FAST FINERY
"Popular Mechanics" Magazine
April, 2003
by Ben Stewart

The two functions of motorcycle clothing are to protect against abrasions and to protect against impact. Until recently, these criteria took a back seat to comfort and style. Much of today's clothing covers all bases. When it comes to abrasion resistance, thick leather is still the best. Leather has a vast network of intertwined and interlocked fibers that makes it very strong and very hard to rip apart. But if you choose leather, it should be at least .9mm thick. Fashion weight or "mall leather" just doesn't do the job. Tests of the abrasion resistance of popular fabrics showed that denim, light leather, and certain nylons wore through after sliding along less than 5 ft. of tarmac. Kevlar stayed intact for about 20 ft. Competition-weight leather lasted for over 80 ft. That's why racers and aggressive sportbike riders still wear a fully armored leather suit. The other reason is that a leather suit can take a half dozen crashes and still offer protection. Manufacturers Alpinestars, Gericke and Dainese offer some of the best, and most expensive, suits. These feature leather up to 1.4mm thick. But for most recreational riders, these suits can be overkill.

For the street rider, there are quality garments that are lighter and more comfortable, but also durable enough to withstand a crash. However, they should be replaced after one or two falls. These synthetic, lightweight jackets, pants, and suits are often waterproof, usually have a high level of reflectivity built in, and are armored. FirstGear offers this type of clothing at a midlevel price. Aerostich and BMW offer more expensive suits. Better-quality gear features superior stitching, with two passes over crucial seams using heavy nylon. Also, some companies offer perforated leather patches and perforated armor in crash zones - those areas most likely to hit the ground first - to complement the breathable synthetics used in other parts of the suit.

But even the heaviest leather and the toughest nylon can do nothing to protect against impact. That's the armor's job. There are no standards in the United States for the armor used in rider's clothing. That's why some manufacturers, such as Gericke, Alpinestars and Dainese, use armor protectors that are CE-approved. Modern bike armor comes in the form of hard-shell injection-molded plastic cups or high-tech foam and rubber.

Intersport Fashion West's Core-Comp armor pad is made from a different density of the same EPS foam used in helmets. This type of pad is lightweight, CE-approved and, like a helmet, must be replaced after an accident. One of the newest types of armor, called Hiprotec, is found in Gericke full leather suits. It is a heavy, mat-type rubber pad that can absorb tremendous amounts of impact energy.

At the Extremes
Gloves that are designed for motorcycle use are almost always thick-padded leather. The heavier the leather, the better. Held, a German maker, uses kangaroo hide in many parts of its Galaxy glove. According to the maker, kangaroo hide has a much higher abrasion resistance than cowhide. The Galaxy glove has metal reinforced palms and it makes extensive use of Nomex and Kevlar. Held also offers a special resin-impregnated matrix of carbon fiber and Kevlar over the knuckles in some of their gloves. Like helmets, improperly designed or ill-fitting gloves can slide right off your hands when you need them most. Most motorcycle gloves have a Velcro-style cuff closure to block out the wind. But this does nothing to keep the glove secured to your hand. Look for gloves that also have a wrist-retention system, and make sure you can't easily pull them off.

Research has shown that heavy leather boots or boots designed specifically for motorcycle riding are the only types of footwear that offer any foot protection in a crash. Cowboy boots are one of the worst forms of protective footwear for motorcycle riding, because the soles are slippery, offering little grip in gravel or on pavement. The latest in high-tech motorcycle boots have plastic protectors and thick ankle supports, giving an appearance similar to a ski boot.

The Future
Coming soon to a bike shop near you is what could best be described as an airbag for your body. It looks like a normal riding vest but when the rider is ejected from the motorcycle, the vest inflates instantly and cushions the fall. Currently, AirWear is the only company in the States offering a vest of this type. The company will soon offer an inflatable jacket. If accepted by the cycling community, this airbag technology could be the new frontier in motorcycle safety equipment.

Submitted by:
Olin Gover aka Fly'n Low
Chapter Educator