MotorcycleHouse was cool enough to send me a Leather Jacket and asked me to review it. I told them that if I could give my honest opinion of it I would, otherwise I’d send it back to them. They said fire away….. So here I go.
I’ve had my leather Jacket for about 5 years. I bought it in a leather shop from a guy who knew what he was doing. I gotta say, I really don’t like Harley Leather…. Its from China, and for the most part you can get a better Jacket from almost anywhere else.
After a bike, the the first thing you need is a Jacket. A jacket is totally utilitarian; It’s a pillow if you’re on a road trip, warmth when you’re cold, saves you from heat exhaustion and exposure to the elements, and almost no matter how hot it is when you head out, you gotta make make room in a saddle bag for the thing. If you go down, its going to save you from that one-grit sandpaper called the road before it grinds down to you. Next to your bike, your jacket is maybe your most important purchase.
I’ve been wearing this thing for a week now. It’s an $89.00 jacket. I think I paid $200 for the one I’ve been wearing. I’ve really tried to hate it, but I can’t. Its a pretty good jacket. It’s got decent leather, the zipper is solid and it seems like, for the price this is a great purchase.
The Good:
- The lining. I’ve hated my liner on my old jacket. It falls out, comes half unzipped, and I really like how this one is sewed into the jacket. To be honest, I think I’ve lost the damn thing on mine, and I never took it off on purpose. I like how this one is sewn in. A huge plus.
- This thing has a whole lot of pockets. On a long trip, you need a few, methinks. Pockets for a road snack, Pockets for your music, Cell phone, your piece, and whatever else. This jacket isn’t short on pockets. I really like that. A huge plus. They’re deep and reinforced.
- The price. This jacket is very comparable to the one 1 paid 200 bucks for.
- The Zipper. You gotta figure its the thing you’re going to use the most often. Having a shitty zipper sucks. This thing holds up and I gotta think will stand the test of time.
- The fit is good. I have short arms, and for me the arms were a little long which makes it nice when you’re reaching for handlebars. On a bike, for me, it fits perfect.
- The company. They ride. I like that about them. They’re very responsive and trying to make their name in the industry, so they try harder. I absolutely respect that.
- The leather is OK. Its thick enough for protection, but not so think you can’t move your arms around.
- Its comfortable, but even moreso in a riding position on the bike. That says a thing.
The Bad:
- The belt. I love the fact that it has a belt, but the leather could be a little stiffer was my thought. You’re not going to have that thing flopping and scratch your bike in the wind, so you’re going to use it every time you put it on and take it off. It wasn’t terrible, but if I could ask one improvement, it would be for maybe a different grade of leather on the belt so it would hold up over the years. I could be wrong. The grommets were solid. I’m almost inventing things to bitch about here.
- The arm zippers. It could have used it a little tighter at the wrists. I have big arms, and I don’t need to unzip the zippers to put it on. They could have been a bit more tapered, in my opinion.
Summary:
For the price, I don’t think you can beat it. I’ve found myself wearing it over my old faithful, 200 dollar old jacket. The best part is all the pockets in the right places. I think this thing will stand up to time and use. Ask me in a few years, but from what I can tell, its pretty well made. They’ve done some really good things to give it an old school look, with some modern features. Did I mention I love all the pockets?
I think this is the house brand, and they did a good job. You’re paying under 100 bucks to get this thing delivered to your house. I give it 7 out of 10. I’ll break this thing in and see how much I like her in 5 years. I gotta think I won’t be disappointed.
I asked a lot of questions to these guys, and they were responsive and courteous. I’d like to try out some of their other stuff as well. They seem on the ball. A good company.
Motorcycle House: Way nice job. Here’s the link if you want to try one yourself.
Thanks for the chance to review your Jacket, MotorcycleHouse. Much appreciated.
