the 3/4 length leather rider's jacket is baaaaaack

[dlew]

I've got a HG Dakar that i bought NOS off ebay and it's a great jacket except that it doesn't have armor. I usually wear Bohn back armor with it but that leaves a lot to be desired.

I hope someone pulls the trigger on the jacket so we can get some more info.

I do like the stuff at Johnson Leather but that particular jacket looks a little on the short side to me. What's nice about the Dakar jacket is that the zipper doesn't go all the way to the bottom so that when you're riding the bottom part just sort of flaps up without restricting you.

[GoGo Gadget]

Originally Posted by xroad

After more than a year, no one have any information on the Miline Melbourne Jacket? I just notice this jacket recently but I cannot find any info on it other than the short description from the mail order house.

It has almost everything I am looking for.....

+ All leather construction, not "hybrid" of fabric and leather. All my fabric jacket gets worned and turned to shreads after a few years.

+ Have shoulder, elbow, and back armor.

+ high collar, with zipper that goes up all the way up.

+ 3/4 keeps the elements out of my lower back.

+ Minimum number of leather pieces/panels instead of a million pieces of scraps sew together and marketed as fashion. When it comes to failures, it is the stitchings, not the leather. That leads to the question ...... what is the quality of the stitching?

+ Price is right, $250. If it is not the highest fit and finish in construction, it is acceptable to me if the quality of stitching is good and strong. Blemish on the leather is fine, it is going to be a "work" jacket. It is going to take a beating exposed to the elements, a fine polished flawless surface will not make much difference.

+ It is a jacket I can walk around without little kids point at me yelling "power ranger" to their Mom. I am too old to be so loud in fashion. I am "old school".

Well come on, buy it. I just saw an ad for and google search brought me to this thread. Let me know what you think.

[hondahawkrider]

Originally Posted by GoGo Gadget

Well come on, buy it. I just saw an ad for and google search brought me to this thread. Let me know what you think.

soon as my vanson leathers sell.. challenger jacket and traverller pants - and another star jacket sell.. I am going to pull the trigger on one of these... I can't find ANY of the others available.

[nashopolis]

if someone wants to send me $250 ducats
I would be willing to purchase the jacket, wear it, and report back in with a thorough review!


send me more and I will write a very sad country song about the whole affair

[westnash]

Spanish leather is usually lightweight, if it is even made in Spain, which it may not be. Check it out closely before paying big $$$$

Originally Posted by mutineer

this may be the one that keeps those so inclined from searching ebay for FirstGear Barons, HG Dakars, a leatherKilimanjaro, etc


never heard of the brand so we'll see

but here it is in both colors

black and vintage (?)




Miline Melbourne Leather Jackets

• Miline Melbourne Leather Jacket

• Hand crafted in Spain
• Full grain leather
• Double stitched seams
• Full length zip-out thermo liner
• CE rated armor in arms, shoulders, back
• Adjustable waist belts to ensure percise fit
• Button volume adjusters on sleeves
• 4 Outside pockets and 2 Inside pockets
• Classic style & outstanding durability


I am digging it in a retro sort of mad max no one else will have it world traveler sort of kinda of way

269 available here

anyone pull the trigger on one yet?

[GoGo Gadget]

Originally Posted by westnash

Spanish leather is usually lightweight, if it is even made in Spain, which it may not be. Check it out closely before paying big $$$$

Is 1.5-1.7mm leather considered lightweight?

[hondahawkrider]

Originally Posted by GoGo Gadget

Is 1.5-1.7mm leather considered lightweight?

The johnson leathers is 3.5mm .. I am going to pass on the Miline and look for a dakar ... If I can find one....

[BMW-K]

FYI, the official Vanson offering in this jacket is the Teton.



The upper chest pockets zip up to form a mesh vent...

[xroad]

Originally Posted by hondahawkrider

The johnson leathers is 3.5mm .. I am going to pass on the Miline and look for a dakar ... If I can find one....

3.5mm ! I think you meant 3.5oz weight leather. 3.5mm leather, no matter how soft, will weight a ton. The Foxcreek Leather with 1.6mm thick was HEAVY. The Miline is thick, nice, but don't know anything about the quality of the stitching. Lots of racing suits are only 1.2mm thick but they are triple stitching. The stitching is where it'll fail. The leather will hold up.

I called Competition. They will not give a refund, only store credit. Otherwise, I would order it and check it out and return if it does not meet quality standard.

[xroad]

According to Foxcreek Leather website, their jacket uses 1.4-1.6mm thick leather, with weights in at 3.5-4.0 oz ..........per ......... square inch?

[jashui]

i made the plunge based on the specs and the comments from this site. after i got, i felt really nice and the leather was thick. it the stitching appeared to be solid double stitch on every part of the jacket. i live in san francisco and visited johnson's leather's similar jacket. JL jacket is very well make with thick leather also. if i can afford JL's price tag i would probably just buy it there. But comparing the two jackets, the price of miline's is a very good deal. it has similar quality to JL without the high price. i wear a size 40 suit and ordered the size 44 in miline's sizing chart. it fits perfect with enough room to move. if i had ordered the 42 i think i would have a tougher time in moving my arms forward to hold the handlebars.

bottom line, i would recommend this jacket based on the way it feels and looks as well as the specs. unless i fall at high speed with this jacket, i cannot vouch for the durablity in a slide.

[stoney4vida]

Originally Posted by the borg

But 2.5 times the price.

ya get what ya pay for comes to mind .

[JDLuke]

I have a jacket in that style. It was sold under the BMW brand, but made by Dainese. Very classy, if a little large for me these days.

[xroad]

Originally Posted by jashui

..... i wear a size 40 suit and ordered the size 44 in miline's sizing chart. it fits perfect with enough room to move. if i had ordered the 42 i think i would have a tougher time in moving my arms forward to hold the handlebars......
.

Thanks for the information.

Size charts from various jacket brands are all over the place. One chart, I needed a size 40, in another chart, I needed a size 48 ! I think I need a 40 Long.

You can help me a lot if you can answer a few question for me .....

Can you do a measurement of your waist & chest (wrap the tape measure just under the arm pits, RELAX the chest) ?
Also, what is your weight ?
Are you slim, had a few beer too many, or body builder torso ?

Post some close up photos of the stitchings? I have been trying to do some research on stitchings and some looks like double stitching but actually single. The second row was not a load bearing stitch ! Hummm .....

[xroad]

jashui,

I find lots of jacket made today are "hybrids". Parts are made of cordora and leather panels are stitched onto the "frame". How is the details of this jacket? All leather construction?

One more question .... What is the circumfrence of the sleeve cuff opening, measured from the inside (measured from the outside can be 1/2 to 3/4 more) ?