Protective Clothing
Nobody ever plans to come off their bike, yet each
year hundreds of Victorian motorcyclists are involved in
road crashes.
Protective clothing can help reduce the severity of
injuries sustained in a crash, and here you'll find
information on each piece of armour that you need to
help save your skin.
Helmets
How do you choose the one that is right for you?
Your helmet is the most important piece of your safety equipment, but don't spend your whole safety budget on a helmet. Any helmet that complies with a recognised standard, fits well and is securely fastened should provide as much protection as can be expected in a crash. Take your time in choosing a helmet that will suit you and your riding needs.
Does it meet the Australian Standard (AS 1698)?
Whatever helmet you buy, it must display a sticker stating that it complies with the Australian Standard AS 1698.
Full Face, Open Face or Flip Front?
The style of helmet is a personal choice, often influenced by the type of motorcycle or scooter you ride. In making your choice, it is important to consider all the issues.
Full Face
A full face helmet with visor will protect your face from flying stones and insects while riding, as well as reducing the risk of facial injury in a crash. The majority of crash impacts are to the front or sides of a helmet, so a full face helmet does provide the most comprehensive protection in a crash.
Open Face
An open face helmet will provide similar protection from brain injury but leaves the face and chin more at risk. Some research also suggests that open face helmets are more likely to come off in a crash.
If you choose an open face helmet, it is essential to also protect your eyes with an approved visor or motorcycle goggles.
Flip Front
Flip face helmets may be a good compromise between the convenience of an open face and the protection of a full face helmet, however there is a trade-off in weight and impact strength. The current Australian Standard does not require tests of helmet chin bars, so their performance is not tested.
Different brands and models will fit different shaped heads
The most essential factor is fit. Don't start with a brand in mind. Try on a range of different make helmets so that you can discover how they vary in fitting your head.
How to test the fit
A helmet should cover your forehead and brow. Looking up, you should just be able to see the edge of the brim. The helmet shouldn't move around on your head or put pressure on your forehead.
Ask someone to try to pull the helmet off your head, by lifting it from the back of your neck up and over your forehead. If it comes off or slips over your eyes, adjust your straps and try again. If it still moves, do not buy that helmet, it could come off in a crash. Try a different brand.
Does it restrict your vision?
Check your peripheral vision. Is the eye port wide enough for you? Turn your head to check how far round you could see, while keeping your hands on the handle bars.
Things to check if you wear glasses
Does the helmet cause pressure points on your glasses? Can you take your glasses on and off while wearing the helmet?
Is it comfortable to wear?
Comfort is an important safety issue. Wear the helmet in the shop for 5 or 10 minutes to check that it is comfortable before you buy.
Is it ventilated?
A lot of your body heat is released from your head, which can make wearing a helmet very uncomfortable in hot weather. Vents can substantially reduce the temperature inside a helmet, but they may increase noise.
Will it be noisy?
Many helmets are noisy due to the way air flows around and inside the helmet and visor. Noise can be distracting and fatiguing and may cause permanent hearing loss. It is difficult to advise how to choose a quiet helmet. Before you buy, read helmet product reviews and talk to other riders. It is also wise to protect your hearing by wearing earplugs.
When to replace a helmet
A helmet is designed to absorb the impact of a crash, but it can only do it once. You may not be able to see any sign of damage, because the force is absorbed by the liner, not the shell.
This does not mean that you have to replace your helmet after just a little drop. But the difficulty is in knowing how much a single drop or succession of little drops, will affect the liner's ability to protect you in a crash.
Use commonsense - if a fall would have hurt your unprotected head, then you might assume it would have damaged your helmet.
Never buy a second hand helmet and don't give them to your pillion passengers
You cannot know the history of a second hand helmet, so it is just not worth the risk of using one.
Visor or goggles
Do they comply with the Australian Standard (AS 1609-1981)? It is essential to protect your eyes with a visor or motorcycle designed goggles. Regular sunglasses will not do the job. Your eye protection must display a sticker stating that it complies with the Australian Standard 1609-1981.
Helmet crash test information available
For independent advice on the best helmet protection available, view the latest research here http://www.crash.org.au
To see why protective clothing is so important, view our latest TV ad.
Jackets
What do you want from a jacket?
Motorcycle clothing has to be comfortable and provide protection from the weather while you are riding, as well as reducing injuries in the event of a crash.
The key to injury reduction is to have material that will not be worn away if you slide across the road's surface, nor be easily cut or torn by sharp objects in a crash.
There are European Standards that set performance criteria for the abrasion, cut, tear or burst resistance of motorcycle clothing. These tests can provide useful guidance even for assessing products from other countries where the EU standards are not applied.
Does it comply with the european standard for jackets, pants and suits (EN 13595)?
