We sell two things that look unrelated and are not: American motorcycle leather and American military flight jackets. The overlap is not aesthetic. The A-2 and the G-1 were specified by people whose requirement was that a jacket keep working in an open cockpit, and that specification, dense hide, a wind-tight front, a cuff and waistband that seal, is the same specification a motorcycle jacket needs. This is a guide to both, and to the sizing questions that decide whether either one works on you.
What safety gear does a new motorcycle rider need?
Straight answer, in the order to buy it, from the shop that would rather sell you a leather jacket.
- Helmet, first, always. This is not close. A full face or modular helmet meeting DOT and ideally ECE 22.06 is the single highest value purchase in motorcycling and it is not a leather jacket. We do not sell helmets, so we have no reason to say this except that it is true.
- Gloves. Cheap relative to their value, and the one item you are guaranteed to use, because putting your hands out is a reflex rather than a decision. A real leather glove starts around $60.
- A jacket with armor. Note the words. A jacket that covers your arms and has impact protectors at the shoulders and elbows. An unarmored leather jacket resists abrasion and has no impact protection.
- Boots over the ankle. Ankles break easily and heal slowly.
- Riding pants or armored jeans. Last, and still worth it.
What is the first piece of protective gear a new rider should buy?
The helmet, and if the budget only stretches to one item, it is the helmet and it is not a decision worth agonizing over. After that, gloves, because the cost-to-benefit is extraordinary and because hand injuries are the most common significant injury in low speed get-offs.
What we can help with is what comes after the helmet. Our leather is unarmored, so if you want certified impact protection from us it comes from the Bohn Airtex Mesh Armored Riding Shirt at $229.99, which carries CE Level 2 protectors at shoulders, elbows and back and wears under anything, the Knox CE Approved Knee Armor Set at $15.99, or the armor ready jackets built with pockets that take CE protectors.
What we will not tell you is that a heritage leather jacket is protective equipment. It resists abrasion, which is genuinely useful, and it has no impact protectors and no CE certification. Any page claiming that riders in good leather walk away from crashes and riders in cheap leather do not is telling you a story, not a fact.
How should a leather motorcycle jacket fit?
A leather jacket that fits correctly on a hanger usually fits wrong on a bike, because you are not standing up straight when you ride.
Six checks, done in a riding posture rather than in front of a mirror:
- Shoulders. The seam sits at the edge of your shoulder bone, not down your arm. This is the one thing that cannot be altered, so it decides the size.
- Chest. Zipped, you should be able to get a flat hand inside, no more. A leather jacket you can hug yourself in is too big and will flap at speed.
- Sleeves, arms forward. Reach for imaginary bars. The cuff should reach your wrist bone in that position, not hanging by your side. A sleeve that is right standing up is short riding.
- Back length. Also arms forward. The hem should still cover your waistband. If it rides up and bares your back in a riding position, size up or find a longer cut.
- Armholes. Cut relatively high. A low armhole feels roomier standing and pulls the whole jacket up when you reach forward.
- Movement. You should be able to reach both bars and turn your head to check a mirror without the collar climbing your neck.
What size leather motorcycle jacket for a 44 inch chest?
On a numeric-sized jacket, size 44. That is what numeric sizing means and it is why we prefer it: our Black Hills and the BECK jackets run 36 through 56, and your chest measurement is the size.
On a letter-sized jacket, a 44 inch chest is generally a Large, with 46 to 48 landing at XL. But letters vary between makers by two full inches, so measure and check the maker's chart rather than trusting the letter.
Measure the way it will be worn: tape around the fullest part of your chest, level, over a t-shirt, arms down, breathing normally.
Do you size up a leather motorcycle jacket to layer underneath?
Usually not, and this is where a lot of jackets get bought a size too big.
Leather relaxes across the chest and shoulders in the first month of wear, typically half an inch to an inch. Size up for layers and you end up with a jacket that fits over a hoodie and flaps over a t-shirt for the other eight months.
When you genuinely should size up: if you will wear an armored shirt underneath, which adds roughly two inches through the chest and shoulders and does not compress. If you ride in genuine cold and will wear a thick mid-layer most of the time. Otherwise, buy your size and layer with thin, warm things rather than bulky ones. A merino base layer adds warmth and almost no volume.
Do leather motorcycle jackets stretch over time?
