Passes & Canyons Blog

What do you call it when you get something that you feel would be a good value at twice the price you actually pay for it? I’d call that a heck of a deal.

That’s what I would call this VikingCycle Warrior leather motorcycle jacket I’ve been wearing lately. Checking out the website, this thing is for sale–that’s for sale, not on sale–for just $74.99. I don’t know how they do it.

Knowing that this was a low-priced jacket I was prepared for it to be something less than wonderful. When I pulled it out of the packing box I was immediately surprised with how soft and supple the leather is. “Made of Premium Top Grade Leather” the website says. “Very nice,” I say.

As for features, let’s start at the top and work down. There is no outer collar, as you can see from the photo. It zips all the up and then snaps at the neck. That’s a plus for me in that when I wear my favorite helmet these days it has a tendency to snag the strap on the collar of my old leather jacket as I’m turning my head to see what’s behind me. That doesn’t happen with this jacket.

Up in the chest area in front there are two zip-up vents that can be opened to permit air flow when it’s hot. Corresponding vents are positioned down low in back.

The shoulders have reinforcing, as do the elbows, though neither has armor in them. As you would expect, there are zip-up pockets on both sides in front. All the zippers have good-sized leather tabs that help you get an easy hold of them.

There’s no belt but there are leather thongs to snug down and tighten up the waist in back. And like any good motorcycle jacket, there is a bit of a tail in back that comes down lower than in front, and this one has padding built into it.

On the inside, you’ve got a quilted, zip-out liner. The liner is sleeveless–a vest–and besides the zipper has only one button on either side to hold it in place. Having sleeves would obviously make it warmer but not having sleeves makes it a lot less hassle to get it in or out. Under the liner there is mesh, which is also what you find on the inside of the four vents.

There are inside pockets with snaps on both sides. So four pockets altogether. You can never have too many pockets.

So those are the particulars; what can I tell you about it based on my experience?

First off, I would have to agree with a comment on the website where the guy said, “Don’t size up! It’ll fit true to size.” I’m kind of on the cusp between the small and medium and I figured that if I went with the small there might not be room inside to layer up for winter riding. The trade-off that came with going with the medium is that the sleeves are little longer than I would like, with the elbow pads almost not covering my elbows. I’m thinking it might make sense to think of this as a three-season jacket and just not wear it in the winter. That way I could easily go with a small and it would probably be a bit of a better fit. Not that the medium is a terrible fit, but that’s one weakness of ordering stuff online–you can’t try it on before buying. And then returning and exchanging is enough of a hassle that if it fits well enough you’re disinclined to try for the perfect fit, never knowing whether the next size smaller might be too small. Bottom line is, as the guy said, don’t size up.

Riding with the jacket I found it comfortable and warm. I went out on days when I figured I would need my electric vest but with the liner in the jacket I ended up never needing the electrics. Not that I wouldn’t need the electrics on even colder days, but the jacket did a better job on its own than I expected. It was snug around my neck and waist (which is to say, it did not permit any breeze) and my gloves kept any breeze from coming up the sleeves. And because I did get the medium, there was ample room inside for numerous winter layers.

Don’t know what else there is to say. I really like this jacket; I can’t believe the price. Obviously I can’t say anything at this point about durability. If I ever go down while I’m wearing I’ll definitely tell you how it holds up and how it does protecting me. But that’s a story I hope never to tell. Right now I give it a big thumbs-up.

Here’s a video that will give you a look at the jacket.

Biker Quote for Today

Lead me not into temptation ………… just follow me, I know a short-cut.