MotoCAP Abrasion Ratings Open My Eyes to the Realities of Motorcycle Gear

As a motorcycle rider for over a decade, safety has always been a priority, especially my riding gear. I like to use resources like MotoCAP to help me make informed decisions. Recently, when I set out to buy a new pair of riding pants suited for Queensland's hot weather, I had a clear set of criteria in mind:

I need pants that are not leather. A. because I already own several pairs of leather riding pants and, B. let’s be real, leather in Queensland’s heat is torturous.

Whilst I am looking for pants with a high overall safety rating, my focus is to specifically look for pants with a good abrasion rating. Impact protection isn’t my main concern. Not because I don’t care about impact protection - that’s super important. It’s because I already own top-rated after-market impact protectors that I decided to purchase after checking out MotoCAP’s Impact Protectors Report. Since I confidently have impact protection taken care of, the key factor for me is abrasion resistance.

Specifically, I set out to find pants with an abrasion rating of at least 5 out of 10 on MotoCAP’s scale.

To streamline my search - and because I do love to nerd-out on a spreadsheet from time to time - I decided to compile a table ranking all the women's riding pants tested by MotoCAP so far.

That’s when reality hit me.

A Shocking Discovery

Out of all the options tested by MotoCAP, only three* pants met my criteria:

• Dragon Twista Denim Pants (7/10 abrasion rating)
• Resurgence Heritage Skinny Fit (6/10 abrasion rating)
• Pando Moto SKIN UH AAA unisex undergarment (6/10 abrasion rating)

*based on published results on the MotoCAP website as at March 2025.

That was it. Just three.

Even more alarming, in compiling the table I realised that 84% of women’s motorcycle pants tested by MotoCAP have an abrasion rating of 3 or less out of 10. In fact, 40 out of the 61 pants reviewed scored an eye-opening 1 out of 10.

Here’s the table so you can see for yourself what I discovered.

I have been riding for years, trusting well-known brands, only to realise that many of my old favourites actually offer me barely more protection than a pair of regular heavy-denim fashion jeans. What the?!

Why Abrasion Ratings Matter

If you’re sliding down the road after a crash, abrasion resistance is the only thing standing between your skin and the road. The better the rating, the longer the fabric lasts before wearing through. Pants with an abrasion rating of 1 or 2 out of 10 might wear through almost instantly, leaving you with severe road rash.

I was stunned to see how little abrasion protection many motorcycle pants provide. Would these brands sell pants with such poor ratings if more riders knew about it? Maybe they’re banking on us not checking. But that’s exactly why resources like MotoCAP exist—to empower us with the knowledge to choose the safety level we want when we ride.

European Ratings vs. MotoCAP

Another revelation from my research was the difference between European safety ratings (like AAA, AA, and A) and MotoCAP’s ratings. A lot of riders assume that if pants have a AAA rating, they must be highly protective. But here’s what I learned:

The EN 17092 abrasion test used in Europe is based on asphalt, which is the primary road surface there.

MotoCAP’s abrasion test is designed for Australian and New Zealand roads, which use chip seal—a surface 4.5 times more abrasive than asphalt.

What’s my takeaway from that information? Gear that performs well in Europe might not hold up on Australian and New Zealand roads. That’s why MotoCAP testing is so valuable—it simulates real-world riding conditions for our roads.

What This Means for Riders

We need to start paying attention. The reality is that many of the pants marketed to us as “protective” don’t actually offer much protection at all. It’s not just about buying “motorcycle” pants; it’s about ensuring they meet the right protection levels for where we ride.

Previously, I have bought motorcycle pants based purely on brand reputation or style. Currently I own five pairs of motorcycle pants used for road riding (don’t judge me, I know five is a lot!). Two are leggings from different brands, two are jeggings from one brand, and one is a leather pant. Astonishingly, all of the leggings and jeggings rate 1 out of 10 for abrasion. I don’t know what the leather pants rate as they have not been tested by MotoCAP. Turns out, I have unknowingly put myself at risk. But now, thanks to MotoCAP, I know exactly which pants provide real protection—and which ones to avoid.

My Next Steps

I’m going to check out the three options that met my abrasion rating criteria, since they have the highest abrasion rating of the non-leather options available to me. I’ll also ensure my after-market impact protectors are fitted correctly so I get the best protection possible.

But beyond just my personal choice, I want to raise awareness. This exercise revealed to me that motorcycle gear needs to improve. We deserve a high level of protection, and it’s frustrating that so few brands are delivering that. I hope that by sharing this information, more riders will start using MotoCAP’s ratings to make informed decisions—and that manufacturers will take note.

Until then, we’ll just have to keep doing our research, support brands that prioritise safety, and push for better options. Because when it comes to riding, looking good should never come at the cost of real protection.

 

Loren Turnbull is a passionate motorcycle rider and instructor, with a decade of experience on the road. As the leader of an active female motorcycle group on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Loren has played a pivotal role in empowering riders, fostering a supportive riding community, and promoting safe group riding opportunities for new and experienced riders. Loren rides a pink-wheeled Aprilia RS660, affectionately named "Illy Prili”.