Tag Archives: leather jackets

EngineHawk: Fall Collection Revealed Along with Site-Wide Black Friday Discounts

Ruroc‘s Motorcycle gear line has just announced a site-wide sale in commemoration of Black Friday – and as if the 30% discount weren’t enough, they’ve also given us three sweet items to add to the wardrobe.

A model featuring the Tactical shirt and Combat gilet (vest) from Enginehawk

Based out of the UK, EngineHawk is on a mission “to revolutionize the motorcycle apparel industry. We make gear that looks better, fits better, and performs better.” To that effect, the brand has managed to create a stylish – yet protective and functional – gear collection that suits Ruroc’s helmets to a tee.

EngineHawk’s official website states that their Black Friday sale features up to 30% off in discounts (with up to $130 off certain items) and will only be in effect for three more days, after which point everything returns to normal, and the drool-worthy leathers are hiked back to the regular price.

the Mother Trucker jacket from Enginehawk

The all-new fall collection that’s just dropped contains three items: the MOTHER TRUCKER jacket, COMBAT shirt, and TACTICAL gilet (or vest) – the latter two of which go swimmingly when you purchase as a pair. 

A model featuring the Tactical shirt and Combat gilet (vest) from Enginehawk

The website also boasts high-quality protection in all of their jackets. With material from Europe’s biggest manufacturer of PPE CE-approved armor, SASTEC, Enginehawk has managed to create a triple flex level 1 (and 2) for the back of their jackets, as well as shoulder and elbow armor to ensure safety above style, always. 

A model featuring the Mother Trucker jacket from Enginehawk

Check out the photo gallery below if you’re curious about the new 2021 fall collection, and make sure to also head over to Enginehawk’s official website to take advantage of the discounts.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Review: Blackbird Motorcycle Wear’s ‘Fly By Night’ Leather Jacket

Ah, the classics! There’s a good reason why they never go out of style. It’s all fine and well to have your Power Rangers outfits with their hi-viz this and their airbag that, but if you have a bike and helmet that suits, you’d be silly not to lean on history a little. Why, if it worked for Marlon Brando, James Dean and Elvis Presley, who are we to question it? Looking to get a little more leather in our lives, we spent a few weeks with brill cream in our hair and a Triumph between our knees while we gave the ‘Fly By Night’ Leather Jacket from Australia’s Blackbird Motorcycle Wear a good ol’ spin around the block.

And with Sydney now descending into Autumn, we weren’t a moment too soon, either. It goes without saying that reviewing a leather jacket in the height of a Sydney summer is like trying to hammer a nail with a banana; it’s the wrong tool for the job. So with a welcome layer of hide between us and the not-so-chilly Sydney Autumn, off we went. Read on to see what we thought.

blackbird moto wear fly by night jacket

What Is It, Exactly?

According to the Blackbird website, the Fly By Night is ‘a ladies leather motorcycle jacket that balances classic biker and edgy aviator style.’ Of course, the intermingling of the aviation and moto genres goes all the way back to WWII and the penchant ex-fly boys had for motorcycles and the as-close-as-you-can-get-to-flying thrills that they have always delivered. So off they went on their two-wheeled adventures, with their ex-air force gear in hand.

And the rest, as they say, is history. The cafe racers of the late ’50s in London adopted this double-breasted look and the city’s famous Lewis Leathers took the whole kit and kaboodle and set it in stone (or skin, as the case may be) with their still best-selling ‘Bronx Jacket No. 384.’

Taking this as their baseplate and adding their own little spin on things, Blackbird have tweaked the design both for modernity and to reinstate a little more ‘aviator’ style into the mix – most notably with the addition of a removable, genuine Aussie wool collar.

Who’s Blackbird Motorcycle Wear, Then?

Owned and run since 2013 by the Mother-and-Daughter team of Belinda and Matilda McPhee, the company was founded after a particularly spiritual moonlight run on a Ducati 1100 down a country road. In my head, the Beatles’ famous song ‘Blackbird’ is playing; but in reality, I guess the blast of the wind would have overwhelmed any Hollywood-like soundtracks. Damn you, real life.

I’ve been fortunate enough to meet the Blackbird team on numerous occasions and I can tell you that they are not only in the business for all the right reasons, but they also live and breathe the gear like only a family-run business can. There’s no faceless global megacorps here, just two passionate women who clearly love what they do.

blackbird moto wear fly by night jacket

What Does it Look Like?

