Howdy folks,
There has been quite a bit of discussion on the AHRMA Cross Country Yahoo! Group about the AHRMA's new helmet requirements.
Although it is clearly stated on page 9 of the 2013 AHRMA Handbook, this seems to have caught a lot of people off guard.
With my vested interest in the success of our upcoming AHRMA National Cross Country Race weekend, The Carolinas White Lightning Cross Country Classic, I wanted to make certain all of you fine folks on the Penton Owners Group forum were aware of these requirements.
Best regards,
Al Roof
From page 9 of the 2013 AHRMA Handbook
3.3.14
Helmets must be used in all AHRMA competition. Helmets worn in roadracing and dirt track must be full-face type and certified by the manufacturer by having a sticker affixed to the helmet stating the helmet meets or exceeds the Snell M2010, FIM BSI 6658 type A ("Blue Label"), FIM ECR22.05 or FIM JIST 8133:2000 standard. Helmets meeting this standard must have been manufactured within the past 60 months.
Helmets used for all other forms of competition must meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) standards, Snell M2005 or higher, or current FIM standard. Half-helmets are permitted only in trials. All helmets will be scrutinized at tech inspection for compliance. Riders are prohibited from using damaged helmets. Only OEM chin strap fasteners may be used (no aftermarket quick-release fasteners). Tech inspection by AHRMA does not warrant the condition of a participant's helmet. It is the responsibility of participants to ensure that their helmet is in good and safe condition. Participants are encouraged to have their helmets examined by the appropriate experts if they have questions regarding their condition. (See 3.4.3)
No problem:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOT-D-O-T-D-O-T-DOT-SNELL-M2005-WHITE-BLACK-4-PACK-Stickers-WVDT-0046-/221093899242?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337a392bea
Pete Petrick
175 Jackpiner
Slow but Good
I read this as if the helmet must EITHER meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) standards OR Snell M2005 OR higher, OR current FIM standard.
Not DOT standards AND Snell M2005 OR higher, or current FIM standard.
However, on the AHRMA Cross Country Yahoo! Group thread AHRMA Executive Director David Lamberth seems to be interpreting this as requiring the latter.
Dave even wrote "The helmet rule has forced me to have to move away from my beloved Arai's that I have worn for years. I bought a JT helmet - not sure I am going to like it as much as the Arai."
As you and I both know, Aria helmets easily meet DOT standards.
I am going to ask him to take a second look at this.
Al
No, for 2013 off road helmets MUST be Snell 2005 certified, not DOT alone.
Pete, you cant get a fake Snell sticker for the actual certification label which is on the inside under the liner on the Styrofoam.
Brian
Have had five other people read the Ahrma rule book statement and they read it as only one of of the three requirements is needed ; myself as well. A JT helmet is made better than a ARIA ? come on now .... When is the next election ?;)
Dave used to wear the Arai MXC Pro, basically an open face helmet with the screw on face guard, which they have not made since the Snell 2005 rating. He is not saying JT is better than Arai, he is saying his preferred helmet no longer meets the AHRMA rules and he had to pick something, so he chose JT.
Brian
This is why I don't belong to AHRMA. They are getting to be just like the government. Next you will only be able to wear brand X boots and clothes. This should be a choice of the racer.
WHAT ! I can't wear my 1985 open face Bell Magnum anymore. How am I going to look and feel the part of vintage racing. That would be like going to a civil war reenactment, with a M16.
When Arai discontinued the MXC Pro, I bought several and still have 3 new ones in the top of my closet. I will continue to wear these and the day someone will not allow me to ride an event is the day I will cancel my membership. What about "skunk hats" at the 6 days events? Surely someone will come to their senses.
Tim, the MXC Pro is my all time favorite helmet, I wore them for years. I wish I had been as smart as you and bought several new ones when Arai discontinued them.
Just so everyone knows, I am not defending the AHRMA rule or saying I agree with it, I'm just trying to make sure everyone understands so they dont drive 16hrs to an event only to find out they cant race because of their helmet.
Brian
Regardless of rating, no one should wear a helmet over 5 years old. I am always amazed at how many people want to wear 20 year old helmets, for sentimental reasons apparently. One of the reasons Dwight points out that DOT helmets are better than Snell for off road, and he is correct, is that the DOT rating allows softer styrofoam, which absorbs more energy in the slower speed impacts we tend to see in off road. The part that absorbs impact, the styrofoam, like all plastics gets harder as it gets older. As it gets harder it absorbs less energy and transfers more energy to your brain, which is a very bad thing. As much as I love my old Arai MXC Pro's, even if I had a brand new one I would not wear it because the foam is too hard by now.
Brian
Sounds like a business opportunity to me. Supply and demand?:D
Al:
The way I read the requirement is that it must meet ONE of the standards published in the rulebook.
Dave
David W. Lamberth
AHRMA
309 Buffalo Run
Goodlettsville, Tn. 37072
AHRMA phone # 615-420-6435
AHRMA fax # 615-420-6438
Tech inspection by AHRMA does not warrant the condition of a participant's helmet. It is the responsibility of participants to ensure that their helmet is in good and safe condition.
Participants are encouraged to have their helmets examined by the appropriate experts if they have questions regarding their condition. (See 3.4.3)
This appears to be a disclaimer for liability issues. If one can receive a million dollars for coffee being too hot, well then...I guess anything is possible. There is no helmet police. I personally feel more protected in a NOS helmet than one 3-4 years old that has been sweated in every weekend. Just my opinion.
