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Jpeterman leather (motorcycle jacket)

Panacheman

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
London UK/Montana US
hey there fellow fedora loungers does anyone out there have any experience WITH J. Peterman and leather Im wondering about the fit their build quality and the leather quality. The reason i ask is this just went up on their last chance SALE page on the Peterman website
http://www.jpeterman.com/Just-Reduced/LC-Motorcycle-Jacket
I AM Very tempted by it because THE price is comparable (now that its on sale) to some second hand examples Ive found over in the UK but as im over in the UK and it is on sale i will not have the option of return if it does not fit. Ive bought from J. Peterman be Fore (the Victoria falls jacket and the anglophiles sweater jacket both on sale pics soon) and have found myself very satisfied. however for me trusting an online company with leather is a BIG STEP. So loungers please either ease my fears or steer me towards the right path on my search for this classic cut.
 

Panacheman

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
London UK/Montana US
Hey folks so there's no one out there in the Lounge with that has had The experience with J. Peterman's leather goods? I guess Im the first monkey to try this particular oyster. Ill play guinea pig and I will let you know how it works out. Stay tuned for a full post of pictures and the best review i can muster. Catch you on the flip side.
 

volleykinginnc

Familiar Face
Messages
50
Location
Charlotte NC
awesome! I was eyeing that jacket myself and was hoping someone with a lot more disposible income would give it a shot before I decided if it was worth it.

Do you ride or is it a casual jacket?
 

Panacheman

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
London UK/Montana US
Ride? only horses and then only if its inconvenient not to, besides fedoras and motorcycles don't mix well. It will mostly be a casual jacket which i think is what it is marketed as not sure how it would function in the preventing of road rash department which to my mind is the purpose of a riding jacket not to say that they cant be or shouldn't be stylish and classic as well as functional. Mostly I wanted a heavy jacket in that style but maybe not as heavy as a full riding jacket. I'll see how well it pays off. On A high note the shipping manifest on UPS says over 6lbs. The only jacket i have that comes close to it (a little over in truth) is a double breasted full leather trench coat. So this jacket will have some gravity.
 

Hammer Down

One of the Regulars
Messages
189
Location
Chicago
That's a very cool looking jacket, but J Peterman has it wrong: to call it a "motorcycle" jacket is a misnomer. Too thin and too long. Sounds like you will like it, though, since you don't ride motorsickles. Looks like a good price, as well. Bravo.
 

Lt.Tom

Familiar Face
Messages
60
Location
Toccoa, Ga
I agree with Hammer Down. It's a nice looking jacket, but not a riding jacket. Its too long. (Note the cyclist drawn at the bottom of the page. See how short his jacket is?) The sleeves appear to be cut to hang straight down- a riding jacket's sleeves are normally rotated forward. (as if they are reaching for the handlebars) BUT, all these things; too long, too soft. sleeves hanging straight down, make it look much more comfortable and usefull for walking around in than a "real" riding jacket.
 

Fifty150

One Too Many
Messages
1,864
Location
The Barbary Coast
A beautiful coat. Very comfortable. No insulation so don't expect it to be warm. But it is roomy enough for layering. It may be called a "motorcycle style" jacket, but is not really a functional riding jacket. If you plan on taking a fall, there are better jackets on the market for that. But this jacket does look good and fit well.
 

pipvh

Practically Family
Messages
644
Location
England
This might not actually be a proper riding jacket (distressed Italian leather sounds a bit 'form over function') but it's in the style of one. British motorcycle police wore something very similar (seriously heavy jackets) in the 70s. SOE operatives in Occupied France, though? Hmm... As someone said above, it's essentially a leather Belstaff Trialmaster. LL still make one, called the Roadmaster. Though the breast pockets on the Peterman seem to come from the M-1942 paratrooper jacket (an innovation of those wily SOE operatives, perhaps?).


I've handled the Italian Belstaff leather jackets and they are shockingly flimsy - mall-jacket flimsy - so beware. On the other hand a Belstaff will set you back the best part of a grand, so at $258 the Peterman one's a steal no matter how authentic the pattern is. Wish I had the ££.
 
Last edited:

Panacheman

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
London UK/Montana US
Wow gents thanks for all the feedback im feeling better about my purchase and i haven't even seen the jacket yet. Hammer down Lt.Tom pipvh your assesments are all right in there with my initial assesments on it. Its in the style of a classic British motorcycle jacket but reformed in a way to make it more comfortable for casual use. ive seen full riding versions in thrift shops but ultimately passed on basis of price and on the fact that as A riding jacket they were great but as a casual jacket at best impractical. fifty150 have you talk youve seen this jacket. The measurements I got from J.Peterman certainly concur with your assessment of room for layering. like i said gents as soon as it makes it over the pond (hopefully sometime next week) ill put up some pics a a full review. Happy trails gentlemen
 

Fifty150

One Too Many
Messages
1,864
Location
The Barbary Coast
fifty150 have you talk youve seen this jacket.

