Crash Helmet

[BGilkes]

Can anyone let me know what the 2003 regs are with regard to allowable Snell ratings? I realised last night when I read this months SCCA mag that although mine is a good helmet in excellent condition I had bought it in 1999 and I don't want to drive to Summit Point in a couple of weeks and then be scrambling around local motor cycle dealerships for a legal hat. Thanks

[robbie ferstl]

please dont say CRASH helmet! how about safety helmet? last rating allowed is Snell 95.. you cant buy one at a MC store. those are Snell M rated (M95) and not allowed in club racing. they may be ok for autox.

[D.T. Benner]

How about "skid lid" or "goard gard" or that old standby-"brain bucket"?

[BGilkes]

Thanks gentlemen, seems that I have at least another year left in it.

[Larry]

MAKE CERTAIN that your helmet is SA-rated, and not SM! SA helmets are generally NOT found in motorcycle shops. The standards for an SA helmet are much more rigorous than either DOT or SM, which is the reason that SCCA requires SA.

Larry Oliver

[EYERACE]

could be wrong here but scca solo regulations also ban motorcycle helmets

[dc]

M-rated lids are legal in cone Solo IIs.

[Dane Whaley]

This whole Snell rating thing got my curiosity, as I ride motorcycles too and used to road race them (and destroyed on average 2 helmets a year, every year, for 7 years in the process!). I had a half an hour to check into helmet differences, so here it is. Info from www.smf.org.

There are a few differences between SA2000 and SM2000 helmets, but it SA2000 is certainly not a much more stringent standard than SM2000 (other than flame tests). They are exactly the same except:

1. Peripheral vision requirements
a. Upward: SA= 5 degrees, SM= 7 degrees
b. Lateral: SA= 90 degrees, SM= 105 degrees
c. Downward: SA= 20 degrees, SM= 30 degrees

2. Impact Tests
Both require Flat, Hemispheric, and Edge anvils with the exact same test parameters. SA requires an additional Roll Bar (tubular) anvil test that SM does not.

3. Flame Tests
SA requires self-extinguishing properties that vary for different components. Interesting is the face shield requirement, that must withstand a 790 deg C (1454 deg Fahrenheit!) propane flame for 45 seconds and not melt, and self-extinguist within 20 seconds! SM has no flame tests whatsoever.

Also interesting is the difference between SA95 and SA2000.

1. SA2000 added ISO size "O" (XXXL)
2. SA2000 tightened the mass tolerance of the impact projectile from the old (5.0 - 6.5KG) to the new standard of 5.0KG. This is mostly an academic change, because the impact tests are performed at a certain ENERGY (Joules) which is independent of mass.
3. Increased cold temperature testing from -20 to -10 degrees C. This is a relaxing of the standard, apparently to allow materials that perform better at more typical temperatures to be used, but that might not work as well at low temps.
4. Lowered the imaginary line that designates where impact testing may be made on the shell. Previously tests had to be conducted higher than 50MM from the top of the eye opening. That's been lowered to 40MM. Similarly the line has been lowered in the rear of the helmet.

#4 is the only practical change, and I'm wondering if it's significant enough to warrant outlawing so soon for those of us that bought our $800 SA95's in the December of 1999? But, I see the point to get rid of those 9 year old helmets out there.