“For the first time in my life the weather was not something that touched me, that caressed me, froze or sweated me, but became me.” – Jack Kerouac, On the Road

When you’re on the open road, there’s little room to carry baggage with you. Everything you bring must be carefully selected, and not cause so great a burden as to slow you down. A constant companion, travelling by your side and helping to bear your burdens, can be more valuable than their weight in gold. And that’s exactly what motorcycle leather is, isn't it? Those brave saddlebags are always at our side, braving the cold and the heat and the wind, keeping our treasures safe within their sturdy exterior, but always open and inviting when the time comes to give them back. Of all companions, leather can prove to be among the most reliable. But like any good friend, the relationship is mutual. Your spritely fellow needs a little motorcycle leather care every now and then, too. For what is companionship without giving?

When harsh weather attacks, it may seem easiest to shrug the dirt off and hope it will go away. We’ll hide our saddlebags indoors, and keep the weather off us as much as we can. When we’re riding the road, however, that’s not an option. We have to grit our teeth and confront it. The dust and muck that paves the life's asphalt doesn't just give us an extra dirty layer. If the befuddling murk is not tended to, it can seep into us, and suffocate the very fibers of our being from the inside out. Your leather will fare no differently.

Leather can usually stand to get a little dirty. Without proper protection, however, sunlight, water, moisture and dust can really start to hurt it. If those contaminants sit on your leather for too long, they can absorb into it, blocking pores and weakening internal structures, opening your leather's gates wide for invasive bacteria. Salt, such as the kind that lines the roads in northern states to fend off excess snow, robs your leather of moisture like crazy, drying and cracking it out to the point where it looks ten times its age. Excess water also has a way of ruining leather, which you can read about in our blog, “Common Leather Care Mistakes.”

Sunlight can be one of the worst frequent offenders. Ever go to the beach without wearing sunscreen? Compare your end of the day skin with a sunscreened buddy, and pretend you kept doing the same thing for ten years. Your skin is not going to like you very much. Same deal with motorcycle leather. Sunlight not only robs your leather of moisture, but can even bleach the surface, causing significant damage if left unattended for too long. And, of course, it dries out and cracks like a stale donut. Nobody likes stale donuts.

Don’t worry, there’s a happy ending to this woeful tale. It’s hardly worth anyone’s time to present a problem without a solution, and those that do are likely more concerned with garnering attention than the actual problem itself. A proper cleaning and conditioning will usually prove the perfect motorcycle leather care remedy to any murky malady, coupled with even the teensiest bit of love.

Cleaning leather is a process. You need to ensure you’re using the right recipe for the right leather. There are many excellent leather cleaners out on the market, but there are also many kinds of leather, and not all of these cleaners may be suited for your particular brand of leather. Exotic leather, for example, tends to not receive alcohol based solutions very well, and so alternative methods should be used. You can read about that in our blog, “Cleaning and Conditioning Exotic Leather.” As most motorcycle seats are made of vinyl (and even if yours is not), alcohol based cleaners should be good for your purposes. When in doubt, try your leather cleaner in a discreet spot, and observe its effects after it dries before applying to the entire item. Read more about determining what kind of leather you have in our blog “Know Your Leather Grains.” For most leather types, Chamberlain’s Straight Cleaner No. 2 is an excellent product to try.

If your leather cleaner works well, buff it into your leather in circular strokes (this will help you avoid streaking your leather) with a scrub brush or an applicator pad. It's important to realize that anywhere your skin touches, you'll be dealing with body oils. Add to that the grime and sweat which has likely accumulated, and you'll be dealing with a lot of icky stuff to get out. Take your time to clean it thoroughly. Afterwards, use a soft, dry cloth to absorb any excess residue and let the leather dry in a cool place away from sunlight.

Although there will be no need to condition your seats if they are made of vinyl, you will probably want to give them the motorcycle leather care treatment if they're made of most other kinds of leather, and your saddlebags will probably need your attention too. In this situation, conditioning is an equally important part of keeping your leather in shape. While leather cleaner will remove harmful contaminants, it will rob it of much of its moisture, which is vital to maintain. Conditioner restores this moisture with natural oils and minerals, giving the bag a suppler texture, and protecting it from future contaminants by acting as a sort of barrier. Apply your conditioner in a similar way to your cleaner. After your leather has dried from the cleaning, test it on a discreet area, and if the result is positive, apply the conditioner with circular strokes to the rest of the item. Afterwards, buff it off with a soft cloth. A good conditioner to start with is Chamberlain’s Leather Care Liniment No. 1, an all-natural recipe that functions as both a cleaner and conditioner and a wonderful match for most types of leather. For removing scuffs and marks, color rubs can be purchased to cover up scratched areas.

One last thing, if you are a weekend rider, remember to clean and condition your leather every time after the weekend ride is done. Don't let it go until next week, lest those pesky contaminants get time to make a foothold in your leather. Effective motorcycle leather care gets really troublesome once they have.

And voila! While leather can never really be made brand new, and can be made a new breed. The scars and coats that it carries define it, as they define us all. And sometimes, they make us look even more beautiful because of them. When in doubt, we find it best to lay anchor and regather our strength. Respite from weary travel can nourish wounds effectively, but only if we take the time to rest. Whenever you can, park your motorcycle under a cover so that your leather is protected from the elements. If you’re feeling particularly affectionate, you can also buy tarps to shield your motorcycle leather from any remaining exposure. Though again, there’s little better way to show your motorcycle leather care and love than by bonding with her favorite cleaners, protectants and conditioners. If you are having particular problems with rain and soaked roads, try out Chamberlain’s Water Protectant No. 3, which provides the ideal shield from nature’s most bountiful element. You can read about that here.

In the end, your leather is more than a means to store your treasures. It’s a treasure itself. It’s something that sticks with you, something that tells a story. It’s a friend. Protect and cherish it, and above all, commit. You’ll find few things that will ride out the journey with you longer.

Contributors
Anna Woodward
Daniel Sutton
Chris Repp (www.leatherhelp.com)

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