Discussion
I have both motorsport and bike helmets, I think the only difference is whether the manufacturer has paid to have the helmet approved for motorsport use (which I believe is pricey). To be used for motorsport the helmet needs to have certain stickers (not the gold motorcycle sport ones) - I can't remember the details but they are in the motorsport blue book or a quick call to the MSA will confirm.
You helmet has to be marked with one of these standards:
I know what you mean about helmet aerodynamics - I did 120mph in a race Caterham with no screen last week and felt my head was going to be ripped off! Just found which standards you need to meet...
10.3.1. Standards. Helmets bearing one of the under
mentioned ‘standards’ may be approved by the MSA
subject to other criteria being met.
(a) INTERNATIONAL EVENTS & ALL MSA EVENTS.
FIA 8860-2004.
SNELL SA2010.
SNELL SA2005.
SNELL SA2000*.
SNELL SAH2010.
SFI Foundation 31.1A, 31.2A.
BS 6658 Type A/FR**.
I know what you mean about helmet aerodynamics - I did 120mph in a race Caterham with no screen last week and felt my head was going to be ripped off! Just found which standards you need to meet...
10.3.1. Standards. Helmets bearing one of the under
mentioned ‘standards’ may be approved by the MSA
subject to other criteria being met.
(a) INTERNATIONAL EVENTS & ALL MSA EVENTS.
FIA 8860-2004.
SNELL SA2010.
SNELL SA2005.
SNELL SA2000*.
SNELL SAH2010.
SFI Foundation 31.1A, 31.2A.
BS 6658 Type A/FR**.
- May be withdrawn with effect from 01/01/15.
- May be withdrawn with effect from 01/01/16.
notax said:
I think the only difference is whether the manufacturer has paid to have the helmet approved for motorsport use
That's no longer true. When bike helmets had to meet British Standard BS 6658, they were fine for motorsport use. However, in the interests of European harmonization, helmets now only have to have an E rating to signify they've met the less stringent Europe-wide tests. I can't remember the full list of differences off the top of my head, but among them was that BS 6658 lids had to survive a double hit, where the E rated helmets only need to survive a single hit. Several of the current E rated models would almost certainly pass the BS 6658 tests, too. But several wouldn't, and you have no way of telling which is which. That's why you can't use modern bike helmets for most motorsport in the UK.the way motorsport helmets are tested is different to motorbike helmets, with a bike helmet teh accidents will mostly be one knock then slide whereas cars will be multiple bangs against a cage or cockpit sides. Snell test motorsport helmets much more rigourously, they are initally dropped onto different shape anvils from a height then dropped again from a lower height as to simulate a real accident where the second impact is less than the first to see if the helmet will still withstand the shock and protect the wearers head, the test areas on the helmets are unknown by the manufacturers so the complete shell is stronger, bike helmet manufacturers know the exact spots where the helmet will be tested and as such they will strengthen the helmet in those places and leave the rest of the shell to be weaker, this can be seen more in cheaper helmets as they will flex, old british standard blue label helmets even had the join line of the two parts running down the middle and any impact of any force with a cage would just crack it along there. Snell SA approved helmets are also tested on the chin strap and have the visor shot at with air rifles as part of the test. I used to work for a racewear shop and would get asked about this all the time as everyone thoguht they could get away with a bike helmet to race in a car or track day.
One other thing i dont get is why people wouldnt want to spend the money on a good quality helmet such as an arai or a bell, i know everyone doesnt have the budget for a GP6 but when people want to spend a fortune on a car then spend pence on a helmet that doesnt fit properly or is substandard its quite frustrating, I know everyone raves on about hedtec helmets but they are bell helmets from about 10-15 years ago when bell had their helmets made in china and left some moulds when moving factories and the people who own the factory are making a huge amount from making the helmets at the cheapest price possible and then the resellers have a nice mark up on top of about 35-40% which means they must have been made for like £10 each, pretty sure i wouldnt want that on my head!
sorry about the way it went off on a rant there but hopefully its helped clear up the differences between a bike and a car helmet, arai used to have all the snell testing information on their site that showed the differences between how they were tested and the bike was one page of diagrams and the car was four!
Dan
One other thing i dont get is why people wouldnt want to spend the money on a good quality helmet such as an arai or a bell, i know everyone doesnt have the budget for a GP6 but when people want to spend a fortune on a car then spend pence on a helmet that doesnt fit properly or is substandard its quite frustrating, I know everyone raves on about hedtec helmets but they are bell helmets from about 10-15 years ago when bell had their helmets made in china and left some moulds when moving factories and the people who own the factory are making a huge amount from making the helmets at the cheapest price possible and then the resellers have a nice mark up on top of about 35-40% which means they must have been made for like £10 each, pretty sure i wouldnt want that on my head!
sorry about the way it went off on a rant there but hopefully its helped clear up the differences between a bike and a car helmet, arai used to have all the snell testing information on their site that showed the differences between how they were tested and the bike was one page of diagrams and the car was four!
Dan
Take your points Dan, thanks for the post. However to clarify I'm not looking to go cheap, (bike lid was north of £300 over ten years back), and I have never and will never wear a helmet where the mould line is visible! Smacks of ultimate cheapness and lack of finishing to me.
By the same token though why spend six hundred sov's if three hundred will do?
It's unlikely that I'll get back on a bike so looking for a car lid, (hence the original question), and as stated before changing out because my existing lid is getting on; its noisy and the aerodynamics for my Rush, (probably any open cockpit car), is crap!
By the same token though why spend six hundred sov's if three hundred will do?
It's unlikely that I'll get back on a bike so looking for a car lid, (hence the original question), and as stated before changing out because my existing lid is getting on; its noisy and the aerodynamics for my Rush, (probably any open cockpit car), is crap!
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