Motorcycle Jacket Recommendations

[AeroFan_07]

The Aero Highwayman is a blousy, boxy jacket that fits tight across the shoulders. I think it is pretty much the opposite of everything a good motorcycle jacket should be.

This. I've owned several, and when I did ride, I would not have recommended them for this purpose. Also the collars, unless specified, do not snap down so will blow around on a bike.

 

[01flhr]

Since you live in Clayton I would recommend you take the short trip to Johnson Leathers in person and see what they have to offer. As previously mentioned, they outfit motorcycle policeman and CHP officers from all over Northern California so they know a thing or two about motorcycle jackets.
One trip to their store could save you the trouble of buying several (or more) jackets online only to find that they are not what you wanted or they don’t work well on the bike.

Ill 2nd this. Bates does do remote fittings and repairs when they go to some motorcycle drags but i would prefer to deal local myself.

 

[TREEMAN]

The Short Answer
The Long Answer
The Best Answer
The Only Answer
VANSON !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JM7]

The Aero Highwayman is a blousy, boxy jacket that fits tight across the shoulders. I think it is pretty much the opposite of everything a good motorcycle jacket should be.

Great feedback, I'm glad you told me this, I love the way it looks but I am sure I would not love the way it rides. Aero has it in their motorcycle section on their website. I guess that means motorcycle fashion

 

[El Marro]

Great feedback, I'm glad you told me this, I love the way it looks but I am sure I would not love the way it rides. Aero has it in their motorcycle section on their website. I guess that means motorcycle fashion

No doubt it would look very cool on the bike. The Highwayman was my first Aero jacket and one of the only jackets I sold shortly after buying. It was an absolutely beautiful jacket in brown CXL steerhide but I couldn’t get used to the loose boxy body combined with the shoulders that pinched me every time I tried to raise my arms. Some people on here I’ve had great luck with the fit of the Highwayman but I have not.

 

[JM7]

Short answer (as many have said already): vanson. They have lots of styles so you should be able to find something that works stylistically for you/your bike both on and off the bike. Most importantly it will work on the bike (range of movement etc) and also protect you in a fall, as that is what it is designed for. I’d encourage you to consider wearing armour too as some others have said.

Longer answer: Whatever you get it should be by a motorbike leathers maker (not fashion jacket makers however thick the leather is). A motorbike jacket’s protective qualities are not just a function of the leather and it’s thickness. It’s about construction, panel placement, hidden stitching, seam types, thread used, stitches per inch (more not always better…) and many, many other considerations including proper fit and freedom of movement when on the bike. Thick leather won’t protect you if the seam rips open after the surface stitching abrades…

In the EU there are now legally enforced proper standards to differentiate protective motorcycle clothing designed to be used on a bike and offer protection in a crash from the wannabe fashion stuff… (in fact the EU standards are derived from those first developed in the UK at the University of Cambridge by Dr Woods - the very tough “Cambridge standard”).

As to looks, personally I think a real motorbike jacket has an intrinsic cool precisely because it is a tool jacket fit for its purpose, not a fashion jacket pretending to be something it’s not. But given your budget if you really don’t like the look of real motorbike jackets from a fashion perspective (despite eg vanson’s huge choice of styles) you could get a proper motorbike jacket just to use on the bike and a fashion one for streetwear…

Also, whilst it’s a personal choice of course, as others have also pointed out, I’d also encourage you to get a jacket with armour or else wear an armoured undershirt. As you say you’ve just got your first bike you will inevitably be more at risk at first than more experienced riders, even if you intend to mostly just cruise around town at lower speeds as you say. And as we get older we all bounce less well if it goes wrong… armour might not look so cool but neither do broken limbs and big hospital bills. And these days there are various low profile and flexible armour options that can still do a decent job of reducing impact forces, without being too obvious or intrusive. Something to consider (though if you do get armour/undershirt ensure you try the jacket with the armour and your likely riding layers depending on your climate to get the fit right - a reasonably close fit not only looks better it is also important for safety).

