Aero Cafe Racer in brown oil pull horse hide

[mattp]

Interesting about the olive green gab, Will refused to use it in mine point blank as they needed it for the B10s or something and just used black without asking for my preference. Maybe yours was made since the recent changes up there...

 

[Gancho]

When I heard that the olive gab will run out, I called Will to put away some for my next jackets.

That the olive gab is available again is just a guessing. I noticed that the B10 is order able since a few weeks. A while ago Will told me that Aero stop making these jackets because the machinist retires.

 

[Edward]

The rumour I heard - but it was a rumour, and not from Aero directly - was that they were getting out of cloth jackets altogether due to a machinist retiring and nobody new coming on board to do it. I had assumed it was a logical rationalisation as Aero really are known for their leather rather than their (also superb) cloth jackets. My big regret is not buying one of their B15s when they sold off their remaining stock for about GBP120 a few years ago. I debated it on here somewhere, then decided to hold off until I could afford the B10 I really wanted (in those days the Aero B10 was £200, the ELC option - widely regarded as far superior was £299. And back then that seemed expensive..... ha.....). Ironically these days I prefer a B15.... If only Aero would do those again! Obviously Aero must have brought somebody on board to do the cloth jackets as they are again offering a B10 (alongside the Pike Brothers option too, which I found an interesting strategy) and the Waterfront (which I cannot recommend enough). Anyhoo....

I'm always slightly bemused at the notion of Aero being "over-sized"... I've long varied between a 42R & 44R in everything else, and I do so in Aero. [huh] Actually, all my Aeros are a 42, though to qualify that I've had to admit defeat with their take on the Perfecto (good on the shoulders for me, but surprisingly it is markedly smaller in the waist than the Thirties Halfbelt, which is probably the slimmest with which I can get away without it look a] ridiculous and b] not fastening, or wearing it as a shirt.). Maybe Aero is working to a different measuring scale than others in the leather industry, though? From what I can make out online, Schott's 618 Perfecto would necessitate me going up to a 46, as the numbers in those appear to correspond to the chest measurement of the jacket, rather than the person therein plus the usual 2-4".

 

[ButteMT61]

Tags on Aero's don't do much in my closet. All of them are different. 48/50/52. All roughly the same fit. Maybe the maker uses the pit to pit as the standard? They do vary in that sense. Doesn't matter but it is interesting. There is not doubt though that some Aero's posted in the last year have been grossly large. I remember Cole's A-2 was enormous. Nobody is perfect, and Aero has mine sorted. In the end, if they don't do it right, they fix it. You may lose some time, but not money.

 

[Cooperson]

Great looking Racer Olli, the new oil pull looks amazing!

 

[Graemsay]

Nice jacket Gancho. Thanks for posting, as I was curious to see how it would turn out.

Being oil pull, it's going to look spectacular in a year or two.

 

[Edward]

Tags on Aero's don't do much in my closet. All of them are different. 48/50/52. All roughly the same fit. Maybe the maker uses the pit to pit as the standard? They do vary in that sense. Doesn't matter but it is interesting. There is not doubt though that some Aero's posted in the last year have been grossly large. I remember Cole's A-2 was enormous. Nobody is perfect, and Aero has mine sorted. In the end, if they don't do it right, they fix it. You may lose some time, but not money.

Mine are all the same size label, but the fit varies, as per the different designs. Course, mine are all also intended for wearing no more than a shirt underneath - I'd have to go at least a size up to fit a sweater under any of them.

 

[Rkusmant]

I'm very interested in getting this, emailed Amanda at [email protected], do you know if she responds within a day or two? I have been watching the Aero thread for a little bit...

 

[wdw]

She's probably replied by now. Be aware that Aero are closing tomorrow for a week's holiday.

