The BLJ: a brief history

[Big T]

You'd have to pry my custom Langlitz jacket out of my cold, dead hands. It's only 35 years old, and I'm wondering who I can leave it to in my will. My son is too tall and skinny for it.

I also have an original First Gear leather jacket of the same vintage. It's a totally different cut than the Langlitz and has armor and an innovate pop up neck cover in the liner.

For harsher weather my Aerostich Road crafter suit does the duty.

I also have a mesh and a textile jacket

But, the Langlitz goes best with the GS.

[trent]

I've been gifted three leather jackets

A really nice kinda sporty dress jacket, not really what I'd consider a biker jacket style.

A ole bomber ole biker leather jacket style thing, which I gave to someone that really liked it....to be honest it was a nice jacket well made .

Third one is a harley jacket, it had to be the most expensive harley jacket made at the time, I never have wore it...even when I had the harley, it was what I'd say too loud...it was over the top lol

There's nothing sadder than seeing a 300lb office dweller going through a mid life crisis on a twin powered bike covered in fresh tattoos and branded clothing that'll never ride long enough to actually learn to handle, nuff said!

what do you mean sadder, those things are funny and ultra entertaining.

How many years back was all the big biker fad of orange chopper and sons of arthritis, biker build off,

I seen a lot of ordinary folks turn into outlaw bikers after a trip to the bank..LOL

Should be a thread all of it's own.

One neighbor....wow... got him a 650 Yamaha v-star strip everything off it that he could that identified yamaha put as much after market jack Daniels accessories on it, trip to tattoo shop and all the leather,
joined local club full of like-minded bikers , his wife got into the scene....left my neighbor for one of the guys in the club.

Before I moved that neighbor had sold his 650 and was living in the house alone...his wife had a kid with one of the bikers from the club that beat her up and he went to prison

And he Was kissing her behind trying to get her back....??

That's just one , there was another guy that I worked with...lol

[Rob S.]

One neighbor....wow... got him a 650 Yamaha v-star strip everything off it that he could that identified yamaha put as much after market jack Daniels accessories on it, trip to tattoo shop and all the leather,
joined local club full of like-minded bikers , his wife got into the scene....left my neighbor for one of the guys in the club.

Before I moved that neighbor had sold his 650 and was living in the house alone...his wife had a kid with one of the bikers from the club that beat her up and he went to prison

And he Was kissing her behind trying to get her back....??

Wow...another great motorcycling story!! You really do meet the nicest people on a Honda.

[1978GS750E]

Does this guy ever post about motorcycles or riding? This is the closest he's come in years. Does he even ride, or just own a motorcycle? Maybe it's a kid with posters on his wall.

There is a reason for an "ignore list", just sayin!

[argonsagas]

Triumph TRW 500 twin was the first bike I owned.
It had 348 miles on the clock when I bought it.....still looked new.

https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-british-motorcycles/classic-triumph-motorcycles/military-1948-1964-trw-500-zm0z22ndzols/

It may well have been unique as probably no other GSR member's bike ever stopped a train.

[Vmass]

I've been gifted three leather jackets

A really nice kinda sporty dress jacket, not really what I'd consider a biker jacket style.

A ole bomber ole biker leather jacket style thing, which I gave to someone that really liked it....to be honest it was a nice jacket well made .

Third one is a harley jacket, it had to be the most expensive harley jacket made at the time, I never have wore it...even when I had the harley, it was what I'd say too loud...it was over the top lol











what do you mean sadder, those things are funny and ultra entertaining.

How many years back was all the big biker fad of orange chopper and sons of arthritis, biker build off,

I seen a lot of ordinary folks turn into outlaw bikers after a trip to the bank..LOL

Should be a thread all of it's own.

One neighbor....wow... got him a 650 Yamaha v-star strip everything off it that he could that identified yamaha put as much after market jack Daniels accessories on it, trip to tattoo shop and all the leather,
joined local club full of like-minded bikers , his wife got into the scene....left my neighbor for one of the guys in the club.

Before I moved that neighbor had sold his 650 and was living in the house alone...his wife had a kid with one of the bikers from the club that beat her up and he went to prison

And he Was kissing her behind trying to get her back....??

That's just one , there was another guy that I worked with...lol

I have always referred to them as gangs, they appreciate that!

[trent]

I have always referred to them as gangs, they appreciate that!

They really would...that's why I'd call it a club...lol

Half decent guys and half wanna be outlaw gangster bikers types...lol

I think ill wait until I see some guy on a harley that seems alright and just give him this jacket ??

95y4uh.jpg

[LAB3]

They really would...that's why I'd call it a club...lol

Half decent guys and half wanna be outlaw gangster bikers types...lol

I think ill wait until I see some guy on a harley that seems alright and just give him this jacket ??

