Since the dawn of the era of motorcycling, it was evident that something was needed to protect the bare human body from the elements. The likely solution was leather. The leather motorbike jacket, a style made all the rage by such movie greats as James Dean and “the Fonz”, not merely serves as a trend statement, but is an important piece of equipment to any serious biker for keeping inviting, dry, and in one piece. motorcycle club  A good “riding grade” leather jacket in combination with motorcycle chaps or leather slacks, will operate as a second skin in between you and the road, and can quite factually “save your hide”. With all this in mind, let’s look at the things to think about when purchasing motorcycle leathers. motorcycle club forum

The most common material for motorcycle leather is cowhide, chosen for its strength and durability. Buffalo hide, a different high quality leather, is made not from the U.S. buffalo, but the water buffalo most generally found in India and Pakistan. Lots of leather products come from this part of the world, and the Pakistanis are world renown for their expertise in the manufacturing of leather clothes. Whichever type of hide you choose, you must comprehend the tanning process, and how it adds or degrades 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 decaying. Tanning makes the skin stable and rot proof without sacrificing its structure and strength. The tanning process involves more than a few stages, including the elimination of the hair and the outer layer of skin, as well as the fatty part 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 in point of fact finished determines the excellence, or riding grade, for our principles.

Kinds of Leather

To fully comprehend the types of leather offered, one must first know the term “grain”. The grain is simply the epidermis, or surface layer of the animal’s skin. While flaws such as cuts, scars, and scratches will be present, the grain in its genuine state has the best fiber intensity, and therefore the best strength. The grain also has natural breathability, resulting in superior comfort to the wearer.

Completed Split Leather

The central point or lower segment of a hide that has been split into two or more thicknesses. A polymer covering is applied and imprinted to mimic grain leather. Completed splits should only be used in low stress applications because they fundamentally have no grain. If the plastic coating is left out it is usually used to make suede. Not usually thought of to be riding grade, but can look decent nevertheless.

Top Grain Leather

Top grain leather has been sanded to get rid of scars and blemishs, then sprayed or pasted for a uniform look. The smooth side is where the hair and the natural grain used to be. Top grain is not the same class as full grain or naked leather, but thicknesses of 1.2-3mm make this kind of leather a very strong and resilient riding grade leather.

Full-Grain and Naked Leather

Full-Grain leather is made from the premium hides, and has not been sanded to remove imperfections. Only the hair has been detached. In the case of Naked Leather, where not anything other than the dye is added; this very soft material needs no breaking in phase. Hides are on average 2mm thick, and have got to be hand chosen for uniformity. The natural full-grain naked leather will wear better than other leather, and will actually improve over the years. This type of leather is the extreme riding grade; the most sought after, and accordingly, the most high-priced.

Now that we realize what type of leather we want, we must understand the fact that leather is hot, and appreciate the options that we have for the climate we live in. For winter biking, a leather jacket with side laces and a belt would allow you to tweak the jacket to fit comfortably against the upper body. Of course, being able to completely zip up only adds to your safeguard from the wind. You can also wear a leather vest underneath your motorcycle jacket for extra warmness. For hot summer days, a leather jacket with air vents allows the air to move underneath the jacket and around your skin. For an all year round jacket, contemplate one with a zip or snap out insulated inside layer.

Leather is not supposed to get soaked, as that tends to drain the natural oils, and it is advisable to wear a rain outfit over your leathers in inclement conditions. Nonetheless if they do get soaked, allow them to dry in a relaxed manner away from extreme warmth. If the leather seems to be losing its luster, it can be oiled to improve its look. This supplements the normal oils in the leather itself, which can be washed out through repeated exposure to water. Frequent oiling of leather with mink oil or added commercially obtainable products will keep your leathers supple and improve their lifespan noticeably.

Now that you have found the perfect biker jacket, take care of it, and it will reward 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 motorcycle jacket will without difficulty give you 10 years and more of riding satisfaction!