Do You Wear a Sam Browne / Duty Belt with Your Motorcycle Jacket?

[Kane]

I’ve been wondering what the benefit would be to wear a duty belt with my Cal-Leather LAPD jacket. This is my riding jacket. It has the snap belt loops along the waist, but I use it just zipped and it’s great. Does the belt add any comfort or function for riding? Other than being able to attach and carry things on the belt, which I probably would not do while riding, it seems like it would just add more weight and bulk to an already heavy jacket, and the buckle could scrape the tank. Perhaps I’m missing something? Does anyone feel it improves these jackets?

 

[Guppy]

Short answer, there's no need for a belt at the waist on a motorcycle jacket. Plenty of MC jackets don't have a belt, and work just fine.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Unless the jacket fits loose at the waist or you live in a cold /damp climate the belt serves no real purpose apart from looks.ive belted many a petrol tank with the heavy buckles.Every bike needed to have a tank protector fitted to save scrapes.

 

[ton312]

Unless the jacket fits loose at the waist or you live in a cold /damp climate the belt serves no real purpose apart from looks.ive belted many a petrol tank with the heavy buckles.Every bike needed to have a tank protector fitted to save scrapes.

Not mine!

 

[dubpynchon]

Not mine!

I like the samurai sword on the right there.

 

[ton312]

I like the samurai sword on the right there.

Jockey shift (sort of).

 

[Kane]

Ton312,
Now my imagination is reeling! How about letting us see the beast in all of her glory?

 

[ton312]

Ton312,
Now my imagination is reeling! How about letting us see the beast in all of her glory?

Man I haven't been on it in 5 years. Built it in 2001...rode it as much as possible until my daughter came along in 2010, since then it does nothing but collect dust:'58 ironhead, Morris magneto, no (functioning) front brake.

 

[Carlos840]

Man I haven't been on it in 5 years. Built it in 2001...rode it as much as possible until my daughter came along in 2010, since then it does nothing but collect dust:'58 ironhead, Morris magneto, no (functioning) front brake.

Not front brake?

Trying to stop that thing with only a rear brake must be pretty intense!
At least if you can't stop in time the sword will probably cut your femoral artery open as you crash and give you a quick death...
Looks great though.

 

[ton312]

Not front brake?

Trying to stop that thing with only a rear brake must be pretty intense!
At least if you can't stop in time the sword will probably cut your femoral artery open as you crash and give you a quick death...
Looks great though.

LOL...it does have a mini front drum, but it's completely useless. Yeah it's not really a corner carver. But up and down Lakeshore drive was a lot of fun!

If I could do it over again I might set it up with some rear sets like these:

Putting balls in a perilous position on a rigid frame though...have to rename it "NUTCRAcKER"

 

[SinSir]

Man I haven't been on it in 5 years. Built it in 2001...rode it as much as possible until my daughter came along in 2010, since then it does nothing but collect dust:'58 ironhead, Morris magneto, no (functioning) front brake.

That's a badass iron! An ironhead was my first love hate relationship with a bike that affectionately earned a non internet friendly nick name. It always took my money, and I rarely got to ride it. In all fairness it was as much upgrades as repairs and repairs just meant further customization down the spiral. I loved that bike until the day it was stolen. Blessing and a curse.

Still a fan of them to this day and always get excited when I see cool rides like yours!

Edit-topic

I echo what others have said. I think it looks right, and I use it to tighten my jacket. I don't really like laces on the side or tightened up too much in everyday wear. The belt helps with that on the fly with out cinching down each side.

 

[Kane]

Wow, very cool. Thanks fo posting those pics! Nice to see some old iron and a real hardtail frame. You could do some serious jousting on that machine!

 

[Monitor]

I always wear my Cal with the belt but it's definitely only for the show. Belt I got for it is massive and it makes the already very heavy jacket even less comfortable. But I love the look. So... Yeah. It's pretty much the only benefit I'm getting from wearing it with the belt. However, maybe it served some purpose on cop jackets. Don't know. And @ton312 , you ought get back on that bike.

 

[Kane]

I always wear my Cal with the belt but it's definitely only for the show. Belt I got for it is massive and it makes the already very heavy jacket even less comfortable. But I love the look. So... Yeah. It's pretty much the only benefit I'm getting from wearing it with the belt. However, maybe it served some purpose on cop jackets. Don't know. And @ton312 , you ought get back on that bike.

Thank you. Your jacket looks amazing!
I guess it’s mostly about the look. I believe that the LAPD motorcycle officers, et al, wore their duty belts with the accessory holders and holsters over the waist of their jackets, through the loops. And you think these jackets are already pretty heavy! SinSir makes a good point of it’s function, and I am wondering if it would give a bit more support than the lower back section of the jacket alone. I know that Cal-Leather includes a Sam Browne style duty belt (sans the diagonal shoulder strap) with their new LAPD jackets. I guess it’s as much out of tradition and for style as anything else, unless of course these are still going to police departments. These jackets seem rather low tech for the current para-military police departments!

 

[navetsea]

Not mine!

Need belt heavy buckle to protect the jacket.

 

[navetsea]

I found a matching helmet
https://www.amazon.ca/Chainmail-Hub...Knight-Helmets-with-Inner-Liner/dp/B07DHJK6T3

medieval Magneto badass

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Not mine!

Yess yess! One of a kind art!
B

 

[Edward]

Unless the jacket fits loose at the waist or you live in a cold /damp climate the belt serves no real purpose apart from looks.ive belted many a petrol tank with the heavy buckles.Every bike needed to have a tank protector fitted to save scrapes.

Which is, of course, why Lewis first put a leather-covered buckle on the Bronx in 1956, then sussed it by replacing the belt with side-buckles for the Lightning in 1958!

I always wear the belt with a jacket if it's designed to have one, otherwise, no. I thik i~d rather notch it in just a bit with a belt or side buckles than buy a *really* tight fit without.

 

[Fifty150]

In some agencies, the uniform specifications require the gun belt over the jacket, and held onto the jacket with belt keepers. Some agencies don't. Some guys have jackets cut above the gun belt. Some agencies spec a fur collar. Some require double breasted jackets. Around here, most guys don't even use belt keepers. We wear our gun belts with a little sag down the hip, like cowboys, so that you can see the pants belt buckle above the gun belt buckle. My motorcycle jacket sits at the waist, and my holster has a slight drop.

 

[El Marro]

In some agencies, the uniform specifications require the gun belt over the jacket, and held onto the jacket with belt keepers. Some agencies don't. Some guys have jackets cut above the gun belt. Some agencies spec a fur collar. Some require double breasted jackets. Around here, most guys don't even use belt keepers. We wear our gun belts with a little sag down the hip, like cowboys, so that you can see the pants belt buckle above the gun belt buckle. My motorcycle jacket sits at the waist, and my holster has a slight drop.

Is your jacket leather or fabric?