Side Laces on Motorcycle Jacket?

[Fifty150]

hard to believe a kidney panel is designed as solution to ride hard tail. I think a better solution is just bend over a bit so your whole body flex together as suspension and not sitting vertically on your spine.

It wasn't a good solution. You don't see jackets with a kidney pad today.

Those bikes were built for an upright riding position. Cruisers are still engineered to be ridden upright. Sport bikes are built a little different. You can hug the tank.

 

[Don in Indiana USA]

This is a fit adjustment.

It doesn't really have anything to do with airflow, other than that a jacket that is loose will tend to flow more air. But the air has to get into the jacket somehow (eg, through the collar, cuffs, or vents) and the side adjustment has nothing to do directly with venting. They tend to be a bit more "comprehensive" of a fitment adjuster than a simple waist tab.

I like them. I can adjust fit so that the jacket will still fit snug through the torso whether I'm wearing a t-shirt or layering, which is important for comfort when riding. I like riding jackets to fit snugly, and conform to the body.

Agreed, the laces at the sides of the waist are a fit adjustment, and fit is important for comfort relative to air flow on a bike. In most cases, you want a snug and windtight seal in the front (hence the main zipper being offset with a layer of leather underneath), around the wrists (hence the wrist zippers), at the neck (hence the jacket zipping all the way up and perhaps having a neck tab that snaps) and around the waist (hence belts and half belts), so that you don't get chilled or distracted by a 'billowing' jacket. By the same token, the jacket's lapels and collar snap down to keep them from flapping around while riding, which can be anything from annoying to a dangerous distraction.

Regarding side-laces, tapering the waist fit to be more narrow for a more broad-shouldered overall look may be more important to some people than their fitment function, and indeed various motorcycle leather garment manufacturers have created both 'functional' and 'fashion' biker-style jackets although the classic cross-zip biker jacket design was historically BORN of functional need. Waist lacing DOES have its functional purpose on biker jackets—but in biker-style fashion jackets the lacing and some other features (e.g., having the jacket be short-waisted and long-sleeved) may be retained for their LOOK, or they may be modified or eliminated on account of streamlining the style (plus lowering the cost of manufacture and purchase) when the functionality doesn't need to be provided because the jacket won't actually be worn on a bike. I think both goals—functionality and style—for leather jackets are legitimate.

That said, sometimes it boggles my mind—considering that there are cross-zip style motorcycle jackets made without, say, epaulets and half/full belts—that people will still buy a functional biker jacket with epaulets and a half belt/belt loops on it and then CUT THEM OFF because they don't like the more cluttered look or the clanky fuss of the half belt or, once they're gone, cut off the then-functionless belt loops. That strikes me as a sad waste of leather and construction effort, when jackets made without epaulets and belts are fairly readily available.

Fit adjustment (via laces) is also helpful, as Guppy pointed out, for letting you layer differently under the jacket due to season/temperature, although untying/adjusting/retying laces is a little time-consuming and tedious if it has to be done very often. A well-made jacket can last a lifetime if your weight doesn't change too substantially, and since guys tend to gain or lose their weight most prominently in the belly area having lace adjustment at the waist level is spot-on smart for men's jackets. The alternative is to have to buy another jacket that's either a larger or smaller size. Sometimes the weight gain or loss involved is so great that up- or down-sizing is a necessity anyway because even a jacket with side lacing on it can only be adjusted just so much.

I have waist area side-lacing on my Vanson CHP and Hardcore jackets and the fitment functionality matters more to me than the 'look' of the lacing does. (I don't consider the appearance of the lacing off-putting anyhow; it just looks kind of 'rugged' to me.) However, I've found by experience that the downward-hanging aspect of the lacing/tied-off bows CAN catch on objects which stick out as you walk past them—e.g., door knobs—which gets old real quick. One good solution to that problem is to remove and reverse the laces—lace them UP from the bottom set of eyelets, tie off the lacing ends with a bow at the TOP of the lacing path, and then tuck the bow and remaining lace ends behind the lacing path next to the gusset leather. That way the laces don't catch so easily as they may when hanging down.

Replacement, square cross-section leather lacing can be purchased from some motorcycle clothing manufacturers and from MOST leathercraft supply stores. Your local leather repair shop may also have or make it available for sale if you need some quick. Square lacing tends to be used more than flat lacing because it pulls through the lacing eyelets, and unties/reties, easier. If your jacket has dried out lace on it that's not rotted and otherwise is still good, you can often rejuvenate it by soaking it in your favorite leather conditioning product and letting it dry, and thus extend its service life.

