Comparative test of leather jackets

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Comparative test of leather jackets
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Comparative test of leather jackets

Comparative test of leather jackets
True to style

With a classic leather jacket, riders of cruisers, naked bikes or cafe racers are always appropriately dressed. MOTORRAD has tested 13 examples of the priced upper class.

Uli Holzwarth

05/27/2004

Despite the advantages of the multifunctional motorcycle textile jackets, leather jackets are still very popular. Are currently in demand
all skin in a trendy retro look. Is it just a matter of fashionable bells and whistles for the short trip?
into the city, or are the chic leather skins even an alternative to the textile all-rounders when it comes to touring?
What is decisive is ?? in everyday life like in the MOTORCYCLE test? a successful fit, which in turn has a significant impact on comfort. In a comparison of 13 leather jackets in the price range between 290 and 530 euros, only the examples from Bering, Dainese, Ixs, M-Tech and Spool the expectations. The jackets from Axo, Spidi and
Triumph lost important points in terms of comfort because their cut was not for
the typical driver’s sitting posture on the motorcycle is good. Also unsuitable for a motorcycle jacket are the little abrasion and tear-resistant plastic zippers of some participants, ventilation openings with forced cooling (spool) or a wide
cut waistband without adjustment options as with BMW (details on the following pages).
Ultimately, the leather jackets from Bering, Ixs and made the best impression Halvarssons ?? they are not only chic, but also functional.

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Test: Arlen Ness

Provider: Krawehl,
Telephone 040/78919450, www.krawehl.de
Price: 289.95 euros
Colors: black / white / red,
Black / white / orange
Sizes: 36 to 44 (women),
50 to 60 (men)
Plus: good workmanship;
Except for the sleeves that are cut too long, they fit properly in the driver’s sitting position
body-hugging cut and correctly placed protectors; good wearing comfort; easily accessible inside pockets; practical width adjustment at the waistband; high-reaching collar at the nape of the neck; realistic size specification
Minus: very stiff cuffs of the somewhat too long sleeves press on the back of the hand; due to the extensive perforation
on sleeves, chest and
Back not suitable for cool temperatures;
Plastic front zip
Conclusion: eye-catching jacket
With good workmanship and features, the sleeves are a bit too long

Test: Axo

Provider: Axo Germany,
Telephone 07145/93620,
www.axosport.com
Price: 369 euros
Color: Black
Sizes: S to XXXL
Plus: very good workmanship; removable thermal lining with windproof knitted cuffs on the sleeves; very well placed inside pockets; practical width adjustment at the waistband; far higher reaching and
tight-fitting stand-up collar; realistic size specification
Minus: moderate fit
in driver’s seated position; limited comfort; Sleeves and back are pulled up; Bulging in the chest area while tightening under the armpits as well as the shoulders;
Plastic front zip
Conclusion: well-made jacket with good features, but moderate fit and limited comfort on the motorcycle

Test: Bering

Provider: Bering,
Telephone 069/285494, www.bering.fr
Price: 379 euros
Colors: blue / white / silver,
Black / white / silver
Sizes: 38 to 58
Plus: very good workmanship; pretty tough
effective, supple leather; Fit and comfort in driver’s sitting position without blame; ideally attached protectors, do not slip and can hardly be felt; removable thermal lining; easily accessible inside pockets; practical width adjustment at the waistband; high-reaching collar at the nape of the neck; extended back section; realistic size specification
Minus: front zip made of plastic; slight drafts on the front zip, as only
backed with fabric
Conclusion: very well made jacket with all-round convincing properties,
only the front zipper made of plastic is displeasing

Test: BMW

Provider: BMW, phone 089/3820, www.bmw-motorrad.de
Price: 529 euros (sizes 58, 60: 582 euros)
Color: Black
Sizes: 36 to 46 (women),
46 to 60 (men)
Plus: excellent workmanship; very supple leather; high wearing comfort due to the wide cut; good equipment; CE back protector; Special tanning process (TFL Cool System) ensures high reflection of sunlight and reduces the build-up-
heating the leather; easily accessible inside pockets; Ventilation openings on upper arms
Minus: weak front zip made of plastic; very wide cut
the sleeve leads to fluttering, and the protectors can slip very easily in the event of a fall; very wide waistband without adjustment
Conclusion: excellent ver-
Worked jacket with high wearing comfort and good features, but its fit because of the very wide cut
completely convinced

