Page 27 - Nov 2024.cdr

Some motorcycle clothing brands don’t want you to
While engaging with motorcycle
clothing companies at EICMA , as
well as professional riders who rely
on personal protective equipment,
LHR Magazine, has discovered a
concerning trend: some in the
industry resist giving riders the
freedom to choose the safest
motorcycle gear available. This
reluctance to promote informed
d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g a m o n g
motorcyclists represents a
significant setback for the
advancements brought by EN
17092.
W h a t ' s H a p p e n i n g w i t h
Motorcycle Clothing Safety?
As you may know, all motorcycle
protective clothing sold in the UK
and Europe must be certified as
personal protective equipment
(PPE) by law. This certification
applies to jackets, trousers,
gloves, and boots unless they
were on the market before April 21,
2018. Any item that suggests it
offers protection for motorcycle
use must comply with this
legislation (hence, a simple t-shirt
with a bike logo isn’t subject to PPE
certification).This regulation
benefits riders, as the new EN
17092 standard categorizes
protective jackets and trousers into
three levels: A, AA, and AAA.
Higher levels indicate better
protection, determined through
rigorous lab tests assessing
Editorial sponsored by Twiggy the Weed Kid
choose safety
abrasion resistance, tear strength,
and seam integrity.
However, it’s essential to
remember the context behind EN
17092's introduction. Since 2002,
the European Standard EN 13595
set a challenging benchmark for
motorcycle clothing, which many
manufacturers struggled to meet
competitively. This led to a tacit
agreement allowing brands to
forgo certification if they didn’t
m a r k e t t h e i r p r o d u c t s
protective.
Though any armor used had to be
CE certified under EN 1621,
brands often labeled their
garments to indicate a lack of
protection, which implied that
riders cared more about style than
safety. This created confusion,
p r o m p t i n g t h e E u r o p e a n
Commission to mandate that all
motorcycle riding gear be tested
and certified as PPE under the
Personal Protective Equipment
Regulation 2016/425.
In 2010, the French national
standards body AFNOR sought a
more attainable standard than EN
1 3 5 9 5 , l e a d i n g t o t h e
establishment of a working group
(WG9) focused on developing new
test criteria. EN 17092 emerged as
a more accessible standard, but
EN 13595 remained for those
seeking the highest safety levels,
particularly among professional
riders.
However, with EN 13595 now
withdrawn, EN 17092 has become
the standard, potentially offering
lower levels of protection. While
the UK aligns its certification
standards with Europe post-Brexit,
the gap left by EN 13595's
withdrawal raises concerns for
those prioritizing maximum safety.
What Constitutes Motorcycle
PPE?
The definition is straightforward: if
a manufacturer claims or implies
that a product provides protection
for motorcycle riders, it must be
tested and certified as PPE. This
could be through labeling items as
“protective motorcycle jackets” or
by including protective armor.
However, ambiguity arises with
g a r m e n t s t h a t r e s e m b l e
m o t o r c y c l e g e a r b u t l a c k
certification.
It’s crucial for retailers to clearly
differentiate between true
protective gear and fashion items
a s styled like motorcycle jackets,
especially in environments where
inexperienced riders may be
misled. Legal precedent supports
this; if the average person would
assume something is a motor
vehicle, it likely should be treated
as such in legal contexts. This logic
should apply to motorcycle gear as
well.
Is EN 13595 Superior to EN
17092?Research indicates that
the abrasion resistance tests used
in EN 17092 are less stringent than
those in EN 13595. While opinions
on testing methods vary, EN 13595
has proven to provide a reliable
measure of safety comparable to
real road conditions.
Is Wearing Certified Motorcycle
PPE Mandatory?
I n t h e U K , t h e o n l y l e g a l
requirement is to wear a helmet
certified to ECE22.05, ECE 22.06,
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