Re: Trail Braking - Flavour of the month/year?
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 9:41 am
GTR1400MAN wrote:Is this because that is their rating or can you just sell stuff as A rated if it has decent armour without it actually being tested?
While manufacturers have to pay for any CE test, including the A-rating, there’s no incentive for them to aim high. If your garment passes the A-rating, then you can legally sell it to motorcyclists as personal protective equipment. It’s immoral, but perfectly legal, to manufacture and sell A-rated touring gear. (Even though the AA-rating was intended for touring kit.) It appears about half the brands are following this route because it’s cheaper, leaving them money to spend on stylish looks and advertising.
Similarly, it’s dishonest but legal to sell race leathers with an A- or AA-rating – even though the AA-rating only tests for abrasion resistance to around 30-45 mph. And the Dainese Misano D-Air race suit is only AA-rated. It might have an airbag for impact protection, but its abrasion resistance is only AA-rated. And it’s a £2,000 suit (admittedly including the airbag). Incredibly, other brands even sell race suits with merely an A-rating!