In the biggest addition to the MotoCAP online ratings of motorcycle clothing since it began in August 2018, 19 articles have been added and none scored more than two safety stars out of five.
The world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing has added:
13 textile jackets;
three pairs of textile gloves;
two pairs of leather gloves; and
one pair of textile pants.
MotoCAP has now tested 31 textile and leather jackets, 18 pairs of jeans and leggings, seven pair of leather pants, one pair of textile pants and 13 pairs of gloves.
Interestingly, the $230 Merlin Axe kevlar shirt rated a single safety star which was the same rating as all the newly added textile jackets.
Merlin boss Steve Franklin with their Axe kevlar shirt
The shirt also rated just two stars for thermal comfort because “there are no vents fitted to allow airflow to aid cooling in hot weather”.
Poor results
MotoCAP says the latest results highlight the lack of protection in some gear with none of the 19 new products scoring more than two stars for safety.
“There was more variation in the thermal comfort rating, with ratings ranging from one to three stars, with five different textile jackets gaining three stars for thermal comfort,” MotoCAP says.
“Many of the garments were also advertised as water resistant, and were tested for their ability to keep the rider dry in wet weather.
MotoDry Airmax
“There was significant variation in performance in this category. The highest performer was the MotoDry Airmax ($250) textile jacket, which scored 9 out of 10 for water resistance.”
Yet the two-star safety rated jacket only scored three stars for comfort.
MotoCAP advises riders to consider both the safety and comfort ratings when choosing the right gear for their ride.
Products added
MotoCAP testing equipment at the Deakin Uni Geelong campus surprise
Deakin Uni Institute for Frontier Materials Senior Research Fellow and Honda GB400 rider Chris Hurren says the site will have 150 clothing products on its site by the end of June.
“We have purposely targeted only 10% of the market in the first year so that manufacturers have a chance to come along with the scheme,” he says.
“We do not want to put a manufacturer out of business as we want them to improve their products and think about protection and thermal comfort in their design.”
“If they follow this path like car manufacturers did for ANCAP then the rider will always be the winner.”
So far, no article of motorcycle clothing has been provided by a manufacturer.
All have been bought by MotoCAP using a secretive buying system to guarantee integrity.
Thick, soft leather and a heritage, two-tone design make this Merlin Chase leather jacket one of the most stylish and comfortable I’ve worn.
At $499.95 it’s not bad value, either.
No, this is not a jacket you wear to go racing, but it does have European certification with approved impact protection in the back, and SW Level 2 armour in the shoulder and elbows.
Interestingly, the elbow protectors extend up the triceps, rather than down the forearm.
Heritage rider gear like this Chase jacket that reflects neo-classic motorcycles, such as the Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle that Steve rides, represent 45% of the market.
This jacket not only suits a variety of neo-classic models, but also look’s good when you are off the bike.
The Chase jacket doesn’t look out of place in a fancy restaurant, the cinema or a trendy bar.
I love the classic details such as the patterned stitching in the shoulders and sleeves and the antique brass YKK zippers with the leather and brass rivet toggles that are also easy to find even with thick winter gloves.
Chase fit
The Chase jacket comes in sizes XS to 3XL and is made of full-grain 1.2-1.3mm grade AAA cowhide leather which is thick, yet supple, so it doesn’t feel stiff.
Ill-fitting jackets made of flimsy or lightweight material can flap in the breeze and become fatiguing on a long trip. However, the thick hide of this jacket ensures it doesn’t flap around.
I find a lot of leather jackets sit too high in front and bunch up when you sit on your bike with the round collar digging painfully into your neck.
This doesn’t. And the leather neck fastener is soft.
There are also expanding rear shoulder panels so it doesn’t pull when you reach forward to your handlebars. the extra length in the back also means it doesn’t not become exposed when you lean forward.
There is also a beefy zip in the back to connect to your pants. They include the other side of the zipper material so you can sew it to your pants if they don’t come with the connection.
