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Brecon Triangle part 2 13/09/09

Tom,

Blag one from a motorbiking friend or find out if Llandow have any you can use.

If you really want to buy one, then I would recommend only purcahsing a MSA approved motorsport helmet,which will stand you in good stead if you take to this track stuff and want to do more, else it'll be easier to sell on.

Demon Tweeks do a good range at all prices also offer a good buy or return service.

There are plenty of postings on helmets on the forum and they range from about £70 to £700+ but basically buy the best you can afford since cheaper equals heavier and that'll save the bonce but might break the neck!

PM me if you need the MSA specifications.

Regards,

Clive
 
I have a Motorbike one for my trackdays, I also use it for karting days and for actually going pillion on bikes... [;)]

Full MSA approved helmets cannot be used for road use and I doubt you'd want to use it for Karting due to costs.
I'm sure that Llandow had Helmets available but whether they have your size would be down to luck.. I will ask the question.

As Clive says, the weight is the enemy and I picked a reasonably priced unit that fitted well and was as light as I dared to afford..
For the amount of trackdays I do it will suffice for a fair few years yet...

garyw
 
I think for trackdays anything that looks like a helmet and has a hard outside to it would qualify. I haven't been to one where they examine the helmet - bit different if you're racing, I'm sure. You also want to consider full face or open, Tom. I wear glasses and just can't get on with full face in the car as I keep steaming up and can't see where I'm going - which some say may be an advantage!
 
Looking through some paperwork, they do have helmets to hire- I believe they are £5

I'd of preferred open face but read too many saying its not such a good idea if the worst was to happen... also as said earlier when I'm karting the full face...
It gets a bit warm with the full face but I find that actually helps me keep my time on track shorter allowing an easier time on the car and me [;)]

Don't forget your driving License on the day!!

garyw
 
I saw on Piston heads today that tracks have recently tightened up the helmet requirements and some of them are inspecting and refusing to let people use non compliant lids.

The bike shop today found one that fitted me but referred me to the standards as they had a few people recently buy lids an get rejected at tracks for car use.

What I can't find is the standards themselves - the track websites refer to the standards but don't publish them, it looks like you need the MSA standards for this year - £60 to you sire, if you want to know whats compliant.

What I got from Piston heads was the following

  • BS 6658 Type A or A/FR
  • SNELL SA 2005/ SNELL 2000
  • FIA 8860-2004
SFI Foundation 31.1a, 31.2a

These are this years possible compatible standards - no guidance as to which is preferred in UK

Trouble is Bike helmets use different standards like ACU Gold and EU 2205, which without a description of each does not really allow you to assess whether any are compatible.

Confused - I haven't got a clue, other than it appears that the bureaucrats have decided to even go on a track day you know have to have a racing helmet and all the associated costs before you actually know if you like it.

Yes I could try and hire one but looking on the website most car helmets go up to XL in size, I was sized today at XXXL. This was borne out when i did a day at silverstone and they only had one helmet for hire on the whole site across all there activities that fitted me.
 
Tom,

Type A/FR is fire resistant and will be the only one accepted shortly so go for that.

The others are international type approvals and are acceptable both in UK and elsewhere.

A/FR prices are exempt from VAT (British Standard). Snell and FIA are not - some of these are likely to be prohibitively expensive for occasional use

I'll send you details of the lastest MSA Blue book regulations tomorrow once I sober up. I've just had a good night out and a glass or 2 of Remi XO! So not entirely with it.
4.gif


Have a look at Arai helmets - they're a good balance between lightness, comfort and cost, but be prepared to
spend at least £200 to £400 for a decent one.
Regards,

Clive.

PS. I don't agree with Gary that MSA approved helmets cannot be used on the public highway.
 
For plain old track day purposes these regs do all seem a bit OTT! Like they say, motorsport can be dangerous and everyone signs a disclaimer anyway. What next - full racing harness and fireproof suits? A don't fancy my chances with the simple diagonal strap "if the worst came to the worst" never mind what type of helmet I've got on. Which tracks are inspecting helmets, Tom? Right, excuse me while I just pop off to get the roll cage fitted..[:D]
 
Here's the relevant section of MSA Blue Book.

Helmet Regs.

Track owners are much more safety (risk) conscious nowadays and I suppose you could agrue that an accident is an accident irrespective of whether it happens in a race or just a trackday. If you're the one involved, I guess you would want the best protection possible.

Motorsport helmets are lifed (5 years I believe) and elderly, manky helmets are likely to offer poor protection in the event of an incident.

There's quite a useful article here

See you next week.

