| By :
Cedric Welsch
Motorcycles have been around a lot longer than most people think. Howard Roper invented the first one in 1867. It was powered by an innovative two-cylinder steam engine fueled by coal but it was too slow, clumsy and expensive to really catch on. The motorcycle era really began in America in 1903 when the first Harley Davidson was sold in Chicago to facilitate the rapid delivery of merchandise. This motorcycle was fast, reliable and economical enough that it caught on. It also led to the search for a motorcycle jacket capable of protecting the rider from wind, rain and spills. Unfortunately, the teknic sportbike motorcycle jacket was not yet available. Intrepid riders wore whatever they had. As roads improved and speeds increased, specialized motorcycle jackets began to appear. They were generally crafted from leather which had worked well for aviators in World War I. A close-fitting leather jacket provided good protection against wind and even fire in case the aircraft burst into flame. Although they are not really waterproof, leather jackets also provided some protection against rain. Pilots who survived long enough to go on leave soon discovered something else. Besides being functional, these leather jackets looked great. Military dispatch riders lucky enough to have such a jacket soon learned that the same qualities fighter pilots appreciated also worked on the ground. The Kaiser was defeated, the world was made safe for democracy and the motorcycle jacket was born. Postwar America roared through the 1920s and slowed down in the "dirty thirties" but it never stopped. Motorcycles remained popular and useful. They offered a low-cost alternative to automobiles and riders enjoyed them enough to continue riding them for recreation. The sport of motorcycle racing gained in popularity and motorcycle jackets became more specialized than ever before. Even law enforcement found them useful and motorcycle jackets appeared with badge tabs, name-tag holders and a distinctive uniform appearance. These jackets were great looking, but heavy and restrictive compared to modern products like the tecknic sportbike motorcycle jacket. Recreational riders varied their styles, but leather remained the predominant material from which they were constructed. Hollywood gave all this a big boost by featuring a young actor named Marlon Brando as the brooding leader of an outlaw motorcycle gang. The black leather motorcycle jacket became a fashion icon in addition to a functional necessity. Outlaw bikers found that a good motorcycle jacket could turn a knife or even a small caliber bullet. "Motor officers" patrolling America's increasingly mean streets made the same discoveries. Fashion icons or not, these old-fashioned leather jackets are comparatively heavy, not waterproof and comfortable only within a narrow temperature range. They still look cool, but not cutting-edge cool. For that you need a teknic sportbike motorcycle jacket. Carefully crafted from the latest materials, these jackets provide all the protection of the older ones in a lighter weight, ultra-cool looking jacket. And, they are more comfortable over a wider range of temperatures and they do not impair your mobility. They also cost less than older jackets. This is the jacket you need if you ride a legend.
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