Motorcycle kit is covered in acronyms, and shops rely on you not understanding them. The truth is there are only a handful that matter, and once you know them you can spot real protective gear from fashion gear in seconds. Here is the whole lot, in plain English.
Helmets: ECE 22.06 and SHARP
ECE 22.06 is the current legal safety standard for helmets sold in Europe and the UK. It replaced the older 22.05 and is tougher: it tests more impact points around the shell, plus higher and lower speed impacts. Any new helmet you buy should carry it. An older helmet on 22.05 is not unsafe, but 22.06 is the benchmark for a new purchase.
SHARP is the UK government’s independent helmet rating scheme. It crash-tests helmets and gives them 1 to 5 stars. It is a useful second opinion on top of the legal minimum, though note its ratings are based on 22.05 test protocols, so treat the stars as guidance rather than gospel.
The single biggest factor in a helmet’s real-world safety is fit. A 5-star helmet that is the wrong shape for your head protects you less than a well-fitting 4-star one. See our best first helmets guide.
Clothing: EN 17092 (the AAA to C scale)
Jackets, trousers and one-piece suits are rated for abrasion resistance under EN 17092, on a scale from highest to lowest:
- AAA – the highest. Top abrasion resistance and construction, the rating for serious touring and sports kit.
- AA – the everyday sweet spot. Plenty for normal road riding, and what most good textile jackets and single-layer jeans carry.
- A – lighter protection, often urban or summer mesh gear.
- B and C – minimal. C garments have no impact armour fitted at all.
For most riders, AA is the sensible minimum and AAA is the goal if budget allows. See our jacket and riding jeans guides.
Armour: CE Level 1 vs Level 2
Abrasion resistance (the fabric) and impact protection (the armour) are two separate things. The armour, the pads at your shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and back, is rated under EN 1621:
- Level 1 – the minimum. Passes the impact test at a higher transmitted force.
- Level 2 – better. Absorbs and spreads impact energy more effectively, transmitting less force to you.
Aim for Level 2 where you can, especially the back protector. Crucially: a foam pad is not CE armour. Many cheap jackets ship with a foam back insert as a placeholder. Look for the CE mark on the armour itself, and budget around £20 to £30 to upgrade a foam back pad to a real CE protector. It is the best-value safety upgrade you can make.
Boots: EN 13634
Motorcycle boots are rated under EN 13634, which tests abrasion, impact, crush, cut resistance and ankle support. A boot without it, however chunky it looks, is not protective kit. Short commuter boots can still score well here even if they lose points on height. See our motorcycle boots guide.
Gloves: EN 13594
Gloves carry EN 13594, with Level 1 and Level 2 ratings like armour, plus a “KP” mark if they include tested knuckle protection. A CE Level 1 glove with hard knuckle protection is the sensible minimum. See our budget gloves guide.
A useful extra: MotoCAP
MotoCAP is an independent Australian programme that star-rates clothing and gloves for both protection and breathability. It is not a UK or legal standard, but where a product has been MotoCAP tested it is a genuinely useful, unbiased data point on top of the CE rating.
The 10-second version
- Helmet: ECE 22.06, and check SHARP stars. Fit matters most.
- Jacket / jeans: EN 17092, aim AA or AAA.
- Armour: CE Level 2 where possible, and make sure the back protector is real CE armour, not foam.
- Boots: EN 13634. Gloves: EN 13594 with knuckle protection.
Get those labels right and you are genuinely protected. For how it all fits together into a first kit, see the complete beginner motorcycle gear guide.
More beginner guides: Complete beginner gear guide · Best first helmets · What to wear for your CBT