Tag Archives: MotoCap

Helmet and bike gear ratings combined

The award-winning Australian MotoCAP website now includes helmet safety and comfort ratings as well as its usual ratings for jacket, pants and gloves.

The Australian NSW Consumer Rating and Assessment of Safety Helmets (CRASH) ratings previously published on crash.org.au, will now be located at MotoCAP.com.au so riders can get all their safety gear info in one place.

The MotoCAP safety intitiative launched in September 2018 and is the first of its type in the world.

It is based on evidence from crash injury research and the test protocols of the current industry standard. It is an initiative of state automobile clubs and transport departments.

CRASH is a consortium of Transport for NSW, Transport Accident Commission and Insurance Australia Group.

It tests 30 helmets each year against a range of criteria, including protection and comfort before awarding a star rating out of five for each criteria.

While motoCAP is unique, CRASH is similar to the British SHARP helmet safety scheme which has tested and rated hundreds of helmets, almost all of which are available for sale in Australia.

You may ask why helmets are still being crash tested in Australia despite European-standard helmets being available here for several years.Motorcycle dealership sale accessories jeans helmets best motorcycle helmets

Centre for Road Safety active executive director Craig Moran says that while all helmets sold here meet either Australian Standards or global standard UNECE 22.05, CRASH ratings “give riders more information so they can chose the best helmet for their situation”.

By “more information” they mean ratings out of five for safety and comfort. The standards just say they passed the tests, but don’t provide ratings.

For example, a helmet only has to achieve the lowest one-star CRASH rating to pass Australian and Euro helmet certification.

AS/NZ 1698 and UNECE 22.05 certification make no mention at all of comfort which is important for reducing rider fatigue which can distract your attention.

Despite not having as many helmets tested as SHARP, having the CRASH safety ratings included on the one website is convenient for riders.

And if your helmet is not listed, then you can still go to the SHARP site.

This year’s CRASH results reveal only nine out of the 30 helmets tested achieved four out of five stars for crash protection safety. The new ratings can be found here.

Helmet still crash tested in Australia rotation
CRASH testing

Click here for more information about CRASH testing procedures.

I have previously researched helmet ratings from CRASH and SHARP to assess whether price correlates with safety.

We found some surprising results! Click here for the full story.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

MotoCAP gets tougher on ratings

The award-winning Australian MotoCAP website has updated its safety ratings on jackets and pants and made significant changes to how they rate gloves.

The MotoCAP safety intitiative launched in September 2018 and is the first of its type in the world.

It is based on evidence from crash injury research and the test protocols of the current industry standard.

Deakin Uni Institute for Frontier Materials Senior Research Fellow and Honda GB400 rider Chris Hurren says the changes are the result of “ongoing tweaking of the system based on new research conducted by Deakin University”.

Dr Chris Hurren explains use of one of the uni’s testing machines ratings
Dr Hurren with clothing testing machine

A summary of the changes and information on the research that informed these changes can be found here. The updated protocols are also available online and can be viewed here.

MotoCAP released a statement saying they are “continually monitoring and researching ratings and comparing them to industry standards”. 

“After real-world research indicated that our current ratings were too high, we have adjusted these and reassigned ratings to current in-market gear,” it says. 

Jackets and Pants

Chris says Deakin University research into the abrasion of test samples on actual road surfaces shows the relationship between the abrasion tester and roads in Australia and New Zealand. 

“This identified that the setting for the performance levels for the lower star ratings were correct but the higher star ratings were slightly too high,” he says.

“The performance level requirements to achieve two stars and above were slightly lowered accordingly. There have been a moderate number of two-star and above jackets and pants that have improved a rating by one star.”

He says there has been an increase in the number of five star jackets and pants on the website.

There were no changes to the lower performing garments.

One garment had its protection score reduced but not due to the change in ratings, Chris says.

“The Draggin Next-Gen denim jeans were resampled for testing. They did not come with impact protectors fitted like they did the first time they were tested,” he says. 

“Without impact protectors fitted, a garment cannot have a score higher than 2 stars hence they were reduced to two stars. Their performance would have remained at four-stars if they had been supplied as standard with knee and hip impact protectors like the Draggin Holeshot product is. 

“The Revit Lombard pants were also retested at the same time however their score did not change. They also would have scored significantly higher if they had been fitted with Rev’it hip impact protection as standard.”

GlovesGloves fail MotoCAP safety ratings

MotoCAP has also made changes to their glove-rating system based on new research on impact damage.

