AA vs AAA Rated Motorcycle Jeans Explained

EN 17092 is the European standard series for motorcycle protective garments. It sorts finished jackets, trousers and suits into five classes (AAA, AA, A, B and C) based on testing of the whole garment. Here's what the classes mean, how the abrasion test really works, and how to check a claim.

The five classes

• AAA (EN 17092-2): the highest class. Shoulder, elbow, hip and knee impact protectors certified to EN 1621-1 are mandatory.
• AA (EN 17092-3): shoulder, elbow, hip and knee protectors are mandatory.
• A (EN 17092-4): shoulder, elbow and knee protectors are mandatory; hip protectors are optional.
• B (EN 17092-5): abrasion protection equivalent to Class A, but without impact protectors.
• C (EN 17092-6): a garment made to hold impact protectors, such as an armoured base layer. It covers impact only where the protectors sit and does not offer minimum abrasion protection.

The garment is divided into zones: Zone 1 is high risk for impact, abrasion and tearing, Zone 2 is moderate and Zone 3 is low. The higher classes demand more from each zone, including higher abrasion test speeds.

How the abrasion test works

EN 17092 uses an impact-abrasion machine often called the "Darmstadt" machine. Specimens of each material combination, cut in several directions, are held on a rotating arm, dropped onto a concrete tile at a set speed and slid until they stop. A specimen passes if no hole of 5 mm or more opens in the layer closest to the body. The result is a pass or fail at the required speed, not a number of seconds.

You may see AAA described as "4 seconds" of abrasion resistance. Seconds-to-hole figures come from the older EN 13595 belt test, which EN 17092 replaced, and results from the two methods can't be compared. You may also see AAA linked to a 120 km/h slide. Manufacturers' summaries give that as the starting arm speed for AAA Zone 1 specimens. It doesn't mean a garment protects you in a 120 km/h crash, and it doesn't apply to AA or A garments, lower zones, or fabric tested on its own.

It's the garment, not the fabric

A class belongs to a finished garment model that a notified body has examined: its zones, every seam type, tear strength, fit and freedom of movement, stability after cleaning, and protector coverage and position. A fabric can't be "AAA" on its own, and a mill's fabric test isn't an EN 17092 classification. Protectors are certified separately; see our protector insert guide.

AA or AAA?

AAA is the most demanding class. The standard doesn't map classes to road speeds or types of riding, so treat rules of thumb like "AA is fine under 45 mph" with caution. Choose the highest class you will actually wear, in a fit that keeps the protectors over your joints on every ride.

How to check a garment's class

• Look for CE marking and a label naming EN 17092 and the class.
• The instructions for a certified garment should name the notified body that examined it and the standards used.
• "Kevlar lined", "abrasion resistant" or "protective denim" is not a certification.
• There is no US federal standard for motorcycle apparel, so "DOT approved" means nothing on jeans or jackets.

Where Denimotto stands

We don’t publish test reports or protection classes for our garments. We don't claim an EN 17092 class for any of them. Our riding jeans have internal pockets at the knees and hips for removable inserts, with one set included with a standard order. See Testing & Certification Information.