New Helmet
Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators
All incredible riders I have a soft spot for Joey Dunlop but the greatest of all modern races was probably this man who King Kenny learnt from. http://ccrma.stanford.edu/~peer/racer-jarno.html
Thumper wrote:Thanks Moose and thanks again Aladinsane that's good info and no I don't have a large nose
As for foggy big head well met him once, he was a perfect gentleman.
Never rated him as one of the all time grates he was all about raw aggression.
I recon he owed more to his Ducati than his skill as a racer, just an opinion mind.
Incoming
I used to rate him most highly, however..
I too met him once. If i'd met him again I'dve probably put him on his arse!
Impolite obnoxious git. So up himself when he blinked he tickled his liver.
I appreciate him as a racer though. Even if it was his Ducati working the magic..
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly
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Falco9
- Aprilia Admin
- Posts: 1154
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:24 pm
- Location: Wakefield. West Yorkshire
Thumper my friend , you know your racers and Jarno was quite literally the rider who re-wrote the book of racing with style. I was a huge fan of his as where most of my friends at the time, his style was revolutionary and when I finally got my knee down in 1980 I remember thinking about how I'd seen him do it all those years previously (just before I realised that wearing a pair of wranglers was not the correct motorcycle gear for this type of fun, I still have the scars)Thumper wrote:All incredible riders I have a soft spot for Joey Dunlop but the greatest of all modern races was probably this man who King Kenny learnt from. http://ccrma.stanford.edu/~peer/racer-jarno.html
In my opinion the organisers at Monza might have well shot him dead as let a race take place with a circuit in that condition. I was 13 years old when he died and I remember reading the article in MCN as if it was yesterday.
However the one truly great racer , who is still head and shoulders above the others despite my love of Hailwood, Dunlop, Roberts and Rossi is thye one and only Mr Freddie Spencer.
No one comes close to what that man could do on a motorcycle and without the injuries he would be top of every list of all time greats
F9
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Aladinsaneuk
- Aprilia Admin
- Posts: 9503
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:37 pm
- Location: Webfoot territory
Hi Thumper.
I've had my Roof about 5 years and plan to change it soon. I think it is exposure to UV that does most of the damage so a helmet spending most of its time in a box 'll probably last longer than one used daily or left on a window sill..
Any way I think I'm going to go for the "Schubert" R1. It has the internal sun visor and looks like its has been thought through. I find the Roof noisey, so was my Arai and beyond that its hard to remember.
On the subject of great racers I had the pleasure of watching Sarinen one race of the year at Malory. I was at Gerrards, first lap of the F750 race they were all elbowing for the inside line. I think there was Smart, Shene, Pickerel, Buman, Read, Duhamel to name but a few, then from mid field the little 350 Yam pops out just lays it on its side and follows the out side edge of the track, passes the lot and disapears. He had half a lap in hand by halfway. Lasavouri on the other Yahaha stayed in mid field........
My appologies if I've mentioned a racer wo wasn't actualy there but hopefully you get the general idea.
I've had my Roof about 5 years and plan to change it soon. I think it is exposure to UV that does most of the damage so a helmet spending most of its time in a box 'll probably last longer than one used daily or left on a window sill..
Any way I think I'm going to go for the "Schubert" R1. It has the internal sun visor and looks like its has been thought through. I find the Roof noisey, so was my Arai and beyond that its hard to remember.
On the subject of great racers I had the pleasure of watching Sarinen one race of the year at Malory. I was at Gerrards, first lap of the F750 race they were all elbowing for the inside line. I think there was Smart, Shene, Pickerel, Buman, Read, Duhamel to name but a few, then from mid field the little 350 Yam pops out just lays it on its side and follows the out side edge of the track, passes the lot and disapears. He had half a lap in hand by halfway. Lasavouri on the other Yahaha stayed in mid field........
My appologies if I've mentioned a racer wo wasn't actualy there but hopefully you get the general idea.