Chris says these changes mean that accurate ratings are assigned to gear based on the latest research and testing, allowing consumers to make informed decisions on their purchases and increasing their protection on our roads.

“Hand injuries have not previously had the level of scrutiny that the rest of the body has received by researchers worldwide,” Chris says. 

“They are just listed in most research as hand injuries regardless of the injury type.”

The original MotoCAP ratings were developed with the limited information at the time of the risks involved for the hand. 

Dr Liz de Rome and Chris have conducted research into this area to determine the injury risks to hands to fill the previous lack of information and provide the appropriate advice to riders. The glove ratings were revised accordingly. 

“The majority of gloves will have stayed the same or improved in rating however there may be a small number that have reduced in their protection scores,” Chris says.

MotoCAP testing

All gear tested and rated by MotoCAP is bought covertly.

In 2019, MotoCAP, has won a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) road safety award.

MotoCAP is a partnership between Transport for NSW, State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), VicRoads, Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Lifetime Support Authority (LSA), the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Western Australian Police: Road Safety Commission, Department of State Growth, Insurance Australia Group (IAG), Australian Motorcycle Council and Accident Compensation Corporation in New Zealand.

Testing is carried out by the Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials on behalf of the MotoCAP partners.

All gear rated so far has been obtained through a secretive buying system to guarantee integrity.

In 2019, MotoCAP won a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) road safety award.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Call to test blow-up motorcycle vests

Detailed tests are required on the efficacy of blow-up vests and jackets as used by MotoGP riders, says Australian safety expert Dr Marcus Wigan.

The Emeritus Professor of Transport and Information Systems at Edinburgh Napier University says funding for such tests should be provided to the internationally awarded MotoCAP* motorcycle gear safety ratings service.

“Dr Liz de Rome’s MotoCAP initiative, eventually supported and taken up by the national governments, enables riders to discover the difference between many claims made and the actual performance of different clothing types from rider jeans to gloves. The results are often surprising,” Dr Wigan says. 

“Another under-used safety clothing is the range of blow-up vests that every MotoGP rIder uses with phenomenal results.Dr Marcus Wigan

“But MotoCap cannot do the incredibly useful Australian detailed tests and reports on their actual performance. 

“All it needs is the funding to do it; then the far more detailed and relevant results MotoCap is rightly famous for can be made available for Aussie use. 

“The costs are now down to that of upper-level ordinary protective clothing and proper promotion could reduce these costs and this access tremendously.” 

He says MotoCAP tests could also include assessments of the electromagnetic radiation interactions that stop pacemaker and implanted device users using them.

Dr Wigan is currently researching what these measures need to be and has been unsuccessfully trying to access available Victorian Motorycle Safety Levy to fund his study.

Currently $15.4 million collected by the levy is not yet allocated.

“I’ve had little success so far as there is almost no way of engaging with the bureaucrats (not motorcycle riders) who apparently control the levy,” he says.

“These people are inaccessible even to appropriate professionals, such as myself as an example, to discuss these issues.”

Last month, Retired industry veteran and Two Wheel Action Group spokesman Stuart Strickland OAM complained about the secrecy of the fund and the ministerial advisory panel on motorcycle issues.

*About MotoCAP

MotoCAP is a partnership between Transport for NSW, State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), VicRoads, Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Lifetime Support Authority (LSA), the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Western Australian Police: Road Safety Commission, Department of State Growth, Insurance Australia Group (IAG), Australian Motorcycle Council and Accident Compensation Corporation in New Zealand.

Testing is carried out by the Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials on behalf of the MotoCAP partners.

All gear rated so far has been obtained through a secretive buying system to guarantee integrity.

In 2019, MotoCAP won a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) road safety award.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Rider gear sacrifices safety for comfort

Motorcycle jackets and pants that have good breathability for the warmer riding months sacrifice safety standards, according to the latest test results from Australia’s internationally awarded MotoCAP motorcycle gear safety ratings service.

MotoCAP has now performed testing and issued safety and comfort ratings ratings for 354 items of rider jackets, gloves and pants.

The MotoCAP safety intitiative launched in September 2018 and is the first of its type in the world.

It has now added 14 more products to its online ratings of 172 jackets, 90 pairs of pants and 92 pairs of gloves.

The new safety ratings for seven jackets and seven pairs of pants range from one to three out of five stars for safety.

They show that you can’t have it all when it comes to safety and comfort in hot conditions.