I hope that helps and enjoy the riding…

Great advice, and you are correct. I am going to buy an armored shirt and I am going to go to a store not too far from me, Johnson Leathers in San Francisco. A couple people have recommended them and this way I can make sure it fits right. I do like the way Vansons jackets look, I guess I was referring to Alpinestars with all the flashy colors. I also just bought my first leather jacket on this forum, an Aero 30's HB and now I'm hooked, . Tanks for taking the time to respond. I really wasn't sure if Aero "motorcycle" jackets were indeed for motorcycling . I guess the Schott Perfecto isn't either, when you are new to leather jackets and motorcycling its hard to know if it is indeed a motorcycle jacket for riding or for looks

 

[JM7]

No doubt it would look very cool on the bike. The Highwayman was my first Aero jacket and one of the only jackets I sold shortly after buying. It was an absolutely beautiful jacket in brown CXL steerhide but I couldn’t get used to the loose boxy body combined with the shoulders that pinched me every time I tried to raise my arms. Some people on here I’ve had great luck with the fit of the Highwayman but I have not.

Thats what sucks about buying jackets on the internet. They look great online but until its on you or you see it in person its kind of a crapshoot. Especially when there are no returns

 

[JM7]

Langlitz has probably the nicest goat hide that I’ve ever handled, but I know that I probably won’t get the fit that I want from them.

Hey thank you very much for the feedback. I was curious what you thought of goatskin ?

 

[JM7]

Ah, if you're in the bay area, then def visit JL. Their prices are actually nearly identical to Vanson when you compare apples to apples, meaning you choose a house stock leather and a house design template, and make style and fit alterations. Both brands essentially will make to your order instead of altering something off the rack. Alot of folks who go with JL here typically spec "fancier" leathers, hence the price separates from Vanson, but if you're looking for, say, a more ubiquitous black cowhide leather, their prices are similar.

In that realm of ubiquitous leathers though, Vanson's comp weight is well regarded here, especially the older stuff, and Vanson has more recognizable styles. But, I found JL's stock leather offerings for riding jackets comparable, and saw how a bunch of their law enforcement stuff ages, and they will adjust the style to your liking anyway, so it's wash. And all the leathers from Vanson/JL will be as nice if not nicer than anything you'll find off the rack from mainstream brands (Schott) if the name of the tannery isn't listed (Horween, Badalassi, Shinki, etc etc).

For me, getting a personalized fit is everything because it's hard for me to find jackets that fit me well, especially leather, so for me it's a no brainer since I'm local.

Im going to go to JL on Friday. I agree with you on the fit , I'm thin but have a beer belly lol. You know what would really help me on this forum ? A glossary or key of abbreviations. I'm getting to know a lot of them , HH=horsehide, JL=Johnson leathers, WTB=want to buy but there are still a lot that I'm trying to figure out. Also, why does everyone put bump on their classified ads ?

 

[TheDonEffect]

Im going to go to JL on Friday. I agree with you on the fit , I'm thin but have a beer belly lol. You know what would really help me on this forum ? A glossary or key of abbreviations. I'm getting to know a lot of them , HH=horsehide, JL=Johnson leathers, WTB=want to buy but there are still a lot that I'm trying to figure out. Also, why does everyone put bump on their classified ads ?

Ikr, Fwiw idk. Lol, jk.

Took me a while to figure out JL was Johnson Leather, the irony was that they were on my radar since they were the only local jacket maker around, then I read about JL here, took me a minute to connect the dots.

People bump their listings so their listings will get back on top of the classifieds page.

I might run into you, I'm trying to go there on Friday as well, but not looking probable.

 

[Carlos840]

This. I've owned several, and when I did ride, I would not have recommended them for this purpose. Also the collars, unless specified, do not snap down so will blow around on a bike.

I have to say that i have never felt the snaps on collars where useful or necessary.
I never EVER snap these down on any of my jackets and it has never been a problem for me on the bike.
Even at 100mph on a naked bike the collar doesn't flap around.

IMO their use was more to give a "uniform look" on CHP style jackets like they did on the A2 rather than a functional need when riding.

 

[JM7]

Google Vanson Highwayman Model E and you will be lead back here, and you will get an glimpse of an unicorn sharkskin like model E. Best Vanson ever existed.
And yes, they offer REAL warranty, in writing. A return postage warranty card, just fill in your info and mail back. No one else does this. Everyone else says "lifetime warranty", but nothing in black and white like Vanson. If you go to the riding forums you will see others who has sent their back for repairs. I remember seeing a guy complaining about having to pay postage for his free Vanson repairs. But that was after like 2 crashes/repairs or something like that.
But current Vanson only comes in black. I am more a grey guy.

