bl0498 Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Those of you with a keen eye will have spotted in the Blue Book the rule changes on helmets which conform to the SNELL SA 95 standard which was introduced in 1995 - they will not be approved for any MSA event after 31 December 2005. So all of us with helmets to that standard will have to buy a new one before next season - this includes myself and BB. The good news if you are looking for something for your loved one to buy you this Christmas is that the latest SNELL SA 2005 helmet standard was released on 1st October 2004. Hence hopefully there will be suitable replacement helmets at a supplier near you now. More info on the SNELL Memorial Foundation website - www.smf.org Updated as a reminder for end 2005!!! Brian Edited by - bl0498 on 13 Sep 2005 12:58:14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 Still no CE marks though. In 2006 the MSA will be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Perhaps by 2010 they will catch up with last years regs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Ranson Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 Is there a CE mark for 'suitable for motorsport' helmets? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 Probably not for motorpsort specific helmets. But there is for bike helmets, it replaced the BS. MSA still accept some of the BS standards even though some new helmets are stamped with CE mark only having dropped the BS a couple of years ago. So if you have a 5 year old Arai bike helmet it's stamped BS so legal for motorsport but if you have the same model of helmet that's 2 years old it's CE marked and not legal. Daft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Ranson Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 If it were intended for motorsport Arai would Snell it. So it's probably more daft to be using a five year old helmet outside its intended usage. Clearly the MSA are working towards alignment with the FIA on matters of equipment and safety. IMO this is a good thing. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bl0498 Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Despite the MSA having Snell foundation standards valid for 10 years the Snell foundation itself actually recommend replacement of all motorsport helmets approved to their standards after 5 years due to ageing of glues, deterioration of materials, unseen damage etc. The standards do change - a look on the website will show the differences between SA 2000 and SA 2005. So rap on knuckles here I should have replaced my SA 95 helmet with an SA2000 one and next year with a SA 2005 one! Use of a helmet intended for bike use for motorport purposes has got to be a real false economy in my mind. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Ranson Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 An SA95 helmet bought in late 1999 or early 2000 may now be coming up to its 5th birthday. So I think accepting them for 10 years is really all the MSA can do other than reintroduce helmet lifing. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 So what is the big differences? I know some car helmets are no good for bikers because of the protruding bits spinning your head as you slide down the road. But why don't you recommend use of a bike helmet for racing? Bigger aperture to look through and lack of fireproof lining are two things that can be different but are there others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irrelevant Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Some bike helmets are nomex lined - they have a certain suffix in the std. The main problem is the chin strap - bike helmets tend to have clips which are carp. Car helmets (i.e. approved for open cars by MSA) have the annoying 2 ring design which won't come undone. Visors are different - normally much bigger (wider & higher) on bike helmets. In my experience, the aerodynamics of a bike helmet don't work well on an open car - the air gets right under them and they get pulled up - a strange sensation! Accumulating bits for the Super-Busa. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Ford Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 Arai bike helmets have the same double-D-ring strap fixings as their car helmets. Shoei - their biggest competitor - use a push fit seat-belt-style buckle. They aren't in the slightest bit carp - a biker bouncing down the road would, I suspect, put more degrees of stress on the strap that a car driver head-butting his roll cage. What I really don't understand is why I can change the visor on my bike Arai in 30 seconds with no tools, but the car one requires fiddling around with a coin and a bunch of screws. Pay twice the price and get half the convenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bl0498 Posted September 13, 2005 Author Share Posted September 13, 2005 BTTT Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bees Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 ☹️ My '98 vintage SA 95 helmet still looks like new... Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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