 

[Edward]

What I realise I forgot to say while I got sidetracked is.... I really like the look of those pockets on the chest, moved from the usual position to the outside. Was thinking of those last night while I unzipped my 30s Halfbelt to retrieve my wallet (just neat enough on me to have that tight fit where I have to almost entirely unfasten the zip to fish it out). Great idea. Reminds me of the vertically-accessed chest pocket on one of the Luftwaffe Kanal Jacke designs.

 

[Gancho]

Thank you Edward!

I have never used the vertical pockets of my cafe racer, too uncomfortable to reach them and to open the zippers. The inside pockets are nice, but they make them too deep and i have to open the jacket to put in something. Then i got the idea to put the inside pocket on the outside. By looking at different jackets i found some that have these kind of pockets, the Kanal-Jacke also was one of them.

These pockets are very useful for wallet or mobile phones. I ask them to make these pockets not so deep, to not lay over the handwarmer pockets.

 

[North]

Its wierd, I always thought the kidneybelt was too big, and I like mine more now that its shorter (only by half an inch, but still).

But you and me have different built bodies and your modification really suits your slender physique. Nice job!

I also like the breastpockets. This is also wierd because as soon as I saw them I thought "thats just wrong.....but......THEY LOOK SO GOOD!!" haha I would never had thought about it myself and im wrestling with the thought that its wrong but at the same time its just so right, specially for this cut! Amazing!

The fit is also really good. Spot on in fact!

Im also not a fan of the front arm zippers, but I do have respect for the history about the placement so with my small knowledge I accept it (now your like *pheew* he accepted it, now I can sleep tonight )

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

Im also not a fan of the front arm zippers, but I do have respect for the history about the placement so with my small knowledge I accept it

For me, sleeve closure zippers, regardless of placement, are great if you actually use the jacket for riding. If the jacket is going to be used simply for street wear, then the zippers don't really make nearly as much sense. When wearing my riding jacket, I'll only zip the sleeves up when I'm actually on my bike, usually in conjunction with a pair of gauntlet style gloves. With a custom jacket that won't be used for riding, I much prefer to simply have the sleeves tailored so that they are "comfortably slim" yet I can still get my hands through the end opening without a problem or wear a sweater underneath if desired. No need for zippers or buttons in that case.

 

[ButteMT61]

I don't agree,with ya there. Zippers pr buttons on the sleeves are great. I rode and also wear large watches, and it helps tremendously.
Just another 2¢

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

I realize that we all have our preferences, but for me zippers are just something rub up against and potentially scratch other things when you're not out riding.

So I'm curious about the watch statement Butte — would you actually go unzipped/unbuttoned to get your sleeve over the watch and then zip up/button up afterward? Even then, I'm not sure that I could actually zip up over some of the largish watches out there.

 

[ButteMT61]

I realize that we all have our preferences, but for me zippers are just something rub up against and potentially scratch other things when you're not out riding. So I'm curious about the watch statement Butte — would you actually go unzipped/unbuttoned to get your sleeve over the watch and then zip up/button up afterward? Even then, I'm not sure that I could actually zip up over some of the largish watches out there.

Sorry for all the typos - iPhone post previously I indeed unzip/unbutton to go over the watches. Sometimes I leave them unzipped/unbuttoned due to the watch. Unless I'm riding, then I take off the watch or wear a skinny one.

 

[North]

I think its great to zip up for colder weather and keeping the wind out and unzip to let air circulate easier when its hot.

 

[Gancho]

I agree with Griff. Normally I close the zipper while riding. In sommer only at higher speed.

 

[mexl916]

Hi Gancho,

you've got such a lovely jacket

I've seen that you've had at least three Cafer Racers. I think the first two were made of black FQHH and this one is made of brown oil-pull horse.
Can you say some words about the differences between FQHH and the oil-pull in such a trim fitting model like the Cafe Racer? Which one do you prefer?

Mexl

 

[Equality 7-2521]

I think the bigger kidney panel looks really superb, I have also thought the small looked a bit off.