Guides
What the standards actually require, what the ratings actually measure, and the traps in between. Every claim is cited; every page shows its update date.
How to read a CE label on motorcycle gear
A top-to-bottom walk through the labels sewn into motorcycle garments, armor, gloves and boots — what each mark means and the order to read them in.
Garment class is not armor level
The class letter on a jacket rates the shell, not the pads inside it. This guide covers which armor each EN 17092 class requires, why a AAA garment can ship with Level 1 armor and an empty back pocket, and what to check before you buy.
Armor levels explained: EN 1621 from limb pads to back protectors
What the levels, letters and marks on EN 1621 armor labels mean: the 50 J drop test behind them, the verified force limits for limb, back and chest protectors, and how to decide when Level 2 is worth the extra bulk.
Helmet standards: what ECE 22.06, DOT, Snell, FIM and SHARP each tell you
What each mark on a motorcycle helmet certifies, how each one is verified, and where SHARP's star ratings fit on top. Includes what you can physically check on the helmet before relying on it.
Glove and boot codes: reading EN 13594 and EN 13634
How to read the sewn-in labels on motorcycle gloves and boots: glove levels 1 and 2, the KP knuckle mark, the four-digit boot code, and the optional letters that follow it.
Airbag vests and EN 1621-4
How wearable airbags are certified under EN 1621-4: the two performance levels and their transmitted-force limits, trigger and inflation-time requirements for tether systems, and what the certification does not cover.
Helmet fit, age, and when to replace
How to check that a helmet fits before you look at ratings, what the one-impact design of EPS liners means for replacement, and what the published evidence says about the five-year rule.
Track day gear requirements: the patterns, not the rulebook
What US and UK track-day organizations typically require — suit, back protector, gloves, boots, and helmet certification — described as patterns from a July 2026 survey of nine org pages. Rules change often, so the organization's current requirements page always wins.