RiderOS/THE SUITE

MOTOSAFETY

Gear standards, rider aids and skills in plain English. Start with the quick answers, or look anything up below.

Quick answers

What helmet should I get? ECE 22.06 or better Snell, SHARP 4–5★ or FIM go further. Details → What jacket and pants? EN 17092 class AA AAA for track or fast canyon riding. Details → What armor? CE Level 2 And swap the foam back pad for a real protector. Details → Gloves and boots? EN 13594 + EN 13634 Level 2 gloves with knuckle protection (KP). Details → Which rider aid matters most? ABS Cornering ABS and traction control next. Details → Where do I start? A training course Before your first ride on the street. Details →

Your gear check

Based on the gear locker in Rider HQ.

Edit gear →

Choose a bike by goal

Pick what you want to do on it. You'll see what to prioritize on the bike, which gear matters most, and what to watch for.

Helmet standards

One helmet can carry several. Further right means tougher testing.

In one line: buy a helmet with ECE 22.06 at minimum. A SHARP 4–5★, Snell or FIM rating on top is a bonus.
Start here

ECE 22.06

UN / Europe · 2020+ · the sensible minimum

The current European standard. It added rotational (oblique) impact testing and many more test points than the old 22.05. If a helmet meets it, it clears a genuinely modern bar.

◂ Legal minimumRace-grade ▸
DOT
FMVSS 218 · US
The US legal minimum. Makers self-certify; the government spot-checks.
ECE 22.06
UN · Europe
The modern minimum. Adds rotational (oblique) impact tests.
Snell
Independent
Voluntary, tougher multi-impact testing. Common at track days.
SHARP
UK government
Not a pass/fail: crash-tests helmets and scores them 1 to 5 stars.
FIM
FRHPhe-02
Required for FIM racing. The toughest of the lot.
Fit beats rating. Snug all round with no pressure points, and it shouldn't roll forward off your head with the strap done up.
Replace it after any real impact, even if it looks fine, and roughly every five years.

Jackets & pants — EN 17092

Classes rank abrasion, tear and seam strength, and whether impact armor is required.

In one line: AA is the street sweet spot. Go AAA for track or fast riding; avoid B and C on their own.
AAA
Highest protection
Race leathers & heavy touring textiles — top abrasion, impact and tear.
EN 17092-2
AA
Street default — the sweet spot
Balanced all-round protection for most real-world street riding.
EN 17092-3
A
Lighter / warm-weather
Lower abrasion zones, still carries impact armor.
EN 17092-4
B
Abrasion only
Abrasion like Class A but without required impact protectors.
EN 17092-5
C
Armor carrier
Non-shell garment that only holds armor (vest / base layer).
EN 17092-6

Impact armor — EN 1621

Rated by how much force gets through to you in a test. Less force through means more protection.

In one line: get Level 2 wherever you can, especially for your back. Many jackets come with a foam placeholder there.

Level 1

baseline
Limbs ≤ 35 kN · Back ≤ 18 kN (average)
Force reaching you

Thinner and more flexible. Meets the standard, so it's fine where comfort wins, but more force gets through to your body.

VS

Level 2

recommended
Limbs ≤ 20 kN · Back ≤ 9 kN (average)
Force reaching you

Lets through roughly half the force of Level 1. Worth it at the joints and, most of all, your back.

Back protectorget L2
EN 1621-2
Aim for Level 2. Check what's in your jacket's back pocket; often it's just foam.
Chest protectoradd-on
EN 1621-3
Slots into many jackets. Cheap insurance for the sternum and ribs.
Airbagbest
EN 1621-4 · EN 17092-6
A vest or built-in airbag that inflates in a crash. The biggest single upgrade. Tethered ones fire when a lanyard to the bike pulls; electronic ones use sensors, so they also work in a lowside. EN 1621-4 is the test for tethered airbags. Electronic vests are usually certified as the vest garment (EN 17092-6), plus the back protector built into them.

Gloves & boots

Your hands go out first in a fall, and ankles get crushed and twisted. Both have their own standards.

In one line: gloves to EN 13594 Level 2 with KP, and boots to EN 13634 that cover the ankle.

Gloves

EN 13594
Level 1The minimum. Fine for warm-weather or short gauntlet styles.
Level 2Tougher abrasion, cut and impact tests. Pick this for most riding.
  • KP on the label means the knuckle armor was tested too.
  • Gauntlets that go over the jacket cuff stop it riding up in a slide.
  • Look for palm sliders and a wrist strap so they can't come off.

Boots

EN 13634
1–2Heightcovers the ankle or more
1–2Abrasionhow long it lasts sliding
1–2Cutresists slicing
1–2Crushside-to-side stiffness
  • Each of the four is scored 1 or 2; 2 is better. "2 2 2 2" is the top.
  • Riding shoes are often scored 1 for height. Fine for town, less so for speed.
  • Track boots add a torsion brace against ankle twisting.

How to read the label

The tag sewn inside your gear tells you exactly what it passed. Here's what each part means.

Jacket / pants
EN 17092-3:2020 · AA
EN 17092
the motorcycle clothing standard
-3
the part of the standard (3 = class AA)
:2020
year of the standard
AA
protection class: AAA › AA › A › B › C
Gloves
EN 13594:2015 · 2 · KP
EN 13594
the motorcycle glove standard
2
Level 2 overall (Level 1 is the minimum)
KP
knuckle protection was tested too
Boots
EN 13634:2017 · 2 2 2 2
EN 13634
the motorcycle footwear standard
2 2 2 2
height · abrasion · cut · crush, each scored 1 or 2 (2 is better)
Limb armor
EN 1621-1:2012 · K · Type B · Level 2
EN 1621-1
impact protectors for shoulders, elbows, hips and knees
K
where it goes: S shoulder, E elbow, H hip, K knee
Type B
covers a larger area than Type A
Level 2
lets through less force than Level 1
Helmet (Europe)
E3 · 06 1234/J
E3
approved in Europe (the number is the country that tested it)
06…
the approval number; starting with 06 means ECE 22.06
/J, /P, /NP
open face, protective chin bar, or non-protective chin bar

Rider aids, explained

What the electronics actually do. The IMU-based ones work even mid-corner.