Don't put off 'till tomorrow what you can enjoy today
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TC
I hate to say this, but UV does not affect modern helmets at all as BSI will testify to with the hundreds of helmets they have sunbathing on their roof 24/7 but are tested at regular periods over a number of years.
Anyway, I know I posted this on the old site, but maybe it is time for me to resurect a piece I did some time ago for the benefit of new members or those that just want a bit of knowledge.
Hands up all those who don’t like or disagree with the compulsory wearing of crash helmets? Unfortunately, 80% of motorcyclists killed on the road suffer major head injuries. Head and brain injuries can be caused by low speed accidents, and although modern motorcycle helmets will offer good protection against such injuries, as in all things, there is no guarantee.
In the UK, the only piece of equipment that must be worn at all times when on a motorcycle is a crash helmet, and until July 2000 they had to comply with BS6658-85. After this date new legislation was introduced where under the rules of self certification a new standard of EC22/05 was introduced so any helmet (which is the majority of them now) carrying this mark together with the CE mark would be perfectly legal to wear in the UK regardless of where they were purchased.
All crash helmets are constructed basically in the same way depending on the materials used.
A shell can be constructed from in the main, Polycarbonate (plastic), Fibreglass, Kevlar, Carbon Fibre or a combination of these materials mixed together to produce what is often referred to as a dual- laminate or tri-laminate construction, however, the helmet manufacturers being the clever people that they are, come up with new and inventive materials all the time. The shell is then lined with a polystyrene type liner for shock absorbency which in turn is covered by a foam liner to aid wearer comfort. The securing strap is normally of a nylon type construction attached to the shell by rivets and can be secured to the head by either a double D ring or safety belt type fastener (which I will talk more about later).
Research has shown that the effectiveness of motorcycle helmets has reduced the risk of fatal head injuries by around 50%. It has been suggested that the extra weight of a helmet actually increases the risk of neck injury, but the research has found no evidence to support this. Full face helmets are generally regarded to offer greater protection against facial and chin injuries than open faced helmets, but this may slightly increase the risk of injury to other parts of the head. In the case of a hinged style of helmet which many manufacturers now offer, there is evidence that the protection offered against chin impacts is inadequate, but more worryingly, riders who suffer chin injuries frequently suffer fractures to the base of the skull – the most threatening head injury.
Still with me? Then read on!
Many experienced riders (and often, dealers are also to blame) will say that only the most expensive helmets will afford the rider the highest levels of protection, and on this basis they will suggest that to get the maximum protection it will cost them several hundreds of pounds, well I am sorry to disappoint, but the key to maximum protection is the fit of the helmet regardless of price. Whether a rider spends £500 on a crash helmet of £50, it matters not as they all have to offer the same levels of protection. What is important is getting a helmet that fits correctly and fits the shape of the riders head, and as the saying goes, a £50 helmet that fits correctly will be far more protective than a £500 helmet that fits badly and it is unfortunate that many riders are using their machines with very poorly fitting helmets and in many cases helmets that are also in very poor condition.
Every manufacturer has their own idea of what is a standard head shape. It is therefore important that a variety of crash helmets are tried before a purchase is made simply because if the helmet does not fit correctly it can:
Cause rotation upon impact which can lead to a broken neck.
Come off in the event of an impact.
Cause excessive wind noise.
Lift at speed causing the rider to lose sight of the road ahead as he/she attempts to look through the chin bar rather than the visor aperture.
A crash helmet when new should be a tight fit even to the point where with a full face style helmet, you are just about biting the inside of your cheek, and there should not be excessive pressure on the forehead. A helmet will mould to the contours of your head and will “Give” by about half a size over the first few weeks, therefore what started off as a tightly fitting helmet will soon become a comfortable snug fit, whereas if it is a comfortable fit at the start, it will soon become loose, noisy increase the chance of it becoming detached from your head in a collision and therefore offer far less protection.
As a general rule, and wherever possible a few basic rules should be applied when looking to purchase a new helmet:
• Decide the maximum budget that you can afford.
