Tag Archives: MotoCap

New motorcycle clothing standard (Pt 2)

Part 2 – The new levels of the standard.

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

Clothing standard: Levels

This is the second in a four-part series explaining the new levels. Click here for part 1.

The new standard EN17092 specifies the testing protocols for the required protection levels for five classes of garment.

  • AAA – Heavy duty protective garments
  • AA – Medium duty protective garments
  • A – Light duty protective garments
  • B – Light-duty abrasion protection garments (no armour)
  • C – Impact protector ensemble garments

Class AAA garments are designed to be most protective with the highest requirements for impact abrasion, tear and seam strength. Class AA have a lesser requirement for abrasion, tear and seam strength. Class A has the lowest requirements for protection with abrasion measurement only being required for the zone 1 and 2 areas. The Class B garments have the same requirements as Class A but do not have to be fitted with armour. Class C garments are armour-only garments such as off-road protection vests or knee braces. Class AA and AAA must be fitted with armour in the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Class A garments also must have armour in the shoulders, elbows and knees however the fitting of hip armour is optional. If the armour is not in the garments hanging in the store ask the salesperson for them as they are meant to be there.

EN17092 covers the same range of factors as those in EN13595, including impact abrasion resistance, seam tensile strength, fabric tear strength, impact energy absorption of armour, restraint system effectiveness and the positioning of protective components. It also outlines that the garment should be tested for materials innocuous to ensure that there are no harmful chemicals present and no running dyes. Tear strength, ergonomics, restraint and armour testing are the same as were in the previous standard EN13595 whereas impact abrasion resistance, seam strength and risk zones are now measured and defined in a new way. Each of the new methods are detailed in the three other parts of this series.

As you read the last two parts you may ask yourself is this standard set high enough? The biggest concern with a low standard is that manufacturers will build to it. An example of this would be why put a para-aramid layer into protective denim pants when the right denim by itself will achieve the “Class A or AA” rating. It costs less to manufacture and while it is not the highest rating it is still achieving certification. It is evident from the changing quality of garments in Australian and New Zealand stores, that a number of manufacturers are already doing this and it is not just limited to denim. Unfortunately change in this space is slow with riders replacing their gear infrequently so it will take a number of years before any reduction in protection would show as increased injury numbers.

Motocap Motorcycle clothing rating system launched target canstar choose textile pants covert secretiveMotocap ratings

The best step forward for riders is to be careful in what you buy. Use common sense, advice from other riders and tools such as MotoCAP to help you make the right choice. Remember if the product feels too thin or seems too good to be true then it is probably not protective. Be especially wary of “Class A” rated garments. As riders, we can show manufacturers that products with reduced safety levels are not acceptable by not buying them. This movement has already been seen in the UK where riders are avoiding the thin single-layer denim jeans because they just don’t feel safe in them.

The next article looks at the differences in impact abrasion resistance measurement.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

New motorcycle clothing standard (Pt 3)

Part 3 – Impact abrasion resistance.

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.

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

This is the third in a four-part series explaining the new method of impact abrasion resistance measurement. Click here for Part 1 and Part 2.

Clothing standard: Abrasion resistance

The biggest difference in EN17092 is that it utilises the Advanced Abrasion Resistance Tester (AART) more commonly known as the Darmstadt method for evaluating the impact abrasion resistance of garment materials at specified riding speeds.

This test machine was developed 30 years ago at Technische Universitat Darmstadt. A short video was created by the university to show the test:

The test is a rotary system with three arms spinning around a drive shaft above a 900mm diameter concrete test surface. Material samples are attached to test heads at the end of each arm which are spun up to the test speed at 10mm above the test surface.

On reaching test speed, the drive shaft disconnects allowing the spinning arms and fabric samples to drop spinning freely in contact with the abrasive surface until they stop.

The test is given a pass at the given test speed if there are no holes formed in any of the three samples. A hole is deemed a hole if it is greater than 5mm in diameter. Test starting speeds are 120, 75, 70, 45 and 25km/h.

