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General => Shows, events, track days, motorsport => Topic started by: Hurdy on 11 September 2009, 00:28

Title: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Hurdy on 11 September 2009, 00:28
I've just bought a helmet for trackdays and the Pod. It is actually a carbon fibre shelled motorcycle helmet and complies to the Euro spec ECE R 22-05. AFAIK this is good enough for use in normal trackdays and Pod RWYB days as the tests done for this spec are the same as the British Standard "A" tests for car helmets.

My questions are....

What spec helmet do you use for trackdays? Car helmet? Bike helmet?
Have you ever been refused access to a trackday for taking a bike helmet?
Do the trackday organisers even care as long as you have a helmet?

Quick pic of my new lid....


(http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/hurdy_album/Carbonhelmet002.jpg)
(http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/hurdy_album/Carbonhelmet003.jpg)
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: monzablue16v on 11 September 2009, 00:59
Nice lid :)
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: VeeDubGTI16v on 11 September 2009, 09:35
i have been told that motorbike helmets can be turned away but havent head of it happening. thats not the same standards sticker thats used on car helmets either, if they are gonna be anal about it you want one of the two stickers at the top of this pic

(http://www.tayforestchallenge.org.uk/images/helmet%20stickers%20(Large).jpg)

the red one is fireproof, blue is not
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Pike on 11 September 2009, 10:13
Most of the trackdays I've been too you could get away with a wooden helmet. Should be fine mate.
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Hurdy on 11 September 2009, 12:13
i have been told that motorbike helmets can be turned away but havent head of it happening. thats not the same standards sticker thats used on car helmets either, if they are gonna be anal about it you want one of the two stickers at the top of this pic

(http://www.tayforestchallenge.org.uk/images/helmet%20stickers%20(Large).jpg)

the red one is fireproof, blue is not

Cheers veedub :cool:

The blue one is only valid until the end of this year as well. After that only the red one will do for competitions.
Most of those are competition related, so it doesn't worry me that mine doesn't have them.
I may go in for competition next year, but even that would only be something like ten of the best and I've seen half the guys there wearing old lids and bike lids!!!!
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Horney on 11 September 2009, 12:41
I got one these:

http://www.ybracing.co.uk/page1.php?sitepage=4&area4=&subarea=234&part=14969

Although I got it for £10 less including delivery from their ebay store.

nick
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Hurdy on 11 September 2009, 16:40
I got one these:

http://www.ybracing.co.uk/page1.php?sitepage=4&area4=&subarea=234&part=14969

Although I got it for £10 less including delivery from their ebay store.

nick

ECE marked then Nick!

What safety labels are on the helmet?
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Horney on 11 September 2009, 16:43
No idea, they sell it as a trackday helmet and that was enough for me :-)

nick
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Diamond Hell on 11 September 2009, 19:12
I got this one, cos it's fireproof, has the red label on it and I'm likely to use it when playing in club-sport motorsport in the next year or three:

http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p5663/SPARCO-PRO-JET-OPEN-FACE-HELMET/product_info.html

DannyP got this one, cos it was considerably cheaper - it has the blue label:

http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p5669/SPARCO-CLUB-OPEN-FACE-HELMET/product_info.html

but it's not fireproof, so only valid for competition until the end of the year.

I think your w@nky carbon lid is a motorbike lid and you'll only be able to kn0b about on track days (and motorbikes) with it.

Just cos it's carbon, doesn't mean it's good.  When will you Golf5 joy-boys learn that?
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Hurdy on 11 September 2009, 21:24
I think your w@nky carbon lid is a motorbike lid and you'll only be able to kn0b about on track days (and motorbikes) with it.
Just cos it's carbon, doesn't mean it's good.  When will you Golf5 joy-boys learn that?

Ah well Mr Diamond Hell.....if you'd actually bothered to read the very first line of my original post you would have realised that it is indeed a motorcycle helmet and that I'll only be using it for trackdays and at the Pod RWYB days. :rolleyes:

In fact if you looked at the title it would have given you a bit of a clue :grin:

When I finally decide to do a competition, it will be with the proper equipment :cool:
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Diamond Hell on 12 September 2009, 08:52
Ah well Mr Diamond Hell.....if you'd actually bothered to read the very first line of my original post you would have realised that it is indeed a motorcycle helmet and that I'll only be using it for trackdays and at the Pod RWYB days. :rolleyes:

No, I read the title and the posts and still decided you had been a tw@t and bought a motorbike helmet to use in a car.

This means you're still available to be insulted, because you bought the wrong piece of safety equipment for the job, based on the fact that it's made of expensive carbon fibre and it will make you look 'cool'.

