Helmet?

[Ian Anderson]

I decided to look for a helmet today.
In July we will need helmets for the Le Mans Half hour session.
So I thought I would just go to a bike shop and buy one that would meet current specifications

Well therein lies the problem
What is required for a UK track day helmet in the current nanny state?

There are loads of helmets that meet the specifications for track days for bikes (EC2205) with Gold Label, but apparantly these are not or may not be acceptable at certain circuits (Specifically mentioned Brands Hatch and Silverstone)

So can anyone give a definative answer as to what is acceptable? I'd rather not buy one and then immediately need to replace it.

Last thing I'll not be racing so hopefully not need the flameproofing and HANS device.

I need to start now as the seat needs adjusting to get my head off the roof!

IAn

[David Morton]

Ian, Motorcycle helemets are subtly different to Car helmets. Have a look at Demon Tweeks as they tend to be no more expensive than most of the others.
Measure your head as accurately as possible in cm and they will try and sort you out.
You can always return for something larger or different. Some of the manufacturers also verbal nomenclatures such as Medium/Long. All the big manufacturers make car and bike helmets - Bell, Arai, and Shoei though many are from Japan. Bell might still be made in the U.S.A. though. If its a good (ish) one where you want comfort as well as all the rest , prices run out at about £500 + (ish) to over £900. If you start thinking about Carbon and air systems, take out a mortgage.

[Tony Hunt]

Ian,
I'm going to go up to Silverstone to Grand Prix Racewear for my helmet.
They'll know what the latest standards are and seem to have a good selection.
I'll want it fitted properly and will wear it for half an hour before I decide. It's also got to prevent my specs from misting up with the visor down.

If you've got a $10 head, get a $10 helmet

[David Morton]

How long can you hold your breath Tony? Unless you have wind entering (and exiting) the helmet - such as when on a motorcycle, or in the car a ram air forced air tube allowing good ventilation a la nascar, if you have a closed visor you will mist up- . Fact.
Even Rain X only delays it for a few minutes.

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Originally Posted by David Morton

How long can you hold your breath Tony? Unless you have wind entering (and exiting) the helmet - such as when on a motorcycle, or in the car a ram air forced air tube allowing good ventilation a la nascar, if you have a closed visor you will mist up- . Fact.
Even Rain X only delays it for a few minutes.

I agree, on a bike it's not too much of a problem but in an enclosed 40 they will mist up. My sunglasses used to so I switched to a smoked visor.

Also, if you're thinking of having a go competitively at any point it would be a good idea to ensure your helmet meets current MSA requirements and if so, also check that the date of mfr is recent. They change valid codes every few years so buying one that is 'older stock' could fail to pass scrutineering sooner than expected if you're not careful.

Oh and another cure to misted glasses is wear contact lenses....

[Keith 'Baron' Hardy]

I agree with everything that has been said about glasses misting up. In certain weather I have to wear a cold mask (a la MJ - OW!) and it's hopeless keeping the glasses clear so I blunder about without them.

But wait, how did Seabass manage then? As he has been the only F1 driver ever to wear specs I wonder what his secret was, unless he cracked the helmet visor a tad but even so, in rain it must have been a nightmare.

Oh, I forgot. He got fired because he was too slow. Do you think there was a connection?

Wait a minute, hold the phone. What am I thinking? I always raced with open faced helmets as I preferred as much "sensation" as I could get which also helped with peripheral vision. I'm quite sure a) they are still very much legal and effective in closed car racing and b) I would not have thought misting would be a problem.

[David Morton]

I can remember Mexicali Jo sorting out DCs helmet in the back of the McLaren Truck. It was five tearoffs over the toughened F1 visor , all six polished on both sides with Rain -Ex then mounted on the helmet using cotton gloves and DC still complained about misting up even in the dry.
I have the visor from the Spa race in 1998 - a kind of quite momentous race really when Jordan got his first result after Schumacher ran into the back of Coulthard.
I was in the garage in front of DC but behind a small guy (Phil?) [front right tyre changer or brake builder ] when Schumacher tried to enter the garage. Phil told him "One more step and I will rip your balls off". There was ugly scenes post race with the Red Army trying to smash up the McLaren prat perch and police Alsation Dogs running all over the place. We were not allowed to wear McLaren kit leaving the circuit and everyone was police and dog escorted up to the main exit at Les Combes because there were nasty germans in red sweaters on the other side of the tunnel brandishing things germanic.
What fun.
I digress.
Keiths suggestion is sound. Why not use an open face helmet Tony ?
Much more comfortable and everyone can see the whites of your eyes.......
Sorry Ian - I've buggered up your thread.
Mexicali Jo ? .....Joe Ramirez

[Randy V]

I don't know about places other than the US - but here MOST sanctioning bodies require an Snell approved SA helmet and will not allow MC helmets on the track. I know one of the key differences is in the padding/fabric being made of Nomex or other approved fire retardant materials..

