DOT SNELL ECE What do you want on your head?

Discussion in 'Gear & Accessories' started by kurtismaximus, Apr 7, 2010.

  1. kurtismaximus

    kurtismaximus New Member

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    I am in the market for a new helmet. I have been doing lots of reading and most people seem to agree that the snell standard might be a little stiff. I did see that the snell 2010 standard has been dropped form 300G's to 275. and is much closer to matching the ECE standard of europe. But still is a DOT helmet better. Where do you find that balance between the track day and my normal commute? I have been looking at Arai, shoei, suomy, shark, and a few others. I am just getting more confused about what I want/need to more I read. I know all the get a helmet that fits right stuff. I want to know what is better when your not rubber side down?
    Thanks,
     
  2. KC-10 FE

    KC-10 FE New Member

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    The new Snell M2010 is no where near the same as the M2005 standard. Without going into in depth detail, all you need to know is the new M2010 is now basically the same as all the rest of the established world standards, ECE, DOT, BSE, etc. If memory serves, the only one that isn't on board with the new Snell is the Japan racing certification. Snell did this to appease all the helmet makers that must currently make separate helmets for separate markets. To make this as easy to understand as possible, the new Snell is much more forgiving than the old Snell & is pretty much spot on with the 2010 DOT standard.

    KC-10 FE out...
    :plane: :usa2:
     
  3. kurtismaximus

    kurtismaximus New Member

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    Do you think more forgiving is better?
     
  4. 02 VFR Rider

    02 VFR Rider New Member

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    My understanding was in the states that DOT is the minimun legal hemet and SNELL being better, when I raced in the 90's you could not get a DOT helmet to pass tech, it had to be SNELL ( SNELL is a higher rating then DOT so the helmet would be SNELL / DOT ) and what ever the given year was required.
    SNELL 2010 brings the 2005 up to euro ECE standards and is basicly a wordwide aproved standard now.
    I would not wear a DOT only aproved helmet, it would have to be a SNELL 2005 rated minimum.
     
  5. jasonsmith

    jasonsmith Member

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    Map
  6. KC-10 FE

    KC-10 FE New Member

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    LIke I said, the "NEW" Snell M2010 is almost the exact same thing as the current DOT. Motorcyclist magazine clearly debunked the myth that Snell good, DOT bad. Read the link Jason posted. It isn't my opinion, it's a test done by professionals.

    If that doesn't convince you, read this as well.
    http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/snell-2010-standard.htm

    Any helmet will protect your melon & is required to do so by law. That's why us VFR riders make fun of the idiots with the $4 soup-bowl-with-a-chin-strap helmets. As I've said many times in the past, buy the helmet that fits your head correctly & wear it.

    KC-10 FE out...
    :plane: :usa2:
     
  7. uberchuckie

    uberchuckie New Member

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    All I know is that Snell M2005 helmet works!

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I had a tankslapper at the track last weekend. No head injuries.
     
  8. pgcorky

    pgcorky New Member

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    Seems like it's good that we're having this discussion. It means we're wearing helmets which is the good first step. I've read the articles from past years - and the very rigid Snell standard simply didn't emulate a real life accident situation. Essentially helmets had to be made with an extremely hard exterior to pass the Snell 150 joule + 110 joule hits. "Dr. Jim Newman, an actual rocket scientist and highly respected head-impact expert—he was once a Snell Foundation director—puts it this way: If you want to create a realistic helmet standard, you don't go bashing helmets onto hemispherical steel balls. And you certainly don't do it twice." In the tests referenced in Motorcyclist Online (Motorcycle Helmet Design, Helmet Standards and Head Protection - Gear Box - Motorcyclist Online) some of the "softest" DOT only helmets fared far better in tests than the Snell helmets. Anyways, great to debate - we're all better off and more likely to survive an accident wearing a helmet.
     
  9. skivfr1

    skivfr1 New Member

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    One word.....................ARAI !!
     
  10. captmarc

    captmarc New Member

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    I based my decision on this... SHARP Helmets - THE HELMET SAFETY SCHEME

    Read the article from motorcyclist online as well, and it made me wary of Snell M2005. I had an Arai with my old Katana and it fit great, but surprisingly Arai didn't fare as well as I would have expected on the Sharp ratings.

    Found a Shark RSX on ebay, New old stock, for 140, couldn't pass it up. There were only a couple of helmets that had 5 star ratings from Sharp, that also had "green" zones all the way around the helmet, this was one of them. (You'll see what I mean when you look at the site).

    Hope I never have to find out if I made the right call.
     
  11. KC-10 FE

    KC-10 FE New Member

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    While that SHARP site is awesome & appears to have great information, it only has Euro/Brit helmets. So, a person's favorite helmet may not be listed. I really wish someone would start a testing site like that for the US market.

    KC-10 FE out...
    :plane: :usa2:
     
  12. pgcorky

    pgcorky New Member

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    I took a closer look at the SHARP site. Lots of Euro brands, but quite a few that are highly rated and available in the US - including some pretty common brands like:
    Shoei
    HJC
    Bell
    KBC
    Shark
    Scorpion
    Nolan
    Arai
    AGV

    Obviously, the tests are on specific models of helmet within those brands - so make sure to check the ratings for make/model, get a helmet that fits, and wear it.
     
  13. Spike

    Spike New Member

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    be aware that the same model may be constructed slightly differently for different markets, wtih different foam to meet local regulations
     
  14. kurtismaximus

    kurtismaximus New Member

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    Lovin the sharp website. That and some of the other articles about the snell standard really make you think. It is kind of nice to see that the top rated helmets dont match the list of the most expensive helmets. Looking at the stuff I have read I am still leaning towards Suomy, but might save some money and get the vandal instead of the extreme. Seems like the VFR riders are a bit more responsible that some of the others. Maybe we can make leathers cool now that we all seem to be riding with good helmets.
     
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