Regards,

Clive

 
For those staying at the Hotel on the Saturday night, dinner is in the La Cucina Restaurant.
We are looking at 7.30 for 8.00

There is no offical dress code, but smart casual is acceptable. You can obviously wear your heels then though.....[;)]

garyw
 
Yes, another big thank you to Jo and Gary for organising a great weekend. Great weather, great company and great fun! Summer arrived a few months too late but it was very welcome indeed. Couple of pictures here and a link to a short slide show of some photos of the two days.
DSC_0539.jpg



Don't seem to have any of Gary on track though!
Hope I've managed to obscure all the reg's and the photos are not that sharp (and it looks like my camera needs a clean -couple of spots on the clear blue sky)as I used max compression but look ok in the slide show!

http://s437.photobucket.com/albums/qq100/tscaptain/Llandow/?albumview=slideshow
 
Reading the reports of the track day and yesterday's drive it looks as though everyone (with the possible exception of Steve) had a great weekend; the weather adding a final polish to another of Gary's brilliantly organised events.

Although I'm still not sure that track days are for me I have enjoyed several of the 997 register drives and would have joined in the Brecon drive had not uncertainty about plans prevented me from signing up before all the available places had been snapped up. However, I invited myself along for lunch as the opportunity to catch-up with so many "ex-Swissers" was not to be missed.

As a drive-out participant it is rarely possible to get a view of the cars in action but since on this occasion I wasn't going to be part of the group I thought there might be a chance to get some dynamic photographs of the convoy. Gary suggested that a suitable location would be about 4½ miles south of Point 8 on his route map.

There now follows a master class in what not to do.

Either because I left the flash card at home in the computer or the battery at home on charge I have recently missed the chance of some good pictures. So this time, because this was going to be an exceptional opportunity, and one a repeat of which might be a long time in coming, I made doubly sure that I had packed everything I needed.

Arriving on station in good time I carried out a reconnoitre of the area and took numerous photographs of passing cars with two or three different lenses from several different places and eventually settled on a suitable spot with a good panorama of the road. About the time I was expecting to hear the approach of a gaggle of flat sixes, and one V8, my ears were picking up the altogether different tone of my mobile phone; it was Judy to let me know that the group was running about 30 minutes late because of Steve's tyre trouble.

Rather than stand idly around I thought I might as well double check to see whether there was a better position. I also decided that the few white clouds would stand out better against the blue sky if I fitted the polarizing filter and just to confirm that all was working as planed I took a few more test shots. Finally I decided that an elevated position about a hundred yards back from the road with the Canon 300mm f4 lens and polarising filter would give the best opportunity for shots of cars as they approached and departed .

Eventually with the aid of the long-lens I spotted the group across the other side of the valley coming down the A40 near Bwlch and then making the turn onto the B4560

IMG_2289.jpg


I took a few shots as Gary rounded the corner at the crest of the first stage of the climb.

IMG_2294.jpg


But then I couldn't take any more. I pressed the shutter release time and again, but nothing. Valuable seconds ticked away. Finally I realised the flash card memory was full. Cursing all those test shots I scrambled in my camera bag for the spare memory card but by the time I had it installed in the camera the group was departing up the other side of the valley.

IMG_2299.jpg


IMG_2301.jpg


IMG_2303.jpg


IMG_2305.jpg


IMG_2307.jpg


IMG_2312.jpg


So, as I learned at business school, the six Ps can help (Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance) but you still need a brain, or failing that plenty of memory.

Great final venue:
IMG_2315.jpg
 
Allan
Many Thanks to your commitment shown in standing by your post [:)]
I was surprised, even shocked to see Chris waving at me considering how late we were running.
At the designated time we had agreed we were still standstill with no phone signal [:(]
My sincere thanks for waiting for us to arrive and then joining us for Lunch

Thats some shot seeing us turn off the A40!!!!!

I should also say a big thanks to Murray at the Old Ferry Inn, for being patient with us and keeping our lunch warm.[:)]
It was hopefully a memorable finish to the event.


garyw
 
Allan
Whatever your trials and tribulations with the memory card, I shall treasure the pic of me in front of the Fezza!
Thanks
 
ORIGINAL: tscaptain
I don't think the bloke on the bike was too impressed though!
The same one that was in front of me doing 40mph whilst weaving about on the road....[&:]
I have a lot of patience for bikers, happily waving them past and moving over for them to squeeze by, however Sunday did test me....[8|]

garyw
 
Yes that one too and the one in the photo! As "tail end Charlie" and the last one to zip past I had the privelege of seeing the shock/horror/fear/disgust on their faces - which was worth a grin or two![:D]
 
TS great to finally meet up in person,

Will put some picci's up when I get the camera off Jacqui

Gary - great day out on the Becon's. Fantastic route as ever.

 
I'm pleased to report that I haven't received a 'welcome to Wales' postcard from the Scamera van [:)] not that I should of as I was at 'about' the NSL at the time I went over the brow of the hill....[&:]
I'd of been gutted to get one at that point on the A40[:(] especially being as that wasn't originally part of the route.
Happy days[:)]

garyw
 

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