Leather Jackets

[AOK303]

So i bought a Alpinestar T-GP-R Air Jacket for summer ridding cause it has the wind/rain liner in it which will come in handy

http://images.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/300/2012-Alpinestars-T-GP-R-Air-Jacket-Black-White.jpg

But i know i will have to start looking for a leather one for when it gets colder. I know they make a GP in leather. Then again i know there are many many other jackets out there. i would like a leather one for im not going to ride in snow for we all know that will lead to me dropping the bike :puppy: should i be looking for a different cut style jacket then a track one and which ones have a good cold liner

[mxer]

I wear my a* leather jacket all year round except for the hottest of days.

[AOK303]

i wanted one that was like wearing nothing so i got this textile but also need to pick up a Leather which one do you have

[mxer]

I think I have a TZ-1 they don't make it anymore. It's so perforated that it doesn't get hot. My textile collects dust now.

[kawasakirob]

I have had a teknic that fit a little loose, not so much of a snug fit but definetly comfy. Perforated, heavy leather. Wore it for about 30k miles. Pretty warm, not so good ventilation. Crashed in it twice and it held up nicely but is now retired.
Had a AGV podium jacket that was the bomb. Snug fit with hump on the back. Pre curved. Textile arm pit area. About 15k miles into it the stitching on the cuff started to come undone....so it got retired. Best fitting jacket though.
Currently have an older Joe Rocket Jacket with about 80k on it. Took a crash at 90 straight to the shoulder armor. Held up nicely and will continue to wear it. Back pad included with the AGV and Rocket. Many miles in all extreme conditions.
Next jacket I hope to get will be either a Vanson or Bates...just to check them out ( once I get my motorcycle license back ).

A good trick for riding in serious heat is pouring ice cold water in your helmet and inside your jacket( you might know this). Open the vents and it feels so damn good. You will be completely dry after a hundred miles...or less. For cold weather I just layer up and freeze to death depending on how far I'm going. Hopefully not very far. Can't beat a nice leather jacket. They last forever.

[Matty]

I think we all started with a textile ad then graduated to leather. Anyways, go try a bunch on. Any of the big companies will be fine.

Only advice is if you plan on riding the track find a jacket that has a zipper to attach to pants. And try on some pants of the same manufacturer so you know later that you'll be fine.

[kawasakirob]

eBay has some great stuff with Joe Rocket too. Nice jackets with Liners etc. Brand Logo if your into that sort of thing. And the zipper that Matty is talking about is a plus, but if you get bottoms too, make sure it's compatable before you purchase

[Ghosty]

Go to Performance and try on a bunch. I just went on my lunchhour and finally upgraded to a "grownzed-up" leather, from my old Icon mesh. Of course all the leathers run from $300 - $400, with some racing ones even higher. My jacket was $40 cheaper than the lowest eBay listing or Motorcycle-Superstore.com. Amazing for a local shop! Was a no-brainer.

Size notice, Alpinestars run a little smaller than Icon, in my experience. Dude told me it was because they're still sorta European sizing? I take a medium Icon, but a large A*, in leathers anyway. So definitely TRY THEM ON before buying, even if you end up getting it online.

P.S. I think your A* GP leather you posted was $400 there, but no liner.

[Slo]

For winter, I used to just wear under armor (winter ones) with a hoodie then a jacket and was always fine.

[Ghost]

I've ridden in leathers for most of my life, only within the past 2-3yrs did I get into textile.

For leather, I've had Teknic, Alpinestars and Dainese. Fwiw, it is a matter of getting what you pay for, as my Dainese gear is definitely the best quality and my Alpinestars are better than my Teknic.

Alpinestars and Dainese are Euro sized, so they'll fit differently than a US jacket like ICON.

As Matty said, get ones that will zip to the pants if you want to have a 2pc suit, but even if you don't zippers can be added later.

If you get Dainese, be sure you get a cut that fits your riding style, as they have "street", "sport" and "race/track" cuts which varies how comfortable the jackets are in full tuck vs upright.

Most jackets will have some form of back protector, if not they'll have a pocket for one. If they're really cheap or if they're a "retro" jacket then they may not.

Alpinestars and Dainese are full of CE-approved armor inserts, but most will have some kind of padding.

I've got both perforated and non-perforated leather jackets (and suits) and while you cannot really feel a breeze in the perforated, if you're wearing "heat gear" UnderArmor or something similar you'll notice the difference in cooling. The perforated still isn't like wearing mesh but it's definitely cooler than the non-perf leather. Fwiw, I wore my non-perf with just Under Armor "cold gear" and a balaclava and was fine even in < 40* weather.

Some of the Dainese have a zip-out liner, good for cold rides, it all varies by the jacket itself.

[mistykz]

My leather is a Dainese Cage, I love it. It's not perforated though, so in some of the hotter temperatures I go for the textile. Wore it today and didn't feel hot at all, it's usually okay until about 80 or 85 before it starts feeling hot. No liner inside, but with a sweater or hoodie underneath it's fine for cold weather.

[mdub]

nice. i have hoodies.

[JKOL]

I have a RS Taichi GMX Motion vented leather jacket. Best money I have ever spent. I never wear my textile jackets anymore because it feels like putting on a windbreaker compared to my leather jacket. My jacket has Knox armor throughout and also has a zipper for attaching pants. It breathes well for leather. I wore it Sunday, but I was moving the entire time. In stop and go traffic in 90+ weather, I will melt.

[ThorsTwin]

I don't know where you're at, but hit up the pawn shops in your area. I've turned up some brand new to near new jackets for super cheap. I picked up a really nice Alpinestars leather jacket last month for $60 out the door. It had the liner, all the armor, and all the zippers worked flawlessly. Fits me perfectly. It looks like a brand new jacket and it wasn't all funked up from the previous owner. I had it cleaned for $12 too. Look on Craigslist too. I've also turned up some there as well.

[grim]

In regards to a pawn shop a new one opened up next to coyote motorsports where the Top gun motorsports used to be. There was a sign that said they pawned motorcycles so they may or may not have motorcycle stuff.

[UHATEIT]

I am a newb but bought a mesh jacket which I love for the summer heat as I took the liner out and it breathes very well. I also have 2 textile jackets which are tougher material (both Joe Rocket) but would like a leather jacket for the colder weather.

My question would be should I try for a leather jacket that is perforated for better airflow (would work for summer but if I already have a mesh and 2 textiles for summer then probably not) or go with a straight up leather jacket with no perforated holes. I dont want something that is too airy/cold in the winter if the perforated ones air out too much during days below 50 degrees

[asp_125]

If you want to get more than just cool weather use from a leather jacket, look for a perforated or well vented one. You can always wear layers underneath. There are ones that are fully perforated (Vanson) that let a lot of air through, and others that limit the flow to vents or perf'd panels.