Interview with Brian Sansom (the original BKS)

[raesewell]

Make yourself a cup of tea and settle in it's well worth a watch and may even be enlightening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lg0x9XBItc

[richtea]

If that's not Brian's (phmode) younger brother I'm a teapot.

[EDIT: execellent video though. Well spotted, Rae.]

[raesewell]

Both Melanie and I agree with you Rich so you're not a teapot.

[Phmode]

He has way too much hair to be my younger brother who went to the barbers the day before his wedding and had what little he had left shorn off completely. We don't have a record of the look on the face of the bride-to-be, but the wedding went ahead as scheduled. Most of her side thought she was marrying someone else and most of his side wondered where he had gone...

It just shows how cheap leather is if it would still cost a couple of grand to make a suit out of paper.

[Matt]

Damn it. Now I've got something to get myself for my birthday.

I'd missed the development of hip airbags, but that sounds great given the lack of natural padding on my hips! It's also interesting to see they've started textiles. One could easily end up spending on both!

I hope their website is suitably fancy for an idiot like me to further get on board with the necessary and optional spending points.

On a wider/cliche note, I wonder how this compares to that previously mentioned RST made to measure that was saw on 44teeth. Other than scale and RST going for entry level stuff, is it just the safety aspect that BKS Made to Measure go to the safest of safe?

[black-k1]

I think it's the quality that stands BKS out from the rest. I have a made to measure suit I purchased in 1996, Other than some of the zips showing their age, and already having replaced the main front and waist zips, the suit is still going strong. Despite having done 20+ years before being retired as my suit (it shrank around the middle and bum!!!), it's now been handed on to my son who is using it on a regular basis. It's still in good enough condition that I suspect we'll pay to get it modified to fit him slightly better at some point in the near future.

[Matt]

That is mighty impressive!

It was amusing in the video when he mentioned the alteration for the expanding man .

I did enjoy also the discussion on the Frank Thomas affair. I'd never been too well versed in it, other than when Rae occasionally mentions there is the 'real' BKS and the mass produced lot. Now I understand it, and it's good to see that Brian there hasn't followed the rut of 'must always be expanding'. I suppose it's quite telling that looking on Companies House we can see that the sole director and owner is Brian, and so there's been no dilution or VC stuff going on (other than his wife who had 30% at one stage until 2012).

[richtea]

The small bespoke leather tailors seem to be almost one-man bands - one person to measure and cut, and 2-3 machinsts to make up the suits.

My favourite at the moment - in terms of cost v quality - is Hideout. However, I've never bought anything off them (yet), and I need to lose another stone before I commit to being measured.

Re: RST, I was under the impression they were bespoke race suits rather than two-piece/touring, but I could be wrong.

Other bespoke options (and I'm sure there are others, so do join in):
Scott Leathers
Dainese - ooo

More race-oriented, but worth asking:
DRC
45R
AM Leathers
NRG if you're in Northern Ireland
ARN

[Matt]

Ah thanks Rich. Who are your current leathers made by?

Good point re BKS being more general usage oriented.

[raesewell]

I'll have to start saving my pennies and go for one of the textile suits 

[richtea]

Crowtree, who were a man and wife team - Alec & Linda Baumber, but he died of cancer in 2014.
I'm not sure they ever advertised - they just had Crowtree on so many good race leathers you couldn't go wrong.

I'd love to find the equivalent - AM & ARN in the list above look similar sort of places.

My other option is to have the Crowtree suit freshened up - new lighter armour, some re-stitching of the eleasticated areas, etc.

[Costas]

I watched the interview its a real eye opener.
Bennets has an excellent article ( titled: Motorcycle clothing : The CE approval law explained), fount it very detailed and informati0. I believe first wach the interview then read the article . Afterwarsds a clear idea is formed.

[Motorradpilot]

I think it's the quality that stands BKS out from the rest.

While I agree, I own Hideout leathers and put them in the same league. (I’ve tried BKS for comparison.) There are differences, but I reckon both are the top-level – it’s like comparing Ferrari and Lamborghini.

However, their textiles vary more than their leathers. I found it worth the (in my case, lengthy) trips to compare the new BKS 100SX suit with the well-established Hideout Hi-Pro range. They’re very different.

[black-k1]

I think it's the quality that stands BKS out from the rest.

While I agree, I own Hideout leathers and put them in the same league. (I’ve tried BKS for comparison.) There are differences, but I reckon both are the top-level – it’s like comparing Ferrari and Lamborghini.

However, their textiles vary more than their leathers. I found it worth the (in my case, lengthy) trips to compare the new BKS 100SX suit with the well-established Hideout Hi-Pro range. They’re very different.

I agree that Hideout and BKS Leathers are pretty close. As the owner of my 2nd BKS suit I'd say they're slightly better!

I plan to look at the textiles in a year or two so will look at both.

[Motorradpilot]

I watched the interview its a real eye opener.
Bennets has an excellent article ( titled: Motorcycle clothing : The CE approval law explained), fount it very detailed and informati0. I believe first wach the interview then read the article . Afterwarsds a clear idea is formed.

Bennetts has a new and excellent video, launching significantly safer standards for motorcycle clothing:

https://youtu.be/5QcWajVTfB4

Brilliant!