Jackets and pants that have good breathability score low for safety and vice versa.

For example, the Bullit Easy Tactical Icon pants score just one safety star but a maximum five for beathability.

Meanwhile, Dainese Delta 3 leather pants performed well for safety with three out of five stars, but just two for breathability.

It’s not that we haven’t suspected the trade-off on comfort and safety, but it’s interesting to see that sciebce back up our suspicions.

The new ratings for jackets can be viewed here. The new ratings for pants can be viewed here.

Riders are urged to consider checking the safety and comfort ratings of gear before they buy.

Shapeheart Classic Handlebar Phone Mounting System

While some have disputed the veracity or usefulness of the tests, rider representative groups and road safety experts say MotoCAP at least makes riders more aware of wearing protective gear.

MotoCAP is a partnership between Transport for NSW, State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), VicRoads, Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Lifetime Support Authority (LSA), the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Western Australian Police: Road Safety Commission, Department of State Growth, Insurance Australia Group (IAG), Australian Motorcycle Council and Accident Compensation Corporation in New Zealand.

Testing is carried out by the Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials on behalf of the MotoCAP partners.

All gear rated so far has been obtained through a secretive buying system to guarantee integrity.

In 2019, MotoCAP won a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) road safety award.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

MotoCAP now rates more than 300 rider gear items

Australia’s internationally awarded MotoCAP motorcycle gear safety ratings service has now performed testing and issued safety and comfort ratings ratings for 340 items of rider jackets, gloves and pants.

The MotoCAP safety intitiative launched in September 2018 and is the first of its type in the world.

It has now added 16 more products to its online ratings of 165 jackets, 83 pairs of pants and 92 pairs of gloves.

The new safety ratings for 13 jackets and three pairs of pants range from one to three out of five stars for safety.

All pairs of pants from DriRider (Titan and Xena ladies pants) and Macna (transfer) tested were rated at just one star.

The Dainese Prima72 leather jacket was the top jacket performer with three stars.

Dainese Prima72 jacket
Dainese Prima72 jacket

Riders are urged to consider checking the safety and comfort ratings of gear before they buy.

While some have disputed the veracity or usefulness of the tests, rider representative groups and road safety experts say MotoCAP at least makes riders more aware of wearing protective gear.

MotoCAP is a partnership between Transport for NSW, State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), VicRoads, Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Lifetime Support Authority (LSA), the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Western Australian Police: Road Safety Commission, Department of State Growth, Insurance Australia Group (IAG), Australian Motorcycle Council and Accident Compensation Corporation in New Zealand.

Testing is carried out by the Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials on behalf of the MotoCAP partners.

All gear rated so far has been obtained through a secretive buying system to guarantee integrity.

In 2019, MotoCAP won a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) road safety award.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Duel: Double Vs single-layer denim

With summer just around the corner, riders will be considering riding pants and may be wondering whether traditional double-layer protection is better than the new single-layer materials.

Traditional double-layer jeans and riding pants have a separate layer of protective material, usually Kevlar, and sometimes even a third layer of mesh to “wick” the sweat away and protect against the scratchy material.

More recent double-layer designs have done away with the mesh as the protective layer has become more soft and breathable.

However, double-layer pants can be quite heavy and hot in summer.

Single-layer pants promise to be lighter and cooler. They have the protective fabric woven into the material so there is no need for a separate layer of protection or mesh.

Which is best?

I have tested both types and you can read my reviews by typing “jeans” or “pants”  in the search field at the top of this page.

For a more scientific answer, I contacted Dr Chris Hurren, a research scientist at Deakin University in Geelong where he and his laboratory work on protective motorcycle clothing.

MotoCAP senior researcher Dr Chris Hurren award single layer
Chris Hurren and his Honda GB400

He also worked with Dr Liz de Rome and others to produce the protocol that is used by MotoCAP for their testing regime.

Dr Hurren has written a series of four articles for Motorbike Writer on the new European clothing standard which you can start reading by clicking here.

Verdict: Single Vs double layer

This is the unedited verdict from Dr Hurren:

From the testing conducted by MotoCAP on ‘Protective Denim’ products, the best performance has been in multi-layer products where a separate protective liner is present inside the jeans.

The most important part to protect in a pair of pants is the Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas (defined in EN13595-1:2002).

Motocap Motorcycle clothing rating system launched testing

The abrasion time results for each of the abrasion risk areas are reported for each garment in the MotoCAP garment five-page test report.

