MotoCAP: Independent, Sensible Safety Advice Does Exist

[advrider]

How long have you been hoping for some kind of unaligned, impartial source that would tell you just how effective safety equipment actually is? Within certain limits, manufacturers can make all sorts of claims – how do you know which are true? While there are standards for things like helmets, they will only tell you whether a product meets a certain base level of safety. They will not indicate comfort levels, either.

It is just as well, then, that MotoCAP exists. Based in Australia, it tests motorcycle clothing and publishes the results on its website, www.motocap.com.au. While the testing is done in Australia, it is applicable all over the world although some products may not be available everywhere.

New MotoCAP safety ratings have just been published online, providing riders with safety ratings for three jackets, seven pairs of pants and three pairs of gloves.

The most protective pair of pants was the RST Sabre CE leather pants, achieving a full five stars for safety and two stars for breathability.

The best performing jackets were the RST Sabre CE and Merla Duke leather jackets, both achieving a protection rating of four stars. Merla was previously known as Blackbird and the rating would also apply to the Blackbird Duke leather jacket.

MotoCAP is a partnership between a dozen road safety organisations in Australia and New Zealand, including Transport for NSW and the Australian Motorcycle Council. Testing is carried out by the Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials on behalf of the MotoCAP partners.

The purpose of MotoCAP is to encourage riders to buy the best gear they can afford and it concentrates on a balance between protection, breathability and water resistance. For commuting in an urban environment, MotoCAP recommends garments with a minimum protection rating of two stars, with good impact test scores. For recreational riding outside urban areas, a minimum protection rating of three stars is recommended.

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