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Anyone Still Riding with their Hein Gericke Dakar Jacket?

Icebat

New member
I have a brown Dakar jacket that must be close to 20 years old (I've only been back riding since last summer after almost 18 years away), though it's been kept up with regular conditioning over the years.

Any opinions as to how it compares to today's high tech fabrics and armour? Safety and comfort concerns?

I plan to wear it, unless someone can convince me either to sell it or put away for fashion week.

Thanks!
 
I also have a brown Dakar jacket and matching pants. I don't wear it often but never feel underdressed when I do. Protection wise the only thing better would be heavier racing leathers. The vents in the jacket help a bit in warm weather but of course not as much as mesh textile (which sacrifices a lot in the area of protection compared to the Dakar). Assuming it still fits after 20 years go for it. :) :thumb
 
I allso have a 20 year old Dakar jacket,which I still wear on a regular basis. Great cold weather jacket. About 12 yrs ago I took a low side spill on my R100GS, when I hit a patch of black ice in a turn. The Dakar protected me very well, left sleeve has some nice scuffs,but I did not even get a black&blue mark. A keeper.
 
Me too:)

I have a black one, Dakar HG Jacket. I out grew it, but I still have it. These are HEAVY jackets, compared to the newer stuff. HG wasted no leather making these. A very tough jacket and nice looking. A lot of protection, imo. The Dakar Leather heavyness is a drawback by todays standard, I feel. I lose some weight and I can wear it again...Randy :thumb :usa
 
+1 on the Dakar being heavy. Regret selling mine long ago, only really used it for
touring but then it just had too much bulk. Still use my 1977 vintage Brooks
jacket though.
 
Dakar Jacket

Wish I could find one as they are as classic as the waxed cotton Barbor Jackets and clearly one of the best looking jackets ever made.
 
Still have my black one and a set of matching bibs. They still fit and wear them on local rides.

Wear my Darien on the long hauls.
 
I still wear my 20 year old HG Dakar - great for shoulder season riding. Looks good on the K1200S, better on the R75/5. I ran into a deer at 55 mph last fall, and there was not so much as a mark on the jacket, and more importantly, on me.
 
Even without having tried some of the newer tech fabrics I can agree with the comments about the heavy weight of the Dakar.

Yet, at the same time, the Dakar feels safe, in a certain sense (it's all relative), as well as looks good.

I'm leaning towards wearing mine for some semi-long distance riding (+/- 1500 miles over about a week), and perhaps to the national rallys, not just for local rides.
It sounds to me as though those of you that still ride wearing your Dakar do so for mostly shorter, local riding, not for touring. Would I be correct in that assumption?

I'm thinking of riding my PD from the east coast to mid-America with my HG Dakar and pants as of yet unknown make.

Any suggestions on the pants?
 
I toured FAR;

Wearing the Leather Dakar for hundreds of thousands of miles, touring and it was fine. I still have it and it looks no worse for the miles its been. One tough jacket. Mine is a 46, xlarge man size and I think its a good reason to thin down a little and wear it again:). I did not realize "so many" even knew of these. Its not waterproof, but a fine touring partner in this jacket and if the rain gets too bad, you can always stop a while, let it pass:). All the miles I have ridden and its very few days I have ridden in rain all day, where this jacket would be out of place. Randy:usa
 
V-Pilot

Can't speak to the Dakar, thought he pictures look very good. My 15 year old HG V-Pilot has similar lines, less the collar. Heavy, protective leather. Still wear mine, and love it. Not waterproof, but some snopruf works wonders, if you don't mind the shinyness it lends to the leather.
 
I picked it up as a backup for this weekends trip while my vanson's zipper gets fixed. You can tell by the looks It's been places but still many, many years of life left in her. It reminds of the Belstaff Trialmaster minus the rediculous price tag.
 
Your craigslist find is just that, no way I'd part with mine for that paltry sum. I got mine used more than 10 years ago, but by the looks of it on arrival I couldn't tell. Today, it shows a little more wear, but so do I. While sadly it seems to have shrunk ( or was it I that changed sizes??:banghead) wouldn't part with it for less that a couple hundred.

It is definitely got more miles left in it than I do. And I don't intend to quit riding soon.
 
Lost the poundage:)

I can wear my old Dakar Jacket again and its a nice fit. I smile. Its got to be about 25 years old+ now, but a fine heavy weight jacket...Wish I had bought the pants that matched it. They had cargo pockets on the side of the legs. Randy
 
I bought one 20 years and 40 pounds ago. I can still wear it, barely, without the liner. I don't ever plan to sell it. I'll either lose enough weight to wear it regularly, or I'll give it to my son when he gets old enough to appreciate a classic.
 
Still have mine and it is holding up well. Bought mine new in 1987 and it still fits along with the pants. I still use it on local rides but leave the long trips and questionable weather rides to my Darien.
I remember it to be one of the first long cut leather jackets that covered my behind.
 
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