SHARP helmet ratings released

[sil3nt]

A magazine in the UK has already found the SHARP tests have very little to do with what happens in a motorcycle accident. I find it rather amusing that people have changed helmets based on these results.

[pritch]

"helmet testing designed by people who know nothing about helmets." (perhaps, but i'd rather trust an independent body of engineers and medical professionals than, say, a helmet company).

Well that's nice for you, if a touch sanguine perhaps.

My comments as quoted were made subsequent to reading an article on the SHARP tests in BIKE Magazine. It's a while ago now but from memory, one objection arose from the placement of the impact test points. It was felt that these may have been selected rather arbitrarily. One such is apparently over the ear, most helmets have less padding at that point for good reasons. Some helmets, however, are marked down due to this. It was also reported that the same selected point rarely suffers impact in real world situations as it's normally protected by the shoulder.

The Snell tests may also have been designed by independent engineers but you won't have to look far to find that there are equally qualified engineers and medical professionals who are very unhappy with that testing regime.

The basic idea of the SHARP tests is sound but it perhaps needs fine tuning to make it more applicable to real world situations. I certainly wouldn't be factoring the SHARP test results into any helmet purchase in the immediate future.

As always, you pays your money and you makes your choice.

[cs363]

The reality is that all of the helmet tests and standards are subjective (just like NCAP tests, but that's a whole other argument), and unfortunately until they allow human test subjects (unlikely)all of these tests are based on best guess scenarios.
One of the main tests that NCAP do for instance involves driving the car into a concrete block that is offset, as the inimitable Jeremy Clarkson stated - "In the real world people don't go around driving into offset concrete blocks, they drive into each other, head on!"
Yet NCAP don't do any tests simulating head on, car to car accidents, surely one of the most dangerous (considering combined speeds) and relatively common forms of injury accident in a car.
One of the main reasons that the car manufacturers have essentially given up opposing NCAP is a very simple one, the great unwashed (general public) who buy into these things like sheep have now become fixated on NCAP ratings and buy cars accordingly, yet in independent tests many of the cars that had lesser ratings have proven safer (under those test conditions).

I sincerely hope motorcyclists won't be so sheep like....

Just a quick Google search of 'SHARP helmet tests' will net you a huge variety of supporting & opposing viewpoints as to their credibility, likewise with NCAP.

However, back to the helmets - I'll stick with Arai because they have built a reputation with actual helmet users, in the real world for being the best. (check out the RX7 on the Arai US website that was crashed in at very high speed, the guy survived albeit with a few bodily injuries, but no head trauma http://www.araiamericas.com/default.aspx?pageid=49 ) while you're there, check out the other testimonials.

This is also interesting: http://motorcycleinsider.wordpress.c...-helmet-tests/


I've always found the bush telegraph is the best source of information, Arai are almost universally acclaimed as the best with Shoei a close second - that's good enough for me. All of these tests and ratings etc., should be used in conjunction with your own common sense and needs/requirements when buying a helmet - everyone is different.

But, that is of course just my 2 cents worth, each to his own - buy whatever makes you happy - for instance no good having an Arai if it doesn't fit the shape of your head!

[sexy beast]

excellent...my CYBER isnt listed in the test as well....time to buy a new one....woohooo im off shopping!

[FastBikeGear]

I dropped my super light weight carbon fibre 'name' brand helmet about six months ago on the concrete and as there was an evident crack in the paint work that looked like it might go deeper I bought a new replacement (Mid range model from same company) - this brand fits me exceptionally well and are very comfortable for me.

The old helmet was the top of the line carbon fibre helmet made by the manufacturer and I bought it regardless of cost because I was racing nearly every weekend at the time.

Anyway it's been sitting on the shelf waiting for me to get around to throwing it out. So I decided to smack it with the hammer to see what happened.

I gave it a light hit... and the hammer bounced back at me and some paint came off but no other damage - no suprise.

I gave it a harder hit in the same place again same result...some suprise.

I stuck it on the ground and smashed it as hard as I could with a two handed strike - again some paint came off but the shell still seemed perfectly intact...very suprised.

Bit suprised really I expected the hammer to go clean through the shell. If your head had been in it when I smacked it with the hammer you would now be taking disprin and having a lie down.

I wouldn't be surprised tro discover that progess means that the shell on my new mid range (less expensive) helment is a bit softer and a bit safer.

[Stickman]

Mabe Blosoms right i couldnt find mine on ther OHHHH crap.
Does anyone know anything about the HLD helmets.
i love it I even checked the Web site before I brought it.
http://www.kang-tex.com/product_info...cfe2142ea97071
But it wasnt in that test that I can find.