This table shows the abrasion time in seconds for the protective material in the high-risk zone along with the amount of coverage for that zone of the protective layer.

Manufacturer Product Protective layer abrasion time Zone 1/2 coverage
Multi-layer protection
RST T125 Standard Aramid 1.12 70
RST Vintage 1.17 85
DriRider Rapid 1.27 100
Rjays Reinforced Original Cut 1.34 95
PMJ Rider Jeans 1.83 50
Bull’it SP120 Lite Heritage Easy 2.03 100
Resurgence Indigo sport 2.46 100
Triumph Pure Riding 2.63 100
Bull’it Covert Blue Straight 3.64 100
Draggin Jeans Cargo 3.71 100
Triumph Hero Riding 3.74 100
Rev’it Lombard 4.04 90
Harley Davidson Genuine Performance Riding 4.08 100
Bull’it SR6 Oil Skin 17 Straight 4.72 100
Draggin Jeans Next Gen Seamless 7.77 100
Draggin Jeans Twista 7.86 100
Neo Jeans Kevlar Men’s Stretch 0.74 100
Single-layer protection
BMW City Denim Trousers 0.41 100
Levis 501 Normal Denim Jeans 0.56 100
Resurgence New Wave 0.92 100
Saint Model 2 1.51 100

All of the products achieving over two seconds of abrasion time were multi-layer products. Two seconds of abrasion time would equate to approximately 16 metres of sliding distance on chip seal.

The Saint single-layered product performed the best of the single layered products reported on so far.

Saint Unbreakable Technical Black Denim Slim Fit Jeans
Saint Unbreakable Technical Black Denim Slim Fit Jeans

All three single-layer products fall towards the bottom of the multi-layered product performance levels.

I have also included the test results for a normal pair of Levis 501 non-protective jeans for reference against the single-layer products.

Textile Vs denim

I have done a similar comparison for protective textile pants and the multi-layer products again perform better than the single.

Where the multilayer includes a foam of some type and more than one layer of protective textile, the abrasion times go up. Where a leather patch is used, the abrasion time is also improved.

With almost all protective textile pants, improvement is generally only done in the knee area with the risk in the side of the leg and bottom overlooked. This is not the same for denim.

For the single-layer textile pants, the higher performing times of one-second-plus are generally achieved by 1000+ denier polyester or nylon woven textile. Products around the 600 denier range typically get 0.4-0.6 seconds.

Almost all of the protective denims (single and multi) perform well when compared to protective textile pants.

Comfort

As for the comfort ratings of gear tested by MotoCAP, the term has been changed to “breathability”.

Dr Hurren explains why:

There has been a lot of feedback from riders on the use of the word comfort. The solitary word comfort can mean many different things to different people. Many were misconstruing it with tactile comfort (tightness, fit, flexibility, skin feel) which is of course different for each person and next to impossible to quantify.

Breathability is felt to better reflect the dimension that is measured for MotoCAP. The concept of a breathable membrane in a jacket is well known within the rider community. It is hoped that the adoption of breathability will cause less confusion and will better convey the suitability of a garment for hot weather use.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

MotoCAP ratings for more than 200 items

Australia’s internationally awarded MotoCAP safety and thermal comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing has added 15 jackets to its list of more than 200 tested items.

The safety intitiative, launched in September 2018, is the first of its type in the world.

It has now rated 202 items of clothing, including  105 jackets, 50 pairs of pants and 47 pairs of gloves.

Latest MotoCAP testing

In the latest round of testing, MotoCAP has added 15 textile and leather jackets.

The RST Adventure III textile jacket shares the equal highest safety rating awarded to a textile jacket yet, having received three out of five stars.MotoCAP now rates more than 200 items

The Ixon Frantic leather jacket adds to the range of high performing leather jackets, having received four out of five stars for safety.MotoCAP now rates more than 200 items

Click here for all the MotoCAP jackets ratings.

International award

Last year, MotoCAP won a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) road safety award.

MotoCAP gives clothing two separate star ratings – one for protection and one for heat management or comfort.

Clothing manufacturers’ advertising is not an extremely useful resource for protection in a crash or from the extremes of an Australian summer.

Australian Motorcycle Council Protective Clothing sub-committee chair Brian Wood points out that MotoCAP tests the whole garment, unlike European Protective Clothing Standards which only tests samples of fabrics, fastenings and stitching.

“(It) gives the motorcycle community more information when they are making choices about the clothing they wear when riding,” he says.

