by Michael Talbert

The choices of motorcycle jackets available today are varied and plentiful. Styles are as unique as their designers, and modern synthetic materials give the biker an added option over the standard leather jacket, a tried and true material for protection against the elements and the road.

When making a decision on the purchase of a new motorcycle jacket, there are basically three areas of consideration that come into play, with various degrees of magnitude:

• the style of jacket preferred by the individual consumer
• the comfort and durability of the style and material used
• protection against the elements of wind, water, and temperature, as well as against the road

By today's standards, most of the major motorcycle apparel manufacturers have come to agree on a common set of characteristics that tend to the specific needs of bikers as learned over the years.

Many of these needs vary with personal taste, and will vary with the type of riding and the individual priorities of the discerning consumer.

To begin with, let's discuss the different styles of motorcycle jackets that have made the biker culture into a sub category of the fashion industry.

For Motorcycle Jackets, Style Counts

While it may seem frivolous compared to the dire consequences of safety and protection, motorcycle fashion has evolved into distinct styles that offer the consumer choices based on just what kind of riding is being done, how often, and in what kind of weather.

As is its nature, the fashion industry has come up with just the right piece of clothing, tailored to fit your kind of riding, and making sure you're looking good doing it! Let's look at some of the general styles available.

The Traditional "Classic" Motorcycle Jacket

The traditional motorcycle jacket first came on the scene in 1928 in the form of the double sided Perfecto, manufactured by Schott NYC. Through the years the Perfecto style has been improved upon in many ways, but the basic traditional style remains a constant.

The traditional motorcycle jacket has enjoyed wild bouts of popularity in the fashion world. In 1958 Marlon Brando debuted the style in the film "The Wild Ones", and subsequent appearances in films by James Dean and others have brought the jacket in and out of style throughout its history. Perhaps because of the kind of films it was portrayed in, the traditional motorcycle jacket has taken on a somewhat bad boy image, a rebel type personality or even a criminal element, consequently gaining or loosing cool points, depending on your side of the fence.

While fads and fashion trends go in and out of style, for the biker community, the classic motorcycle jacket's popularity is based not on its cool good looks, but on its practicality.

Traditional style motorcycle jackets have become classic mainly because the material they are made of, leather, is and remains one of the best form of protection from the elements. More importantly, it provides a second layer of skin between the biker and the rough surface of an asphalt road, reducing the likelihood of painful skin grafts in the event of an unfortunate skid across the road.

Of course, leather jackets can be made into many different styles, but what makes the classic motorcycle jacket unique for bikers is that it tends to the bikers needs. Plenty of storage is provided for with cargo pockets, inside pockets, and the generous use of zippers and snaps in the form of pockets, air vents, sleeve cuffs, and snap downs. The zipper is also good for tightly closing the jacket on cold rides.

The modern motorcycle jacket is designed with an eye on the various positions a biker might find himself in. Slightly longer arm length provides for a more comfortable ride when leaning forward, and the backs of the jackets provide for some extra length so they don’t ride up in the same position.

The option of side laces makes for a snugger, warmer fit in the cold months, and the better traditional motorcycle jackets will have an insulated zip out lining, making it a jacket for all seasons.

One particular aspect of most traditional motorcycle jackets that pretty much defines the look, is the inclusion of a belt. Classic motorcycle jackets that include a belt opt for a half belt more often than not, with a large buckle in the front. Full removable belts complete with belt loops are available on some jackets. Practically speaking, a belt is good for tightening up the jacket, and to keep it from flapping around at high speeds.

Throughout the years, the traditional style motorcycle jacket has catered best to the needs of the biking community by providing a tough and durable jacket that conforms to the unique positions only a biker would find themselves in. With the use of heavy duty hardware, this classic style provides for plenty of places to put things (to counter the lack of such on the motorcycle itself), and includes multiple options for your comfort and protection year round.

