Impact Protectors & Accessories

Impact protectors

Impact protectors are shields worn inside clothing to spread the force of an impact. They can reduce the risk of fractures and joint damage and should be worn on the elbows, shoulders, hips and knees.

Check inside garments before you buy. Do not confuse comfort padding or foam with genuine impact protectors.

Look for the CE 1621-1, which means they comply with the European Standard. This does not necessarily mean that other impact protectors will not work as well, but without the CE mark, you have no way of knowing.

Under the European Standard, the test of an impact protector involves a 5 kilo weight being dropped from a height of 1 metre.

If your gear does not contain genuine impact protectors, it is easy to replace them with CE marked protectors, which are quite inexpensive to buy separately.

Ear plugs

Some helmets are very noisy due the way air flows around the helmet, vents and visor. This sort of noise can be distracting and fatiguing and may cause permanent hearing loss. A recent study of wind noise effects found that half of the 12 motorcycle helmets studied exceeded the safe limit of 90 dB at 80 Km/h. All but two of the helmets produced wind noise above 90 dB at 120 km/h which means increasing risk of noise-induced ear damage.

Ear plugs can reduce noise by 15-28dB.

Back protectors

A back protector can provide protection from direct impacts to the spine. However it cannot protect riders from serious spinal injuries which are caused by twisting forces on other parts of the body.

The number of the European Standard for back protectors is CE 1621-2.

Kidney belt

Kidney belts can reduce fatigue on long trips by supporting vital organs from vibration. If you do wear a kidney belt, ensure you follow the manufacturers’ directions and wear it below your rib cage.

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