Lewis Leathers Steerhide/Horsehide/Sheepskin & 441T/402T/551T

I really like these jackets. can you get them without the label though?

No.

Americanaaa Mark said:

I really like these jackets. can you get them without the label though?

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They used to allow no patch as an option, not anynmore...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/lewis-leathers-dominator-no-551.74729/

You could probably get another maker to knock up something similar to a Lewis Jacket without a badge but the badge is part of the iconography. You wouldnt debadge an Aston Martin or a Norton - it's part of the heritage of the brand, I can't blame Lewis for refusing to remove the badges. I have mentioned this previously but the cowhide Lewis uses is unparalleled - it's not unusual to spend 700 pounds on another makers jacket and get mismatched sleeves, heavy grain in one area, zero grain in another. It's acceptable because getting perfectly uniform leather without treating it or removing a layer of the leather is incredibly difficult. However Lewis hides are absolutely uniform, a very, very fine grain but uniform, no blemishes or different grain patterns. The 'sheen' and stiffness of the leather disappears after a few weeks and the odd rain shower and it becomes beautifully soft and comfortable. I wear Lewis jackets for daily riding, with a back protector and having examined today's motorcycle clothing, I would still put my faith in a decent full cowhide Lewis Jacket vs some of the more dubious leathers getting passed of as safety clothing.

Corsair42 said:

You could probably get another maker to knock up something similar to a Lewis Jacket without a badge but the badge is part of the iconography. You wouldnt debadge an Aston Martin or a Norton - it's part of the heritage of the brand, I can't blame Lewis for refusing to remove the badges. I have mentioned this previously but the cowhide Lewis uses is unparalleled - it's not unusual to spend 700 pounds on another makers jacket and get mismatched sleeves, heavy grain in one area, zero grain in another. It's acceptable because getting perfectly uniform leather without treating it or removing a layer of the leather is incredibly difficult. However Lewis hides are absolutely uniform, a very, very fine grain but uniform, no blemishes or different grain patterns. The 'sheen' and stiffness of the leather disappears after a few weeks and the odd rain shower and it becomes beautifully soft and comfortable. I wear Lewis jackets for daily riding, with a back protector and having examined today's motorcycle clothing, I would still put my faith in a decent full cowhide Lewis Jacket vs some of the more dubious leathers getting passed of as safety clothing.

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I think we are the lucky bunch who got top quality jackets from LL. I suspect one of the reasons why Lewis now refuses to sell badge free jackets is that there are currently too many imitations around, especially in Japan. We have FourSpeed Leathers, Addict Clothes, 666, etc etc which are basically making clones of all the popular Lewis jackets, some are even made here in the UK. I guess as an international established brand, Lewis wants to stand out from the new competitions.

I must say I am very happy with my 391 Lightning that I got several years ago, but like I mentioned in some other threads, one has to be cautious about the current QC of Lewis, especially with overseas orderings. I have seen multiple complaints about leather inconsistency, sizing problems and delayed deliveries. The horse option is still quite new to Lewis and I think they have not really hit the sweet spot with that, yet. If I were to get another Lewis, I would stick with the black cowhide. What sets apart Lewis and the majority of bikers is their cuttings, they are almost tailored like a suit jacket, I am not sure their current choice of horsehide really suits their kind of designs.

Justhandguns said:

I think we are the lucky bunch who got top quality jackets from LL. I suspect one of the reasons why Lewis now refuses to sell badge free jackets is that there are currently too many imitations around, especially in Japan. We have FourSpeed Leathers, Addict Clothes, 666, etc etc which are basically making clones of all the popular Lewis jackets, some are even made here in the UK. I guess as an international established brand, Lewis wants to stand out from the new competitions.

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This.

