Buying Harley Davidson Apparel

If you’re a real fan of real hogs, and real machines, then you’ll want to dress the part.  Harley Davidson apparel doesn’t come cheap, but the look is distinctive.  You absolutely need to get the stuff that has the orange and black badge on it that identifies it as real Harley Davidson authorized gear, or you’re going to come off as a poser.

Fortunately, in the last 20 years, especially with the arrival of the Sturgis Falls festival as a nationwide event, getting genuine Harley Davidson apparel has gotten a lot easier.  You can start by going to your local chopper shop and see what they’ve got on the rack, and a lot of them can tell you where to get it at other stores in the area for the harder to find things to kit it out.

Real Harley Davidson apparel, like real Harley Davidson motorcycles, are made in America, and are usually made of denim, pre stressed leather, and good "working Joe" types of materials.  It’s durable, it’s tough and it’s meant to last.  Don’t accept cheap rip-offs; it’s your skin that’s on the line if you ever wreck your bike, and Harley gear is meant to let you take a spill on the road without leaving your thigh or shoulder as a two block long bloody skidmark on the pavement.  Now, if you’re buying leather gear, make sure that you know the exact size of what you want, and the return policy of the store you bought it from.  Good protective gear, and that’s what your leather jacket is, should fit snugly, but not restrict your movement.  You should be able to roll your shoulders freely in them, and be able to do a side bend.

Harley Davidson clothing is also a great gift.  That distinctive branding and badge shows up on everything from helmets and "unbreakable" polarized sunglasses down to lingerie and intimates.  There’s even Harley Davidson infant-wear available.  Now, be sure to get the sizes, like you’d do for buying a clothing gift for anyone else.

Be sure to look for gear that’s appropriate to the person you’re giving it to – if they’re going North, get ‘em cold weather gear.  Don’t neglect the boots if they ride in the brush a lot, and understand that Harley stuff is meant to be worn and be working clothes, not something you set in the closet and admire.