Across the width, yes. In length, essentially no. Expect around half an inch to an inch of relaxation through the chest and shoulders in the first month, more in goatskin and lambskin, less in heavy horsehide, which softens rather than grows.
What will not change: sleeve length and back length. If the sleeves are short when new, they are short forever. Buy for length, let width break in, and accept that a good leather jacket is slightly uncomfortable for the first two weeks. That is the price of a jacket that fits you specifically in year two.
Are leather motorcycle jackets available in custom sizes?
Yes, on some of ours, and it is worth knowing which because most retailers cannot offer it at all.
The Legendary Black Hills and the BECK 666 both carry a Custom Size option alongside their standard 36 to 56 runs. Custom is worth it when a standard size fits you in one dimension and not another: long arms with a normal chest, a large chest with narrow shoulders, a long torso.
What to send us: chest, waist, shoulder point to shoulder point across the back, sleeve length measured from the center back of your neck over the shoulder and down to the wrist bone with your arm slightly bent, and back length from the base of your neck to where you want the hem. Talk the numbers through with us first rather than after. Custom work takes longer and is not returnable in the way a listed size is, so we would rather get the measurements right together the first time.
What leather motorcycle jackets fit big and tall riders?
Big and tall are two different problems and most makers only solve one.
Big is chest circumference, and numeric sizing solves it cleanly. The Black Hills, the BECK 666, the BECK 501 and the BECK 999 all run to size 56, which covers a 56 inch chest.
Tall is torso and arm length, and it is the harder one, because a 56 chest jacket is cut for someone built wide rather than someone built long. A rider who is six foot four with a 44 inch chest is badly served by simply sizing up: the shoulders will be wrong and the jacket will still be short. That is precisely the case the Custom Size option exists for, and it is the honest answer rather than pointing you at a 2XL.
On vests, we do offer a genuine tall length: the Legendary club vest is built in a Long body with 2 extra inches.
A military flight jacket as a gift for a pilot or aviation enthusiast
This is one of the better gifts you can give someone who cares about aviation, and it is easy to get wrong. A short guide.
Know which pattern means something to them. They are not interchangeable, and to the right person the difference is the whole gift.
- A-2: Army Air Forces, adopted 1931. Horsehide or goatskin, knit cuffs and waistband, snap-flap patch pockets, shirt collar with hidden snaps. The Eighth Air Force bomber crew jacket, and the one associated with painted nose art on the back.
- G-1: US Navy and Marine Corps. Mouton fur collar, bi-swing back, zippered pockets. This is the Top Gun jacket. If they were Navy, this is the one.
- B-3: Heavy shearling, for unpressurized high altitude bombers before cabin heating. Enormous, very warm, not a spring jacket.
- MA-1 and CWU-45P: The nylon jet age jackets. Lighter, more wearable daily, less of an heirloom.
Sizing a gift jacket. Borrow a jacket they already own and measure it flat: armpit to armpit doubled gives the chest, then sleeve and back length. That is far more reliable than guessing a size. If you cannot get at their closet, buy the jacket that is easiest to exchange and call us first so we know it is a gift.
Personalization. Squadron patches, name tapes and painted nose art turn a jacket into the actual gift. Talk to us before you order if you want any of that, because it changes lead time.
What not to do. Do not buy a fashion-brand "bomber" for someone who knows the difference between an A-2 and a G-1. They will know within three seconds, and they will be polite about it.
Why the Military Patterns Still Work on a Bike
The A-2 and G-1 were designed for an open or barely heated cockpit, which is functionally the same environment as a motorcycle at 65 mph. Knit cuffs and waistband seal against wind. The bi-swing back on a G-1 lets you reach forward without the jacket pulling across your shoulder blades, which is exactly what reaching for bars requires. The hide weight was specified for durability under daily use by people who could not simply order another one.
What has changed: we use bonded thread rather than cotton, modern zipper hardware in sizes the trade still stocks so it can be replaced in twenty years, and patterns adjusted for contemporary bodies. What has not changed is the reason those patterns worked.