• Generally speaking, you get what you pay for, but the level of protection remains constant regardless of price.
• A dearer helmet although offering no better protection, will afford better levels of comfort, afford less wind noise (providing it fits correctly), have better fittings and have a better overall build quality.
• Try on a variety of sizes and makes until you find the helmet that best fits your size and shape of head.
• If you find a helmet off the shelf that fits, ask if you can try the same size that is still in its box. It is more than likely that the helmet on the shelf has been tried on by many people and the interior may have become misshapen. A fresh helmet straight out of its box will provide you with a more accurate fitment guide.
Once you have found the helmet that best suits your requirements, without securing the straps, try and lift the helmet off your head by asserting pressure to the chin bar and to the rear of the shell. Also twist the helmet from side to side. If the helmet fits correctly it should remain on your head and only be capable of being removed with a degree of force. If the helmet can be tilted easily, then it may be because you have the wrong style or make of helmet, it may be the wrong size or even the wrong shape in which case you will need to try another make or size.
Once you have found the correct size and shape of helmet and with it securely fastened, make sure that you can easily turn your head from side to side. Many riders find that their head movements are restricted for all sorts of reasons, not least of which is because the style of helmet they are considering or have purchased is wrong for the type of bike they ride or any one of a combination of reasons mentioned previously.
I mentioned earlier about the securing straps, and this is an area that can and does cause problems. Shoei were one of the first if not the first to introduce the seat belt type fastener, and this found favour with many riders as they found that their helmet could be secured with a gloved hand. Over time, many other manufacturers followed suit, but what often is not realized is that over time these straps will stretch and so they cease to be properly secured to the head. If you do have this type of safety catch, then make sure that you check the tightness of the strap on a regular basis, the last thing you want to do is put a loose strap to the test. With a double D fastener of course, the strap is tightened every time the helmet is put on, and personally I prefer this peace of mind even though it may not be as convenient as the safety belt type fastener.
Once you have made your purchase, there are a few general rules that will ensure that you maintain the maximum levels of protection and comfort from your new hat:
Firstly, never loan your helmet to anyone. We are all different in terms of shape and size, and having spent time bedding a new helmet in and getting it to mould to your shape, someone else wearing your helmet could spoil that as they can push it out of shape.
Secondly, never leave it on the saddle or handlebars of your bike. If it falls off, there is no telling what damage you may have caused, and even though it may appear to be perfectly OK from the outside, you may have compromised the shock absorbency of the liner, and the only way this can be checked is either to send it to a specialist helmet technician or send it back to the factory as they are the only people who will be able to return it back to its original accredited CE state in the event that it is OK.
If you do drop it, or you are involved in an accident, I would also advise that it be changed regardless of whether any damage is apparent. Unknown to you, the polystyrene liner may have been bruised or damaged on impact and the shock absorbency of the liner may have been compromised, is it worth taking the risk?
A good well maintained helmet should dependant on use, last about 5 years, however this rule is dependant on a number of factors. If you are a high mileage user, or you perspire a lot, then you may need to consider changing it more regularly, say every 2 – 3 years as the degradation of the liner will be accelerated. It is worth checking to see whether your riding kit (particularly your helmet) can be covered under your house contents insurance. If it becomes damaged, you can arrange a new helmet quickly and without any financial outlay and thereby ensure that maximum protection is maintained.
Anyway, I know I posted this on the old site, but maybe it is time for me to resurect a piece I did some time ago for the benefit of new members or those that just want a bit of knowledge.
Hands up all those who don’t like or disagree with the compulsory wearing of crash helmets? Unfortunately, 80% of motorcyclists killed on the road suffer major head injuries. Head and brain injuries can be caused by low speed accidents, and although modern motorcycle helmets will offer good protection against such injuries, as in all things, there is no guarantee.
In the UK, the only piece of equipment that must be worn at all times when on a motorcycle is a crash helmet, and until July 2000 they had to comply with BS6658-85. After this date new legislation was introduced where under the rules of self certification a new standard of EC22/05 was introduced so any helmet (which is the majority of them now) carrying this mark together with the CE mark would be perfectly legal to wear in the UK regardless of where they were purchased.
