MC Jacket Opinions Wanted....

[Estevan]

Any opinions on this one? I just bought it. I thought it looked fantastic, the hide looks like a million buck IMO. Not sure of the maker, but I like it cuz the belts still there and it doesn't have the small lighter pocket.

 

[James Miller]

Great Find!

Nice Jacket Looks to be in good shape. What size is it. It is cool with out the coin pocket. It's hard to tell in the pictures. Kind of looks like an old one from JC Pennys, but not sure. Doesn't matter it's sill a sharp Jacket.

 

[Rufus]

Hy Steve, It looks like it could be a Sears jacket, possibly their Hercules range.

They had red quilted linings (in the 60s), and the corderuoy kidney liner, and often had the lovely stud detailing. Whomever was making jackets for them in the 40-60s made great jackets, much like the early Harley jacket!

Have fun with it, great to kick about in!

Rufus

 

[Estevan]

Hy Steve, It looks like it could be a Sears jacket, possibly their Hercules range.

They had red quilted linings (in the 60s), and the corderuoy kidney liner, and often had the lovely stud detailing. Whomever was making jackets for them in the 40-60s made great jackets, much like the early Harley jacket!

Have fun with it, great to kick about in!

Rufus

Thanks! Kinda think it's from the 50s though by looking at the zippers. Think?

 

[Rufus]

Yeah Steve, Late 50s I think... got the nice yoke on the kidney section.

I love all the detailing around the zip pockets!

Good score Sir!

Rufus

 

[Estevan]

Thanks Rufas, now gotta save for the Harley!

 

[Martinis at 8]

Nice jacket. Do you really want to wear it while riding? How thick is the leather?

I would save this classic for non-riding wear, and just use a current leather or synthetic for riding.

M8

 

[PADDY]

Agree with Martinis @ 8..!

Nice jacket. Do you really want to wear it while riding? How thick is the leather?

I would save this classic for non-riding wear, and just use a current leather or synthetic for riding.

M8

My 2 cents. Be a shame to rip the guts out of a tidy vintagey jacket like that. Keep it for casual wear. Classic Brando/Dean 50's look!

 

[Martinis at 8]

My 2 cents. Be a shame to rip the guts out of a tidy vintagey jacket like that. Keep it for casual wear. Classic Brando/Dean 50's look!

Exactly my sentiments! Even if one does not crash, why get dirt, bugs, tar, etc. on such a nice vintage piece?

 

[Edward]

I think casual wear is a reasonable compromise. Be a shame for such a nice jacket not to get used at all, but I wouldn't risk it on a bike either lest it get torn in a spill. Plenty of cheaper, easily replaceable modern equivalents in roughly this style for bike use.

I love the detailing on this - form me the coin / lighter pocket is neither here nor there. Wouldn't miss it, but it doesn't bug me if it's on the jacket... the detailing on the zips it so nice, though, and the whole thing has such an early rock and roll/greaser look to it.... love it. Harleys aren't my bag, though- I'd be looking a 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet to match a jacket of that style.

 

[Alan Eardley]

With respect, nice as it is and old as it is, I hardly think Steve's jacket warrants treating it like a work of art.

I always try not to give advice to others, but I can say that if it was mine, I'd wear the hell out of it. I don't see the point of a bike jacket you don't wear for biking.

Just my opinion

Alan

 

[Martinis at 8]

With respect, nice as it is and old as it is, I hardly think Steve's jacket warrants treating it like a work of art.

I always try not to give advice to others, but I can say that if it was mine, I'd wear the hell out of it. I don't see the point of a bike jacket you don't wear for biking.

Just my opinion

Alan

lol But point well taken. As a rider, I would not wear that jacket unless I had something to go with it. Like a fully restored '68 Triumph Bonneville.

 

[Alan Eardley]

lol But point well taken. As a rider, I would not wear that jacket unless I had something to go with it. Like a fully restored '68 Triumph Bonneville.

Or even better, a "bathtub" Speed Twin!

Alan

 

[Estevan]

With respect, nice as it is and old as it is, I hardly think Steve's jacket warrants treating it like a work of art.

I always try not to give advice to others, but I can say that if it was mine, I'd wear the hell out of it. I don't see the point of a bike jacket you don't wear for biking.

Just my opinion

Alan

Concur! It's made to wear.

 

[HDRnR]

Are you guys kidding me? That jacket has Harley Davidson or Indian written all over it. I have a similar jacket made by Sears but I have a lot of vintage horsehide and I always wear them on the road. When that jacket was made what kind of bikes do you think people were riding here in the US ?

 

[Martinis at 8]

Are you guys kidding me? That jacket has Harley Davidson or Indian written all over it. I have a similar jacket made by Sears but I have a lot of vintage horsehide and I always wear them on the road. When that jacket was made what kind of bikes do you think people were riding here in the US ?

Or Triumph!

One must recall that the vintage "One Percenters" only allowed Triumph riders into their m/c clubs as the only "foreign" exception to the Harleys.

I think the jacket might be too late model for Indians.

M8

 

[HDRnR]

Or Triumph!

One must recall that the vintage "One Percenters" only allowed Triumph riders into their m/c clubs as the only "foreign" exception to the Harleys.

I think the jacket might be too late model for Indians.

M8

Sure, because they were on our side during the war. However you will not find a 1% club today with anything but HD's or old Indians, but they will allow Brit bikes to ride with them as guests or attend their rallies. Even so Brit bikes didn't start to appear in the US until maybe the late 50's and that jacket design is about as American as it gets.

 

[Martinis at 8]

Sure, because they were on our side during the war. However you will not find a 1% club today with anything but HD's or old Indians, but they will allow Brit bikes to ride with them as guests or attend their rallies. Even so Brit bikes didn't start to appear in the US until maybe the late 50's and that jacket design is about as American as it gets.

Agreed on the 1% bike ownership and the origin of the jacket. However, I do believe the ownership rule is waived for 1% riders in overseas chapters.

If someone has an Indian I hope they are not riding it with any m/c except at shows/rallies, and then I would have to have a trailer that's a vault! And chained to my waist at night

 

[HDRnR]

Yeah, I've only ridden with these clubs here in the states so no clue about overseas but I guess its possible. Indian has been reincarnated again i only hope its better than the last company that tried to revive it.

 

[Martinis at 8]

...Indian has been reincarnated again i only hope its better than the last company that tried to revive it.

Didn't know that. Someone tried that with Norton a few years back. I don't think it worked out.

Triumph is still alive, but vastly different. No telling where the bikes are actually made now, and they went metric. They have made some retros like the Scrambler and Bonneville but some of it is silly, like having a fake carburetor while the bike is actually fuel injection.

The Harley resurrection is incredible. Glad to see it, but the bikes are just too massive for me. The 883L Sportster looks like a good fit, but everytime I go to a Harley Dealer he tells me it's a girl's bike. Then I ask him if he ever watched or heard of Then Came Bronson. Huh?

Sorry for the threadjack