What a Two-Piece Suit Zipper Connection Does in a Slide

The connection zip joins the jacket to the trousers so the jacket cannot ride up your back in a slide and the armor stays over your joints. Track organizers treat it differently: some require a zip that circles the torso with no gap, others only prefer it.

This page explains the construction. If you are choosing a suit, read how to choose a two-piece suit; for rented gear, race suit rentals covers what is on offer.

What the zip is doing

In a slide the friction between gear and road pulls on the fabric. A jacket not attached to the trousers can move up toward the head, leaving skin exposed and shifting the elbow and shoulder armor. Riders call the jacket moving up while the trousers move down the accordion effect, which leaves the lower back and stomach as the contact points.

Track rules accept a one-piece suit or a fully zipped two-piece.

Short zip or full circle

Check which one your suit has before you go. A full-circle zip is the one that matches the torso-encircling rule at some UK events.

What organizers say

Track days do not agree:

• A UK organizer requires a fully zipped-together two-piece: the zip must encircle the torso with no gap, and if undergarments or a gap show when the hands are fully raised, it is unacceptable.
• A US organizer prefers a zip-together two-piece but does not require it, and sets armor at elbows, shoulders and knees as the minimum.
• A retailer's blog states that on track a 360 zip or one-piece suit is mandatory, which does not match the US organizer's wording.

Always read your organizer's current rules. See motorcycle track days.

Do the two halves match?

Brands usually use their own zip types and lengths, so a zip from one brand may not mesh with another. A tailor or shoe repair shop can sew a matching strip into riding pants. That advice comes from a jacket-and-pant context; whether a given leather suit zip can be repaired or matched is a question for the maker.

What to check before a session

• Zip it fully, raise your hands and look for a gap.
• Check the teeth and the tape where the zip meets the leather.
• Check the zip is the full-circle type if your organizer requires it.

What the zip does not tell you

A zip does not rate the suit. EN 17092 covers jackets, trousers and one- and two-piece suits in classes AAA, AA, A, B and C, and requires impact protectors at elbows, shoulders, knees and hips in AAA and AA. Read the label for the class. Our protection guide explains armor levels.

FAQ

Do I have to zip my two-piece together on track?

It depends on the organizer: required at some, preferred at others.

Where to see suit construction

The race suit category at MotoSpeeds shows construction details such as interchangeable knee sliders and internal armor.