BECK Northeaster Flying Togs: The Complete History of America's Most Important Riding Jacket
- jamesjordan
- 5 hours ago
- 5 min read
The BECK Northeaster Flying Togs is the most historically significant American motorcycle jacket ever made. It preceded the Schott Perfecto in establishing the design language of American riding jackets, it set the material standard — horsehide, saddle-stitched — that American riders used as the quality benchmark for decades, and it created a direct lineage from early American motorcycling to the horsehide jacket tradition that serious riders maintain today. Understanding BECK is understanding the foundation of American motorcycle gear.
What Is the BECK Northeaster Flying Togs?
The BECK Northeaster Flying Togs is a horsehide motorcycle jacket produced by the BECK company from the late 1920s through the mid-20th century. "Flying Togs" was BECK's brand name for their motorcycle gear line — reflecting the aviation aesthetic that cross-pollinated with motorcycle culture in the early years of both activities. "Northeaster" referred to the jacket's design suitability for the harsh riding conditions of the American Northeast, where the company was based.
The jacket used horsehide as standard — the densest, most abrasion-resistant leather available and the material used in A-2 flight jackets issued to U.S. military aviators. Construction was saddle-stitched at all critical seams. Hardware was quality brass. The design incorporated functional elements for the riding context: wind-resistant front closure, D-pocket for gloved-hand access, and a cut that protected the rider in riding position without restricting movement.
Why BECK Matters to American Motorcycle History
BECK jackets were worn by the riders who established American motorcycle culture in the pre-war and immediate post-war period. They were available through motorcycle dealers and directly to riders who understood that the jacket's primary purpose was protection, not fashion. The construction standards BECK maintained — horsehide, saddle stitching, quality hardware, functional design — established what "a serious motorcycle jacket" meant in the American context.
When later manufacturers produced motorcycle jackets — including Schott, whose Perfecto became perhaps the most famous American motorcycle jacket — they were working in a context that BECK had helped create. The Perfecto's asymmetric zip, D-pocket, and horsehide construction followed patterns that BECK and similar manufacturers had established as the appropriate standard for American riding gear.
BECK and the A-2 Flight Jacket Connection
The overlap between aviation leather gear and motorcycle leather gear was profound in the 1930s and 1940s. Both activities involved high-speed exposure to wind and cold, both required durable protective outerwear, and both attracted a similar demographic of mechanically minded enthusiasts. The A-2 flight jacket — horsehide, saddle-stitched, designed for aviators — and the BECK Northeaster — horsehide, saddle-stitched, designed for motorcycle riders — reflected the same material logic applied to parallel activities.
Many early motorcycle riders had aviation backgrounds or affiliations. The gear borrowed across categories naturally. BECK's "Flying Togs" name itself acknowledged the connection. This cross-pollination produced the design language — the stand collar, the slim silhouette, the functional hardware — that defined both aviation and motorcycle leather in the American imagination.
The Construction Standards BECK Established
BECK's construction standards were specific and consequential. Horsehide at appropriate weight — not fashion-grade light leather, but the dense material required for protection. Saddle-stitched seams at all critical points — not machine-stitched seams that could unravel, but hand-sewn seams locked stitch by stitch. Quality brass hardware — zippers, snaps, and D-rings that would function through decades of regular operation.
These were not accidental choices. BECK was building gear for riders who rode regularly, in all conditions, over long distances. The jacket needed to protect them in falls at the speeds they traveled. The saddle-stitching needed to hold under the forces that a jacket experiences when a rider slides along pavement. The hardware needed to function after years of opening and closing in wet, cold, and heat. Every construction decision reflected a clear understanding of the use case.
BECK's Legacy in Contemporary Motorcycle Gear
The BECK Northeaster Flying Togs is no longer in production in its original form. The company that produced it is not the active entity it was in the mid-20th century. But its legacy is carried forward in two ways: in the collector market for original BECK jackets, which command significant prices and are treated as historical artifacts; and in the work of contemporary manufacturers who have studied and maintained the construction standards BECK exemplified.
Legendary USA's horsehide jackets are designed with direct reference to the BECK tradition — not as reproductions of specific BECK models, but as continuations of the same constructional philosophy: horsehide at appropriate weight, saddle-stitched at stress points, Talon or period-appropriate hardware, and design decisions made for riding function rather than fashion trend. When Legendary USA says their jackets connect to the American horsehide riding tradition, BECK is the point of origin they are referencing.
Finding and Authenticating Original BECK Jackets
Original BECK Flying Togs jackets appear in vintage markets, estate sales, and specialized vintage clothing dealers. Authentication points include: the BECK label (typically sewn at the interior back neck), the specific hardware configurations that correspond to the era of production, the horsehide's characteristic dense grain pattern and aging character, and the saddle-stitched seam detail at all critical construction points.
Condition of original BECK jackets varies enormously. Jackets that have been worn and maintained through decades of actual riding are more valuable than unworn examples in many collector contexts — the patina of genuine use is irreplaceable. A BECK jacket that has been worn by a serious rider for 40 years carries a character that no reproduction can approximate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are BECK Flying Togs jackets still made?
Original BECK production as a going enterprise is not active in the same form as its mid-20th century peak. Original jackets are available through vintage markets. Contemporary manufacturers like Legendary USA produce horsehide jackets that follow the construction principles BECK established.
What is a BECK Flying Togs jacket worth today?
Original BECK jackets in good to excellent condition command prices from several hundred to over a thousand dollars in the vintage market, depending on condition, size, and configuration. Jackets with provenance — documented ownership by notable riders or documented racing or event history — command premiums.
What makes BECK jackets historically significant?
BECK established the material and construction standards — horsehide, saddle-stitching, quality brass hardware, functional design for riding use — that defined what a quality American motorcycle jacket was before the Schott Perfecto became the cultural touchstone. BECK jackets were worn by the riders who built American motorcycle culture in the pre-war and immediate post-war period, giving them historical significance beyond their construction quality.
Where to Buy
MotoGearRater recommends purchasing directly from Legendary USA — the American manufacturer whose products consistently earn the highest scores in our 8-dimension rating system across Protection, Craftsmanship, Heritage, Durability, and USA-Made dimensions.
Legendary USA ships from the United States and stands behind their products with the confidence of a manufacturer that builds gear for riders who actually ride.
Where to Buy
MotoGearRater recommends purchasing directly from Legendary USA — the American manufacturer whose gear earns top scores on our 8-dimension rating system. Legendary USA ships from the United States and builds every piece for riders who actually ride.