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Jackets?

3K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  ALStensby 
#1 ·
When I sold the Harley, I had a ton of accessories I sold on the web-- including 3 high dollar jackets. My intentions was to go to EBay and replace them with Victory leather jackets. This has been an ongoing process just trying to make up my mind.

The extra time provided my my "indecision" lead me to look at other jackets and what I discovered is that other "motorcycle specific" jackets are a much better deal---especially when you buy used from somebody with a good feedback rating on EBay.

What I got was a Joe Rocket Atomic 4.0 like new for $59. I have been riding since 1976 and have never worn anything but leather, so I was a bit skeptical. I must say that I am impressed! Keep in mind that I still love leather, but this jacket is a new concept in apparel. So I asked myself why I did not try this earlier, and I have no answer unless just not wanting to look like the rice rocket crowd.

So what do you wear and WHY? If you say leather--- then I also ask if you have ever tried a jacket made especially made for bikes that is not leather?
 
#2 ·
I've worn a mix of different material jackets over the years, and sadly have only been off a bike on a rare occassion I wasn't wearing much. Lesson learned.

You'll usually find me wearing some comfortable but thick cargo pants that are kevlar lined, and this jacket. Cooler temps I leave the windproof liner in, warmer temps not. I've been fortunate enough to have never tested it with asphalt, but seems solid and has decent padding (back, shoulders, elbows).

This one's Joe Rocket as well, leather/mesh mix, original logos are blacked out, and I added a couple iron on patches I bought online. Folks now know what kind of bike I'm riding (you all know that look as other riders stare in envy trying to figure out what it is).
 

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#4 ·
I've worn a mix of different material jackets over the years, and sadly have only been off a bike on a rare occassion I wasn't wearing much. Lesson learned.

You'll usually find me wearing some comfortable but thick cargo pants that are kevlar lined, and this jacket. Cooler temps I leave the windproof liner in, warmer temps not. I've been fortunate enough to have never tested it with asphalt, but seems solid and has decent padding (back, shoulders, elbows).

This one's Joe Rocket as well, leather/mesh mix, original logos are blacked out, and I added a couple iron on patches I bought online. Folks now know what kind of bike I'm riding (you all know that look as other riders stare in envy trying to figure out what it is).

Iron on patches can be ironed on to leather?
 
#3 ·
I've been riding for 5 years now and started off with a sport bike style jackets. I wear a speed and strength jacket with tons of vent zippers as well as a scorpion mesh jacket. They are of course made in China which I dislike but I bought them both on closeout for less than $50 a piece new. If you stop by the motorcycle web sites once every week or two and check out their closeouts you can find some awesome deals.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I currently wear leather for two reasons:
#1) You can get some REALLY nice non-Harley stuff for reasonable prices (under $250) so it's affordable and can be worn most of the time I need a jacket (it's a mid-weight soft leather) down to 30 degrees. Mine does not have any manufacturer name on it or any patches.

#2) I bought a (new) Speed & Strength textile jacket (also for $59 off eBay) that was very nice with protection, zip outs, etc but IMHO it made me look like a teenager with his "pants on the ground". I am 50 and want to look distinguished. I don't want to walk into a bar wearing a crotch rocket jacket (Joe Rocket, S&S, etc) and have 100% of the people there wondering if I am going through a mid-life crisis.
 
#7 ·
Couple of comments on leather vs. mesh

If you buy leather make sure it is a jacket that has been engineered for safety and not fashion. Med weight leather is no better than a denim jacket in a crash.

I have been wearing an Olympia Textile jacket, before that a Tourmaster Sonora mesh jacket and before that a what I thought was a good leather vented jacket.

The thing about Textile is that is can be engineered to a specific specification. Leather can only be graded by thickness and imperfections. With that said, it can look good & heavy but have hidden imperfections that may fail in the event of a crash.

Buy the best you can afford for gear.
 
#9 ·
im a yard sale freak, you wouldn't believe how much mc stuff you find. everything i wear right now came from a yard sale. leather chaps and heavy olympia gloves 35.00, medium weight olympia gloves 4.00, nylon medium weight harley jacket 15.00, and my prize, an icon daytona jacket for 35.00 that cost 480.00 new.
 
#10 ·
#11 ·
I grew up on a cattle ranch. I pitched bales up into haywagons from dawn to dark all the summers of my youth and pitched bales out of haywagons to feed them damn cows at 4 in the morning all winter. They kicked at me, bit at me, run at me, I had chiggers, moccasin bites, barbed wire scars up one side and down the other, cleaned up after the live ones and cleaned up the dead ones, thrown into dip, burned by branding irons, skunked, trampled, peed and shat upon and stood up by the pretty girls in town for the hick I was.

I hate cows, I eat cows with a satisfaction that only revenge can deliver. I wear cow parts as much as society will abide and I swear that it was the epiphany that wearing cow hide was acceptable for and expected of motorcyclists that convinced me to spring for my first street bike. Well, that and scoring with the pretty girls in town.

Anyway I got nothing against those that want to take advantage of space age materials in their motorcycling attire. I would wear that stuff too if the manufacture of kevlar included the murder of cows.
 
#12 ·
Almost a thousand posts on the VTX board when I had my 1800. Close to 500 posts on the Harley forms when I had quite a few HDs, but this is my favorite post of all.

Putting the Rocket on EBay and buying another leather jacket just because of the post. cheers

Maybe later.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I still wear my 20 year old Harley leather jacket. It lasted longer than the Harleys did. Best jacket ever - vents in front/sleeves/back and cooler than textile in hot weather as it protects better from the hot sun. Bought mesh and found it too hot to wear under the summer sun at 5000 ft - research says the hot wind is not your friend over 90 degrees. Better protection than textiles and more comfortable than crash pads. IMO - The real advantage of textile jackets is that they are mostly cheap. If I could find a better jacket, I would buy it.
 
#16 ·
Mainly depends on the weather. Most of my riding is done in a naked leather jacket/chaps. I'll only purchase naked leather versus anything else as it's FAR more durable. The jacket is armored (though you can't tell). I purchased them both through Leatherup. The prices are amazing, the customer service is great and everything we've ordered has been high quality. They both have liners and the jacket has vents so it's really versatile in all sorts of weather. I'm not a fan of branding, but they have a huge selection of jackets so you can easily find ones where you can fit a patch to it. Mine has a large expanse of leather on the back that's one piece.

In the "really" hot/muggy weather here (90s), I have a mesh jacket that's armored. Going to likely buy pants as well in the future.
 
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