Leather Riding Gear

[Greg_imp]

After wearing an Alpinestars textile jacket with armor for awhile I bought a used Vanson fully perforated jacket off eBay. The Vanson is an older model and doesn't have built-in armor, although it has a double layer of leather on the elbows and forearms and shoulders. Here's a link to a page on the Vanson site that also has a visual history of sport rider-type jackets. [url=http://vansonleathers.com/main_page/chapters/mens/sportrider_list.html]Vanson Leather

The jacket with built-in armor just didn't cut it for me. I'm rather thin and I'm pretty sure in case of a get-off, the elbow armor especially would move around and not be where it needed to be.

I got separate armor that I can wear under my leather Vanson, or under a [url=http://www.amazon.com/Draggin-Shirt-Natural-size-Medium/dp/B001J58FXY]kevlar shirt, or, on really hot days, over a t-shirt. My separate armor consists of fairly inexpensive elbow pads like most dealers have for and for full coverage, the [url=http://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com/product/extreme-harness-adventure/2347]Forcefield Extreme Harness. I also have a pair of [url=http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=4152]Knox Cross Knee Guards and [url=http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=5935]Knox Cross Armored Shorts with a pair of Kevlar jeans sized big enough to fit over them.

Boots: Waaayy too many options, haha! I bought a pair of [url=http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=4398]Alpinestars SM-X 5 Vented boots which offered good protection but I'm probably never going near a racetrack and these just looked wrong on me. So I got a pair of [url=http://www.chippewaboots.com/boots/safety_toe/27422]Chippewa style 27422, also known as fire station boots. After you get the double row of laces adjusted right, they zip on and off.

Gloves: A friend loaned me a pair of full gauntlet armored gloves but I eventually got a pair of short [url=http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=29817]Knox Orsa gloves in white. I like the hefty palm sliders and the cable ratchet closure system.

A big part of the pleasure of riding for me is the feel, smell and heft of my leather gear. I don't look a power ranger on an insect bike, I feel like my dermis is fairly safe from abrasion and my kids can use this gear long after I'm gone (if they don't mind looking über retro).

[bubblerboy64_imp]

Leather riding gear and motorcycles is like pie and ice cream. However I believe there are much better choices today. As mentioned leather and water don't mix real well. I don't ride long distances and am pretty careful to stay warm and dry but if you are a serious rider committed to long distances with variable conditions leather isn't the way to go in my opinion.

I see people riding in all manor of apparel. Most are not making any effort at all to protect themselves.

Don't get me wrong I DO wear leather but I don't think it's up to the standards of some of the modern textiles of today.

[GaryRudolph_imp]

Lost a lot of weight and have to buy some new gear. Debating between the Dainese Tourage Vintage or Revit Igntion 2. Wish the jackets came in short sizes... Learning towards the Ignition 2 for SoCal weather.

[HikerToo_imp]

I have all Dainese and it fits me perfectly, of course I live near Revzilla so can try it all on before I purchase......many times I went in thinking I wanted something, but after trying on, went with another. If Dainese fits, you can't go wrong.
My Dainese Race Leather is best in temps below 80, above 80 and I wear a Dainese mesh "Spedio"
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/daine...her-jacket
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit...n-2-jacket
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/daine...dry-jacket

[dBuster_imp]

those are nice boots! I still love riding in a t shirt and shorts with my full face helmet... not the safest but I love it

Have you ever had a motorcycle accident or fall? Or seen someone who has? I would think if you have, you would want a little more coverage. But when I was 20 something I rode in t-shirts all the time, although usually long pants since shorts look weird on a motorcycle.
People always told me if I fell off doing 150 MPH, the only thing left of me would be my head in the helmet :-(

Here are a few retro influenced jackets. Some have armor and some don't.

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac..._2011.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

I had ordered the "River Road Hoodlum Jacket " and sent it back.....I'm a thin guy and it was just a big crude cut piece of jacket, not much for style and fit.

Have you ever had a motorcycle accident or fall? Or seen someone who has? I would think if you have, you would want a little more coverage. But when I was 20 something I rode in t-shirts all the time, although usually long pants since shorts look weird on a motorcycle.
People always told me if I fell off doing 150 MPH, the only thing left of me would be my head in the helmet :-(


I had ordered the "River Road Hoodlum Jacket " and sent it back.....I'm a thin guy and it was just a big crude cut piece of jacket, not much for style and fit.
Oh come on now, what about the flip flops?! I see that all the time around here! Riding the crotch rockets with shorts, cut up t-shirts, flip flops and a helmet! Full face helmet at that!

those are nice boots! I still love riding in a t shirt and shorts with my full face helmet... not the safest but I love it

Have you ever had a motorcycle accident or fall? Or seen someone who has? I would think if you have, you would want a little more coverage. But when I was 20 something I rode in t-shirts all the time, although usually long pants since shorts look weird on a motorcycle.
People always told me if I fell off doing 150 MPH, the only thing left of me would be my head in the helmet :-(

Here are a few retro influenced jackets. Some have armor and some don't.

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac..._2011.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/jac...acket.html

I had ordered the "River Road Hoodlum Jacket " and sent it back.....I'm a thin guy and it was just a big crude cut piece of jacket, not much for style and fit.

Have you ever had a motorcycle accident or fall? Or seen someone who has? I would think if you have, you would want a little more coverage. But when I was 20 something I rode in t-shirts all the time, although usually long pants since shorts look weird on a motorcycle.
People always told me if I fell off doing 150 MPH, the only thing left of me would be my head in the helmet :-(


I had ordered the "River Road Hoodlum Jacket " and sent it back.....I'm a thin guy and it was just a big crude cut piece of jacket, not much for style and fit.
Oh come on now, what about the flip flops?! I see that all the time around here! Riding the crotch rockets with shorts, cut up t-shirts, flip flops and a helmet! Full face helmet at that!

[HikerToo_imp]

I see some guys carry their helmets on their arms as they ride, rather then just wear it.

[Guth_imp]

Lost a lot of weight and have to buy some new gear. Debating between the Dainese Tourage Vintage or Revit Igntion 2. Wish the jackets came in short sizes... Learning towards the Ignition 2 for SoCal weather.

Don't know if you've read this thread all the way from the beginning, but I highly recommend that you contact Johnson Leathers located in San Francisco. JL manufactures leathers for various Police Departments and the CHP. For around what you're looking at paying, you can get a custom fit jacket of higher quality construction and better materials from Johnson. Their website does not do their gear justice (and they have enough business that they're not worried about their site). As mentioned previously, my cycle leathers were made by Langlitz Leathers here in Portland and few can match their level of quality. I own a variation of a JL cycle jacket that I use for regular pedestrian wear. I put Johnson Leathers quality right up there with Langlitz for considerably less cost. They can pretty much build whatever you want when it comes to styling and features, so don't go by just what appears on their website if you look into their gear. You'll end up with a jacket that fits you perfectly. If you do end up contacting them, ask for Alan. On a side note, they also are a distributor for Forcefield body amour, which is pretty impressive stuff.