What Jacket Are You Wearing Today?

[JMax]

Sorry for the drunken post last night. lol. I was just thinking about this 618. It has a few design flaws, but overall makes for a great m/c jacket, for the most part in the $700 price range ( you can usually find 10-15% off). The hardware is tough, the main zipper is rated for m/c use, stiching and construction is great (imo). The leather is nice, but not too nice. It can handle patches, pins, scrapes, and beer spills. I am just wondering if the Japanese jackets are TOO nice and perfect to really be put to the test.

I would LOVE to see one of these high end jackets after some serious abuse. Bug guts, sun fades, a few patches and pins. Ridden hard and put away wet in a saddle bag a few hundred times. I hope some guys out there are really putting some hard wear on these jackets. I bet they would look remarkable 15-20 years from now. Just a few of my thoughts from last night. lol.

That is one good looking jacket J! We need to see more of this guy in the future. That Shinki looks stunning. I know you ride it hard and it is starting to show! Keep putting the miles on it.

Drunk posts? I’ve never done that

I think the biggest issue for riding with some of these jackets is the hardware. Like you said, the main zip has to be ready to perform. Not a little, finicky, period correct wimp.

 

[roadking04]

Drunk posts? I’ve never done that

I am glad I am not the only one. lol. I don't think I have that many more HARD miles in me to really put this Schott to the test. I wish I would have bought it when I was 22 years old and got my first motorcycle (1980 superglide)

Another problem is, jackets rarely fit a person for their whole riding career. At 22, I probably wore a 42, then got into power lifting and was up to around a 48-50 in my early to mid 30's. Now I am struggling to keep the weight off and hold steady at a size 44.

 

[ton312]

I am just wondering if the Japanese jackets are TOO nice and perfect to really be put to the test.

I think you are right. They just aren’t built for it. Not to say one couldn’t pay $2.5k and abuse the snot out of it but truly those jackets are not meant to be used that way. They aren’t cut that way, the hide and hardware are not built for it…They are streetwear. They look great though and could be easily folded into a saddlebag for when the bike is decidedly parked.
Personally, I’d let my Vanson do the heavy lifting. Same goes for Schott, Langlitz, JL, Cal and other purpose built leathers. I wouldn’t wear an RMC, FW, etc on a bike any sooner than I’d wear a Brooks. Simply not the right gear imho.
Edit: just to avoid any indication this relates only to Japanese makers…I would also avoid using Aero, Thedi, etc on a bike as well. A good analogy would be framing a house with a hammer and nail. I wouldn’t want to use a ball-peen hammer or a sledge hammer even though you technically could. The best tool would be a framing hammer.

 

[Bfd70]

Sorry for the drunken post last night. lol. I was just thinking about this 618. It has a few design flaws, but overall makes for a great m/c jacket, for the most part in the $700 price range ( you can usually find 10-15% off). The hardware is tough, the main zipper is rated for m/c use, stiching and construction is great (imo). The leather is nice, but not too nice. It can handle patches, pins, scrapes, and beer spills. I am just wondering if the Japanese jackets are TOO nice and perfect to really be put to the test.

I would LOVE to see one of these high end jackets after some serious abuse. Bug guts, sun fades, a few patches and pins. Ridden hard and put away wet in a saddle bag a few hundred times. I hope some guys out there are really putting some hard wear on these jackets. I bet they would look remarkable 15-20 years from now. Just a few of my thoughts from last night. lol.

That is one good looking jacket J! We need to see more of this guy in the future. That Shinki looks stunning. I know you ride it hard and it is starting to show! Keep putting the miles on it.

As a 25 year MC guy my belief is that the Japanese brands are not as MC purpose built as say Vanson or Schott. I managed to get 20 years out of a single Vanson and it would still be going but I shrunk. I have a Rmc now (between bikes, haven’t tested) and while it is an amazingly nice jacket I dont think the durability can compete.

 

[roadking04]

Well said Ton. I have come to that conclusion as well. I would still like to see a Fields, Thedi, or a Japanese leather put through the ringer and see what comes out. Hard to do with some of the price tags as stated.

Your E is on another level. It's one of the best around. It did not live it's life in a closet, that is for sure.

 

[ton312]

Well said Ton. I have come to that conclusion as well. I would still like to see a Fields, Thedi, or a Japanese leather put through the ringer and see what comes out. Hard to do with some of the price tags as stated.

Your E is on another level. It's one of the best around. It did not live it's life in a closet, that is for sure.

The irony being that I am now terrified of my death trap motorcycle and will be using the Vanson as streetwear. LOL.

 

[roadking04]

Thanks for your first hand insight Bfd. I am thinking you are right. Hope you can get another bike soon. Prices around these parts are high and bikes are scarce.

 

[roadking04]

The irony being that I am now terrified of my death trap motorcycle and will be using the Vanson as streetwear. LOL.

Your Vanson and motorcycle are ready for a Mad Max remake.

 

[Marc mndt]

Well said Ton. I have come to that conclusion as well. I would still like to see a Fields, Thedi, or a Japanese leather put through the ringer and see what comes out. Hard to do with some of the price tags as stated.

