How to Read a Motorcycle Gear Label: Class, Level and Standard

A motorcycle gear label gives three kinds of information: the standard the garment was assessed against (such as EN 17092), a class or level inside that standard (AAA, AA, A, B or C for garments; Level 1 or 2 for armour and gloves), and the body zones the result applies to. Read those three things together and the label becomes a short, comparable summary instead of a row of symbols.

What a Gear Label Actually Tells You

Most labels combine a standard reference, a pictogram or class, and a care or size panel. The standard reference is the anchor. It names the test method that produced the result, and different standards cover different items: garments, limb protectors, back protectors, gloves and boots. Two items with different standard numbers are not measured on the same scale, even if both show a "1" or "2".

The user information leaflet that comes with the garment is part of the same picture. It should explain what the markings mean and how the item is meant to be used and cleaned, so keep it rather than throwing it away with the packaging.

EN 17092 Garment Classes: AAA, AA, A, B and C

EN 17092 covers protective garments for motorcycle riders. According to SATRA, the standard is split into six parts, with parts two to six covering the classes AAA, AA, A, B and C. Class A offers the lowest level of protection and Class AAA the highest, while B and C are special categories rather than steps on the same ladder.

Two cautions help when comparing labels. First, a class is not a recommendation for a riding style, so it should not be read as "AAA for the track, A for the street". Second, abrasion in this standard is tested on a Darmstadt machine, which SATRA describes as a pass or fail method rather than one that produces a number of seconds. A table of "seconds per class" is therefore not a reliable way to compare garments.

The class applies to a specific garment type, such as a jacket, trousers or a one-piece suit. If a rider wears a jacket and trousers separately, each label stands alone. Browsing motorcycle jackets or men's leather trousers on a shop page is easier once the label logic is clear, because the class, the standard and the armour option are the details to look for.

Armour Levels: EN 1621-1 and EN 1621-2

Armour is tested separately from the garment. EN 1621-1 covers limb joint protectors such as knee, elbow, shoulder and hip armour. The test measures the force that passes through the protector when a falling mass strikes it. As summarised on Wikipedia, Level 1 requires a mean transmitted force below 35 kN with no single value above 50 kN, and Level 2 requires a mean below 20 kN.

EN 1621-2 covers back protectors. Level 2 allows lower transmitted force than Level 1 in that standard too. The armour level on a label describes the protector alone, not the whole garment.

Gloves and Boots Use Their Own Standards

Gloves follow EN 13594. SATRA describes Level 1 as gloves designed to give protection with low ergonomic penalties and Level 2 as gloves giving greater protection than Level 1. SATRA also states that impact protection on the knuckles is optional for Level 1 and mandatory for Level 2. Gloves under EN 13594 are abraded on a Cambridge machine, not the Darmstadt machine used for garments. Boots are covered by EN 13634.

That is why a jacket label cannot vouch for the gloves worn with it. Check the label on each item, including motorcycle gloves .

Reading a Label Step by Step

1. Find the standard number

Look for EN 17092, EN 1621, EN 13594 or EN 13634. If there is no standard number, a word such as "protective" tells you nothing measurable.

2. Match the class or level to that standard

Read the letter or number as part of the standard it sits under, never on its own.

3. Check which zones are covered

A garment class does not mean every part of it is armoured. Armour is assessed separately from the garment, so check what the product page and order form list for armour and ask for the documentation.

4. Check the size and fit information

Armour only works where it sits. A loose jacket lets padding drift away from the joint, which no label can correct. Race-oriented cuts such as race suits are often cut close to the body for that reason, though sizing should always be confirmed against the size chart.

5. Keep the paperwork

The leaflet and label are the only record of what the maker declared. Follow the garment's care label and the maker's instructions, because the right care depends on the finish and construction of the leather.

What a Label Cannot Tell You

A standard is a laboratory description. The same Wikipedia summary cites a 2017 study by Albanese et al. suggesting that the EN 1621-1 force limits may be too high to effectively reduce the probability of impact injury, which is a reminder that a passing level is a baseline for comparison rather than a promise. Treat labels as a way to ask better questions about fit, coverage and intended use.

Written by the Leather Collection Editorial Team.