The Scooter Jacket

The introduction of the scooter by the Italian company Vespa in the 1960's gave birth to a scooter sub culture mostly defined in Western Europe and the UK. Scooters could be seen taking over the streets and were especially prevalent in the hip, artsy communities as far reaching as San Francisco.

The scooter culture was best exemplified in Quadrophenia by the Who, released in 1979. The rock opera tells the story of the mod revolution in the UK, the gang wars that erupted in the 1960’s between the Rockers and the Mods, and the emergence of the scooter culture with all the lifestyle and fashion statements that came with it.
The scooter jacket as a direct spin off of the scooter culture, is best defined by its Euro Style collar, a strip of material encircling the neck and fastening shut with a snap. Jackets can be made from the traditional leather, for the best protection, or from synthetic or natural fabrics as fashion dictates.

In 1985, Vespa abandoned the U.S. market in favor of Europe, and as gas prices continued their painful rise, the European communities and the UK adopted the scooter as the cheapest and most efficient form of transportation, while Americans indulged their love of SUVs.

Re entering the U.S. market in 2000, Vespa expected to cater to a new generation of hungry college students and twenty somethings looking for a cheap mode of transportation. What they found was a much more well to do market in nostalgic Baby Boomers, reliving their younger days of bright and shiny scooters and motor bikes in general.

With the latest gas price hike of 2008, and increasing concern over the environment, middle class Americans are selling their SUV’s and looking for alternative modes of transportation, and once again the scooter is thriving. Scooters are being seen more and more in urban environments, as people from all walks of life find a cheaper, more fun way to commute.

As the scooter culture merges with the mainstream, not everybody considering a scooter for transportation is your typical Mod, Rocker, or Biker type personality. One estimate has as many as 40% of new scooter purchases being made by women.

Today’s modern scooter jackets offer an alternative to the traditional biker look. Scooter jackets come in a variety of materials, but just as in any type of bike riding, care should be given to protection from the elements and the road.

Scooterists of today span generations and coexist with a multitude of lifestyles. Scooter clubs, rallies, websites and forums are popping up all over the place, even scooter racing has taken afoot. As an alternative to the traditional biker look, the scooter jacket exudes a respectable, conservative style that has become the signature of scooter culture, and popular with people from all walks of life.

Motorcycle Racing Jackets and Suits

As the popularity of Extreme Sports continues its rise, the concept of Motorcycle Racing has taken on new meaning. From your road racing and Grand Prix, to moto cross, supercross, and freestyle, one thing is for sure: chances are you’re going to fall off your bike on one or more occasions.

That being said, today’s motorcycle racing jackets and apparel are designed to take that into consideration, and compensate by giving you the best possible protection in the most likely places that are bound to get hit. The basic principal is to design garments that will pad the most vulnerable body parts, and allow for a clean slide on asphalt or dirt without bunching up or tearing to shreds.

Racing jackets will and should come with some kind of body armor either fixed inside the jacket, or removable. Armor comes in different forms from thick foams, to plastic covered compounds, to hard, shock absorbing rubbers.

When considering the purchase of a racing jacket and/or suit, make sure the armor is CE approved. Certifique Europe is a European standard of certification that grades armor on three levels, level 1 being the least protective, level 3 the most.

At the very least, a racing jacket should have protective armor at the shoulders and elbows, and pants should have extra protection at the knee and hip. In the case of a two piece racing suit, the bottom will often be zipped to the jacket, to allow the garment to act as one piece during a slide.

Back protectors are not often found in racing jackets, but there is in some jackets a place to insert one. Since most spinal injuries are caused by blows to the extremities as opposed to direct impact to the back, the back protector is better suited for protection from flying projectiles, and thus is often made from hard plastics.

Another major consideration for a racing jacket is the comfort factor.

