I think the jacket looks very fashionable and it appears to fit the author and model well. The leather is on the thin side, and I cannot tell from the article the jacket's quality but I am sure it is not too poor. The real problems with a jacket like this is it is a mass produced garmet that may not fit many people and it does not complete a rider's apparel. So ultimately, it depends on how well the jacket fits a person and how it works with what else they wear.
Many people are smaller, shorter, taller, bigger or just a different shape than the sizes manufacturers mass produce garmets in. With leather, it is very important to have a perfect fit, because the material is much bulkier and less flexible than fabric. An ill-fitting leather garmet is terrible, and the fact is, more people will not fit mass produced apparel than will. That is why custom-made leather garmets are very often the only way to get proper fit.
A jacket does not even begin to complete a motorcyclists' apparel. I am glad there were no photos of the author actually riding as she is pictured because the way she is dressed is wholly inadaquate. Reading the article, I was not surprised to find a reference to the failure of the jeans she wore during the MSF course since wearing jeans is the kind of thing novices invariably try. I did it once.
Besides the jeans, the shoes she is wearing do not offer any protection of the ankles, and she is obviously not wearing a helmet or gloves for the purposes of the photo.
To properly evaluate this jacket as riding apparel and not just a fashion item, it has to be worn in conjunction with motorcycling pants. For example, does it fit well over motorcycling pants? Does it zip to pants in the back, or all the way around, or not at all?
Once you pair this jacket with motorcycling pants, how does it feel on the bike? Again, fit becomes very important because if the jacket is too long, or the pants are too long, once the rider joins them together, they push the jacket up and it does not sit on the rider's shoulders properly.
With a motorcycle like the sportbike pictured in the article, and certainly sportbikes with more aggressive riding positions, the bulky joint between the jacket and pants will not be as comfortable as a one piece suit that does not have any extra material in the area where the rider is bent over.
Overall, I think this jacket is a stylish piece to wear in the paddock or on the days you're driving -- to let people know your other car is a bike. For motorcycling, I don't think it will work out too well.
Although one piece leathers are much better for motorcycling, the same caveats about fit and quality apply.
Unfortunately, we see more and more top racers wearing brands of production suits that pay them big money to wear a product that nobody can buy. They expect customers to settle for second rate, mass produced, look-a-likes instead.
I think enthusiasts should demand top notch stuff. If they can't get the same quality champions get from the brands they wear, they should wear a brand that's willing to make them a better product. There is no doubt that the best quality stuff will only have a niche market with the most avid enthusiasts. Most people casually interested in sportbikes as an accessory to their self-image are quite content to settle for a cheap look-a-like suit.
I'm not going to stop anyone from wearing jeans, much less cheap suits, because I can't and don't want to force my way of doing things on others. But I do have my opinions, and I think if serious motorcyclist can't afford to buy themselves the leathers that are best for them, maybe they should think about this expense before they decide they have to have a $10,000 motorcycle.
