Types of Body Armour

The technology used in many of the safety and protection materials you find in modern motorcycle armour is rigorously tested to make sure it offers maximum protecion to the rider. Back and spine protectors have been used by motorcycle riders for some time. Available in many forms, back protectors can fit under a set of full leathers or other clothing if you're foolish enough not to wear a leather suit/jacket. Their main purpose is to protect the rider's backbone, back and ribs and to distribute the forces generated during an impact crash over a wider surface area.

Body Armour Materials

Foam armor

This armor is the typical yellow foam similar to the foam you might find in a mattress. For its thickness it offers a relatively low level of protection.

Memory foam

Memory foam armor achieves the highest levels of absorption to thickness. It is a very dense foam that is used in many different applications.

Hard armor

Hard armor usually consists of a hard plastic backing with foam laminated to the inside. This type of armor is somewhat controversial because it is thought to not disperse force as well as the soft armor. It is also more likely to cause the leather immediately above it to wear through in the case of an accident.

Strain rate sensitive armor

The use of highly viscoelastic materials in motorcycle armor has allowed for elbow, knee, shoulder and back armor to be manufactured in a soft and pliable state at rest. Upon the introduction of shock the armor changes at the molecular level and adopts extremely rigid and protective properties.

Whilst such systems have been shown to achieve similar performance to traditional foam and hard armor solutions, perceived benefits of molecular armor systems above more established types are pliability and comfort.