USA Arai helmets - any good?

[oly]

I want a yellow arai helmet. The only place that still sells them is in the usa.
Are these helmets up to the same standard as the eu ones?
Has anyone bought a helmet from the usa?
Comments appreciated.

 

[alimey4u2]

The American Snell foundation is a higher standard than ACU approved but "technically" not legal over here....

 

[Slowdown]

I can't imagine, for the life of me, that the USA, being the land of litigation, would sell helmets that are less safe than EU specifications. Different testing procedures, perhaps, but definitely not less safe.

Now whether it's legal to ride in the EU with a helmet that isn't labelled as conforming to EU testing specifications is another thing and I guess an enthusiastic plod would treat this as 'riding without a helmet' with all that brings.

IMHO, of course...

 

[csd4t]

I think Arai have different shell shapes for different areas of the world, the arai guys at the TT told me Japan and Europe were different, not sure about the states though (would imagine they are much bigger though)

 

[alimey4u2]

My argument is this : I want the best standard of helmet to protect my valuable ( some may disagree.. ) head & if that means circumnavigating the law, so be it. When it's time for a new Simpson I will be replacing it with another.

 

[JD13]

Buy the gold sticker off ebay for £8 problem sorted, approved helmet. oh, and you bought it like that, never put it on yourself

JD

 

[alimey4u2]

Buy the gold sticker off ebay for £8 problem sorted, approved helmet. oh, and you bought it like that, never put it on yourself

JD

 

[Markgsxr]

I read somewhere Arai build all their shell's to the same standard. Might be worth e mailing and asking them. As for the sticker side, do you have to have one? WHen sold new from a shop maybe but when your's has been knocked and banged, maybe even resprayed it'll probably be gone.

 

[Garryc]

....Mark correct,

Arai build all their helmets to meet the various WWD standards and I recall they advised SNELL was the highest standard.

I checked this out sometime ago with Arai Europe, as I was considering importing some lids to sell....but never got round to it....

It made the think that the Shell shapes are probable all the same and they simple dont want folk buying from outside their region....doesn't that strategy sound familure...

 

[AndyT]

I doubt that Arai would make helmets less safe than others so they would build them to the highest standard to keep production costs down. I bought my TourX in Japan and its identical to the ones over here except it has no ACU label and I just can't sleep at night because of that

AndyT

 

[Ogmios]

afaik,
all Arai shells are the same.
the construct inside varies e.g;
caucasian / asian.

Snell is the highest recognised standard.
technically - yes you need the "EU 2205" sticker to be legal here in the EU.

i would argue if "nicked" for ir - but it's never been checked - though asked about it maybe, 2 or 3 times in over 30 years. - in U.K. not Ireland.

note though that the "science" of helmets is far from perfect - labels and brands names might mislead you - i.e; pay lots for a top shelf lid = safer than less bucks and lesser known brand.

the best way to test a lid is on a cadaver and replicate the circumstance that made the head hit the deck.
then examine contents to see what happened at impact.
then design to lessen THAT.

but that isn't socially aceptable apparently, so that kind of research is limited.

good fit, obvious shock asbsorbtion quality as opposed to "comfort padding" and "faceted" shape to lessen chance of head rotation and neck twist upon impact is about all we can hope for and look for in a lid.
so, thats impact and "twist" looked at.

another aspect is the damage caused by the brain rotating within the skull - like a boxer getting a right hook -the head moves so fast the brain doesn't keep up as the the head turns rapidly.
a relatively common brain injury.

how can any lid cope with that

sorry - off topic and a bit dark maybe, but it's a pet peeve of mine .

 

[GADGET]

I bought one from the US last year, by post. Didn`t notice any difference to my other one. Apart from the price!

 

[oly]

Sounds like i am going to get one- where is the best place and what is the delivery times for these.

 

[talonfs]

I bought an Arai ( the equivalent of the Viper here) in the US 2 years ago. tried on the equivalent helmet here which has an 'oval' shape as opposed to round on the other models, and it fitted the same. cost me $374 delivered from the internet, as opposed to £399 over here in the UK!!!!
I am pretty sure that the helmets are all manufactured in the same place???

 

[instructor Boy]

Any helmet sold in the UK MUST carry the ece 05 marking on it. else, its illegal. dumb rule considering the snell is a tougher test...

 

[oly]

Ordered one from usa- $463 including the p and p
Its a project one which appears very similar to an astro j
The only other one was the quantum 2 which was the same price.

Hope ive ordered the right one and not a substandard one.