Cowhide Motorcycle Jacket - DIY

Hi all!

I just finished my first leather jacket!
My goal was to build a motorcycle jacket, I have an Arlen Ness suit, pretty well made, I've been using it for 14 years every day and it's still alive :cool: . I really love traditional Vanson jacket, but here it's quite hard to find a store, and it's not good to buy online without wear it.
I took the measurements (paper pattern) from mine, and I tried to modify the shape mixing the Vanson. I rotated the sleeves a bit more, according to my Ducati 996 riding position.

Since my jacket is in leather of furniture ( I don't know if the translation is correct, it's the leather treated waterproof, for seats and sofas) I wanted a "real" leather for the new one.
I chose an high quality cowhide, "testa di moro" dark brown, from a renowned italian tannery, I used nearly a whole beast, about 34 feet, with little waste and some useful scraps.

I took about a week to complete the project, the difficult part is to create patterns, since they are not available, the leather work was funny with the old Singer 29k1. I used polyester twisted wire.

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Tool? Sure is. Beats winding up like a strawberry when you lay one down or highside. Buddy "S", [aka rendoman] you've done a fine job, unbelievable for a first try. Patterning is a job in itself, not to mention the actual sewing. Safe bet few other Ducati owners wear leathers of their own hand. As a side note, what make and model are you riding in the avatar?

Thank you!

The little motorbile is my first attempt to build a minibike:rolleyes:
Made from square iron tube, lot of errors, I learned a lot from this project.
Basically it's a very short, not good, frame. Engine is a long arm Piaggio 2 stroke with 12" wheel and combo front disk and rear drum brake.
Due to the angle of turn, sparks in pictures show the limit, I decided to change the frame to increase the angle and turn better. I changed also the handlebar.
The bike was funny, but not so nice to drive to be honest. I dismantled the parts.

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The new mkII (still in working condition) is funny to ride! Long frame with space for legs, very good position on seat, low center of gravity perfect for high hp engine and turn.
Some specs:

- 10" wheels with PMT soft racing tyre
- Front 220mm disk with radial caliper and pump, rear 220mm disk, normal pump
- 60kg

Engine is a Piaggio "short arm" 70cc unit, 2 stroke tuned

- Full shoulder crankshaft
- TPR cylinder milled for high revs, head and single band piston
- Calculated handmade exhaust, I tried maybe 15 aftermarket type
- Carbon lamellar valve, 28mm carburettor Dell'Orto with filter.
- Variator, adjustable clutch, final gears

This little beast reached more or less 13500rpm, about 135 km/h at full speed. Very stable and funny to drive

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I build also a mini beast with the engine of my enduro bike.

250 cc TM racing engine, 10" wheels with Sava racing tyre and good brakes. I have to rebuild the engine with new rod and piston, and make a nice tubular frame.
I tried the prototype, it's nice the position on seat, too much vibration due to weight on cranckshaft. Power of the engine was terrible, but with high gear it's impressive how it can be fast

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I love it. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you very much!

That's a cool jacket you created there.
I agree with Toolmaker 51 that protective clothing such as this is a tool. In the welding trades we call them PPE (Proper protective equipment)
Back when I rode, one morning I felt the weather was just a bit too cool to wear my usual sleeveless denim jacket so I donned my old leather bomber's jacket. I was riding along on a mostly deserted country road when just as I rounded a tight turn coming off of a fairly steep down grade probably as per usual going a little too fast I spied an accident in front of me involving a tractor trailer and a pickup truck standing hard on both brakes almost to the point of wheel lock I soon realized that I was going to plow head long right into the side of the trailer which was askew right across the roadway. I quickly laid my old knucklehead on its side then slid right under the trailer the right sleeve of my jacket and my steel toe boots were my only real protection between skin and pavement once on the other side and completely stopped My jeans were shredded and I did have some rash but nothing serious enough to warrant medical my scoot was still in running order but badly scratched. After checking on the occupants of the actual accident I got back on the bike and rode to town to report the accident to the first badge I found. From then on I wore that jacket when riding no matter hot hot it was

Agreed, this is PPE. Stylish, good-looking PPE, but that's OK.

"Tool" can be variously interpreted, but the argument that PPE is a tool is pretty strong. I've moved this thread to our Homemade Tools subforum.

More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorc...tive_equipment

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Thanks rendoman! We've added your Leather Jacket to our Leathercraft category,
as well as to your builder page: rendoman's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-leather-jacket"> <img src="/uploads/205920/homemade-leather-jacket.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-leather-jacket">Leather Jacket</a> <span> by <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/builder/rendoman">rendoman</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/leather'>leather</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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<!-- BEGIN /var/www/html/homemadetools/protected/modules/zeus/views/tool/postUpdate.php -->
Thanks rendoman! We've added your Motorcycle to our Motorcycle category,
as well as to your builder page: rendoman's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-motorcycle-2"> <img src="/uploads/205925/homemade-motorcycle-2.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-motorcycle-2">Motorcycle</a> <span> by <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/builder/rendoman">rendoman</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/motorcycle'>motorcycle</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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Dude! Nice job! Looks like my Langlitz!

Thank you!!

Fantastic! Great job. I made mine out of Buffalo hide but yours is much nicer than what I ended up with. What thickness was the leather you used and what did you use for the liner?

Thank you!!
The cowhide I used is more or less 1,5 mm, polyester wire.
I didn't built a lining in this jacket. My Arlen Ness has a synthetic lining, in summer when I wear only a t-shirt I have my arms wet, and I don't like so much. With the "raw" part of cowhide in contact with skin the transpiration is better, the fit is good, it's not hard to wear.
I've never seen Buffalo hide, have you a picture? I found in local shop bull skin, maybe 8mm thick, enough for a foundry apron

For both of you cudos and Frank that story you gave us was scarrrrry two good post in one....yahoo..Cap