Motorcycle Helmets for use on MTB downhill
Comments
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I've never seen Arai (or more accurately Phoenix Distribution - I don't know if Moto Direct still offer the inspection service since they took over distribution after Phoenix went bust) pass a helmet as safe with visible shell damage. They're quite clear on that - shell damage = scrap helmet. In fact, in all the times I sent customer helmets for inspection I can only remember one being returned as safe to wear, and they'd cut the straps off those that they deemed unsafe.0
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Kowalski675 wrote:I've never seen Arai (or more accurately Phoenix Distribution - I don't know if Moto Direct still offer the inspection service since they took over distribution after Phoenix went bust) pass a helmet as safe with visible shell damage. They're quite clear on that - shell damage = scrap helmet.
Could probably find the certificate for my last one, if you like, they noted the shell damage and said cosmetic only, even touched up the paint for me. (I was almost annoyed, I'd already replaced it with an Astro R, assuming it was dead! Ended up with 2 hats and only one head)cooldad wrote:Fair enough, but Arai are still telling you to get it checked after a crash.
Yup- but the point is, you could take a helmet that'd been crashed reasonably hard several times and they'd still approve it for more use, contrary to the "crash once and bin" approach.
It is of course your own head, I'd never fault anyone for binning a helmet after a crash.Uncompromising extremist0 -
I have never ever seen a helmet that has had any visible damage, from an impact, be passed fit for use. Ok scuffs on a polycarbonate MTB helmet from branches could be seen as damage... I have crashed a few times and when racing the ACU Gold sticker was removed as soon as I returned to the paddock. I have not had many road crashes but I have never worn a helmet again, after a real crash. I have had £400 helmets written off after one crash, but as they say. What is the value of your head?? If the shell has impact damage then what is the condition of the expanded polystyrene liner? It is a lot softer than the shell and will not expand back into shape. It is trash.....0
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morepower wrote:I have never ever seen a helmet that has had any visible damage, from an impact, be passed fit for use.
Well, now you know better. Though perhaps a scroot wouldn't have approved it, but that tells you more about scrutineering than helmet safety tbh.Uncompromising extremist0 -
Northwind wrote:Could probably find the certificate for my last one, if you like, they noted the shell damage and said cosmetic only, even touched up the paint for me. (I was almost annoyed, I'd already replaced it with an Astro R, assuming it was dead! Ended up with 2 hats and only one head)
It must've been very superficial cosmetic damage, just to the paint, not the shell. And only two hats, lol? I've got 6 Arais (4 of which are brand new and boxed, lol). Eight if you include two retired damaged ones
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morepower wrote:when racing the ACU Gold sticker was removed as soon as I returned to the paddock.
Want another? I've got two unused ones in my wallet, lol...0 -
Northwind wrote:morepower wrote:I have never ever seen a helmet that has had any visible damage, from an impact, be passed fit for use.
Well, now you know better. Though perhaps a scroot wouldn't have approved it, but that tells you more about scrutineering than helmet safety tbh.
I was sponsored by Arai for a number of years and have been in the bike trade for 10 years too..... I would love to see a photo of the damage they passed... One crash I had was about 20 to 25mph (although I was thrown up 8 to 9 feet and landed head first..) I would not trust any helmet once it has had a proper impact where your head smacks down on the ground... I am with Kowalski675 having seen Arai and Shoei cut the straps off damaged helmets after even quite mild looking crashes. It would still not stop me buying a good quality helmet thinking I could write it off first time out though... I would rather throw away a helmet that saved my head from serious injury.0 -
morepower wrote:It would still not stop me buying a good quality helmet thinking I could write it off first time out though... I would rather throw away a helmet that saved my head from serious injury.
CAWT - that's exactly what they're for. If it saved you from injury it's done it's job, and it's time to get another.0 -
Kowalski675 wrote:It must've been very superficial cosmetic damage, just to the paint, not the shell.
Nah, through into the fibre, you could see and feel it.