For my slim frame, the fit is quite good, with a little bit of give in the waist to fit a hearty lunch.
The sleeves have a zipper and two-position snap clasp.
I use the tight position so I can put winter gauntlet gloves over the top of the sleeve and the loose position for summer gloves to slide underneath, allowing the wind to flow up your arms.
Because the leather is thick the wind doesn’t pull the sleeves up your arms, either.
Thermal comfort
Being a British jacket, it’s not quite suited to Australia’s summer.
However, I’ve been wearing it in milder mid-to-high 20s temperatures and it’s fine.
Chest vents
When the temperature rises, you can unzip two chest vents and one small right-side exhaust vent.
It might not seem like a lot of venting compared with some other jackets, but it works surprisingly well.
I thought the single exhaust vent might have been a mistake, but I think it tends to draw in the air and circulate it around your torso, back and armpits, pumping out the air using the venturi principle. It’s the same as when you squeeze the end of the hose to make the water spurt out.
Anyway, it works, up to about 30C.
On one occasion riding in high teens temperatures, the jacket seemed a little cool. There is a 100g thermal gilet liner that should make it more comfortable, but it’s a vest without sleeves, so you may need to wear a thermal underneath for winter riding.
Pockets
Two chest vents and two side pockets
One of my chief complaints about many jackets is the lack of pockets.
This jacket has two outside hip pockets which are deep and won’t allow items to fall out while riding if you forget to zip them closed.
Inside is a zipped wallet pocket on the left which can be accessed even with the liner zipped in.
Internal pockets
Unlike many jackets, the liner also has a big pocket on the left with a snap fastener.
Without the liner there is another pocket on the left breast with a zip.
I don’t see why they couldn’t have included pockets on the right breast as well. The more pockets the better.
Also, the two interior zipped pockets have a small opening which can make it difficult to get thick wallets and modern large-sized phones in and out.
MotoCAP, the world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing, uses a secretive system for buying and selecting gear for testing to guarantee integrity.
Deakin Uni Institute for Frontier Materials Senior Research Fellow Chris Hurren says they have so far not been supplied with any test products by any manufacturer.
“At this point the scheme is totally funded by Australian State Governments, some of the auto clubs and insurers and the NZ ACC,” he says.
“All garments are purchased from retail and online without the manufacturers knowledge or involvement.”
Secretive buying system
MotoCAP testing equipment at the Deakin Uni Geelong campus
Their sourcing system is quite secretive with one of the two garments used for testing bought in stores in Australia and New Zealand.
“We never buy more than one garment type at a time so a typical buying run may consist of one leather jacket, one textile jacket and a pair of denim jeans,” Chris says.
“Another buying run may be a textile jacket, a pair of textile pants and a pair of gloves. The person doing the in store purchase is a rider and they try on the garments like a normal buyer so almost impossible to detect.
“We then use the same covert purchasing system for an online purchase of a second garment generally of a different size and/or colour if available.
“The delivery address is changed regularly and never to the University.
“This is all done to ensure that manufacturers can not trick up the garments to get a higher score. The only time industry knows that they have been sourced for testing is when the results are displayed on the website.”
Manufacturer involvement
However, manufacturers have been invited to submit rider gear for testing and rating.
“There are two methods for manufacturers to organise for their product to be tested but neither of these have been utilised yet as the program is still in its infancy,” Chris says.
“A manufacturer can pay for a garment to be purchased using the above method and added to the testing program.
“A manufacturer may also get their product tested before it enters the stores by providing a number of boxes (50+ garments depending on the product and size of company) of their manufactured product in a warehouse where it is randomly sampled for three garments.
“Two of these garments will be tested and the third held to be compared with retail stock when it arrives in store. If what turns up in store is different to what was tested then their rating will be rescinded and they will be prosecuted by the ACCC for false advertising.
More ratings
MotoCAP textile jacket ratings
So far, MotoCAP has tested 18 textile and leather jackets, 18 pairs of jeans and leggings and eight pair of gloves.
