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mlinkibikr
Forum Supporter
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2003
- Messages
- 1,888
- Reaction score
- 649
- Location
- Fulshear, Tx
- First Name
- David
- Last Name
- Little
Today I rounded up my leather boots and jackets, all in need of a good scrub and conditioning. It's the perfect task for a cold gloomy day, accompanied by some music and a fireplace. I couldn't find my saddle soap, no idea where that went, if I even had any left from the last cleaning. I've got another great product that I use on my car seats from a company called Zaino, it's some good smelling stuff in a spray bottle that quickly dispatched the dried up bugs and detritus that come with Texas roads.
For the conditioner I've used lots of things, my favorite being a can of some sort of oily gel that came from a bike shop in Germany where I bought my first jacket. As I recall they threw it in the bag for no charge, it's branded with their shop name "Sudmotor" in Munich. It's labelled with the shop name and proprietor, Pachter H. Binder. According to the can the shop was located on Schwanthalerstrasse No. 5. but as per Google streetview it's no longer there. As coincidence would have it I stayed in a hotel about a block away some 30 years later - didn't realize until I saw the Deutsche Theater on that street.
Anyway the German stuff is almost gone, and I hated to finish it up. Too nostalgic. I had a tub of hardened mink oil though that I was able to work in to the leathers, and it brought back the suppleness, the newness, and some measure of water repellency back to the old gear. I should repackage this stuff and sell it as hand balm for $100 a tube though, does miracles on dry skin...
Anyway not much of a motorcycle story, unless you count the memories of rides past, passes crossed, motorcycles ridden and acquaintances made wearing this old stuff. It's well worth maintaining just for those. Can't wait for the next decent day to get out and give them some air.
The first pic below was my first ride with the old "Stein" leathers. I rented a K100 from a chopper pilot I worked with and the pic is taken atop the Grossglockner Pass in Austria. Must have been 1988 or so. Prior to that my riding gear was a MA-1 flight jacket I picked up at an Army Navy surplus, so this was quite the upgrade. I still use the Stein jacket all the time.
Second pick was a ride with my buddy Craig somewhere around Lake Livingston. That was my Superhawk and it was a hoot. Full Two Brothers exhaust system that would set off car alarms. I've matured a bit since then, but I still smile when I think about it.
For the conditioner I've used lots of things, my favorite being a can of some sort of oily gel that came from a bike shop in Germany where I bought my first jacket. As I recall they threw it in the bag for no charge, it's branded with their shop name "Sudmotor" in Munich. It's labelled with the shop name and proprietor, Pachter H. Binder. According to the can the shop was located on Schwanthalerstrasse No. 5. but as per Google streetview it's no longer there. As coincidence would have it I stayed in a hotel about a block away some 30 years later - didn't realize until I saw the Deutsche Theater on that street.
Anyway the German stuff is almost gone, and I hated to finish it up. Too nostalgic. I had a tub of hardened mink oil though that I was able to work in to the leathers, and it brought back the suppleness, the newness, and some measure of water repellency back to the old gear. I should repackage this stuff and sell it as hand balm for $100 a tube though, does miracles on dry skin...
Anyway not much of a motorcycle story, unless you count the memories of rides past, passes crossed, motorcycles ridden and acquaintances made wearing this old stuff. It's well worth maintaining just for those. Can't wait for the next decent day to get out and give them some air.
The first pic below was my first ride with the old "Stein" leathers. I rented a K100 from a chopper pilot I worked with and the pic is taken atop the Grossglockner Pass in Austria. Must have been 1988 or so. Prior to that my riding gear was a MA-1 flight jacket I picked up at an Army Navy surplus, so this was quite the upgrade. I still use the Stein jacket all the time.
Second pick was a ride with my buddy Craig somewhere around Lake Livingston. That was my Superhawk and it was a hoot. Full Two Brothers exhaust system that would set off car alarms. I've matured a bit since then, but I still smile when I think about it.
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