Top Picks, Shop Direct
Four picks spanning the two halves of this guide: the flight jacket someone actually wants as a gift, the cruiser jacket that solves big and tall, the horsehide piece for the long haul, and the one genuinely certified protective item we sell, because a guide about what a new rider needs would be dishonest without it. Ratings and review counts are live from our product pages.
| Product | Why it fits this question | From |
|---|---|---|
| Bohn Airtex Mesh Armored Riding Shirt | The only CE certified garment on this page: Level 2 protectors at shoulders, elbows and back, in a mesh shirt that wears under a leather jacket or a vest. The honest answer to "what does a new rider actually need" after a helmet and gloves. Rated 5.0 out of 5, but on one review, so weigh that accordingly. | $229.99 |
| Legendary Hellcat G-1 Flight Jacket | The gift jacket. Naval G-1 pattern with the mouton collar, plus side entry pockets that work with a riding position. A perfect 5.0 out of 5 across 55 reviews. Runs L through 2XL in brown. | $375.00 |
| Legendary Black Hills Leather Motorcycle Jacket | The big and tall answer. Numeric chest sizing 36 through 56, plus a Custom Size option for riders who are long rather than wide. Cruiser cut, so the hem stays down when you reach for the bars. Rated 4.97 out of 5 across 63 reviews. | $675.00 |
| BECK 666 Distressed Horsehide Cafe Racer | Horsehide, the hide the original flight jackets were built from, in our own BECK house line (USPTO Reg. 3083433). Also offered in Custom Size. Our most reviewed jacket at 4.96 out of 5 across 68 reviews. Runs 36 through 56. | $815.00 |
If you are outfitting a new rider, buy the helmet elsewhere, then the gloves, then the armored shirt, and leave the leather until later. If you are buying a jacket for someone who already rides, measure a jacket they own and call us with the numbers first. Prices shown are current at time of writing. Orders over $150 ship free.
Service and Repair
A real person answers the phone, and they can pull the jacket off the rack and measure it while you are on the line. That is the actual value of buying direct.
We repair as well as sell: zippers, cuffs, waistbands, seams, panel replacement. Cuffs and zippers are consumable parts on a twenty year jacket, and a jacket nobody will repair is a jacket with an expiry date. We cover defects in materials and workmanship. Wear from riding, sun fade and crash damage are not defects, and we will say so rather than imply otherwise.
Browse the men's American-made motorcycle jackets, the women's military aviation jackets, the leather touring jackets, the BECK horsehide collection, or the Cockpit USA military spec leather we carry as a genuine dealer.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What safety gear does a new motorcycle rider need, and in what order?
Helmet first, meeting DOT and ideally ECE 22.06. Then gloves, because putting your hands out is a reflex and a real leather glove starts around $60. Then a jacket that covers your arms and has impact protectors at the shoulders and elbows. Then boots over the ankle, then riding pants or armored jeans. Note that an unarmored leather jacket resists abrasion but has no impact protection, so if you want certified protection it comes from armor such as a CE Level 2 armored shirt worn underneath.
How should a leather motorcycle jacket fit?
Check it in a riding posture, not standing. The shoulder seam should sit at the edge of your shoulder bone, which decides the size because it cannot be altered. Zipped, you should be able to get a flat hand inside at the chest. With your arms reaching forward for the bars, the cuffs should reach your wrist bone and the hem should still cover your waistband. Armholes should be relatively high. Leather relaxes half an inch to an inch across the chest in the first month but does not grow in length.
Are leather motorcycle jackets available in custom sizes?
Yes on some models. The Legendary Black Hills and the BECK 666 both offer a Custom Size option alongside standard 36 to 56 runs. Custom is worth it when a standard size fits in one dimension and not another, such as long arms with a normal chest or a long torso. Send chest, waist, shoulder-to-shoulder across the back, sleeve length from the center back of the neck to the wrist bone with the arm slightly bent, and back length. Talk the numbers through with us first, since custom work takes longer and is not returnable like a listed size.
Which military flight jacket makes the best gift for a pilot or aviation enthusiast?
Match the pattern to their service or interest, because the difference is the gift. The A-2 is the Army Air Forces bomber crew jacket adopted in 1931, with knit cuffs and waistband and snap-flap pockets. The G-1 is the Navy and Marine Corps jacket with the mouton collar and bi-swing back, the one from Top Gun. The B-3 is heavy shearling for high altitude. The MA-1 and CWU-45P are the lighter nylon jet age jackets. To size it, measure a jacket they already own flat: armpit to armpit doubled gives the chest.