In the Beginning, There Was the Preacher
How Crank & Stroker introduced the first heavy denim motorcycle vest and pushed biker clothing into real menswear.
The year was 2012. After our old-school rally tees took off, we set out to change how riders looked at motorcycle apparel. Search the web back then and you’d find flimsy “He-Man” denim vests—frayed edges, costume vibes, nothing built for wind, weather, or miles. No real heavy denim vest. Nothing that belonged in menswear.
Yes, Iron Heart was already making heavyweight denim for the heritage menswear crowd—jeans, shirts, Type III jackets. That was fashion-focused. But no one had taken 18oz+ denim and applied it to a motorcycle vest engineered for riders. That lane didn’t exist until we cut it open.
The First Heavyweight Denim Motorcycle Vest
We spent over a year on development—sourcing 18oz denim, testing construction, and dialing in sewers who could handle fabric that heavy. The result was a vest built to take punishment on the road and still look right off the bike: The Preacher. Not named for a collar, but for what it stood for—biker clothing as conviction, not novelty.
Recognition & Impact
- Featured in Bikernet, ChopCult, Cycle Source (Apparel Maker of the Year), Jalopnik, The Horse, Hot Bike and more.
- Carried by J&P Cycles, Bartels Harley-Davidson, and some dealers nationwide.
Like any real innovation, it got copied fast—lighter fabrics, cheaper imports, undercut prices. They mimicked the look, not the build. You can copy a pattern. You can’t copy soul.
Why It Matters
Today, heavy denim vests are everywhere—from motorcycle shops to menswear. That didn’t exist before the Preacher. It proved biker clothing can stand shoulder to shoulder with menswear—fit, structure, durability—without the costume.
We didn’t build the Preacher to chase a trend. We built it to raise the standard. And it did.