Darmstadt clothing standardOriginal Darmstadt test machine (Image: SKL – automotive engineering)

As this test starts at a high speed and slows to a stop over the duration of the test it may appear to riders to be more realistic than the Cambridge impact abrasion method (CAM), which is carried out at a constant speed. Unfortunately there is very little information available on the test machine or method especially in relation to validating the performance of the test against crash damage to clothing in real world crashes. The test surface used is concrete and is not designed to be periodically replaced, which suggests the surface may lose it abrasiveness over time. The surface is also prepared to resemble asphalt which is predominately used in urban environments. The question must be raised as to how representative is it of the chip seal roads that make up the majority of Australia’s rural and other higher speed road network.

While the use of specific test speeds in the AART is intuitively appealing, there are valid questions as to whether it does test for all riding environments. Research needs to show that the AART test covers all riding and is not just aimed at low speed urban riders. There are many questions yet unanswered. Is the test surface abrasive enough? Will the test surface clog during testing? Does it polish and become less aggressive over time? How do the test results relate to actual road injury? These really need to be answered about the test method to give riders confidence in its results.

At Deakin we have made simple comparisons between the CAM and AART tests with a piece of 12oz denim similar to that found in a pair of Levis 501 jeans. Samples were sent and tested on two AART machines in Europe. On both AART machines the denim passed the 75km/h test speed. On the CAM it achieved 0.6 seconds equating to approximately 5 metres of slide distance. This would mean that if the other parameters such as seam strength and tear were adequate a pair of the same jeans with armour in the knees and hips could meet “Class AA“ certification. While this might be enough protection for a scooter rider in a 20km/h crash how would it fair in a crash on any of our iconic riding roads?

The last part of this series will look at seam strength testing and changes to the risk zone template.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

New motorcycle clothing standard (Pt 4)

Part 4 – Seam strength and risk zones.

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 HurrenDr Chris Hurren

This is the final in a four-part series explaining the new method for seam strength and new template for risk zones. Click here for Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Clothing standard: Seam strength

Seam strength of jackets and pants under EN17902 is tested using the same method as used for gloves in the European Standards for motorcycle gloves – EN13594. The test involves pulling a seam apart using a tensile testing machine and measuring the force it takes for the break to occur. The failure mechanism of this test is slightly different to that of the hydraulic burst method used in EN13595 for jackets and pants, so manufacturers have had to change some seam styles to achieve a pass. Significant comparison testing done with other published garment research has shown that there is a reasonable relationship between the two tests and that the newly set pass criteria appears to be fit for purpose. The introduction of EN 17092 should see improved seams appearing in garments getting Class AAA ratings as these seam strengths are relatively high. As the majority of motorcycle clothing on the market has previously not been certified for seam strength achieving this standard should see an improvement in seams.

The other big change introduced into EN17092 is the modification of the injury risk zones from the well know four zone system developed by Dr Woods into a new three zone system.

Zone 1 is defined as an area of high risk of damage such as to impact, abrasion and tearing (figure 1 a). This is still the location of impact protectors and higher performing protective materials. Zone 2 is defined as an area of moderate risk of damage to abrasion and tearing (figure 1b). Zone 3 is classed as an area of low risk to damage such as tearing.

It is unclear why the standard has downgraded the higher risk to abrasion areas of the buttocks, sides of the leg and parts of the arm. This appears to be contrary to scientific consensus validated by research both in Australia and abroad that show these areas to be of a high risk. An example of this is the Class AAA garment requirements for abrasion. The very small zone 1 area must meet the 120km/h AART test speed whereas the bulk of the body that is identified as zone 2 must achieve 75km/h. This is similar with the Class AA garment where the Zone 1 area must meet 70km/h and the Zone 2 area 45km/h. Considering that a piece of denim can achieve 75km/h this means that the minimum abrasion protection levels of the bulk of the Class AAA garment is relatively low and the Class AA even lower.

 

Images showing the new three Zone system (EN17092:2020)

There is also a different risk zone template for the AAA garment compared to the other garments. This increases the Zone 1 area for abrasion and tearing risk to cover some of the buttocks and crotch area. While this is an improvement in providing protection for some of the higher risk areas of the lower body it does not cover all the previously well-defined risks. It is also unclear why this injury risk is only present in the AAA garments and not in any of the other garment classes.

Hopefully this article has helped you to better understand the new standard. Enjoy your ride.

Click here for Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Bull-It jeans help win enterprise award

UK protective clothing company, Covec Limited, parent company of Bull-it Jeans, has received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise recognising their export success.

The company exports to 14 different countries in Europe, Australia, North America and New Zealand.

