Motorcycle armour explained
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- In this video review, Chris talks through the various merits of wearing the correct armour in your protective motorcycle clothing.
Now, one of the things that first got Chris interested in doing videos was the fact that when he initially got into biking nobody explained anything to him about the gear he needed. He ended up buying almost solely on price and styling, because he had no idea about what he needed for the kind of riding he did.
Having, over his years in this business, got to understand a bit more about how gear was made and how it worked, it became a bit of a mission of his to share what he had learned with other motorcyclists. Indeed, this ‘educational’ remit was always part of the content of our catalogues, but for a number of reasons video seems a more appropriate medium for communicating such messages.
In this particular review, Chris looks at protective armour. And partly this is because it has become clear that many customers who visit the shop don’t fully understand what armour does and why it’s there. So the chap explains the fundamentals, and then goes on to talk about the CE standards and how armour is tested. He also decodes the markings that are printed on the armour that explain what standard a particular piece armour is, and where it is meant to be used.
But the reason Chris really put this review together was because he wanted to go outside and do some good old-fashioned schoolboy scientific experiments. Chris told us that he was not very good at science at school, and anybody with a scientific bent would probably point out that he still isn’t. But, nonetheless, the experiments are quite illuminating, and although there’s something of the Tommy Cooper about his methodology, watch the video through to the end and you will almost certainly come out the other side understanding more than you did when you pressed the ‘play’ button.
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"If you drop 50 of her on you, you'd need more than a back protector". Absolute belter, love this dude.
Chris, your experience and knowledge gives me everything I need to purchase gear here in the USA. I know after watching/listening to your detailed explanations of each piece of gear to get, I know I've made the correct choice. I am fully confident with my purchases because of you so thank you.
Excellent video. I really enjoyed it as I’d considered making such a video myself before. No need now.
I personally wear level 2 (should pass level 3 if it existed) by Knox and Forcefield. I do however disagree that slower riders of the urban type need less protection. They probably need it more than racers because urban environments are more likely to have impacts from the road, other vehicles and road furniture.
Chris, your videos take reviews to another level. This is not just reviewing, it's public service. Great job! P.S.: I love those pens!
I love this channel. You will be sure to keep growing steadily given your detailed explanations on so many products and topics, even better than Revzilla for that purpose. Keep it up!
Instablaster...
RevZilla just wants to sell gear, this guy isn't a salesman...imo. That's why I like him 😂
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Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Not only full of great info Chris but you really have missed your calling. There is no doubt you should have your own comedy show on the TV, brilliant, just love your videos. I always watch them if only to cheer me up👍
Great video again, Chris. Love the tongue-in-cheek white coat geek look, and dry sense of humour in your videos (“I once knew a girl call Jools, but...” 😂) but still very informative. More importantly, great to see someone not full of themselves, and also not frightened to challenge the manufacturers on their kit (not in this video, but in other videos) - this should drive the manufacturers to improve their products. Keep it up.
I ride mountain ebikes over some pretty rough trails and I am aware of the protection I need if I part ways with my bike when I am riding. After a few spills and landing hard on my chest, I decided to get some padding. I purchased a motorcycle grade Leatt hydro pack and chest protector. It wasn't until I had to actually use it when I found out how valuable it was. The hydro pack ironically works as good back protection as well as a water source.
Very interesting video ♥! As a current TH-camr, I am on the lookout for fresh ideas! Great Job!
Thanks Chris, for putting it on a plate for us...
Hear, hear well done ! Thank you very much !
Spot on again Chris, keep up the good work, a great overview
I wounder if stacking 2 d3o level 2 ontop of one another would mean better protection. No plates broken
Good video. Educational and entertaining. I fell off in March 2020, now wear better everything.
Hey Chris 👋🏻👋🏻 Never Ride without!!!!!! You only have One Live!!!! Thats the shoort Form!!! Und du hast absolut recht, die heutigen Protektoren sind so angenehm zu tragen, und haben selbst mit Klasse zwei einen so hochwertigen Schutz, dass der jenige der darauf verzichtet Verletzungen ganz klar selbst schuld ist. Super gemacht das Video wirklich für jeden verständlich !!! Stay Safe 👍👍👍👍
th-cam.com/video/J_SYPHcZUCw/w-d-xo.html
Fantastic, great way to explain the use of bike armour.