Personally I think it's interesting that when the topic of other safety equipment comes up I keep hearing things like: I don't cheap out on boots, neck braces, chest protectors...blah, blah, blah. But when the subject of noggin protection comes up then it's outrageous to think that you are being told your equipment must meet certain safety standards.
I'm sure there is a lawyer involved in this somewhere, big deal. I talked to D. Lamberth about this when the rule book first came out. I didn't have an issue with the rule but what I didn't want to see was the poor dude who drives hundreds of miles to a AHRMA event only to find out his lid won't pass tech. I believe AHRMA was working on a one time warning deal so this wouldn't happen.
I remember I was on the starting line of a AMA vintage race years ago. The temps were in the high 90's and I was wearing a jersey with the sleeves cut off. The gate was about to drop and a ref runs up to me saying I can't wear a short sleeve jersey in a AMA race. Shortly after that the gate dropped and I crashed in the first turn scraping up my forearm/elbow. LOL. I doubt the long sleeve jersey would have made a difference but the whole thing was a bit ironic.
Pete Petrick
175 Jackpiner
Slow but Good
The wording of the handbook that Al has quoted does NOT state that the helmets must be Snell 2005 certified. The rule is presented in an "either this, this, or this" format. I believe, as both Al and Dave Lamberth do, that the rule is stating that EITHER DOT, Snell 2005-higher, OR FIM standards are acceptable.
Perhaps more importantly, as Brian pointed out, the polymers in a helmet age and 5 years is the typical rule-of-thumb regarding helmet life. I know we all think of vintage racing as a low-key, safer form of racing, but the old noggin' deserves more protection than our beloved vintage gear offers.
TEAM PENTOVARNA
Kent Knudson
Kevin Brown
Gary & Toni Roach
James & Adam Giddings
Dennis & Cory Buttrick
Derick Kemper
Nicole Hays
Josh Gaitten
Knute I would have to agree. Hitting a tree head on at 20mph on a vintage or modern bike is still going to feel the same for the tree!
74 250 Hare scramble
2 68 Six Day (projects)
I'm still using my 500TX Bell helmet from mid 70s enduro racing. So, we could update the open faced helmet while maintaining the open face model as in the past as long as we have a chin strap.?
peter klinck
Hmm, interesting, In Feb. of this year, a new helmet came out, I saw an ad for it late last year and it sounds great. It is called the 6D helmet, what makes it unique is the fact that the inner helmet is attached to the outside shell by a series of suspension points that allow the inside to move alot more than a normal helmet. There have been several nasty crashes this year in supercross by riders wearing this helmet and all of them have come away with out a concussion. It has a Dot rating but not a snell rating . The reason is because it is too soft for a snell rating. Which as already been stated is better for off road use. I have a very nice helmet that I have used for the last few years but I think I am going to have to go back and see if it meets the current regulations, I would buy one of the 6D helmets but as I understand I will take a huge hit in the pocket book. Way more money than even the best conventional available helmets, I seem to remember the cost being 750 dollars. sure my head is worth it and maybe I may have to do with a DOT helmet until I can afford the best. I was there the day that Decoster broke his nose when the front end of his works Suzuki came off, So you will never get me to wear anything but a full face helmet, unless it is for a trials event!
I went down hard last year at the Chehalis race when a certain ex pro took out my front wheel, I was wearing my DOT full face helmet and now that I know the difference between the two rating, I am glad I was not wearing my snell approved helmet. It is just too hard for all but the most serious crashes. Food for thought, there have been several Pro's that have been sidelined permanently because of a series of concussions, many of which were slight. I wonder how that would have changed if the AMA took into consideration the kind of crashes that happen in off road racing and how it differs from those on a road race course? Better is not always better!;)
Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
74' 1/2 440 maico
70' 400 maico (project)
72' cr125 Husky (project)
93' RMx 250 suzuki
I bought one of the $149.95 eBay JT ALS-02 helmets to displace my now non-compliant Bell Moto 7. I'm happy with its build quality at this price level and it does have the look of the JT helmet popular in the 80s. The sizing may run a little small as my Moto 7 was a XL and fit great and by going by the JT sizing chart based on my head measurements I should have bought a size L in the JT. I bought an XL as I was on the upper end of the L size range and am glad I did.
The AHRMA RULE is : DOT,(and,Or)Snell 2005, or current FIM certification. ECE is an excellent certification that is recognized and actually prefered over Snell. If your helmet is DOT certified than it is OK for offroad competition. AHRMA or AMA. Snell is not good for Offroad. Impacts are most commonly at less speeds and a Snell helmet can actually do more damage than protect.
Guys,
I have been using my 500TX open faced Bell helmet from the late 60s even today.
However, since I am thinking of racing in AHRMA, I discovered on-line there are several modern helmet brands with at least one of the 3 safety approval ratings and still open faced so you can snap your old vintage visors on them.
I decided to buy on-line a new 500 series Bell helmet DOT approved but open faced and fit the vintage visor snap positions. My old 500TX is ok to go on leasure rides, but I took the point seriously win modernizing and still keeping the vintage look. I can add a mouth garde too. Good luck everyone.
peter klinck
your parts unlimited dealer sells Z1R helmets that look classic. Called the Jimmy Retro. 3/4 open face.
Brian and all,
I just bought a new open faced Bell helmet, "custom 500 Helmet". They are marked down to 99 bucks from 140. I saw white and silver colors too. Very nice and my old duck bill snapped right on to it.
The supplier is MotorcycleSuperstore in Louisville, KY. Toll free: 877668-6872. Or check the website:
[email protected]. Good Luck
peter klinck