Going helmet shopping saturday.
 

I've heard good things about the Bell M2, but I'm planning on trying on a few helmets to see what feels the most comfortable. The shop I'm going to carries Bell, Simpson, Bieffe, and Sparco, any suggestions? This will be my first helmet in prep for starting auto-x and track events.

You can spend as much as you want on helmets. If you never plan to do much more than autox and an occasional trackday I would stick with only a DOT (motorcycle) helmet. If I'm on an open roadcourse and driving flat out often I would pay for a good SA2000 helmet.

That said all the brands you mentioned make excellent products. Buy the one that fits best to your head. I prefer a closed face helmet but the open face is normally cheaper.

Thanks DamonB. I've been told to stay away from open face, so I'm going to spend the extra money for a closed helmet, plus I hope to be doing lots of track events in the future :)

Closed face, you can always remove the visor for improved visibility a la TOCA or Aussie Super touring folk. I have a bell Sport III EC, not bad but the weight savings when you go up a notch is very noticeable and reduces driver fatigue if you're out for lengthier sessions. Arai (F1) seems to have become pretty popular as has Bieffe (Paul Tracy). Also take in to consideration when your trying them on whether or not you have to or will be wearing a balaclava.

I have a Bieffe open face that I got through the summit catalog. Fits fine and works fine. But I have cubby cheek and the way it presses my face I look like a freakin' chipmunk. So the lesson is... try them on in person first. Although getting an SA2000 helmet for $150 isn't bad.

I don't know about where you live but almost every event I got to, even autocrosses, won't accept a motorcycle helmet.

You might find this thread usefull. https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ghlight=helmet

I could not get the M2 to fit. I ended up with a G-Force Pro. I like it a lot. From what the guy at Discovery Motorsports told me the Bell is a hard fit for some. When you get up in the more expensive ones you get more choices other that S-M-L.

As long as it is actually a Snell M2000 rated helmet it should be approved for autocross. There are "motorcycle helmets" that are just DOT approved and don't provide much if any real protection. Those are not acceptable at autocross.

You'll need Snell SA2000 for track events. FIA also has their own testing for helmets if you happen to be running in Montreal next weekend.

Key differences between SA and M are SA requires: fire resistance testing, rollbar impact testing, and can have a more narrow visual field of view than the DOT allows (i.e. not legal to wear on your motorcycle on the street).

Do your loved ones a favor and buy a good fitting full face SA2000 helmet. any of the brands mentioned will work fine. the more expensive models will be lighter and will have other features. I personally have owned Arai, Simpson, and Bell over the years. I wish I could afford a new Arai helmet, but I have a very nice Bell Votex F/A right now that is great. if buying mail order check with my friends at Bell Motorsports they will help with fitment and will exchange helmets unitl you get what fits. they are also a great supporter of grass roots racers. there Pyrotect line is a good deal for bargain hunters.

Don't get sucked in by the atractive low price of some brands. As far as I'm concerned Bell or Arai are the only ones worth more then a flower pot. I have an AGV that sits in a bag unused. It was replaced with a Bell GTX and I love it.

Re: Going helmet shopping saturday.
 

Well, how much is your head worth to you? I have a Bell M2. I like it because it has a slightly larger opening for glasses. You should be able to get a fairly good discount from retail on a SA2000 helmet. We're already well into the this season and next year it will be the SA2005 approved helmets.

Wow, thanks for all the input guys. I'm definately going to buy a full face helmet and not cheap out on my head, as the saying goes you can never spend too much on safety right?

Course, if next year will be SA2005, looks like I'll be buying another helmet again next spring! I'd wait until then to start doing stuff, but I'm too impaitient to get on track.

Bells are usually the best-fitting.... and like Mark says, what's your head worth?

I went ahead and got a good, full-face, open-wheel racing helmet... that way i'm set no matter what sort of motorsport activity i happen to have an opportunity with... Karting... Skip Barber lapping day... ride-along w/ an instructor that has a convertable/roadster... I wouldn't want to do any of those with some cheap open-face helmet.

You're only talking about a 1-200 dollar difference to get something decent like an M2 or M3.

Most racing organizations allow 10yrs on the standards for helmets. In other words, if SA05 comes out, SA00 are not necessarily obsolete (however, SA95's will be). If you have an SA00, it should be allowed until approximately 2010. I was still using an SA95 until last fall, when I got a new Simpson.

The SA2000 helmet will be okay for track events up to and including the 2009 season. Example, right now SA95 can be used through 2004. You won't have to buy another helmet next year for normal HPDE's.

Good thing you replaced it. The various laminates (fiberglass, Kevlar, etc.) and resin in the shell degrade from exposure to sunlight and ozone to the point that once past 5-7 years from the time of manufacture, you are rolling the dice with regards to the structural impact integrity of a helmet.

Exactly! Which is why I replaced it (Even though the helmet met SA95 standards, but I purchased it in 98, so it was only 5 yrs old). The above info is exactly why they come out with new standards every 5 years. Yet, racing organizations will still allow you to use a helmet with a 10yr old standard. This allows for people like myself or Section8 who are purchasing near the end of the 5 yr standard (so they don't get screwed and have to purchase a new helmet after only 1 yr). But it will also ensure that NO ONE is ever using a helmet more than 9-10 yrs old.

In my opinion, you should always get a new helmet every 5 or so years. I'd rather replace a $500 helmet once every five years than replace my head once in my life.

Rob

Thanks again guys, glad to know I won't have to turn around and buy another helmet next year.

What you can do is go to an autox and try on some of their loaner helmets (they always have some), this gives you a chance to to see how the various brands feel while you're actually driving hard.

Loaner helmets....eeeeeeeawwwwww
Id venture a guess that most of them have no resemblence to waht they felt like new.

CW

Well, I got lots of good help from OG Racing here in NOVA and tried on a few helmets. Apparently my face is too narrow for the Bell M2 Pro or M3 - couldn't quite get a good fit, but the Simpson Voyager fit great, so that's what I'm going to get.

Thanks again guys.