What's the balance between style and function?

[tk1971]

New here, but I've been lurking around for a while.

Recently bought myself a Vanson Comet in size 40.

It's quite a bit shorter than I would imagine, but it fits on my bike which has clip on bars.

But since my jacket has no provision for armor, I may or may not wear it on a bike (besides, I usually commute in a bright yellow Aerostich suit over my slacks/shirt).

Now comes the question... do I settle for a good fit on the bike and not worry about it off the bike, or get rid of it and go for something longer and stick with the Stich on the bike?

Seeking some opinions. Too short?

Thanks.

tk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, I don't think it's too short, but I like my jackets short.

Ultimately, if you don't think you'll wear it on your motorcycle, and it's short enough that you won't feel comfortable wearing it off your motorcycle, you have an undoubtedly expensive jacket that will sit unworn in the closet. If the length's a problem for you, therefore, I'd get a new jacket.

 

[Plumbline]

For motorcycle usage ... it's too short ... as soon as you reach over you will have a large area of exposed back to get chilly or worse It does look very cool though )

In any case I'd say it was too short .. the arms look OK the body is only just below the belt of your jeans and the kideny panel may save your right kidney but probably not the left ( or is that the other way round ... ) In any case this seeems to be a trend with Vanson ... I had a Yamaha Racing Vanson jacket a few years ago and it was WAY too short in the body but OK in the arms ... it just seemed to be the way it was cut ( it did have armour though and double thickness shouldera and elbows)

Fit is such a personal thing athough and I'd say if your happy with it ... and comfortable wearing it ... then go for it, it's no-ones business but your own If you're not then I'd change it fopr a different design ... in my experience

Uncomfortable jacket = never gets worn
Comfortable jacket = gets worn ALL THE TIME

HTH

 

[majormajor]

The jacket looks nice, but the fact that you have asked about the fit suggests that you have doubts about it.

Those doubts could well increase in time. I would take Baron's advice and perhaps get a sightly longer jacket

 

[bn1966]

I like the short jacket cafe racer look myself (regret selling my Brooks). I ride an old scooter (75 mph top) & usually wear my ELC Roughwear A2 (pretty short). To add a bit safety beyond what the horsehide will provide I wear a knox backnkidney protector & Draggin K kevlar sweat (under A2) and K pants/Knox knee protectors (under my 501s). I go with the above comments: Uncomfortable jacket = never gets worn
Comfortable jacket = gets worn ALL THE TIME. If uncomfortable when worn physically or psychologically then shift it on.

 

[ButteMT61]

New here, but I've been lurking around for a while.Recently bought myself a Vanson Comet in size 40.It's quite a bit shorter than I would imagine, but it fits on my bike which has clip on bars.But since my jacket has no provision for armor, I may or may not wear it on a bike (besides, I usually commute in a bright yellow Aerostich suit over my slacks/shirt).Now comes the question... do I settle for a good fit on the bike and not worry about it off the bike, or get rid of it and go for something longer and stick with the Stich on the bike?Seeking some opinions. Too short?Thanks.tk

Your'e riding.

You've got clip-ons.

Assuming you're bent pretty far over as you're not too tall from the pics.

Dunno, if style is your thing, it looks nice, but if you want protection in a fall, it's not gonna do. We all have to balance the cool/safety thing, but IMHO, not a great bike jacket. I tend to be more cautious though.

 

[joeymoey]

I think it looks too short. I'd get something longer.

 

[rocketeer]

As a regular motorcyclist I would say: Ok for wearing if riding a sit up bike where you are like sitting on a chair(cruiser bike?) Sports bike? No-no, will ride up a lot and wont look good, even a slight lean forward will cause this to ride up.
Most bike jackets have a panel at the back that covers the kidney area, but this jacket does look god as an every day walk around jacket.
Why do they refer this style as a cafe racer? Most old rockers that ride cafe racer British bikes I know wore the lancer style jacket with the cross over zip.
JohnnyRocker

 

[tk1971]

Thank you one and all for all the advice.

Being as short as it is, the jacket doesn't bunch up in the front when I'm reaching. That's why I stated that it seemed like a good fit on the bike. My clip ons are not aggressive, but yeah, I've had that nagging voice telling me to stick with my Stich for commutes. For the weekend ride, my other leather jackets cover more of my back side, but bunches up in the front, which is what this jacket was supposed to fix.

I'm also going to try to wear it out in a casual capacity and see how I like it.

Here's my commute bike:

I may just try it out on my Goldwing (much more relaxed riding position):

 

[ButteMT61]

Thank you one and all for all the advice. Being as short as it is, the jacket doesn't bunch up in the front when I'm reaching. That's why I stated that it seemed like a good fit on the bike. My clip ons are not aggressive, but yeah, I've had that nagging voice telling me to stick with my Stich for commutes. For the weekend ride, my other leather jackets cover more of my back side, but bunches up in the front, which is what this jacket was supposed to fix. I'm also going to try to wear it out in a casual capacity and see how I like it.Here's my commute bikes...

Nice bikes! For cruisin' on the Honda, it's fine. For me, being on a sports bike, I like the back/kidney area covered.

 

[gtdean48]

...
I may just try it out on my Goldwing (much more relaxed riding position):

Sweet! My buddy has a 1975 GW that I had a blast riding last time I visited.

