Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Greetings from Offshore Luanda Angola! Enclosed below some interesting facts about Helmets Cheers Brahman UK launches new helmet safety rating [ See related stories ] November 22, 2007 The UK government has introduced a safety rating scheme for motorcycle helmets that it says could save 50 lives a year on Britain's roads. Sharp - the Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme - will give an independent rating of how much protection a helmet can provide in an impact. Helmets will be rated from 1 to 5 stars depending how they perform in laboratory tests. All helmets on sale in the UK (and in South Africa) have to conform to certain minimum standards of protection but tests show there are real differences in safety performance Tests show there are real differences in safety performance . Sharp's objective ratings, based on accurate testing, are intended to help riders choose their helmets by measuring how much a helmet exceeds those minimum standards. UK road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick (why doesn't SA have a road safety minister?) announced the new ratings scheme at London's Road Safety expo today (November 22). "Our research indicates that even though all helmets have to reach a minimum legal standard, safety performance can vary by as much as 30 percent," he said. "The Sharp scheme will allow riders to select a safer helmet on the basis of a simple star rating system. "This is a vital step forward. Motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable groups on the roads; they make up only one percent of all road traffic but 20 percent of those killed or seriously injured 'The Sharp scheme will allow riders to select a safer helmet on the basis of a simple star rating system' . "We estimate that if all riders wore helmets that scored well in our rating system, the Sharp scheme could save up to 50 lives a year." The first Sharp results are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2008 with the majority of helmets on the market tested before the end of 2008. Early results show that good performance is not restricted to premium price helmets. TOP-RATED HELMET: Arai helmets have consistently been rated best by the JD Power survey. This is the RX7 Corsair, which costs R6500. JD Power rates motorcycle helmets [ See related stories ] June 7, 2005 Arai motorcycle crash helmets came out tops in the 2004 annual JD Power and Associates customer satisfaction survey in the United States for the seventh year in a row. The respected American research institution based its findings on responses from more than 6000 buyers of new helmets. Arai scored an overall satisfaction index of 811 out of a possible 1000 points - up from 801 in 2003 - while its nearest competitor achieved 795. The researchers also noted that the industry average rose from 725 points in 2003 to 728 in 2004. The JD Power report said Arai performed particularly well with regard to helmet ventilation and styling Arai scored an overall satisfaction index of 811 out of a possible 1000 points . "Arai continues to produce high-quality products by making innovative advances in helmet comfort and design," said JD Power director Todd Markusic. He noted that the two elements most likely to influence the decision on which helmet to buy were comfort and styling. The JD Power motorcycle helmet satisfaction study has been carried out annually since 1999, and Arai has been rated best by the people who bought them every year. Last year the company scored five out of five for fit and comfort, colour and graphic design, and overall satisfaction – the only manufacturer to achieve a perfect 15-point score. The next best manfacturer scored 14, while the rest ranged between seven and 13, for an average of 10.3. The JD Power study doesn't take into account the degree of safety offered by helmets - this is covered by various statutory bodies in Europe and America The most difficult accreditation to achieve is that of the Snell Foundation, named after racing driver William "Pete" Snell . The most difficult accreditation to achieve is that of the Snell Foundation, named after racing driver William "Pete" Snell, who died when his helmet failed to do its job in 1956. Every Arai motorcycle helmet on the market exceeds the highest Snell specification. Arai helmets are virtually hand-made, one at a time, and all compete at the upper end of the market. "The company doesn't believe that any part of a helmet is unimportant so cost cutting is impossible," explained Arai importer Chris Speight, managing director of KMSA . "We appreciate that motorcycle riding can be dangerous and because of this we feel obliged to offer only in the safest helmets in the world." Prices range from R3300 for the Condor model to R6500 for the range-topping RX7 Corsair.