Sharp Helmet Test Results

[sim1]

Is there a basic description of what the stars actually mean in laymans terms?(cue smart alec to say 1 star is bad but 5 stars are good - except for their later albums)

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by funkyrimpler

mmmm....wonder why Arai always get 5* in all the other tests ive read? I dont think they would make a vastly different lid for the professional market-they may have custom fit interiors but the manufacturing costs of bespoke shells etc would be prohibitive imho.

Focus WRC is **** more expensive then normal focus yet they still build it to race. Do not take under concideration the cost of such lid. If one lid for star costs lets say £1000 and they make couple a seazon, then they make more for other teams. It will cost them what £20000 or £30000. Great so what now just in UK what is their profit because people bought Arai as top starts us it? I think more then £30000. Then there are other countries.
In case of high profile promotion cost is not the most important thing. It is one of points at the end of list.
Tell me one thing about your other tests. What do they do, do they test helmet to destruction? Or is it that they give it to people for review and they do not destroy it. They test it for fit, comfort and what it is made from.

Originally Posted by K

I brought my 3 star Aria because it was the most comfortable lid I had ever tried.

If I buy buy a helmet because it has a good rating but gives the a headache after wearing it all day what's better?

The only good thing I can see is it will force the manufactures to improve standards.

Although should any helmet have a 5 star rating because that then says there is no point trying to make an even better helmet or use new technologies.

3 star better fit is better then 4 or 5 to big. I do agree but that is why they also have on their site guide to how to get correct size.

5* producers might slow down for now but then all others will get to 5* being much cheaper and then they are in trouble. That is why they can not afford to stop developing. Again look at NCAP. For couple of years French cars get 5 stars (most of them) yet they still impove them by adding this and that. They do it as other manufacturers are now getting 5* as well.

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by sim1

Is there a basic description of what the stars actually mean in laymans terms?(cue smart alec to say 1 star is bad but 5 stars are good - except for their later albums)

Why do you need that. What they want to encourage is for people to buy highest rating helmet they can afford. Having £120 to spend you can get a 2* lid and if you lucky a 4* lid. With out the test how would you know?
It is a helmet they can not tell you 1* protects good till 30MPH. At the end at 30MPH you can hit an oncoming traffic.
If you read about that testing you will realise that stars are based on different possible damage. All lids are tested under the same possible conditions and then depending at what level they give up is what they get.

[RodH]

Originally Posted by Lucazade 749s

First off all lids used by starts are different then lids you buy. Just like Ford Focus WRC is a bit different from Ford Focus ST. Do not get fooled by sellers.

Sorry Luca but I think you are talking bollox, and your example is not comparible. Lab tests are just that, Lab tests, and cannot fully reflect the real world. I'll stick to my 3* RX7 rather than buy a £60 5* Laser.

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by RodH

Sorry Luca but I think you are talking bollox, and your example is not comparible. Lab tests are just that, Lab tests, and cannot fully reflect the real world. I'll stick to my 3* RX7 rather than buy a £60 5* Laser.

Not this time mate. Yes it is a hard example to compare. Yes lab test is a lab test but you want to go down that way fine.

Two bikers:
one comes off and skids to a stop on his arse
second comes off and skids to a stop on his head
Bought were travelling at 70MPH, bought went off in the same way just landing was different. For sake of argument bought had the same bike and other gear. Road was identical as well so did conditions.
Each of them have different lid. How will you know which one was better? Because rider one came out with only road rush? Circumstances are similar but not identical, how will you compare that?

The same test done in a lab on those two helmets under identical conditions lets it compare quite easily.
Mentioned focus example is hard to compare I can agree.
In that case let me do it this way:
ARAI of any star motorcycle rider that uses it-

ARAI from dealer-


Badge, length, width and height are the same ...

Now you will not tell me that bought of those cars are the same!!!

Yet Nascar Dodge Avenger bares the same name as Dodge Avenger in shop. You watch nascar you see dodge win. Next day you are in a dealer and what he tells you. That car won last nascar race .


You have an ARAI, fits you well and you are happy great but do not burn test results because you are happy with your lid.

Another question how do you know ARAI works well? There is a lot of bad motorcycle accidents has any one checked what is a ratio of survival amongs ARAI owners?

SHARP did amongs motorcycle users and got a result that around 50 could have been saved if they knew that their lid as not as good as they were expecting.

[RodH]

Sorry Luca, but I think that you are far too willing to believe and defend everything that the Dept for Transport feeds you with regards to the Sharp Test, irresepecive of whether or not their results fly in the face of all previous helmet tests.

Believe what you wish, 'cos we all know that all government departments are 100% correct 100% of the time FFS . In the meantime I'll go with my 3* Arai.

[Nigel101]

"Pro" Arai RX7s are exactly the same as "Shop " RX7's ,be careful Mr Arai gets very upset when his integrity is questioned there have been cases of top racers wearing Arais with other brands stickers on,particularly at the TT in the 90's,having said all that generally the quality of helmets has improved and the fit is what really counts.......oh and racers would wear a bucket on their head if you paid them enough !!!!!...........