All crash helmets are constructed basically in the same way depending on the materials used.
A shell can be constructed from in the main, Polycarbonate (plastic), Fibreglass, Kevlar, Carbon Fibre or a combination of these materials mixed together to produce what is often referred to as a dual- laminate or tri-laminate construction, however, the helmet manufacturers being the clever people that they are, come up with new and inventive materials all the time. The shell is then lined with a polystyrene type liner for shock absorbency which in turn is covered by a foam liner to aid wearer comfort. The securing strap is normally of a nylon type construction attached to the shell by rivets and can be secured to the head by either a double D ring or safety belt type fastener (which I will talk more about later).
Research has shown that the effectiveness of motorcycle helmets has reduced the risk of fatal head injuries by around 50%. It has been suggested that the extra weight of a helmet actually increases the risk of neck injury, but the research has found no evidence to support this. Full face helmets are generally regarded to offer greater protection against facial and chin injuries than open faced helmets, but this may slightly increase the risk of injury to other parts of the head. In the case of a hinged style of helmet which many manufacturers now offer, there is evidence that the protection offered against chin impacts is inadequate, but more worryingly, riders who suffer chin injuries frequently suffer fractures to the base of the skull – the most threatening head injury.
Still with me? Then read on!
Many experienced riders (and often, dealers are also to blame) will say that only the most expensive helmets will afford the rider the highest levels of protection, and on this basis they will suggest that to get the maximum protection it will cost them several hundreds of pounds, well I am sorry to disappoint, but the key to maximum protection is the fit of the helmet regardless of price. Whether a rider spends £500 on a crash helmet of £50, it matters not as they all have to offer the same levels of protection. What is important is getting a helmet that fits correctly and fits the shape of the riders head, and as the saying goes, a £50 helmet that fits correctly will be far more protective than a £500 helmet that fits badly and it is unfortunate that many riders are using their machines with very poorly fitting helmets and in many cases helmets that are also in very poor condition.
Every manufacturer has their own idea of what is a standard head shape. It is therefore important that a variety of crash helmets are tried before a purchase is made simply because if the helmet does not fit correctly it can:
Cause rotation upon impact which can lead to a broken neck.
Come off in the event of an impact.
Cause excessive wind noise.
Lift at speed causing the rider to lose sight of the road ahead as he/she attempts to look through the chin bar rather than the visor aperture.
A crash helmet when new should be a tight fit even to the point where with a full face style helmet, you are just about biting the inside of your cheek, and there should not be excessive pressure on the forehead. A helmet will mould to the contours of your head and will “Give” by about half a size over the first few weeks, therefore what started off as a tightly fitting helmet will soon become a comfortable snug fit, whereas if it is a comfortable fit at the start, it will soon become loose, noisy increase the chance of it becoming detached from your head in a collision and therefore offer far less protection.
As a general rule, and wherever possible a few basic rules should be applied when looking to purchase a new helmet:
• Decide the maximum budget that you can afford.
• Generally speaking, you get what you pay for, but the level of protection remains constant regardless of price.
• A dearer helmet although offering no better protection, will afford better levels of comfort, afford less wind noise (providing it fits correctly), have better fittings and have a better overall build quality.
• Try on a variety of sizes and makes until you find the helmet that best fits your size and shape of head.
• If you find a helmet off the shelf that fits, ask if you can try the same size that is still in its box. It is more than likely that the helmet on the shelf has been tried on by many people and the interior may have become misshapen. A fresh helmet straight out of its box will provide you with a more accurate fitment guide.
Once you have found the helmet that best suits your requirements, without securing the straps, try and lift the helmet off your head by asserting pressure to the chin bar and to the rear of the shell. Also twist the helmet from side to side. If the helmet fits correctly it should remain on your head and only be capable of being removed with a degree of force. If the helmet can be tilted easily, then it may be because you have the wrong style or make of helmet, it may be the wrong size or even the wrong shape in which case you will need to try another make or size.