Company founder Keith Bloxsome says they made their first container sale to Australia, quickly followed by New Zealand in 2012.

Covec developed their protective textile material by re-engineering inflexible liquid crystal polymer to achieve abrasion resistance, weather-proofing, low thermal conductivity and improved strength.

Covec’s material is used in sportswear, military clothing and their motorcycle clothing brand, Bull-it, which makes jeans, leggings and jackets.

It is also licensed to a variety of global brands including Triumph Motorcycles, Rokker of Switzerland, KLIM USA, RevZilla, IXS and The Bike Shed Motorcycle Club.

Bull-it Jeans win enterprise awardBulliIt Fury Jeggings

In Australia, the internationally recognised MotoCAP testing facility has so far only tested Bull-It’s jeggings which received a full five stars for comfort but only half a star for safety.

It should be noted that the other leggings tested from Draggin and Oxford also rated half a star for safety.

Enterprise

In the past six years, Covec increased overseas sales by 587% with exports making up 53%.

This has been recognised with the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Continuous Growth in Overseas Sales.

Keith says the achievement comes despite a weak British Pound, Brexit turmoil and ever-toughening CE safety regulations.

Bull-it Jeans win enterprise awardBull-it Jeans

 “R&D has always been at the fore,” Keith says.

“Covec, through its personal protection equipment brand Bull-it, was the first motorcycle denim jean in the world to achieve CE Level II back in 2013, in itself a great team effort.

“This put us in a unique position with our exclusive materials giving our fantastic distributor and dealer network more safety and sales tools to do the job.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Multiple material layers are safer for riders

Riding gear with multiple layers usually rates higher for abrasion safety than comparative gear, according to the MotoCAP safety and thermal comfort ratings system for motorcycle jackets, pants and gloves.

For example, leather alone provides about four seconds of protection before failure, but backing the leather with foam, 3D mesh or a leather patch can improve resistance up to 10 seconds.

The Doc explains multiple layer protection

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

Dr Chris Hurren who works at MotoCAP’s National Association of Testing Authorities-accredited laboratory at Deakin University, explains:

The reason it works is because when a garment hits a moving surface it is partially damaged by the initial contact with the road. If there is more than one layer and the outer layer is able to withstand bursting open on initial impact. It then protects any further layers from being damaged and the result is that the combination lasts longer.

MotoCAP, which was launched in September last year, has now rated 201 items of clothing, including 50 pairs of pants, 90 jackets and 61 pairs of gloves.

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

Dr Hurren provides a more scientific explanation for how layers of material offer better rider protection.

Motocap Motorcycle clothing rating system launched targetMotoCAP testing equipment at the Deakin Uni Geelong campus

Physics wise, the failure of protective materials is from ripping out of fibres by the macrostructure of the road. This is the same for leather and textiles as leathers are also made up of fibres.

Abrasion damage is affected most by force and area. A small force on a large area will have low abrasion, the same force on a smaller area will have increased abrasion. So considering a glove our body puts a fixed amount of force down the arm on to the ground. If we have the palm of our hand in contact with the ground then the area involved in abrasion is much larger than if we have only the side of the hand and little finger even though the force remains the same.

This is why a little finger in a glove should have a double layer of leather to better protect it than the palm where the force is spread over a larger area. 

Alpinestars GP Plus 2R glovesAlpinestars GP Plus R2 motorcycle gloves are only the second pair of gloves to be awarded a full five stars for safety by MotoCAP.

When we first hit the road the downward force is very high as we are falling from some height to hit the surface either in a low or high side crash. Of course a high-side crash will have more downward momentum than a low side. This results in large initial tearing of fibres from the surface of the outer material that leads to premature failure.

Once our downward momentum is stabilised and turned into forward momentum only the weight of our body is applying force to cause abrasion. When we have two layers the first one is damaged in the initial hit with the road and then the second layer when exposed is pristine and can withstand a longer abrasion time. It may also have sample of the previous layer present at the early stages of the second layer abrasion further helping abrasion resistance. 

Now all of this does not work if the outer material is weak or really stretchy. In both of these cases the outer layer bursts open on impact and the second layer is loaded up and stressed as well. This is why we see a number of the protective layer lined hoodies and ladies leggings performing poorly in MotoCAP. The outer layer bursts open on impact loading the protective layer up to forces it was not designed to be exposed to.

