SOLD! Aero Cafe Racer jacket in Front Quarter Horsehide. Size 40. Made in Scotland.

Aero's Cafe Racer offers a slimmer fit than the standard bike jacket and is based on the style of the popular swinging 60's Cafe Racer jackets popular in Britain--biker jackets that were worn tight against the body to reduce drag and so increase speed, and that lacked the front buckle of the jackets worn by American bikers.

This last was a result of the hunched-over style of riding in Britain which was different from the upright cruising posture of American bikers. British bikers rode much shorter distances than Americans, and often did so at considerable speed. (Indeed, the term "Cafe Racer" itself stems from the 1950s and 1960s habit of British bikers to frequent the newly-imported Continental-style cafes--pronounced "caffs"--and to time their competitive rides between them. A lovely contemporary account of this is given in the novel *Up The Junction*.) This necessitated a more hunched riding posture, with the waist of the cropped jacket grazing the bike's tank. If an American-style jacket was worn, the tank's paintwork would quickly become scratched as the jacket's buckle rubbed against it.... and so British bikers preferred the belt-less Cafe Racer, with its close fit to the body a result of the lack of buckle to cinch the waist in.

This authentically styled Two Pocket Cafe Racer has no side pockets, two zip closing breast pockets, bi-swing back for ease of movement--absolutely necessary given the hunched-over riding posture that this jacket was designed for--and a neat stand collar with a signature Aero single stud fastening. It also features zipped cuffs, double kidney protection panel, a main Aero zipper, and is fully lined in black 100% cotton drill. This particular jacket is cut from Aero's wonderful black Front Quarter Horsehide, and is finished with complementary nickel hardware. It also features two symmetrical interior pockets, both of which are fastened with a single stud.

Sleek, elegant, sturdy, and incredibly functional, this jacket will serve you for decades to come--Aero's FQHH is, in my view, simply the best material out there for biker jackets!

With the exception of a few minor spots in the lining, as shown, the wonderful jacket is in excellent condition.

Retail--with up to four months' waiting time--is around $1,200, plus shipping and import duties. Asking just $595, or offer, boxed, shipped, and insured in the USA. Please PM with interest and offers!

Tagged 40. Measurements:

Chest: 22
Shoulder: 19
Sleeve around curve: 26 1/2
Sleeve straight down: 25
Length (from top of collar): 24 1/2
length (from bottom of collar): 23 3/4