Once you have found the correct size and shape of helmet and with it securely fastened, make sure that you can easily turn your head from side to side. Many riders find that their head movements are restricted for all sorts of reasons, not least of which is because the style of helmet they are considering or have purchased is wrong for the type of bike they ride or any one of a combination of reasons mentioned previously.
I mentioned earlier about the securing straps, and this is an area that can and does cause problems. Shoei were one of the first if not the first to introduce the seat belt type fastener, and this found favour with many riders as they found that their helmet could be secured with a gloved hand. Over time, many other manufacturers followed suit, but what often is not realized is that over time these straps will stretch and so they cease to be properly secured to the head. If you do have this type of safety catch, then make sure that you check the tightness of the strap on a regular basis, the last thing you want to do is put a loose strap to the test. With a double D fastener of course, the strap is tightened every time the helmet is put on, and personally I prefer this peace of mind even though it may not be as convenient as the safety belt type fastener.
Once you have made your purchase, there are a few general rules that will ensure that you maintain the maximum levels of protection and comfort from your new hat:
Firstly, never loan your helmet to anyone. We are all different in terms of shape and size, and having spent time bedding a new helmet in and getting it to mould to your shape, someone else wearing your helmet could spoil that as they can push it out of shape.
Secondly, never leave it on the saddle or handlebars of your bike. If it falls off, there is no telling what damage you may have caused, and even though it may appear to be perfectly OK from the outside, you may have compromised the shock absorbency of the liner, and the only way this can be checked is either to send it to a specialist helmet technician or send it back to the factory as they are the only people who will be able to return it back to its original accredited CE state in the event that it is OK.
If you do drop it, or you are involved in an accident, I would also advise that it be changed regardless of whether any damage is apparent. Unknown to you, the polystyrene liner may have been bruised or damaged on impact and the shock absorbency of the liner may have been compromised, is it worth taking the risk?
A good well maintained helmet should dependant on use, last about 5 years, however this rule is dependant on a number of factors. If you are a high mileage user, or you perspire a lot, then you may need to consider changing it more regularly, say every 2 – 3 years as the degradation of the liner will be accelerated. It is worth checking to see whether your riding kit (particularly your helmet) can be covered under your house contents insurance. If it becomes damaged, you can arrange a new helmet quickly and without any financial outlay and thereby ensure that maximum protection is maintained.
Last edited by TC on Sun Apr 08, 2007 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Just a short review of:
Shoei Z1 - basic, quiet, v light, v good quality, effective vents, best ever visor changing mechanism. Non-removable padding (just cheek pads).
X-lite x-902 - overly complicated, super-quiet(!), medium weight, reasonable/good quality, non-working vents, removable padding.
Z1 = ariel atom
X-902 = bmw M6
Shoei Z1 - basic, quiet, v light, v good quality, effective vents, best ever visor changing mechanism. Non-removable padding (just cheek pads).
X-lite x-902 - overly complicated, super-quiet(!), medium weight, reasonable/good quality, non-working vents, removable padding.
Z1 = ariel atom
X-902 = bmw M6
Well this is the new helmet I've bought
Got it for £229 and my goodness is it tight, shows how much my Arai has deteriorated in the 3 years I've had it.
Its going to the USA where a friend is painting it for me.
The thing I really like about the helmet are its quiet, all the lining is removable and it doesn't fog up as badly as my old Arai.
I'm hoping it'll be back before the Rattle do
Got it for £229 and my goodness is it tight, shows how much my Arai has deteriorated in the 3 years I've had it.
Its going to the USA where a friend is painting it for me.
The thing I really like about the helmet are its quiet, all the lining is removable and it doesn't fog up as badly as my old Arai.
