Blowing the lid off helmet performance

General Discussion
Post Reply
User avatar
aardvark
Apprentice Post Whore :-)
Apprentice Post Whore :-)
Posts: 5766
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2004 6:45 pm
Bike: Yamaha
State: South Australia
Location: Adelaide, S.A.
Contact:

Blowing the lid off helmet performance

Post by aardvark »

User avatar
Smitty
VIP MEMBER
VIP MEMBER
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 1:59 pm
Bike: ZX12R
State: Victoria
Location: 3rd rock from the Sun
Contact:

Post by Smitty »

wow

I learnt a bit more about helmets after that...........
good and bad

good post Jase
GOTTA LUV the 12R!!
User avatar
Aussie Ninja
KSRC Regular
KSRC Regular
Posts: 833
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 8:00 am
Bike: ZX10R
State: New South Wales
Location: Eastern Creek

Post by Aussie Ninja »

Mabye my cheap $190 agv is better than I thought. :shock:
Real bravery is being afraid but doing it anyway.
1998 ZX6R R.I.P.
2004 ZX10R killed by Roo.
2011 ZX10R
User avatar
Smitty
VIP MEMBER
VIP MEMBER
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 1:59 pm
Bike: ZX12R
State: Victoria
Location: 3rd rock from the Sun
Contact:

Post by Smitty »

Aussie Ninja wrote:Mabye my cheap $190 agv is better than I thought. :shock:
and i am happy with my AGV 'rossi' replica....
GOTTA LUV the 12R!!
User avatar
ttc
Team Black
Posts: 2893
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 2:59 pm
Bike: Z1000
State: Queensland
Location: Brisbane

Post by ttc »

if only it was that easy..
Image
diesel
Team Piss Head
Team Piss Head
Posts: 1401
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:05 pm
Location: VIC

Post by diesel »

just goes to show that more expensive and more advanced doesn't mean better.

i have no idea about the standards in oz, but i think upper and lower limits on the stiffnes of a helmet would be a good idea after reading that.
There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
Felix
KSRC Contributor
KSRC Contributor
Posts: 1173
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2004 1:54 am
Bike: Suzuki
State: Overseas
Location: Osaka

Post by Felix »

Thanks. I think I'll walk now...
- Team Furball -

Image
User avatar
Glen
VIP MEMBER
VIP MEMBER
Posts: 7268
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:30 am
Bike: ZRX
State: New South Wales
Location: Kellyville

Post by Glen »

Good article. Dispels a lot of the myths about spending buckets of money equalling better protection.

The other good point and something we impress upon learners regularly is that it really doesn't matter what speed your doing, your head is generally going to hit the ground with the same impact at 10km/h or 200km/h. Therefore no matter how slow you are going, wear your helmet.
It's really all about standing around drinking Dave's beer.
2008 ZRX1200 Greeeeen Roadie
2016 KTM Superduke 1290 Oraaaaange
2016 Seadoo RXTX300
Too many toys.......work is getting in the way!!!!
RG
KSRC Contributor
KSRC Contributor
Posts: 1454
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:28 pm
Bike: It's not worth Mentioning
State: Western Australia
Location: WA

Post by RG »

aardvark, awesome find there.

So what I've been standing by all these years is true - A more expensive helmet doesn't mean it offers more protection.
"...The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena." - Theodore Roosevelt
User avatar
MickLC
Team Crim
Posts: 5429
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Bike: Z1000
State: ACT

Post by MickLC »

Don't forget they are referring to American helmets, and American standards. They say themselves that the manufacturers make different helmets for different markets, and I know that my helmet doesn't have a SNELL sticker in it which seemed to be their biggest issue in the article.
'13 Z1000, '76 Z650+,'91 KLR250, '95 ZX6R Racebike
Felix
KSRC Contributor
KSRC Contributor
Posts: 1173
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2004 1:54 am
Bike: Suzuki
State: Overseas
Location: Osaka

Post by Felix »

Probably the most important point, which is easy to overlook in the whole SNELL vs DOT debate, is that all modern helmets transfer less energy to the wearer than helmets of 10 year vintage. In other words they have improved crash survivability over time, which ever helmet you buy.

But generally this is no different to the old "my old car is better than those new tin boxes - in an accident my car will hardly get a dent, those new ones would be a write off". Basic physics tells us that if the car doesn't absorb energy by bending and twisting metal, then that energy is transferred to something that will. This is often the occupants. I bought my car expecting that it will be written off in a serious accident. As long as I survive, who cares about the car?

It seems as if the SNELL test seems a bit pre-occupied with how the helmet survives, rather than the wearer. It is a pity that they aren't welcomming of the critique, and don't appear to want to expand on the points raised or in fact do their own research and testing to improve outcomes for helmet wearers.
- Team Furball -

Image
User avatar
Shifty
KSRC Regular
KSRC Regular
Posts: 834
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:04 pm
Bike: ZX12R
State: Queensland
Location: Brisbane

Post by Shifty »

Must have missed this originally, mods feel free to delete my repost :)

The snell theory seems rooted to the fact that you are safe at 299g but will die at 301g. Rather flawed if you ask me...
User avatar
aardvark
Apprentice Post Whore :-)
Apprentice Post Whore :-)
Posts: 5766
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2004 6:45 pm
Bike: Yamaha
State: South Australia
Location: Adelaide, S.A.
Contact:

Post by aardvark »

Shifty wrote:Must have missed this originally, mods feel free to delete my repost :)
OK :lol:
Post Reply