The last ratings posted were for textile pants about five weeks ago.
In the next few weeks MotoCAP will post ratings for seven pairs of leather pants and an additional posting of gloves, textile jackets and textile pants.
That means they will have every product class covered: gloves, leather jackets, leather pants, textile jackets, textile pants, ladies leggings and denim jeans.
Chris says they will have more than 150 products on the website by June 30.
“We have purposely targeted only 10% of the market in the first year so that manufacturers have a chance to come along with the scheme,” he says.
“We do not want to put a manufacturer out of business as we want them to improve their products and think about protection and thermal comfort in their design.”
“If they follow this path like car manufacturers did for ANCAP then the rider will always be the winner.
MotoCAP, the world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing, is important but may be too complex and not comprehensive enough, says a British motorcycle manufacturer.
The Australian ratings system for motorcycle pants, jackets and gloves launched in September 2018.
Since then, MotoCAP has copped some criticism for “faulty comfort ratings” and for only targeting 10% of rider gear for testing and rating per year.
However, many Australian rider representatives have supported the service for reminding riders about the importance of having quality safety gear.
MotoCAP is important
Steve Franklin, major shareholder of Manchester-based Merlin motorcycle clothing company, agrees that MotoCAP is important and should not be underestimated.
Merlin’s Steve Franklin with their flanno leisure gear
He says he misjudged the importance of the British the Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme (SHARP) which is a similar system to MotoCAP, but for helmets only.
Steve says he has concerns that the MotoCAP the rating and testing regime is too complex for consumers to understand.
“It needs to be more simple. Customers want proper and simple advice,” he told us while in Australia recently to meet retailers and distributors Link International.
“There is nothing wrong with trying to improve road safety.”
However, he says the complex MotoCAP rating system could give consumers the wrong impression.
“If we give consumers the wrong info, we lose their confidence,” he says.
The fastest-growing sector of the motorcycle clothing market is leisure safety gear while traditional Cordura and leather suits are decreasing in demand, says a British motorcycle clothing brand.
The trend mirrors growth in retro and naked bikes and the decrease in sportsbike popularity, says Merlin major shareholder Steve Franklin.
He and his Yamaha-loving sons, James and Patrick, flew out from Manchester recently to meet Australian retailers and distributors Link International.
Merlin execs (from left) Patrick, James and Steve Franklin
The Merlin executives also claim modern riders want clothing made with sustainable materials by manufacturers with integrity.
Steve says Merlin products are CE-approved, materials are sourced directly from experts and each manufacturer is inspected frequently for quality control.
“I want to be able to sleep at night,” he says, claiming they have only 0.97% returns on faulty gear and that one-third of that is down to user error.
Merlin flanno leisure jacket has DuPont kevlar throughout
They say the biggest market for motorcycle gear is now “moto leisure”.
Steve explains that it is like Nike’s “athleisure” range which appeals to people who want to look like an athlete but be comfortable.
“Similarly, moto leisure has all the safety gear but riders are able to go into a pub and not look like they’ve just had their knee down,” Steve says.
“It’s something you can wear all day.”
Heritage rider gear that reflects neo-classic motorcycles, such as the Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle that Steve rides, represents 45% of the market.
Steve says tech wear such as Cordua adventure suits and leather race suits are only 37% of the market and decreasing while the other two sectors are in “double-digit growth”.
That adds up to more than 100% of the market, but Steve says there is a lot of overlap where riders wear items from each section.
He says their women’s range was greater than 20% of their stock, but they pulled back.
However, James says they are now expanding their women’s range again.
“It’s a small part of the market but there are many more women’s groups emerging,” he says.
“They don’t all want to wear pink. They don’t want traditional riding gear but something that is a bit fashionable.
“Our feedback is that most brands just do dumbed-down versions of men’s gear.
“We recognise that women’s fit is different, even in women’s boots.”
Merlin employs fashion industry expert Melanie Field to help with women’s sizing so “it’s not just a small version of men’s gear”.
