Motorcycle Leathers Questions

[fj1289]

Yes - FNG with more questions!  Spent a few hours searching - saw the question raised once, but no answer...

Are zippered vents legal (assuming they are zipped shut!)?   The leathers I am looking at have zippered vents on each arm (bicep area), two on the chest, and one on the back.

Also have read of covering excess perforations or cloth sections with glued on leather panels - does that pass tech without sewing the panels in place?  (Primarily inside of arms and up the sides of the jacket)

Thanks,
Chris

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Zippered vents zipped closed have passed tech many times on my leathers.

As for glued leather patches -- I'm pretty sure they'll be accepted, too, but let's see what others have to say on that opinion.

[fj1289]

Thanks for the replies

Good news on the zippered vents.

As far as the glues on "patches" - I meant as a way to cover either existing perforations or Kevlar stretch panels - NOT for replacing them or for actual repairs.  If the "cover up" panels come off due to  sliding on the salt, I figure that's not bad since then you've made it past the time of need to keep fluids out of them and you still have the intact base layers for abrasion and impact protection. 

I'll give Speedsport a call -- may be best to get my existing NJKs modified (to include correcting this strange shrinkage problem at the waist) than to try to find another set that will probably still need mods

[Stainless1]

I will bet your glued panels need stitched to be legal.  Any good leather shop you trust with your skin should be able to do that.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

If you go to your local cobbler (look it up if you're not old enough to know that word), make sure to request that he sew the patches on.  Last summer I took my leathers to the local guy so he would attach my 200 MPH Club patch to the jacket.  I expected that he'd sew it - but I didn't specify, so when I picked it up and paid my $10(!!!) and didn't look carefully until I got back to the house -- I found he'd used shoe glue on it.  Heck, I could have done that using cheap waffle syrup or the drain oil from the Bobcat.

[Stainless1]

I took mine to a luggage repair shop for patches and a zipper replacement.  They are equipped to do that kind of work.