In one line: make sure the bike has ABS. Cornering ABS and traction control are the next most useful.
Can't skip this

ABS

Anti-lock braking · the highest-value aid

Stops the wheels locking up under hard braking so you keep steering instead of sliding. If you buy one safety feature, buy this.

Cornering ABSIMU
Lean-angle-aware ABS — brake mid-corner without washing the front.
Traction controlwet
Trims power when the rear slips. A lifesaver in rain or over gravel.
Wheelie control
Limits front-wheel lift under hard acceleration.
Slipper clutch
Reduces rear-wheel hop from engine braking on downshifts.
Quickshifter
Clutchless up/down shifts — both hands stay on the bars.
Ride modes
Preset throttle map + aid levels (Rain softens delivery).
Engine-brake control
Tunes closed-throttle engine braking for smoother entries.
TPMS
Tire-pressure monitoring — grip, wear and stability. Check cold.

Skills, training & risk

Gear and electronics buy margin. Skill and judgment keep you out of trouble in the first place.

1
Get trained

Take a beginner course before the street (MSF Basic RiderCourse in the US, CBT in the UK). In many places it also covers the riding test.

2
Gear up

ATGATT, every ride. The short, slow trip to the shop is where a lot of riders get hurt.

3
Progress

Build throttle, brake and vision skills before chasing pace. Ego is the #1 hazard.

4
Ride aware

Use SEE: Search, Evaluate, Execute. Look through the corner, not at the hazard.

Risk radar
  • Cars turning left across you
  • Entering a corner too hot
  • Target fixation
  • Cold tires on the first miles
  • Fatigue & highway hypnosis
  • Never ride impaired

Glossary

Every term on this page, A to Z. The search at the top looks here too.

ABSAnti-lock brakes. Stops the wheels locking under hard braking so you can still steer.
Airbag vestA wearable airbag that inflates in a crash. Tethered (cord-pulled) versions are tested to EN 1621-4.
ATGATTAll The Gear, All The Time. Full gear on every ride, however short.
CE markShows the product meets the EU rules for protective equipment. Look for the EN standard next to it.
Cornering ABSABS that knows your lean angle (via an IMU), so you can brake hard mid-corner more safely.
Counter-steeringPush the right bar to go right (and left to go left). It's how a bike actually turns above walking pace.
DOT / FMVSS 218The US helmet requirement. Makers certify their own helmets; the government spot-checks.
ECE 22.06The current UN/European helmet standard. Adds rotational impact testing and more test points than 22.05.
EN 13594Motorcycle gloves. Level 1 or Level 2, plus KP if knuckle protection was tested.
EN 13634Motorcycle boots. Scored 1 or 2 for height, abrasion, cut and crush resistance.
EN 1621-1Limb impact protectors (shoulder, elbow, hip, knee). Level 1 or Level 2; Level 2 lets less force through.
EN 1621-2Back protectors. Level 2 lets through about half the force of Level 1.
EN 1621-3Chest protectors.
EN 1621-4Mechanically triggered (tethered) airbag protectors.
EN 17092The European standard for motorcycle jackets, pants and suits, with classes AAA, AA, A, B and C.
Engine-brake controlManages how hard the engine slows the bike when you close the throttle.
FIM (FRHPhe-02)The racing helmet homologation needed for FIM-sanctioned events.
Hi-vizHigh-visibility colors or reflective panels that help drivers see you.
High-sideThe rear slides then suddenly grips, flicking the rider over the top. Usually much worse than a low-side.
IMUInertial measurement unit. A sensor that tracks lean, pitch and yaw so the rider aids can react to what the bike is actually doing.
Low-sideThe tires slide out and the bike falls to the inside of the turn.
MSF BRC / CBTBeginner training courses: the MSF Basic RiderCourse in the US, Compulsory Basic Training in the UK.
QuickshifterChanges gear without the clutch. Two-way versions do downshifts as well.
Ride modesPresets that change throttle response and how much the rider aids step in. Rain mode is the gentle one.
SEESearch, Evaluate, Execute. A simple way to scan for and react to hazards.
SHARPThe UK government's helmet crash-test program. Scores helmets 1 to 5 stars.
Slipper clutchLets the clutch slip on aggressive downshifts so the rear wheel doesn't hop or lock.
SnellA US non-profit with its own, tougher voluntary helmet test. Many track days ask for it.
Target fixationYou go where you look. Look at the exit or the gap, not the thing you're trying to avoid.
TPMSTire-pressure monitoring. Warns you about low pressure while you ride.
Traction control (TC)Cuts power when the rear tire starts to spin. Most useful in the wet, on gravel or on cold tires.
Trail brakingEasing off the brakes gradually as you lean into a corner. An advanced skill; practice it on track.
Wheelie controlLimits how far the front wheel lifts under hard acceleration.

Informational only. MotoSafety isn't a substitute for professional training, your owner's manual or a certified instructor. Standards change and vary by region, so check the current specs before you buy. Riding is risky; you ride, wear gear and modify at your own risk.