Looking for my dream M/C jacket

[Lama]

Don't know if this deserves a whole thread, but here it goes. I want a vintage style M/C Jacket for my collection, but I just can't find what I want, other than on Japanese sites where I know their patterns are cut a bit weird for Americans, not to mention I am not a size 38.

I am a huge fan of vintage Beck, Bates and Buco M/C jackets, but I want new.

The closest jacket i can find near what I want was last produced by Schott in approx. 2007 for Legendary (still available in Japan), called the Beck 333 Northeaster:

http://www.legendaryusa.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=BECK333

They are now sold out.

My wish list:

* Heavy FQHH - Black
* D-Pocket
* NO Bi-swing back
* Half Belt
* NO epaulets (if possible)
* Removable Mouton Collar
* Rear passenger pockets.
* Top mounted sleeve zippers.
* Brass snaps/zippers

I have looked everywhere. Of course Langlitz or Aero "could" make one, but when i have asked they all shy away from one or two features.

Anyone know of a Beck/Buco type jacket "close" to this??

Thanks.

 

[jon z]

Might be worth asking Stuart at Lost Worlds if he'd make what you want. If you can get past his quirky nature he's OK to deal with IMO. I had him produce a customised version of his J23 & I'm more than happy with it. OK, it's not as radical a deviation as yours would be from his stock item but IIRC he does do out & out specials. His workmanship & quality of materials are of the highest order. It wont be cheap though.

 

[Aaronlowe]

Try Vanson. I'm sure they can make it for you.

 

[rgraham]

What are the features they shy away from?

 

[jon z]

In Aero's case, judging by the experience of others on here specifying custom features, it seems to be a lottery on which of those you've specified you get & which they omit.

 

[Lama]

Okay, this is funny, I create this thread today after months of looking for a jacket of this sort, then I call my favorite vintage jacket guru to tell him what I am looking for, and he says "hey Schott just released close to what you want".

http://www.schottnyc.com/products/men/perfecto/vintaged-d-pocket-perfecto.htm

Crazy.

Can't wait to see what the back looks like, and now praying Schott has not done the glued-matting horsehide process.

 

[P5640blouson]

You're looking for a real custom job $$$

I can cost quite a bit if Lost Worlds will do it, and there would be no returns on a custom jacket. You'd probably eventually settle for something similar or find something comparable to your liking. I mean, its a long long process if you want to have a specific, multi-feature design, a process that can WEAR a person down, no pun intended.

 

[Pushrod]

Okay, this is funny, I create this thread today after months of looking for a jacket of this sort, then I call my favorite vintage jacket guru to tell him what I am looking for, and he says "hey Schott just released close to what you want".

http://www.schottnyc.com/products/men/perfecto/vintaged-d-pocket-perfecto.htm

Crazy.

Can't wait to see what the back looks like, and now praying Schott has not done the glued-matting horsehide process.

It does look interesting, I'd be concerned about the glued on felt backing too, at $935 it ain't cheap. Don't think I'd care for the:
"""The jacket has undergone a top secret vintaging process to give it that broken in feel right out of the special edition Perfecto box."""

 

[South]

Now, this is just me, but I couldn't bring myself to pay nearly $1,000 for a Schott.

 

[Johnnynotoes]

I was curious about the opinions on the felt backing on the Schott jackets and read some thoughts on it here some time ago. I then read the opinions on the Schott forum. Seems folks aren't happy with it. The leather seems fine on mine.[horse cafe style] What do I care if it's backed with anything? Should I be upset it even has a lining??? It's still a decent horsehide ...not a chamois! It does it's job and looks good. Should Schott for some weird reason wish it's hide to appear 4 oz. then I have no problem. Decent jacket for the money I think. I don't feel misled and folks think it's a sharp looker. Pardon my rant...just some thoughts on that felt bugaboo.

 

[Johnnynotoes]

Sweet Holy Smackeyjack...umm...when I commented on a decent jac for the dollar I guess I didn't mean that 1000$ item. I'd have to see that in the flesh afore turning over that sorta coin for a Schott. I'll bet it's nice though. Pushrod, I echo sentiment on the Schott "Top Secret process" blither. Their admen seem to be suffering from a bad case of adolescenci dramatica. Silliness...like my bullshite latin.

 

[deluxestyling]

Have you seen this...

from The Few? It doesn't tick all your boxes but has most...

http://www.thefewmfg.com/details.cgi?no=PM9-002&name=PRECISION_JACKET_2009_10

 

[pipvh]

I'm sure you've checked out Langlitz, but in case you haven't, their Japanese site lists all the custom options they do:

http://www.langlitzjapan.com/custommade.html

Their horsehide is insanely expensive but when I thought I could afford one of these I'd decided on goat as the best alternative. I gave them a call and they were very helpful and interested.

Good luck!

 

[injunjack]

I was curious about the opinions on the felt backing on the Schott jackets and read some thoughts on it here some time ago. I then read the opinions on the Schott forum. Seems folks aren't happy with it. The leather seems fine on mine.[horse cafe style] What do I care if it's backed with anything? Should I be upset it even has a lining??? It's still a decent horsehide ...not a chamois! It does it's job and looks good. Should Schott for some weird reason wish it's hide to appear 4 oz. then I have no problem. Decent jacket for the money I think. I don't feel misled and folks think it's a sharp looker. Pardon my rant...just some thoughts on that felt bugaboo.

Exactly my feelings too. It has never ever bothered me, and in a jacket that gets used as it's meant to be, rather than hang in a closet with other multi-hundred $ jackets that see no daylight, it's just a feature that the maker I believe has put in there for a reason, warmth.

Jack

 

[Edward]

Surprised me Aero shied away from this; sounds like very little variation from the stock King of the Road. Unless ditching the biswing back requires too radical an alteration of the overall cut of the jacket? Seems to me that without that, you'd need to have a bit looser a cut to still facilitate the same range of movement - c/f an A2 against the much neater cut of a G1 style.


ETA: that jacket from The Few is beautiful, but being as I'd have to ask the price......

 

[Lama]

Wow, thank you for that link from "The Few".....that thing is amazing!!! Too bad it has a bi-swing, but I am going to inquire about it.

Yes, a $900 Schott is nearing a Langlitz Columbia pricing...yikes, and I don't want anyone "aging" my jacket except mother nature and time.

What I really want is a Leathertogs or Beck 333, slim cut, half belt style.

The search continues!!!

 

[Touareg]

Lostworlds has a Leathertogs in brown on sale size 42.

Touareg

 

[P5640blouson]

biswings highly recommended if you ride

biswings highly recommended if you ride

 

[jon z]

from The Few? It doesn't tick all your boxes but has most...

http://www.thefewmfg.com/details.cgi?no=PM9-002&name=PRECISION_JACKET_2009_10

But it's the same as Lost World's J23 with a colour change.

http://www.lostworldsinc.com/Buco_Leather_Motorcycle_Jacket_J23.htm

 

[Lama]

biswings highly recommended if you ride

If you mean biswings as in pleats or bi-swing back, I ride every day and a properly fitted non-bi swing back catches zero wind, unlike a bi-swing which catches wind like a superman cape.