But still, apparently, missing the point- even if I'm wrong, it'd been crashed hard enough (more than once) that most folks would assume it's fit for the bin and all conventional wisdom tells you it must be. Not to mention dropped, bounced, and generally knocked around. But still good.
As for gold stickers, you do know the only testing the ACU do is making sure your cheque doesn't bounce?Uncompromising extremist0 -
Kowalski675.. I have 4 helmets here not including 2 mountain bike helmets and I have a few Gold Stickers too...... haha.
I have seen too many people injured because they took their own safety for granted. I have a Shoei Mountain bike helmet which I felt was the best helmet available at the time and due to sponsorship I either had to buy another one from another brand or actually remove or hide the brand even though I was only riding a mountain bike in my own time.. Arai actually made me a sticker the correct size to cover up the Shoei branding which was moulded into the peak.. I wouldnt sacrifice my head just to wear a helmet I didnt feel confidence in...0 -
My old HJC survived many blows but I thought I should retire it after this one
Uncompromising extremist0 -
Look on it as an excuse to get a tarty new helmet. My TLD lid was as a result of headplanting my Remedy on a rock garden: no visible damage, but I thought "WTF". So I'm happy, the manufacturers are happy as well (you can understand why they put the wording into their owner manuals - that and litigation by Yanks)."I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0
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Northwind wrote:As for gold stickers, you do know the only testing the ACU do is making sure your cheque doesn't bounce?
Not your cheque - the helmet distributor's cheque. The ACU sells the stickers to the UK distributor of the brand, who stick them on the lids. It's purely a cash cow for the ACU. As you say, they do no additional testing of any helmets - if it has an EC certification it can have a sticker (in the old days of the more stringent BSi testing the B standard helmets -usually polycarbonate - got the silver stickers). I got mine from a Phoenix Distribution Arai rep.0 -
morepower wrote:I either had to buy another one from another brand or actually remove or hide the brand even though I was only riding a mountain bike in my own time.. Arai actually made me a sticker the correct size to cover up the Shoei branding which was moulded into the peak.. I wouldnt sacrifice my head just to wear a helmet I didnt feel confidence in...
It's not unusual for some sponsored pro racers to wear another make of lid with their sponsor's sticker on it - would you want to race a moto GP bike in an off-the-shelf HJC, for example?... Look at the TT or Irish road racing scene, and riders who buy their own helmets - almost all Arai or Shoei.0 -
Northwind wrote:My old HJC survived many blows but I thought I should retire it after this one
Nah, that'll be alright. This is a broken one:
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I spent a happy afternoon mangling that one, they're crazy tough eh? Dropped a paving slab on it, the slab broke. I mean, you wouldn't want to have been wearing it when I hit it with the pick, but it's only have gone a little way into your brain, instead of all the way through and out the bottom. That's probably better.Uncompromising extremist0
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Northwind wrote:I mean, you wouldn't want to have been wearing it when I hit it with the pick, but it's only have gone a little way into your brain, instead of all the way through and out the bottom. That's probably better.
That just made me chuckle. I did the above damage to the AGV with a cardboard compacting machine (crushes waste cardboard into compact bales). They make some great noises while they're squashing...
I've done allsorts to 'em (even driven a car over 'em) and, as you say, they're bloody tough - hit 'em with a hammer and you need to be ready to get out of the way as it bounces off, lol. They bounce really high if you drop 'em off a 4th story fire escape onto cobblestones too...0 -
If your head was in it at the time it explains the lols.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
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Parktools0 -
cooldad wrote:If your head was in it at the time it explains the lols.
And what explains you being such a miserable old fart?
LOL0 -
Being surrounded by smiley faces and lols. One assumes the perpetrators also do finger painting and take afternoon naps.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Stop hanging round in primary schools then, or we'll have to tell operation yewtree about you...0
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moto helmet too hard..made for hitting hard ground/moto use0
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Hennessy1414 wrote:moto helmet too hard..made for hitting hard ground/moto use
So what's a DH helmet made for hitting? Candy floss? :roll:0
