Today one of the team, David reviews the Viking Cycle Ironborn Textile Motorcycle Jacket.
I have a Viking Cycle leather ‘Brando’ style leather jacket which I think just suits riding my Harley Davidson or a trike when I have clients on the back but when the weather is not so favourable, the best jacket to wear is a textile one.
The Viking Cycle Ironborn Textile Motorcycle Jacket I am reviewing today offers weather and body protection. All too often I see other riders in shorts, t-shirts and no gloves because it’s too hot to wear protective gear and obviously they are not going to come off. We all hope!
None of us know when it is going to happen so precaution is the best we can do. This jacket offers a liner for when the weather is cold and it is removable for when it isn’t. There are vents in the upper arms and back so the perforated liner has a chance to do its work even in an Australian summer.
Offering more protection, the jacket comes with padding in the elbows, shoulders and back which my leather ‘Brando’ does not but it is ‘Old School’.
There are pockets inside and outside the jacket with some for unexpected purposes. There are grommet like pads to enable cables to be run between the upper outer pockets where you can carry your device to the inside of the jacket and come out of teh top of the jacket to your earbuds if this is how you ride.
I do like the little key cable inside the front left lower pocket as I sometimes do forget when I put the house or was it someone at home that hide it?
Following are some photos to show what I am on about and at the end I will provide more details as I have friends who think that is the most important part.
The mandatory ‘unboxing’ or getting my protective jacket out of its protective box. 
A ‘Thank you’ note for purchasing the jacket. Note I have still not got to my jacket as there is more protection by a plastic bag. 
Here is the textile jacket with a Viking Cycle Brando style Leather jacket on the side. 
Lots of pockets. 
The jacket is made of Cordura and is washable but follow the instructions. 
For when you get your Viking Cycle Trousers. It makes it like a one piece suit. 
More pockets on the inside. 
The outside pockets have a water seal and the zipper head has protective covers when closed. 
The top pockets have access for earbud cables. 
You won’t lose the house key again. Though I think someone at home keeps hiding it. 
The labels help to know what the pockets can be used for. 
A glasses pocket. I would suggest they are really for sunglasses. 
Sleeve adjustments. You can see The shoulder vent is closed. 
Sleeve adjustments. This time the shoulder vent open. 
The velcro on the waist adds that last bit of adjustment. 
The back vent closed. Now what brand is the jacket? 
The back vent opened. 
Final adjustments before I go for a ride. 
These vents help on a hot day’s riding. Notice the reflective strips on the shoulders.
So the details:
The exterior of the jacket is Cordura which provides weather protect and is highly abrasive resistant
There is armour in the elbows, shoulders and back is of CE approved and has a honeycomb pattern to provide flexibility and maximum joint movement.
There are reflective strips to help you be seen at night.
The inner liners is removable and full sleeved.
There are 4 pockets on the outside on the front, a pocket in the removable liner. a pocket on the jacket liner, access for audio cables through the top two inside pockets, a pocket capable of holding a penknife and another for glasses.
So. where do you get it?
In Australia: https://au.vikingcycle.com
In the UK: https://uk.vikingcycle.com
In the USA: https://vikingcycle.com
I am in Australia and delivery time was 3 days as there are distribution locations in each of the above countries.
I have also noticed since I joined the email list, I have been offered discounts on some of the Viking Cycle range.
If you are one of those T-shirt wearers, please consider getting proper riding gear, a bead of sweat down your back is better than a flow of blood from where you just came off.