The Genuine Harley-Davidson® Leather Jacket VS. The “I can get a leather jacket for $150″
This is a guest post written by Tina Mason, MotorClothes™ manager at Gateway Harley-Davisdon. You can contact her directly at tmason@gatewayhd.com. Her specialties include helmet fitting, product ordering, and bandana tying. You can see her pig tails bobbing around the showroom floor most days from open to close.
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard this. And yes. You can go and purchase a leather jacket for $150 at a local swap meet or off-brand retailer. But there are plenty of questions that arise from this $150 jacket:
- Is it real leather?
- How thick is it?
- Is it made for riding?
- Does it have a warranty to back it up?
- How long will it last?
These are just a couple of questions I would ask.
Harley-Davidson® has a large variety of choices as far as leather is concerned. There are some leather jackets that are better for riding and others that are more of a fashion statement. When it comes to Harley-Davidson® Leather Riding Jackets, here are some things you need to know
- Is it real leather? Depending on the jacket it is made of pigskin or cowhide leather.
- How thick is it? Harley Davidson offers lightweight and midweight leather jackets.
- Is it made for riding? The leather riding jackets are made for riding with options that vary from jacket to jacket. These options include venting, precurved sleeves for stretch, body armor, reflective materials, removable liners, windproof and water resistant liners, interior pockets, and removable kidney belts.
- Does it have a warranty to back it up? Warranty on these Harley-Davidson® Leather Jackets is 5 years and if you decide to get the “Mac Daddy” “FXRG leather riding jacket, my personal favorite, you will get a limited lifetime warranty. Yes, I said it. Limited. Lifetime.
- How long will it last? You will get a long use out of these jackets.
Prices on these jackets range from $300-$650 so look at what you get for the money. Many people think that they are just paying for the brand name of Harley-Davidson®, but what you have to understand is that Harley-Davidson® jackets are made by Harley riders, sold by Harley riders, and worn by Harley riders. The make your ride more comfortable and protect you from the elements. I hope I gave you enough information to really compare and see that you can purchase that $150 jacket and have to replace it over and over or you can spend a little bit more and get great features and benefits from Harley-Davidson® leather jackets. Feel free to contact me with any questions. My e-mail is tmason@gatewayhd.com.
Check out these videos that talk about the detail that goes into creating the Harley-Davidson® MotorClothes™ Apparel.
SEE & BE SEEN with Harley-Davidson® LED Headlamps
How Much Riding Do You Do in 5 Years – H-D® Leather Warranty
We’ve all seen those cheap-o leather jackets at local swap meets. They seem like a great deal because they only cost a buck or two and they have all that fancy pazzazz on them. There are many features which make Harley-Davidson® leather the obvious choice for the hard rider, but the H-D® Warranty is definitely worth focusing on.
The H-D® Warranty on Leather Jackets lasts for 5 years. If nothing else, this shows Harley-Davidson’s commitment to quality, durability and the rider’s needs. This guarantees that your leather jacket will be with you on every ride you take for five years.
One of the things we hear the most when customers come in and chat about getting a new leather jacket, is that they are expensive. It takes money to make a quality product and Harley® doesn’t skimp on the details. Most of the jackets come with reflective piping to keep you visible, an action back and pre-curved sleeves to keep you comfortable in the riding position, wind flaps to keep you warm, strategically placed venting to keep you cool, body armor options to keep you protected, double-stitched seams to keep the jacket reinforced, and drum-dyed leather to keep your jacket looking good after thousands of miles in harsh conditions.
If you still think the jacket is expensive after all of that, think about it like this. A quality Harley-Davidson® leather jacket with all of the bells and whistles, suitable for most riding conditions, can be purchased for $500. If you have the jacket for the life of the five-year warranty, that jacket will cost you $100 per year. That means that the premium jacket that will protect you from the elements of the weather and the road will cost you just over $8 per month, and be guaranteed for five years. Is it worth it now?
Holiday Gift Buying Guide: Give the Best
When considering what gifts to give the riders in your life, why not consider giving the best that money can buy? When it comes to Harley-Davidson gear, the best is the Harley-Davidson FXRG High-Performance Gear. Here are some features of the H-D FXRG collection that will keep you comfortable in virtually all weather conditions.
Schoeller c_change™ waterproof/windproof system – This is the liner in the men’s and women’s textile and leather jackets and pants. It actually reacts to changing temperatures and moisture levels to make sure you stay comfortable. If it senses heat, the structure of teh c_change™ membrane opens up so excess heat can escape to the outside air. If it senses cold, the structure of the membrane closes to retain body heat and keep you warm.