Thumbs up for the new avatar @Cyber Lip

Im gonna google your suggestion right now, looking at Vanson & Johnson Leathers, thank you for your email too

 

[MrProper]

I have to say that i have never felt the snaps on collars where useful or necessary.
I never EVER snap these down on any of my jackets and it has never been a problem for me on the bike.
Even at 100mph on a naked bike the collar doesn't flap around.

+1

 

[01flhr]

Hey thank you very much for the feedback. I was curious what you thought of goatskin ?

I have a goat langlitz. Its really nice. It doesnt have the stiffness and structured feel that steer does, but its still thick. Its a little stretchy and spongy feeling, but its nice. I like it alot but i dont think id like it on a double rider. I think it would depend alot on the jacket styling.

 

[JM7]

Short answer (as many have said already): vanson. They have lots of styles so you should be able to find something that works stylistically for you/your bike both on and off the bike. Most importantly it will work on the bike (range of movement etc) and also protect you in a fall, as that is what it is designed for. I’d encourage you to consider wearing armour too as some others have said.

Longer answer: Whatever you get it should be by a motorbike leathers maker (not fashion jacket makers however thick the leather is). A motorbike jacket’s protective qualities are not just a function of the leather and it’s thickness. It’s about construction, panel placement, hidden stitching, seam types, thread used, stitches per inch (more not always better…) and many, many other considerations including proper fit and freedom of movement when on the bike. Thick leather won’t protect you if the seam rips open after the surface stitching abrades…

In the EU there are now legally enforced proper standards to differentiate protective motorcycle clothing designed to be used on a bike and offer protection in a crash from the wannabe fashion stuff… (in fact the EU standards are derived from those first developed in the UK at the University of Cambridge by Dr Woods - the very tough “Cambridge standard”).

As to looks, personally I think a real motorbike jacket has an intrinsic cool precisely because it is a tool jacket fit for its purpose, not a fashion jacket pretending to be something it’s not. But given your budget if you really don’t like the look of real motorbike jackets from a fashion perspective (despite eg vanson’s huge choice of styles) you could get a proper motorbike jacket just to use on the bike and a fashion one for streetwear…

Also, whilst it’s a personal choice of course, as others have also pointed out, I’d also encourage you to get a jacket with armour or else wear an armoured undershirt. As you say you’ve just got your first bike you will inevitably be more at risk at first than more experienced riders, even if you intend to mostly just cruise around town at lower speeds as you say. And as we get older we all bounce less well if it goes wrong… armour might not look so cool but neither do broken limbs and big hospital bills. And these days there are various low profile and flexible armour options that can still do a decent job of reducing impact forces, without being too obvious or intrusive. Something to consider (though if you do get armour/undershirt ensure you try the jacket with the armour and your likely riding layers depending on your climate to get the fit right - a reasonably close fit not only looks better it is also important for safety).

I hope that helps and enjoy the riding…

Just wanted to thank you for the sound advice, this forum is amazing,

 

[JM7]

Plenty of options out there. there are people who ride in Aeros; as with anything, opinions about suitability vary. If the Aero works for you, in terms of leather for the slide there'll be one of the hides (either the heavier steer and horse, or goat - goat being second only to roo in terms of abrasion resistance). For an impact fall, leather alone won't help much, you need the armour. Modern d30 type armour is thin and unobtrusive, just make sure you try the jacket on with back-protector in place in case you find you need a little more room. An armoured, kevlar undershirt and/or longjohns like those offered by Bowtex basically gives you complete freedom of whatever you want to wear on top. A tweed suit would be fine, even - but it might not be so comfortable on a hot day. Goldtop offer the widest range I've yet seen of leather jackets with an original 50s to 70s style that can also take armour as standard. The back plates can give a little show-through on the jacket, but if that bothers you, it could always be removed if you're just wearing the jacket around.

If you're looking at motorcycle clothing sourced from the UK or EU, watch the descriptions. Under EU law, there is now a clear distinction between motorcycle ppe and motorcycle style clothing. Nowhere is allowed to sell anything as 'proper' motorcycling wear unless appropriately classified. Also worth checking what exactly is classified - I think the new system is designed to try and make this clearer, but there is a difference between a jacket containing ECE rated armour and an armoured jacket which is ECE rated as a complete garment. It's not yet clear what the "British Standards" with which the present Westminster government intends, post-Brexit, to replace the ECEs will be, though in practice I suspect many companies might choose just to stick to the ECE standards rather than spend the money on a separate set of classifications for the UK market only, especially given they'll needed ECE certification to sell into the EU (a much bigger market, obviously).