“She also has an eye on what colours and styles are currently fashionable,” James says.
Sustainability
Merlin Maple gloves with organic cotton denim panels
Riders are now seeking sustainable, organic materials directly sourced from reputable manufacturers, Steve says.
“The speed of development in organic materials is really gathering pace,” he says.
James points out that 76% of the materials they use is bought directly from “the experts in the field”.
“This ensures we have control of the quality,” he says.
Merlin also employs local inspectors in each of the countries where their products are manufactured to guarantee integrity and quality control.
They produce 60% of their gear in Pakistan and the rest in Portugal, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and India.
“We don’t manufacture anywhere that we don’t don’t have someone on site to make regular inspections,” Steve says.
He and his sons also spend 16 weeks a year doing inspection tours of manufacturing sites.
They say 75% of profits are turned back into the company to improve quality.
Safety standards
Merlin Holden leather jacket
Steve says rigid European CE approval standards are “both a curse and a blessing”.
“The cost of gaining CE approval is onerous at $10,000-$15,000 per product,” he says.
“We have to test the smallest and largest sizes and one in the middle, plus each different colour.”
Link International Merlin brand manager Ron Grant also points out that Merlin doesn’t just use high-quality safety materials in the impact areas specified for CE testing, but throughout their garments.
However, James says CE is also a blessing by making it “really difficult to get into this industry”, so it is “flushing out the bad quality and those operating in the black market”.
He says gaining CE approval was easy for them because they were exceeding the full testing process before CE became mandatory last year for manufacturers operating in Europe.
About Merlin
Merlin Chase heritage jacket
Merlin was registered in 2011 and started trading in 2012.
The name and logo come from “merle” which is French for blackbird.
It is 100% owned by the company’s 200 full-time staff who become shareholders after six months.
Steve’s background was in turning around ailing businesses.
“I just wanted to start a business then get someone to take it over,” he says.
“But once my sons entered the business, we found we had a passion for making good products and not just for business,” he says.
“We don’t cut corners. We wanted to make the best quality product we could with the technology and materials available.
“We’re always improving the product so it is relevant and exceeds customer expectations.”
British heritage motorcycle clothing brand Merlin have announced a new range of products that include several lifestyle products such as protective flanno and waxed cotton jackets.
The flanno jacket (pictured above) looks and feels just like a flannelette shirt but has an abrasion-resistant Dupont Kevlar lining and impact-resistant CE Armour.
The shirt comes in a choice of red, grey, dark blue and green checks in men’s sizes S to 3XL for $229.95.
Australian importer Link International says the Staffordshire company is 100% owned by the family and employees.
Brand manager Ron Grant says the heritage lifestyle gear is not designed to protect a MotoGP racer in a 200km/h+ crash.
However, he says the makers are diligent about addressing the latest European safety standards and guarantee high-quality workmanship with “almost zero” warranty claims.
He says Merlin produce the type of quality gear that is comfortable for all-day wear and doesn’t look out of place when you get off your bike.
Two of the company’s family owners are currently in Australia and we hope to catch up with them to talk more about their new range.
Waxed cotton is back in fashion and the Merlin Victory jacket in sand, olive and navy colours looks like it just stepped out of the 1950s.
However, the $329.95 jacket comes with modern protection from Dupont Kevlar 220g armour.
Chase
Merlin’s plush Chase leather jacket is made of full-grain 1.2-1.3mm grade AAA cowhide leather in a mixture of smart black and plum hides for $499.95.
It features removable thermal gilet liner and SW Level 2 armour in the shoulders and elbows.
Holden
The Italian-inspired Holden leather jacket has even thicker full-grain 1.3-1.4mm grade AAA cowhide leather with subtle dark blue contrast patches on the chest and arms.
It also costs $499.95 and comes with the same liner and armour.
Merlin has a new range of leather gloves including the Boulder ($139.95), Padget ($139.95) and Maple $99.95) plus the casual leather and denim Icon gloves ($79.95).
