Will this pass for a racing helmet?

CyberGhost

I'm visiting a friend in another country soon, and I wanted to get him a present,

He is racing as a hobby and doesn't have a helmet, I thought I'd buy one for him,

I found one in Argos, I know this is a motorcycle helmet, but is there really a difference?

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=30001&partNumber=0382412

I looked at other "proper" racing helmets and they cost upwards of 150-200 euro, and I'm kinda tight on budget.

Is there much difference between a motorcycle helmet and a auto racing helmet?

ambro25

Would you believe, that helmets actually do have sizes? So, do you know your friend's head size? Not to be glib or taking the rip, but a helmet of the wrong size is about as useful as no helmet at all

bitemybanger

IMO you should spend no less than 500-1000 Euro(fitted) on a racing helmet, and thatt one from argos is about the farthest thing from a race helmit as you could possibly get, barely suitable for a 50KPH scooter,

biko

I wouldn't. A helmet is something you go to the shop and try out, like a pair of trousers. Not all fits everyone.
Also you'd have to carry it over to him.

craichoe

bitemybanger wrote: »

IMO you should spend no less than 500-1000 Euro(fitted) on a racing helmet, and thatt one from argos is about the farthest thing from a race helmit as you could possibly get, barely suitable for a 50KPH scooter,

The price of a helmet is less about safety and more about comfort. I.E. All Helmets sold are tested and approved. They cannot be sold unless they are safe. Once they are dropped once they should be replaced.

The difference between an Arai and that thing is fit, material quality, airflow (i.e. your not deaf from the wind)

I paid around 475 sterling for my Helmet a few years back.

That is NOT a racing helmet.

galwaytt

not familiar with car sport, but for motorcycle sport, your helmet has to have a specific ACU sticker, approved for motorsport - I'm sure the same applies to car sport - ordinary road helmets may not be accepted at a track.

Oh, and most sport helmets are in the XXX price range, not XX range.............

peasant

Moved to motorsport from motors

bitemybanger

craichoe wrote: »

The price of a helmet is less about safety and more about comfort. I.E. All Helmets sold are tested and approved. They cannot be sold unless they are safe. Once they are dropped once they should be replaced.

The difference between an Arai and that thing is fit, material quality, airflow (i.e. your not deaf from the wind)

I paid around 475 sterling for my Helmet a few years back.

That is NOT a racing helmet.

Well you said it, its down to material quality and normaly the more you pay for a helmet the more advanced the materials and more importantly testing, when i used to race karts money was no object when buying safety clothing and equiptment. you get what you pay for.

nikimere

How much do you value is head?
I certainly wouldn't fancy a shunt with that thing on my head.

CyberGhost

Well 500 euro helmet is out of the question, I haven't given given a 500 euro present to my mother, I'm not going to buy a 500 euro helmet.

nikimere, considering he is racing with no helmet now, I thought it'd be better than nothing.

As for the fitting, I guess I can just ask him... I don't know I just might buy some souveneer instead of a helmet or something.

bitemybanger

CyberGhost wrote: »

Well 500 euro helmet is out of the question, I haven't given given a 500 euro present to my mother, I'm not going to buy a 500 euro helmet.

nikimere, considering he is racing with no helmet now, I thought it'd be better than nothing.

As for the fitting, I guess I can just ask him... I don't know I just might buy some souveneer instead of a helmet or something.

Well he sure a sh!t aint racing anything other than a soapbox without a helmet and if he is flying around on somthing motorised with no helmet, buy him a brain.

SouperComputer

craichoe wrote:

The price of a helmet is less about safety and more about comfort. I.E. All Helmets sold are tested and approved. They cannot be sold unless they are safe. Once they are dropped once they should be replaced.

I think you meant the reverse of what you typed. Anyway, They go hand in hand. Without the correct fit, the certification isn't worth the paper or sticker it's printed on.

Racing helmets are standardised and certified. Not sure what the current spec is, but back in the day it was BS6658A or SNELL SA90/94. BS6658-B is pants, dont bother with it

TBH you might be better off buying him a used, in imacculate condion helmet of above spec that rather than a new un (or poorly) certified one. Can be hard to find such a helmet though. Failing that, but him a voucher for somewhere that has such helmets. BS6658A was a motorcyle standard (might still be) and mountjoy motorcycles used to stock nice helmets of this standard at good prices. Failing that theres murray motorsport (I think they stock helmets anayway) or places like Grand Prix Racewear or whatever David Kennedy's place is called, not sure off the top of my head.

It does beg the question what he is "racing" without a helmet though.

@ BiteMyBanger....what class did you race in karts? Depending on when and where you raced, you might be in here somewhere: www.youtube.com/polychomaticzena

FocusIreland

if u go overseas, then buy it locally. its waste ur weight onboard and waste ur money cause the high tax here.