As someone else pointed out, lace adjustments on jackets—just as on shoes and boots—perform the function of drawing together a portion of the structure of the garment from a looser configuration to a snugger one to obtain closure and/or a better fit on the body, whereas a corset draws together its entire structure to reshape the body itself. So the functions are different, even though there's a superficially similar mechanism involved. Another difference is that a corset is an undergarment (because privacy and modesty are desired) whereas a motorcycle jacket is obvious-as-rain outerwear. Everyone's perceptions are unique, but I tend to think that the leather color/sheen/grain/creak/(smell) is a bigger factor in the style of a jacket and in the impression it gives others of its wearer than is its functional hardware, and I say that even though many jackets have lots of snazzy zippers, snaps, loops, and 'dingle-dangles' on them, which I would guess some people suppose are mainly decorative and therefore, perhaps, off-putting because they seem 'gaudy.' However, on a functional biker jacket its hardware isn't just or even mainly 'decorative.'

Waist-level side-lacing panels/gussets vs. buckling tabs/gussets on jackets strikes me as primarily a style preference, since both do the same job. It's possible that a given lacing panel may have more/less adjustability to it than a given buckling tab does. Jacket buyers can do their best to assess for themselves whether the construction of either type of adjustment will be stronger than the other and perhaps fail over time sooner. So far, I've had no fails (e.g., tear-outs from seams or broken laces) of lacing panels even when I've caught my jacket side-lacings on doorknobs, but instead the caught lacing yanked me back to the door (always a little startling and not always real safe). I've also not had any lacing eyelets tear out yet.

 

[photo2u]

Where do you guys get replacement side laces if one rips or gets lost ?

There is a special blade tool that cuts strips of laces to several different widths. I have one but I do not know where is located. If I find it, I will post it.

 

[photo2u]

 

[photo2u]

Here is a link to ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2652133324...jrP%2B1Zipx8WQ%3D%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2047675

 

[Don in Indiana USA]

Here is a link to ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/265213332429?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=238392&meid=d0536f72b2214cd783c6826d3439546a&pid=101195&rk=5&rkt=12&sd=144411388989&itm=265213332429&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv9PairwiseWebMskuAspectsV202110NoVariantSeedWithRevOpt90NoRelevanceKnnRecallV1&brand=Unbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum:265213332429d0536f72b2214cd783c6826d3439546a|enc:AQAHAAABUAoNKsJM3HOHkM0OuV9XKcsoXSMLk3wBBxTIYdgqgcSsJbD%2BWQW2%2Fi9%2FH9y8TZ%2F9TU3Es3oTKRolT9u5mF91RnSGjcRDdDpXI3GNi9QMheFP623sd2luaveQWWobQW5%2FEdrply21mB9dShrQSujyP9gzTvLmbZYRbD0Og4yRd1Z%2B8x5YEq3wxnsPeg8HEqhcu4f7AS3vP9R3eMAnz1SNuz2mxteQd8dh7UtQ6575dC7YkWPUcbr62UaOdCvA7CgUJsYrMGFPz5gE%2F8tuhcZsF6c5EuP1PqarjlhJkF50kSjfc8tmkgvknMCsr%2BzCCA%2BAiWkCCgznZVS3Q0nuBBzFV6dCc660UUY6RwVGfBF7wfJ9FfpiexFWYiFOmwHMJVzrdyfqsrOf2N3zPC%2Bd1DwWPRHr2DOdRsjpYdGxM4LYXMo%2B2Xb8UxlmSmjrP%2B1Zipx8WQ%3D%3D|ampidL_CLK|clp:2047675

The last time I bought premade lace it was this black latigo...you can buy lacing made of different types of leather, in different lengths/quantities, and for different prices. Or, you can cut your own using a machine or tool made just for that as shown above. Leathercraft tools tend to be highly specialized according to the task they accomplish, and for that reason can be quite expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Lacing-Leather-Topgrain-Latigo-Black/dp/B00O08Z6PW

 

[CombatWombat]

As a motorcycle rider I know just how functional the side lace is........
When you have a "Brando" style jacket (which is heavily quilted) you need to be able to adjust the fit depending on how hot and humid the day is,if you're wearing a hoodie or just a tee,if you're wearing CE armour or going "soft skin" and weight gain or loss since it's a investment not a fashion statement or "closet queen"
We seem to forget that leather jackets are meant to be a traditionally functional garment with things that serve a purpose rather than something that is stylish with design flourishes that are there purely for aesthetics

 

[Guppy]

Where do you guys get replacement side laces if one rips or gets lost ?

