Biker Jacket

Why do bikers wear leather jackets?  It is the fashion for bikers to wear leather and black leather does look cool. Anytime you see motorcyclists in groups, you'll see that most of them are wearing black leather jackets along with black leather gloves, boots, and pants.

The original reason for bikers wearing black leather is that leather offered the best protective covering for the motorcycle rider.  Leather usually comes in black, and when you are riding at seventy miles per hour at a few inches above the pavement, you want some protection covering your skin should you happen to be involved in an accident.

Protection is a key consideration when riding a motorcycle, both for the possible accident and for regular road debris that may hit a biker when he or she is riding.  Leather does offer some protection and if you come off your bike it will protect your skin from road burn as you slide across the tarmac.  In a similar way leather has always been worn by cowboys for protection against bumps and bruises from horseback riding and other endeavors.  Leather is a material man has long relied upon to protect us from rough work.

Bikers have long known that leather jackets were well suited to their lifestyle but it is also true that bikers enjoy a macho look that is a part of their riding.  Black leather conveys a sense of the dangerous,  its tough manly living.  Black leather coats do portray a certain image that bikers like.

Modern materials other than leather are becoming more common now as synthetic jackets and pants, but the traditional leather coat is still the most popular among bikers, probably because of the rich, cultural roots associated with the genuine leather jacket.

Modern riding gear has built-in armor in the elbows, shoulders, and back.  It weighs less and is coooler in hot weather whilst managing to be warmer in winter.  There are more color choices now but black is still the most common color.  One problem with the constant wearing of black leather or even black synthetic coats is that they make a rider hard to see at night.  The synthetic coats are gaining in popularity, but will be unlikely to surpass the popularity of the traditional leather coat.

Leather jackets will always rule the biker scene and prominent brands such as Harley Davidson produce custom lines of leather coats as well.  This outerwear is great for protective purposes, but also displays loyalty to the Harley brand.  Harley knows that serious bikers and those who love Harley hogs will always want to wear leather coats.  Leather coats are synonymous with being a biker.