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by RodH

Sorry Luca, but I think that you are far too willing to believe and defend everything that the Dept for Transport feeds you with regards to the Sharp Test, irresepecive of whether or not their results fly in the face of all previous helmet tests.

Believe what you wish, 'cos we all know that all government departments are 100% correct 100% of the time FFS . In the meantime I'll go with my 3* Arai.

Rod why can’t you just admit that that test can be correct? There is that possibility, it is on the same level as it being incorrect. Is it because you always had ARAI helmets and a Gov possibly proved you wrong? Grow up on that front.
- There were plenty of people saying that NCAP is crap and now you can clearly see in accidents that survival rate in new cars is higher.
- Seat belts were also a bad idea....
- Before steel ships people believed that wooden is the only way.
- Long time ago we could not fly! in devices heavier then air and yet were proven wrong (two brothers).
The Gov you speak off forced you to have a lid in the first place. As per you that is a wrong decision as Gov is always wrong as per you. So why do you listen and have one and even join this debate?
Yes Gov does not always get it right (smaller bins will make us produce less rubbish) but then there are times they do.
Step back to the time you got your first bike and first lid how did you choose it? Did you know what to look for by your self?
This testing, and easy to understand scoring, is here to help us understand which helmet is best value for money. It is here to make manufacturers of 3 or 4 * lids think and go up a level as now they compare worse to cheaper competition.

Now re different lid for racers and common folk.

When a top rider crashes we all see it on TV, if it is a big accident it is in the news. Guess what all can see his ARAI lid due to fact they are sponsors and have huge stickers. If he gets up and walks away great lid if he does not crappy one. Public is a simple as that. When you or I or any of Ducatisti go down (we do not want that!!!) we tell it here and that is it. No pictures or any coverage. Unless it was big but then no one will talk about your lid. That in other words mean no bad or good publicity.

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by Nigel101

"Pro" Arai RX7s are exactly the same as "Shop " RX7's ,be careful Mr Arai gets very upset when his integrity is questioned there have been cases of top racers wearing Arais with other brands stickers on,particularly at the TT in the 90's,having said all that generally the quality of helmets has improved and the fit is what really counts.......oh and racers would wear a bucket on their head if you paid them enough !!!!!...........

That one is correct and is a reason why buying lid because Stoner has one can be a bit risky.

Now Mr Arai can get upset fine. Sorry but I am as sceptic towards their independent testing by company they paid to test it as Rod is towards Gov.
SHARP goes to a shop buys a lid and then tests it with out notification...

[RodH]

Luca you are really priceless, you ask me to admit that tests can be right, when your comments and attitude so obviously show that you are not willing to admit that they could equally be wrong.

Believe what you wish, I really could not care less, as you obviously cannot accept any point of view other than your own, which makes continuing this debate with you utterly pointless.

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by RodH

Luca you are really priceless, you ask me to admit that tests can be right, when your comments and attitude so obviously show that you are not willing to admit that they could equally be wrong.

Believe what you wish, I really could not care less, as you obviously cannot accept any point of view other than your own, which makes continuing this debate with you utterly pointless.

Rod I can not admit!!! What?! Have you even read my post or just replied?
First two sentences:
Rod why can’t you just admit that that test can be correct? There is that possibility, it is on the same level as it being incorrect.

[Shoei]

I don't understand why ppl defend the test when you don't even know how it was tested.
the test has only just been established, like all things, it don't all start perfect, there will always be flaws!!! We don't live in the perfect world.

[Dan]

I don't know anything about 'Sharp' tests but for my two pence worth.... when I came off my bike at Oulton Park doing 65mph+ the thing I remember was first landing on my back and then really hitting my head very hard.

As I was skidding down the track all I could think of was "my head, my head..... I've really hit my head very very hard." Then five seconds later I was up and walking over to my bike, to pick it up for the walk of shame back to the paddock.

Without question my four year old Arai Condor saved my life and without it I wouldn't be talking to you now..... now that was a test I'd rather not have carried out.

So as you might imagine, although the budget has been extremely stretched I've now bought another Aria, a Viper GT! Thank you very very much Arai, you get five stars from me!

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by Shoei

I don't understand why ppl defend the test when you don't even know how it was tested.
the test has only just been established, like all things, it don't all start perfect, there will always be flaws!!! We don't live in the perfect world.

Well I am aware it can all be wrong. What I do not understand is why people dismiss it on day one because their lid got lower score then they expected.
Maybe SHARP is good maybe not time will tell but you can not dismiss it before it has time to prove it self or burn.


DAN:
Great you fine, great that helmet did it's job. Now let's say if you did hurt your head and then seen SHARP test telling you that lid you had was 2* would you go on the site again before buying replacement or would you buy blindly from the same manufacturer?

[Tush67]

Crikey Day! I knew you'd had an off but that looks quite spectacular. Why is it the camera is always there when things go wrong?

Try not to repeat it at Pembrey