 

[Highwaymanman]

As a regular motorcyclist I would say: Ok for wearing if riding a sit up bike where you are like sitting on a chair(cruiser bike?) Sports bike? No-no, will ride up a lot and wont look good, even a slight lean forward will cause this to ride up.
Most bike jackets have a panel at the back that covers the kidney area, but this jacket does look god as an every day walk around jacket.
Why do they refer this style as a cafe racer? Most old rockers that ride cafe racer British bikes I know wore the lancer style jacket with the cross over zip.
JohnnyRocker

The classic cafe racer is a straight zip jacket and was popular (I believe) from back in the early days of the rockers which was the late 50's. Lancer fronted jackets which still had cafe style collars were European influenced and came later. The Lewis Leathers Monza didn't come out until 72 and the Super Monza came out in 78.

 

[Plumbline]

... there were lancer style jackets similar to the Aero Bootlegger and the Alexanders Detroit around in the late 30's ( not exact replicas but close enough to not be worth aguing about - although I'm there are some on here who would be delighted to) indeed these were common mail order items in the mid 40's ( Sears Roebuck Fall/Winter catalogues of 1945 - 1948 ... NOTE Major they also show the design fit of these jackets ) The Schott Perfecto was made famous in 1954 with th" The Wild Ones" but this and similar "lancer zip" motorcycle jackets had been around since the 1930's ( the oldest original designs for the Schott Perfecto are from 1928) they only became popular in the 1950's but had been around in D-pocket and older forms since the advent of motorcycling ( albeit in button up form). Mandirin style collars also started to be introduced in the 1930's ( albeit the early ones were elasticated similar to the A-1 jacket) ... it was only with the introduction of lancer style mandirin collars in US police motorcycle jackets in the 1940's ( through Leathertogs and others) that this style became popular.

Just trying to be factual and helpful

 

[Plumbline]

P.S.

I'm loving "the Wing" ... ultra cool ....

 

[majormajor]

... ( Sears Roebuck Fall/Winter catalogues of 1945 - 1948 ... NOTE Major they also show the design fit of these jackets )

Hi PL

Here's a pic of a HalfBelt from Sears Roebuck.

If his navel is two inches above where that halfbelt is on the left pic (your "rule of thumb") then that is one deformed guy.......

 

[Highwaymanman]

I stand corrected plumbline, you're right about the Bootlegger type jackets of course. Am I correct in thinking they were kind of a hangover from dedicated flying gear though? I don't associate that stuff with the rockers. I was thinking more of the very tight fitting racing style jackets with the small shoulder and elbow pads.

 

[Plumbline]

Hi PL

Here's a pic of a HalfBelt from Sears Roebuck.

If his navel is two inches above where that halfbelt is on the left pic (your "rule of thumb") then that is one deformed guy.......

Major ... look were the adjusters are ... also that's NOT the 1945, 46 47 or 48 Sears catalogue as I defined in the post .. stop moving the goalposts ! The 1947-48 Fall / Winter catalogue is shown on Page 29 of Rin Tanaka's - Motorcycle Jackets - A Century of Leather Design (Schiffer) where what we know today as a traditional halfbelt ( where the adjusters are at the sides of the halfbelt ) and the price is $19.95 .. NOT the much earlier $7.79. You need to look at the finished length of the jacket ( mid way across the backside) and also the halfbelt sitting on the natural waist. The 1" higher styling stopped in the early 1940's in fact the latest I can find of what I would call the 1930's halfbelt length ( and note only a 1" higher cut) would be the Wind Ward 1940-41 fall winter catalogue but it should be noted that the adjusters on these jackets sat much lower than the halfbelt ( 2" - 3" ) like you're one above. In fact the Montomerry Ward catalogue ( fall winter 1940 - 1941) shows a D-pocket design which is at bottom of backside length ( lower edge of jeans pockets in todays world)

Feck me this is getting more and more like the VLJ as I type ..... so I'll stop now if you don't mind

 

[majormajor]

I'll stop now if you don't mind

Good for you, PL

 

[Plumbline]

I stand corrected plumbline, you're right about the Bootlegger type jackets of course. Am I correct in thinking they were kind of a hangover from dedicated flying gear though? I don't associate that stuff with the rockers. I was thinking more of the very tight fitting racing style jackets with the small shoulder and elbow pads.

Yes they were .. in fact many of the catalogues referred to them as " aviation style jackets" as "aviation" was the sexiest game in town ( D Lewis cottoned on to this very quickly ... hence the brand name Aviakit).

The tight fitting mandirin collar centre and offset zipper jackets originated in M/C racing in the 1950's e.g. Buco J-41 ( 1950-53 )and the precursor to the "modern" cafe racer came in with the Buco J-100 " leather shirt" in 1953. ..... the traditional "W" collar design was much the norm though and the lancer / cafe racer and manderin collar designs were mostly used for racing applications. What we know as the "modern" cafe racer only really started to become aparent in retail applications from around 1955 on.

The "modern" racing jacket - what we know today as a m/c sports jacket was actuallt a re-invention of the racing jackets of the 50's ( which were being produced by Buco / Taubers / Schott and others) which reached the (UK) mass market in the the late 60's and early 70's ... mainly due to the fact that manufacturers introduced colours other than black to fit with famous riders ( and perhaps the colour of your bike).

HTH

 

[rocketeer]

I may just try it out on my Goldwing (much more relaxed riding position):

Gorgeous Goldwing, thats first generation isnt it? The latest version makes an Electra Glide look small.