UK brand LDM is a relative newcomer to the market with a range of affordable riding gear including this LDM ExoFlex all-weather jacket with a trendy hood.
Lorenzo, founder of LDM, says he set up the company three years ago as an online retailer of well-known motorcycle clothing brands including helmets, gloves, and accessories.
“After a couple of years, I was finding people including myself were getting fed up with the lack of innovation that’s going on among the budget-mid level motorcycle clothing brands,” he says.
“As a slightly younger biker I could see the potential to make exciting new motorbike gear using newer materials in more casual clothing items. Which is how LDM was born.
LDM ExoFlex jacket
“The whole mission is to provide good value motorcycle clothing that is more than just your normal textile or leather jacket or gloves. Everything we do is designed to be different but also practical.”
The LDM range is still quite small, but is experiencing a lot of growth in the UK and is planning to expand into European distribution next year.
You can also buy their gear through their online presence at LDMotorcycles.co.uk.
Lorenzo sent us their new ExoFlex all-weather jacket which has been inspired by the success of their softshell and leather gloves.
It’s a smart-looking and comfortable jacket that sells for £114.99 (about $A200 plus postage), but is currently on discount at just £89.99 (about $A157).
This is not a jacket for touring or racing, but a comfortable and fashionable urban jacket.
It features CE-approved impact armour in the back, shoulders and elbows with abrasion-resistant DuPont 220GSM Kevlar aramid lining.
(The back protector is level 2 EN1621 while the elbow and shoulders are level 1, but they are upgrading to level 2.)
When LDM claim it is an “all-weather” jacket, they are probably referring to UK summers. With its windproof shell and no venting, it’s too hot over about 30C on a non-faired bike.
There is no zip-out liner for winter riding, but you could easily fit a thermal underneath for cold conditions.
With some recent milder weather as well as some torrential rain courtesy of Cyclone Owen, we have been able to put the jacket to the test.
ExoFlex is a bomber-style jacket with elasticised cuffs and waistband like I used to wear when I started riding too many years ago.
It’s extremely comfortable, but I’m a bit concerned about the elasticised sleeves and bottom of the jacket riding up if I slide along the ground.
Waterproof claims
The soft-shell outer and main YKK zip are waterproof, although the elasticised sections can slowly suck in some water.
YKK zips
But you can make it properly waterproof if you overlap waterproof gloves with the cuffs and wear waterproof pants under the waistband.
Three deep, outside pockets also have waterproof zips to keep moisture off your wallet and other contents.
I proved it by carrying a tissue in each pocket to see if they became wet while riding in heavy rain. When I pulled them out later, they were still dry.
There is only one internal pocket, but it is conveniently the same shape and size as most modern plus-size phones. It also has a hole for an earphone cord.
Many modern urban motorcycle jackets now come with a drawstring hoodie section which is not only trendy but practical as it keeps the rain off your head when you take off your helmet.
It would be nice if it was detachable as the drawstrings and hoodie section flap around annoyingly at highway speeds.
Unlike many motorcycle jackets, it doesn’t feature a lot of ugly shapes, panels and labelling. That makes it suitable casual wear off the bike.
It doesn’t have any reflective material, so you might think about wearing some when riding at night.
If you need an affordable comfortable and protective jacket for urban riding and commuting, check out this LDM ExoFlex.
The world’s first motorcycle clothing safety ratings program, MotoCAP, rates eight new textile jackets poorly for safety and comfort.
Unlike the 10 leather jackets MotoCAP rated when it launched in September, none of the textile jackets rates more than two stars for comfort or safety.
An official MotoCAP release says they expect better gear with higher ratings to become available as the industry responds to customer demand.
MotoCAP has set a target of testing 10% of available jackets, pants and gloves in its first year of operation.
