Reccomend Helmet for Track use
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
This is the best answer
In fact, back in my motorcycling days, when I was shopping for new helmets, I would put them on and walk around the shop for at LEAST 5-10 minutes (meanwhile, looking like a complete fool) to make sure it stayed comfortable. Oftentimes, a "pinch" or "hot spot" would develop, or I would start getting a headache. In which case, time to try the next helmet.
Joined
·
717 Posts
I'd go for something like this: https://www.bellracing.com/Shop/Pro...-helmet-duckbill-circuit-red-blue-white-black
It has to fit you budget, but don't look for the least expensive helmet you can find - your head is worth a lot! So I'd get the best one I could.
It has to fit you budget, but don't look for the least expensive helmet you can find - your head is worth a lot! So I'd get the best one I could.
All wise comments. You may find your track stipulates an open-face helmet [because the 718 has a steering wheel airbag] and it’s likely the helmet will need to comply with the relevant standard [e.g. DOT, Snell, ECE].
Head shape is markedly different depending on Manufacturer: Arai, Shoei, Schuberth. So try before you buy.
Bell and Sparco appear popular brands for circuit and track.
If you are going to have a catastrophic motorcycle accident Shuberth are highly recommended - saved my life.
Joined
·
1,891 Posts
OP, @dhc3, @phroenips, and @duegatti all give stellar advice -- but there's much more for you to learn about helmets.
Your best bet is to move away from looking for 'a track helmet for a car' and move toward looking for 'a helmet for a motorcycle'. Why? 90 percent of them are one and the same. Visit any good motorcycle-specific forum and you'll find gobs of info.
That said, you will inevitably need -- I can't emphasize enough that you need to do this -- to visit a local motorcycle shop to try helmets on. By that time you will understand why -- some of the advice above highlights two reasons, but there are others, too.
To wit: Ever wonder why there are at least half a dozen helmet designs in use in the NFL and college football at any one time -- and that those designs and manufacturers don't match the manufacturer of the rest of the uniform? Part of the reason is the personal preference of the player ... but a bigger reason is head shape: certain designs are made for certain head shapes. Motorcycle/track helmets are no different.
Don't rely solely on the recommendations of guys like us for a piece of equipment that, if ever used, will save your life. Do your own research. This is a critical piece of equipment.
Your best bet is to move away from looking for 'a track helmet for a car' and move toward looking for 'a helmet for a motorcycle'. Why? 90 percent of them are one and the same. Visit any good motorcycle-specific forum and you'll find gobs of info.
That said, you will inevitably need -- I can't emphasize enough that you need to do this -- to visit a local motorcycle shop to try helmets on. By that time you will understand why -- some of the advice above highlights two reasons, but there are others, too.
To wit: Ever wonder why there are at least half a dozen helmet designs in use in the NFL and college football at any one time -- and that those designs and manufacturers don't match the manufacturer of the rest of the uniform? Part of the reason is the personal preference of the player ... but a bigger reason is head shape: certain designs are made for certain head shapes. Motorcycle/track helmets are no different.
Don't rely solely on the recommendations of guys like us for a piece of equipment that, if ever used, will save your life. Do your own research. This is a critical piece of equipment.
The OP should probably check with the organizing body before buying a motorcycle helmet. Many organizations require a Snell SA helmet and will not allow a Snell M (motorcycle) helmet because motorcycle helmets do not contain the fire-resistant materials of an SA-spec one.
As to answering the OP's original question, I'll echo the suggestions to try them on for an extended period before making a purchasing decision. Everyone's noggins are shaped differently; some are quite round, others are oblong, and many are somewhere in between. Each manufacturer has a different headform that they use to build their helmets. Some, like Arai, offer different headforms in the same markets, but most use a single headform for a geographic region. There's really no substitute for wearing a helmet for 20 minutes and seeing if any hotspots or pain from headsqueeze develops.
Unfortunately it's a lot harder to find a shop with a good selection of SA-rated helmets to try on, and I've yet to find anywhere online that says which SA helmets tend to fit which headshape best.
(I'm shopping for SA helmets, too—I'm a long oval and my wife's a round, so we're a bit challenged finding helmets that fit!)
Unfortunately it's a lot harder to find a shop with a good selection of SA-rated helmets to try on, and I've yet to find anywhere online that says which SA helmets tend to fit which headshape best.
(I'm shopping for SA helmets, too—I'm a long oval and my wife's a round, so we're a bit challenged finding helmets that fit!)
The only organization I'm aware of that even dabbled in prohibiting full-face helmets was the SCCA in 2004, and they never implemented the rule. See Helmet & Airbag Interaction ? Full Story - AIMSS for the FIA research into the issue.
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
