There are numerous styles of motorcycle jacket that provide high-quality form and function, but when I’m on my Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail, I usually lean toward something leather and with a little style. When it came time to review the Highway 21 Motordrome leather motorcycle jacket, I tried to think of something that needs to be improved on, but after wearing it for over a year, I’ve only come up satisfied.
The Motordrome is a premium leather jacket that Highway 21 says has a heavy stylistic nod to boardtrack racing, hence the name. It features a snap club collar, diamond-stitched accents, and an off-white strip across the chest and forearms. If that’s not your style, maybe that’s the one thing not to like about this jacket, but I really like the retro racer look.
From a safety standpoint, the Motordrome has pockets for back and elbow armor compatible with Fly Barricade CE armor (sold separately) and plenty of storage space, including five pockets on the jacket itself (two chest, two handwarmers, and a concealed carry) and an extra Napoleon chest pocket on the removable thermal liner.
The chest pockets double as front ventilation, which is complemented by dual-zippered wrist vents so you can keep the wrist cuffs tight and still get airflow up the sleeves. Air flows out of two sizable zippered exhaust vents on the back.
Between the thermal liner and the ventilation, you have plenty of options to moderate your riding temperature comfort level. Highway 21 says this motorcycle jacket is good for “Cold” and “Mild” but not “Hot.” That seems about right, but I might add another level in between the latter two and say it works for “Warm.”
On the lower end of the spectrum, I’ve regularly worn the jacket with the liner and just a T-shirt in the upper 30s and been comfortable (and I’ve gone down in the 20s with an extra long-sleeve layer). Or I can take out the liner, open all the vents, and throw on a tank top, and I’m comfortable into the 80s.
I have the armor with my jacket, and between the reassurance I get from that and the leather, along with the considerable temperature range, the Motordrome is my go-to motorcycle jacket for most of my cruising months.
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And it not only looks good on my Harley, it also looks good on the BMW R 18 Roctane (shown in photos) and other cruisers and retro-style bikes I’ve tested.
The Highway 21 Motordrome jacket comes in distressed Antique Black in men’s sizes S-4XL for $289.95.
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Source: RiderMagazine.com