Dropped Shoei helmet 8-(

[750Y]

Bugger! I had my helmet hanging on my mirror when I moved the bike & it fell off onto the concrete.
It’s not the first time that it’s hit the concrete but this particular time it made a different noise & I knew straight away that it wasn’t good. I picked it up & inspected it & there was no real visible damage but just the sound that it made was like when you drop a boiled egg. The other times it had made a sort of hollow sturdy sound & I wasn’t too concerned. Suffice to say, a new helmet is definitely on the cards.
Pity they don’t make the same model anymore. I’m thinking of importing a new one from the states but does anyone know if the states versions have ‘nz valid’ safety ratings? What are the pitfalls of importing a lid?

[Biff]

Shit. Sorry to hear that mate. It sounds like you're using your grey matter here and looking for a replacement. A dropped lid can obviously do some serious unseen damage.

Re' importing - It depends where you import it from. I've friends and colleagues who've imported lids (to the UK) from all over the world. General rules of thumb:

- Are they legal here? Do they meet the same legal standard? Or even an equivilant standard (albeit technicaly illegal to use here).
- Size. If you import one from Asia they are generally shorter in height, but slightly wider.
- Do you really want to buy a lid without trying it for size first?

I've a couple of mates that bought lids from Hong Kong and one from Japan. In general they didn’t have any problems with regards to size. But all of them went to a bike shop in their own country first and tried on the same model before ordering from overseas. While all those that bought them from Asia commented that the fit was "different", even though they'd bought the same size (as marked) lid as the one they'd tried out in the UK, none of them said that the lid was uncomfortable, and particularly not uncomfortable enough not to have benefited from the cost savings.

[NC]

Don't hang it on your mirror...

Or put it on car bonnets

Or ask a friend to carry it... :angry2:

[sparrow_34]

I had an Arai sent over from the States, and I don't know if I got lucky but I only paid GST when it arrived. I was sure there was going to be duty to pay as well. Worked out cheaper than buying here and that was when the exchange rate was not as good. Haven't thought about it passing NZ requirements or not :confused:

[vifferman]

If it passes overseas regulations, surely it's OK for here?

It's so easy to drop your helmet. I put my last one on my packrack while I unlocked the seat, even though I had a feeling it was going to fall off there. Luckily, it landed on the visor or vent or summat, so it didn't damage the helmet.
On the pamphlet that came with my helmet, it said a whole bunch of "never do this" and "never dot hat", including sticking it on the mirror, riding with it on the helmet lock, etc. and it said "when you take the helmet off, if you must put it down, place it on the ground on top of your gloves". I guess it can't fall far from there. :confused:

[Biff]

If it passes overseas regulations, surely it's OK for here?


:spudwhat:

I can only comment on the UK. In the UK you can't legally wear a helmet bought from anywhere else in the European Union as their standards are considered lower than UK ones! But nobody worries too much about that, and many Brit's now buy their biking gear from Andorra, a tax free haven between France and Spain.

[flyin]

Gutted m8!
its crazy where you see people leave their heads! -i usually put mine on th ground, on the gloves, and far enough from th bike that if th bike falls it can't land on my lid!

it always makes me wonder when you see these flash as bikes, with helmets sitting on the SEAT??? crazy...... and expensive....

[2_SL0]

BUGGER, Im sure you could squeeze into your kids helmet.

[betti]

the latest ec standards are tougher than the old uk B.S. kitemark ones, so as europe is (coff!)"a single market" all european helmets are legal in the Uk.
The only ones that arent are snell rated U.S. ones, I would reckon its gonna be a really harsh cop who prosecutes anyone for having the wrong safety standard lid on, never heard of it many years of bike instructing in blighty, though I guess there's always one in the world somewhere! :niceone:

[Silage]

I’m thinking of importing a new one from the states but does anyone know if the states versions have ‘nz valid’ safety ratings? What are the pitfalls of importing a lid?

Bad bounce man.

Apart from the issues of overseas qual. stds., the message around the shops is that the NZ Govt. has just dropped all import duty on helmets, so once that works thru the shops (or just push the price any how), you may not save much importing one yourself. One shop said a hypothetical $400 helmet will now be $250.

[Lou Girardin]

If you insist on supporting overseas economies at least make sure you buy a model currently available in NZ. Otherwise it's a long and/or expensive wait for parts.

[Biff]

the latest ec standards are tougher than the old uk B.S. kitemark ones, so as europe is (coff!)"a single market" all european helmets are legal in the Uk.


Really? According to my bike mag (just checked again for reference, dated Oct '04), helmets must be comply with and be marked with the standard 2.5 in order to be legally sold and used in the UK. However helmets sold throughout Europe carry the 2.4 mark and are therefore illegal for use in the UK. :spudwhat:

[750Y]

thanks for all the replies, I'll be aiming for a Shoei again as they fit my egg shaped head good. maybe i can go all out & get a x-11. i see them on ebay for $450USD($625NZD+shipping) & they're over a grand here...

