Where are Harley Davidson Jackets Made and What are They Worth?
Have you ever found yourself pondering the question ‘Where are Harley Davidson Jackets Made and What are They Worth?’ If you have, you’ve come to the right place. Harley Davidson jacket information is right here for you to read.
The All American Brand
If you thought the only thing more American than apple pie was Harley Davidson, you wouldn’t be the only one. Ever since it was founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Harley Davidson has built its reputation on being an All- American company for All-American customers. They survived the great depression to become the biggest supplier of motorcycles for the US Army in World War II. They supply American police forces with their motorcycle fleets. Their logo has been splashed across a million and one American flags, and their veneration of adventure, freedom, individuality, exhilaration, speed, and style are all as much a part of the American legend as Mount Rushmore. Harley-Davidson is America. And America is Harley Davidson. Except…. it’s not. As least as far as its production values go.
A Trump Favorite
If any MAGA supporters have been clinging to the idea that their Harley is as much a sign of their devotion to their country as it is a means of getting from A to B, we’ve got some bad news. Sure, your bike and your accessories MAY be made in the good old US of A. But there’s a bigger chance they’ve drifted over from China. Back in February 2018, Harley Davidson was in Trump’s good books. So much so in fact, he went to the effort of meeting up with a few Harley-Davidson executives and union representatives at the White House. In a statement released prior to the meeting, he gushed about the brand being “a true American icon, one of the greats” and thanked them “for building things in America.”
Expanding Production
How quickly times change. By June that same year, Harley had got on the back foot of Trump’s America First agenda by shifting production to China. “A Harley-Davidson should never be built in another country – never!” Trump tweeted in response. “Their employees and customers are already very angry at them. If they move, watch, it will be the beginning of the end.”
But move they did. And so far, there are no real signs of the end. Or even the beginning of the end. And after all, does it even matter? A Harley is a Harley whether its made in France, China, the US, or anywhere else for that matter. And it’s not like there’s no precedent for these kinds of things… companies can (and must) do what it takes to stay competitive. Just as they always have done, and likely always will do. And if that means expanding production into Asia, who are we to point the figure? Especially when it means we get to pay half the price for the same product than we’d do otherwise.
Made In China
But we deviate. The question at hand (or at least part of it) is where are Harley Davidson jackets made. Not the bikes, not the engines, and not the accessories. Just the jackets. Well, as it turns out, the jackets are made in exactly the same place as the bikes, the engines, the accessories, and everything else Harley stamps its logo on…. wherever it’s cheaper.
As independencebrothers.com writes, Harley has factories in York, Pennsylvania; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Kansas City, Missouri; Adelaide; Australia, Manaus, Brazil; and Bawal, India. As of 2018, it’s also got a site in Thailand. But these aren’t the only locations they use to make their clothing. A jacket could as easily have come from China as it does from Missouri, and a pair of boots could as easily have been flown in from Mexico as they could have driven in from Milwaukee. Some people have, like Trump, taken about as kindly to Harley’s global production as they would a pie in the face. A few years, some disgruntled (and presumably, former) Harley fans even banded together to start a Change campaign to force the brand to bring manufacture back to the US (although with only 18 signatures to its name at the cut-off point, we doubt many execs at Harley were quaking in their Made In China boots).
The Jackets
But a Harley Davidson jacket is a Harley Davidson jacket. Regardless of where it’s made, it still carries a certain status. And status comes with a price. So, how much exactly is a Harley Davidson jacket worth? As with most things, it really depends. The Harley Davidson catalog isn’t exactly short on jackets. Some are designed to suit the “entry” level or recreational biker, others are designed for the ‘born to ride’ segment. The more serious the customer, the more serious the jacket… and the more substantial the price tag.
That said, there are certain features that all motorcycle jackets have, features that elevate them from everyday, run of the mill garments into essentials that don’t just keep you warm, but that keep you safe as well. Reinforced stitching, doubled seams, an aerodynamic design… suffice to say, a motorcycle jacket is more a work of engineering than it is a feat of fashion (and that’s to say nothing of the CE-approved body armor, breathable mesh, heated bodies, and CoolCore technology that some jackets boast). As you’d expect, that kind of extra detailing will naturally push the price up, regardless of how ‘serious’ the jacket is.
The Price Range
So, how much is a Harley Davidson jacket worth exactly? How much do you need in the bank before you can get your hands on one? Looking at the current catalog, expect to spend anything between $90 and $650. If you prefer to keep to the sub $100 territory, expect a good quality but fairly basic jacket that’s designed more to look good with your jeans than see you through a thousand-mile road trip. If you’re happy to blow a hole in your budget, you can expect the works: water-repellent cowhide leather, CoolCore polyester body lining, a patented triple vent system for customized cooling, power-stretch elbows, body armor for enhanced safety, 3M ScotchLite reflective material for enhanced visibility, and even electronic field cancellation. And, of course, a Made In China label.