Vanson Model B opinion

[Hh121]

Hi guys
I am interesting to buy Vanson Model B, but I am not sure their competition weight cowhide, since I have 3 LW horsehide, how does it compare with LW horsehide? How does it aged ? Does it soften pretty fast or it needs few years to broken in?

Thanks!

 

[Guppy]

It's good leather. Not as thick or stiff as Lost Worlds. But yet plenty thick for motorcyclists.

 

[chollie]

I've got a comet plu-3 in competition weight cowhide. Can't compare it to LW. But it's tough as nails.

 

[El Marro]

I do not own any Lost Worlds horsehide but I have owned two Vanson jackets in comp weight cowhide. This leather is quite stiff and unyielding when new. I have never worn a straitjacket (thank god!) but I think that the comp weight probably feels pretty close when you first pull the jacket out of the box.
This unyielding state will start to loosen up after a couple weeks of regular wear. Around two months the leather began to really soften up around the shoulders and elbows, where the most flexing and movement occurs.
The competition weight cowhide appears fairly bland and uniform when new, I remember being disappointed when I saw it for the first time. Fortunately, this also changes as grain and wrinkles appear as the jacket breaks in.
I really like the challenge of breaking in a heavy, stiff, and stubborn leather jacket and I think Vsnsons are about as tough a jacket as I've owned yet.
Take a look at the Vanson Comet PLU-3 while you are at it. No handwarmer pockets but there is something about the cut that makes this one of the coolest cafe racers around.

 

[jacketjunkie]

My Vanson America which is basically the model B with stripes and flag in competition-weight leather is heavier than my FQHH Aeros, heavier than my heavyweight Langlitz and lighter than my 4.5 oz Steerhide HWM, so I guess it is a very solid 3.5 oz thick. I have worn it for about 6 weeks total and has become significantly softer since then, breaking in faster than FQHH in my experience. When it was new, it had little grain, very even surface, but now with six weeks of wear it has insane grain all over it, once this is fully broken in, I suspect it to be my by far grainiest jacket.

 

[Hh121]

Thanks much for the review! I personally prefer stiff and heavyweight leather.

 

[ton312]

Vanson comes out of the box as the stiffest thing you'll ever put on, looks terrible and hurts to wear. That takes a bit of doing to knock off but once you do it's almost impossible to top. A fully broken in comp weight jacket is insanely beautiful and impossible to duplicate.

 

[Hh121]

I made my purchase from Carrie this afternoon, I recalled it was around $500, but now is nearly $700.

 

[ton312]

I made my purchase from Carrie this afternoon, I recalled it was around $500, but now is nearly $700.

Model B is a classic man. The side buckles alone weigh 3lbs.

 

[El Marro]

Another nice thing about Vanson is the quality of their patterns. Somebody who really understood ergonomics and how a body moves had a hand in that process for sure. The way the sleeve connects to the jacket and the curve of the arm panels make their jackets quite comfortable and easy to move around in once the leather breaks in.

 

[Bfd70]

My Model B from Thurstons is scheduled to arrive Friday. My impatience, and excessive time drooling over everyone elses latest aquisitions collided with some forethinking about getting the break in started while riding season is several months away. I'm pretty excited. Two things that particularly sold me on the Model B was 1. The price is about 2/3 an aero cafe racer, and 1/2 a lost worlds. Now, i do subscribe to the buy once cry once philosophy, but i can't see anyway in which it is an inferior product. 2. Zip in liner for an on the bike jacket is brilliant. When you leave for a ride at 07:00 it's chilly, by noon it's warm. Zip out the liner, stowe and go.
Looking forward to comparing break in notes.

 

[Bfd70]

And now we wait...c'mon spring

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[TREEMAN]

When your on 2 wheels....nothing beats a B........

 

[JMax]

Fat boy Lo circa 2010? Sweet ride.

I own 9 Vanson jackets, one of which is the B. Not much to add reference the comp weight, folks here are on point. Resist the initial urge, after putting it on for the first time, to toss it because it feels constricting. It breaks in and molds to the wearer like few others can. Well worth the effort. Like you, I prefer heavy jackets and consider them part tool/safety equipment. Ride in torrential rain, get knifed in the kidney, take an asphalt slide—the Vanson chuckles.

I will say that in my experience comp weight in other colors, i.e., not black, is not as constricting early on. I also like some of the other Vanson leather, like X150 and Octagon. Both also take effort to break in, though not as much. The B in Octagon or that new Oxblood is sick.

 

[Bfd70]

Yep, 2010. Good eye

 

[01flhr]

The fatboys a good looking bike. Its a shame what hd has done to it

 

[JMax]

I agree. I do like the M8 engine though. Been thinking about a Street Bob as a 2d bike.

 

[TREEMAN]

I'm still ridin' a 90' Softail Custom.....in GREAT condition !!

 

[Downunder G Man]

I ride a 2008 FXSTSSE2 CVO Screamin' Eagle Springer...(what a mouthful !) 110 motored gruntmaster , all low down beef...

I LOVE that bike , did 170 K's on it yesterday and 60 K's today , that's in our Aussie summer of 35C ( 95F)

Yesterday wore my Vanson Comet , bought brand new just recently and it has become my "go to" jacket as the 'latest" ones always do haha..

It has the least heavy/thick lining of all my café racers , even with the zip outliner removed from my choice of 3 different Schott options.

Vanson Comet still has excellente leather and fit , braking in/moulding to me very well , tightish on my post Christmas belly expansion ( soon to be reversed like EVERY other year !)

Today was my "Genuine HD No 1 Light blue denim" , just too hot for leather as can happen here. We have a week of 30C + to come ! (86F+)

 

[JMax]

Sweet bike. I used to have the 2012 white Road Glide CVO but wanted to go back to a road king. Should have kept that bike though.

I too am working on my post-holiday Nelly expansion. Every year I say...portion control, limit alcohol...and every year I embarrass myself.