I don't ride so I don't know whether or not any of these jackets would make a good riding jacket. But my FL feels a lot sturdier than the Vanson I had.

 

[Canuck Panda]

I don't ride so I don't know whether or not any of these jackets would make a good riding jacket. But my FL feels a lot sturdier than the Vanson I had.

Because your FL is made of thick ass almost 4 oz Shinki Standard and not 3.5 oz at best cowhide Vanson markets as competition weights. But Vanson also cost less than half and have better arm movement due to many years of bike guys feedbacks, aka people calling them and ask why can’t this fit like my alpinestar. It’s hard to have them all.

 

[Monitor]

I'm tellin' you people, Schott PER70. I often forget what it means to wear a truly sturdy, tough jacket as it all kinda blends in with time. Always thought that while relatively tough, Schott jackets rarely fall into Vanson/CAL/Branded/whatever weight class but the PER70... If it's not 5oz at places, it's not a single one and we're not talking about that scuffy, waxy or spongy hide. This is belt grade cowhide!

Best part is it's not even insanely heavy! I think it's mostly that chemistry they stuff the leather with that adds to the weight but the PER70 is made in that honest, thick hide, y'know, without plastic finish or tons of oils and waxes... I think that's the best kind there is. Nothing to dry up, nothing to rot, to start flaking, cracking, etc. Won't look as cool I suppose but you can't tell me this isn't a very lovely jacket.

 

[roadking04]

Because your FL is made of thick ass almost 4 oz Shinki Standard

I had no idea Shinki was this thick. I thought it came in at around 2.5-3oz.

If it's not 5oz at places

I thought the PER line of Schott was more fashion oriented. I had no idea it was that heavy duty. That is an excellent jacket you have there. Please don't sell.


I weighed my 2 perfectos the 618HH size 46 comes in at almost 6lbs and the steerhide one comes in at 5.68lbs(even though the pic didn't turn out). Not as heavy as the Vansons and Cals, but easy to wear.

 

[alish]

Too darn hot to wear anything!!

 

[JMax]

When some professional on a track lays down the Vanson or Bates and saunters in wearing a FL or FW track suit, I’ll put them on the same level when it comes to MCs.

The question then becomes if a LW, Aero, FL, Schott, whatever is good enough to ride in day to day. Puttering around the city or some country road. I’d say yes, most of the time. If the leather is thick and/or abrasion-resistant enough, solid seams, and the hardware worth a sh!t. But no way are they better MC gear than Vanson, Bates, etc.

 

[hondurasdave47]

I prefer thicker leather to ride. If the Shinki is thick, like the one used on my SB CR, then I’m good to go.

View attachment 343431

If you haven’t already posted them elsewhere, I’d love to see more pics of this guy, e.g., back, fit pics, etc.

 

[JMax]

If you haven’t already posted them elsewhere, I’d love to see more pics of this guy, e.g., back, fit pics, etc.

Jacket is in storage but I have these from last fall. Great jacket.

 

[hondurasdave47]

Jacket is in storage but I have these from last fall. Great jacket.

View attachment 343658 View attachment 343659 View attachment 343660 View attachment 343661

Thanks, J!

 

[Cornelius]

Too darn hot to wear anything!!

View attachment 343644

I pity the wildland firefighters of the Pacific Northwest (USA+Canada) this weekend - what a potential nightmare at hand.

 

[Cornelius]

Too darn hot to wear anything!!

View attachment 343644

I pity the wildland firefighters of the Pacific Northwest (USA+Canada) this weekend - what a potential nightmare at hand.

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

I'm tellin' you people, Schott PER70. I often forget what it means to wear a truly sturdy, tough jacket as it all kinda blends in with time. Always thought that while relatively tough, Schott jackets rarely fall into Vanson/CAL/Branded/whatever weight class but the PER70... If it's not 5oz at places, it's not a single one and we're not talking about that scuffy, waxy or spongy hide. This is belt grade cowhide!

Best part is it's not even insanely heavy! I think it's mostly that chemistry they stuff the leather with that adds to the weight but the PER70 is made in that honest, thick hide, y'know, without plastic finish or tons of oils and waxes... I think that's the best kind there is. Nothing to dry up, nothing to rot, to start flaking, cracking, etc. Won't look as cool I suppose but you can't tell me this isn't a very lovely jacket.

Tried one on in the LA store a couple weeks back. Good thing I purposefully left my wallet at home otherwise I would have left the store with like 4 or 5 jackets. Per70 top notch. Per28 AMAZING. If I see either in my size on Ebay or here used, I will grab without any doubt. Also the 520 is a great cut, more fashion style trucker. And the P620H can stand toe to toe with any of the leather truckers out there.

I don't know if my body changed and I can now perfectly fit into a Schott medium whereas before I was always stuck in between a large and medium. But everything I tried on was top notch and looked great and it just elevated my opinion even more. 613sh is at the top of my list right now. Had a lead on one and then the ebay seller went MIA. I almost bought the Japanese version 613 UST, but it's not horse, and I think I want that bad boy to be horsehide. In the meantime I'm always hunting the various sites for a good used one in size 40. Worst case, I'll probably wait until the black friday sale or some random sale that pops up between now and then.