However! Even if you have a slow speed spill and you go down on a hip or elbow, you will certainly know about it.
Speaking from experience, wear the best you can afford all the time.
We should be fighting for motorcycle clothing to come under PPE status which would make it cheaper for all. Less VAT!
Digger : All motorcycle clothing, gloves, footwear and impact protection components have been required to conform to the PPE Regulation 2016/425 since it was fully implemented on the 21st of April 2018. Manufacturers are required to have their products independently tested and certified, but as Chris states in the video, there is no additional legislation making it compulsory for riders to wear tested and certified apparel. Even if such legislation was to be passed, it would still not guarantee VAT-exemption. Efforts to secure such an exemption in the past saw HM Treasury telling the lobbyists it was a “transport” issue, and the Department for Transport saying it involved taxation and should therefore be determined by the Treasury!
I agree with his message, better to be comfortable than trussed up like a medieval knight. As someone who habitually rides old bikes with about 25bhp in tap, race quality protection designed for people riding at 150mph round the IoM is unnecessary. It gets in the way of using a motorcycle as an accessible means of transport that you can use to go to work in or go to a social event on.
The UK is lucky to have you, need you in the US !!!! 👍👍
you have fort nine
@@dantae666 I'll pass on him....
The face bandages at the end - from dish shards? 🤣
Let’s see the video peeling off the plasters 😂
Not dish shards at all. He has a particularly vicious partner..........
Interesting thank you!! Going to check my back armour right now!
Great video Chris, nobody else is providing this kind of information. Is the armour a one time deal? What I mean is if I were unfortunate enough to have an accident and the armour did its job, is it OK for another accident (god forbid) or will the armour need to be replaced? Cheers
Dan The Chippie no, most modern armour will handle multiple impacts. In fact, that’s how the testing works anyway, if I’m not mistaken. You can check for yourself by hitting your armour and see if the foam recovers. Forcefield advertises repeat performance. If you hit Forcefield armour you’ll see it recovers it’s shape instantly, ready for another impact in the same location.
The only time I can imagine you’d need to replace the armour is if it was cut by a sharp impact, torn or abraded badly. You can inspect your armour visually after an accident for peace of mind.
Martin Foster : “Most” modern armour will not in fact withstand repeated impacts. That is the preserve of the premium, specialist brands. The user information supplied with many protectors will specifically state that it should be replaced after an impact.
Paul InShanghai well, I agree that you should defer to the manufacturers’ instructions. But I disagree that most foam pads automatically need to be replaced after an impact. Do your due diligence though, by inspecting the pads. If you don’t see any permanent indentation or cracking of the foam then your fine to continue.
What do you consider premium brands? I don’t give much credence to “premium brands” if you’re referring to Dainese, Alpinestars, etc which often use marketing and brand snobbery to rack up the prices. Instead, I do my research and get any test results I can from CE or Motocap to see how the armour performed. Based on that, I have pretty good confidence in Forcefield and Knox. 3dO’s recent formulation is pretty excellent too but I haven’t got any of their pads.
@@martinfoster5163 : Manufacturers have to safeguard themselves against legal liability, which is why they will err on the side of caution and recommend replacement after any impact. That is entirely appropriate in respect of some of the (extremely) low-cost closed-cell foam protectors found in equally budget garments, I stand by my original assessment - I have examined crash-damaged protectors and reported on them for the Court.
As regards "premium brands"; for clarification I was commenting on protectors from specialist impact protector manufacturers, not garment brands who may produce their own components in-house, or may subcontract manufacturing of branded components.
Edit: I also recommend that motorcyclists should check out MotoCAP (www.motocap.com.au) before making a purchase, to see if the garments they are contemplating purchasing have been assessed (but I must also declared an interest, due to my involvement in the foundation work behind MotoCAP).
@@martinfoster5163 th-cam.com/video/J_SYPHcZUCw/w-d-xo.html
Great demo! My lady would like to know what boots your lovely assistant was wearing. Lol
I was under the impression that the 'A' ratings were in regards to abrasion resistance. Not what armour it came with.
