Crash helmet advice - California

[John W]

Hi all,
I'm visiting California next month, and have hired a bike for a week.
We had intended to bring our own crash helmets, but the hire shop has said they may not be suitable.

The wife and I have Schuberth C2 flip-front helmets, fitted with intercoms etc.
Anyone know if these would be regarded suitable ?
The Schuberth web site says it meets ECE-R 22.05, but I don't know if this is equivalent / better than the DoT standards.
Add to that, there seems to be a great deal of conflicting information regarding what is and what isn't acceptible.

Can any of you Cali guys help ?
We also have Arai full face helmets, and our friends have Arais too, which apparently meet all worldwide standards, but ours have E numbers, not DoT stickers...
If the Schuberths aren't certified we'll have to either hire helmets or use our Arais if they are allowed. We'd obviously rather know before we come over.

Thanks for your replies in advance.
Cheers,
John.

 

[David Morton]

Edward Becker is the Snell Foundation Exec Dir on [email protected] - a possible source of help about foreign helmets but I wouldn't hold your breath.
Snell foundation is on http://www.smf.org/

 

[Doug Clark]

The DOT standards are obviously crap, search "Beanie helmet DOT" to see some of the 'protective' gear that can pass DOT.
Anything that passes the Euro regs will be good enough to pass DOT.

The Schuberth C2 is sold in the USA anyway as DOT approved, so I would not worry about it.

I rode for years in Texas with my Aussie, Snell and FIM (but not DOT) Approved Arai and argued and won with the Texas licensing people when they wouldn't let me take my bike test there using it.

I suspect more the "suitability" might be more to do with if you've rented a Harley the locals will think you look like a tool riding around with full face lids.

Also BTW there's no such thing as a DOT sticker, the manufacturers just make a DOT decal and lacquer it in, just like you'll find DOT embossed in your tyres to show they're DOT approved.

 

[John W]

Thanks chaps.
I think I'll bring the schuberths, and print off a few USA adverts for them to show they are sold in the usa.
This web site is in CA and confirms they meet or exceed DOT, so it should do the trick:
Schuberth C2 Helmet

Many thanks for your replies.