Don't worry. I've got an HLD too. If you hit that hard your head is the least of your worries

[R-Soul]

Anybody seen these new Lazer helmets with supersjkin technology?

http://www.gizmag.com/lazer-superskin-helmet/14345/
Looks lik eit might be worth a bit of money. 70% is quite a high number...
The webiste has lots of other interesting bike articles too..

[FastBikeGear]

Anybody seen these new Lazer helmets with supersjkin technology?

http://www.gizmag.com/lazer-superskin-helmet/14345/
Looks lik eit might be worth a bit of money. 70% is quite a high number...
The webiste has lots of other interesting bike articles too..

Lazer have been talking about these helmets for a while now. The January issue of Superbike Magazine also ran a bit of a feature on them. On the face of it they look like a great idea but a hard sell.

They won't get any support for the idea from other helmet manufacturers as they have patented the technology and at this stage they are saying they are not going to license it to other helmet manufacturers.

[R-Soul]

Lazer have been talking about these helmets for a while now. The January issue of Superbike Magazine also ran a bit of a feature on them. On the face of it they look like a great idea but a hard sell.

They won't get any support for the idea from other helmet manufacturers as they have patented the technology and at this stage they are saying they are not going to license it to other helmet manufacturers.

The testing does show that it has some great benefits. But perhaps their business model should have included licensing to other manufacturers. Or sale sof the skins to the manufacturers.

[avgas]

Good to know. KBC VR1 got the same as my old Shoei.
Only difference was this time I got a helmet for half the price of the old one.

[FastBikeGear]

Th testing does show that it has asome great benefits. But perhaps their business model should have included licensig to other manufacturers. Or sale sof the skins to the manufacturers.

I did some more research on this. Turns out Lazer actually license the technology from someone else! However they have an exclusive license agreement on this technology for motorcycle helmets.

[R-Soul]

I did some more research on this. Turns out Lazer actually license the technology from someone else! However they have an exclusive license agreement on this technology for motorcycle helmets.

hmmm I think that the licensors sold themselves short. Very short.

[trevsnz]

I was about to go buy a shoei helmet and got a bit worried after reading the star rating of the xr1000 only is 3, but I can rest easy now as the new xr1100 has a 5 star rating.

[carver]

go the KBC helmets..one got 1 star!

[Jonno.]

The reality is that all of the helmet tests and standards are subjective (just like NCAP tests, but that's a whole other argument), and unfortunately until they allow human test subjects (unlikely)all of these tests are based on best guess scenarios.
One of the main tests that NCAP do for instance involves driving the car into a concrete block that is offset, as the inimitable Jeremy Clarkson stated - "In the real world people don't go around driving into offset concrete blocks, they drive into each other, head on!"
Yet NCAP don't do any tests simulating head on, car to car accidents, surely one of the most dangerous (considering combined speeds) and relatively common forms of injury accident in a car.
One of the main reasons that the car manufacturers have essentially given up opposing NCAP is a very simple one, the great unwashed (general public) who buy into these things like sheep have now become fixated on NCAP ratings and buy cars accordingly, yet in independent tests many of the cars that had lesser ratings have proven safer (under those test conditions).

I sincerely hope motorcyclists won't be so sheep like....

Just a quick Google search of 'SHARP helmet tests' will net you a huge variety of supporting & opposing viewpoints as to their credibility, likewise with NCAP.

However, back to the helmets - I'll stick with Arai because they have built a reputation with actual helmet users, in the real world for being the best. (check out the RX7 on the Arai US website that was crashed in at very high speed, the guy survived albeit with a few bodily injuries, but no head trauma http://www.araiamericas.com/default.aspx?pageid=49 ) while you're there, check out the other testimonials.

This is also interesting: http://motorcycleinsider.wordpress.c...-helmet-tests/


I've always found the bush telegraph is the best source of information, Arai are almost universally acclaimed as the best with Shoei a close second - that's good enough for me. All of these tests and ratings etc., should be used in conjunction with your own common sense and needs/requirements when buying a helmet - everyone is different.

But, that is of course just my 2 cents worth, each to his own - buy whatever makes you happy - for instance no good having an Arai if it doesn't fit the shape of your head!

I read this type of reply a lot and I'll make a statement.

Saying "X brand is really good cause this guy crashed fast and is alright" doesn't mean squat because there's no comparitive evidence (ie same crash different helmet). For all you know you could have crashed in a 90 dollar oxford open face and be in a comparitive state in the same situation; yet because you've spend a lot more money on yours you can claim it's quality where as the oxford would be "lucky".
Most bikers don't spend a lot of time crashing, and when they do you're a little busy and it happens in a split second. So to have them say hey my helmet is awesome doesn't really prove anything, especially when they had to sell a kidney to pay for their Arai, I think a lot of people would definitely talk themselve into the fact they've made an investment.

And I'm not saying Arais or Shoeis aren't safe, but it's naive to assert they're the be all and end all of helmets.