The only way to be sure is if the performance of the garment has been tested. Look for the number EN 13595, which says it complies with the European Standard for motorcycle jackets, pants or suits. There are relatively few CE* marked products available but the numbers are increasing.
Leather or textile?
Leather has natural qualities of abrasion, cut, tear and burst resistance to protect a rider in a fall, however not all motorcycle leathers are equal. Performance depends on the type and quality of the leather and the construction of the garment.
Modern textiles are now very competitive with leather. They can provide better weather protection in addition to having high abrasion resistance, but their construction is critical. Effective fabric products have to be made up of layers of different materials, each performing a different function (weather protection, abrasion resistance etc). A single layer of abrasion resistant material will not provide the equivalent protection of leather.
Comfort and fit
Try jackets on over the sort of clothing you would normally wear when riding.
Jackets should be close fitting but comfortable to wear when in riding position. Too tight will become uncomfortable. Too loose and your impact protectors may not remain in place when you most need them in a crash.
If a jacket is too loose, it may also billow and flap, which is distracting. Flapping will also force out warm air, reducing the jacket's ability to keep you warm in cold weather.
How is it designed?
Avoid short jackets that leave your hips exposed, unless you are buying a suit that zips together.
Stretch panels for comfort and mesh for ventilation should not be used in exposed or high impact areas. The safest areas for these materials are under the arms and inside legs.
Avoid straps, mesh panels or external pockets that could become tear or snag points. Avoid hard objects such as buttons, buckles or studs particularly in exposed areas and impact points.
How is it constructed?
Avoid seams or fastenings in the most exposed areas of your body. The fewer joins and seams the better, because they are the points most likely to burst open on impact or when sliding along the road.
Seams in exposed and high impact areas should have two or three rows of stitching. At least one row of stitching in these areas should be protected by a layer of material in case the exposed stitching is worn away on the road surface.
Additional layers should be double stitched and MUST be placed on top of the main protective layer - not inserted as a separate double section, which can be torn away. Check inside and feel through the material to ensure there is no gap in the main protective layer.
Stitching should be regular and continuous without any dropped stitches, which may weaken the seam.
Are all fastening points secure and protected?
All fasteners should be protected from the risk of exposure in a crash.
Zips should not be used in the high exposure and impact points. Where zips are used, they should be covered with a flap of material on both sides to prevent contact with the rider's body or the road's surface in a crash.
Wrist straps are essential to prevent sleeves from riding up, they should fasten on the inside of the wrists to prevent the fastening from being torn off in a crash.
Are impact protectors fitted over the elbows and shoulders?
Over half (56%) of all injured riders have injuries to their arms.
Impact protectors can only be effective if they stay in place. Pull the sleeves around your arm to check how well the protectors stay in place.
Straps to tighten the sleeve and hold the protectors in place can be a good idea, but be careful that they are not so tight that they constrict blood flow.
Final check
Can you move comfortably, use all controls, make signals and turn to look behind you while in riding position?
To see why protective clothing is so important, view our latest TV ad.
Gloves
What do you want from motorcycle gloves?
Motorcycle gloves need to protect your hands and wrists without reducing your ability to operate the controls.
Does it comply with the european standard for motorcycle gloves (EN 13594)?
Those that have been tested against the EU standard will be marked CE 13594, but there are relatively few CE marked motorcycle gloves available.
Check also that they comply with ISO 11642 which is the international standard for colour fastness in water. Gloves that do not comply may stain your hands.
Leather or textile?
Gloves need to provide at least 2.5 seconds of abrasion resistance in a crash. Leather needs to be at least 0.9 mm thick to provide sufficient protection.
Comfort and fit
Gloves should fit snugly. With your hand held flat, there should be just a pinch of free fabric at the tip of each finger. Check to ensure the material does not bunch under your hand when you grip the handle bars.
They must be water proof, to prevent your hands from becoming dangerously cold to the point that you cannot operate your controls.
How are they designed?
Gloves should cover your entire hand and wrist.
Impact protection is recommended for the back of the hands and knuckles. This should be a hard surface designed to spread the impact of a blow. Don't be mislead by soft padding, which is only for comfort.
The little finger is often the first point of contact with the ground. Webbing between the little finger and the next may prevent it from being twisted and broken under your weight.
Avoid hard objects such as buckles, buttons or studs which can injure you.
How well are they constructed?
Seams should have at least once row of concealed stitching as reinforcement.
Are all fastening points secure and protected?
Gloves should be fastened on the inside of the wrists to prevent fastenings being torn or worn away against the road surface.
Gloves that are just pulled on without additional fastenings, will be pulled off in a crash. Do not buy them.
Final check
Check that you can operate all of your motorcycle controls and adjust your visor, while wearing the gloves.
