Motorcycle Race Suits

FIM-approved vs CE-certified: what the badge actually means on a race suit

Most riders lump every safety sticker together. On a race suit they are not the same thing, and if you want to hold a professional racing licence in Australia, the difference decides whether you grid up or get waved off.

CE certified (EN 17092 Class AAA) is the European road standard. Every race suit on this page meets it. AAA is the top tier of the four-class system (AAA, AA, A, B) and requires the garment to survive 5.0 seconds of 75km/h abrasion on the Darmstadt rig without holing, plus impact force under 9kN on the limb armour zones per EN 1621-1 and on the back per EN 1621-2. That is CE Level 2. Good enough for road use. Good enough for most track days.

FIM Homologation (FRHPhe-01, 2018 standard) is the global racing governing body's own specification, tougher on nearly every axis. It demands abrasion on 4 zones instead of 3, a harder impact test (roughly 7kN ceiling instead of 9kN on back protectors), seam-burst resistance under tension, thermal stability testing so the leather does not break down under sustained asphalt contact, and a slider-and-shoulder-hump geometry check. Every FIM-homologated suit gets a unique QR code sewn into the collar that scrutineers scan at the grid.

Which Australian series require FIM? The ASBK Superbike, Supersport and R3 Cup categories all require FIM-homologated leathers from 2024 onwards. World Superbike, Moto2 and Moto3 are FIM by definition. The FIM Junior GP and Asia Talent Cup require FIM on the grid. ASBK club-level practice days and state-level road racing generally accept CE Level 2 AAA without FIM. Track days run by California Superbike School, Champions Ride Days, St George Motorcycle Club and similar accept CE AAA.

Short version. If your name is in a scrutineering book you probably need FIM. If you are at a paid track day you probably do not. When in doubt, call the event organiser. The Shark Momentum is built to FIM homologation construction. The Custom Race Suit carries FIM-homologated construction on request for scrutineered classes.

The Shark Leathers own-brand race suit range

Five suits. One construction philosophy, whether the suit comes off our rack or out of our Helensvale workshop. The Momentum, Swift, Momentum Junior and Swift Junior are designed in Australia to our own pattern and spec. The Custom Race Suit is cut, stitched and finished by hand at our Helensvale workshop on the Gold Coast. Every Shark race suit runs premium cowhide with double-layered panels at the seat, shoulders and elbows, CE Level 2 armour at shoulders, elbows, forearms, hips, knees and shins, an integrated back protector, an aerodynamic speed hump, triple-stitched bonded seams, a pre-curved racing-tuck cut, perforated ventilation zones and replaceable elbow sliders. Colour and size customisation is available across the range.

Shark Momentum Suit, RRP $1,250
The flagship. One-piece, premium cowhide, 18 size and colour variants in stock. Full CE Level 2 armour package at 5 impact zones plus integrated back protector and external aerohump. Built to FIM homologation construction. Use case: ASBK competitors, serious club racers, track-day riders who want professional-grade build. Honest objection: a one-piece cow race suit sits around 5 to 6kg on the hanger and runs warm in pit lane on a 35-degree summer day. That is the trade-off for abrasion resistance in the single material that still outperforms every synthetic at 200km/h plus impact speeds.

Shark Swift Race Suit, RRP $1,100
Same cowhide. Same CE Level 2 armour at shoulders, elbows, knees, hips and back. Same integrated back protector and speed hump. Same triple-stitched bonded seams. 10 size and colour variants. The Swift sits $150 below the Momentum by dropping the FIM-construction certification path. Use case: track-day riders, club racers outside ASBK top-tier classes, the rider who wants CE Level 2 AAA-equivalent protection without the FIM premium. Catch: if you plan to move up to ASBK Superbike or a World-series paddock, you will eventually need to upgrade to the Momentum or go Custom. Buy the Swift knowing that.

Shark Momentum Junior Suit, RRP $900
The Momentum scaled to junior riders 10 to 16 years old. Same cowhide, same CE Level 2 armour package at 5 impact zones, same integrated back protector and hump. 10 size and colour variants. Parents: the Momentum Junior is the same construction as the suit on the adult grid. Your kid is not in a downgraded shell because they are small. Use case: FIM Junior GP hopefuls, Oceania Junior Cup, ASBK R3 Cup and Supersport 300 juniors. Caveat: juniors grow. Budget for the next suit in 18 to 24 months. Shark offers colour and size customisation across the Junior range so parents can rebuild the same livery.

