If you’re riding a motorcycle in the UK then you’re bound by law to wear a crash helmet at the very minimum if you’re on the road. For the benefit of bikers however, there are standards that helmets can comply to, ensuring you’re getting a model that’s been put through standardised tests. Don't fall foul of the temptation of really cheap helmets from normally expensive brands that are much cheaper than they should be; they’re probably fake and will do nothing for your head!
You’ll find that most, if not all, of the big manufacturers put their road helmets through SHARP testing to prove that what they’re selling is fit for purpose, and a good many attain ACU (Auto Cycle Union) certification too. ACU certification is something you can check by way of a sticker on the helmet, while SHARP ratings can be found by looking them up. To actually get the motorcycle helmet to be legal to ride on UK roads it needs to comply with British Standard 6658:1985 with the BSI Kitemark visible, UN-ECE Regulation 22.05. If you’re got all 3 of these, you’re definitely good to go.
SHARP testing is run by the UK Government’s Department for Transport with the aim to better inform consumers of what they’re buying – a perfectly admirable endeavour. There are some critics of the scheme, especially about how indicative it really is about a helmet’s performance in a crash. It would be wrong to say the testing is absolutely flawless and without any issues, however the same could be said with any testing of any product!
To say that it’s utterly worthless is completely inaccurate as it allows for you to judge, to some extent, how well a helmet will look after your noggin. Its two major flaws are arguably the fact that it doesn’t check how a helmet takes impacts to the lower front and some debate over whether the solid headforms used in testing are accurate enough in representing an actual human head. Beyond this, the testing strikes the helmet 30 separate times with various apparatus of varying mass and speed, as well as a rotational impact which is common impact in an accident. For flip up helmets they also rate according to whether the front remains shut throughout testing, adjusting the score as appropriate if it pops open.
Sure, some manufacturers will go above and beyond with their testing and this is part of the reason why some helmets cost much more than others, but you’ve also got to consider other aspects of research and development such as comfort, ventilation, stability, longevity and visibility, amongst other factors adding to the cost. A top-end Shoei motorcycle helmet will not perform the same way as the cheapest Lazer crash helmet due to factors such as shell materials and the effectiveness of the impact liner, but both should offer a solid minimum level of safety in the event of a spill. You’ll also have non-standard tests by each manufacturer giving different results that can be skewed to sell a helmet if they’re so inclined!
The other certification you might see is the ACU sticker – this will be a major concern for you if you’re taking the helmet on track, whether tarmac or off it, especially if it’s for a competitive event. For riding on asphalt tracks you’ll need a gold certification, while off-road you can have gold or silver. ACU conduct testing independent of the BS and SHARP ones, potentially providing a little bit more evidence you’re getting a solid helmet. The ACU don't appear to give much information on their testing methodology unfortunately, although they are planning to introduce a rating system similar to the SHARP scheme - hopefully this will shed more light on what testing they conduct on a helmet.
As mentioned, different manufacturers use different materials to achieve the best protection possible, although obviously they’ve got to work within budget constraints for each model. You’ll find Arai and Shoei, two of the more premium manufacturers, use layered fibreglass shells with expanded polystyrene liners to absorb energy, while more budget-oriented manufacturers such as Shark use cheaper but less effective plastic shells, such as polycarbonate, with an expanded polystyrene liner. Fibreglass and composite shells can use a multitude of materials to strengthen them such as carbon fibre and kevlar, while polycarbonate, although cheaper, is much more rigid and less able to disperse a shock evenly.
The differences don’t stop here however, and debates are constant on what methods work best at keeping your head safe. Arai, for example, refuse to introduce a flip-up helmet, but have introduced an open face motorcycle helmet that has a removable slim bar along the chin. Meanwhile Shoei include the comfort of a helmet as part of their ‘Active Safety’ arguing a valid point that the comfort of a helmet affects its safety – if you’re more alert then generally you’ll be a safer rider, and greater comfort facilitates this. Shoei have also introduced features such as internal sun visors and flip-fronts which Arai view as a compromise to the physical ability of a helmet. This is also why you’ll see Arai helmets only have externally mounted visors with side pods required to hold them to the helmet, while most (if not all) other manufacturers have opted for recessed visors that mount into the helmet directly.
All this leads to a lot of confusion about which helmet is truly best, and this is why these basic standards are a very good idea. Manufacturers have entirely different views on what makes the best helmet the best, and you also have to consider cost; if you can’t afford a helmet you can’t wear it, and a solid, basic helmet is better than no helmet and no riding at all!
Naturally, Bike Stop only stocks helmets that meet the relevant minimum certifications and you can be sure you’re getting the genuine article, with great customer service to boot.
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