RST IOM TT Brandish 2 CE leather jacket | Comfortable and stylish both on and off the bike, but not spec’d for speed

4 out of 5

RST IOM TT Brandish 2 CE leather jacket

from Sportsbike Shop
£299.99 View offer
Updated: 28 June 2024

I’ve worn this leather jacket in a number of scenarios now, including in the baking heat of southern Spain on a bike launch, the less-than-boiling British springtime, with temperatures as low as 10 degrees at points.

However, it’s not a jacket for all four seasons, but rather a stylish cowhide item that majors on comfort, heritage and fashion.

I reckon it matches my Kawasaki Ninja 650 long-term test bike brilliantly, in that both things match colour-wise, but neither are really built for performance: they’re best suited to casual street riding.

Tested by Gareth Evans for 3 months/1500 miles

Pros

  • Premium-feeling soft leather with an exceptionally pleasing chequered liner
  • Comfortable fit with a good range of sizes available
  • Three colourways offered, with a pocket for the optional back protector
  • I feel as comfortable in this jacket in the pub as I do on the bike

Cons

  • Only Level 1 shoulder and elbow armour
  • No back protector as standard, and no chest protector pocket
  • Lacks belt loops to prevent the jacket riding up your back
  • Liner is not removable on very hot days
  • Comfort
    4.0
  • Practicality
    4.0
  • Looks
    5.0
  • Quality
    5.0
  • Value
    3.0
  • Overall Verdict
    4.0
Construction Cow leather with fixed liner
Type Men's/Unisex
CE Rating Garment AA
Armour Level 1 shoulder and elbow
  • Waist adjusters
  • Quilted stitch liner
  • Two internal and two external pockets

Paired with a quality pair of riding jeans, you’ll certainly feel the part wearing the Brandish 2…

How comfortable is the RST TT Brandish 2 leather jacket?

This is a jacket that feels fantastic from before you put it on. The liner is a wonderful detail that I like very much, and it’s always a treat to fold my arms through it. The leather is soft and it has a pleasingly hefty feel without being too hot.

However, the only venting it’s got available is the zip up the front, so if that’s a consideration then you might need to look elsewhere.

It’s a stylish jacket, but is it practical?

For such a casual look, I think this jacket is more than practical enough. I can fit my (rather large) smartphone in the two zipped outer pockets, although I prefer using the inner ones for this job just for additional peace of mind. It seems slightly strange that only the left-hand inner pocket is zipped, though.

And I do miss belt loops. This jacket can tend to ride up my back a bit and separate from my jeans, meaning occasional unsightly underwear is on display. Sorry about that.

RST IOM TT Brandish 2 jacket in action

My only other minor gripe in the practicality stakes is the waist adjusters are a little too fiddly to use with gloves on, but that’s not a huge deal as far as I’m concerned.

Is this a good looking jacket?

I reckon this jacket’s a bit of a stunner. It’s beautifully finished, with plenty of retro charm and a neat embossed TT logo to denote it as part of RST’s TT Classics Collection line-up. I love the Petrol colour too – it nicely matches the Ninja 650’s green and black paintwork.

What about the quality of the leather?

I’ve got absolutely no qualms about the way this jacket is made. The leather is seriously soft and the zips are strong and well sown into the design.

Inside, the liner is a thing of beauty. This aspect of a jacket can really add feel-good vibes, and that’s absolutely the case here.

RST TT leather jacket

Does this jacket offer a good level of protection?

The CE certification for this jacket is AA, which means it’s almost the best for impact and abrasion resistance, but not quite (AAA is top). We recommend at least AA rating for faster street riding, although it’s not easy finding AAA items.

It comes with level 1 elbow and shoulder armour built in, but there’s no back protector as standard, which is a little disappointing. It does have a pocket for an optional one in the lining, though. There is no option for a chest protector.

Is the RST TT Brandish 2 good value for money?

This mid-level jacket doesn’t have a huge amount of features, instead majoring on style. Some of its rivals include the Richa Daytona 2, which I don’t think is as nice to look at. From this point of view, I find the RST TT Brandish 2 to be excellent value for money.

Price: £299.99 (was £339.99)
Tried and tested by Richard Newland for three months and 2,150 miles

"There’s really nothing I can suggest to improve the Daytona 2 – beyond getting it up to the AAA CE rating to really deliver ultimate peace of mind. You’re getting a quality looking, quality feeling leather jacket that’s well lined, well spec’d, thoughtfully designed and well put together – with a decent AA CE safety rating – and all for a price that is entirely fair. It feels like it’ll last a decade, and I can’t imagine I’d be any less keen to wear it if it does."

Read our full review Richa Daytona 2 review

Pros

  • Looks great both on and off the bike
  • Soft and supple, very stylish, and comes with a back protector too
  • Solid but comfortable protection pads
  • Works on almost any bike

Cons

  • AA rated not AAA
  • More expensive than other comparable leather jackets
  • Very tall riders find it comes up a bit short for them even when they've ordered a larger size to compensate
  • Overall
    4.0
  • Comfort
    5.0
  • Practicality
    4.0
  • Looks
    5.0
  • Quality
    4.0
  • Protection
    4.0
  • Value
    5.0
Armour Back, Elbow, Shoulder
Attachment zips Short Attachment Zip
CE Approval AA
Colour scheme Black
Gender Men's, Unisex
Length Short
Material Leather
  • Jacket features a thermal, removable liner
  • Length - short
  • High-quality buffalo leather construction for durability
  • Retro shoulder stitching for added style
  • Removable thermal liner ideal for colder rides
  • Short connection zip to attach to trousers
  • Large front zip with snap button neck closure

Another option is the Goldtop Bobber, which is more expensive but has a higher safety rating.

