Helmets?

[Rob260]

Hey guys, first of all yes I have searched -but couldn't find anything more recent than 2007.

Hey guys, was planning to hit the drags today but hit something of a snag with my helmet being more than 10 years old (it's a hand me down from my old man). I want to go out and buy a new one in the next couple of days to hopefully get down on Wednesday.

So who is using what and where did you get it from? I can find heaps of online suppliers but not many physical stores.

Would a full face bike helmet be OK provided it conforms to appropriate standards? Or should I really be looking at a "motorsport" helmet? Bike helmets seem to start around $90 up to $400 for something top of the line (carbon fibre, ventilation etc etc) whereas motorsport helmets seem to start around $400?

And any thoughts on the helmets below?

http://www.autosport.com.au/itemdetailspage/15361

http://raceline-racewear.com.au/pyro...ce-helmet.html

I had a look at Sparco and Revolution racegear websites but couldn't find much in the sub $700 range.

[White GTS-T]

I'm in the market for a new Helmet, so i'm keen to see what people are using and how they rate them. * Subscribed.

[billywhiz]

If it's a quick purchase, pop down to your local bike shop(s) and try them on for fit. Note some ebay imports don't come with aussie standards stickers though apparently you can purchase those stickers online too?

Personally run plain colour full face with visor removed (no ventilation issues in closed cockpit) with sunnies. Iirc $300-500.

This is old and you can ignore their recommendation but it explains the testing process and international standards that get pushed.

Google "blowing the lid off"

[Rob260]

Thanks for the feedback, there's a warehouse about an hour drive from me I can probably head to and try some on

Note some ebay imports don't come with aussie standards stickers though apparently you can purchase those stickers online too?

This is a bit of a worry! If it's protecting my head I think I'd rather pay a little more for one that comes with a sticker... even if it is the same product...

[boxheadmr]

You can get aus std helmets pretty cheap for as low as <$150 from these motorcycle shops.

[niZmO_Man]

I got mine from a bike accessories shop, ~$120. Has DOT and ADR stickers (important).

[pphhhfffttt]

can't go wrong with an rjays, <$150 and meets all the aus safety requirements.
like others have suggested, it's recommended to head in store and try them on to get the perfect fit.

http://www.mcas.com.au/motorcycle-helmets-road/rjays

http://www.mcas.com.au/our-stores

Edited September 29, 2013 by pphhhfffttt

[Rob260]

So I bit the bullet and went with the Velo from my original post. $399 with overnight delivery seemed a fair price (after doing some digging) for a basic motorsport type helmet, and complies with SNELL2010 so I'll get another 6-7 years out of it.

[White GTS-T]

Good choice. Let us know what you think. The only place I had really looked was Revolution Racegear and their line of Bell helmets. Those Velo helmets are a fair bit cheaper than what I was expecting to pay.

http://www.revolutionracegear.com.au/index.php?PCID=15558&PSO=245&PSID=522650000-&PSV=Primary&CDO=

[JimmyRickard]

Any reason why the Velo helmets are so much cheaper?

[Rob260]

Any reason why the Velo helmets are so much cheaper?

Dunno -I've seen the full face velos advertised up to about $499, but that first site I linked to is the Australian distributor so maybe that's why they're a little cheaper via their online store?

It's also something of a "no frills" helmet -leaves out a lot of features that I just don't need for the type of use it'll be getting.

[billywhiz]

Appreciate Robert has purchased his but if anyone is still interested, this was the articleBlowing_the_Lid_Off.pdf

[JimmyRickard]

Can someone give me the jist it's a long read

[Duncan]

only one thing to keep in mind; if you might be getting serious in the future and want a HANS device, you might want to consider the HANS posts when you buy the helmet....they can be expensive or impossible to add later.

personally I use a cheapy motorcycle helmet, whatever fits comfortably. Also get a decent helmet bag and use it, scruitineers will knock back helmets with surface damage, even if it was only a scratch while rolling around in the boot.

BTW that article is very interesting and worth the read....it's not fully relevant to race car use but had interesting conclusions

[JimmyRickard]

only one thing to keep in mind; if you might be getting serious in the future and want a HANS device, you might want to consider the HANS posts when you buy the helmet....they can be expensive or impossible to add later.

personally I use a cheapy motorcycle helmet, whatever fits comfortably. Also get a decent helmet bag and use it, scruitineers will knock back helmets with surface damage, even if it was only a scratch while rolling around in the boot.

You use a motorcycle helmet for door to door racing?

[GTR-N1]

Any reason why the Velo helmets are so much cheaper?

There's never a complaint when the survival rate is zero.

jk - couldnt resist sorry

[Duncan]

You use a motorcycle helmet for door to door racing?

absolutely. and that helmet report explains why

here is the CAMS rules, section 3.1 http://docs.cams.com.au/Manual/GeneralRequirements/GQ05_Schedule_D.pdf

[JimmyRickard]

absolutely. and that helmet report explains why

here is the CAMS rules, section 3.1 http://docs.cams.com.au/Manual/GeneralRequirements/GQ05_Schedule_D.pdf

Cool, saves me $800 odd bucks. Cheers

[boxheadmr]

Interesting talking with the Velo guys today at WTA. They seem to have some really good quality stuff at very reasonable prices.

[White GTS-T]

Decided, f**k it, and went all out. Got the HANS posts and all.