Right out of the rather large Blackbird Moto Wear-branded shopping bag, the jacket impresses. Its weight is impressive without being unwieldy; this is clearly a substantial leather stock. Linings are 100% polyester and all zippers on the jacket are YKK brand – a good indication in my books that things are being done without corners being cut. Similarly, the detachable collar (which doesn’t come with the item and must be purchased at an additional cost if the necessity takes you) looks and feels top shelf.

And while it definitely draws from the classic aviator jacket of years gone by, the design has been simplified by Blackbird into a cleaner, less fussy look without the multitude of zips and pockets the original air force designed called for. The leather has a pleasant sheen to it before any decent patina has set in, and clearly it will be a few years until some decent aging is accomplished. And if it looks this good now, just imagine how it’ll look then?

blackbird moto wear fly by night jacket

What’s It Made Like?

The tags on the jacket indicate that it was crafted in Pakistan – aka the world’s tannery. There’s no surprises here. In this modern world of globalisation, a vast majority of the leather products you see on shelves come out of this part of the planet. Whether it’s a small boutique label like Blackbird or heavy hitters like AlpineStars, this is where modern moto gear is made. And you thought AlpineStars were an Italian brand?

Of course, the country of origin doesn’t dictate quality and I’m happy to report that this jacket ticks an army of boxes upon closer inspection. As always, the devil is in the details but nit-picky checks of the pocket linings and the compartments designed to take the CE-rated armour that comes supplied with the item is promising. And unlike some jackets I’ve reviewed in the past, all the press studs here fasten with a similar amount of pressure; there’s no ‘dud’ ones that seem to eternally pop open if you dare even look at them sideways.

And the smell? It’ll send vegans packing but if genuine leather is what you’re after, then this ‘Supersoft, natural milled cowhide’ will be the perfume for you. With a thickness of about 1.1 to 1.3mm across the entire item, it strikes a rather nice balance between toughness and useability. One issue I have come across in the past with certain types of Pakistani leather is that regular exposure to sun and the elements can cause some inconsistent fading – especially across the back and arms. Now I’m not suggesting that it will be an issue here, but it’s something to think about when considering a relatively small-batch item such as this.

blackbird moto wear fly by night jacket

What Features Does it Have?

As mentioned, it comes with a full set of CE protection armour; bright yellow shoulder, back and elbow memory foam squishies are for you to insert or not, as the mood or intended purpose of the jacket may call for. The woolen collar comes in two shades, ivory and black. The lining is a satin-finish polyester and the two external pockets are matched to two internal (and unzipped) ones.

Zips on the cuffs include some pretty substantial pulls, as do the external pockets and the big sister main zip that runs right up the front. For those unfamiliar with the design, this zip closes the jacket up entirely when put to use and the large lapels that go such a long way to providing the jacket its style are neatly folded away when needed, or when the temps drop to such a point that wind must be banned from your core.

Finally, some side buckles just above the hips allow a tighter hug should you see fit. Buckles here are aged with a tarnished finish, as below. This integrates them more comfortably into the overall look and prevents them from being too bling-y, too.

 blackbird moto wear fly by night jacket

Earnest Co. Tasker Moto Pants

Stitching is doubled up where required and the design itself means that when fully zipped, you’ll actually have two layers of hide at your front quarters should it ever come under sustained attack. The back of the jacket has a seam right up the middle that forms a sporty vee with the shoulder panel above it and the cut-off at the base of your back is extended ever-so-slightly to keep things covered up.

The final word in the features list is its clearly-intended functionality as a fashion piece alongside the fact that it can also save your bacon and keep you warm while riding. If you need any further justification as to why you should spend the money, a classic moto jacket like this will probably get used far more than you might think. You may not be riding at night with it on, but chances are you’ll definitely be using it after the sun goes down.

blackbird moto wear fly by night jacket on the road

Why Should I Buy One?

If the cafe racer boom of the past 15 years has taught us anything, it’s that some things never go out of style. If you have a bike and the helmet to match, then a classic leather jacket like this is a real no-brainer that should certainly go on your moto shopping list. The fact that you can wear it even when you’re not on the bike is just the cherry on the gasoline cake.

Yes, the design – or something like it –  is available from a plethora of brands from the boutique likes of Blackbird all the way up to the original gangsters like Lewis Leathers and Belstaff. Who you go with should you decide to pull the trigger on the purchase is entirely up to you, but I’m happy to say that this here Fly By Night jacket is well worth your consideration.