I just buy rawhide lace.

 

[Fifty150]

We seem to forget that leather jackets are meant to be a traditionally functional garment with things that serve a purpose rather than something that is stylish with design flourishes that are there purely for aesthetics

Everytime I buy a leather jacket, I think to myself: "can I wear this on my bike?", "will these laces get in the way if I need to draw my sidearm?", "what heels and purse will I wear with this?"............ just kidding about that last part.

 

[Monitor]

Apparently me saying that I don't need to worry about side lacing fouling drawing a gun has been deleted because "gun laws are politics and we have a strict no politics line on TFL"
I'm not a Yank and saying that the affect of having a well trained and capable law enforcement is a positive influence so we don't need to lug around firearms in my country isn't "politics"......it's the end result of public trust in government agencies and the community?

I agree with you and while I strongly believe that no type of firearm should be available to civilians, it is the matter of politics because people who want to be able to easily kill a human being had made it so. The mods are just tryna cut this touchy subject tn its roots.

Bartender Edit:

Quite so. TFL as a forum is politically neutral. This very much includes the thorny debate on gun rights, which is inherently political and has caused nothing but ill-feeling whenever it has raised its head in the past. There are many forums, and, indeed, social media groups/pages, in which discussions of contemporary political issues of that nature are welcome; TFL is not one of them. Further posts on this issue will be deleted.

 

[PeterRocco]

I have buckled side straps on my two Cafe MC jackets and even on my other three cross zip riding jackts. They look cleaner and easily tighten if necessary ti keep the air out. Side laces always appear like a trying too hard hardcore design to me.

I don’t like them. Which I could do something about mine on my Schott Style 525.

 

[ton312]

I don’t like them. Which I could do something about mine on my Schott Style 525.

You can. Sell that jacket and buy a jacket without laces. Simple solution.

 

[PeterRocco]

You can. Sell that jacket and buy a jacket without laces. Simple solution.

Why didn’t I think of that?

 

[Dbtk44]

As somebody who rides, and has.. uh..."girth fluctuations ", I find the side laces pretty handy myself. I have a couple motorcycle jackets that I specifically purchased because of the side lace-ups, because I bought them when I was a bit more expansive in the waist area. Cinch 'em down when needed, and the jackets' usefulness lives on.

I know they arent everybody's cup O' tea, but they just work for me.

I also bought a couple pair of leather pants that lace up the sides, and I'm REALLY glad I did. Had they been non-lace sides, I wouldn't be able to wear them without looking like parachute pants. Again, bought them specifically because of weight fluctuations, and glad I did. As it stands now, I can lace them up a certain way and take up enough of the slack to fit pretty well.

 

[Aloysius]

Why didn’t I think of that?

The CHP features are basically its reason for existence. Sell it here and buy a 519 (standard Perfecto in the same leather) whether here or in the huge sale I linked in the deals topic.

 

[Observe]

I like side laces for their adjustability and I don't mind the aesthetics of them either. I really appreciate them on my CHP.

 

[Canuck Panda]

The side lace/corset system really helps to give a close to body fit and is really not noticeable from the front and back. The rubber laces helps with the expand and contract. Gain a few pounds, let things out a bit, lost a few pounds tighten things up a bit. It's very versatile. The Police jackets still have this feature, just makes a lot of sense.

 

[PeterRocco]

As somebody who rides, and has.. uh..."girth fluctuations ", I find the side laces pretty handy myself. I have a couple motorcycle jackets that I specifically purchased because of the side lace-ups, because I bought them when I was a bit more expansive in the waist area. Cinch 'em down when needed, and the jackets' usefulness lives on.

I know they arent everybody's cup O' tea, but they just work for me.

I also bought a couple pair of leather pants that lace up the sides, and I'm REALLY glad I did. Had they been non-lace sides, I wouldn't be able to wear them without looking like parachute pants. Again, bought them specifically because of weight fluctuations, and glad I did. As it stands now, I can lace them up a certain way and take up enough of the slack to fit pretty well.

Hi
Thank you for sharing your experience with the Gusset Ties. Very Informative. .

 

[TartuWolf]

@Canuck Panda What jacket is that? Looks amazing! Love the "side lace/corset system" demonstration, totally sold me on this type of configuration. Allows both waist and bottom hem adjustability.

 

[Aloysius]

@Canuck Panda What jacket is that? Looks amazing! Love the "side lace/corset system" demonstration, totally sold me on this type of configuration. Allows both waist and bottom hem adjustability.

Oakland police department jacket from Johnson Leathers.