Best leather jacket?

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Two week wait on size 48 leather jacket. I can wait.

Size 46 in stock now if anyone wants one.

[SteveKTMer]

black-k1 said:

SteveKTMer said:

I'd especially not want to get a made to measure suit wet, given the cost and risk of it changing shape when wet. Sometimes the leather will stretch when it's damp, even of it's not soaking wet.

Any motorcycle leather suit manufacturers who expects their kit to stay dry, especially in the UK, are not living in the real world. My BKS suits have ended up very wet on more occasions than I care to remember, but have never suffered as a result.

... although, that may explain the shrinkage around the waist that must have happened during 20 years of ownership.

I suspect they all suggest you use a preparation on the leather, Hideout, Dianese, Alpinestars etc do in my experience. something like Nikwax leather restorer and waterproofer. (waterproofer being used incorrectly, it's a water repellant coating, they also sell a dedicated waterproofing wax I think for shoes.) All will easily survive a small shower, but a full on rain storm for an hour is another matter. I doubt yours would survive that without taking on some water through the surface and keeping you damp.

[Tango13]

SteveKTMer said:

I suspect they all suggest you use a preparation on the leather, Hideout, Dianese, Alpinestars etc do in my experience. something like Nikwax leather restorer and waterproofer. (waterproofer being used incorrectly, it's a water repellant coating, they also sell a dedicated waterproofing wax I think for shoes.) All will easily survive a small shower, but a full on rain storm for an hour is another matter. I doubt yours would survive that without taking on some water through the surface and keeping you damp.

I tried Nikwax cleaner but was less than impressed with it, it got relegated to sofa cleaning duties.

I still have some of the BKS own brand cleaner and a small amount of their leather food too. I've yet to find anything better than the BKS leather food, the duck wax they sell is very good but doesn't smell as nice.

[Bob_Defly]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

OK it's going back.

It's way too stiff. In every aspect.

Why wouldn't you just wear it and break it in? Leather always softens up over time.

[Salted_Peanut]

I agree with Bob. Slowly but surely, leather stretches up to 10% and moulds to you, hence it’s best bought slightly tight.

Hugo Stiglitz said:

On a motorway I'd be far more worried about being run over by a number of cars and a truck or dicing oneself on the central reservation.

Two of my mates came off their bikes—in separate incidents—at dual carriageway speeds without hitting other vehicles or road furniture.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

That's one situation I'm more than happy to be proven wrong on.



On the jacket - it's a weird construction. Almost like a reinforced fake PVC jacket.

It wouldn't breath I imagine sadly.

[Salted_Peanut]

Do you still want a waterproof leather jacket that breathes?

The BMW Furka (formerly known as the BMW Atlantis) is the only jacket that’s genuinely waterproof yet breathable. IME, it’s works brilliantly for most British weather except the height of summer.

The Furka jacket and trousers are AAA-rated but not cheap. However, you can sometimes find BMW Atlantis gear on eBay.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Merch131 said:

Classic designs, but come complete with Knox armour.. just ordered one..

https://goldtop.co.uk/collections/jackets

How are you finding it?


I picked up a black bobber jacket new/without tags on ebay- I honestly couldn't feel it on during the ride when moving briskly and it even stood up quite well (not soaked through) in rain on the motorway back.

[Merch131]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

How are you finding it?


I picked up a black bobber jacket new/without tags on ebay- I honestly couldn't feel it on during the ride when moving briskly and it even stood up quite well (not soaked through) in rain on the motorway back.

I really like it, very soft leather, thick at 1.4mm, mine is the 76 in Brown, with the gold lining. The Knox armour is the most comfortable I've tried. Most back protectors feel as if you've got an ironing board down your back, while the Knox is hardly noticed. The only slight downside is that the cuffs are still a little loose when the zips are done up tight. But I also bought a pair of shorter summer 'Predator' gloves from Goldtop, so isn't really an issue, they also have Knox armour. I won't be wearing it in bad weather.

Just bought a new Shoei 'retro' helmet to match my new 961 too.. its not cheap becoming a Hipster lol...

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Mine taken from the Goldtop website.

[Merch131]

They are similar, I didn't want a lancer style jacket, as I already have one I bought many years ago, while the 76 has a slightly lower back, handy when riding a bike with clip ons

[Salted_Peanut]

hiccy18 said:

There's another manufacturer of leathers in Barney, can't remember their name atm but believe they're well regarded too.

AM Leathers was highly regarded and also in Barnard Castle. But their website is down—are they still trading?

I reckon now is the time to buy made-to-measure textiles and leathers—what will happen when, eventually, Brian Sansom and the Jennings sisters reach retirement age?

[Marquezs Stabilisers]

Salted_Peanut said:

AM Leathers was highly regarded and also in Barnard Castle. But their website is down—are they still trading?

I reckon now is the time to buy made-to-measure textiles and leathers—what will happen when, eventually, Brian Sansom and the Jennings sisters reach retirement age?

You have to work to find it, but for a price, RST, Dainese and Alpinestars all do M2M that I know of.