A Definitive Guide to schott motorcycle jackets
Fall and Spring aren't just our favorite jacket seasons, it's our favorite riding seasons too; those days that aren't too hot, and certainly not too cold (unless you're one of those knuckleheads riding straight through the Winter).
If you've been riding for 30 years, or just earned your motorcycle endorsement yesterday, you've come to the right place. Navigating the world of motorcycle jackets (let alone leather jackets in general) is no easy feat to accomplish. Different hides, weights, and small details can easily become overwhelming.
We've created this page to educate our riding community, and to help the decision-making process be as accommodating as possible. The most significant point to remember is, this isn't just a jacket for today, but one for ten, twenty, even thirty years from now.
When you're browsing our collection, keep this point in mind. While we offer over 100 jackets, we recommend about a third for riding. 'Motorcycle Jacket' isn't just a style here, it's a function.
To create this list, we took into account: hide type, jacket length, and mobility features.
Leather Hides
We consider cow, steer, and horsehide to be the standard leathers for riding. While it can feel great in warmer climates, we leave the lambskin versions of our motorcycle jackets to the more fashion-forward customers because of its lighter weight and thinner overall thickness. Lambskin jackets are identified with a 2 in the first digit of the style number.
Cowhide
Our cowhide is identified by a 1 or 5 in the first digit of the style number (ex. 118, 568, or 519). Jackets starting with a 1 tend to be naked cowhide (no finish) and vacuum dried maintaining its tensile strength leading to more stiffness and less grain. Jackets with a 5 are pebbled cowhide; giving a softer hand with more of a typical cowhide grain.
Steerhide
Our steerhide is identified by a 6 in the first digit of the style number (ex. 613, 618, 626). Sourced from the same raw material as cow, it has a bit more finish, thus being a bit more water resistant. Because of this, expect a longer break-in period, but not by much.
Horsehide
Horsehide is identified by an H or HH in the suffix of the style number (ex. 613SH, 618HH, P125H) and typically seen as the most durable hide, yet generally most expensive. Our horsehide jackets typically carry a very strong sheen and stiffness that takes a considerable amount of time to break in.
NOTE: Jackets with the prefix, "P" and "PER" denote a jacket under the "Perfecto Brand" Collection. These specialized jackets are designed with more distinct details and combinations of hides, tanning processes, thicknesses, and colors. They also experience more limited quantity runs than our classic models.
Bi-Swings & Underarm footballs
Bi-swings and underarm footballs determine the mobility of the jacket. Historically, bi-swings were sewn into the back panels to give the rider a wider range of motion. In the 1980s, we added what became known as the underarm football panels: two more panels of leather (pigskin shaped) with vented holes to further expand the rider's range of motion. Jackets with just bi-swings tend to have a slimmer profile behind the arms and shoulder area.
NOTE: Because it was an expansion on the bi-swing, there are no jackets with underarm footballs only. Our Ready To Ride jackets either have bi-swings only, or the bi-swing + underarm football combination. Jackets with this combo have a bulkier profile in the rear armpit area, however the leather softens and fits to the owners proportions over time.
Where it all Started:
The 613 Original 'One Star' Perfecto® Motorcycle Jacket
Created by Irving Schott in 1928, this zippered motorcycle jacket design was mass-produced by Schott for the Beck Distributing Corp. throughout the 30s and 40s. The 613 (hitting shelves as a Schott product in the late 40s) is the iconic "Schott Jacket" that has spurred countless imitations over the last century. This modern cut features a 25" back length as well as both bi-swings and underarm footballs for full mobility.
THE 613 FAMILY
613S
The slim version, with bi-swings only, for a more historic fit.
613SH
The slim version, with bi-swings only, but in horsehide.
New for '26. Made with vegetable-tanned Horween Horsehide, this jacket (stiffer and sturdier than the 613MO) reveals a dark teacore layer underneath as it ages.
