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Leather jacket

My wife gave me a Harley leather jacket for Christmas 12/13 years ago. It is the only "leather" Harley jacket I have. It's very comfortable well made and heavy... there is nothing at the Harley dealer now that compares. The jacket was made in USA... before all this CHINA junk invaded the country.
 
HD does make some nice stuff, I have a jacket or two of theirs; however, you should check out Fox Creek Leather, there is no comparison. I sold 2 of my HD jackets to buy one of their jackets and chaps. Phenomenal stuff.
 
Fox Creek and Langlitz are very, very good and somewhat pricey, but in this day and age of everything Made in China, you still get what you pay for. Don't skimp on good leather...it is for your protection and again when amortized over the length of time used...it is cheap insurance. That said, I recently picked up an "old school" Harley jacket circa 1985 Made in Korea, snap in Thinsulate lining, full brass zippers, snap down collar, zips up all the way to upper neck, padded shoulders, elbows, epaulets, kidney protector and surprisingly heavy well made for $125 VVG condition, so there are deals to be had (I have had tailored items made while traveling in Hong Kong and Korea that were exceptionally fine), just have a problem with mainland China items.

If you want the good makers to stay in business, invest in their good gear. For many years I have used one by Hein Gericke, but when I went on their website...all they had was light duty stuff...nothing near the quality of the 20 year old jacket I use day in and day out...Made in Germany. I wear Belstaff gloves Made in England...also great quality, all leather. Just don't buy the dime a dozen stuff...the Europeans also are hurting and though pricey, they have good quality also...JMO

As for what to look for...1) Snap in quilted insulated liner, 2) Strong metal zipper closures, 2-way if possible, 3) Flexible collar arrangement that allows you to make a virtual "turtleneck" to protect you from drafts, but snap down when open to prevent "flapping", 4) Flow thru ventilation zippered vents...removable liner, open the front and back vents, voila' air conditioning & protection. 5) Order 1 or 2 sizes larger than normal, allows layers of clothing or vest underneath...beside the ol' T-Shirt for layered warmth. 6) Matching chaps, with full length metal zippers and snaps at the leg bottoms, again to prevent "flapping". Also a leather "wrap" to protect face if wearing 1/2 helmet and the setup will work +35 deg to +95 deg along with Nylon or Rubberized Fabric Rainsuit and Totes and you also have rain covered.

Probably you will think of some others, but these are the more important features of the jacket (other than thickest 1.4mm guage leather, and CE Armor or pockets to add them in later...).
 
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Buy one that has differnt levels to . Heavy weight , down to medium weight ,down to light weight and some go on down to just a vest and have zip off hoods. That way when riding and weather changes you are still prepared for the right level of warmth.
 
My wife, the bargain hunter, bought me a Harley Davidson leather jacket for Christmas. The manufacturer's price was an astounding $395, and she got it for $185. IMO the jacket is worth every penny of that. Good quality mid weight leather, gussets, vents, reinforced shoulders and elbows, zippered sleeves, gun pocket, zip out thinsulate lining, and zippered pockets.
 
I have been looking to buy a leather jacket. What should I look for when buying? Does Harley make a better jacket or am I just buying a name what are some good places to buy from?

This is what I have:

Jackets

Made in the USA, using heavy grade leather. They stand behind their product. I sent my jacket back to them when the liner was damaged and they replaced it on THEIR nickel! Very customer focused.

Got mine in '96.

TQ
 
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I have a leather HD jacket that I bought at a local HD Dealership. Paid $430.00 for it. A bit pricey, but worth every penny. It is not Chinese made, made in the USA and very well made. It is a medium weight jacket and is perfect for Texas Gulf Coast weather.
 
Remember, riding gear is worn to protect you... HD has started doing some good stuff with their jackets. Adding armor is one of them. But, they are way over priced... There's better equipment to be had for a better price.

Check out this link

Ride Icon

It is for the Icon Merc Leather jacket.. Here's the info on it..

Durable 1.2mm-1.4mm leather chassis
Tailored fit for aggressive riders
Removable Ce field armor impact protector elbow
Removable CE field armor impact protector shoulder
Removable insulated windproof liner
Strategically placed perforated leather for breathability
Stretch cordura panels for increased mobility

Price $290

It's made by a company that makes protective equipment for riding. They have many other leather jackets that cover all riding conditions.

Unless you really need to have something that says "HD" on it, look at some of the other manufactures. Icon, Joe Rocket, AlpineStars all have jackets for cruiser riders...

To me, protection overrides "the HD look" everytime...
 
HD Leather jacket

I ran across a Chinese manufacturer who represents that he makes jackets for HD and will sell the same jackets for about 1/2 price. When I checked the manufacturer's web site, his pictures were 'exactly' (down to the folds in the sleeves) the same as HD pictures for the same jacket.

For example, supposedly I can get the HD98151-09VM (retail $465) for $250 delivered.

Do I smell a rat? Or, is this just one (EDIT) of a deal?

What are your thoughts?

A Friendly Reminder - Harley Davidson Community

 
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