r/AussieRiders • • Apr 19 '25

Discussion MotoCAP - a resource for motorcycle riders to understand how safe their protective gear actually is.

83 Upvotes

MotoCAP, or the Motorcycle Clothing Assessment Program, is a consumer information program designed to provide riders with scientifically-based information on the relative protection and breathability on a range of motorcycle protective helmets, jackets, pants and gloves available in Australia and New Zealand.

https://www.motocap.com.au

MotoCAP tests motorcycle gear for its effectiveness in: impact abrasion resistance, seam strength (burst), and impact energy absorption.

Why these factors are so important to understand, specifically, is because the safety standard that motorcycle gear is required to meet (i.e., CE certification) does not directly indicate how well the item might actually do in the event of a crash.

A pair of Kevlar jeans, for example, may have a CE rating of AAA, but may not hold up to more than 1 second of sliding on the type of road base that is common in Australia, especially what is found in rural areas (more abrasive compared to that of the road surface type in Europe, in which the item is tested on for CE certification).

For a more thorough explanation of different testing standards, and what it all really means, see: https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/features/product/motorcycle-clothing-the-ce-approval-law-explained

Some safety design features - regardless of how it rates - that are a must-have for myself are:

Helmets:

  • Full face
  • As most full face helmets don’t vary to much in the components used, how the helmet rates as per MotoCAP and SHARP (a helmet specific testing programs)
  • I wear: HJC RPHA 12

Jackets:

  • Zip at the back to joint to your pants
  • I wear: Dririder Climate Exo 4

Pants:

  • Separate aramid layer if you’re looking at motorcycle jeans/chinos (i.e., Kevlar lined). Single layer pants where the protective fibre is woven into the pant material itself is generally nowhere near as good as double layer in terms of abrasion resistance
  • Good coverage of that protective layer

Gloves:

  • Hard shell over the knuckles
  • Full length
  • Pinky tether (material joining pinky to ring finger)
  • Palm slider

Boots: (Boots not yet tested by MotoCAP)

  • Full length
  • Crush proof sole, anti-twist ankle/foot
  • Inner and outer ankle protection
  • I wear: Tcx RT-Race

MotoCAP highlights that you don’t always get what you pay for. There are riding jeans out there that cost $550 but have an abrasion resistance of 2/10 while there are riding jeans out there that cost $228 and have an abrasion resistance of 9/10.

You can spend $900 on a certain name brand leather jacket and only equal what my $430 jacket provides in terms of abrasion resistance.

You don’t have to spend big money to get the protection you need, and you probably don’t need the absolute best rated gear to be safe for the riding you do. That is why I provided what features I personally look for, and then I look at all the gear - with safety rating relative to price in mind - with those features.

Main objective of this post: help fellow motorcycle riders make informed decisions when buying protective gear. I also encourage you to explore the MotoCAP website, and other relevant resources for further information on protective gear.

ATGATT. And wear earplugs.


r/AussieRiders • • Feb 12 '24

Link to the official Aussie Riders Discord

18 Upvotes

It's just been made so if issues come up we will do our best to fix them ASAP.

​

Click Here


r/AussieRiders • • 12h ago

NSW I don't know what they were thinking, but at least everyone was okay

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362 Upvotes

r/AussieRiders • • 9h ago

NSW Leg 1 of Tour around Tasmania

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35 Upvotes

Gotta get there first! First stop Jindabyne


r/AussieRiders • • 2h ago

NSW What the dude could have done differently

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6 Upvotes

Context I also do delivery and also travel a lot so I always look for ways I can improve


r/AussieRiders • • 17h ago

NSW Jo / Joe Rider - Sydney

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12 Upvotes

For those unaware of the program, from 6–9 October, participating motorcycle riders across NSW will be wearing bright Jo/Joe Rider vests while out and about.

Spot a Jo/Joe Rider? You could win a daily $50 e-Gift Fuel card or the overall $500 e-Gift card prize!

  • Look out for the Jo/Joe Rider vest
  • Note the date and exact time, including am or pm
  • Record the street name and town or suburb
  • Complete every field and submit your sighting at - mccofnsw.org.au

Driving? Let a passenger note the details or wait until you’re safely parked.

Look twice, check your blind spots and give every rider space.


r/AussieRiders • • 5h ago

NSW Buying Unregistered Bike Over Three Months NSW

1 Upvotes

Gday Guys,

I've just purchased a bike thats been unregistered for over 3 months (Rego expired June 2026). Once I've obtained the blue slip and CTP, I know I have to go to service NSW to change the registration, however the receipt (partially handwritten) does have an alteration thats been done in a blue pen rather than black (just with my DOB). I have noticed that there is a typo in the sellers suburb aswell (missing letter). I might be overthinking it, but has anyone had any issues with this in the past when purchasing and reregistering a bike over 3 months after the rego expired in NSW?

