Leather Riding Gear

**Jackrat** · 2nd January 2005, 22:13

I have two leather jackets and one pair of leather pants.I wash them about twice a year with saddle soap and water proof them with Nik Wax.
They hold the water out well but if it looks like it's going to really hose down I wear a Line7 one piece sailing suit over the leathers.
I had a sheep skin flying jacket years ago and came off on an oil slick one day while wearing it.I was doing around 70-80 Kms and the flying jacket acted like a big brake pad.I only slid about 10metes max.No damage to me up it customised the jacket a fair bit.
It wasn't water proof but it was REAL warm.
The same jackets today can be had from england but cost around $800NZ.

**Bonez** · 3rd January 2005, 06:19

Originally Posted by Jackrat

The same jackets today can be had from england but cost around $800NZ.

Or one can cruise around Hawkes Bay, pick up skins off the roadside and staple them together

.

**Kickaha** · 3rd January 2005, 09:34

You could have gone to Plains Leather in Chch,they make the Naturalwear brand and have a maunfacturing/shop in Sydenham and will alter to suit

I used their Leathers for about 18 years and still have the same jacket and pants,if treated with the right product it is waterproof,although I've normally used a oversuit as it keeps you warmer

I've thought about the cordura suits and would like to try one,but I don't see much advantage in them.

**soundbeltfarm** · 3rd January 2005, 19:12

crikey is technic stitching crap?
i got their gloves so hope they dont fall apart when i spill.
what is a good brand of leather wear to buy of the racks.

**James Deuce** · 3rd January 2005, 19:18

I was wearing my Teknic Thunder's (they're gloves) when I had my accident and they are unmarked. I'll repeat that. Unmarked.

Everyone's experience is different due to the different circumstances of their accident. The Dri Rider mesh gloves in my tank bag got melted somehow. Weird.

**Blakamin** · 3rd January 2005, 20:08

after seeing Frosty's boots and leathers and bike and accident site today, my next purchase is leathers and decent boots..... he'd have no ankles or skin on various torso bits if he wasn't wearing full race gear!

[edit]"its a motorcycle... a bike is something you pedal" NCIS final episode 2004 with a 999

**vifferman** · 3rd January 2005, 20:18

Originally Posted by soundbeltfarm

crikey is technic stitching crap?
i got their gloves so hope they dont fall apart when i spill.
what is a good brand of leather wear to buy of the racks.

I think their gloves are OK, but I was told that some of the suits (the cheaper ones?) are not very well made.

Originally Posted by RAcey Rider

I've found my one peice leathers to be a bit restrictive in the legs when trying to move around on my bike, (ie. get the knee down).
Is there a easy way to stretch them at all? I was thinking of wearing them soaking wet. Would that work? Would they shrink again onced dried? Anyone know?

They will stretch more if wet, but could shrink back to where they were unless you dry them on your body.
Don't they have stretch panels above the knees and lower back?
You could have them altered - I had both my jacket and pants altered by Kerrie at MSW. Had some Knox CE armour put in the pants, which meant I had to get the lower legs let out a bit to give enuff room for the armour. Also had some leather panels sewn on the jacket.

**DEATH_INC.** · 3rd January 2005, 20:21

Originally Posted by vifferman

This inludes "top" brands like Teknic, which look kewl, but don't stand up to slides.

My Technics suit has been thoroughly crash tested on a few occasions and is still going strong,admittedly with a few broken bits but not bad considering I've had it since bofore motomail moved from mt eden....

**Kickaha** · 3rd January 2005, 21:27

Originally Posted by 750Y

yeah, i won't touch technics gear, it's a shame really because it's usually just the stitching that causes their gear to fail...

I saw this first hand when Pig fell off the sidecar at Teretonga,after he got back to the pits and we checked his leathers every seam that'd slid across the deck had the stitching abraded away and the leathers were coming apart

**toads** · 4th January 2005, 07:52

Originally Posted by Blakamin

after seeing Frosty's boots and leathers and bike and accident site today, my next purchase is leathers and decent boots..... he'd have no ankles or skin on various torso bits if he wasn't wearing full race gear!

[edit]"its a motorcycle... a bike is something you pedal" NCIS final episode 2004 with a 999

this is why I'm keen to get some leather gear when I find some that A) fits me
B) is affordable
my main problem is I'm very short and at this point heavier than I want to be, as my weight tends to fluctuate quite a bit leather is far more unforgiving than synthetic. I'll probably have to opt for getting some made when I win lotto!

**2_SL0** · 4th January 2005, 16:59

I have a question which is more important, a jacket or pants. I.E if I was going to buy one then the other which should be the first. When peeps have binned have they tended to slid on ass or back?

Oh Im talking leather if you didnt realise. I have everything else but all is in synthetic.

**Blakamin** · 4th January 2005, 17:31

Originally Posted by Judderbar

I have a question which is more important, a jacket or pants. I.E if I was going to buy one then the other which should be the first. When peeps have binned have they tended to slid on ass or back?

Oh Im talking leather if you didnt realise. I have everything else but all is in synthetic.

good question..... I'd go to pants first coz then I could get the knee down

and the fact the pants I've got arent the best....