The choice of Two Cafe Racers

[ProteinNerd]

What a dilemma!

My fit jacket for a new Aero Sheene (based on the Board Racer pattern rather than Standard Cafe Racer) arrived today. Wouldn't you know, it fits perfectly and looks gorgeous....no mods needed.

The trouble is, I already have a Brown FQHH Standard Cafe Racer and really really don't need or even want 2 of essentially the same jacket in the same colour....I can't even justify that to myself, let alone my wife.

Anyway, the standard Cafe Racer is probably 1 or even 2 sizes too big which I've comment on before in pervious thread but everyone has said its fine and to keep it....it has broken in so nicely. It has been pretty much relegated to only the coldest weather where I need a layer or two.

So my issue is, do I keep the new one and put the old up on eBay (or here) and most likely lose a bit of cash, or just send back the fit jacket as originally planned and forget about it?

I know how much we all love polls so I've included one, I really really don't intend to keep both.

 

[Sloan1874]

Ooh, a Sophie's Choice of a question. Looking at the two pics, and putting aside the fact I have a BR, I would still go with the BR: to my eye, it has the better silhouette and looks just that bit cooler.

 

[pawineguy]

First, purely emotional reaction to the two jackets... the Board Racer is absolute perfection on you, so don't let it go!

Second, giving it some actual thought... you would save the money to ship it back, and you now know anyway what you would need for the Sheene, so sell the CR and get what you can, add in the savings on shipping the fit jacket back, and put that towards the Sheene. In the meantime you have a jacket which you know you love.

Edit: I do like the fit of the racer ok, but the Board Racer is just such a good design and fit, and it's clear that you're going to wear it more than you wear the CR.

 

[handymike]

The top one!
(Sorry)

 

[zhz]

IMO, once you start asking this question, you already made the decision. Otherwise, you will ship the BR back straight away.

 

[Inusuit]

Ooh, a Sophie's Choice of a question. Looking at the two pics, and putting aside the fact I have a BR, I would still go with the BR: to my eye, it has the better silhouette and looks just that bit cooler.

Do you know what choice Sophie had to make? To use the term in reference to a couple of jackets is a bit insensitive, IMHO.

 

[Sloan1874]

Yes, I do, but it's reference to a fictional novel and a film, so no real feelings hurt, eh? I mean, there's a restaurant in Sidcup called Sophie's Choice!

 

[Fanch]

First, purely emotional reaction to the two jackets... the Board Racer is absolute perfection on you, so don't let it go!

Second, giving it some actual thought... you would save the money to ship it back, and you now know anyway what you would need for the Sheene, so sell the CR and get what you can, add in the savings on shipping the fit jacket back, and put that towards the Sheene. In the meantime you have a jacket which you know you love.

Edit: I do like the fit of the racer ok, but the Board Racer is just such a good design and fit, and it's clear that you're going to wear it more than you wear the CR.

Makes sense to me.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I don't care for the Board Racer unless you modify it to look like j100 Buco as they do at Thurston. Having the shoulder yolk looks nicer than that seam running down the back. I also prefer the even collar od Thurstons do.

But I'd always remove the stant pockets and even up the collar on any cafe racer I liked.

 

[pawineguy]

I don't care for the Board Racer unless you modify it to look like j100 Buco as they do at Thurston. Having the shoulder yolk looks nicer than that seam running down the back. I also prefer the even collar od Thurstons do.

But I'd always remove the stant pockets and even up the collar on any cafe racer I liked.

This looks like the Thurston model to me?

 

[Seb Lucas]

This looks like the Thurston model to me?

What's the back look like? Certainly with the even collar it seems likely.

 

[ProteinNerd]

.

 

[ProteinNerd]

I already have a Diamond Dave Buco J-100 repo in Black so while I agree with you Seb, nots not bad having these slight differences.

Here are shots of both jackets from the back, both while zipped.

View attachment 22053 View attachment 22054

You can definitely see how the standard is definitely a bit big from the back shot.

 

[Fanch]

Your CR is definitely not two sizes too big, at least what I can see from the pics.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yeah, I see it. Just don't appreciate that seam running right from the collar down. But I guess Vanson does it too and so do a bunch of cheaper makers so it's traditional, if ungainly to my eye. I may well get used to it and a good fit is a jacket's best feature.

 

[Jägernaut]

The board racer is the tits. Beautiful perfect fit. Are u fairly mobile in it?

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Not such an easy decision...
Can't remember it you actually ride a motorcycle or not (like I do)...but.for me,I would keep the larger one for use on the bike and go for the Sheene as something different. Really they both look nice to me.
HD
Yeah..I'm not too keen on a center seam.

 

[Superfluous]

I must diverge from the majority here. While the BR looks good, I think the CR looks MUCH better on you. IMHO, the BR is too tight. The BR looks like it was painted on. While a good fit is obviously desirable, a tight fit is not. Conversely, the CR fits you perfectly, while allowing room for you to take a deep breath.

CR all the way -- send back the BR and get a Sheene.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Not such an easy decision...
Can't remember it you actually ride a motorcycle or not (like I do)...but.for me,I would keep the larger one for use on the bike and go for the Sheene as something different. Really they both look nice to me.
HD
Yeah..I'm not too keen on a center seam.

I do ride but this wouldn't be for riding, i have jackets with armour for that.

 

[ProteinNerd]

The board racer is the tits. Beautiful perfect fit. Are u fairly mobile in it?

I am mobile, its not restrictive at all.