Helmets MC Helmet or Car Helmet?

peterz

peterz

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No big debates on this please. I was invited to track days with the northeast Audi club back in August and i brought my MC helmet for my ride along with one of the instructors. When i went to sign in and take care of all the paperwork i was told that i could not wear my helmet. The instructors told that my helmet would not hold up in case there was an accident and there was a lot of head banging in the car. My nearly new HJC is not Snell approved and even if it was they said i could not wear it. I always thought MC helmets were a lot stronger than car helmets. Might look at race car helmet in the future. I do not remember the brand i wore that day but for being DOT and Snell approved it was a lot cheaper than what we have to pay for our type of helmets. Thanks Peter.
 
ibike2havefun

ibike2havefun

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Seems odd that a motorcycle helmet, designed for use in situations where it is entirely exposed to impact, would not meet or exceed standards for helmets used in enclosed vehicles.

Shows what I know.
 
W0QNX

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HELMET RATINGS...WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

Auto racing helmets are rated by the Snell Foundation as either SA, M, or K rated...

Snell SA Rated Helmets:
Snell "SA" (Sports Application) rated professional helmets are designed for auto racing and provide extreme impact resistance and higher fire protection.

Snell M Rated Helmets:
Snell "M" (Motorcycle) rated helmets are designed for motorcycling and other motorsports. They offer slightly less protection than SA rated helmets.

Snell K Rated Helmets:
Snell "K" (Karting) rated helmets are designed for Karting applications. They are subjected to the same test standards as SA helmets except the do not require a fire retardant interior.

What are the key differences between SA and M Rated Helmets:
- SA standard requires flammability test while the M standard does not.
- SA standard has rollbar impact test while M standard does not.
- SA standard allows narrower visual field than M standard (Some SA helmets aren't street legal).

http://www.racinghelmetguide.com/auto-helmet-ratings.html
 
MaxPete

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ZIAMON said:
HELMET RATINGS...WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

Auto racing helmets are rated by the Snell Foundation as either SA, M, or K rated...

Snell SA Rated Helmets:
Snell "SA" (Sports Application) rated professional helmets are designed for auto racing and provide extreme impact resistance and higher fire protection.

Snell M Rated Helmets:
Snell "M" (Motorcycle) rated helmets are designed for motorcycling and other motorsports. They offer slightly less protection than SA rated helmets.

Snell K Rated Helmets:
Snell "K" (Karting) rated helmets are designed for Karting applications. They are subjected to the same test standards as SA helmets except the do not require a fire retardant interior.

What are the key differences between SA and M Rated Helmets:
- SA standard requires flammability test while the M standard does not.
- SA standard has rollbar impact test while M standard does not.
- SA standard allows narrower visual field than M standard (Some SA helmets aren't street legal).

http://www.racinghelmetguide.com/auto-helmet-ratings.html
Click to expand...
Now THAT is great info! Thanks for the post.

Pete
 

st1300doug

That Instructor IS WRONG! Not even near enough space here to explain why.......
 

SMSW

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ZIAMON said:
HELMET RATINGS...WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

Auto racing helmets are rated by the Snell Foundation as either SA, M, or K rated...

Snell SA Rated Helmets:
Snell "SA" (Sports Application) rated professional helmets are designed for auto racing and provide extreme impact resistance and higher fire protection.
Click to expand...
I can buy what they say, but I have to wonder about 'extreme impact resistance'. In a recent article in MCN, David Hough commented that mc helmets are designed not to protect the brain (from high 'g' forces) but are designed to protect the skull from fracture. The result is brain injuries and the need for better design and testing of helmets designed to cushion the head to protect the brain better. So, I wonder if the same is true for auto racing helmets. Common sense would tell me they don't do a better job at protecting the drivers (unless perhaps against fire) than bike helmets. What good is an intact skull if the brain is damaged by bruising?
 
ST Gui

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st1300doug said:
That Instructor IS WRONG!
Click to expand...
? It looks like the Snell Foundation would disagree. Given the definitions in Ziamon's post I'd say the instructor did the right thing.

Race cars routinely see speeds that are the exception for motorcycles (i.e. Hiller) so the helmet rating reflects that. If Snell has speed ratings for SA helmets like manufactures have for tires maybe so slower speed circuits could allow motorcycle helmets in cars. But in the event of a crash I can visualize a lot of bouncing around in a roll cage in spite of a Simpson-type 5-poing harness or whatever. Maybe there should only be one rating for the two helmets: SAM. That would no doubt raise the price of admission.
 
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