Burger
02-19-2006, 11:27 PM
In this months RIDE magazine in the UK, which I believe you can also buy in the US, they did a test on helmet noise levels. I just thought the results might be interesting... I don't know if all these helmets are common in the US too, but I know at least some of them are.
They tested each helmet at 60, 70, 80 and 90mph using the same rider on the same bike, and while the results can't be laboratory perfect, because not all the helmets can have fitted him properly, they can't be that far out either...
To put these results into perspective, remember that an increase in noise level of 3db is approx. twice the noise level... (I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will correct me if I'm wrong).
Factory workers in the UK are advised to wear hearing protection if they are exposed to 85db for eight hours a day. Expose yourself to 90db for 8 hours and you risk hearing damage. At 105db, the noisiest helmet in the test, you can ride for just 15 minutes before putting your hearing in jeopardy. So... the results...
Position - Helmet - 60mph - 70mph - 80mph - 90mph - Average(db).
1st - Schuberth S1 - 82.3 - 86.2 - 88.8 - 91.5 - 87.2
2nd - BMW System 5 - 84.4 - 87.9 - 92.3 - 96.2 - 90.2
3rd - Roof R010 - 86.1 - 89.8 - 92.2 - 95.5 - 90.9
4th - Nolan N84 - 86.7 - 89.2 - 91.6 - 96.5 - 91.0
5th - Arai Corsair - 86.6 - 90.3 - 94.6 - 97.9 - 92.3
6th - Arai Astro-R - 89.0 - 92.3 - 95.5 - 100.1 - 94.2
7th - Nitro N510V - 88.9 - 92.9 - 95.9 - 99.7 - 94.3
8th - Davida Classic - 89.2 - 92.7 - 96.6 - 99.8 - 94.6
9th - KBC VR2 - 89.6 - 93.3 - 98.1 - 99.6 - 95.2
10th - HJC AC11 - 92.2 - 95.3 - 96.1 - 98.5 - 95.5
10th - Shoei Raid II - 91.9 - 93.3 - 97.2 - 99.8 - 95.5
10th - X-Lite X801R - 90.5 - 94.2 - 97.1 - 100.1 - 95.5
13th - Caberg V2 - 92.0 - 94.2 - 98.8 - 101.4 - 96.6
14th - Suomy Spec 1R - 90.9 - 95.6 - 98.3 - 102.4 - 96.8
15th - RST Cobravent - 93.1 - 96.2 - 98.8 - 100.7 - 97.2
16th - AGV Stealth - 93.2 - 96.2 - 99.8 - 102.4 - 97.9
17th - OGK Aeroblade - 94.9 - 97.6 - 99.3 - 103.5 - 98.8
18th - Lazer Revolution - 95.2 - 97.4 - 101.5 - 104.4 - 99.6
Before anyone asks... I'm just getting over a heavy cold and have been sleeping so much that I couldn't sleep tonight lol... it's 05:25 in my time.
The helmets here in 10th place are as noisy at 60 as the winner is at 90mph. Shame really, because I wear a Raid II. I tried a Schuberth at the last bike show here and they just don't fit my head shape. Also interesting is that the helmet in second (and the one in last) are the only flip fronts in the test and the one in 8th is open face!!!!!
There is a serious message here though I think... look after your hearing.
Pardon? :)
They tested each helmet at 60, 70, 80 and 90mph using the same rider on the same bike, and while the results can't be laboratory perfect, because not all the helmets can have fitted him properly, they can't be that far out either...
To put these results into perspective, remember that an increase in noise level of 3db is approx. twice the noise level... (I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will correct me if I'm wrong).
Factory workers in the UK are advised to wear hearing protection if they are exposed to 85db for eight hours a day. Expose yourself to 90db for 8 hours and you risk hearing damage. At 105db, the noisiest helmet in the test, you can ride for just 15 minutes before putting your hearing in jeopardy. So... the results...
Position - Helmet - 60mph - 70mph - 80mph - 90mph - Average(db).
1st - Schuberth S1 - 82.3 - 86.2 - 88.8 - 91.5 - 87.2
2nd - BMW System 5 - 84.4 - 87.9 - 92.3 - 96.2 - 90.2
3rd - Roof R010 - 86.1 - 89.8 - 92.2 - 95.5 - 90.9
4th - Nolan N84 - 86.7 - 89.2 - 91.6 - 96.5 - 91.0
5th - Arai Corsair - 86.6 - 90.3 - 94.6 - 97.9 - 92.3
6th - Arai Astro-R - 89.0 - 92.3 - 95.5 - 100.1 - 94.2
7th - Nitro N510V - 88.9 - 92.9 - 95.9 - 99.7 - 94.3
8th - Davida Classic - 89.2 - 92.7 - 96.6 - 99.8 - 94.6
9th - KBC VR2 - 89.6 - 93.3 - 98.1 - 99.6 - 95.2
10th - HJC AC11 - 92.2 - 95.3 - 96.1 - 98.5 - 95.5
10th - Shoei Raid II - 91.9 - 93.3 - 97.2 - 99.8 - 95.5
10th - X-Lite X801R - 90.5 - 94.2 - 97.1 - 100.1 - 95.5
13th - Caberg V2 - 92.0 - 94.2 - 98.8 - 101.4 - 96.6
14th - Suomy Spec 1R - 90.9 - 95.6 - 98.3 - 102.4 - 96.8
15th - RST Cobravent - 93.1 - 96.2 - 98.8 - 100.7 - 97.2
16th - AGV Stealth - 93.2 - 96.2 - 99.8 - 102.4 - 97.9
17th - OGK Aeroblade - 94.9 - 97.6 - 99.3 - 103.5 - 98.8
18th - Lazer Revolution - 95.2 - 97.4 - 101.5 - 104.4 - 99.6
Before anyone asks... I'm just getting over a heavy cold and have been sleeping so much that I couldn't sleep tonight lol... it's 05:25 in my time.
The helmets here in 10th place are as noisy at 60 as the winner is at 90mph. Shame really, because I wear a Raid II. I tried a Schuberth at the last bike show here and they just don't fit my head shape. Also interesting is that the helmet in second (and the one in last) are the only flip fronts in the test and the one in 8th is open face!!!!!
There is a serious message here though I think... look after your hearing.
Pardon? :)