(http://www.diamondhell.com/images/loser.gif)
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Horney on 12 September 2009, 08:56
Ah well Mr Diamond Hell.....if you'd actually bothered to read the very first line of my original post you would have realised that it is indeed a motorcycle helmet and that I'll only be using it for trackdays and at the Pod RWYB days. :rolleyes:

No, I read the title and the posts and still decided you had been a tw@t and bought a motorbike helmet to use in a car.

This means you're still available to be insulted, because you bought the wrong piece of safety equipment for the job, based on the fact that it's made of expensive carbon fibre and it will make you look 'cool'.

(http://www.diamondhell.com/images/loser.gif)

:-( does that mean you think the same of me?

nick
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Hurdy on 12 September 2009, 17:38
Ah well Mr Diamond Hell.....if you'd actually bothered to read the very first line of my original post you would have realised that it is indeed a motorcycle helmet and that I'll only be using it for trackdays and at the Pod RWYB days. :rolleyes:

No, I read the title and the posts and still decided you had been a tw@t and bought a motorbike helmet to use in a car.

This means you're still available to be insulted, because you bought the wrong piece of safety equipment for the job, based on the fact that it's made of expensive carbon fibre and it will make you look 'cool'.

(http://www.diamondhell.com/images/loser.gif)

In that case I have no defence at all. What can I say apart from I'm a carbon junkie :grin:

Oh and the ECE reg means that it does have the same safety rating as the snell tested car helmets, but it is designed as a bike helmet so is a slightly different shape. With the carbon shell it also means it isn't as prone to damage and replacement like most polycarbonate lids. :smiley:
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Diamond Hell on 12 September 2009, 21:26
:-( does that mean you think the same of me?

Nah, you're just cheap  :tongue:
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: JC on 12 September 2009, 21:28
so i cant wear my bike helmet at brands then DH  :undecided:
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Diamond Hell on 12 September 2009, 21:36
so i cant wear my bike helmet at brands then DH  :undecided:

Wear what you want, provided the marshals let you out.

At least you bought your bike helmet for riding a bike, rather than showing off in your Golf5.
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Horney on 12 September 2009, 23:02
:-( does that mean you think the same of me?

Nah, you're just cheap  :tongue:

:kiss:

nick
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Hurdy on 12 September 2009, 23:38
so i cant wear my bike helmet at brands then DH  :undecided:

Wear what you want, provided the marshals let you out.

At least you bought your bike helmet for riding a bike, rather than showing off in your Golf5.

Who? Me?  Surely not!
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Paul86S2 on 22 September 2009, 23:11
new cheap range of helmets motorsport approved available here:

http://www.hedtec.co.uk/hedtec_helmet.htm

Paul
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: T_J_G on 23 September 2009, 18:16
so i cant wear my bike helmet at brands then DH  :undecided:

Wear what you want, provided the marshals let you out.

At least you bought your bike helmet for riding a bike, rather than showing off in your Golf5.

When I was a passenger in Marks car they let me out in a bike lid.
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Diamond Hell on 23 September 2009, 23:16
Maybe, but buying a bike lid to wear specifically in a car on track days is a pretty dumb thing to do.
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: T_J_G on 24 September 2009, 08:43
Maybe, but buying a bike lid to wear specifically in a car on track days is a pretty dumb thing to do.

I had the helmet from a old bike. Wasn't going to buy one specially for a few passenger laps! I do agree with your point.
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Hurdy on 26 September 2009, 17:09
Maybe, but buying a bike lid to wear specifically in a car on track days is a pretty dumb thing to do.

That must be half the people I saw at York last week then! :wink:
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: VeeDubGTI16v on 27 September 2009, 08:57
thats a lot of dumbasses  :grin:
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Diamond Hell on 27 September 2009, 10:17
thats a lot of dumbasses  :grin:

Why d'you think Yorkshire's so big?

They needed a home.
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: JonLeeper on 28 September 2009, 11:15
Not trying to hijack this thread but rather than start a new one I thought I would post in here.  I am looking for a reasonably priced lid for trackdays.  I want to spend as little as possible but do want it to last, be comfortable and most of all SAFE!  I have read a number of opinions and the full face vs open face argument seems to run and run.  I have found this http://www.rgslracing.com/moto-spec-helmet.html and it wouild appear, to me anyway, to be a perfect compromise.  The mask can be fitted when hooning around the track and left off when driving home.  Is this a good idea or are there better silutions out there?

Many thanks,

Jon
Title: Re: Helmets for trackdays (not competition!)
Post by: Diamond Hell on 28 September 2009, 21:37
You won't need the lenses at all, to be honest.

You DO need to know what the regs are applicable to that lid.  Is it for bikes or cars?  The open face Sparco one I linked to earlier in the thread is great - specifically it allows plenty of visibility on the track, so you can see where other people are!