Ever since the dawning of the age of motorcycling, it was evident that something was needed to protect the uncovered human body from the elements. The natural solution was leather. motorcycle club The leather motorbike jacket, a style made accepted by such movie giants as James Dean and “the Fonz”, not merely serves as a style statement, but is an essential piece of equipment to any serious biker for keeping snug, dry, and in one piece. A good “riding grade” leather jacket in combination with motorcycle chaps or leather jeans, will act as a second skin between you and the road, and can quite literally “save your hide”. With all this in mind, let’s investigate the things to mull over while purchasing motorbike leathers. motorcycle club

The most widespread material for motorcycle leather is cowhide, chosen for its strength and durability. Buffalo hide, another high quality leather, is made not from the U.S. buffalo, but the water buffalo most generally found in India and Pakistan. Many leather products come from this part of the earth, and the Pakistanis are world renown for their proficiency in the manufacturing of leather clothes. Whichever type of hide you choose, you must recognize the tanning process, and how it adds or subtracts from the quality of the leather. motorcycle club michigan

Leather was not surprisingly once the coat of an animal, and therefore must go through a tanning procedure to strengthen it, and to keep it from decomposing. Tanning makes the skin secure and rot proof without sacrificing its form and strength. The tanning process involves a number of stages, including the removal of the hair and the surface layer of skin, as well as the fatty share of the flesh. The hide is then stabilized by one of several methods using animal oils, alum, chrome salts or vegetable tanning. How it is actually finished determines the excellence, or riding grade, for our principles.

Varietys of Leather

To fully know the types of leather accessible, one must first be familiar with the term “grain”. The grain is simply the epidermis, or external layer of the animal’s skin. Whereas imperfections such as cuts, scars, and scratches will be present, the grain in its natural state has the best fiber intensity, and therefore the best strength. The grain also has natural breathability, resulting in greater comfort to the wearer.

Finished Split Leather

The middle or lower section of a skin that has been split into two or more thicknesses. A polymer veneer is sprayed on and embossed to mimic grain leather. Completed splits should only be used in low stress applications because they basically have no grain. If the plastic coating is left out it is often used to make suede. Not usually thought of to be riding grade, but can look good nevertheless.

Top Grain Leather

Top grain leather has been sanded to remove scars and defects, then sprayed or pasted for a uniform look. The smooth side is where the hair and the natural grain was. Top grain is not the same quality as full grain or naked leather, but thicknesses of 1.2-3mm make this sort of leather a very strong and hard-wearing riding grade leather.

Full-Grain and Naked Leather

Full-Grain leather is completed from the finest hides, and has not been sanded to eliminate imperfections. Only the coat has been taken out. In the case of Naked Leather, where not anything other than the dye is added; this very soft material necessitates no breaking in period. Hides are on average 2mm thick, and must be hand chosen for uniformity. The natural full-grain naked leather will wear much better than other leather, and will actually improve over the years. This type of leather is the ultimate riding grade; the most sought after, and consequently, the most high-priced.

Now that we realize what type of leather we want, we must appreciate the fact that leather is hot, and understand the options that we have for the climate we live in. For winter biking, a coat with side laces and a belt will allow you to tweak the jacket to fit snugly against the upper body. Of course, being able to fully zip up only adds to your shield from the wind. You can also wear a leather vest below your bike jacket for extra warmth. For hot summer days, a leather jacket with air vents allows the air to move underneath the jacket and around your body. For an all year round jacket, contemplate one with a zip or snap away insulated liner.

Leather is not supposed to get soaked, as that tends to reduce the natural oils, and it is prudent to wear a rain set of clothes over your leathers in inclement weather. However if they do get damp, allow them to dry naturally away from extreme heat. If the leather seems to be losing its shine, it can be oiled to recover its look. This supplements the normal oils in the leather itself, which can be washed out through repeated contact to water. Frequent oiling of leather with mink oil or further commercially obtainable products will keep your leathers flexible and improve their lifespan dramatically.

Now that you have found the ideal biker jacket, take care of it, and it will remunerate you with years of wear. The usual lifetime of a heavy textile coat will be from 3 to 6 years at the most. A well maintained top class leather motorbike jacket will without difficulty give you 10 years and more of riding enjoyment!