mtds
New Member
Normally I buy used mid-quality motorcycle jackets on *Bay. Most of the time I resell them for one reason or another; sometimes I lose money on the resale and sometimes I make money. I just enjoy comparing and contrasting the different jackets. (See my five posts titled “Inexpensive Jacket” on this forum.) I have been curious about Walter Dyer jackets for some time, but I’ve never been able to find a used one in my size 48. Recently a little extra money came into my hands and I took a deep breath and ordered a new Walter Dyer “Brando.” They had a 10%-Off sale, so that made it a tiny bit easier to part with my money, given that the jacket would depreciate by 50% as soon as I wore it.
When the jacket arrived I was impressed with its weight, at 6-1/4 pounds a pound heavier than the two Schott 118’s that have passed through my hands recently. The leather was thick, soft, and grainy, and all the pockets were leather-lined. As far as tailoring, there is a nice protective dip to the back and a wide, lightly-padded leather band on the inside of the back.
Unfortunately, one of the hand warmer pockets was installed upside-down. I called Dyer and they said to send it back for a replacement. I decided to address some fit issues while it was at the factory and asked for three changes: snugger wrists, longer sleeves, and a smaller waist. They made a new jacket to my specs and it was in my hands twenty days from the day I mailed the defective jacket. This turnaround included two trips between Massachusetts and California, so I was impressed.
Pros: Affordable. Excellent customer service. Maker is willing to customize, for a small fee. Thick, soft, flexible leather right out of the box; ready to wear. Appropriately heavy zippers. Generous overlap of leather at waist and cuffs. Leather-lined pockets. Wide, substantial belt loops. True to size, and cut for its intended use, motorcycling.
Cons: Quality control was spotty. The upside-down pocket on the first jacket. On the second, misplacement of a belt hole grommet (see the second picture.) Also, what seems like slight misplacement of collar snaps on the jacket’s front panel make the collar lie oddly. They used a heavily scarred section of leather on the inside left waist panel. The leather seems sound, but its use seems penny-wise-pound-foolish to me. No leather pulls on the pocket zippers. The small snap pocket is very narrow and deep, not too functional for the hands that go with a size 48 frame.
I realize this isn’t an exciting or exclusive jacket, but I’m still impressed with what this manufacturer produces for the money. It is a functional, heavy-duty, slightly-customized, US-made motorcycle jacket for a total of $359.50, including shipping across the country three times. Good job, Walter Dyer Leathers!
When the jacket arrived I was impressed with its weight, at 6-1/4 pounds a pound heavier than the two Schott 118’s that have passed through my hands recently. The leather was thick, soft, and grainy, and all the pockets were leather-lined. As far as tailoring, there is a nice protective dip to the back and a wide, lightly-padded leather band on the inside of the back.
Unfortunately, one of the hand warmer pockets was installed upside-down. I called Dyer and they said to send it back for a replacement. I decided to address some fit issues while it was at the factory and asked for three changes: snugger wrists, longer sleeves, and a smaller waist. They made a new jacket to my specs and it was in my hands twenty days from the day I mailed the defective jacket. This turnaround included two trips between Massachusetts and California, so I was impressed.
Pros: Affordable. Excellent customer service. Maker is willing to customize, for a small fee. Thick, soft, flexible leather right out of the box; ready to wear. Appropriately heavy zippers. Generous overlap of leather at waist and cuffs. Leather-lined pockets. Wide, substantial belt loops. True to size, and cut for its intended use, motorcycling.
Cons: Quality control was spotty. The upside-down pocket on the first jacket. On the second, misplacement of a belt hole grommet (see the second picture.) Also, what seems like slight misplacement of collar snaps on the jacket’s front panel make the collar lie oddly. They used a heavily scarred section of leather on the inside left waist panel. The leather seems sound, but its use seems penny-wise-pound-foolish to me. No leather pulls on the pocket zippers. The small snap pocket is very narrow and deep, not too functional for the hands that go with a size 48 frame.
I realize this isn’t an exciting or exclusive jacket, but I’m still impressed with what this manufacturer produces for the money. It is a functional, heavy-duty, slightly-customized, US-made motorcycle jacket for a total of $359.50, including shipping across the country three times. Good job, Walter Dyer Leathers!