GoGo Gear Kevlar armoured leggings from BikieChicLeggings

An example of this would be a para-aramid liner gets 3 seconds abrasion time under a piece of denim but only 0.8 seconds under a hoodie fleecy fabric. Stretch causes problems because it lengthens the time and force of the initial road impact causing larger forces to be put through the outer fabric. 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Alpinestars gloves score top safety rating

Alpinestars GP Plus R2 motorcycle gloves (pictured) have become only the second pair of gloves to be awarded a full five stars for safety by MotoCAP.

The internationally awarded safety and thermal comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing has added 15 more gloves to its list of tested gear.

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

It has now rated 201 items of clothing, including 50 pairs of pants, 90 jackets and 61 pairs of gloves.

Of those gloves, only the Alpinestars costing $225 and Ducati Corse C3 ($442) – both racing-style gloves – have scored a full five stars.

Ducati Corse C3 glovesDucati Corse C3 gloves

Only three others scored four stars, five got three stars, 20 received two stars, 23 got one star and the rest were awarded just half a star.

No comfort ratings

While MotoCAP also supplies thermal comfort and waterproofing on jackets and pants, it does not provide a comfort rating for gloves.

That is despite some of the gloves tested having perforations for airflow.

However, they do test for waterproofing.

Comfort is a big factor among baby boomers when selecting gloves, according to a Canstar Blue customer satisfaction survey that also found Millennial riders buy for style.

Transport for NSW says that to measure for comfort a large square of fabric must be obtained.

“There is not enough material in a glove to obtain a sample for the thermal comfort measure,” they say.

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

Click here to find out how products are selected for rating in secret.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

MotoCAP wins international safety award

Australian safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing, MotoCAP, has won a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) road safety award.

MotoCAP, which was launched in September last year, is the first of its type in the world and has now rated 171 items of clothing, including 43 pairs of pants, 82 jackets and 46 pairs of gloves.

FIM award

Guy Stanford - Mobile phone while riding - darrk visor helmets filtering laws autonomous consensus hipsters kill defect award
Guy Stanford

The award, presented this morning (2 December 2019) in Monaco along with 40 other recipients, has been applauded by Australian Motorcycle Council chair Guy Stanford.

“We are very pleased with the FIM award which demonstrates the value of the MotoCAP program worldwide,” he says.

“Clothing manufacturers’ advertising is not always a credible source of what is useful when a crash happens or heat fatigue arises in the Australian summer.”

MotoCAP gives clothing two separate star ratings – one for protection and one for heat management (“comfort”).

AMC Protective Clothing sub-committee chair Brian Wood also 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 history

Motocap Motorcycle clothing rating system launched testingMotoCAP is the outcome of almost 20 years research and consultations, led by Dr Liz de Rome, with the support of the Australian Motorcycle Council. The key milestones include:

  • 2003 – The Motorcycle Council of NSW (MCC) obtained a grant from the Motor Accidents Authority of NSW (MAA) to investigate the features of effective motorcycle personal protective equipment (PPE).The outcome was a report and the establishment of websites for the MCC and the Accident Compensation Commission (NZ) to provide information about protective clothing and other motorcycle safety issues to riders in Australia and New Zealand.
  • 2005 – A national PPE industry seminar was held by the MCC with the support and funding of the MAA to consider the implications of the European Standards for PPE. A proposal to establish an Australian star rating scheme for PPE was canvassed and supported by the participants.
  • 2006 – The roads authority of Victoria (VicRoads), commissioned a report investigating the options for a star rating scheme compared to industry standards for PPE.
  • 2007 – The National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) funded a survey of novice riders to establish their knowledge, information sources and usage of PPE.
  • 2008 – Swann Motorcycle Insurance funded a study of the injury reduction benefits of the clothing worn by injured and un-injured riders involved serious crashes. The study confirmed the potential for PPE to reduce the risk and severity of injuries, but also identified high rates of garment failure under crash conditions. The study also validated the impact risk zones framework of the European standards against clothing damage and rider injuries in real world crashes.
  • 2008 – PPE researcher invited to give a presentation on protective clothing research to members at the AMC Annual Conference.
  • 2009 – AMC successfully lobbied Federal Government for funding to publish and distribute a guide to riders on the features of effective motorcycle protective clothing ‘The Good Gear Guide’.
  • 2010 – 2012 – The State of Victoria, Parliamentary Road Safety Committee convened a series of meetings to “inquire into, consider and report… on motorcycle safety.” The formation of a star rating scheme for motorcyclists’ apparel was supported by Recommendations 51 – 53. (Parliamentary Road safety Committee 2012)
  • 2011–-  The Australian and New Zealand Government Injury Insurance agencies commissioned industry consultations and research into the development of a model for providing riders with reliable information when buying motorcycle protective gear.
  • 2011 – The Victorian Transport Accident Commission (TAC) organised a series of state-wide seminars – entitled “What’s Safe?” – which covered the testing and other assessments of motorcyclists’ clothing, of which riders, retailers and clothing suppliers were amongst the interested parties who attended.
  • 2012 – The TAC conducted feasibility studies including community and industry consultations to establish support for a PPE ratings program.
  • 2014 – the NRMA ACT Road Safety Trust funded an investigation of the impact of thermally inefficient PPE worn in hot conditions on rider fatigue, reaction times and mood.