Shark Swift Junior Suit, RRP $850
The entry-level Junior suit. Premium cowhide, CE Level 2 armour at shoulders, elbows, knees, hips and back, integrated back protector, 5 variants. Use case: young riders stepping up from a textile kart suit to real race leathers for state-level road racing or track days. What you give up: no FIM-homologated construction. If your junior is grid-qualified for FIM Junior GP, step up to the Momentum Junior.

Shark Leathers Custom Race Suit, from RRP $2,100
Made to measure. Hand-crafted at our Helensvale workshop on the Gold Coast. Full custom colours, graphics, rider name, rider number. Cow leather base, or upgrade to kangaroo hide (RRP $2,500), the same material run by several World Superbike teams for the weight advantage (roughly 20 to 30 percent lighter than cow at equivalent abrasion resistance). One-piece or two-piece configuration. CE Level 2 armour at shoulders, elbows and knees, stretch panels at flex zones, aerohump. FIM-homologated construction available on request. Lead time 6 to 8 weeks from measurement confirmation. Use case: serious racers who need a perfect fit, ASBK licence holders, anyone outside a standard size chart, riders who want sponsor graphics or team livery. The trade: 6 to 8 weeks is a genuine wait. If you have a round booked inside that window, pick an off-the-rack Momentum and come back for the Custom after.

Why every Shark race suit gets judged the same way. Our family started Shark Leathers after Matthew crashed in 2007, at 19, and was left a quadriplegic. We could not find gear that matched the risk. So we built it. Nearly twenty years on, becoming Australia's first FIM-approved race suit manufacturer was not a marketing goal. It was the logical end of a question we have been asking since the garage. Would we put it on one of our own? Full story on our about page.

Race suit comparison

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a FIM-approved suit for track days?

No, for almost every paid track day in Australia. California Superbike School, Champions Ride Days, St George Motorcycle Club and the big Phillip Island and Sydney Motorsport Park track days accept CE Level 2 AAA leather. FIM is a race-licensing standard, not a track-day standard. You need FIM when your name is in a scrutineering book for ASBK Superbike, Supersport or R3 Cup (FIM mandatory from 2024), any FIM-sanctioned round, or the Asia Talent Cup and FIM Junior GP grids. When in doubt, ask the event organiser 48 hours out.

Leather race suit vs two-piece: which do I actually want?

One-piece for the track. A zipped one-piece is stiffer at the waist, which is exactly what you want when you are folded into a racing tuck at 200km/h plus. Two-piece suits (jacket zipped to pants) are legal at most track days but not FIM-sanctioned races. Pick a two-piece if you commute to the track in the pants and want to take the jacket off in the pits, or you race supermoto and want to wear the pants under textile during the week. Shark builds two-piece configurations only through the Custom program, with a 6 to 8 week lead time.

How do I size a race suit?

Tight. A race suit stretches 1 to 2cm through the chest and thighs after the first 3 to 5 track sessions as the leather conforms. A suit that fits loose new is going to fit sloppy after break-in, and sloppy armour moves in a crash. Chest and waist measurements matter more than jacket size. If you are on the edge between two sizes, go down, not up. For the Shark Momentum and Swift, check the size chart on the product page. If you are outside standard cuts (long torso, short arms, wide shoulders, narrow waist, ladies fit), go Custom. Every Custom suit is built to 19 individual measurements taken at our Helensvale workshop or via tailor video call.

Is there a break-in period for new race leathers?

Yes. Expect 3 to 5 track sessions before a new cowhide suit feels right. The leather softens through the hip, elbow and shoulder flex zones. Your body also adapts to the weight and compression. Do not buy a suit 48 hours before a race and expect it to feel like your old one. The aerohump sits differently on every rider, and the first session in a new hump above 200km/h on the front straight at Phillip Island will feel strange until you learn the balance. Kangaroo leather breaks in faster than cow, typically in 2 sessions.

Back protector inside the suit or separate?

Both, sort of. Every Shark race suit ships with an integrated CE-certified back protector sewn into the rear pocket of the suit. That is a requirement for FIM and for most club racing. Some riders prefer to wear a separate chest-and-back harness protector under the suit for extra coverage through the kidneys and chest, which the Shark suits accommodate (the integrated back protector is removable). If you race a bike without a tank-mounted chest protector, a separate harness protector is worth the $200 to $350 upcharge. Every Shark suit is cut with enough chest room to layer one under.

How long does a race suit last?

3 to 5 years of regular track use before leather compression and abrasion resistance drop. A single crash at serious speed usually ends the suit, even if it looks visually repairable. The aerohump absorbs one impact and deforms. Knee and elbow sliders are replaceable on every Shark suit. If you crash in a Shark suit, email us a photo. We will tell you honestly whether it is back-on-track, repairable by our workshop, or retire-and-mount-on-the-wall.