Pros:

  • Timeless styling
  • Well made
  • Wool collar is a great addition
  • Genuinely multi-purpose

Cons:

  • Zip pulls can flap about at speed

Right now, the Fly By Night jacket will set you back AUD$599.00 (that’s USD$466, £335 and €385 at the time of writing). It comes in sizes from XXS to XXL, and it ships free worldwide. Click below to find out more.

BLACKBIRD’S FLY BY NIGHT JACKET

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

The History and Evolution of the Leather Motorcycle Jacket

The Iconic Leather Jacket

The leather motorcycle jacket is an icon. It’s as much a style choice as a piece of protective motorcycle gear. The leather jacket now is offered in a wide variety of styles and this has only improved its popularity. 

This iconic garment, and extremely important piece of motorcycle gear, has changed and evolved over time. It’s made its way into popular culture and the very history of the world. The leather jacket is now one of the pieces of clothing we should all have in the closet whether your ride or not. 

Because of the importance of the leather jacket, I thought it best to take a look at the history of the leather jacket, and specifically the leather biker jacket. Let’s start at the beginning. 

Where Did Things Start?

leather jackets in The Wild One

The original company behind the leather jacket design that has become so popular is Schott NYC. This New York company started making leather jackets in 1913. 

The company made leather jackets of all kinds and in 1928, it produced its first leather motorcycle jacket. It was named the Perfecto and a version of it is still manufactured today. The jacket was a hit thanks to smartly placed pockets and a large zipper. Most other leather jackets at the time had buttons, and this zippered design was far superior. 

These jackets and versions similar were then used in the military in WWII. This helped their popularity in many different circles. They were specifically used in the air-force, but versions appeared in other branches of the military as well. 

The leather motorcycle jacket that Schott designed was successful, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that it really skyrocketed to success and birthed a whole slew of copycat designs and other spinoff designs. 

In 1953, heartthrob Marlon Brando wore one in The Wild One movie. This movie was very popular and became a legendary film for the world of motorcycling. Schott’s jacket was suddenly known by most Americans. From there, it spread around the world and became a cultural icon and a symbol of counterculture. 

Shifting into the 1960s, the classic biker jacket design that Schott pioneered was associated with carefree attitudes and rock and roll this furthered its counterculture identity. The design could be seen pretty much everywhere, and it became even more of a stylish thing to wear. 

This trend of the leather jacket as a stylish garment continued in the 1970s and on into the 1980s with the leather jacket, and specifically the biker jacket design, as a symbol of someone who was individualistic and free-spirited. 

This symbolism of the leather jacket continued into the 1990s and is still prevalent today. These days there are far more styles and variations of the classic leather jacket, but the image of a person who wears one was solidified early on and continues to thrive today. 

How Have Things Evolved?

woman in leather jacket

The leather jacket is a style choice today. It’s also one of the best ways to stay safe and comfortable while riding a motorcycle. Leather has inherent qualities that allow it to be one of the best materials for protective motorcycle gear. 

The classic design that was pioneered by Schott persists. However, other companies have taken on the design and made it their own. Also, plenty of other designs have made their way into people’s wardrobes and on their backs when riding motorcycles. 

There are now bomber-style jackets, shearling leather jackets, hooded leather jackets, casual leather jackets, and more. These come in at a wide variety of price points, but you’ll often find the truly excellent jackets come with a high price tag. In other words, you tend to get what you pay for. 

The style has evolved, but so has the construction and the materials used. There are now plenty of grades of leather that are used and the pockets, zippers, and cuts of the jackets have evolved and changed as the trends do. 

What’s most surprising about the leather jacket is that it’s actually very similar to the originals from the 1920s, and the rebellious identity that comes with leather jackets persists to this day. 

The Modern Leather Motorcycle Jacket

leather motorcycle jacket

While any well-made leather jacket can be worn on a motorcycle and provide some protection, there are numerous leather jackets specifically designed for motorcycle riders. Many of these jackets offer far more than full-grain leather as protection. 

You’ll often find motorcycle jackets feature padding and armor in the shoulders, elbows, and back. They also have vents for airflow and additional pockets designed specifically for motorcycle riders. 

There are also motorcycle jackets that aren’t leather, but they lack the sense of style that all leather jackets have. If you want to find yourself a good leather motorcycle jacket, check out the jacket reviews on our website and our sister website Web Bike World.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com