M/C Safety: Leathers for 2013

[AuotonomousRX]

Hi all

I was wondering if I missed any changes to the new Motorcycle Leathers requirement:

7.C.2 Leathers:
One-piece or two-piece 350 deg. (zipped together) all leather is required. Limited perforations are allowed in armpit and back of knee. No cloth
or non-leather panels are allowed. Fairing (leather or cloth only) on the back of leathers is allowed in partial streamlined classes only.

My current Leathers that I used in 2010 are off the shelf with Perforations and non Leather stretch panels and won't comply now. Do I have to get new Leathers.

Pete Healy
RGV#866

[grumm441]

Pete
As I understand it the rule hasn't changed
G

[DaveB]

I've also read this rule in the 2012 rules.

i have a set of full leathers from riding road bikes but i cant manage to find any leathers that are non perforated without stretch pannels ?

[David Leikvold]

I'm all for the sensible commonality in DLRA / SCTA regulations but I think the SCTA rules regarding leathers are obsolete and don't reflect any of the advancements in technology made by companies such as Dainese, Joe Rocket and many others. I'm not racing a motorcycle on the salt (or anywhere else for that matter) so I have no vested interest in this matter but nonetheless I'd like to propose this solution. As most of our motorcycle competitors don't race in the USA we should make life easier for our domestic competitors and let anyone use any MA-approved race leathers, with or without stretch panels, perforations and humps behind the helmet. Why should a racer with perfectly good, off the shelf, modern hi-tech design race leathers have to cough up for a whole new custom made set that look like they could have been designed 50 years ago and because of that, expose themselves to an increased and unnecessary risk of injury or worse?

Cheers
Dave

[grumm441]

Pete
As I understand it the rule hasn't changed
G

My mistake
The DLRA rule said limited perforations in the armpit and the back of the knee
There was a clarification from the SCTA that reads


Emphasize 7.C.2 (p. 110):
Underline “No cloth or non-leather panels are allowed.”

Reason: People still show up with illegal leathers.

This was due to a couple of incidents, in particular when a guy stepped off his bike at 145 ish mph because it was on fire and he got too hot
and another where a guy burned himself when his blow off valve, which was poorly placed, blew off. this also prompted a separate rule change

options
1.Affix a patch over the perforations and stretch panels
2.wear fire proof underwear under your leathers
3. go to the back of the rule book and find the page marked rule change

And where it says "One-piece or two-piece 350 deg. (zipped together) all leather is required" means the metal zip, must be stitched to the leather,
not the lining

So, David, what we learned from the investigation was that fire is just as hot in in Aus as it is in the USA
And from what I observed at Bonneville, nobody was wearing leathers that were designed 50 years ago

G

[David Leikvold]

Fair enough. So does that mean that if someone was to turn up to our Speedweek with their off the shelf, MA-approved race leathers that they use for circuit racing (even ones with a hump) and with SFI rated fire resistant underwear they would be allowed to run?

Cheers
Dave

[DaveB]

Would these leathers meet the DLRA / SCTA regulations?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2PC-PHANTOM- ... 53dd8e1f0b

would any of the bike scruitineers be able to say yes or no before i order one please? i dont want to get to the lake and not be able to race thats all.

Thanks
Dave

[finnmoto]

hello,

im working on a dlra leather suit for one of your members. Rod showed me to this site to look at the rules & I thought id share what im doing to make sure its right.
One thing that will be quite uncomfortable if using full leather is behind the leg. It will be too thick. Lack of perforation means there wont be any air circulation, causing body to heat up/sweat/dehydration/fatigue/slower response/accident prone. Then again its only about 5-10mins you will have the full gear on at any one time?

What ill be doing is using a modern design suit & where the keprotec/textile normally goes ill be using kangaroo hide. Its about half the thickness but more than double the strength. So it works out the same strength but more comfortable. A plain black suit is going to be about $900 made to fit. (full kangaroo would be about $1200 & full cow is about $800).
If the worse is to happen with drag suits its all about abrasion time & hidden stitching. So double layers in all major spots will be done (reinforced away from the outer major seams so its solid panel underneath). The leather is only as good if it holds together so 2 outside and 3 inside seams with a heavy nylon thread throughout.
Track suits its common to do 1 outside 2 inside or 2 outside 2 inside stitch. A good slide will abrade away the outside stitching so its important to invest in the hidden stitching (which takes alot more time/money).

I can get a few orders done in time for this years race.
Hopefully next year I can stock some of these to bring the price down.
thanks
matt

[grumm441]

Would these leathers meet the DLRA / SCTA regulations?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2PC-PHANTOM- ... 53dd8e1f0b

would any of the bike scruitineers be able to say yes or no before i order one please? i dont want to get to the lake and not be able to race thats all.

Thanks
Dave

Dave
I would have to actually see them
Also. I'm not to sure about buying leathers from ebay
I always like to try them on first

Matt.
Having leather behind the knee is not as uncomfortable as having a skin graft behind the knee, in my personal experience
The important thing to remember is that this is also about the effects of fire at speed
Somewhere here I have some pictures of one of the competitors at Bonneville getting off at about 145ish as in his words, "it got too hot"
Also, this is not circuit racing. so there is less moving around on the bike and quite a bit more standing around next to the bike.

G

[JonB]

I have emailed the eBay supplier with the DLRA rules wording & Grumm's comment re zipper needing to be sewn into the leather rather than any lining.

They are confident that the suit advertised will meet these requirements.
Given the comprehensive list of measurements they ask for they should get the fit reasonable hopefully.

Not trying to sway the conversation, just an FYI.


Cheers
jon

[Greg Watters]

From the advert
•Perforated leather on the sleeves, on the sides of the jacket, and behind knees to keep the rider cool

This would need inspection at least

And double check about the stitching, i brought a cheap 1 piece suit several yrs ago for trackdays, and when i eventually fell off the stiching wore through on the hip , and i got some good scratches , in a 50 meter slide not realy going very fast at all .... that was the suit i wore in 05 at speedweek , when it was near new, thank god i never came off at real speed, that suit is now retired...

[finnmoto]

Thats a tricky one about the friction burn.
what do riders wear to disperse the friction burn heat?

[momec3]

A Car

[grumm441]

A Car

Yup
G

[Dr Goggles]

Thats a tricky one about the friction burn.
what do riders wear to disperse the friction burn heat?

Making an effort not to be completely drenched by sweat is a good idea whether you are in a firesuit or leathers.Upon being heated it will turn to steam and transfer a huge amount of heat, defeating the primary job of a firesuit or leathers.

Nomex under anything will help, if it's wet it won't.