Textile rates worse than leather
The new textile jacket ratings are for the Merlin Everson, Ducati Giacca Tour V2, RJays Dune, Dainese D-Blizzard D -Dry, DriRider Air-Ride 4, BMW AirFlow, Alpinestar Chrome Sports Hoodie and Harley-Davidson Bentan.
All are men’s jackets. No women’s gear has yet been tested.
Prices for the eight jackets vary from the $200 DriRider to $659 for the BMW jacket. They both rated just one star for safety and two for comfort.
Click here to see the full ratings for the jackets.
By comparison, the 10 leather jackets rated from two to fives stars for safety and half to two stars for comfort.
Testing target
MotoCAP testing equipment
Last month a Transport for NSW spokesman told us that gloves have been tested and the results would be published “soon”.
Leather pants are also being tested.
The clothing is bought anonymously from stores and local online outlets.
Invitation to industry
When MotoCAP was launched, the motorcycle clothing industry was not invited to pay for testing to guarantee independence.
However, MotoCAP has invited companies to submit products for ratings and pay a low fee to cover testing.
It is not known if these eight textile jackets were randomly selected or provided by distributors.
Companies can voluntarily advertise their rating using the MotoCAP logo.
MotoCAP is a not-for-profit organisation in partnership with the following: from NSW – Transport for NSW, SIRA and the NRMA; from Victoria – VicRoads, TAC and RACV; from South Australia – DPTI, MAC and RAA; from Queensland – TMR and RACQ; from Western Australia – the Western Australian Road Safety Commission; plus the Australian Motorcycle Council and the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation.
The Transport for NSW spokesperson says MotoCAP is designed to “reduce road trauma and injury severity for motorcyclists” by informing riders of their choices.
“It is hoped this will be achieved by raising consumer awareness of, and demand for, better protective clothing, and manufacturers and suppliers will respond to that demand,” he said.
“The MotoCAP rating system will be continually monitored and feedback will be considered to identify any improvements that can be made.”
Imagine a motorcycle jacket that vibrates when it senses you are about to have a collision or delivers that disco bass rumble in your gut when you play music in your helmet?
The Origin “haptic” jacket will come as part of a package with a Zenith head-up display helmet (HUD) when you buy the coming 240km/h Arc Vector electric motorcycle costing about £90,000 ($A160,000, $US117,000).
The bike features “haptic” handlebars and seat that vibrate if they sense a crash or you try to merge into a lane where there is a car. Similar technology has been around in some cars for years.
Vector is also integrated with the Zenith head-up display helmet.
Their Origin jacket takes collision warning even further with haptic pads that vibrate.
It features different modes including “Dynamic” to “amplify the sense of excitement during a dynamic ride”.
Another is called “Euphoric” that produces that deep bass rumble.
While these are entertainment modes, Arc founder and CEO Mark Truman says the normal haptic mode that responds to crash threats can be used to “augment mirrors as a threat detection system”.
Riders will experience a buzz in their back or one shoulder to indicate the presence and direction of another threatening vehicle.
Vibrating haptic pads
“The haptic jacket and high-tech helmet are designed to help meld man and machine into one,” Arc claims.
Mark says it allows the rider to keep their eyes on the road ahead. However, we would argue that a shoulder check is always advisable.
“People ask me if this could be distracting, but it is actually designed to be the total opposite,” Mark says.
“The tech frees you and your senses because the distractions have been removed.
“It allows you to concentrate on the road and your oneness with the bike, to just enjoy the moment knowing the bike is looking out for you and the information you need is right in front of you.”
So why provide entertainment haptic modes?
Arc Vector
Meanwhile, the 95kW Arc Vector has a top speed of 241km/h (150mph) and accelerates to highway seed in 2.7 seconds.
Range is claimed to be 190km (about 120 miles) on the highway or 274km (170 miles) in the city.
Only 355 bikes will be produced.
It features a lightweight carbonfibre swingarm and a new type of battery that makes the bike a chimed 25% lighter than its competition.
It also comes with custom Ohlins dampers and Brembo brakes mounted in the 6 o’clock position.