[Ian Anderson]

Originally Posted by huntsen

Ian,

If you've got a $10 head, get a $10 helmet

Tony

Where's the $10 helmet - I'm looking for one!

Don't forget you'll need 2 helmets if you're taking a passenger - if you're not then I presume people would chop off parts of their anatomy for the seat!


Ian

[Frank Catt]

Another thought on choosing a helmet - choose one that you feel is a bit too tight initially, the internal padding will shrink a bit with use and there is nothing worse than wearing a loose floppy helmet.

[Glenn M]

Ian, if you are only going to do track days and no competition then all you need is a helmet, any helmet. Spend as much or as little as you want. The dates, numbers, letters etc. are only necessary/checked for competition. I'm not saying that I recommend you wear a skateboard helmet - just answering your question.

[Jason Lindsey]

Ian

I too am looking for a helmet to use for LMC this year. I have had loads of motorcycle helmets and do not want to use a full face helmet in the car. The periferal (sp?) vision is poor enough in the car, the helmet will only make it worse. I have a quality helmet (Shoei) at the moment that i use with my Hayabusa, it fogs up all the time, especially at this time of year. I am looking at getting an open face helmet as this will obviously take the fogging up problem away. The rally guys use them, so they must be ok? I will be getting a cheaper one, rather than expensive one, as i will only be doing track days and the LMC. Demon Tweekes have a couple of cheap ones, they say that the regs have changed for clubman racing this year and these cheap ones do not comply as they don't have fire proof lining. They will do me ok and at about £100, won't break the bank balance.

Jas

[Keith 'Baron' Hardy]

Originally Posted by wealdenengineer

shrink a bit with use and there is nothing worse than wearing a loose floppy helmet.

You were listening!

Frank, that's EXACTLY what my wife told me before she ran off with a young driving instructor...

[Molleur]

Now, now Keith....

[Chris Simpson]

To date I have never seen helmets (or anything else, including cars for that matter) inspected at track days and I know some drivers were using motor cycle ones. However, it is rumoured that things might change and proper FIA helmets will become mandatory. When I drove the GT40 at the Brighton Speed Trials (its only competition to date) I didn't wear a visor on my full face helmet. I believe that most if not all drivers of closed cars on track do not wear a visor so steaming up is not an issue - only glasses are then a problem. When I have driven the Radical in the wet, I have found that opening the visor just a crack removes all misting up but there is a fair old breeze coming from the front.

When I bought my helmet, the salesman said that people either have Bell (as in helmet) shaped heads or Arai shaped heads. I am an Arai apparently. I agree with everything that has been said on getting a helmet. You have to decide Ian how much your head and the brains inside are worth. More than $10 surely! BTW didn't you have to wear a helmet at Santa Pod last year?

Chris

[Chris Simpson]

Just as a PS. In the film Le Mans they didn't wear visors in the Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s.

Chris

[91740Gt]

Ian,

Frank is correct about a firm fit and possible lining settlement, but please consider very carefully if you will ever do any serious track days or real competition, and try your helmet on with a fireproof balaclava.

I never would do any track work without one, even if it is a full face helmet.

Unless you use your helmet a lot i doubt settlement will occur.

Graham.

[91740Gt]

Originally Posted by Chrissimp

Just as a PS. In the film Le Mans they didn't wear visors in the Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s.

Chris

Chris,

I find it nigh on impossible to race comfortably in the 917 with a full face helmet as the lying down position makes it impossible for me to do up my belts or have enough vision at the the sides.

Open face for 917, closed face for 40.

Graham

[TimOz40]

Guys, be careful of thinking "oh it's just for track days"

An accident, fire etc can just as easily (sometimes more) occur at a track day as at a big race meeting. In fact, i'd rather be in an incident at a race meeting, since the marshalling and safety crews are there in large numbers.
I race often and wear a Bell full face with balaclava and HANS device. I also wear ALL this gear EVERY time i drive a car on the track. FWIW the HANS is fine. You don't really notice it other than touring around the pits, where sideways movement is limited.

We will happily spend a few grand on some nice tyres, but not on our head??

Same goes for a race suit and gloves etc.

Just a thought.

[Molleur]

+1 Tim, a full face Bell with a fresh air-port works for me. Ditto on the HANS.
Arm restraints too for an open car..