Motorcycle jackets are usually made from a combination of materials, the basis of which is leather. Kevlar stitching can be used to insure the strength of the seams, and patches of Kevlar or other high stress synthetic materials are used on particularly vulnerable areas like the shoulders, elbows and knees. Stretch panels of various materials are often employed at strategic locations such as under the arms and at the knee to promote ease of movement in extreme conditions.

Because leather has a natural tendency to be hot, racing jackets tend to be more colorful than your typical black leather jacket, using combinations of colors, obviously to attract attention to a particular racer, but also in part to reflect the heat of the suns rays. Some racing jackets employ perforated leather to allow the air to penetrate the jacket, and air vents are often used to provide circulation.

With modern synthetics gaining in popularity, many racers are choosing these tough and durable materials over leather because of their coolness, light weight, and waterproof characteristics. It is not uncommon to find legitimate racing gear that forego the use of leather altogether.

Whereas today’s modern day motorcycle racing apparel employ all the technological know how to keep the racer safe and comfortable, racing jackets are also popular within the traditional biker community. A little bit of extra armor never hurts, and the colorful styles often found in the racing jacket genre just add another layer of coolness for the biker to choose from!

Motorcycle Touring Jackets

While not exactly a fashion statement of it's own, the motorcycle touring jacket rather encompasses all styles, and is designed for the long haul with the comfort and protection of the rider as the first and foremost priority.

As such, you’ll find traditional touring jackets, touring scooter jackets, cruiser styles, and even well armored racing style jackets all made from the finest of leathers and the best craftsmanship.

The touring jacket concept assumes that the rider will be spending long hours on the road, perhaps up to eight or more, and rightly deserves to be as comfortable as possible. Being exposed to the elements for such lengthy stretches of time also necessitates the use of the best of material for comfort and safety. For these reasons, a good leather touring jacket will usually be offered in full grain “naked” buffalo or cowhide, and can reach thicknesses of up to 1.5mm.

The importance of a good, thick leather jacket cannot be overemphasized in the case of an unintended slide across an asphalt road, and for safety reasons, touring jackets will often be offered with a matching pair of chaps. Because of the quality of design and material used, a good touring jacket will obviously be on the high end of the price range, and will often be adorned with braiding, Conchos and other forms of decorative craftsmanship.

Of course, the individual tourer has all the options available with all styles of motorcycle jackets, and can choose according to the conditions the rider expects to be touring in. It’s a given that any upper range touring jacket will start with a zip out lining, so choose a jacket with plenty of vents for warmer climate, side laces and neck warmers for colder ones.

For your comfort and protection, many modern day touring jackets offer removable protectors at the shoulders and elbows. Look for the CE approval. Some styles even offer a built in kidney belt, a welcomed addition by anyone spending long hours on a bike.

Ease of movement is also addressed by the addition of stretch panels under the arms and/or sides. Also look for stretch material in your touring chaps or pants. Sudden movements and quick reaction to events on the road should not be impeded by your touring apparel.

Just as any style of motorcycle jacket can be called a touring jacket, so can they be offered in lesser grades of leather such as top grain, or even soft leathers like lambskin or goat. For the non rider that just likes the look, this is fine. For the biker that makes shorter trips, or only rides sporadically but likes a particular touring jacket style, the less expensive top grains of buffalo and cow are also perfectly suitable.

Bikers that spend long hours on the road, whether for business or pleasure, out of choice, or necessity, should seriously consider the higher grade naked leather touring motorcycle jackets and apparel. Consider them essential pieces of your motorcycle safety gear. Don't skimp on your leathers - they could some day save your hide.

 

Many factors come into consideration when pondering the purchase of a new motorcycle jacket. The purpose of a motorcycle jacket is utilitarian as well as style.The fashion industry has taken the demands of the biker community and come up with a set of styles suitable in general to all, and specifically designed for the kind of riding you do.

The choice is up to you. Find the style that fits your riding, determine the material best suited for you, then add or subtract the vents, laces, pockets and belts. After that, its all about the look, so go with what looks best on you!