Good source for traditional motorcycle jacket?

[vintage68]

I'm looking for a quality leather motorcycle jacket. My preference is for the traditional, banded collar design, with no logos.

If anyone can recommend a website that'd be great.

* Sorry, I just realized I posted this in the wrong forum, mods please move to outerwear subforum. Thanks!

 

[Edward]

You mean this style?:

Aero Cafe Racer, GBP500
http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/...e?page=displayproduct&subcatid=33&prodid=1277

Vanson, Schott, all the big names do them. I used to have a very good cowhide one which I bought for buttons on eBay. Search term 'cafe racer' turns up a lot of options.

 

[vintage68]

That's it exactly. Thanks!

 

[Jeff M]

Vanson. Aero. Langlitz. Schott.

http://www.vansonleathers.com/
http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/webapp/aeroleather/servlet/AeroViewPage?page=home
http://www.langlitz.com/index.html
http://www.schottnyc.com/

 

[TheSnark]

Cowhide or Horsehide?

For cowhide, Langlitz, Vanson, and Fox Creek Leather are at the top of my list. Langlitz is pricey, but there's nothing better in looks, toughness or swagger. Vanson is great quality, and a famous name, but Fox Creek is just as good imo... and maybe even better, depending on your personal preferences.

For horsehide, Aero has the best hides in the business, and great work to boot, but delivery time can be absurd (more than a year for a jacket with only a few simple options, in my case). LegendaryUSA has a decent selection of horsehide jackets. Not as good as Aero, but not as pricey, either... and you will actually receive the jacket in your own lifetime. Legendary claims they are no longer installing the felt backing behind the leather in their jackets, which is definitely a step in the right direction, so probably worth checking out, unless you really don't need a horsehide jacket until next year.

 

[Jeff M]

FWIW, Aero has lately been running about 12-14 weeks from my experience.
Vanson approx. 4-6 months last I checked.

 

[too much coffee]

Snark: Thanks for the heads up about LegendaryUSA. Very interesting alternative. Do you have any of their jackets or any first hand knowledge of the Legendary merchandise?

Regards...........coffee

 

[apba1166]

I would try the Langlitz Cascade first. They have a lot of gently used ones in the store, some on consignment even, which run about the half the cost of new. If you know your size pretty well, it's a great way to get one (mine was!). If you go new, they offer all options on it, even straight zipper, though they will talk you out of it (and rightly so). I have a Fox Creek, great value as has been mentioned. And a competition Vanson, which I will sell. An incredible jacket, just too much jacket for me. -Mark

 

[TheSnark]

Regarding Legendary

Snark: Thanks for the heads up about LegendaryUSA. Very interesting alternative. Do you have any of their jackets or any first hand knowledge of the Legendary merchandise?

Regards...........coffee

I bought one of their Black Horse jackets several years ago (in black, of course) and a couple of their vests. The jacket has broken in nicely and IMO compares favorably to a Schott horsehide of roughly the same price (I also own one of those). As I said before, it isn't of the same quality as Aero, but the price difference is proportional. Legendary uses Italian horsehide, which doesn't measure up to Aero's FQHH, but it's good quality hide, nonetheless. [Edit added]: Legendary's horsehide will be very smooth and glossy when new... rather like naugahide, unfortunately, so it will look cheap for a few months until it begins to break in a bit. It will begin to develop grain and character after about a year of wear (assuming you wear it hard and often), but will never have the same quality of grain as Aero's FQHH... if you want that kind of grain, you'll just have to pay for it, LOL.

As for the felt backing, I heard a rumor some time ago that Legendary was discontinuing this practice, so I asked them about it last autumn. I was told that the backing would not be part of the "new stock"... which I assume has arrived by now. I recommend that you contact Legendary and specifically ask for a jacket without the backing (unless you happen to like the stuff, but I'm assuming you don't).

Hope this helps, and good luck with your search. Keep us posted on your eventual decision and purchase.

 

[jon z]

Another Option

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

And another

http://www.johnsonleather.com/n-200.htm

 

[vintage68]

Thanks all, for the great links. Odd how most of these didn't come out in a Google search. Gotta love the Lounge, always the best resource for this kind of stuff.

 

[RP McMurphy]

Schott looks pretty good to my eye. Brando wore one, and the fit looks good. I have 3 aero jackets now, and they are excellent, but the wait time is a bit prohibitive if you want it now. Plus you can send the Schott back if it doesn't work out, or your unsure on the sizing...

http://www.schottnyc.com/products/other/made-in-usa/classic-schott-racer-leather-motorcycle.htm

http://www.schottnyc.com/products/lifestyle/motorcycle/classic-racer-leather-motorcycle-jacket.htm


RP

 

[CodeRed]

I would go langlitz, aero, vanson, johnson in that order

 

[Daniel Hunter]

Don't forget about Lewis Leathers.

They'll make you a jacket without the logo patch if you request it.

 

[crimsonofsam]

http://www.leather-jacket.com/Rising_Phoenix_Classic_American_Leather_Jacket_p/ypc-347xce.htm

Does anyone have any experience with these guys?Pictures can be deceiving but the specs and price are worth a second look.

 

[Jeff M]

http://www.leather-jacket.com/Rising_Phoenix_Classic_American_Leather_Jacket_p/ypc-347xce.htm

Does anyone have any experience with these guys?Pictures can be deceiving but the specs and price are worth a second look.

Never heard of them.
Learned the hard way over the years that you tend to get what you pay for.

 

[TheSnark]

http://www.leather-jacket.com/Rising_Phoenix_Classic_American_Leather_Jacket_p/ypc-347xce.htm

Does anyone have any experience with these guys?Pictures can be deceiving but the specs and price are worth a second look.

I have no real experience with this company or it's products, but some things about the website appear to advise caution, imo. Mainly, there's just very little information about the jackets (which in itself suggests low quality), and what little information is given is probably incorrect... I mean, 2.5 mm and 4.0 mm hides?!? A 4.0 mm hide would be about 10 oz. leather... thick enough for a saddle!!! I suggest these specs should really read 2.5 and 4.0 oz. leather. It may seem like a minor typo, but when it's virtually the only thing they tell you about the jacket, I would expect them to get it right. Let's say I'm not impressed. In fact, I rather suspect the quality of these jackets is somewhat lacking (the prices are another hint in this regard). Of course, I could be wrong, but if their jackets were of really good quality at those prices, I'm pretty sure the word would have gotten around by now. Just my humble opinion.

 

[1087]

You are absolutely correct!
A jacket maker can't make a huge mistake like that!
Definitely a wannabe to say the least!

 

[Jim Knopf]

You might consider the German Langlitz: Erdmann motorcyle jackets. They were famous with bikers in the 60s and 70s in Germany. http://www.erdmann-lederbekleidung.com/

 

[jchosko]

I think your best bet--unless your goal is to have a brand new jacket--is to get one on ebay. If you have a jacket that fits you well I would just use that as a rough guide for sizing; most auctions will have measurements listed. Just do a search for "leather cafe racer" and you are sure to see something that will catch your fancy. Some good vintage brands that will have the look you seem to want are: Brooks, Brimaco/British Cycle Leathers, Bristol, Fidelity, Schott, Kehoe, Lesco, Beau Breed, Reed, Bates, Taubers of California, Just Leather...

If your budget is vast, you can't get anything more authentic than a Buco J100

If you want new, then I'd just echo what's already been said here: Vanson, Langlitz, Schott, Aero, Legendary USA, Johnson Leathers, Fox Creek Leather (the Grayson especially for what you're looking for), Just Leather...

Good luck!