Brilliant, Chris, thanks. Damien
Good one , thanks for sharing 👍
Thought I'd share this information as a I got curious: It takes approximately *3 kilo newtons to break a spine* _(according to PBS dot org)_ and *4 kilo newtons to break a femur* _(according to discovery dot c o m)_
According to the video:
*Back protector test @**9:20**:*
Level 1:
Johnny Ball's spiritual successor .. Very interesting .. and very well explained ..
hi, why do they have such confusing designations for armor? Looking at shoes and it says Cat II EN 13634? And then there's another shoe Cat 2 certified 89/686/ECC? And a third shoe, just says CE level protection? Why not just say Cat 1 or 2? Also in Imperial measurements, what does 50 joules represent? 30mph crash?
R DS : Cat I and Cat II have no connection with performance level (the amount of protection provided; typically /Level/ 1 or /Level/ 2. “Category” refers to the severity of injury; Cat I = minimal risk, the onset of which can be identified by the user (e.g. gardening gloves), Cat III = mortal danger (i.e. danger of death; such as the clothing worn by medical personnel dealing with COVID-19 patients), and Cat II = everything else, and includes motorcyclists’ clothing, gloves, footwear and impact protectors.
The “89/686/EEC’ refers to the legislation in force from 1994 - 2018; replaced with effect from 21st April 2018 by Regulation 2016/425. There is work to be done educating motorcycling consumers about the legislation and the standards. Despite a few minor errors this video generally did a very good job.
I purchased a Alpinestar Techair jacket and whilst it is heavy, once it is on I don't find it uncomfortable.
I like the piece of mind provided by the jacket, and while I hope never to have need of its protection I would rather it be there.
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@@quidestnunc9238 i remember watching this video when it was released. For me you have to think how much am I worth, a dammedsite more than the cost of the jacket. . That's what my partner did, doesn't matter what it costs, I am more valuable. She just wanted me to come back in good shape and able to carry on with life.
Hard vs soft armor? Pros and cons? Thx
Great, useful info thanks.
Excellent Thank you
@6:07 I'd rather be always protected, to be honest. Harley or no Harley. Quality level AAA gear is very comfortable these days.
As always, great vid.
So simple a demo' even the average Harley rider could understand this.
Just wondering, how come most, if not all, armored jackets do not have chest protection?
Chest protection is not part of the CE standards. An earlier video here showed this. It suprised me too. Perhaps the armor is at the expected point of impact, so the abrasion is incidental to the fall
I'll have to dig up that video on this channel as I've been curious for awhile now. Do you remember which one it was? It just doesn't make sense not to protect the chest. The only thing I could think of is that halving the chest protector at the main chest zipper would not pass CE tests but it's better than not having any chest protection at all. The only ones I know that protect the chest are the body protectors used for downhill MTB & motocross. Thanks for your input!
Jed Berliner : You are incorrect! Google “EN 1621-3:2018 Motorcyclists' protective clothing against mechanical impact. Motorcyclists' chest protectors. Requirements and test methods.”
@@paulvarnsverry11 photos.app.goo.gl/ACyJGVefc3tG7jjo6
@@crlmac10 photos.app.goo.gl/ACyJGVefc3tG7jjo6
Good to see Ronnie Corbett getting away from his armchair...
First rate video, seriously considering Stadler gear for my return to motorbikes- what price your spine??
Great lection. Thank you.
But.... Your cap does not match the overall :)
If I don't ride in underpants, I'm slapping the seat in the wind.🤔
Airbag vests etc...lets talk about new level of safety...
Man you rule
Level 2 it is i rather like my spine in one piece
Is anybody else thinking Ronnie Corbett?
Yeah, was thinking the same!
Yes ! Now, the three Ronnies, lol
Epic band aids! 😉
I will not ride without D3O now 👍💥👍💥👍
Clearly the subject area was well-researched before filming the video. You’ve made the usual error of conflating/confusing “regulations” (legislation; what must be done, by whom and by when) with “standards” (a means of demonstrating conformity to the legislation), and you didn’t mention EN 1621-3 for chest protectors (EN 1621-4 for mechanically-activated, body-worn airbag protectors probably needs a video all to itself), but let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater! An informative video, usefully educating consumers.