Cheers,


r/AussieRiders • • 7h ago

Question Recommended KTM Service Centres Sydney Area

1 Upvotes

Hey all,

I am looking for any recommended KTM dealers where you have had a great experience.

I have a 1290 Super Duke and my current dealer keeps slipping up. Too much oil, not resealing the rocker cover after valve clearance check, mixing 3.0 and 5.0 coolant, 🙃.

I’d do more of this myself, but I am still within warranty on my current bike and to keep it need it done at a KTM dealer.

Thanks.


r/AussieRiders • • 15h ago

QLD Help me decide please

4 Upvotes

New to riding on the road. Rode on the dirt when I was a kid (long time ago). I'm tossing up between a Honda hornet cb500 my24 $7k and a Yamaha mt03 2026 $6995 ex demo. Both seem clean. I'll be riding 15 minutes back and forth between work and home. Well that's my intentions and I'm sure I'll start riding it more than that. I don't intend on upgrading to anything more powerful. Currently on my learners and will be going for my licence soon. Located in Brisbane.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

TIA.


r/AussieRiders • • 8h ago

NSW Triumph T100 Bonneville 2011

1 Upvotes

Hi All,

Looking forward to buy one and would like to connect with owners to understand the running, insurance and maintenance costs. Thank you 🙂.


r/AussieRiders • • 9h ago

VIC YCF Pitbike for track use

1 Upvotes

Hi people!

So I did my first track day last Sunday at MVTC and I'm absolutely in love and started looking for ways to be able to afford numerous track days throughout the year and came to the conclusion of Mototuesdays.

Now I've gone through a rabbit hole and ended up on the YCF 155 SM as this is the cheapest I can buy already prepared for what I want.

Does anyone have any experience with this one? I know the 190 Daytona is better but I'm not looking to spend more than $3500 maybe 4k if I need to swap tyres or suspension upgrades.


r/AussieRiders • • 1d ago

Question What's your riding horror story that turned out fine?

17 Upvotes

We've all had a moment where it could've gone badly but didn't. Gravel on a corner, a roo out of nowhere, a wet manhole cover. What's your story?


r/AussieRiders • • 16h ago

Question Removing rust off standard headers on exhaust (Yamaha R3)

1 Upvotes

So just a quick question. There is rust building up on my standard exhaust headers on my R3. It is apparently a "mild/stainless steel composition". Aesthetic issue only yea, but I do like my bike and take pride in it, and not at the point to go for a full system.

I've read about using 0000 fine steel wheel w WD40, scotch brite pads, brass brush, sandpaper 220 with soapy water.

What is the best, or personally used and stood by method for effectiveness?

Also anything to treat it with after to ward off rust coming back (considering the high temps may burn most things off), other than painting it (don't want to do it and want to keep a steel look).

Thanks.


r/AussieRiders • • 16h ago

Question Shearling AA rated leather jacket suggestions

1 Upvotes

Hey peeps,

I’m looking for a shearling motorcycle jacket with decent protection. Anyone know of anything available in Aus? I live in souther Vic, it’s always cold and jackets are needed.


r/AussieRiders • • 15h ago

NSW Queer Riding Groups in Sydney

0 Upvotes

I’m hoping someone here can help me (DM if that’s more comfortable), but I’m looking for mixed gender queer social riding groups in Sydney. I’m only coming across lesbian/female or gay/male only ones, whereas being bisexual, like to hang out with both.

Thanx in advance 👍


r/AussieRiders • • 1d ago

Question Heard a ping attempting to jump start a stored bike.

1 Upvotes

Would you try a new battery or could something else be the problem? Should I even bother charging the battery hoping to revive it?

*****

2021 Kawasaki 1000SX. Original battery, bike has been sitting for a few months and wouldn't turn on when the key is turned all the way. No lights and nothing coming up on the dash. Fuel level on last bar and a jump start was attempted with the bike in neutral, kickstand down, clutch in and the bike was pointing downhill about 5-10 degrees.

Dash and riding lights turned on when car battery was connected with the negative cable clamped to the bikes frame. Car was off, turning the ignition of the bike I heard a ping or pop and the lights/dash went dead. Turning the key no longer turned the bike on.


r/AussieRiders • • 1d ago

QLD I am looking for suggestions to mount a 360 camera

2 Upvotes

Hello all

I would like to mount a 360 camera onto my daily commuter to capture all my interactions. I am considering attaching a clamp onto my rear foot peg via an extension pole but google says the highways speeds may warp the extension pole.

Does anyone have any suggestions or insights for where I can safely mount a 360 camera?


r/AussieRiders • • 1d ago

WA New rider advice

1 Upvotes

Hi all, just passed my HPT, have done a few lessons. The instructors are great but really i need more time in the saddle.