MotoCAP is a partnership between Transport for NSW, State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), VicRoads, Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Lifetime Support Authority (LSA), Western Australian Police: Road Safety Commission, Department of State Growth, Insurance Australia Group (IAG), Australian Motorcycle Council and Accident Compensation Corporation in New Zealand.

Testing is carried out by the Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials on behalf of the MotoCAP partners.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Warranty issues on motorcycle clothing

If you’ve ever had motorcycle gear fail through wear and tear or a crash, it could be covered by the Australian Trades Practices Act and/or the manufacturer’s warranty.

But first, click here to see the difference between a product failure and rider error.

Consumer protection

If it’s a genuine product failure, then it is deemed “not fit for purpose” and the Act will offer consumer protection.

The problem is that “fit for purpose” can be difficult to quantify and prove.

However, if the garment makes a specific claim that is not met, then that is a pretty clear case of product failure.

Otherwise, if it fails to meet basic acceptable standards such as the zipper failing, you should be due a repair, refund or replacement.

LDM ExoFlex jacketYKK zips

Most protective motorcycle clothing brands vie for consumer dollars by also offering manufacturer warranties that go above and beyond the basic statutory requirements.

They can vary from one year to as many as seven years.

A one-year warranty may be sufficient to reveal any issues if you are a regular rider.

However, weekend warriors or monthly riders may require a longer warranty period to identify any problems.

Warranty conditions

Riders should also note that a warranty is only as good as the fine print exclusions and conditions.

For example, some warranties may exclude track use and even crashes which is strange since surely the main reason to buy protective motorcycle clothing is to protect you in a crash.

Interestingly, one company also offers a crash guarantee on some of their gear, promising a replacement if the damage cannot be repaired for half the cost of a new item.

However, they do not cover gear that has been cut off by a first responder.

MotoCAP senior researcher Dr Chris Hurren awardChris Hurren and his Honda GB400

Dr Chris Hurren who researches protective materials for a living and worked with Dr Liz de Rome and others to produce the protocol used by MotoCAP for testing says a suitable warranty should cover materials, closures and seams.

“It should cover defects from manufacture and use of faulty components during assembly,” he says.

“A warranty will also allow a manufacturer to see what is giving problems with their garments and allow them to find an alternative as they will see trends in components or seam failures.

“Most warranties will not cover general wear and tear or ageing from extended use but these are sensible as they are out of the control of the manufacturer.”

CE approved

Link International product manager Ron Grant points out that a major benefit of buying European CE-approved riding gear is that once approved, manufacturers are not allowed to change material, stitch lines, manufacturing plant, etc.

If they do, the garment has to be re-submitted for testing at an average cost of about $10,000 per garment.

“This guarantees product consistency,” Ron says.

“Non-CE brands usually place an order for jackets, don’t actually go to the factories for quality control checks, cannot guarantee the material used is the same quality as last production, nor even guarantee who is making the gear as there is potential the factory the product was ordered from may sub-contract production to someone else,” he warns.

Ron says one of the biggest issues facing the industry is not just trying to teach riders what garment is better than the other, but also the necessity to actually wear safety gear.

“Recently I saw a guy on a new sports bike with brand new boots, leather jacket, gloves, top-of-the-range helmet and board shorts,” he says.

“Every day I see guys geared up on their way to work wearing runners or lace up work shoes. Or no jacket. Or shorts. Or normal jeans. The other day I saw a guy fanging over Mt G with a pretty young lady on the back with a string top and skimpy shorts.”

He says the onus is on experienced salesperson to expertly advise customers so they buy the right gear for their use.

“Of course, that is all negated when buying online,” he says.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle riding gear failures

Your motorcycle jackets, pants, gloves and boots that are supposed to protect you in a crash, can sometimes experience failures of the most basic test of simple wear and tear.

However, it is important to differentiate a product failure from a rider error.

Product failures

We recently bought a pair of motorcycle gloves (pictured above) that split the stitching at the cuff after a few weeks of normal riding.

The gloves had a one-year warranty and the shop contacted the distributor who replaced them.

Motorcycle riding gear failures glovesSame failure

Only a few weeks later the second pair failed in exactly the same way.

Obviously there appears to be an inherent design fault in the gloves.

This is not the only example of motorcycle protective gear failing the basic wear and tear test.

Dr Chris Hurren who researches protective materials for a living and worked with Dr Liz de Rome and others to produce the protocol used by MotoCAP for testing has also experienced basic wear failures.