    Testing motorcycle in the thermal chamber (from left) research assistant Liz Taylor, volunteer rider Dr Greg Peoples, Liz de Rome and Nigel Taylor. rating award
    Motorcycle gear tested in a thermal chamber with (from left) research assistant Liz Taylor, volunteer rider Dr Greg Peoples, Liz de Rome and Nigel Taylor.

  • 2014 – The AMC formed a Protective Clothing Sub-Committee which developed a Position Statement on Protective Clothing from a rider’s perspective.
  • 2014 2015, 2016 – AMC Annual Conferences invited PPE researchers to provide updates on research progress on protective clothing.
  • 2015 – The AMC collated and listed CE approved gear available in Australia on its website to assist riders in choosing suitable gear. The AMC joined the Australian and New Zealand Working Group tasked to develop a 5 Star Rating scheme.
  • 2015 – The Motorcycle Protective Clothing working group formed, consisting of 10 members from government agencies and motoring clubs, led by the TAC.
  • 2015 – NSW Parliamentary Stay Safe Committee Inquiry into motorcycle safety recommended that a star rating scheme for motorcyclists protective clothing be developed (Staysafe Committee 2015).
  • 2015 – The NSW Minister for Roads, announced the establishment of a national project to develop a consumer rating program for motorcycle protective clothing and to encourage manufacturers to provide a range of more effective protective clothing suitable for Australian conditions (NSW Government 2015).
  • 2016 – The science program ‘Catalyst’ produced a segment on motorcycle protective clothing, this was broadcast by the national broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) 
  • 2016 – The Transport for NSW, Centre for Road Safety (CRS) assumed the lead role for the Motorcycle Protective Clothing working group and commissioned the development of test protocols for a PPE star rating scheme in consultation with industry (de Rome et al 2016). The CRS actively sought interested parties, and the consortium grew to 20 members.
  • 2016 – Dr Liz de Rome and Dr Chris Hurren from Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials were contracted to the consortium to develop test and rating protocols for motorcycle protective clothing.

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

  • 2016 – The test protocols were distributed for comment to the motorcycle accessories industry in Australia and New Zealand including local manufacturers and importers.
  • 2017 – Liz and C hris were contracted to trial the test protocols fr a 12-month period, allowing time for industry to respond. Product test results were released on a confidential basis to the relevant local manufacturer or importer.
  • 2018 – The doctors were contracted to the consortium to conduct testing of motorcycle protective clothing for publication under the MotoCAP program.
  • 2018 – The Motorcycle Clothing Assessment Program, or MotoCAP, and the accompanying website, www.motocap.com.au, were launched in September by the MotoCAP working group, with products tested at the Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials. At launch, there were 20 products rated on the website. At the time of this submission, there were 128 products on the website, with the site frequently updated.

Under MotoCAP, the National Association of Testing Authorities-accredited laboratory at Deakin University, led by Dr Chris Hurren, tests and rates the protective performance and thermal management of a random sample of the motorcycle jackets, pants and gloves available in Australia and New Zealand.

The CRS publishes the results on the MotoCAP website on behalf of the consortium.  The ratings use the same test methods as current European standards, and rather than using a simple pass/fail score, they allow products to be ranked and rated on their relative performance, allowing riders to choose the most appropriate gear for their riding conditions.

