Northy
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| posted on 1/7/04 at 07:29 PM |
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What to look for in a helmet?
Hi all,
With SVA test looming and only an aeroscreen for comfort I'm going to by a helmet at the weekend.
What should I look for? I'm hoping I won't need it to save my life, just stop bugs and shite getting in my eyes and mouth!
[Edit: wouldn't let me put s h i t  ]
Cheers
[Edited on 1/7/04 by Northy]
Graham
Website under construction. Help greatfully received as I don't really know what I'm doing! 
"If a man says something in the woods and there are no women there, is he still wrong?"
Built 2L 8 Valve Vx Powered Avon
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JoelP
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| posted on 1/7/04 at 08:20 PM |
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one with a long chin, to stop the breeze on yours. gets very cold in the end. Bike ones tend to be worn leaning forward, hence better coverage.
Someone also said get a light one, to save neck injury in an event...
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OX
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| posted on 1/7/04 at 08:21 PM |
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make sure its light and comfy and doesnt put any pressure on any parts of your head.once youv found one you like try it on ,grab the chin piece at
the front and move it up and down and left to right and make sure you head goes with it other wise at speed you'll be forever pulling it back
down from over your eyes lol.i wouldnt have anything other than a shoei or an arai but i use mine every day,but if its just to stop flies getting in
your teeth then any kite marked crash helmet should do the job
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Mk-Ninja
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| posted on 1/7/04 at 09:10 PM |
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As OX says but also as light as possible.
I'm sure I've got one, just don't know where I've put it
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r3nuf
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| posted on 1/7/04 at 09:12 PM |
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Defo agree with OX. Its worth spending a bit of money on a lid. I have a Shoei which was snug at first, but now fits perfectly after a bit of use. As
a biker too , i chose my helmet for good design of ventilation and lack of wind noise. it can get pretty tiring if the helmet is noisy.
Cheers
Gary
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spunky
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| posted on 1/7/04 at 10:31 PM |
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As above but be carefull, if a helmet feels really comfy when new it may get loose with use You know what I mean.
I always went for Arai but tried a Suomy and recommend them, quite a bit cheaper than Arai to
John
The reckless man may not live as long......
But the cautious man does not live at all.....
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andyps
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| posted on 1/7/04 at 10:53 PM |
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It might just be to keep the bugs etc, but if you are buying one check the markings to find out if it is appropriate for track day requirements - may
as well buy one that covers all needs.
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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Hellfire
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| posted on 1/7/04 at 11:16 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by andyps
It might just be to keep the bugs etc, but if you are buying one check the markings to find out if it is appropriate for track day requirements - may
as well buy one that covers all needs.
The appropriate markings are the BS Kitemark for track days not just the EU compliant symbol. Apparently the BS Kite is acceptable but the EU is
not... stupid rule but the laws which govern the tracks have not caught up yet allegedly!
Course I may be talking complete xollob.
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garage19
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 06:27 AM |
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There are two types of BS classification for helmets which are shown by a blue or a green sticker.
Can't remember off hand which one is the best, but these days not many helmets do not have the higher rating. Maybe only the £30 real cheapy
ones.
When I was racing it was always the gold ACU sticker that the marshalls checked. And it was these that also got you on the track at track days. Being
the Auto Cycle Union Standard, I'm not sure what the car boys would think of it. They would also never let you out if your helmet was three
years or older.
The thing to remember is that everybodies heads are different shapes. I have been told many times by helmet technicians at race tracks that a £150
helmet that fits you properly will protect you ten times better than a £400 one that doesn't. A new helmet should be quite tight with uniform
pressure all over your bonce. Its all about distributing forces and it cant do that if only a couple of small parts of your head have contact.
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Northy
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 07:01 AM |
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Wow , thanks guys. Didn't know there was as much to know.
How much should I be looking to spend?
Cheers
Graham
Website under construction. Help greatfully received as I don't really know what I'm doing!
"If a man says something in the woods and there are no women there, is he still wrong?"
Built 2L 8 Valve Vx Powered Avon
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timf
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 07:28 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by garage19
There are two types of BS classification for helmets which are shown by a blue or a green sticker.
Can't remember off hand which one is the best
the blue one is approved for racing
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garage19
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 07:51 AM |
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£150 will get you something pretty decent.
There have been a lot of new comers to the helmet game since I last bought one.
I always liked AGVs but only because they fitted my head shape.
Shoeis were always dead comfortable and felt solidly built.
Expensive Arais are in a different league of comfort and most top riders that choose their own lid use them.
My house mate who rides in British Supersport uses KBC helmets. they are fairly new but he seems to rate them, and has tested them a few times as
well!
Like i said best bet is to forget the colours and the brands and go for the one that fits you best.
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kingr
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 09:12 AM |
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Anyone got any opinions on Roof helmets? I think they look pretty cool and was thinking of getting one, I seem to remember it was called the
Daytona.
Kingr
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garage19
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 09:42 AM |
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They won the MCN award for best bit of kit so can't be too bad!
Look pretty cool an all!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 09:48 AM |
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I recently bought a Caberg, as I wanted a flip-front helmet. Also a MCN 'best in class' winner! That was around £130-£150 or so.
If I was riding a bike I would buy something better, but this should be fine for the car (I was looking for a good thick visor as well).
David
[Edited on 2/7/04 by David Jenkins]
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Jasper
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 12:05 PM |
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Yeah - fit is the most important thing, go to a good bike shop and they'll size one for you.
I bought an Aria from Motorcycle City in London some years back when I rode bikes, they offered a lifetime free re-padding service for the interior,
and a safety check after a serious knock to make sure it's ok.
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Alan B
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 01:31 PM |
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Not sure about the UK regs...but over here the main difference between a bike rated helmet or a car racing one is in the lining materials....there is
less need for a bike helmet to be fireproof...
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 01:38 PM |
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It would be nice if you could get a car helmet with similar visibility to the ones used by hang-glider pilots - some bike helmets can be a bit
"tunnel-vision" (the other reason for buying the one I've got - reasonably wide visor hole).
DJ
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spunky
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| posted on 2/7/04 at 02:58 PM |
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I have a Roof Boxer helmet with pure black visor for when I'm posing on the supermoto. They look the dogs but TBH I wouldn't want to rely
on it in a big getoff.
Also have my paragliding helmet, you have got loads of visability and they are incredibly light but IMHO would look a little silly driving a car in
one....
John
The reckless man may not live as long......
But the cautious man does not live at all.....
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garage19
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| posted on 5/7/04 at 07:57 AM |
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Thats a good point about the lining.
I remember a conversation I had with a friend who races cars. He was telling me how much money he saved on his Simpson helmet by buying it direct from
the states. He was saying he only bought simpsons because of their Nomex fireproof lining.
He said a friend of his was racing in South Africa when his car went up in flames. He got out ok but a blast of flames caught his helmet lining on
fire and the nylon melted and stuck to his face leaving serious burns and scaring!
Something to bear in mind I guess!
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