Helmet Laws

[Tweeddale]

Hi everyone,

I have an awesome ICON helmet which is an american based brand that doesnt stock in australia and its ten times better than my HJC, well better anyways. It reaches Dot and Snell safety standards which are the american standard which shoei and all the other brands also have to meet. But because they dont sell in australia they dont have the shiny australian standards sticker, Which is illegal i believe. Would a cop fine me for wearing the helmet or is their no existing fine?

Thanks

You can see the specifications and a picture here: http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/it ... ivision=1#

[aardvark]

In most states, if not all, you will receive a fine and have the helmet confiscated. And then there's the question of insurance..... I for one wouldn't want to be found to be wearing an "illegal" helmet and facing the prospect of living the rest of your life in a wheelchair or needing some kind of permanent care because of a major head injury.

[Neka79]

yea... thats it...

[J.B]

Is there a process that can get a single helmet certified?

or is it only decided by aus standards when a new helmet range comes out?

[Neka79]

yep...destroy it!!

to pass standards they have to destroy a certain amount of lids, which have to pass the test....so theres 2 reasons NOT to import lids to aus..

1.they dont pass test
2.u dont wanna destroy 100 out of every 1000 lids...

not sure of EXACT numbers, but i believe they do spot tests too...

[Tweeddale]

Bugga, looks like ill keep using my HJC. I only had the ICON for when i was in america and now its just lying around, guess it will make a good spare.
Unless anyone knows where you can buy australian standard stickers?

[Tweeddale]

I understand the law, but i just remembered i have another australian standard helmet that is about as old as I am and its about as safe as a brick!

[Neka79]

I understand the law, but i just remembered i have another australian standard helmet that is about as old as I am and its about as safe as a brick!

dont bother trying to remove the sticker..it wont work

u may get away with using the other one for...ummm..not much..track days they check ya...umm go cart racing it might be usable??

[J.B]

to pass standards they have to destroy a certain amount of lids, which have to pass the test....

righteo, thats what I wanted to know.

[aardvark]

From previous enquries, I believe they test 8 helmets, at random, from every batch a distributor brings into the country.

You old helmets may have an Australian standards sticker on it, but if the padding is worn or destroyed or the exterior of the helmet is in a bad way, then it may not comply and you will effictively not be wearing a helmet.

[Tweeddale]

Fair enough, Yeah i already tried to remove the sticker, didnt go down to well. It will just stay as a spare helmet for the girlfriend!
Thanks everyone!

[zxsixr03]

I rock a US AGV Rossi rep as it wasn't available in Oz, it is the same Ti Tech helmet made for Oz same batch number and family number as i have a Oz standard Ti Tech too, so what do u do if u get a custom painted helmet? Australian standards is just another ploy for retailers to up the price and say its against the law.
BS all the way. Mine are all top of the range lids so why is one going to better than the other for a different country is the US asphalt softer than ours?
Fair enough if its some unknown brand test should be required but a known top of the range spec lid no way its already proved itself in many races around the world.

[Strika]

I rock a US AGV Rossi rep as it wasn't available in Oz, it is the same Ti Tech helmet made for Oz same batch number and family number as i have a Oz standard Ti Tech too, so what do u do if u get a custom painted helmet? Australian standards is just another ploy for retailers to up the price and say its against the law.
BS all the way. Mine are all top of the range lids so why is one going to better than the other for a different country is the US asphalt softer than ours?
Fair enough if its some unknown brand test should be required but a known top of the range spec lid no way its already proved itself in many races around the world.

Your right....what you said is BS all the way! Australian retailers have no say in it! Nor did they instigate or initiate the implementation of the Australian Standards requirement for Helmets. Importers have more costs associated with having to have X number of helmets from each batch destroyed in testing to prove compliance, so therefore they have to pass these associated costs onto the retailer. So the retailer makes no more money, and often less to keep prices affordable. Most bike shops operate on less than a 30% mark up for accessories. Try convincing Myer to run at those margins??? They wouldn't get out of bed for less than 100% mark up!!! The australian market place is small in terms of the mototcycle market, hence the lack of ability to buy in bulk and save costs.

The reason they have such stanards in Australia, is to assist people just like you in not buying a helmet which is a token gesture in terms of safety! If no Australian standards existed, unscrupulous importers could import and sell cheap helmets which don't comply to any safety standard and could perhaps be useless in terms of a crash! I know a few jewellers who have trouble recognising a knock off Tag Huer, so an AGV Titech wouldn't be too much of an issue for the XXXXXXXX to knock up!

I hope this somewhat explains the reasons why, and can in some way placate your very obvious disdain for AS1698!

[Neka79]

BS all the way. Mine are all top of the range lids so why is one going to better than the other for a different country is the US asphalt softer than ours?
.

nah..possibly not.... but gotta remeber, different countries have different impact testing...

AGV *may* use a softer, less protective shell in sum countries to keep cost down??

[Steve_TLS]

BS all the way. Mine are all top of the range lids so why is one going to better than the other for a different country is the US asphalt softer than ours?

In some states it's so soft they don't even have to wear a helmet.