While trying on a pair of protective denim pants in a store, the top button above the zip pulled apart and fell off.

“This was obviously a problem that the manufacturer knew about as the garment came with a spare metal button however in reality should the product have been in the market place in the first place,” he says.

“This failure before even leaving the store should be a quick indicator of the build product of a garment.”

It’s not Dr Hurren’s only personal encounter with a wear failure.

After spending $700 on a leather jacket, he found the zip failed after two years.

“I have since observed new jackets hanging in store from the same manufacturer with a zip that was corroded and already causing trouble during use,” he says.

“The addition of a low-cost zip to a high-cost jacket significantly reduces its working life.

“Closures like zips, buttons and clips often have higher loading due to body size and may be strained to failure during impact grip with the road in a crash.”

MotoCAP senior researcher Dr Chris HurrenDr Chris Hurren

Rider error

However, some complaints about protective clothing failures can be due to rider error, not product failure.

Waterproof claims are a classic example, says Link International product manager Ron Grant.

“You can have the best jacket in the world, but if you don’t get all the closures correctly positioned, ensure your shirt collar or cuffs aren’t exposed (which creates a wicking point for water entry) you will still get wet,” he says.

“The majority of wet claims I believe are mainly due to incorrect usage or fitment.

“If you wear gloves over your cuff, water penetrates through the jacket stitching in the chest and arms, runs down between the outer shell and the outside of the waterproof liner (so the rider is still dry) and drains straight into the gloves. This is not a glove issue but a rider fitment issue.

“Likewise with waterproof boots. I see riders buy ‘shorty’ waterproof boots and then complain they get wet feet.

Draggin Hydro waterproof jacket and pantsDraggin Hydro waterproof jacket and pants

“If you have a look at their rain pants when their feet are on the pegs, the rain pants may ride up just enough to allow water into the boots.”

Riders also have a duty to maintain and treat their gear appropriately.

For example, zippers can get dry from dust and bugs etc. An occasional rub over with a candle or an appropriate wax on the zipper teeth will help the zipper slide smoothly and last longer.

Likewise, screwing up a zip in waterproof liner and securing it under a couple of Occy straps can damage the waterproof coating allowing water to enter the jacket. 

Warranty

If your riding gear has experienced a genuine product failure, you may be due a replacement or repair under warranty.

Click here to find out more about warranties.

Have you ever had motorcycle gear fail a basic wear test? Leave your comments below.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

New motorcycle clothing standard (Pt 1)

Part 1 – The new European Standard EN17092.

Over the past seven years, Europe has developed a new clothing protection standard (EN17092).

We have asked Dr Chris Hurren to explain the new European standard and what it means for Aussie riders.

Dr Hurren is a research scientist at Deakin University in Geelong where he and his laboratory works on protective motorcycle clothing. He worked with Dr de Rome and others to produce the protocol that is used by MotoCAP for their testing regime.

MotoCAP senior researcher Dr Chris Hurren awardChris Hurren and his Honda GB400

This is the first in a four-part series explaining the new standard and what you will see in store.

New standard

Increasing numbers of motorcycle garments are appearing in our stores labelled as being certified to a new standard – EN17092 or sometimes to Directive 89/686/EEC.

Australian and New Zealand riders are likely to see a lot more gear with this labelling on it. What is going on? How can riders interpret the five-level classification system of this new standard?

Many riders would be aware of the European standards for motorcycle protective clothing, including EN13595 for motorcycle jackets and pants.

Although in force for almost 20 years, until recently few manufacturers were submitting their garments for CE certification because the standards were not enforced in Europe.

That situation changed in April 2019 when the European Commission made it mandatory for all motorcycle clothing sold in Europe to be independently tested for CE certification.

In response to industry pressure, a new standard for motorcycle jackets and pants was developed (EN17092 1:2020) which allows for a wider range of protective performance than those of the original standard EN13595.

The two standards will operate in parallel until 2023, but many manufacturers are already choosing to work to the new standard.

There is much debate amongst manufacturers that the original European Standard EN13595 was set too high.

It was developed back in the days when leather was king and street clothing had not even been thought of. Most companies did not produce clothing that complied with it because it was not easy to achieve.

Now we appear to have the opposite with a standard that is set quite low with most products already in the market passing it.

A low standard will see everything certified but is this an advantage or disadvantage to riders?

Click here for the next article which explains the different levels of the standard.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com