Helmets
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Helmets - 9/18/2008 11:58:57 AM
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sawnee
Posts: 134
Joined: 6/16/2008
From: Kent, England, UK
Status: offline
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Hi guys, not really anything to do with CBR''s but all the same important.
Over here in the UK there is a new Helmet test been introduced called the "SHARP" test, it has caused a few jaws to drop as its findings state that, its not how much money you spend on a lid that says how good it is at saving your bonce.
Some of the big names are up in arms saying its a worthless test as their £500 lids are only rated with 3 stars,and some of the small manufacturers say its the test to end all tests as their lids have been given 5 stars!!!
The test has been devised using data from RTA''s and the way helmets performed in real accidents.
The impacts incured were examined and then reproduced in the lab, so in theory the test is a real and worthwhile benchmark for anyone in the market for a new lid.
Do any of you lot across the world have anything similar,I''m pretty sure they do in USA, it would be interesting to maybe cross reference the tests in different countries on a lid you were in the market for.
_____________________________
If it hurts, you''''''''re doin'''''''' it wrong
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RE: Helmets - 9/18/2008 1:17:37 PM
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pacojoseph
Posts: 431
Joined: 5/10/2007
From: Philly, PA USA
Status: offline
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I''ve written about this before, but here goes again. A couple of years ago, Motorcyclist Magazine tested various helmets and came up with some very surprising results. The tests were done mainly to compare the difference between helmets built to Snell standards (a voluntary helmet standard used primarily in the US) and those built only to DOT standards (a mandatory US standard). Note that all helmets sold in the US must meet DOT standards but only those lids that are submitted to Snell and pass their tests are Snell certified. Snell is the holy grail in the US, and conventional wisdom is that since the Snell standard is tougher to meet that DOT that Snell rated helmets are by definition better that helmets that only meet DOT specs. Fo9r comparison purposes, Motorcyclist also tested several helmets built to meet Euro standards and a few built to British standards.
This testing of lids built to the various standards was prompted by the fact that some academic types (read brain injury experts and others) have raised serious question about the Snell standard. They claim that Snell''s standards require the manufacturers to use stiffer foam that is typically used in DOT only helmets, and as a result Snell helmets pass more energy to a wearers skull upon impact in the vast majority of real world situations than DOT only helmets do. This excess energy passed by the Snell helmets, according to these experts, can mean the difference between having a headache for a couple of days and sustaining permanent, serious brain injury. So Motorcyclist ran their tests, and guess what, the DOT only helmets did significantly better that the Snell helmets, with lids built to Euro or British spec generally falling somewhere between these two standards.
Let it be known, the high end manufacturers were not too happy about the article (a high end Arai being outperformed by an el cheapo Pep Boys special helmet- sacrilege) and Motorcyclist lost a few hundred thousand dollars in ad revenue as a result. The article is available online here, along with Snell''s resonse. It is very long but is good reading- especially for anyone looking to buy a helmet in the near future.
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