Tried and tested by Ben Clarke for two months and 4,000 miles

"I had two preconceptions about a retro ‘hipster’ biking kit; it’s expensive and you sacrifice safety. But with the Goldtop Bobber, I was completely wrong on both counts. While £429 is steep for a jacket, I’ve not seen anything on the market that holds a candle to the Bobber’s quality for less.

"With a maximum AAA safety rating and armour from renowned British firm Knox you can ride safely in the knowledge that you’ll be well protected in a crash.

"And along with this safety, you also get a thoroughly practical, well-thought-out and most of all stunningly beautiful piece of kit. It’s worth every penny of the asking price and I would spend my own money on one without a second thought."

Read our full Goldtop Bobber review

Pros

  • Stunningly beautiful piece of kit
  • It’s getting comfier as it adapts to my shape 
  • Top quality - there’s a reassuring heft to it, the leather is soft and sumptuous
  • AAA level of protection, the highest most protective level it could possibly achieve

Cons

  • Not the cheapest, but I’ve not seen anything on the market that holds a candle to the Bobber’s quality for less
  • Can get hot in extreme heat, especially when you're off the bike
  • Quality
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0
Manufacturer & Model Goldtop / The Bobber Jacket - Waxed Brown
Item weight 3kg
Item model number ‎GTJ-BOBB-BRN
Manufacturer part number ‎GTJ-008-BR-38
Available sizes 38" to 48"
  • Retro, classic 1970s style leather motorcycle jacket revived for modern-day riders
  • Features an asymmetric main zip with prestige quality zips throughout
  • Provides protection through Knox's state of the art Micro-lock armour
  • CE Level 1 armour in the shoulders and elbows (CE Level 2 available upon request) and a pocket for an optional CE Level 2 back protector
  • Finished by hand with a soft tan suede trim 

And there’s the Rev’It Restless leather jacket. It’s more of a retro-style jacket and is also more expensive.

Price: £314.99 (was £419.99)
Tested by Ben Clarke for 3 months/1500 miles

"The Rev'It Restless is a AA-rated retro-inspired, leather motorcycle jacket that the brand says is inspired by the West Coast moto culture of the 1940s in America. It is a great-looking retro-inspired jacket with a high enough safety rating to wear for longer rides but enough style for the pub.

"The thermal lining means you can extend its use to dry autumn or spring days and it’s comfortable in hot weather up to around 30°C. If push came to shove, I’d probably go for a cheaper option with my own money, or spend slightly more to get an AAA rating."

Read our full Rev'It Restless review

Pros

  • It looks great with a sporty-ish cut for a retro jacket - I'd wear it on any bike
  • The Restless carries a AA CE rating overall with CE level 1 armour at the shoulders, elbows and back (I upgraded to the Seesoft level 2 back protector, which costs an extra £39.99)
  • The thermal liner extends the temperature range in which the jacket can be comfortably worn

Cons

  • Quite hot in summer, probably due to the lack of perforation and the wind-blocking flaps of leather on the cuffs and main zip
  • No waterproofing at all so you can’t really wear it if there’s rain on the cards
  • Comfort
    4.0
  • Practicality
    3.0
  • Looks
    5.0
  • Quality
    5.0
  • Protection
    3.0
  • Value
    2.0
  • Overall
    3.0
Construction Leather
Type Sporty retro
CE rating (garment) AA
Armour CE Level 1 shoulders, elbows, back (level 2 back protector available for £39.99)
  • Wind stop flaps main zip and cuffs
  • Short connector zip
  • Snap fasteners at cuffs and collar
  • Removable thermal liner

My verdict on the RST IOM TT Brandish 2 CE leather jacket

I like this jacket a lot, but with a few caveats: it misses a removable liner or any venting for those sizzling summer days, and has what we’d consider adequate protection for faster street riding. However, as a comfortable item that feels as at home in the pub as on the bike, with pleasingly soft leather and a comfortable fit, you could do a lot worse.

RST TT leather jacket

How MCN tests jackets

At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t test our jackets to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions. That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on.

Each of our writers has an in-depth understanding of the needs of today’s biker… because they are one.

To find out if a jacket is worth spending your money on, our testers wear them in the way you will. In the case of this classic leather jacket, that means dry and mostly sunny days in the saddle, but if we’re testing waterproofs we head out in the rain.

If you can’t see a review against an item on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These items will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.


What our star ratings mean

When we review a product, we award it a score out of five. In the ratings tab of a given product, you may also find more specific scores for the different aspects of a product’s performance to help you make an informed decision. Here’s a guide to what each number score means:

  • 1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A product with a single star rating has fallen below the expected standard and should be avoided.
  • 2 stars – Basic performance in this area or overall. A product with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level and there is room for improvement.
  • 3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A product with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
  • 4 stars – A product has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A product with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
  • 5 stars – A product has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A product with a five-star rating has delivered to the highest possible level, impressing the tester with its performance. We would happily spend our own money on it.

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