Most popular Aero Leather Jacket?

[gilwood]

Sorry for all the Aero Leather Jacket questions. It's a big decision to make. Which is the most popular Aero Leather Jacket? I imagine it's the Cafe Racer in Black.

 

[HighandDry]

I would think it's the Highwayman in brown FQHH by a large margin.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

IMO...I would say that Aero sells more Highwaymans and HalfBelts.
HD

 

[Papa M]

Here in the UK it would be the black Highwayman. It has a status amongst youngish Indie type music followers. A kind of Post-punk icon status.

 

[Fletch]

I suppose we can eliminate all varieties of A-2 right off the bat?

 

[Spitfire]

Don't know if it's their biggest salesuccess - but there is no doubt in my mind: The Irvin (pre-war type)

 

[JanSolo]

I once asked Will Lauder the same question. The Highwayman is by far their best selling jacket.

 

[Peacoat]

My vote goes to the Highwayman, but I guess that is moot, given the post from Jan. I would guess the Half Belt is a close second.

As to color, I agree with HighandDry, that it is the brown, at least in the U.S. Bikers usually choose the black, but more regular folks often prefer something else.

 

[jimmer_5]

As to color, I agree with HighandDry, that it is the brown, at least in the U.S. Bikers usually choose the black, but more regular folks often prefer something else.

All I know is that it's really, really, hard to find a quality MC jacket in brown leather. Heck, let's upgrade that to damned near impossible!

That's half the reason I finally broke down and ordered an Aero - just os I could get what I wanted in BROWN.

As to the original point of this thread, I bet the Highwayman is the most popular with the Half Belt coming in second.

All I know is that I have a black highwayman now(thanks to eBay), a Brown HH Half belt on order, and I very well may make a Brown HH cafe racer my third...... Aero's are addicting!

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I'll vote for the Highwayman in brown as well. It was my first Aero.

All I know is that it's really, really, hard to find a quality MC jacket in brown leather. Heck, let's upgrade that to damned near impossible!

True. Vanson will do custom leather for you, but that involves an upcharge. Seems us Yanquis prefer black leather, no matter how hot it gets outside. Vanson offered some moto jackets in "battleship gray" (by custom order) and I think having a lighter color would take some of the heat off in the summer months.

The only other quality MC jacket I've found in brown was back in the early 1990s. Hein Gericke had a sub-brand called "First Gear", and they made some brown moto jackets along the cut of the Schott Perfecto. HG generally made good stuff but I found the quality of that First Gear jacket to be a bit wanting. I bought one anyway, seeing as I found a discontinued model for $99 and I was a poor student with no money to buy an Aero or Vanson. lol

 

[Fletch]

You must understand that in the USA, brown is insufficiently badass. That's why our police, military, and fetish communities will no longer touch the stuff. Does your ride often get tipped over when you're at the bar? You may be wearing the wrong color leather. lol

The exception are horsey folk, who are slowly letting it back into the ring and show scenes. It's hard to tip over a horse.

 

[andy richards]

I think the FQHH Highwayman is Aero's number one... The first Aero I ordered was a Highwayman. My second was a FQHH Long Halfbelt, which should arrive tomorrow according to track&trace... If so, I will place some pictures.

 

[Creeping Past]

I suppose we can eliminate all varieties of A-2 right off the bat?

Why's that?

 

[derleicaman]

Can't answer what is their most popular model, but I recently picked up an Aero Leather A-2 in Russet horsehide and it is a thing of beauty!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Why's that?

Simply because Aero's other jackets are a much bigger percentage of their sales worldwide.
HD

 

[Fletch]

Yes, the other styles at least have some residual cool factor, even tho they are far from fashion forward - at best they're classics. The A-2 is a classic with a difference: its wartime legacy. It can look good of course, but what matters most is how well it copies an original, and Aero compromises that somewhat in the interests of style.

 

[South]

Vanson will do custom leather for you, but that involves an upcharge. Seems us Yanquis prefer black leather, no matter how hot it gets outside. Vanson offered some moto jackets in "battleship gray" (by custom order) and I think having a lighter color would take some of the heat off in the summer months.

The only other quality MC jacket I've found in brown was back in the early 1990s. Hein Gericke had a sub-brand called "First Gear", and they made some brown moto jackets along the cut of the Schott Perfecto. HG generally made good stuff but I found the quality of that First Gear jacket to be a bit wanting. I bought one anyway, seeing as I found a discontinued model for $99 and I was a poor student with no money to buy an Aero or Vanson. lol

I don't want to derail the thread, but since it seems to have been answered pretty well, I must say, I would like a semi-vintage looking brown motorcycle-ish jacket.

I tried a Schott 585, which is a pre-distressed "vintage" looking motorcycle jacket, but was disappointed with the fit, thickness of the leather in the arms and didn't want fake distressing. It also felt "dry". I would love to find a similar style to that one, with better leather and not distressed. I liked the semi "belted" bottom and the curved bottom back.

Sorry, if I derailed the OPs thread...

 

[aswatland]

It would not be the A2s and B3 from the current holder of the Aero name, but the originals from the prolific AERO outfit in Beacon, NY. Their Wartime contract A2s and B-3s were produced in vast numbers and are of course highly sought after by collectors today.

 

[Papa M]

I don't want to derail the thread, but since it seems to have been answered pretty well, I must say, I would like a semi-vintage looking brown motorcycle-ish jacket.

I tried a Schott 585, which is a pre-distressed "vintage" looking motorcycle jacket, but was disappointed with the fit, thickness of the leather in the arms and didn't want fake distressing. It also felt "dry". I would love to find a similar style to that one, with better leather and not distressed. I liked the semi "belted" bottom and the curved bottom back.

Sorry, if I derailed the OPs thread...

I share your reluctance with fake distressing. However I was unable to resist the pre-distressed Levi's/Aero collaboration called the "Ruff'n'Ready" from a few years ago. It is a waxy brownish/black motor-cycle-ish jacket (based on the Aero Bootlegger) and comes with some beautifully understated fake repairs and a generally scuffed-up appearance. The lining is a typical Aero tartan. Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship.

There's one on E-Bay in the USA right now - Buy It Now for 700 bucks.

 

[garzo]

Why's that?

I think A2s are and have remained popular with an increasingly diminishing fan base made up largely of baby-boomers and their offspring who grew up heavily influenced by the WWII generation, whether directly from parents or grandparents, friends or relatives who served in the war or even popular culture (WWII pics from the 1960s and 70s). But that age group and their offspring is growing older and new generations do not and will not have access to that generation and to those movies that at one time really fired up the imaginations of young kids.
At 41, I feel like I'm at the tale-end of that group, although I could be wrong.