I don't think people in the US are aware of this but the amount of imitations that has been floating around in Europe ever since the late 60's makes the badge absolutely and I personally would no longer buy one without it. I've literally seen more copies of the Bronx and the Lightning than the standard Perfectos and we all know how plentiful those are. And some are exceptionally well crafted too, particularly those made in the Germany and the UK.
The Japanese knockoffs have started off only very recently but this has been going on since forever in Europe. The motorcycle scene was huge during the 70's just about anywhere here, with the cafe racers being a major deal and all and you were somebody only if you had either a good bike or an original Lewis Leathers.

BobJ said:

@ Edward "AFAIK, they never appeared on the Dominator and other straight zip / shirt collar models - at least, I've never seen one."

They're doing them now:

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Interesting, I missed this before: I'd seen it on the leather monkeys copies; I wonder have Lewis brought this in as the forearm pocket has, for some, become a key signifier of their house style? Personally, I prefer all their jackets without it; I gather that is still a mod they are willing to undertake. One day....

kronos77 said:

Couldn't you just remove the patch, if you were so inclined?

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Leaves stitch-holes.... Easier option would be to use a little nail polish remover to rub off the gold-leaf /paint on the label-patch, if it really is that bothersome.

Corsair42 said:

You could probably get another maker to knock up something similar to a Lewis Jacket without a badge but the badge is part of the iconography. You wouldnt debadge an Aston Martin or a Norton - it's part of the heritage of the brand, I can't blame Lewis for refusing to remove the badges.

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It's certainly been part of the jackets for a very long time. I've seen Lewises as old as the late sixties with it on them; not sure exactly when it became a norm (I've never been able to discover that - though likely LL could tell you), but I suspect it could well go back to at least 1962, during the peak of the rocker movement, when LL were seen as the pinnacle of British bike jackets.

I have mentioned this previously but the cowhide Lewis uses is unparalleled - it's not unusual to spend 700 pounds on another makers jacket and get mismatched sleeves, heavy grain in one area, zero grain in another. It's acceptable because getting perfectly uniform leather without treating it or removing a layer of the leather is incredibly difficult. However Lewis hides are absolutely uniform, a very, very fine grain but uniform, no blemishes or different grain patterns. The 'sheen' and stiffness of the leather disappears after a few weeks and the odd rain shower and it becomes beautifully soft and comfortable. I wear Lewis jackets for daily riding, with a back protector and having examined today's motorcycle clothing, I would still put my faith in a decent full cowhide Lewis Jacket vs some of the more dubious leathers getting passed of as safety clothing.

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Totally. The UrbanRider special Lewises (a Super Monza and a centre-zip padded café racer called the Racer) which come with armour pockets are a cracking advance, too: I hope that at some point they take these across the line. I'd love to have a Lightning (less the forearm pocket) with those - the classic 391, though the Lightning Star 392 would adapt to them very well.

Justhandguns said:

I think we are the lucky bunch who got top quality jackets from LL. I suspect one of the reasons why Lewis now refuses to sell badge free jackets is that there are currently too many imitations around, especially in Japan. We have FourSpeed Leathers, Addict Clothes, 666, etc etc which are basically making clones of all the popular Lewis jackets, some are even made here in the UK. I guess as an international established brand, Lewis wants to stand out from the new competitions.

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As well as Leathermonkeys and others in the UK. With so many copies around, it's also much harder to spot a genuine used Lewis from a fake / copy with the label removed on ebay.... looking for the chest patch or at least the tell-tale stitchmarks where one was removed at least helps.

I must say I am very happy with my 391 Lightning that I got several years ago, but like I mentioned in some other threads, one has to be cautious about the current QC of Lewis, especially with overseas orderings. I have seen multiple complaints about leather inconsistency, sizing problems and delayed deliveries. The horse option is still quite new to Lewis and I think they have not really hit the sweet spot with that, yet. If I were to get another Lewis, I would stick with the black cowhide. What sets apart Lewis and the majority of bikers is their cuttings, they are almost tailored like a suit jacket, I am not sure their current choice of horsehide really suits their kind of designs.