To see why protective clothing is so important, view our latest TV ad.
Boots
What do you want from motorcycle boots?
Motorcycle boots need to protect your feet and ankles while riding without affecting your ability to operate the controls. In most cases they also need to be suitable foot wear for walking around once at your destination.
Does it comply with the european standard for motorcycle boots (EN 13634)?
Those that have been tested against the EU standard will be marked CE 13634. There are an increasing number of CE marked motorcycle boots available.
Check also that they comply with ISO 11642 which is the international standard for colour fastness in water.
Leather or textile?
Boots may be made from either leather or textile materials, provided they can give a minimum of 5.0 seconds abrasion resistance. Leather should be 2.5 mm thick.
Comfort and fit
Boots must be comfortable and fit closely but not tight. Boots that are too tight will cause blood restriction and loss of feeling.
They must also be waterproof, to prevent your feet from becoming dangerously cold to the point that you cannot operate your controls.
How are they designed?
Boots should fully cover the entire foot and ankle and lower part of the shin.
How well are they constructed?
How are the soles attached to the upper? Stitching is stronger than glue or bonding, which may be ripped apart if dragged against the road.
Soles should be rigid to reduce the risk of your foot being crushed.
Are all fastening points secure and protected?
If you can pull them off without needing to undo any fastenings, then they can be dragged off in a crash.
Zips should be on the inside of the leg and covered with a flap of material.
Only wear lace up boots if the laces are fully covered by a secured flap of material. Exposed laces can be abraded away and shoes torn off on contact with the road. Laces can also catch on parts of the vehicle causing the rider to be trapped or dragged.
Do the boots provide impact protection?
Impact protection is recommended for the shins, instep, ankles and heels.
Final check
Can you walk, climb stairs, bend over and crouch comfortably? Try bending down to pick up your keys.
To see why protective clothing is so important, view our latest TV ad.
Pants
What do you want from motorcycle pants?
Your legs are the part of the body most likely to sustain an impact in a crash.
The key to injury reduction is to have material that will not be worn away if you slide across the road's surface, nor be easily cut or torn by sharp objects in a crash.
The European Standards set performance criteria for the abrasion, cut, tear or burst resistance of motorcycle clothing. These tests can provide useful guidance even for assessing products from other countries where the EU standards are not applied.
Does it comply with the european standard for jackets, pants and suits (EN 13595)?
The only way to be sure is if the performance of the garment has been tested. Look for the number EN 13595, which says it complies with the European Standard for motorcycle jackets, pants or suits. There are relatively few CE marked products available but the numbers are increasing.
Leather or textile?
Leather has natural qualities of abrasion, cut, tear and burst resistance to protect a rider in a fall, however not all motorcycle leathers are equal. Performance depends on the type and quality of the leather and the construction of the garment.
Modern textiles are now very competitive with leather. They can provide better weather protection in addition to having high abrasion resistance, but their construction is critical. Effective fabric products have to be made up of layers of different materials, each performing a different function (weather protection, abrasion resistance etc). A single layer of abrasion resistant material will not provide the equivalent protection of leather.
Standard denim jeans have very low abrasion resistance, they will last 0.6 of one second in contact with the road surface, compared to the 4.0 seconds minimum required by the EU standard.
How are they designed?
Avoid designs made up of many different panels with lots of seams. The fewer joins and seams the better, because they are the points most likely to burst open on impact or when sliding along the road.
Stretch panels for comfort and mesh for ventilation should not be used in exposed or high impact areas. The inside legs are the safest areas for these materials.
Avoid straps or external pockets that could become tear or snag points.
Avoid hipsters or elasticised waist bands, which allow the pants to be pulled down when sliding across a road’s surface.
Avoid hard objects such as buttons, buckles or studs particularly in exposed areas and impact points.
How well are they constructed?
Seams splitting or bursting is the most common reason for motorcycle gear to fail the EU standards test.
Seams in exposed and high impact areas should have two or three rows of stitching.
At least one row of stitching in these areas should be protected by a layer of material in case the exposed stitching is worn away on the road surface.
Additional layers should be double stitched and MUST be placed on top of the main protective layer - not inserted as a separate double section, which can be torn away. Check inside and feel through the material to ensure there is no gap in the main protective layer.
Stitching should be regular and continuous without any dropped stitches, which may weaken the seam.
Are all fastening points secure and protected?
All fasteners should be protected from the risk of exposure in a crash. Zips should not be used in the high exposure and impact points.
Where zips are used, they should be covered with a flap of material on both sides to prevent contact with the rider's body or the road's surface in a crash.
Ankle straps prevent pants from riding up, they should fasten on the inside of the ankles to prevent the fastening from being torn off in a crash.
Are impact protectors fitted over the knees and hips?
