Our review of theIndian Motorcycle Scout was so well received by our readers, we thought wed review the jacket from Indian Motorcycles that complements the motorcycle so well, the ladies brown leather Benjamin jacket. And you dont have to ride an Indian to appreciate this soft, supple brown leather jacket—with minimal Indian logo-ing—that is a nice break from the black leather thats so common in motorcycling gear.
WRN reader Leigh McDaniel rides her Honda Rebel wearing the Benjamin jacket. Leigh is also wearing the new EXO-CT220 helmet from Scorpion, to be reviewed soon on WRN.
The brown leather Benjamin jacket was made to complement Indian motorcycles and their signature brown leather covered saddles. This woman is riding the Scout.
The Benjamin is a luscious leather jacket for those who appreciate high-end, super comfortable leathers. The heavyweight leather is extremely supple requiring no break-in period.
You dont have to ride an Indian to wear this as the Indian Motorcycle logo is subtly stitched in brown across the upper back of the jacket. The jacket falls just below the waist to prevent it from exposing your back when reaching your arms to the bars.
There are three airflow vents. The rear one runs across the upper back. It expels hot air that comes in from the front two vents. This photo provides a close up of the richness of the supple brown leather.
Leigh is showing the vent that is on each sleeve of the jacket. Youll want to open these as the heavy leather can get quite warm when temps heat up. Also notice the reinforced leather on the elbow that cushions the CE-approved elbow armor that comes with this jacket.
The wrist closures give you the option to open or close a gusseted zipper that allows air to flow through your arms on warm days. We really like the long leather zipper pulls that make it easy to grasp the zippers when wearing gloves.
The inside of the Benjamin features a thin, quilted cotton sleeveless zip-out liner that when kept in basically acts as a barrier to the cool black mesh lining. I needed to wear a fleece layer to really make a difference in keeping me warm.
I like that Indian thought to put a cut-out in the liner so you can access the one interior pocket, a thoughtful feature youd expect on a jacket of this quality. The pocket is very deep so it can hold a cell phone, money, lip balm and face powder compact. One snap closes it.
You can see the extra reinforcements on the shoulder that cushion the CE-approved shoulder armor, and the accordion panels at the waist that allow for a flexible and a shapely fit. The mandarin style neck has two snap closures.
There are four outside pockets, all generously sized. Leigh shows that the breast pockets snap closed and the two hand-warmer pockets zip shut. We really like the cut and detailing on the Benjamin that you can see in this close-up photo.
Perforated panels at the underarm and shoulder areas provide more ventilation. And the “action back” allows for your arms to reach forward to the handlebars without that “pull” on the shoulder area.
When the zip-out liner is removed, youll find a silky black mesh fabric that lines the entire inside thats soft against your skin.
I ordered a size medium, my regular size and it fit just right for me—and Leigh who also wears a size medium—allowing room for an extra layer underneath. CE-approved shoulder and elbow armor come with the jacket and are removable, but theyre the kind you can hardly feel and dont restrict movement so Ill be keeping them in.
Indian has pretty much thought of everything in terms of functionality and detailing on this jacket. At $449.99, it better have! This jacket is one of those that youll have for years and will continue to look better with age.
I have been looking to replace my old leather jacket. I have worn it out and I admit since now more mature have thickened (me! Not the jacket :o( ), but am having a hard time finding a nice leather jacket that is not black, pink or logo’d.I sure like the look of this brown jacket. Sure would like to find comparable jacket minus the price that also comes with the logos. Just saying. Not a lot to choose from being not such a girlish rider.
All the brown leather jackets we’ve reviewed over the years carry a premium price tag. One way too look at it is that this jacket is an investment you’ll have the rest of your life. It’s that good a quality.
I have been looking to replace my old leather jacket. I have worn it out and I admit since now more mature have thickened (me! Not the jacket :o( ), but am having a hard time finding a nice leather jacket that is not black, pink or logo’d.I sure like the look of this brown jacket. Sure would like to find comparable jacket minus the price that also comes with the logos. Just saying. Not a lot to choose from being not such a girlish rider.
All the brown leather jackets we’ve reviewed over the years carry a premium price tag. One way too look at it is that this jacket is an investment you’ll have the rest of your life. It’s that good a quality.