helmets

[James_G]

So what's the summary from this "I know, but I'm not going to tell you I know until too many "nonsense" conclusions have been drawn" merry go round? Trackday = any helmet from a reputable manufacturer?? Competition = any MSA approved helmet?? Personally, I don't care need to know as my track day career ends next month and I've done enough track days to know that nobody has given anymore than a cursory glance to my helmet, but I suspect the OP might want some helpful reassurance.

 

[Lancerlot]

ORIGINAL: James_G Personally, I don't care as I've done enough track days to know that nobody has given anymore than a cursory glance to my helmet, but I suspect the OP might want some helpful reassurance.

Crash helmets are bit like insurance policies - you only know how good they are when you have reason to depend on them! [] Regards, Clive

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: Mark Bennett Ahhh... So your original question wasn't in fact a request for info, as you know a lot more then most people here about it all... [] I've got to say it would have saved me a bit of time searching around for something helpful to back up what I remembered finding out myself when I was buying if you had just posted the above in the first place - but I thought I was helping.[&o] When I bought I was informed that Brands Hatch etc would not be accepting bike lids for track days - this may never have actually come in to force (I don't know)? - but it was a reason I went for car over bike myself. Got to point out I did say that some meet the approval of both car and bike - as does your Arai (which I couldn't afford!).

It wasnt meant to be a trap: it was rushed and I wanted to know what people meant by 'bike' helemts before I ranted...[]

 

[Hilux]

944man talks a lot of sense []

Now for a trackday I can't see myself changing from open face, in a race car I am thinking a face full of glass is not a nice prospect.

I have a motorbike helmet rated to the required current spec but am getting an open face helmet and (from my mountain biking, Westfield and Ginetta days) have always used with full face as you dont need a visor in a track car (and will use with an open face helmet) ballistic rated safety glasses in clear and sunglass shades as a stone in the eyes was something I wanted to avoid and also glass splinters if the windscreen popped. I used to have Oakleys but now use Peltor Iridium

 

[sawood12]

Motorbike helmets are designed the way they (i.e. not to necessarily take repeated blows on the same spot) are for very specific and deliberate reasons. In a motorbike crash you tend to take one large impact when you hit the ground then you slide, so have very few repeated impacts, especially on the very same spot as the initial impact site. The force in the single large impact is much higher than you would experience in a car as the distance your head moves before impact is much higher and you are hitting an object that is moving quite quickly relative to you, so the shell of the helmet has to absorb the impact. A helmet for a car is different as you are protecting against repeated blows with the internal structure of the car where your head is not moving very far and the relative speed between your head and the roll cage (or whatever your head is about to strike) is alot lower. So it is not hte case that motorbike helmets are somehow inferior than car helmets - it's selecting the right tool for the right job.

 

[944 man]

If your memory is a little monger youll recall that Arais first 'car' helmets were identical to their bike helmets: they then gained smaller apetures and a Nomex lining in place of the usual lining. For anything short of a Super licence, a BS6658-A/Fr helmet it the best that you can get and thats physically identical to a BS6658-A 'bike' helmet in all but the fireproof lining.