Motorcycle Helmet Impact Absorption Test for DOT & ECE

The ECE standard has the most stringent 'peak g' rating which on face value is the most re-assuring. However, while the other standards (SNELL and DOT) all employ a hemispherical anvil which increases the concentration of loading and challenges the shell to withstand puncturing, the ECE does not and the nearest equivalent is the kerbstone.

During the test, the helmet is fitted to a metal head and dropped onto a steel anvil from a height of 287cm in order to get an impact speed of 27km/h. Four points on the helmet are each tested once and the anvils are both flat and rounded. Furthermore, the helmet is then dropped chinguard first onto a flat anvil from a height of 155cm. The velocity and duration of impact are both measured by sensors on the dummy head and when analysed, the acceleration of the head due to gravity must not exceed 275g.

The Head Injury Criteria (HIC) factor is a measurement of the total impact energy onto the head. It is usually calculated by multiplying the velocity with the duration of impact. The maximum permissible figure for this is 2,400. Reducing the total peak g and also the duration of impact will provide the rider with the best protection.

Chinstrap testing is also essential for helmets to get the necessary certificates.The chin strap is also tested by hanging a mass from it (a static load) and then dropping a proportion of this mass (a dynamic load) from a height of 75cm. This must not displace the chin strap by more than 35mm (from the dynamic load) and the static load must not displace the chin strap by more than 25mm.

Beautiful Masei Motorcycle Helmet !

This is a helmet featuring a bengal tiger. New release!! The chrome version is more beautiful, but cost much more.

California Planning Motorcycle Smog Checks

For those of you living and riding in the state of California, you should be aware of a proposed senate bill that will require smog checks for motorcycles. Senate Bill 435, introduced by California State Senator Pavley on February 26, proposes smog checks on motorcycles, beginning January 1st, 2012, for all motorcycles model year 2000 or newer. All motorcycles had previously been excluded.

SB 435, as introduced, Pavley. Smog check program: motorcycles. Existing law establishes a motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program (smog check), administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs, that provides for the inspection of motor vehicles upon registration, biennially upon renewal of registration, upon transfer of ownership, and in certain other circumstances. Existing law exempts from biennial inspection all motorcycles until the department implements test procedures applicable to motorcycles. Violations of smog check requirements are a crime. This bill would require the department to include model-year 2000 and newer motorcycles in the smog check program beginning January 1, 2012.

If you would like to comment on this bill, the time to contact your state legislators is now.

Recession has hurt the automobile and motorcycle sales badly in the years of 2008-2009

The US Motorcycle Sales is not good for the first six months of 2009, compared to the same time period in 2008. Street bike sales for the first two quarters of the 2009 year so far totaled 212,130, down 46% from the same time period in 2008. Dual sport sales are down 48%; off-road motorcycle sales down 39% and scooter sales are down 67% from the first 6 months of 2008.

On the other hand, some numbers from Japan indicate motorcycle production in May 2009 was down 28,445 units or 40.9% of the May 2008 number of 69,626 units produced. Motorcycle exports from Japan in May 2009 totaled 33,845 units, down 28,203 units or 45.5% of May 2008 figure of 62,048 units. This is the biggest drop in one year in history. Just for comparison, Japanese car exports in May 2009 were 233,217 units, down 295,400 units or 55.9% from the May 2008 figure of 528,617 units. However, the sales are expected to pick up and grow in 2011.

New Snell Standard - M2010

From the beginning October 1, 2009, the motorcycle riding public will be able to buy and wear motorcycle helmets certified to the new Snell M2010 standard.

There are major differences between M2010 and previous Snell Standards; mostly due to the emergence of ECE 22-05, the standard now in mandatory use throughout the UK and Europe.

Snell motorcycle helmet standards are voluntary; manufacturers build to Snell standards because they want to and they build to DOT, ECE 22-05 or other standards because they have to.

And if it comes to a choice between what a manufacturer wants to do and what it has to do, they will give up Snell for DOT or ECE 22-05 every time.

It’s not like there’s a real choice. In North America, since the mid 1970’s, the mandatory motorcycle helmet safety standard has been the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218, colloquially known as the DOT standard (info).

In the United States, a motorcycle helmet might meet the Snell standard, but it had better meet FMVSS 218. If it doesn't, the manufacturer, the distributor, the dealer and, depending on the state, the rider would be in for a lot of grief.

For this reason, Snell said that their motorcycle helmet standards have been compatible, at the very least, with the DOT standard.