Road Rash Testing?

[uctofeej]

There's a lot of talk about what's good protective gear (Firstgear this, Tourmaster that) versus bad (kevlar jeans). Can anyone point to scientific tests on how the brand-names and supposed abrasion resistance features hold up in certain conditions?

For instance, my pants are described as:

"600 Denier Carbolex® shell with 1680 Denier Ballistic Polyester knee panels and seat panel."

I think I've seen some rated as high as 1000 denier overall. What would be leather's equivelant rating in an abrasion test? Does a 600-level rating tear away faster than a 1000?

I may be phrasing the question incorrectly. Feel free to correct. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[ngarider]

Read, my son.

 

[Capt. Bob]

There's a lot of talk about what's good protective gear (Firstgear this, Tourmaster that) versus bad (kevlar jeans). Can anyone point to scientific tests on how the brand-names and supposed abrasion resistance features hold up in certain conditions?
For instance, my pants are described as:

"600 Denier Carbolex® shell with 1680 Denier Ballistic Polyester knee panels and seat panel."

I think I've seen some rated as high as 1000 denier overall. What would be leather's equivelant rating in an abrasion test? Does a 600-level rating tear away faster than a 1000?

I may be phrasing the question incorrectly. Feel free to correct. Inquiring minds want to know.

Beat me to it.

 

[uctofeej]

Thanks for the link, guys. I'm wondering if there is anything more substantial than that, though. According to Motoport, 620 is the minimum suitable motorcycle gear rating. Mine is 600. Where did they get those numbers? Is it their own testing or is there an "industry standard" established by the guvment?

The pounds to tear seems clear. What is a "cycle to failure?"

EDIT: Oh yeah, if I wear cotton jeans under my 600-rated pants, does that give me a 650 rating or some other number based on percentages/cycles/other factors?

 

[painman]

+1000 on the CyclePort gear or to wear gear under the jeans/jacket, Kevlar or not. Icon or Bohn armor will work. Of worthy note here is that the CyclePort/MotoPort gear is the only gear approved for offical racing other than the full leather suits made. The Dupont Kevlar/Lycra/Cordura blend is used and is tougher than leather or a straight Kevlar. <><

 

[Toecutter]

What is a "cycle to failure?"

Wikipedia. Or, call Cycleport and ask Wayne Boyer. He's pretty good about chatting up the gear.

MadMike might have some enlightenment as well....

 

[keithaba]

From experience, I don't really trust firstgear mesh anything...

Look at this jacket, S.O. was wearing, lowside at about 10-15 mph.

as compared to this, what I was wearing, in the same low side.

I'll take leather.

Kevlar is supposed to be great too.

 

[squeezer]

FWIW, you can Aerostich's take on Cordura vs. Kevlar if you click here, then scroll down to "2001 Catalog Sidebars," then click on "The Straight Story on Kevlar." Sorry I couldn't figure out how to post a directly link.

 

[JamesK]

FWIW, you can Aerostich's take on Cordura vs. Kevlar if you click here, then scroll down to "2001 Catalog Sidebars," then click on "The Straight Story on Kevlar." Sorry I couldn't figure out how to post a directly link.

Thx squeezer, useful article to compare, and yes, this one is a bit tricky since it's a pop-up, so below is a direct link:

The Straight Story on Kevlar

 

[Knifemaker]

And read all the pages here:

https://www.rideforever.co.nz/gear_up/index.html

I'm not sure you will find a comparison of name brands , but there are between the materials themselves.

What does not make it easier is Name Brand companies use their own names for their fabrics, and it's hard sometimes to find out exactly what the stuff is. Alot ends up being polyester coated nylon, which is not as good as the same thickness in straight nylon.

The stretchy Kevlar seems to be the top choice, but I have seen gear that has been is moderate to nasty spills do a pretty good job of holding up even when it was not the top dollar line. Much like helmets, your protective gear is ultimatly your choice as to what you feel comfortable with.

My $99.00 leather jacket has survived a few bad spills and is still ready for more, and so are the Bates Leather pants I have had for 30+ years.

And a word to the wise...don't skimp on your gloves...the natural tendency for us humans when we fall is to put our hands out to catch us...........

KM

 

[Capt. Bob]

And a word to the wise...don't skimp on your gloves...the natural tendency for us humans when we fall is to put our hands out to catch us...........
KM

Ain't that the truth!!!

I'll never forget my brother -in -law trying to smoke a cig a week after he dumped his Harley. Scared straight (into always wearing gloves) is the only way to describe it.

 

[rammer9460]

uctofeej,

I had an unplanned get off in '06. I had boots, blue jeans, no helmet, no gloves and a Firstgear Meshtex jacket on. I was on day 2 of a3 week vacation. I have 2 pictures on a blog at https://fjrtrip07.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html (bottom of the page) I hit the highway at 60-65 mph. Results.... boots ok. blue jeans ruined, head... well check out the pictures.., jacket, scuffed and ripped. skin under jacket, fine.. other skin, not so good.

Moral to the story, I had all the right gear with me but we were 30 miles from where we were going. Gear only works if you use it!! ATGATT now for sure!!!

Erik.

