Nearly all motorcycle jackets available today have bits and pieces that are CE certified but never before has an entire garment—not just the elbows, shoulder and back armor—been CE certified for rider safety, like Alpinestars' Atem jacket and suit. After a 12 month-long gestation period and a myriad of new testing processes, the Atem is about as high tech as any modern high performance motorcycle. In contrast to other jackets, which only include CE armor in the shoulder, elbow and back, the entire Atem jacket was subjected to a series of tests that mimic crash-like conditions. The first of which is an abrasion test that simulates a slide along the pavement. A portion of the Atem's 1.3mm leather hide is weighted and then dropped several times from every conceivable direction onto a rotating belt with a 60 grit sandpaper-like surface. If the garment can survive for more than 4 seconds, it passes the test and is granted Level 1 certification. The Atem surpassed Level 2, which requires it to remain intact for more than seven seconds.

The second test, the impact cut test, simulates encountering a piece of debris, like glass, while sliding on the road. This time, a portion of the jacket is stretched and mounted onto a block with a rectangular hole. A blade-like "striker" is then dropped from a meter up, traveling at 9.2 feet per second for impact right above the hole. For Level 1 certification, the max penetration depth should be no more than 25mm. The Atem qualified for Level 2 status, which is set at no more than 15mm. Next is the burst strength test that evaluates the rigidity and hardiness of the garment and seams when hit with extreme force, like in a crash. A circular sample is placed over a diaphragm that's clamped around the edges and is then inflated into a dome shape. The pressure required for Level 1 status is about 98 psi, and Level 2 is even higher at 112 psi. And yes, the Atem achieved Level 2 status in this test, too. Sliding along the pavement at any speed can cause the jacket to move and shift in the opposite direction in which you're sliding, but the Atem comes with adjustable cuffs in the sleeve and ankles (for the suit version) that keep everything in place, decreasing the chances of road rash.

The cone test applies about 6.6lbs of pressure into the sleeve for 60 seconds, and if it moves no more than 60mm, the garment attains Level 1 status. Though they achieved nearly every Level 2 certification, the Atem suit and jacket are still only rated at Level 1, because Alpinestars felt it important not to compromise fit and comfort in non-impact areas, like the armpits. Nearly every technological detail from professional MotoGP and WSBK race suits have trickled down into the Atem suit and jacket. motorcycle jackets plymouthThe Atem does, however, lack the airbag system found in the race replica version and the accordion panels in the back and knees that allow for greater mobility, which more or less account for the $1400 difference in price. motorcycle dealers exeter uk

The Atem suit retails for $1500, while the jacket goes for $700.So is the Atem the safest suit or jacket you can buy? Every crash is unique and no two are alike, so protective gear can only do so much. But knowing that the entire jacket/suit—and not just the hard bits—will keep you safe in a crash is heartening nonetheless. Most riders know that protection is the most important safety aspect of motorcycle riding. RevZilla carries a variety of protection and armor from numerous manufacturers. pocket bikes for sale qldIn protective vests and jackets, most back armor will feature CE Level 2-rated protection. motorcycle tires bedford txWe also have replacement knee sliders, shoulder armor, back pads and hip armor. motorcycle permit ny study guide

If you're having trouble choosing between the various pieces of armor protection that we carry at RevZilla, please contact us and we'll be happy to help. No restock fees, everFree Shipping on orders over $39.99Research and Development team is proud to present the latest innovation in motorcycle impact protection: SEEFLEX™ technology. The SEEFLEX™ concept takes the balance between protection and comfort to entirely new heights. With SEEFLEX™ technology, the days of wearing uncomfortable armor on a motorcycle are long behind us. motorcycle tires in temecula caThe SEEFLEX™ concept is born of the synergy between state of the art material and cutting-edge construction, which together give SEEFLEX™ protectors their unique combination of protection, flexibility and breathability. craigslist western mass motorcycles for sale

This innovative technology enables the SEEFLEX™ protectors to pass the highest EN1621-1:2012 Level 2 impact tests in all test circumstances and temperatures. Motorcycle armor comes in a variety of forms, from traditional yellow foam to high-tech compounds capable of absorbing large amounts of energy. In its basic form an armored jacket will include shoulder and elbow armor. Trousers will include hip and knee protection. This armour is either closed cell or open-cell foam and in various densities all the way up to a fairly hard foam used in helmets. Hard foams absorb impact/shock by destructive decomposition so they can only be used to protect for one incident and must be replaced. Soft foams offer little protection with close-cell foams providing a bit more protection than open-cell foams. Of foam type armors, memory-foam armor achieves a higher level of impact absorption compared to open/closed-cell types above. Memory-foam rebounds slowly after compression.It is a very dense foam.