The draft test protocols have been distributed widely across the Australian and New Zealand industry, including to importers and manufacturers, to enable industry to test their own products against the MotoCAP requirements.

  • 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.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

MotoCAP rates 160 jackets, pants, gloves

MotoCAP has added eight more jackets and two more pairs of pants to its safety and thermal comfort ratings, bringing the total to 160.

The world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing began in August last year.

It has now rated 160 items of clothing, including 43 pairs of pants, 47 pairs of gloves and 70 jackets.

This release adds a third well-performing women’s jacket to the range of dedicated female gear rated on their website.

The DriRider Paris leather jacket (pictured above) scored three out of five stars for protection, and two out of five stars for thermal comfort, matching the rating of the current highest performing ladies jacket, the Dainese Mike.

Dainese Mike Lady jacket
Dainese Mike Lady jacket

Ratings system

While some claim the ratings system is flawed, it at least now has a decent amount of clothing rated and provides a guide for buyers.

Click here for the full list of 160 motorcycle jackets, pants and glove ratings.

Transport for NSW says there has been “interest from some manufacturers to have their items rated”.

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

MotoCAP chief scientist Chris Hurren says urban and country riders need different levels of abrasion, impact and seam-bursting protection in their riding gear.

He explains the differences in this video.

Click here to find out how products are selected for rating in secret.

  • 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.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

MotoCAP now rates 150 jackets, gloves, pants

MotoCAP has rated six more jackets to reach 150 safety and thermal comfort ratings for jackets, pants and gloves, including only their second women’s jacket.

The world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing began in August last year.

It has now rated 150 items of clothing, including 41 pairs of pants, 47 pairs of gloves and now 62 jackets, including their second women’s jacket.

While some claim the ratings system is flawed, it at least now has a decent amount of clothing rated and provides a guide for buyers.

Women’s jackets

The first women’s jacket was the Dainese Mike Lady jacket which only joined the list last August.

It scored a protection rating of three out of five stars while this round the women’s Macna Freeride textile jacket scored only one star.

However, it rated three out of five stars for thermal comfort.Jackets women's Macna Freeride

Click here for the full list of 150 motorcycle jackets, pants and glove ratings.

Transport for NSW says there has been “interest from some manufacturers to have their items rated”.

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

Click here to find out how products are selected for rating in secret.

  • 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.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Gloves and jeans fail safety tests

Motorcycle gloves and jeans have once again scored a big fail in the independent Australian MotoCAP safety ratings while the jeans scored well for thermal comfort.

The latest round of testing includes five pair of jeans and four gloves.

Only one set of gloves scored two safety stars, while the rest scored just one.

It follows August results for seven pairs of leather and textile motorcycles gloves which also recorded a fail in the MotoCAP safety ratings.

The MotoCAP website now lists 47 pairs of gloves in its list of 144 products tested and rated.

So far, not one pair of gloves has rated a full five stars.

Click here for the full results.

Comfy jeans

All five pairs of jeans tested have scored either three or four stars out of five for thermal comfort, which is an improvement in this category compared with previous releases.

The highest overall performing pair of jeans is the Draggin Jeans Twista jeans, which scored four out five stars for thermal comfort.

kevlar jeans
Draggin Twista jeans

While thermal comfort was good, safety was another fail.

Twista scored two out of five stars for protection, while of the other jeans tested, three scored one star for safety and one scored only half a star.

MotoCAP has now tested 41 pairs of jeans.

Click here for the full jeans results.

No comfort ratings

The world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing provides comfort ratings for thermal comfort and waterproofing on jackets and pants, but not gloves.

That is despite some of the gloves tested having perforations for airflow.

It also comes as the latest Canstar Blue customer satisfaction research found Baby Boomers are more likely to choose comfortable motorcycle gloves while Millennial riders buy for style.

Transport for NSW says that to measure for comfort a large square of fabric must be obtained.

“There is not enough material in a glove to obtain a sample for the thermal comfort measure,” they say.

However, they do test for waterproofing and three pairs of gloves were tested because they were advertised as having this feature.

The highest performing pair are the DriRider Apex 2 unisex gloves, which received a score of eight out of ten for water resistance.

Transport for NSW says there has been “interest from some manufacturers to have their items rated”.

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

Click here to find out how products are selected for rating in secret.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com