A program testing and rating more than 700 items of motorcycle gear to help keep riders safe, including those in Hume and Whittlesea, has received additional funding.
Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne announced on September 15, the MotoCAP program will receive $378,000 to help continue its significant research.
MotoCAP conducts comprehensive tests at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus in Geelong to determine scientifically proven safety ratings to help riders choose the best gear.
Ms Horne urged riders to check their gear’s MotoCAP rating.
“Saving riders’ lives and preventing serious injuries remains a critical road safety challenge as motorcyclists are more vulnerable to injuries than other motorists,” she said.
“We urge all motorcyclists across Victoria to wear all the gear, all the time and to check the MotoCAP ratings.”
The program has also recently developed a world-first test to determine how motorcycle garments stand up to the harsher, chip-sealed roads across rural Victoria.
The innovative new test found that chip-sealed roads are more than four times more abrasive than asphalt, meaning riders in regional areas need more protective gear than city riders.
Road safety experts in the United Kingdom have shown interest in the new test, given the high number of chip-sealed roads on their network.
The Motorcycle Safety Levy has also contributed $105,000 towards a new guide for manufacturers to improve the design and fabrication of motorcycle clothing.
This includes advice on features such as abrasion-resistant materials, seam strength and impact protectors for vulnerable parts of the body.
MotoCAP, which marks its five-year milestone this month, has released its latest round of rated gear on its website, bringing the total to 702 items tested and rated in that time.
Details: motocap.com.au
