Rally Helmets....

[Swissdoc]

The open-face thread on this has me thinking... particularly when the rally helmet that Clarkson was wearing was mentioned...

Does anyone know if these are legal on bikes? I assume that they are (never assume, always check...) as the safety standards for rallying are very high so all the kit has to be kite marked to hell and back...

I know they look really expensive - but most have built in ear cups/defenders with intercoms/noise-cancelling mikes etc.... which, if you add in to the price of an Arai for example, makes some of them compatible...

Are there any issues with wearing one of these compared with a 'motorcycle helmet'?

http://www.gprdirect.com/helmets/rally-helmets.html

 

[Packer]

I'm no expert but if the helmet doesn't state that it conforms to the EU standard 22.05(?) I think it won't be legal on the road as a motorcycle helmet even if it's the safest helmet in the world.

 

[Swissdoc]

...That's a really good point...

I had a look at the DFT website (http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/motorcyclehelmetsvisorsandgo4563?page=2) and their take on it is:

Alternatively, you can wear other types of helmet which could reasonably be expected to give a similar, or greater, level of protection in an accident as British Standard BS 6658:1985 or UN ECE Regulation 22.05. However, you should seek confirmation from the supplier that the helmet does offer at least a similar level of protection. Check with your insurer that your insurance is not invalidated by wearing a helmet that does not [/I]comply with a standard listed in the Regulations.

These rally helmets seem to be: BS6658-85 A/FR Approved - which would mean that they are Ok to be worn as a motorcycle helmet.

Hmmm... interesting... Does anyone out there ride with one?

 

[bowser]

the quote above refers to the protection provided by the shell of the helmet, the bsi kite mark and the euro mark also test for amount of vision and other things.
It is legal to wear any helmet which is snell tested but it may not be legal to SELL one as a trader.
Most snell tested helmets that fail the kite mark or euro mark, fail for not having a large enough eye opening and restricting vision, but the shell passes the tests.

This is of course refering to proper helmets, not micky mouse skull cap things.

In the case of helmets designed for motor racing the helmet is snell tested at the very least and they would be fine to wear from a legal standpoint, as to if they are comfortable to wear with the peak etc is a different matter, they are a bit of a wind trap and designed to be worn inside a car, there are plenty of specific bike ones which are just as good and designed for the job, and motorcar racing helmets are not cheap so there is little to gain in cost.

Bizzare as it sounds, it is legal to wear any helmet that has been legal as well, by that I mean if you still have a 1960's leather covered cork helmet with a peak and nice little flaps over the ears as worn by those nice people you meet on a honda, they were legal when made and therefore still legal (bloody stupid mind you).

 

[Swissdoc]

Thank you - I knew there would be an expert around somewhere.

I take the point about cost (obviously) and also the larger peak and therefore more turbulence - however there are some advantages, namely the ear cups/defenders, meaning that ear plugs wouldn't be needed and a built in intercom etc...

I'm just a bit intrigued - especially given the less than good experience I had with a bluetooth device that I just couldn't hear above 25mph with the earplugs out - EH?

 

[D6]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GENUINE-ACU-G...cle_Helmets&hash=item23080b418f#ht_500wt_1154

 

[Swissdoc]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GENUINE-ACU-G...cle_Helmets&hash=item23080b418f#ht_500wt_1154

Brilliant! Who needs rules when you can make it up as you go along (as long as you have a paypal account of course...)

 

[bowser]

thats fantastic, until you get stoped by some jobs worth copper who knows your helmet is not bsi approved because he is that sort of twat, and they he starts looking at the sticker which is trying to persuade him it is , and the fact that you have stuck it there to persuade him it is, and then he nicks you for attempting to pevert or fraud, both of which will get you arrested and a criminal record instead of £30 for a non endorsable ticket!!! wey hey fecking great advice.

You are more likley to get grief from you insurance company than the old bill for wearing the wrong hat, and if you do its only a non endorseable ticket so just say thanks mr copper and get on with life.
But the idea of using forged stickers or real ones fitted to the wrong equipment is just stupid out of all proportion to any possible gain.

On the point of the intercom etc, again it is designed for use inside a car without the wind noise and they are not briliant at motorway speeds in the car anyway. On a bike the open face helmet with the built in coms would probably be pretty useless anyway, you would be better off getting proper in the ear coms and a boom mic, I am not sure what make the job are now using but most of the modern helmets dont have helmet coms but each officer has a personaly fitted earpiece and mic setup that is used from helmet to helmet and they are good even at speed.

 

[Swissdoc]

...hmmm... I think the idea of putting a sticker on to fool the bill was a bit tongue-in-cheek, so keep your hair on. However, it is fairly amazing to me that (for a price - and not a very high one) you can buy almost anything these days...

However, thanks for the advice on the intercoms etc...

 

[NeverRodeBefore]

Many moons ago when I was buying gear to go with the lightweight tea-tray, I was at a helmet shop in Manchester intent on getting a waterproof oversuit (no roof) and a helmet (aero-screen only) (sunglasses were reserved for really nice days or trundling ).

They asked me what bike I had (3 years before I even considered learning to ride). They told me that they could get a 'proper' car helmet in for me. One of the main differences is an increase in upper shell strength to better take the impact during a roll, when the weight of the car 'may' push the drivers head further into the road/roof

 

[Steptoe]

. One of the main differences is an increase in upper shell strength to better take the impact during a roll, when the weight of the car 'may' push the drivers head further into the road/roof

Nonsensical.

So your hair will still be nice and neat but you'll have a broken neck instead.

 

[Swissdoc]

Ah - but what is interesting is that most of these rally helmets have posts for a HANS system (head and neck safety jobbie) that sounds a bit like the neck brace that is becoming more available for us mere mortals. I wonder if this will catch on with bikers?? An integral helmet/neck brace etc...??

 

[MattW]

Ah - but what is interesting is that most of these rally helmets have posts for a HANS system (head and neck safety jobbie) that sounds a bit like the neck brace that is becoming more available for us mere mortals. I wonder if this will catch on with bikers?? An integral helmet/neck brace etc...??

How would you look over your shoulder while wearing a neck brace?

Rally drivers aren't really troubled by things like that so it's not really an issue for them.