite a few manufacturers who are producing their versions;
Real McCoy making what is pretty much the real thing
Legendary with their Black Stallion
Aero of course, and an excellent J-106
Lost Worlds' Buco
Eastman Roadstar
Bates makes a splendid D-pocket, which was featured in a Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Alexander Leathers produce their version
Harley Davidson I believe has at some point also produced the repro...

...then there are manufacturers who produce D-pocket inspired jackets, such as Himel Brothers, Pegasus, Thedi Leathers, and if you want to go custom, there's Johnsons Leather and possibly Diamond Dave. Right.

But these are all well known, well established brands whose jackets you can forget about if you're not ready to part with some serious money - but what about the cheapies? What if I, say, wanted to do a D-pocket test run, could I get one such jacket for a price of a no name brand Perfecto?

Rocketeer, you wouldn't happen to have photos of your cheapy D-pocket, by any chance, would you? I'd be very much interested to see it.

 

[feltfan]

My Johnson Leathers D-pocket jackets, made from Horween horsehide,
were both under $500 and off the shelf (including adjustment to the
sleeve length). Not sure how much less expensive you have in mind.

 

[nick123]

Let's be sure of one thing though: they are the coolest.

 

[Monitor]

Feltfan, that's a great price (and your jackets are beautiful) but still helluva lot more than what a cheapy Perfecto costs.

Odd how things turn out. Today I yet again went to the Sunday flea market we have here and scored this for $25:





Sorry for the craptastic photos but anyway - wow, a no name D-pocket, straight out of the blue. I know nothing about it, there are no tags of any sort anywhere on the jacket other than the size number which is US 52 (way too large for me). Check out the back pillion passenger pockets! Insane detail for a no name cheap jacket, I'd say. Belt is attached, unfortunately, and I wish it didn't have that stupid sleeve zipped pocket but other than that, it is a surprisingly well built, heavy proper motorcycle jacket and a first one of its kind I've ever seen! It's an old jacket, too...

nick123; Absolutely!

 

[feltfan]

Nice find... and it might even fit me... Sell it on eBay with really good photos and you
hopefully you'll end up with enough cash for a jacket that fits you. A jacket that size
might get you a decent return.