Great information to know, I really like Goldtop but my opinion comes from just seeing one online. I have a Belstaff Brooklands that is amazing. I'm just looking for one other jacket because its the only one I have at the moment. I am close to a pretty respected leather jacket maker (Johnson's Leathers) in San Fran so Im going to go there on Friday. I also like the Vanson Highwayman Model E that a forum member recommended. Thank you for your email

 

[JM7]

For 1300 dollars you have a lot of options.

UK
Aero - Best bang for your buck for CXL. Get Boxy Talons. Flat shoulders, tapered torso.
Simmonsbilt - Priced slightly lower than Aero but resale is also lower. Flat wide shoulders, straight torso.
Field Leathers - Best deal for Shinki. Wait is too long. Straight torso, narrow (too tight) everything else.
Lewis - Two words, Vegtan Sheepskin, or is that three words? Archive patterns have tapered torso.

US
Vanson - Best bang for your buck for leather jackets. Period. Pretty much what everyone else says. But only comes in utility black leather.
Lost Worlds - New jackets are too expensive. Used ones are closer to Aero prices. NYC's Buco.
Johnson Leather - West coast Vanson with fancier leather and style. M(P)500 is one of the best pattern out there. Will fit most bodies. Pattern is perfected by all the police contracts. Small shop, wait can be long. I am bias here. M(P)500 is my ATF.
Langlitz - I got one coming. I have a feeling it'd be like an American Lewis. Or is Lewis the UK Langlitz.
There are other small Made-in-USA motorcycle gear manufacturers. But for the Red/White/Blue label, it's hard to beat a Vanson. Like what everyone else already said.
I didn't even bother to include Schott because that's what my wife wore, once. But this is also my bias opinion.

If you are just riding a cruiser, any of these non armor jackets will be more than enough. Your boots will see more wear and tear than your jacket for sure. And kudos still going out riding after 50. Go slow, enjoy the moments.

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Thank you very much for your response, very informative and helpful. When I bought my bike , I had to have it delivered as I didn't know how to ride one lol. Now, my truck just sits on my driveway because I love riding it so much. It's been a really hard year for me, I lost my father in March and I was really close to him. I bought it because I've always wanted to learn and to get my mind off everything. I must say, it really has become one of the best purchases Ive ever made

 

[barnabus]

Riding is terrific for clearing your mind isn't it? You don't think about anything other than the riding.

At least, I don't.

 

[Justhandguns]

Great information to know, I really like Goldtop but my opinion comes from just seeing one online. I have a Belstaff Brooklands that is amazing. I'm just looking for one other jacket because its the only one I have at the moment. I am close to a pretty respected leather jacket maker (Johnson's Leathers) in San Fran so Im going to go there on Friday. I also like the Vanson Highwayman Model E that a forum member recommended. Thank you for your email

One question that nobody has yet to ask is, what sort of bikes you are riding? In my opinion, that influences your choice for sure right?

My vote for sure is Vanson, for 1grand of USD, I am pretty sure Vanson can customise and place proper amour (armor) in most of their jacket range. They also have proven 'track' records, literally, for making racing overall as well, unlike other makers mentioned above. Here is one old article about their jackets.

Another factor is whether you are picky about your jacket's place of origin as well. Vanson/Johnson/Lanlitz are all made in the US of A while Aero/Lewis are made in Scotland. Goldtop, on the other hand, is probably made somewhere in South Asia.

 

[JMax]

I have to say that i have never felt the snaps on collars where useful or necessary.
I never EVER snap these down on any of my jackets and it has never been a problem for me on the bike.
Even at 100mph on a naked bike the collar doesn't flap around.

IMO their use was more to give a "uniform look" on CHP style jackets like they did on the A2 rather than a functional need when riding.

If you lean forward when riding maybe, but in a truly upright riding position, especially with police trained riders, the lapels will flap. Plus, they don’t need the potential distraction. All of my jackets flap if I forget to snap them, except for the LW Trojan. Those lapels are like mutton chops.