Leather Motorcycle
How to Care for your Leather Motorcycle Apparel
Riding motorcycles has always been synonymous with wearing leather. Your motorcycle jacket and all of your accessories, including chaps, boots, gloves, and saddlebags are likely made of leather. In addition to style, leather is the best protective material that bikers can wear in the event of a crash. Because leather is a big part of your motorcycle accessories, you should give it the same amount of attention and care that you give your motorcycle.
Leather can have a long life if you properly maintain your leather goods. Fortunately, caring for leather products is not difficult. When you subject your leather jacket and chaps to high winds and other climate-related elements, it can start to irreparably fade and crack unless you regularly clean and treat these items. With proper cleaning and maintenance, your leather can last indefinitely.
You generally clean your leather products by hand so use cleaners that are designed specifically for motorcycle leather (particularly one that is not acidic). Avoid detergents, bleaches, or regular soap. These cleaning substances can strip your leather of the natural oils that are necessary for maintaining its shine. You should also refrain from using saddle soaps on your motorcycle gear. These soaps are more commonly used for tanning leather not cleaning it. These soaps also eventually weaken the seam stitches.
When cleaning your leather, start by vacuuming or blowing all the loose dirt and debris from the surface. This prevents scratches caused by coarse particles rubbing on the material when you wipe it with a cloth. For general cleaning use a damp cloth to wipe down the entire surface of your motorcycle apparel then let the material air dry. Do not try to accelerate the drying process by using hair dryers or heaters. This can cause the material to dry too fast and crack. If you have a spot that won’t come out with a damp cloth, apply a leather-specific soap directly on the spot and again let it air dry.
If your leather starts to dry out despite regular cleaning, apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly on the entire surface of the item and let it completely dry before using it again. Your motorcycle apparel is not naturally water resistant. If you think you will be wearing your leather accessories in a damp climate, you should waterproof your leather. When leather gets wet, it can dry out and crack.
If you plan on storing your motorcycle leather gear for any length of time, wrap the items in fabric instead of non-porous plastic. You need to allow leather to breathe for it to retain its natural look and feel. If a piece of your leather motorcycle gear gets wrinkled, hang it up and let the wrinkles fall out naturally. Ironing or streaming leather can dry out the natural oil in the fabric.
About the Author
David Jensen is a content contributor
for jacketsforbikers.
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Motorcycle Leather Jacket, Crazy Horse MV5158 review MMCCLeather.com
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