I own this jacket. To me, it's sort of like an M-65 military jacket, with a belt, and a buckled collar. It is just fine for riding.....just not so great for falling. My next step is to mod the jacket. I am sewing buttons into the lining so that I can button in the liner from an M-65 Field Coat.
 

Gene

Practically Family
Messages
963
Location
New Orleans, La.
It really looks like a parachutist's jacket from WWII, only leather:

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2806-BLACK.jpg
 

JStetsoniv

New in Town
Messages
2
Location
Greenwood
hey there fellow fedora loungers does anyone out there have any experience WITH J. Peterman and leather Im wondering about the fit their build quality and the leather quality. The reason i ask is this just went up on their last chance SALE page on the Peterman website
http://www.jpeterman.com/Just-Reduced/LC-Motorcycle-Jacket
I AM Very tempted by it because THE price is comparable (now that its on sale) to some second hand examples Ive found over in the UK but as im over in the UK and it is on sale i will not have the option of return if it does not fit. Ive bought from J. Peterman be Fore (the Victoria falls jacket and the anglophiles sweater jacket both on sale pics soon) and have found myself very satisfied. however for me trusting an online company with leather is a BIG STEP. So loungers please either ease my fears or steer me towards the right path on my search for this classic cut.

Hi,

Could you please post or send me pictures of the Victoria Falls Jacket and the Anglophile's Sweater Jacket? I am thinking about getting them but would like to see how they look first. Thanks!

-Stetson
 

Panacheman

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
London UK/Montana US
Hi,

Could you please post or send me pictures of the Victoria Falls Jacket and the Anglophile's Sweater Jacket? I am thinking about getting them but would like to see how they look first. Thanks!

-Stetson
Would if I could Stetson at the moment I'm helping out with lambing on a farm in wales not exactly the sort of occasion that calls for either jacket more so for bare forearms and waterproofs I'll be back in London sometime after the 20 th of April depending on what the sheep are doing and I will post pictures of both jackets and the motorcycle jacket shortly there after. I can tell you both jackets are very nicely put together if a little bit generous in the size department depending on your desired sleeve length I would say order a size smaller or even better email peterman customer service and ask for size measurements
Woul
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,804
Location
London, UK
Yes, those who say this is a style of motorcycle jacket are correct. Barbour and Belstaff have been making similar jackets in waxed cotton sine the 20s, I believe, and they have been around in leather about as long. Lewis did them too - still do, I believe. You have to remember that while this might be too long when crouched over a modern motorcycle, on a vintage bike with a much more upright seated position, this wouldn't be a problem. Not much n the way of protection, but again back in the day when this was made bikes were a lot less powerful, people tended to ride slower, and you weren't anything like as at risk from the volume of today's traffic - or the ignorance of motorcycles that most of today's car drivers have.
 

JStetsoniv

New in Town
Messages
2
Location
Greenwood
Thank you for the information! Sound like you have your hands full! About the sweater, is the material more like a sweater or a jacket or a combination? I'm wondering if it stretches like a sweater or is rigid like a wool peacoat.
 

oneterrifichog

Practically Family
Messages
867
Location
Signal Mountain, TN
I was at the International Motorcycle Show at Daytona Bike Week last week and one of the only booths worth mentioning was the Belstaff Exhibit. They were loaded with leather and some pretty nice thick jackets to boot. They are steer hide made in Italy now but look pretty good if you like that style? Color was more flat black and more damn pockets than on most MC jackets. They had 2 version a three quarter like J Peterman version $670.00 and a waist jacket same style same price.

The J peterman is the obvious choice if you don't ride otherwise if you ride and like the style I would go for the Belstaffit reeks of cool British Norton Love.
 

Panacheman

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
London UK/Montana US
Thank you for the information! Sound like you have your hands full! About the sweater, is the material more like a sweater or a jacket or a combination? I'm wondering if it stretches like a sweater or is rigid like a wool peacoat.[/
The jacket is pretty thick and fully lined also the knit is pretty tight itnis also stitched together instead of being knitted as a single peice like some sweaters So it is mostly somewhere in-between. The jacket can stretch not as much as a traditional sweater but more so then most jacket materials which is another reason to think about ordering a smaller size if your in-between. On a the victoria falls jacket it contains some spandex in it's material that along with the action back provides a generous fit. Having lost a significant amount of weight since buying the jacket I do find that I prefer the looser fit the jacket has now in the upper torso as it allows the action back to lie flatter but the lower torso/ waist does seem to need a little tailoring
 

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