Race leathers provide the first line of defence for competitors
in MotoGP when they suffer the occasional crashes and slides that all
riders go through. With corner speeds quicker than ever and lean angles
becoming increasingly acute the importance of a good set of leathers
cannot be underestimated.
The most common way a rider comes off his MotoGP bike is to lose
control of the front or rear tyre when leaning into a corner. This
usually results in the rider sliding along the asphalt and onto the
gravel at the side of the racetrack, sometimes apparently seamlessly,
though almost always at high speeds. Clearly doing this with exposed
flesh, normal clothing or inadequate leather protection would result in
massive damage to the skin and other parts of the body.
PROTECTION
The various manufacturers supplying the leathers to the MotoGP
participants therefore design the outfits to be as protective as
possible – but they must also be aerodynamic, breathable, comfortable,
durable, flexible, light and water resistant.
The MotoGP leather suits are mainly made of kangaroo leather,
which is more resistant, more flexible and weighs less than cow hide.
The leathers have to provide strong resistance and protection from
abrasion and impact in particularly vulnerable areas such as the back,
elbows and knees - whilst also giving the riders the elasticity they
need when utilizing their lightening quick reflexes.
Of course the riders’ leathers also have to work perfectly in
tandem with the helmets to stabilise the head, so the ‘humped’ back
protectors the race outfits carry fit snugly against the helmets
allowing air to glide over them aerodynamically when the riders are in
the customary hunched riding position. When stood upright and off their
racing machinery the back hump built into the back of the leathers can
clearly be seen, but they are also fairly flexible to allow movement and
bending of the back - in the right direction.
The built-in spinal column protection units and the chest
protectors the leathers also carry mainly use carbon, kevlar and
titanium combinations to safeguard the riders without weighing them
down. Indeed the overall weight of a Grand Prix rider’s leathers will of
course vary in relation to his physical stature, with the entire weight
of the leathers usually totalling around 3kg to 3.5kg
BOOTS, GLOVES & KNEE SLIDERS
Leather manufacturers generally provide riders with their entire
outfits, excluding helmets, which means supplying specially designed
boots, gloves and knee sliders which are also essential for safety.
Providing sturdy but flexible and ultra-light boots, for example,
ensures they do not weigh the rider down and they reduce rather than
inflict injuries in instances of high speed crashes.
Likewise, the gloves should be light enough not to hinder the
feel of the handlebars, with reinforcements at the points where there is
most risk of abrasion or fracture – for example the thumb, wrist and
palm.
The riders also wear knee sliders which are separate from the
rest of their leathers as they regularly make contact with the asphalt
as the riders lean into corners. They therefore have to be replaced more
regularly than the rest of the protective clothing, often after each
session for the MotoGP riders who can get through 100 pairs in a season,
while Moto3 riders use fewer as their knees touch the ground less.
Knee sliders are made of thermoplastic compounds and they guide
the riders who rely on the feel of the ground as they slide through
corners at lean angles close to 55%, brushing the surface of the track
as they do so.
Plastic wet weather rain suits can be worn by the riders over
their suits to prevent the leather from absorbing water and becoming
sodden, which could double the weight of the outfit and would be a clear
hindrance to any competitor.
COOLING SYSTEMS
Leathers can also be fitted with cooling systems, to keep the
internal temperature bearable when the heat is on. Systems such as
cooling circuits on vests which make contact with the chest and back,
worn under the suit and circulating gel-cooled water (powered by
ultra-light batteries and micro-pumps inserted into the back hump) are
used by certain manufacturers. Suits can also carry re-hydrating drinks -
stored in the back hump and linked with the helmet.
Leathers often also feature data acquisition systems, where
information is gathered directly from the body of the wearer, allowing
the technicians to analyse the physiological effects experienced by a
rider during his time on the bike, whether in testing or during a race.
Using a series of patches mounted on the suit or placed directly
onto the skin, sensors can provide measurements which allow for useful
analysis on as pressure points, gravitational loads experienced, rider
pulse and body temperature. The sensors can record the specific impact
sustained should a rider crash, which can provide useful insights for
technicians to make improvements to designs of future incarnations of
riders’ leathers.
COLOUR & DESIGN
Finally, as with riders’ helmets, the colours, designs and
overall appearances are a combination of team liveries, sponsor logos,
rider numbers and personal and national motifs - with each riders’
distinctive outfit helping everyone from race officials and fellow
competitors to commentators and team members to distinguish who is who
on track.
The following leather manufacturers regularly supply riders on
the MotoGP grid, Berik, Arlen Ness, BKS, Alpinestars, Dainese, Puma,
Revit, Spidi and Spyke.
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