[ALTRON]

I always put my helmet on the ground beside my bike. Hanging it on the mirror or resting it on the seat it seems like it could side off easily

[Timber020]

youd think they could put a thin layer of foam to protect a helmet from little drops which happen all to often. I guess it would ruin their good looks and make it differcult to see more serious damage.

[mini_me]

check out helmetcity.com - they have a sale on the rf-1000 atm
$277.99AM for one with graphics, add visor and chin curtain and bag plus shipping it comes to $585NZ and they will ship to NZ
mini_me

[NhuanH]

thanks for all the replies, I'll be aiming for a Shoei again as they fit my egg shaped head good. maybe i can go all out & get a x-11. i see them on ebay for $450USD($625NZD+shipping) & they're over a grand here...

c'mon, get the Arai you've always coveted. :banana:

[limmy]

thanks for all the replies, I'll be aiming for a Shoei again as they fit my egg shaped head good. maybe i can go all out & get a x-11. i see them on ebay for $450USD($625NZD+shipping) & they're over a grand here...

I'm thinking bout getting one of those through ebay as well. My budget HJC is starting to fall apart. The one I saw for the x-11 was for $480 though which is still much cheaper than getting them here.

[inlinefour]

Don't hang it on your mirror...

Or put it on car bonnets

Or ask a friend to carry it... :angry2:

Treat it like the true treasure it is, it might pay off one day in an accident.
:wari:

[Sensei]

750 YYYYYYY did you put it on your mirror ??? . Every one know's they jump off there on their own . At least you are buying another Top helmet . Have 3 Shoei's . Fit the best for me to . :yeah:
SENSEI

[T.I.E]

Don't hang it on your mirror...

Or put it on car bonnets

Or ask a friend to carry it... :angry2:

or leave it in the office for idiotic work mates to pick it up and say ohhhh look at me, then accidently drop it. "oh no but it looks ok they say" idiots.

[750Y]

I'm thinking bout getting one of those through ebay as well. My budget HJC is starting to fall apart. The one I saw for the x-11 was for $480 though which is still much cheaper than getting them here.

hmm, having a problem with the budget right now so can't splash out yet. tried on a hjc 'CS12'?? today felt pretty good. i saw the CL14 is on sale elsewhere but that thing looked like it would fall apart pretty quick.

[limmy]

hmm, having a problem with the budget right now so can't splash out yet. tried on a hjc 'CS12'?? today felt pretty good. i saw the CL14 is on sale elsewhere but that thing looked like it would fall apart pretty quick.

I'm using the CL12 at the moment and the bottom rubber bit is falling off. That's why i'm thinking bout getting a new helmet.

When are they changing the law for duty on helmets?

[limmy]

Bad bounce man.

Apart from the issues of overseas qual. stds., the message around the shops is that the NZ Govt. has just dropped all import duty on helmets, so once that works thru the shops (or just push the price any how), you may not save much importing one yourself. One shop said a hypothetical $400 helmet will now be $250.

Do you know when the duty import is going to be dropped? or is it just rumours?

[Aitch]

That the first time you dropped your helmet onto a hard surface you threw it away. Cos they're meant to absorb even relatively small impacts by falling apart internally, even if you can't see any damage.
Did the nice people at the motorbike school lie to me?????/

[750Y]

That the first time you dropped your helmet onto a hard surface you threw it away. Cos they're meant to absorb even relatively small impacts by falling apart internally, even if you can't see any damage.
Did the nice people at the motorbike school lie to me?????/

sounds pretty harsh to me but i guess the point is that you can never be 100% sure it's ok after that. helmets are stronger than many people think & they may still be good for saving you from roadrash, just that their impact saving abilities may have degraded.

Limmy: the duty is off now! some retailers have reduced their helmets in order to move them before the new 'non duty' batches come in and they are priced out. thanks for the advice on the hjc, i'll just wait till i can afford a new shoei & in the meantiome concentrate on staying on.

[750Y]

c'mon, get the Arai you've always coveted. :banana:

Well I found out that shoei have changed their shell shape with the new models (xr1000,xspirit etc.). This is really disappointing as I am/was a dedicated Shoei guy and love my existing helmet & the one before it, they were like levis for me, I could just walk in off the street & straight into a stock size & they felt ‘right’ but they don’t fit me well anymore. They are also higher cut in the back which means there is noticeably more of the back of the neck exposed which is a backward step imho. I am seriously looking at an Arai but Dam they are pricey here & sell from over 2 – 2.5 times the price that I can land one from US. Oh well time to start saving up.