That’s where CE ratings, standards set by the European Union to test and approve motorcycle gear for sale in the European Economic Area (EEA), come into play. It can be a rather convoluted system with lots of acronyms and difficult to research ratings, so we have done our best to distill it down to the must-know items.

What is a CE rating?

“CE” stands for "conformité européenne" (which is French for "European conformity") and the CE mark as we see it in motorcycle gear today was originally established in 1993. The CE mark basically indicates that a manufactured good meets standards as set by the European Union for the health and safety of the public. From consumer electronics to heavy machinery and, yes, even motorcycle gear (considered “personal protective equipment” in the EU), the CE mark is a requirement for any company trying to sell goods in the EEA.

Naturally, the standards for a motorcycle jacket versus a food blender are very different, and so each category of consumer goods has a different set of requirements to meet. For motorcycle gear in particular, a new set of standards was established in 2020. 

EN 17092-1:2020 establishes the specific test methods required for motorcycle gear to achieve its CE rating. These tests cross a variety of different attributes of a piece of a gear, including and not limited to abrasion resistance, impact absorption, rotational cut resistance, tear strength, seam strength, transverse rigidity, and more. These tests must be conducted by a third party. Gear brands cannot use their own in-house tests to pass CE certification. The video above gives you a glimpse of the Darmstadt machine, which is primarily used for testing abrasion resistance.

Different pieces of gear, say a pair of boots versus a riding jacket, will of course have a different set of tests, thresholds, and zones of impact for testing. For example, the above video demonstrates the variety of stress tests that TCX boots will undergo doing the CE certification process. Once a piece of gear has been fully tested and evaluated, it will be awarded a certain level of CE rating, depending on its performance. 

 

 

What do the different CE ratings mean?

The standards EN 17092-2:2020 through EN 17092-6:2020 (2 through 6) define what it takes for a particular motorcycle apparel item to meet the most minimal rating of Class C all the way up to the most protective standard of Class AAA.

Class C garments are meant to hold impact armor in place, so they do not meet minimum abrasion resistance protection. Class C garments are intended to be worn with AAA, AA, or B garments to improve impact protection. Many mesh armored jackets and undergarments fall into this category.

 

 

Class B garments meet Class A abrasion resistance protection standards, but do not have impact protection. It is recommended that Class B garments are paired with class C or other impact armor protection. Many riding shirts fall into this category. 

 

 

Class A garments meet the minimum necessary required protection levels for both impact and abrasion as determined by CE regulations. Many entry-level, light-duty summer mesh jackets and riding jeans fall into this category. 

 

 

Class AA garments offer a greater degree of protection from impact and abrasion, using materials and constructions that meet higher requirements than Class A and below. Many textile and leather jackets and pants fall into this category. 

 

 

Class AAA garments are the highest level of CE rating that a piece of motorcycle gear can achieve in terms of impact protection and abrasion resistance. Generally, only full racing leather suits can provide this level of protection, although there are some rare instances of riding jeans and jackets that can meet these standards. 

 

 

 

CE Level 1 versus CE Level 2 impact armor ratings

Where a lot of riders can get confused is how CE ratings for armor compare to the actual garment ratings discussed above. Impact armor for use in motorcycle garments must undergo its own set of tests to determine whether it is CE Level 1 or CE Level 2 certified. CE Level 2 is the higher level of protection in terms of impact absorption and it means the armor has been tested and verified for a maximum transmitted force below 20 kN, whereas CE Level 1 armor has the maximum transmitted force threshold of 35 kN. 

 

 

Take note that back protectors have their own specific standard that is different from other armor in the limbs. Limb protectors have a “1” designation in the EN number, whereas back protectors have a “2” designation. Back protectors have to meet different guidelines to achieve either a Level 1 or Level 2 certification. CE Level 2 back protectors need to cover more area and also absorb more impact force. While the extra protection is desirable, CE Level 2 back protectors often have to grow to such a large size they become difficult to fit into a jacket. 

 

 

It is possible that CE Level 1 armor will be used even in top-rated CE AAA garments. This surprises a lot of riders. Wouldn’t one expect to find the more protective CE Level 2 armor in such a highly rated garment? Riders must remember that overall CE ratings take into consideration the whole garment and a variety of tests beyond just abrasion or impact absorption. If CE Level 1 armor can make the passing grade over a bulkier CE 2 armor, many companies will opt for that thinner profile armor instead.

 

 

What about gear that has no CE rating?

For brands not trying to sell in Europe, going through the costly and time-consuming process of CE ratings might not be worth it. It doesn’t necessarily mean the riding gear is less safe, it just hasn’t been tested and verified like CE-rated motorcycle gear has been.

 

 

Many companies simply add some CE-rated armor in garments being sold outside Europe as an easy way to gain selling points for protection without going through the full process to get CE certification for the entire garment. Riders should just be aware that garments without the official CE A / CE AA /CE AAA ratings have not been tested for all attributes, such as abrasion resistance, tear strength, seam strength, etc. Brands will also select materials known to pass CE testing, such as 600D Cordura, and though they haven’t paid to display the CE mark in that particular garment, riders can rest assured that tried-and-true material has been proven to perform at similar standards.

While the CE rating system is a step in the right direction for consumer confidence and rider safety, it isn’t a completely perfect system. Past standards have been so strict that many brands failed to pass, leading to delays in gear production or even garments that were nearly unwearable because they were so rigid. Questions have been raised about who exactly gets to write the standards and what their motivations may be, and also about quality control and enforcement of the CE ratings themselves. Sometimes, standards will change and it takes time for gear manufacturers to catch up and recertify, so a piece of gear on the rack might have a lower rating even though it's capable of more. On a similar note, some gear companies will hedge their bets and test for a lower rating they are sure they can pass because the resources and time associated with having to retest in case of failure is too costly. 

 

 

What do CE ratings mean to you, the rider?

There are many calculations to make when shopping for riding gear. What type of riding are you doing? In what weather? On what bike? What is your budget range? How much comfort and convenience are you willing to sacrifice for protection and safety? While it might be simple to say you should strive for a CE AA or higher piece of gear, there is much more to it than that. Fitment is paramount — even a CE AAA-rated garment that does not fit well will not offer you the protection you are seeking. What about mobility? The higher the rating, the thicker and more rigid the materials being used. If your gear is causing a fatiguing effect on the ride, how much better off are you? Don’t forget about price, either, because higher CE ratings often mean more expensive materials and testing that get tacked on to the retail price of that garment.

CE ratings are a guide so you can better gauge which pieces of gear will help meet your own personal criteria and give you peace of mind knowing that an independent party has in fact put that gear to the test before the road does. Not all riding gear is created equal, but now you know the facts to determine which ones are going to be right for your ride.