What does EN 1621-1:2012 mean?
This combination of letters and numbers might seem like nonsense, but it references important information relating to a product's CE rating. In this case, certified EN 1621-1:2012 means the product is designated motorcyclists’ protective clothing against mechanical impact.
To be more detailed, the numbers following the “EN” are an indication of what the protector is rated for. The “1621” indicates the item is rated for motorcycle use and the “-2” tells us the area of protection. A protector labeled EN1621-1:2012 is going to be for pretty much any area of the body (shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, knuckles, etc.), excluding the back. A protector labeled EN1621-2:2014 is certified for back protection only. The last set of numbers after the colon just indicate the year in which the standard was implemented, not necessarily the year that product was certified.
The more important information for safety is the performance level, 1 or 2. Level 2 can absorb double the impact that level 1 does, so it’s always ideal.
Here are some additional personal protective equipment codes relevant to motorcyclists:
EN 13634 – Boots
EN 12594 – Gloves
EN 1621-1, EN 1621-2, and EN 1621-3 – Limb, Back and Chest
EN 13595-1 – Protective clothing for professional motorcycle racers. Jackets, Pants and One or Two Piece Suits
Outside of the EN number, there are also protection zone categories. These are the key ones:
S – The armor is designed for the shoulder
E – The armor is designed for the elbow
H – The armor is designed for the hip
K – The armor is designed for the knee
K + L – The armor is designed for the Knee + Upper and Middle Tibia
L – The armor is designed for the front of the leg below a K protector (shin bone)
KP – The armor is designed for the knuckles
A – reduced coverage for specialized applications
B – normal coverage
B or FB – Full back protector
CB – Central back protector
L or LB – Lumbar protection only
The last bit of important information on a piece of CE rated motorcycle safety gear is the the covered area:
A – reduced coverage for specialized applications
B – normal coverage
If you're in the market for some CE Level 2 or Level 1 armor of your own to outfit your riding pants or jacket, please browse our selection of universal motorcycle pads.