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Ride in Style - Show your vintage motorcycle riding gear

Antique Indian Motocycles

One of the Regulars
Messages
129
Ride in Style
Vintage motorcycle riding gear (golden era would be nice)

What gear are you wearing on your vintage iron?

Show your leather breeches, whipcord pegs and pinkies.
Motorcycle jackets in their natural enviorment.
Grab out your studded riding belts.
Dust off your high laced cavalry and engineers boots.
Riding hats, gauntlets and all that vintage stuff is very welcome!

Let´s start with that photo of my yesterday’s ride out.
I´m wearing 1930s german horsehide breeches in chocolate brow with matching motorcycle boots. A 1948 Indian Motocycle riding belt and an old hat from my grandpa. Also a woolen pullover, oxblood red Indian gauntlets from the 1920s.
My ride is a 1923 Indian Big Chief.
When dressed up period correct, it´s like a time warp while meandering on lonesome backroads.

IMG_3642.jpeg

IMG_3652.jpeg
 

Yamahana

Practically Family
Messages
988
Location
Buckeye, Arizona
Thank you. Hopefully this seed will grow.....and I won´t be the only one with that passion.
Oh I damn well have the passion, just not the awesome scarce vintage motorbike and gear. I’ve got 5 vintage bikes with the oldest being 1973.
Some of my older vintage MC jackets are very short 20”-21” as was the style then, I’m starting to realize the importance/need for the kidney belts with the shorter jacket length. I now have a valid excuse and need for a couple of vintage kidney belts to wear with these jackets.:cool:
Did you do the restoration work on the Indian?
 

Antique Indian Motocycles

One of the Regulars
Messages
129
Oh I damn well have the passion, just not the awesome scarce vintage motorbike and gear. I’ve got 5 vintage bikes with the oldest being 1973.
Some of my older vintage MC jackets are very short 20”-21” as was the style then, I’m starting to realize the importance/need for the kidney belts with the shorter jacket length. I now have a valid excuse and need for a couple of vintage kidney belts to wear with these jackets.:cool:
Did you do the restoration work on the Indian?
They made great designs and powerful bikes in the 70s. Show something,if you like.
Yes, it´s good to wear a kidney belt alog with the short M/C jackets. I do that also with my oldest jackets from the 1920s and 30s. There were such cool kidney belt designs back then....love them.
I do the restoration along with friends. Here we worked on the carb, pipes, tranny, primary, wheels, brakes.........it´s a running restoration.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,726
Location
London, UK
Ride in Style
Vintage motorcycle riding gear (golden era would be nice)

What gear are you wearing on your vintage iron?

Show your leather breeches, whipcord pegs and pinkies.
Motorcycle jackets in their natural enviorment.
Grab out your studded riding belts.
Dust off your high laced cavalry and engineers boots.
Riding hats, gauntlets and all that vintage stuff is very welcome!

Let´s start with that photo of my yesterday’s ride out.
I´m wearing 1930s german horsehide breeches in chocolate brow with matching motorcycle boots. A 1948 Indian Motocycle riding belt and an old hat from my grandpa. Also a woolen pullover, oxblood red Indian gauntlets from the 1920s.
My ride is a 1923 Indian Big Chief.
When dressed up period correct, it´s like a time warp while meandering on lonesome backroads.

View attachment 370315
View attachment 370313

Fantastic look! Particularly like the sweater, is that a repro piece?

I love a good kidney belt. Something I have my eye half on when I shift a bot more weight.

Oh I damn well have the passion, just not the awesome scarce vintage motorbike and gear. I’ve got 5 vintage bikes with the oldest being 1973.
Some of my older vintage MC jackets are very short 20”-21” as was the style then, I’m starting to realize the importance/need for the kidney belts with the shorter jacket length. I now have a valid excuse and need for a couple of vintage kidney belts to wear with these jackets.:cool:
Did you do the restoration work on the Indian?

I think kidney belts were originally intended more to be about posture and riding comfort. Much like a shorter, waist-cinch corset, they were intended to keep the rider in a more upright position, avoiding stress on the lower back when riding long-distance especially. I certainly imagine they would offer a little extra protection for the lower back in the event of an off, though - especially when worn in the absence of a jacket or under a short jacket. They went out of fashion here in the UK I believe pretty early on, with the trend towards bikes which encouraged a different, more crouched forward, riding position. I see some of them coming back in aimed at tourers especially - though they're generally nasty, neoprene looking things with no style... There's a regular debate goes on in motorcycle forums over whether they offer an advantage or not; I expect it's a fairly subjective thing. Those earlier, American style leather ones look fantastic, though.
 

Antique Indian Motocycles

One of the Regulars
Messages
129
Fantastic look! Particularly like the sweater, is that a repro piece?
Thank you so much. Yes, the sweater is repro, but matches the red wine leaves well.

I am with you, 40s / 50s kidney belts were more a stylish accessoir than useful. Often worn along with rayon club shirts. I love the chainbelts, they are more comfy.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,726
Location
London, UK
Thank you so much. Yes, the sweater is repro, but matches the red wine leaves well.

I am with you, 40s / 50s kidney belts were more a stylish accessoir than useful. Often worn along with rayon club shirts. I love the chainbelts, they are more comfy.

To be clear, asking if it's a repro is not a criticism - more a hope that this means I can get one for myself! ;) It looks fantastic. I have a repro with a Buco logo somewhere in pale blue and while, but I do really fancy the Indian red!

The bike itself, needless to stay, is a stunning piece of machinery. Lovely to see it out and being enjoyed!
 

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