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Vanson jacket appreciation

BB1239

New in Town
Messages
46
Long time lurker, first time posting. Bought this Vanson from "the bay" a few months ago for riding and I love it! Thanks to @Monitor recommendation on this post: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...n-motorcycle-jackets-recommend-me-one.103100/ He was right, amazing riding jacket. This thing feels like a tank! Yet very comfortable because of the great pattern. Definitely older Competition Weight leather, from the Sport Rider collection. Apparently this is a model they stopped making a while back. Best I can tell this jacket was made around 1993 or 1994. The Sportrider line is cut very short in the front. I'm a size 42 and this 42 was perfect, the front just covers my belt when on the bike in an upright position, and the back of the jacket almost touches the seat. The venting on this jacket is amazing, great for summer hot riding. No armor, but double thick leather in elbows and shoulders. Generous upper fit and very snug at the waist. Definitely couldn't layer under this thing for colder temps. It's amazing how Vanson can make a jacket pattern which fits my size perfectly, so snug and protective, and not restrict movement or be uncomfortable at all. New Vanson fan here.

Liked this Vanson so much, I ordered a used Model B for non-summer riding, which should be here in a few days. I'm convinced this forum creates leather addictions :)
 

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Bawheid

New in Town
Messages
19
Love Vanson. I have 3 variants.

Steerhide Comet
Steerhide Comet perforated
Steerhide Sturgis

All 3 for different riding temperature and weather conditions.
BUT none for the rain , they never see it !
 

BB1239

New in Town
Messages
46
Love Vanson. I have 3 variants.

Steerhide Comet
Steerhide Comet perforated
Steerhide Sturgis

All 3 for different riding temperature and weather conditions.
BUT none for the rain , they never see it !
That sounds like a well thought out and functional collection! I'm really impressed with Vanson so far. I'm thinking Model AR3 with armor for winter, CSRX Challenger MK2 with the huge zippered vents from my pic above for summer, and haven't decided which model for off the bike...maybe Mercury or Oxford 9D because I like the shirt collar look for casual style. Seems you can't really go wrong with any of them. The only one I'd care much about the hide appearance on, would be the casual use one.
 

BB1239

New in Town
Messages
46
Careful, those Vansons multiply when you're not looking.
I can already feel the urge lol. Trying to narrow it down to a few total jackets for different uses. Its so difficult to choose without putting your hands on them, that's part of the challenge for me. This forum has been a fantastic way to learn from others and try to extrapolate data from their posts. Which is also challenging but fun :)
 

BB1239

New in Town
Messages
46
I'm drooling at the leather on every one of those!! Gorgeous collection, that's amazing! So is that the Sturgis model in the upper right corner of the pic? I've never seen one of those but it looks great for cold weather riding, and a nice looking design. Do they still make those?

And thanks by the way...seeing what another rider has used that works for different conditions is very helpful.
 
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Peter Mackin

One Too Many
Messages
1,126
Location
glasgow
I'm drooling at the leather on every one of those!! Gorgeous collection, that's amazing! So is that the Sturgis model in the upper right corner of the pic? I've never seen one of those but it looks great for cold weather riding, and a nice looking design. Do they still make those?

And thanks by the way...seeing what another rider has used that works for different conditions is very helpful.
No ,it's not a sturgis,it's the model E with the mouton collar,,i absolutely love it, made the mistake of selling my 1st one ,then spent 2years trying to replace it.
 

BB1239

New in Town
Messages
46
You guys are so right, these Vansons are addicting! Picked this Model B from eBay today. Love it so much I'm wearing it around the house and don't want to take it off. Seems very well suited for casual wear, I love the design. For riding, the collar chokes me out, but either way, I'm grateful to have it, and the leather seems very nice to me. It's got Talon zips and a Vanson label post-1982, but unsure of the year. May have scored some of the good competition weight it seems. Just didn't come with a liner.
 

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BB1239

New in Town
Messages
46
I can believe they work. The vented perf section under the zippered leather panels on my MK2 Challenger actually work great! Seems the hole spacing on them are about the same. They really seem to design great jackets. Had a Joe Rocket textile mesh back in the day, but I don't think it would provide much protection, unless maybe you just fell off the bed in it lol. It's all leather for me these days, or perforated leather.
 
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BB1239

New in Town
Messages
46
I wonder if their new competition weight is good. I've read that they've had tannery closures to deal with, but have also read a few posts on this forum with recent pics and praises of the new hides, and some negative reviews. It seems the positive ones are the most recent. I wonder if anyone knows or remembers...in the glory days of the Vanson Competition Weight leather, did it start off as glossy and plastic-like, before it aged to become loved as it is now on this forum? I'd be fine with glossy and plastic-like for a dedicated riding jacket.
 

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