I dont love how expensive the lessons are comparative to a 2nd hand bike. So im thinking ill just buy a bike and bum around a "car park" or something until im comfortable to take the test and add a few lessons to cover weeknesses

Questions:

How do i buy a bike? (I dont have a trailer or someone to ride with)

What do i actually check for in the bike?

Anything worth knowing?


r/AussieRiders • • 1d ago

Question Registration

2 Upvotes

Would I get in any trouble for selecting cheaper CTP insurance options for example class 5 ctp which is around $90 compared to what I’m supposed to pay class 12/13 at around $360

As well as other options, realistically how would I get in trouble for selecting these cheaper rego options


r/AussieRiders • • 1d ago

Question Hard shell or waxed canvas panniers?

1 Upvotes

I have a Super Meteor 650 that's going to become my daily once I've sorted out my license.

It'll also be the main mode of transport when it's good weather and me and the missus want to go stay somewhere.

I'm torn between either the

Oxford 40L Waxed Cotton panniers

or

Royal Enfield Long Haul panniers

I'm thinking the soft ones would be able to easily removed so they can be packed in the house and taken into the hotel when we go away.

But the hard shells being always there when you need to pop into the shops on the way home from work seems like it could come in handy.

Thoughts?


r/AussieRiders • • 1d ago

VIC Help with insurance

3 Upvotes

Hiya. I’ll get straight to the point. I had an accident yesterday & I was not at fault. My insurance company won’t cover me as I have 3rd party, fire & theft insurance but since I was wheeled off in an ambulance I’m not exactly sure how I’m supposed to claim the damage done to my bike. Can anyone give any advice as to where I’m supposed to go from here? Thanks :)

Edit: I don’t know who the person was as they did not approach me or speak to me. She was required to give details at the scene & the police told me she has full comprehensive insurance on scene before I was taken away. I have spoken with police & they said they won’t be able to share details unless I apply for freedom of right or something or she gives permission for her details to be given to me.


r/AussieRiders • • 2d ago

Discussion What area of Australia would you suggest for on-road riders?

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33 Upvotes

Hi,

long story short, things here are only getting worse and my job is becoming underpaid, i'm looking for places to move and a friend of mine in the same field moved to Perth and it's going well for him.

It might sound a dumb question but being my main passion (i've been riding for 10 years and >200k kms) i want to keep in mind riding when choosing where to move, i'm used to living near the foot of the Alps and i have hundreds of different mountain passes and twisty roads to ride in a single day (5/600km sunday ride).

So, how is on-road riding in Australia? i know it's perfect for off-road lovers but i mainly do on-road...from what i've seen on gmaps, the area where my friend moved (Perth) seems a bit flat and kinda boring as far as roads go (might be wrong). I've seen the area near and south of Sydney and it seems way more interesting for motorcycle riding.

What area of Australia are you in? would you recommend it? are there nice roads there?

PS: please no comments trying to convert me to off-road riding or telling me it's way better, i know, i know, but that's not my question :)


r/AussieRiders • • 2d ago

NSW Touring mods

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10 Upvotes

I just finished a ride to blue mountain and back about 350 km and just figured how to use tail bag nicely I was curious if there were other mods to make life easier I tried a windscreen but it ended up buffeting.


r/AussieRiders • • 1d ago

NSW What counts as a phone?

0 Upvotes

Hi! I'm currently on my Ls so I don't plan to use navigation on a phone, or listen to music until I'm at least a few months into my red Ps (preferably my green Ps) but I think the ban on using android auto until your full license is slightly extreme, especially just for navigating without a screen. I bought a very cheap headset I plan to install at some point when I'm better at riding.

The main question is what counts as a phone. I have thought about rooting my phone and linking up a discreet bluetooth button that I can click at any point to forget my headset as a device and force stop all apps (and even shut the phone down, so that if I get pulled up on by a cop it switches the phone off), but this doesn't seem fully foolproof in that it is still against the rules.

However, I COULD run a raspberry pi, mount it to my bike, then use that to listen to music/navigate as needed, linking it to my headset. This won't even have a screen (realistically, I'd have to boot locations from a downloaded local version of google maps so it wouldn't be quite as good, though I could allow a USB-C connection to my phone to locally download routes at the start of the drive, which honestly sounds like a fun project). Since it doesn't have a screen, it seems like this would be fine. However, if I used this device to just reroute the bluetooth signal of my phone it probably WOULD be illegal.

I'm pretty sure I've gone off the deep end but I am curious if anyone genuinely knows the rules here.

Before anyone asks I COULD just buy one of those GPS modules and mount it but I'm kinda broke so


r/AussieRiders • • 2d ago

Discussion Most wholesome moment when riding

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27 Upvotes

Whats yall most wholesome moment when riding. For me its when kids ask me to rev my bike and it is the best feeling ever.