Design
Fit
Construction
Material
Lining
Fastenings

The most crucial considerations when buying jackets and pants are design and construction.

Design

The first step when evaluating jackets and pants is to make sure you know the levels of protection that each part of the suit requires. The levels of protection can be divided into four Zones as shown on the page What to look for.

Once you're familiar with the risk Zones, you can check to make sure the correct type of material has been used in each Zone and that there are not inappropriate seams or openings.

Remember:

• The smoother the exterior shell of your garment, the fewer snag points. Avoid straps or external pockets that can catch on your bike, another vehicle or objects on the road.
• Large panels of fabric mean fewer joins and seams, which can burst open as you slide along the road. So the fewer openings and joins in a garment the better.
• Decorations such as metal buckles and other hard objects not only scratch your paintwork in normal use, but can twist and end up penetrating you in a crash. Think carefully about what you keep in your pockets for the same reason (i.e. pens, keys and phones).

Fit

• Clothing should fit comfortably when you are in the riding position and exhibit reasonable give for moving around when not on your motorcycle.
• If clothing is tight, it may become distractingly uncomfortable or even restrict blood flow. Too loose, and it can billow and flap.

Construction

One of the top causes of motorcycle suits failing independent tests is seams or fastenings bursting open.

• Seams in Zones 1, 2 and 3 should have at least one row of concealed or protected stitching, to hold the seam together after the visible stitching has been worn away against the road surface.
• Check the stitching. It should be regular with no dropped stitches, which indicates a potentially weakened seam.
• Any additional layers should be double stitched. Leather should have 11-14 stitches per 5 cm, fabric should have 13-16 stitches per 5 cm. Too few stitches means the seam will be too weak, but too many stitches will actually weaken the fabric.¹
• Additional layers should be double stitched - if not your double layer may turn out to be weaker than a well stitched single layer.
• Additional layers must be stitched on top of the main protective layer - see diagram - rather than a separate double section that is inserted into the garment. Check inside the garment to ensure there is no gap in the main protective layer. You may need to feel through the lining.

Material

Leather has been the traditional choice of motorcyclists because of its high abrasion rate. Some riders believe leather delivers greater protection than other materials. But just because it is leather there is no guarantee. It depends on the type and grade of leather, how it has been treated and on the design and construction of the garment.

There are plenty of modern textiles now being promoted as abrasion resistant that have the added benefits of being lightweight, flexible and providing better ventilation and waterproofing.

However, the only way to determine whether a particular fabric is suitable is to physically test samples of the completed garment. That's why the European standards are so useful to motorcycle consumers. There are well known brands of suits (both leather and textile) that pass the tests and there are equally well known brands that fail.

Lining

• Lining in Zones 1, 2 and 3 should be slippery material to allow your body to slide against the external shell; this reduces the risk of your skin being penetrated by sharp objects.
• Lining should have a high melting point, to ensure it does not melt into your skin under friction from road surfing. Check the label.

Fastenings

• Zips should not be used in Zones 1 or 2.
• All zips should be mounted below the outer surface of the garment and covered to prevent contact with the road. They should also have an internal flap of the same material to prevent the zip from injuring you on impact.
• Sleeves and trousers must have some sort of strap or other means of locking them on to prevent them riding up in a crash. Fastenings should be on the inside of the wrist or ankle.

1) Standards Australia (2000), Motorcycle Protective Clothing: Guidelines for Manufacturing, HB 173-2000, p 22.