Cool-Max® fixed, breathable liners – Keeps you dry and confortable. This liner actually moves perspiration away from the body to the fabric’s outer surface, where it evaporates quickly. It’s soft, lightweight and breathable.
Airguard™ Fabric – This is the fabric used for the textile FXRG Jackets. It is 20% lighter than nylon and 52% lighter than polyester. This means you still get the wind and waterproof protection that is abrasion and tear-resistant without all of the bulk. It is constructed to regulate body temperature in both warm and cold conditions.
Heat/Sun Deflecting Leather – Black leather typically is much warmer than white leather. With the leather used to make the FXRG Leather Jackets and Pants, the sun’s rays are reflected off the jacket as if it was white, even though it’s black. This helps to reduce your core body temperature when it is sunny.
Pre-curved arms and knees with an “action back” – Designed to fit you best when you are actually sitting on a motorcycle in the riding position. This means when you are standing next to your bike, the gear will feel weird and slightly uncomfortable. The gear feels best because it is designed to match your riding position.
Lightweight, removable body armor – Special little pockets inside the shoulders, elbows, spine, hips and knees hold the body armor pieces. They can each be adjusted to conform to your individual shape.
3M™ Scotchlite™ reflective piping – This feature is all about visibility. This reflective material is visible from at least 500 feet, which makes you as a motorcyclist more visible to other motorists. This is high-tech stuff in that it uses “retro-reflection” which helps the human eye perceive light even in low-light conditions. The material then reflects the light directly back towards teh light source. This material is found on all items in the FXRG Collection to make you more visible to others on the road.
5-Year Warranty – This warranty covers all of the leather and textile jackets and pants. There is a similar 1 year warranty on all the helmets and gloves.
Will you be giving your loved ones the best in riding technology, performance, and comfort this holiday season?
Rainy Day Riding Gear
Most of us try not to ride in the rain, but there are times where it is just inevitable. Getting stuck in the rain can be a horrible experience. You are wet, cold and very uncomfortable. That’s no way to ride. Prepare for the worst! Stash some rain gear on your saddle bags or bungee it to your sissy bar!
Men's Hi-Vis Rain Suit (98275-08VM)
So we’d like to answer some common questions we get about the Harley-Davidson rain gear.
There are very few sets of rain gear out there that are GUARANTEED to keep you dry in the heaviest of downpours. If you are looking for a guarantee, make sure to look for the Gortex label on the rain suit. The important thing to remember is the comfort while riding.
Make sure to get a rain suit designed for riding a motorcycle. Breathability of the fabric will allow perspiration to escape which will keep you dryer on the inside and not so cold and clammy. Rain suits designed for motorcyclists also tend to have room for riding gear underneath. Most have articulated knees and pre-curved sleeves formed for the riding position. And no one should forget the extra-durable heat-resistant shields on the pant legs to keep you from burning holes when you brush up against the pipes. These layers of fabric also act as an insulator, which keeps heat generated from your air-cooled engine away from your legs.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to look good in the rain. You already look crazy going down in the road in a torrential downpour. It’s better to get rain gear with many features that make you more visible. Hi-Visibility colors and reflective strips make you light up on the road.
When buying rain gear, there are a few things to look for as a biker; things you might not think of. Is there a hood? If so, is it helmet friendly? The latest rain gear from Harley-Davidson features hoods that are specifically designed to be worn under a helmet. You can also pack it up into the collar of the jacket or take it off entirely. These options keep the rain from trickling down your back. Are the seams of the suit sealed? Is the water going to end up seeping in through the seams? Is there a storm flap? You know, that goofy strip of fabric that covers the front zipper with Velcro? Otherwise, you’ll just have rain pouring down your front. Is it packable? Can YOU roll it up in to the tiny little pouch it came with and stuff it in your saddle bags?
Stop by the shop and ask our MotorClothes associates for help with your rain gear.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to keep dry when caught in the rain?
New Tail Lights at Gateway Harley!
Check out Tiffany, our MotorClothes(R) Associate in her new Harley-Davidson half-helmet. This helmet has a unique feature where 2 AAA batteries inserted in the back will give you a LED tail lights on the back of the helmet. Request more information about this helmet online or stop by the shop to check it out. We expect this one to go quickly!
