2022 UK track day rule change | Back protectors made compulsory
If you’re planning on attending a motorcycle track day in the UK this year, you’ll need to have at minimum a CE approved back protector or airbag suit.
As of the 1st of March 2022, back protectors will be mandatory for all riders at most UK motorcycle track days. Events organised by MSV (Motorsport Vision, who are behind the initiative) and others organised by other track day outfits - such as No Limits Track days who run the days at MSV owned circuits.
All riders will require a full length back protector designed and fit for purpose, and pit-lane marshals will begin checking for a fitted back protector as part of their usual checks (like checking you have your wristband on).
We’d guess the back protector check will be a friendly pat on the back, but as No Limits Trackdays said on their Instagram post… they’ll hit everyone on the back with a cricket bat as they go past.
Read our Yamaha Track Experience review.
It’s all in a bid to ensure track days, for all the outrageous fun they are, continue to provide the utmost safety for all involved.
What type of back protector do I need for a track day?
Back protectors have always been strongly recommended, but now that they are required you’ll be pleased to know there are a few options out there.
It’s up to you to pick what's best, but at the very least you’ll need a CE approved neoprene foam pad back protector that’s full length to cover the majority of your spine. Whether built-in or an individual piece, it needs to be designed and fit for purpose. So you can’t stick some cardboard under your shirt and call it a day.
If you’re a bit flash, there are some up-market options that’ll also tick the boxes. You could also consider an RST made-to-measure suit with an integrated airbag setup, which we are lucky to have in use at Visordown for 2022. Keep an eye out for them in our track-based reviews!
If you want to check the suitability of your gear, check the MSV site or contact them directly - they’ll be pleased to help you.
Sources: Trackdays.co.uk, No Limits Trackdays, MSV Trackdays
Watch: Snetterton track day review with Jason O'Halloran
Alex has grown up around bikes & scooters, sharing a love that has passed down generations from his dad’s Vespas from his mod days, his cousin’s sports bikes, to his uncle’s choppers and bobbers in Finland. Motorcycles run in the family, and now Mr.