I'm hoping it'll be back before the Rattle do
I've had several 'Major Offs' wearing Shoei lids, which have stood upto the impacts extremely well(as the fact I'm still here typing this will atest) Now I won't wear anything else on my head, I've got the XR1000 which is great in both fit and stability at speed, noise isn't the best though, probably due to the spoiler on the back. the other is an X Spirit which is supremely light and comfortable. The one I'm still looking for is the Shoei Z One, which is the best helmet I've ever had, the fit was great noise was low and the strength was incredible, I hit the tarmac with my head at very high speed, rsulting in a huge missing chunk of paint on the back, but when I stripped the lid out to see the absorbtion inside, there was no visible deformation of the liner whatsoever, and no cracking of the shell. So it's Shoei for me every time.
I stand corrected TC on the UV issue that is one of the problems with being old, things change underneath you...and if you are lucky you don't even notice.
Any way I have had my new Schuberth R1 a few weeks now. It seems a good helmet, the visor and internal sun visor are very good both optically and operationally
The fit is very good as well and I can feel it braced by the cheek padding. Vents work too and one can actually feel the difference they make.
Generally the noise level is good to reasonable until really pressing on, with the lid just above the bubble it gets noisy but it doesn't seem to be from the visor etc. maybe the vents or the induction noise or the general cacophony that is a moded Falco off the leash. Probably haven’t been that fast with the Roof cause at speed it used to feel like it was either going to be ripped off or pushed down over my face so I couldn't see.
I can recommend it, not cheap but a quality helmet.
Any way I have had my new Schuberth R1 a few weeks now. It seems a good helmet, the visor and internal sun visor are very good both optically and operationally
The fit is very good as well and I can feel it braced by the cheek padding. Vents work too and one can actually feel the difference they make.
Generally the noise level is good to reasonable until really pressing on, with the lid just above the bubble it gets noisy but it doesn't seem to be from the visor etc. maybe the vents or the induction noise or the general cacophony that is a moded Falco off the leash. Probably haven’t been that fast with the Roof cause at speed it used to feel like it was either going to be ripped off or pushed down over my face so I couldn't see.
I can recommend it, not cheap but a quality helmet.
Don't put off 'till tomorrow what you can enjoy today
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snapdragon
- SuperBike Racer
- Posts: 866
- Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:01 pm
How light are the Shoeis Jam ? And is there a quiet one? I chose Roof (R010/Daytona) as they fitted so well - and were quieter than my previous OGK and open face Arai. I've wrecked two of them so far (and contrary to popular belief my head is still attached) but am looking for something lighter due to an old whiplash that still plagues.jam wrote:I've had several 'Major Offs' wearing Shoei lids, which have stood upto the impacts extremely well(as the fact I'm still here typing this will atest) Now I won't wear anything else on my head, I've got the XR1000 which is great in both fit and stability at speed, noise isn't the best though, probably due to the spoiler on the back. the other is an X Spirit which is supremely light and comfortable. The one I'm still looking for is the Shoei Z One, which is the best helmet I've ever had, the fit was great noise was low and the strength was incredible, I hit the tarmac with my head at very high speed, rsulting in a huge missing chunk of paint on the back, but when I stripped the lid out to see the absorbtion inside, there was no visible deformation of the liner whatsoever, and no cracking of the shell. So it's Shoei for me every time.
UV might not damage lids - but leaving it on the ground by the downpipe (to keep in the dry) whilst warming bike up does 'em no good at all <blush>
The shoeis I've got come in at around 1250g to 1350g, noise wise the XR1000 is noisier than the X spirit but they're still noisier than the Z One that I had prior to these. I'd gladly have another Z One if I can find one. the spoilers on the back of the XR/Xspirit are good to reduce buffeting, but seem to increase noise. vents on all of them have been good and easy with gloved hands, all with double D ring fasteners, I don't like seatbelt type. visor changes are easy, and the Shoei Zpinlock system makes steamed up vision a thing of the past. they ain't cheap Z One was £370, XR1000 £380(Kagayama) X Spirit £480(Kagayama) but over the last couple of years I've averaged around 600 miles per week and neck fatigue has been loads better than any other lid I've had over the years.