Test: Dainese

Provider: Dainese,
Telephone 089/35827270; www.dainese.com
Price: 439.90 euros
Colors: blue / cream, cream / red, red / cream, black / cream
Sizes: 40 to 52 (women),
44 to 60 (men)
Plus: very good workmanship; supple leather; great fit and comfort in driver’s sitting position; well placed
and because of the tight cut on the sleeves securely fixed protectors; easily accessible inside pocket;
tightly fitting, sufficiently high collar
Minus: weaker
Plastic front zipper; unfit
Waist adjustment via push buttons; something falls for size indication
just off
Conclusion: comparatively
simply equipped jacket with very good workmanship, great fit and good wearing comfort, but
small detail weaknesses

Test: Ducati

Providers: Ducati Germany,
Telephone 02236/39120, www.ducati.de
Price: from 476 euros
Colors: black / anthracite / gold;
Black / Cream / Gold (495 euros)
Sizes: 48 to 58
Plus: very eye-catching, authentic appearance; great workmanship; soft leather; good fit and good wearing comfort
in driver’s seated position;
well placed protectors; practical width adjustment at the waistband; tight collar
Minus: thin leather; weak front zipper made of plastic; Elbow protectors can slip because of the somewhat wide-cut sleeves;
inappropriately placed inside pocket
Conclusion: very well made jacket with a convincing design and pleasant wearing properties, but
comparatively thin leather

Test: Halvarssons

Provider: Jofama,
Telephone 0561/470835, www.jofama.se
Price: 369 euros
Color: Black
Sizes: 38 to 44 (women),
48 to 60 (men)
Plus: excellent workmanship; very supple leather; Extremely comfortable cut with a very good fit in the driver’s sitting position thanks to expansion pleats
on shoulders; correctly positioned, barely noticeable protectors; very comfortable to wear; temperature-compensating Outlast lining; Functional membrane; easily accessible inside pockets; very soft and tightly closable collar; robust metal zippers
Minus: somewhat short cut; wide waistband with insufficient adjustment options;
Jacket turns out very large
Conclusion: a perfectly fitting and very comfortable jacket with excellent workmanship and above-average features

Test: IXS

Provider: Hostettler,
Telephone 07631/18040, www.ixs.com
Price: 329 euros
Colors: black / beige,
Black / orange,
Black-and-white
Sizes: S to 3XL
Plus: excellent workmanship; supple leather; comfortable cut with a very good fit in the driver’s sitting position
articulated sleeves; correctly positioned, barely noticeable protectors; very comfortable to wear;
extended back section; easily accessible inside pockets; high stand-up collar; practical width adjustment at the waistband; very robust metal zippers;
realistic size specification
Minus: average equipment
Conclusion: very well made, absolutely touring jacket with a very good fit and pleasant wearing comfort

Test: M-Tech

Provider: Moto-Bike-Mode,
Telephone 09721/3880884; www.m-tech.it
Price: 329 euros
Colors: black / blue / white,
Black / yellow / white, black / gray / silver, black / white / red
Sizes: 38 to 50 (women),
44 to 60 (men)
Plus: very good workmanship; Body-hugging cut with a great fit and good wearing comfort
in driver’s seated position; perfectly positioned and well-fitting protectors; removable thermal lining with knitted cuffs; close-fitting collar; realistic size specification
Minus: weak front zip made of plastic; Drafts on the front zipper because of this
is only backed with fabric; Inner pocket unfavorable
attached near the armpits
Conclusion: very well made jacket suitable for touring with a practical cut and pleasant wearing comfort, but small flaws in the details (front zip)