These are gel type impact/shock abosorbers. They are produced in various densities and generally used close to the body for comfort. Hard armour usually consists of a hard plastic and is designed to resist abrasive and puncture injuries. Hard armour generally is used in conjunction with some impact absorbing foam or other material on the inner surfaces facing the body. This is because hard armour by itself does not provide impact/shock abosorption qualities. The use of viscoelastic materials in motorcycle armor has allowed for hand (glove) elbow, knee, shoulder, tail-bone, and back armor to be manufactured in a soft and pliable state at rest. Upon the introduction of shock the armor adopts extremely rigid and protective properties.[] Examples of this armor are SAS-TEC, SW, d3o, Rukka APS air, EXO-TEC and TF armor. They are currently being used in jackets, trousers and suits by manufacturers such as REV'IT!, Firstgear, BMW Apparel, Scorpion, Rukka, Klim and Aerostich respectively.

Viscoelastic armor is soft and body-forming until it is impacted. At impact it reacts quickly to form a rigid mass. d30 armor hardens edge-to-edge. Sas-Tec armor is considered to be a progressive reactive armor in that it hardens to a degree sufficient to counter the force. The material prevents trauma to the human body by three methods: Viscoelastic armor is able to achieve a higher level of shock/impact reducing benefits with more comfort and less bulk than traditional hard armor - foam laminate solutions. Hybrid armor is layered with hard shell outer materials. European standard EN-1621 is used to rate the effectiveness of armor. In this standard, a 5 kg flat impactor impacts the armor at a speed of 4.47 m/s (energy 5x4,47x4,47/2=50 J "Joules"). 50 J of energy is roughly equivalent to dropping a 1Kg mass from a height of 0.5m (E=mGH). Sensors measure how much force is transmitted through the armor, its peak force in kilo-newtons (kN), and its period (how long it took the force to be transmitted).

If the force transmitted through the armor is less than 35 kN then the armor (all armor except back) can attain an EN-1621-1 rating.[1] Standard also includes other factors such as temperature stability and coverage area. The back protection standard is EN-1621-2. That standard rating is based on that energy being less than 18 kN (EN-1621-2 Level 1) or less than 9 kN (EN-1621-2 Level 2). There are two European standards covering "motorcyclists' protective clothing against mechanical impact" - EN1621-1 and EN1621-2. EN1621-1 covers any body part protection except back/spine. There are updates to the standards from time to time and so the year the update comes out is added as a suffix to the standard such as EN1621-1:1997[1] and EN 1621-2:2003.[2] Both standards assess the performance of protective devices by measuring the force transmitted through it when impacted by a falling mass. EN1621-1 assesses armor designed to protect the shoulder, elbow and forearm, hip, tail-bone, knee and lower leg regions.

The test apparatus consists of a mass of 5 kg with a 40 mm x 30 mm striking face, dropped onto the sample mounted on top of a 50 mm radius hemispherical dome. The anvil is further mounted onto a load cell, allowing a measurement to be made of the force transmitted through the protector. The kinetic energy of the falling mass at impact must not exceed 50 J. A protector subjected to this test method is deemed to conform to this standard if the average transmitted force of nine tests is less than 35 kN, with no single test result exceeding 50 kN. EN1621-2 assesses armor designed to protect the back/spine. It is a more stringent standard allowing no more than 18 kN of force to be transmitted to attain Level 1 protection (EN-1621-2 CE Level 1). Armor that allows less than 9 kN of force to be transmitted can attain a Level 2 protection (EN-1621-2 CE Level 2). See section below for more information. European Standard EN 1621-2:2003[2] defines two levels of performance for CE approved back protectors.

The test apparatus and procedure is similar to that of EN 1621-1:1997,[1] but with a different impactor and anvil configuration. The impactor is a rounded triangular faced prism, of length 160 mm, base 50 mm, height 30.8 mm and radius 12.5 mm. The anvil is a radiused cylinder, with its axis orientated to the direction of impact, of height 190 mm, diameter 100 mm and rounded end radius 150 mm. When tested to the procedure defined in the standard, the two levels of performance are: Back protectors are often not included in the standard complement of armor although many jackets allow a back protector to be installed. Because of the more delicate nature of the spinal column, back protectors require that lower levels of force be transmitted. The introduction to EN 1621-2 states that approximately 13% of motorcyclists injured in road accidents have an injury to this back region. However, only 0.8% of the injured riders suffer a fracture of the spine and less than 0.2% of injured riders have a serious back injury resulting in neurological damage.

This is supported by evidence from the MAIDS Report (2004), the most comprehensive in-depth data currently available for Powered Two-Wheelers (PTWs) accidents in Europe. Serious spinal injures are usually caused by axial forces due to blows on the head, or bending and twisting forces on the back caused by blows to the shoulders, hips and other parts of the body. In the Cambridge Standard for Motorcyclists Clothing, Roderick Woods asserts that the majority of spinal injuries are caused by blows to the hip and shoulders. In the rare circumstance that a motorcyclist received a direct blow to the back, the damage would be unmitigable by armor. The concept of a "back protector" is therefore not endorsed by Woods. Although back protectors, as defined in the standard, cannot protect against axial forces they are required to protect the scapula and there is now considerable anecdotal evidence that wearing a certified back protector can significantly reduce trauma in a major accident as they reduce the effect of impacts on the ribs and lessen the blows to internal organs too.