95y4uh.jpg

Donate it to a resale shop that supports a good cause.

[Vmass]

They really would...that's why I'd call it a club...lol

Half decent guys and half wanna be outlaw gangster bikers types...lol

I think ill wait until I see some guy on a harley that seems alright and just give him this jacket ??

95y4uh.jpg

Some of this old Harley gear is desireable/collectible. Do a search and maybe auction it off and then donate the money.

[argonsagas]

Sometimes things as simple and everyday as jackets almost have lives of their own, and may have stories to tell.

My mother bought me a BLJ when I was 12 and I was elated. Unfortunately, it lasted me for only a couple of years as I outgrew it.

The first leather jacket I bought for riding was a soft supple tan colour. It could not be confused with a “biker:” design. It had epaulets on each shoulder, but also had a front flap the closed with snap fasteners instead of a zipper.

On my first November with that jacket I took a hundred plus mile ride that was great in the sunshine but I dam near froze on the way back at night, when ambient temperature dropped to about ten degrees above freezing. The wind bowing into the jacket was..... less than comfortable.

I got a zipper sewn in right after that.

The jacket changed colour when I waterproofed it. Neatsfoot oil made it a mid to dark brown.
Water and wind never bothered it after that.

When I moved in with my now ex-wife we got a tiny kitten. A different year, but that was also in November and a bit chilly. She came home with me, staying inside my jacket where it was warm and out of the weather.

She learned to love being on my shoulder and, since I wore the jacket a lot she grew to like it, too as she went anywhere I went, curling herself around my neck and looking like a fur collar. I could walk to the local supermarket and she would only move when she wanted to change directions. Then, she would stand up, walk across my shoulder and stretch back out into a tight curl position, and stay there. She never once jumped off at any inopportune or dangerous moment. She did that for years, even after we moved to another town. She was not happy if I put her there and then got on the bike: she would jump off and run home. Other than that being on my shoulders was her favourite place to be for all of her life and if she saw me ut on that jacket she would be ready to go out with me. . Over the years the jacket got scratched quite a bit from her nails, but it persevered.. I had a full leather suit made for riding, but still wore the original jacket because it had been a large part of her and my life.

When she died it seemed appropriate and right to let her keep the jacket that she loved so much so I wrapped her in it and buried her that way.

[trent]

Donate it to a resale shop that supports a good cause.

Some of this old Harley gear is desireable/collectible. Do a search and maybe auction it off and then donate the money.

Excellent idea, it made me realize I have others things that I could donate as well.

[trent]

Sometimes things as simple and everyday as jackets almost have ....

Great story , jackets and cat all in one.

Come to think of it, over the years many people have shared stories of items they have buried with their pets.

[GSXR7ED]

Probably all of us own, or have owned, a Black Leather Jacket.
I know I did, and still do
What is the history of them?

This article tells it well

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/art...eather-jacket/

I have one of those vintage leather jackets...got it from member here back in 2013 (Bill) who didn't wear it anymore...he said, it's not for me--$100.

image.png

I read a paper article which talked about how the accoutrements were added...lapels, zippers...as well as the WWI aviators who wore them.

I think they're cool and vintage...just like the GS series bike.

https://www.nycleatherjackets.com/blogs/leather-jackets/the-iconic-evolution-a-brief-history-of-leather-jackets-and-their-popularity-amongst-actors-and-world-leaders?srsltid=AfmBOopTPs_7N5Esr9zbAZT-ZTv7-xferVOiCq49Egf7LvUvCtL0HwYG

[GS1150Pilot]

I still have one. It's come in handy while living here in northern New Mexico, but when I return to Arizona, at least for summers, it will have to be textile jackets again.

[Brendan W]

Harvey Williams TT practice 1952.jpg
Can of worms this is.
I have a Fieldsheer jacket in red/white from the 70s. It gets the occasional run in dry warm weather.
Being curious I see they are going for $1000 on etsy and James Hetfield ( Metallica ) had or has one like it or not like it or something else in black.
Now I have to clean the darned thing
I'd say the leather jacket goes way back to medieval or even earlier as a functional protective garment and quicker than knitting.
Take the Irvin jacket. Bloody cold in a Lancaster and the image becomes iconic. Half the cool set in the 70's were wearing them on the ground.
Similar to how Hummers became desirable after the Gulf TV coverage.
The impact of images on culture is huge. Brando and Dean being typical.
The Wild One was released in 1953? Here is a picture of Harvey Williams airborne on a practice lap in the 1952 TT. He seems to be using a cigarette as some kind of airspeed indicator.
Is he more or less cool than Brando?