Since they've gone all upmarket after their recent buyout, they've brought a host of new jackets out like Goodwood & Northcote.
Probably trying to tug at the romanticist's heart strings (And wallet)
Trialmaster
Trialmaster Goodwood
Roadmaster
Streetmaster
Circuitmaster
Woodcote
Confused!!!
I just wish they had a comparison button on the web site.
Since they've gone all upmarket after their recent buyout, they've brought a host of new jackets out like Goodwood & Northcote.
Probably trying to tug at the romanticist's heart strings (And wallet)
Tried plenty and settled for a Tourist Trophy from the motorcycle range.
I have a UJ International which is great for the spring and autumn but needed the extra 10oz and zipped in liner for when it gets cold.
Couldn't Recomend it enough
Paul
I've actually seen a few I like from the motorcycle range but they have removable protectors. Not sure if they'd look weird without them? Anyone wear one of them casually?
Yes. Wih the amour in the TT is a pretty boxy jacket and without it becomes a lot softer.
Size wise I have a small (40", 5'10", 12st) which is a nice fitted look. With the 10oz material it is heavy but for the really cold snaps it is very warm and a much more substantial than my Union Jack International.
Paul
I'm popping into the Manchester store tomorrow, so I hope they have a selection for me to try on.
Last edited by vRSG60; 6th September 2013 at 08:49.
I've got the Brooklands Mojave with the protectors zipped out. The shoulder pads soften quite a bit and doesn't look like you're wearing armour. I'm 5'10, around 10 3/4 stone and take a small size. I've got wide shoulders so the fit is perfect. I'm looking forward to seeing how good the zip in liner is too.
Well, I went to the Manchester store yesterday with money from 2 recent sales burning a hole in my pocket.
I tried on both the Trailmaster Tourist Trophy and the Roadmaster.
The Roadmaster is a lighter cotton to the Trialmaster and fitted me like it was made for me I tried on size S - Small (I'm 5'6" and just under 10 stone wet through). Absolutely perfect fit. It looked fantastic on me too
The Trialmaster has the shoulder and elbow armour and a zipped in waistcoat style padded lining. It's weighs a lot more. It wasn't tailored "fitted" as the Roadmaster but still fitted me well.
Torn between the 2 we went for a coffee and I mulled it over. We went back to the shop, still unsure which to buy.
After trying the Trialmaster on again (sans armour and liner) I plumped for the Trialmaster.
I want to use the jacket riding my Lambretta so the lining and armour swung it for me. For purely a jacket to wear off a bike the Roadmaster wins hands down. It fitted me like a glove.
Still, I'm happy now. With the added bonus that I cheekily asked for 10% off - and got it.
They are bloody expensive, but so are the watches we buy. There's no denying the quality though.
Last edited by vRSG60; 8th September 2013 at 12:20.
Did they not offer you a drink in store ????
I find the whole recent Belstaff story a bit sad. It's just another flash Italian designer brand now. A pity.
Good choice matey and you will love it.
As I mentioned earlier in the thread, it is a substantial jacket and after a year with mine it has 'loosened' and softened up nicely. The amour came out day one and the liner slips in and out easily, but zipped in the became my coat of choice last winter
Having tried many like you, I just loved the the boxy look across the shoulders and mine is pretty fitted which makes me think the 2013 jacket may have been revised.
Enjoy
Paul
You'd do well to call the Bicester village branch, they have very heavy discounts and you can normally get 10% off if you haggle with them. Have a friend on there who gets 50% off
And another - I can't believe the prices of some of their kit - especially as they've actually got nothing to do with Belstaff - seems to have become a uniform for the fashion-conscious middle classes rather than actual bike gear - I blame Ewan McGregor . Although to be fair all their waxed stuff was shite, so not surprised they went to the wall.
On the upside, I've still got a couple of old proper Belstaff jackets - a top-notch leather 'Montana' and a rubbish and stinky old waxed 'Rebel' - and they're now selling used ( or should I say 'vintage') on eBay for more than I paid for them new!
Neil
Last edited by Neil.Ldn; 9th September 2013 at 18:27.
The Barbour International trials jacket still exists, though you may have a hard job spotting it in amongst the fashion stuff and dodgy Steve McQueen "tributes".
I always think of it as something worn, along with obligatory flat cap, by grumpy old Yorkshiremen standing about in muddy fields watching trials. How did it become fashionable?
If you can find the pukka Barbour item it's still made in South Shields. It's a great cut, fits well over just a short, but somehow magically goes on fine over an armoured leather jacket. Makes up part of by 100% British bike outfit, along with
the Scott jacket from County Durham, Hideout gloves (sadly not available any more), Hood denim/kevlar jeans from Norfolk, Altberg boots from Yorkshire, Davida lid from Merseyside and Halcyon goggles from, erm, somewhere dreadful near London.
Not quite sure how I ended up with that lot to wear on an Italian bike...
you can still buy those new, from am American company called British Motorcycle Gear
(http://www.britishmotorcyclegear.com/montana-jacket.asp)
So, let's see... a British company made a jacket and marketed it with an American name, but they got bought out by an Italian company who wanted to market their stuff as British, except that the rights to the British jacket that was marketed as American were bought by some Americans who now market it as British...
Their proper motorcycle range is still good, even better since the waxed cotton is now waterproof (before it wasn't because of the seams), but yes, the prices have gone way up.
I really like the jackets I have, the Mojave and the H-racer. Both are absolutely superb and both are from the recent lines under new management. Expensive yes, but also much nicer than most jackets I've come across at any price. I had an older Mojave from before the takeover, and while the new one was £100 more, it is also quite a bit nicer.
I do think they have their fashion stuff prices all wrong hence frequent 50% off sales.
The Trialmaster I bought was made from 10oz cotton as opposed to 6oz for the Roadmaster! Had a liner and armour non of which came with the Roadmaster, and as you say the waterproof membrane, yet the Roadmaster is 10 quid dearer???
The sales guy told me the Roadmaster is their best seller.
Last edited by vRSG60; 9th September 2013 at 20:27.
It's because the Trialmaster is from their classic motorcycle range while the Roadmaster is from their fashion range. I think they are a company very much in flux and are trying to faze out the motorcycle range altogether, sadly, but while it lasts it's still priced somewhat more normal compared to their fashion stuff, which is trying to move very much upmarket to compete with Burberry (rather than Barbour).
Indeed - saw their very nice new shop on Bond Street last week so clearly that is where their focus is now. They do make some nice jackets and clothes I think but agree they are mostly playing in the luxury market now but without risking another "expensive" thread since the Italian buy out their jackets have always been pricey.