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I'd certainly aim to buy direct by visiting the London store. The modern examples I've handled have all been great, though I suspect many who prefer a heavier jacket might be disappointed in especially the sheep models now (for all that lighter feel is totally accurate to the sixties British jackets). Lewis' real hit andmiss era seems to have been the late 70s / early 80s.

Monitor said:

This.

I don't think people in the US are aware of this but the amount of imitations that has been floating around in Europe ever since the late 60's makes the badge absolutely and I personally would no longer buy one without it. I've literally seen more copies of the Bronx and the Lightning than the standard Perfectos and we all know how plentiful those are. And some are exceptionally well crafted too, particularly those made in the Germany and the UK.
The Japanese knockoffs have started off only very recently but this has been going on since forever in Europe. The motorcycle scene was huge during the 70's just about anywhere here, with the cafe racers being a major deal and all and you were somebody only if you had either a good bike or an original Lewis Leathers.

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Yip. There are also plenty of old Brit jackets that look very close to them - there was quite a large Brit bike leathers industry right up to the early 80s, but then it went into complete freefall, running about a decade behind the decline of the British motorcycle industry itself.

As someone who just ordered a Corsair from an authorized US distributor of Lewis, I can say that the quality of these jackets are top notch. I ordered the light brown (or ranch) sheepskin. The cut, finish, and leather quality is worthy of the price tag.

This being said, I would definitely qualify the brand as fashion and not motorcycle function. As a former Ducati rider who's laid the bike down, I wouldn't wear Lewis on a motorcycle.

I would say Lewis is the poor man's Saint Laurent, with the ability to custom fit.

konadog said:

This being said, I would definitely qualify the brand as fashion and not motorcycle function. As a former Ducati rider who's laid the bike down, I wouldn't wear Lewis on a motorcycle.

I would say Lewis is the poor man's Saint Laurent, with the ability to custom fit.

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Not to defend about their 'fashion' status, but I wouldn't go as far as poor man's YSL.... Maybe a Belstaff with more characters? Fingers' crossed that they are not going to up their prices (a bit like ELMC's range) to above £1k. I know that their jackets are selling like hot cakes currently in Asia. I also think that since the departure of Hiro, their jackets seem to be less robust. I was quite surprised to see them changing from cow to horse & sheep, I remember asking them about horsehide when I went for my fitting, Hiro told me it was a no no, but he was very interested in my ELC that I would on that day.

Lewis seem to be shooting now with the horse for those who want a robust bike jacket, and the sheep for those who want something lighter and not really for the bike. I wouldn't be entirelty surprisedif they eventually developed two lines - one bike, one more fashion oriented (a la Belstaff with its regular and 'Pure Motorcycling' lines). Their collaboration with Urban Rider on two seventies style jackets (a Super Monza and a Racer) with armour pockets, in horsehide, is an interesting one. Very much at the upper end of the range of serviceable leather bike jackets with CE armour pockets on the market thse days, but if they had a Lightning and a Corsair or Dominator like that out there at £800, I think they could sell well. If they push the pricesup the way ELMC have, they're be selling solely to a fashion crowd and a very specific niche market in Japan, imo.

The cowhide is still an option in black for some of the Lewis range and I have no problem riding in that or the horsehide and the hide quality, at least on the jackets I have bought in the last couple of years is as good as anything they put out in the '60s and' 70s. The lamb is an option for someone who wants a bike jacket to wear off the bike. Granted they cater to a non biker crowd but there is still a core market of bikers who
want something with a bit more pedigree and ageless style than the power ranger crowd. When the price is mentioned - they weren't cheap back in the 60s and 70s. A Lewis jacket was out of the reach of most bikers price wise, hence why the old adverts always had installment plans for the jackets and one old boy I bought a vintage jacket from (which ended up in Japan) told me it swallowed up a few weeks of his pay 40 years ago.