Test: Richa

Provider: Grand Canyon,
Telephone 05931/886163,
www.grandcanyonbike.de
Price: 349 euros
Color: black / beige / bordeaux
Sizes: 36 to 46 (women),
48 to 64 (men)
Plus: very good workmanship; pleasant
soft leather; Comfortable cut with a neat fit in the driver’s sitting position by stretching-
wrinkles on shoulders; properly positioned protectors;
CE back protector; good wearing comfort; removable thermal vest; easily accessible inside pockets; close-fitting collar;
realistic size specification
Minus: front zip made of plastic; Drafts on the front zip as this only
is backed with fabric;
unsuitable width adjustment on the waistband
Conclusion: beautifully made
and well-made jacket with good features and a neat fit,
but slight lack of detail (front zip)

Test: Spidi

Provider: currently only direct sales,
German dealer list on the Internet at www.spidi.it
Price: 424 euros
Colors: black / blue / white, black / gray / white,
Black / red / white
Sizes: 46 to 60
Plus: good workmanship; very supple leather; properly positioned protectors; easily accessible inside pockets; close-fitting collar
Minus: unfortunate fit, sleeves are pulled in the driver’s seated position
and back upwards, while it pinches shoulders and armpits and there is a pronounced bulge in the chest area
forms; limited comfort; unsuitable width adjustment
on the waistband via snaps;
Unrealistic size specifications, jacket turns out to be small
Conclusion: well-made, simply equipped jacket whose fit and comfort on the motorcycle are not convincing

Test: spool

Provider: Chatterbox Europe,
Telephone 00800/12377665,
www.spool-bikewears.com
Price: 299.90 euros
Colors: black, black / beige, black / blue, black / yellow, black / orange, black / red, black / silver
Sizes: 48 to 60
Plus: impeccable workmanship; body-hugging cut with a good fit in the driver’s sitting position;
correctly positioned, barely noticeable protectors;
good wearing comfort;
removable thermal vest; easily accessible inside pockets; soft and close-fitting collar; practical waist adjustment; numerous
Ventilation-
openings
Minus: unpleasant
Drafts in cool temperatures, especially on the upper arms, because the zips of the ventilation openings are not covered or backed up; Jacket turns out to be small
Conclusion: well-fitting,
Comfortable to wear and properly equipped jacket, but because of
the permanent draft
primarily suitable for warmer temperatures

Test: triumph

Provider: Triumph,
Telephone 06175/93360,
www.triumphmotorcycles.com
Price: 359 euros
Colors: metallic blue / mother-of-pearl / red,
Gray metallic / mother-of-pearl / red
Sizes: XS to 2L (women),
48 to 66 (men)
Plus: good workmanship; eye-catching design; properly positioned protectors; easily accessible inside pocket; practical width adjustment at the waistband; realistic size specification
Minus: moderate fit, in the driver’s seated position it pulls the sleeves and back area upwards, while it pinches the shoulders and armpits and a pronounced bulge forms in the chest area; significantly reduced wearing comfort; very tight collar; stiff leather
Conclusion: well-made, strikingly designed jacket, but its fit and comfort in the driver’s sitting position on the motorcycle are disappointing

Test criteria

In the test, the leather jackets were driven on a Kawasaki Z 1000. Under the jackets, the driver wore an additional and generally highly recommended back protector that covered the entire back.
Distribution of points
In total, each jacket scored 100 points in the five test criteria
to achieve. The results of the individual test points flowed into the final result to varying degrees:
Equipment (maximum 20 points)
The evaluation of the equipment revealed greater differences, the scale ranged from ten to 19 points.
Fit (maximum 30 points)
Decisive test criterion with clear differences between the participants (13 to 28 points).
Suitability for tours (maximum 20 points)
Here, for example, the candidates were able to take a draft free
Backed front zipper, extended back, sturdy metal zippers, close-fitting collar, easily accessible inside pockets or draft-free cuffs score points (ten to
19 points).
Wearing comfort (maximum 20 points)
Assessment is closely related to the fit, the test subjects scored between 13 and 18 points.
Processing (maximum 10 points)
The seams and the fixation of the protectors were assessed
and the suppleness of the leather. The candidates were lying
between eight and ten points.
-verdict
Very good = 80 to 100, good = 70 to 79, satisfactory = 60 to 69, off-
sufficient = 50 to 59, insufficient = 40 to 49, insufficient = less than 39.

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