Half of all rider casualties have knee injuries. Impact protectors can only be effective if they stay in place.
Check to see how well they are retained in place to protect you. Straps to hold the protectors in place can be a good idea, but be careful that they are not too tight and could constrict blood flow.
Comfort and fit
Pants should be close fitting but comfortable to wear when in riding position.
Final check
Can you walk and move freely, can you crouch down to pick up your keys?
To see why protective clothing is so important, view our latest TV ad.
Full Body Suits
What do you want from a full body suit?
Motorcycle clothing has to be comfortable and provide protection from the weather while you are riding, as well as reducing injuries in the event of a crash.
The key to injury reduction is to have material that will not be worn away if you slide across the road's surface, nor be easily cut or torn by sharp objects in a crash.
There are European Standards that set performance criteria for the abrasion, cut, tear or burst resistance of motorcycle clothing. These tests can provide useful guidance even for assessing products from other countries where the EU standards are not applied.
Does it comply with the european standard for jackets, pants and suits (EN 13595)?
The only way to be sure is if the performance of the garment has been tested. Look for the number EN 13595, which says it complies with the European Standard for motorcycle jackets, pants or suits. There are relatively few CE marked products available but the numbers are increasing.
Leather or textile?
Leather has natural qualities of abrasion, cut, tear and burst resistance to protect a rider in a fall, however not all motorcycle leathers are equal. Performance depends on the type and quality of the leather and the construction of the garment.
Modern textiles are now very competitive with leather. They can provide better weather protection in addition to having high abrasion resistance, but their construction is critical. Effective fabric products have to be made up of layers of different materials, each performing a different function (weather protection, abrasion resistance etc). A single layer of abrasion resistant material will not provide the equivalent protection of leather.
Comfort and fit
Try suits on over the sort of clothing you would normally wear when riding.
Suits should be close fitting but comfortable to wear when in riding position. Too tight will become uncomfortable. Too loose and your impact protectors may not remain in place when you most need them in a crash.
If a suit is too loose, it may also billow and flap, which is distracting. Flapping will also force out warm air, reducing the jacket's ability to keep you warm in cold weather.
How is it designed?
Stretch panels for comfort and mesh for ventilation should not be used in exposed or high impact areas. The safest areas for these materials are under the arms and inside legs.
Avoid straps, mesh panels or external pockets that could become tear or snag points. Avoid hard objects such as buttons, buckles or studs particularly in exposed areas and impact points.
How is it constructed?
Avoid seams or fastenings in the most exposed areas of your body. The fewer joins and seams the better, because they are the points most likely to burst open on impact or when sliding along the road.
Seams in exposed and high impact areas should have two or three rows of stitching. At least one row of stitching in these areas should be protected by a layer of material in case the exposed stitching is worn away on the road surface.
Additional layers should be double stitched and MUST be placed on top of the main protective layer - not inserted as a separate double section, which can be torn away. Check inside and feel through the material to ensure there is no gap in the main protective layer.
Stitching should be regular and continuous without any dropped stitches, which may weaken the seam.
Are all fastening points secure and protected?
All fasteners should be protected from the risk of exposure in a crash.
Zips should not be used in the high exposure and impact points.
Where zips are used, they should be covered with a flap of material on both sides to prevent contact with the rider's body or the road's surface in a crash.
Wrist straps are essential to prevent sleeves from riding up, they should fasten on the inside of the wrists to prevent the fastening from being torn off in a crash.
Are impact protectors fitted over the elbows, shoulders, hips and knees?
Over half (56%) of all injured riders have injuries to their arms and half of all rider casualties have knee injuries.
Impact protectors can only be effective if they stay in place. Pull the sleeves around your arm to check how well the protectors stay in place.
Straps to tighten the sleeve and hold the protectors in place can be a good idea, but be careful that they are not so tight that they constrict blood flow.
Final check
Can you move comfortably, use all controls, make signals and turn to look behind you while in riding position? Can you walk and move freely, can you crouch down to pick up your keys?
To see why protective clothing is so important, view our latest TV ad.
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.
To see why protective clothing is so important, view our latest TV ad.
Buying Gear?
Before you hit the shops, read up on what you should look for when purchasing protective clothing. Simple checklists and buyer beware tips that will help you choose the right gear for your riding.
We've provided the latest information on various garments and use the European Standard as a guideline when selecting gear.
Protective clothing for all types of riders (PDF, 1.3mb)
Retailers
Want to find a protective clothing retailer in your area? Here's a list of stores throughout Victoria who are serious about protective clothing and can provide you with advice and recommendations on selecting the best gear for your riding.
Retail Store Guide (PDF, 1.2mb)
New store opened in the area? Know a store that's not on our list? Email the Spokes team and we'll drop in and visit.