Corsair42 said:

The cowhide is still an option in black for some of the Lewis range and I have no problem riding in that or the horsehide and the hide quality, at least on the jackets I have bought in the last couple of years is as good as anything they put out in the '60s and' 70s. The lamb is an option for someone who wants a bike jacket to wear off the bike. Granted they cater to a non biker crowd but there is still a core market of bikers who
want something with a bit more pedigree and ageless style than the power ranger crowd. When the price is mentioned - they weren't cheap back in the 60s and 70s. A Lewis jacket was out of the reach of most bikers price wise, hence why the old adverts always had installment plans for the jackets and one old boy I bought a vintage jacket from (which ended up in Japan) told me it swallowed up a few weeks of his pay 40 years ago.

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To follow the cowhide availability, what I heard from recent orders from Hong Kong is, when they exhaust the existing stocks and turn fully horse+sheep. It really a pity because their cowhide used to be one of the best.

Corsair42 said:

The cowhide is still an option in black for some of the Lewis range and I have no problem riding in that or the horsehide and the hide quality, at least on the jackets I have bought in the last couple of years is as good as anything they put out in the '60s and' 70s. The lamb is an option for someone who wants a bike jacket to wear off the bike. Granted they cater to a non biker crowd but there is still a core market of bikers who
want something with a bit more pedigree and ageless style than the power ranger crowd. When the price is mentioned - they weren't cheap back in the 60s and 70s. A Lewis jacket was out of the reach of most bikers price wise, hence why the old adverts always had installment plans for the jackets and one old boy I bought a vintage jacket from (which ended up in Japan) told me it swallowed up a few weeks of his pay 40 years ago.

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Agreed.

I talked with a lot of bikers who used to race back in the days and they all had told me the same thing, how owning a Lewis jacket was a matter of prestige just as much as it meant having a great motorcycle jacket and how most of 'em couldn't afford it. It was a very pricey jacket.
I don't think Lewis Leathers changed at all and from what I know, the current LL is pretty much identical to the best of the old days. I have handled a few from different eras and they were all on the same level which was always superb.

They could cost a lot more... Asia's going nuts about it and they've got money to spend.

Justhandguns said:

To follow the cowhide availability, what I heard from recent orders from Hong Kong is, when they exhaust the existing stocks and turn fully horse+sheep. It really a pity because their cowhide used to be one of the best.

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Hmm, if that's the case I may have to accelerate plans for a black lightning jacket.

Monitor said:

I don't think Lewis Leathers changed at all and from what I know, the current LL is pretty much identical to the best of the old days. I have handled a few from different eras and they were all on the same level which was always superb.

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Best of the old days, yes. Though by the eighties, a lot of the classic designs had disappeared, and when Derek revived Lewis as a classics brand he had to hunt down and even redraft many of the classic patterns from original jackets as these were lost in the eighties.

In terms of consistency, I've certainly handled a few that were flimsier than others; folks I knew who were looking at then in the seventies have said that there was a drop in quality then. Good ones were still made, but you had to sift through the rail for the better ones.

As much as I love the jackets I must know! What kind of jeans are those? I would appreciate it thanks!

hello! I’m interested in a LL sheep skin 402. I was wondering how’s the leather for insulation/keep warm? I’m not looking for a heavy jacket, just something to layer with a hoodie during Texas winter. what I notice with my Flat head horsehide jacket while traveling is it’s quite chilly while still being layered, maybe it is still stiff. thanks for your time in advance!

Van88 said:

I’m interested in a LL sheep skin 402. I was wondering how’s the leather for insulation/keep warm?

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There are a few lining options, the warmer one will be the red quilted sailcloth, in terms of the leather, the horsehide is a good midway point between the sheep and cow, lighter than the cow but will resist the weather better than sheep, particularly rain.

Superfluous said:

Does Lewis Leathers pay owners a fee to advertise their jackets by way of the patch? I might consider a LL jacket if I received appropriate compensation for being a walking billboard.

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The images I've seen of Pharrell Williams wearing Lewis Leathers patches all over his jacket makes it all look like shit.

wearing the Dominator today


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