 

[ngarider]

All I can say is I've seen the Motoport gear in action in a 70mph lowside. Not me, but the wearer walked with bruising and a totally destroyed bike. Not a scratch, not a broken bone.

I wear my kevlar with confidence, and ATGATT.

 

[madmike2]

FWIW, you can Aerostich's take on Cordura vs. Kevlar if you click here, then scroll down to "2001 Catalog Sidebars," then click on "The Straight Story on Kevlar." Sorry I couldn't figure out how to post a directly link.

Well, they don't say it isn't very good, but that it wasn't available to them in a useable form. They do seem to say that...What we've been using works very well for us, so why change? Come look at the gear that has helped people survive.

That's all well and good, but in the 100+ degree heat I ride in during the summer and fall, I need clothing that will breathe (read:mesh). We (Orangevale and I) met a couple of S.F. Bay area riders in Sonora and the dude in the Aerostitch was complaining of the hear (90+ degrees in Sonora). Underarmor helps monitor the moisture wicking and my hydration keeps me alert (A lesson I failed while riding the KLR!).

The details and my opinion are found in the OTHER threads about riding gear:

riding gear site:fjrforum.com

Clothing Options

As a crash survivor with NO ROADRASH, 2 cracked vertebrae, cracked shoulderblade in 2 places, numerous cracked ribs, severe concussion resulting in a blood clot on my brain for weeks...did I mention NO ROADRASH and you could see the outline of the Cyclport armor....I'm a believer!

In fact, my gear was repaired where the EMTs cut my jacket off. Thanks, Wayne, you guys did a great job!

 

[kulwen]

FWIW, you can Aerostich's take on Cordura vs. Kevlar if you click here, then scroll down to "2001 Catalog Sidebars," then click on "The Straight Story on Kevlar." Sorry I couldn't figure out how to post a directly link.

I agree with Mike on this one. I often read marketing hype 10-15 times just to see if I can identify where the slick marketing folks are playing on words. And, I keep coming to that conclusion after reading "The straight story on Kevlar". A good portion is bashing Kevlar in the raw form. So what, I am not aware of any gear being made with 100% Kevlar. But, it does do a good job of making someone cautious of Kevlar before getting into the details of their competitors gear that use a Kevlar blend suit.

Now, that it has been established in the readers mind Kevlar has flaws they move on to the gear from competitors. They clearly state it loses some of the fire-resistant qualities, just like nylon. WHAT? Look at the beginning of the article when they mention their material, Cordura® nylon. Keep reading and they mention their fabric as Cordura® (which is a type of nylon), but when it come to catching fire they don't want Cordura® to look bad so they use the word nylon. To me this is a play on words so a reader just not come to the conclusion "So, your suit will catch fire also?". I have been riding 18 years now and have never came in direct contact with an open flame. Maybe, just maybe, I ride to safe since I have never ridden though a ring of fire. It also mentions hot components or high friction. But, what are the temps that this fabric melts? Does this the Cordura® melt at 200 degrees and the Kevlar blend melt at 150 degrees? Or, does the Kevlar blend melt at 1000 degrees? The article calls out that both fabrics can melt, but which one will melt at a lower temperature?

The next section mention some competitors suits are designed and approved specifically for road racing. So what, I don't want to compare a road racing suit to a suit not designed for road racing. They could have compared the competitors normal road gear against their road gear. Instead they compared an apple to an orange and failed to mention the competitors normal road gear.

All-in-all I don't consider this article to offer much valid info. The article seems to be a marketing thing to me. On the flip side everything could be true and the writer did a poor job of writeing the article. However, I don't think that is the cases since no tests results and numbers are given in the article.

Just my opinion!!!

 

[keithaba]

The temp. which the stuff can handle is important too. This guy was wearing Joe Rocket Pheonix Pants, which I thought were pretty good, and got into a wreck. The pipe landed on his leg.

see post #12

clicky

Not sure if any material would have helped that. Exhaust cans get hot....

 

[Toecutter]

I had an unplanned get off in '06...I have 2 pictures on a blog at https://fjrtrip07.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html (bottom of the page) I hit the highway at 60-65 mph.

Erik, Glad to hear it wasn't worse. I'd like to hear more, specifically, if there was anything you now do differently to avoid animal strikes than before it happened, or any way you think you could have avoided it in retrospect.

 

[kulwen]

The temp. which the stuff can handle is important too. This guy was wearing Joe Rocket Pheonix Pants, which I thought were pretty good, and got into a wreck. The pipe landed on his leg.

see post #12

clicky

Not sure if any material would have helped that. Exhaust cans get hot....

That is what I am talking about. It looks like the mesh melting to the leg.

I read a post here or over on advrider about someone who had their Motoport mesh gear drapped over the bike and resting on the pipe when the bike was hot. The mesh did not melt at all. But I can't seem to find that post now.

 

[AethonFJR]

Read, my son.


https://www.motoport.com/saveyourhi...ax=760-752-9317&Merchant_Phone=1-800-777-6499

Interesting information, but do you have any idea of the source for the information it contains? Not that I would care to contest their “Tear and Abrasion Strengths”, but I would like to know that the quoted values are an industry wide accepted value or supported by independent testing.