Helmet Safety from an expert

deez · 07-03-2003, 2:43 PM

This was posted on the VFR list today, thought I would share.

'Just opinions from a person who actually witnessed helmet
testing for all major US brands in Japan....

If you race or ride the twisties at a fast pace,
say 55mph+, buy Japanese, doesn't matter which.
A premium European brand would be ok too.
You'll need all the extra protection and quality
that they provide if you go down.

If you only ride in the city/commute and your
avg. speed is way below 55mph, buy the best
Snell/DOT you can afford and pray that it will
be a low-speed affair if and when you get off.

On KBC specifically, random sample testing have
yeilded helmets not able to meet all Snell performance
requirements, as in shell pentration or impact energy
absorption or repeated impacts.
In most instances of successful RST, energy absorption
mean level is right near the failure level, relatively
about twice that of a Japanese-made helmet.

The question that you should ask yourself everytime
you go riding is: Just how much is your head worth?
(Would you trade +or- $250 for approx.
+or- 250gforce of protection?)

What was that Bell ad slogan again? ;P

John Chung
Corporate Relations,
Corona Extra Suzuki

former Racing Operations,
Shoei Safety Helmet, Inc. USA'

MACI4LIFE · 07-03-2003, 3:22 PM

Interesting.

So how do all of the manufacturers rate then?? Did he give a list of the top ten or something?? Doesn't really matter though, I have the best already.....ARAI!!

deez · 07-03-2003, 3:50 PM

Quote:

MACI4LIFE : Interesting.

So how do all of the manufacturers rate then?? *Did he give a list of the top ten or something?? *Doesn't really matter though, I have the best already.....ARAI!!

He didn't rate them. From his comments it sounds like Arai and Shoei are the best and companies like Suomy are just fine too. But the cheap American helmets, I'd stay away from.

Heavy-Dee · 07-03-2003, 4:09 PM

I have HJC. Made in Korea. Good or Bad?

h8mondays · 07-04-2003, 1:25 AM

OGK is Japanese and direct competitors with Arai in asian and euro markets and are making their way into the US market. I was impressed with some of the data that I read on them, their prices and it fits just like my RX-7. I posted a thumbs up a few days back for anyone interested. I have worn arai for a long time and would still be wearing Arai if it weren't for their internet policy. Simply stated, I refuse to pay $200 more for a helmet because I have to go through a local dealer. In short, I still like the quality of Arai, but don't like their policies and found something equal to them for less. Suomy is another equal to Arai IMHO, but don't fit my obtuse melon.

h8

Mojave954 · 07-21-2003, 9:44 AM

After last weekend my egg is going right back into an Arai! Need to take some pics and post... Damn that thing took a beating... No concusions....

fl-929 · 07-21-2003, 12:48 PM

That's a very random statement to live by.

Was he talking about the entire KBC line or the entire Japanese helmet line?

I would need to specifically see what each helmet did what before I started to disbelieve the stickers on the helmet over a marketing manager...

luvtolean · 07-21-2003, 12:53 PM

There really isn't an American motorcycle helmet out there other than Bell, and I don't know if those are manufactured here.

If this guy worked at Shoei, it's pretty rediculous he'd even imply that KBC is an American helmet. It is Korean. I won't argue that Arai and Shoei are the best.

Chain · 07-21-2003, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Heavy-Dee : I have HJC. *Made in Korea. *Good or Bad? *

At least one Korean lid maker is getting good reviews. I'd not hesitate to trust my life with one of the upper echelon KBC lids, for instance.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed.../kbc/index.htm

My perception (having hefted products from both KBC and HJC) is that the former is the better made lid. My .02 worth only Dee, since you asked the question.

Edit: I hadn't read all of Booth's post before typing the above. Still, I don't feel as though I'd be under protected with a KBC. You don't always get what you pay for, the old saw notwithstanding. Call me a skeptic.

Heavy-Dee · 07-21-2003, 8:22 PM

Quote:

Chain : My perception (having hefted products from both KBC and HJC) is that the former is the better made lid. My .02 worth only Dee, since you asked the question.

I would tend to agree, but I have never tried KBC, or crash tested my HJC either. Aaron Yate wears HJC and he tends to crash on occasion. Perhaps that is why his interviews are incomprehendable.

pdx954 · 07-22-2003, 3:06 AM

Quote OGK is Japanese and direct competitors with Arai in asian and euro markets and are making their way into the US market. I was impressed with some of the data that I read on them, their prices and it fits just like my RX-7. I posted a thumbs up a few days back for anyone interested. I have worn arai for a long time and would still be wearing Arai if it weren't for their internet policy. Simply stated, I refuse to pay $200 more for a helmet because I have to go through a local dealer. In short, I still like the quality of Arai, but don't like their policies and found something equal to them for less. Suomy is another equal to Arai IMHO, but don't fit my obtuse melon.

h8

I've started to notice OGK's popping up more and more lately. I downloaded the Ghostrider video and saw that he rode with one, incredibly sick video by the way. Any word on when they'll make it to the states? Any of our Euro friends have one? They seem pretty sweet and well priced.

G-Force Junkie · 07-22-2003, 4:15 AM

It boils down to comparing apples to oranges when rating helmets by the Snell or DOT (in the USA) tests. They test different aspects of helmet protection, A helmet designed to pass one with flying colors can fail the other miserably. So, is one test better than the other? Depends on how your going to smack your mellon on something, and that you usualy something you don't get a choice in!

luvtolean · 07-22-2003, 12:35 PM

I have a Thor motocross helmet that is made by the same Korean company that makes KBC. I do think I am less protected.

Roadracing World, though a pretty biased mag at times, did a study comparing all of the helmet brands based on concussions per crash among club racers. Shoei and Arai were significantly better than any other brand.

Zeeman · 07-22-2003, 12:43 PM

Shoei has done a good job of protecting my melon so far

Even fits my noggin like it should..

Z...

fl-929 · 07-22-2003, 2:58 PM

Quote:

pdx954 : Quote OGK is Japanese and direct competitors with Arai in asian and euro markets and are making their way into the US market. *I was impressed with some of the data that I read on them, their prices and it fits just like my RX-7. *I posted a thumbs up a few days back for anyone interested. *I have worn arai for a long time and would still be wearing Arai if it weren't for their internet policy. *Simply stated, I refuse to pay $200 more for a helmet because I have to go through a local dealer. In short, I still like the quality of Arai, but don't like their policies and found something equal to them for less. Suomy is another equal to Arai IMHO, but don't fit my obtuse melon.

h8

I've started to notice OGK's popping up more and more lately. *I downloaded the Ghostrider video and saw that he rode with one, incredibly sick video by the way. *Any word on when they'll make it to the states? *Any of our Euro friends have one? *They seem pretty sweet and well priced.
OGK helmets in the US