My opinions on helmets, worth exactly what you pay for it:
The Snell Memorial Foundation is the non-profit private organization that tests racing helmets. I believe it was founded when a racer died because of a crappy helmet. Snell ratings are competition-based, and come out every 5 years. A Snell helmet is normally approved for 10 years max by every racing org I know of. The Snell 2010 rating won't be released until October, so if you can wait, get the 2010. 2010 is a "grace" year, so a 2000 will be OK until 2011. There are 2 ratings = "M" and "SA". M = is the basic rating, is cheaper, but hasn't been fire tested. SA is special app, which includes fire resistance. More orgs are moving towards the SA rating, so if I could afford a SA rating, I'd get it. I love open face helmets, but that's another area where they are being DQ'd for competition, so I'd stick with full face helmets.
The other US rating is DOT. That is a set of written construction guidelines and testing procedures to be followed by helmet MFR's for street safety on bikes at legal speeds. They aren't actually subject to 3rd party testing, nor tested in competition circumstances. I'd avoid a DOT-only helmet for racing.
When shopping, first check for the sticker; no sticky, no racy. It's inside the helmet, under the liner. PITA. Next, put the helmet on your head, hold the sides of it firm, and try to twist your head. You should not be able to turn your head more than maybe 45 deg max, the tighter the better. If you can turn the helmet 75 deg, your chin strap will slip off in impact, and your second bounce can be lethal.
Consider that even in passenger cars, the #1 cause of death is head injury. They put padded interiors, shoulder belts, and airbags in cars instead of helmets because nobody would have tolerated mandatory helmets in cars. Since motorcycles are less than 1%, they got helmets.
After buying gobs of helmets over the last 35 years, I do not necessarily buy into the "Got a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet" routine. Pretty much all of them use styrofoam (they call it something else) as the life saving component. The shell is there to hold the styrofoam in place and stop sharp object punctures. I've seen cheap helmets I like better than $$$ helmets. And since they all must pass the same testing by Snell, I'd buy the one that has the features and fit that you like best. My LSR helmet is about $650, but it has additional fire features and more coverage than a normal SA helmet does.
The Snell Memorial Foundation is the non-profit private organization that tests racing helmets. I believe it was founded when a racer died because of a crappy helmet. Snell ratings are competition-based, and come out every 5 years. A Snell helmet is normally approved for 10 years max by every racing org I know of. The Snell 2010 rating won't be released until October, so if you can wait, get the 2010. 2010 is a "grace" year, so a 2000 will be OK until 2011. There are 2 ratings = "M" and "SA". M = is the basic rating, is cheaper, but hasn't been fire tested. SA is special app, which includes fire resistance. More orgs are moving towards the SA rating, so if I could afford a SA rating, I'd get it. I love open face helmets, but that's another area where they are being DQ'd for competition, so I'd stick with full face helmets.
The other US rating is DOT. That is a set of written construction guidelines and testing procedures to be followed by helmet MFR's for street safety on bikes at legal speeds. They aren't actually subject to 3rd party testing, nor tested in competition circumstances. I'd avoid a DOT-only helmet for racing.
When shopping, first check for the sticker; no sticky, no racy. It's inside the helmet, under the liner. PITA. Next, put the helmet on your head, hold the sides of it firm, and try to twist your head. You should not be able to turn your head more than maybe 45 deg max, the tighter the better. If you can turn the helmet 75 deg, your chin strap will slip off in impact, and your second bounce can be lethal.
Consider that even in passenger cars, the #1 cause of death is head injury. They put padded interiors, shoulder belts, and airbags in cars instead of helmets because nobody would have tolerated mandatory helmets in cars. Since motorcycles are less than 1%, they got helmets.
After buying gobs of helmets over the last 35 years, I do not necessarily buy into the "Got a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet" routine. Pretty much all of them use styrofoam (they call it something else) as the life saving component. The shell is there to hold the styrofoam in place and stop sharp object punctures. I've seen cheap helmets I like better than $$$ helmets. And since they all must pass the same testing by Snell, I'd buy the one that has the features and fit that you like best. My LSR helmet is about $650, but it has additional fire features and more coverage than a normal SA helmet does.
oke: