An old favourite from Indian’s clothing range, the Military jacket is based on the first generation of khaki military gear, and has more than a hint of the jacket being worn by a despatch rider on the cover of Indian’s 1918 catalogue.
Made from a water-resistant 80% cotton, 20% polyester shell and with pockets for removable armour at shoulders, elbows and back, it is actually light enough to wear round the house and as such I would see it more as a casual jacket that can be worn on a motorcycle, rather than a full time bike jacket. A short tunic rather than a three-quarter length jacket, it is packed with useful features
like the use of waterproof zips throughout, including beneath the snap down flaps of all four patch pockets – the lower two of which conceal handwarmer pockets behind; a high neck to prevent the ingress of water; zippered, gusseted sides that prevent this close-
fitting jacket from riding up when you sit down, and a removable polyester fleece. It also comes with a draw cords at the waist and hem, and these will determine whether it is a good fit for you.
Sizing is on the large size – at six foot two it has been a while since I last wore a Large – but the sleeves are a perfect length and the shoulders are spot on, even if the waist cord is a couple of inches higher than my waist. To get round that, I have removed the cord, and the ridge in the material that used to announce its presence will disappear in time.
The best thing to do with the removable black fleece liner is to remove it, because it gets in the way when you are trying to put the jacket on, and it is far better worn as a standalone gilet in its own right. It was designed to work both ways, with the zip that holds it into the jacket doubling up as a closure, and the Indian logo embroidered in a subtle but attractive black thread. It also reveals a previously hidden inside pocket, as well as twin handwarmer pockets on the gilet itself, all of which would be hidden again if it was zipped back in.
If it ticks the right boxes, the only thing you need to worry about is availability: this has dropped out of the range for 2018, and what is on the dealers rails could well be the last of the stock.