[a4anurag]

To all my rider friends just a small article compiled from various sites and documents on Helmet Testing procedures and Standards followed. It might help you all so posting it here.

Motorcycle helmets greatly reduce injuries and fatalities in motorcycle accidents, thus many countries have laws requiring acceptable helmets to be worn by motorcycle riders. These laws vary considerably, often exempting mopeds and other small-displacement bikes. In some countries, most notably the USA and India, there is some opposition to compulsory helmet use.

A simple picture comparing protective gear and a rider without it.

First, it is the best protective gear you can wear while riding a motor- cycle. Think of it at the same time you think of your ignition key: Pick up the key; pick up the helmet, they go together. Helmet use is not a “cure-all” for motorcycle safety, but in a crash, a helmet can help protect your brain, your face, and your life.

Combined with other protective gear, rider-education courses, proper licensing and public awareness, the use of helmets and protective gear is one way to reduce injury. A good helmet makes riding a motorcycle more fun, due to the comfort factor.

It cuts down on:

• Wind noise roaring by your ears;
• Wind blast on your face and eyes and
• Deflects bugs and other objects flying through the air.

It even contributes to comfort from changing weather conditions and reduces rider fatigue. Wearing a helmet shows that motorcyclists are responsible people; we take ourselves and motorcycling seriously. Wearing a helmet, no matter what the law says, is a projection of your attitude toward riding. And that attitude is plain to see by other riders and non-riders alike.

[a4anurag]

Basic terminology

For the purpose of this standard, the following definitions shall apply

a) Protective Helmet
A helmet primarily intended to protect the wearer's head against impact

b) Shell
The hard part of the protective helmet which gives it its general shape.

c) Protective Padding
A material used to absorb impact energy.

d) Comfort Padding
A material provided for the wearer's comfort.

e) Retention System
The complete assembly by means of which the helmet is maintained in position on the head, including any devices for adjustments of the system or to enhance the wearer's comfort.

i) Chin Strap
A part of the retention system consisting of a strap that passes under the wearer's jaws to keep the helmet in position.

ii) Chin Cup
It is an accessory of the chinstrap that fits round the point of the wearer's chin.

f) Visor
A transparent protective screen extending over the eyes and covering all or part of the face.

Material of Construction:

a) Shell
The shell of the helmet shall be of metallic or non-metallic materials conforming to the test requirements.

b) Protective Padding
It may be of expanded polystyrene or any other material having similar properties.

c) Comfort Padding
It may be of expanded polyurethane foam, polyethylene or any other suitable material having similar properties.

d) Retention System
The criteria for selection of material for chin strap and comfort padding shall be sweat-resistant, not-irritant and shall not be known to cause skin disease.

e) Metal Parts
The metal parts in helmet shall be either inherently corrosion resistant or shall have been treated for corrosion resistance.

f) Mass:
The protective helmets with lesser mass are preferred and may be available with the increasing availability of more advanced composites and materials. However, mass of the complete helmet shall not exceed 1500g

Worldwide, many countries have defined their own sets of standards that are used to judge the effectiveness of a motorcycle helmet in an accident, and define the minimal acceptable standard thereof. Among them are:

• ACU gold or silver badge (Auto-Cycle Union, UK)
• AS/NZS 1698, (Australia and New Zealand)
• BSI 6658 (British Standards Institute, UK)
• CMVSS (Canada)
• CRASH (Consumer Rating and Assessment of Safety Helmets, Australia)
• CSA CAN3-D230-M85 (Canadian Standards Association, they no longer certify motorcycle helmets since)
• DOT FMVSS 218 (USA)
• ECE Regulation 22 (Europe)
• GOST R 41.22-2001 (ГОСТ Р 41.22-2001, based on ECE 22.05, Russia)
• ICC, (Import Commodity Clearance, Philippines)
• IS 4151 (Indian Standard, Bureau of Indian Standards, India)
• JIS T 8133:2000 (Japanese Industrial Standards, Japan)
• NBR 7471 (Norma Brasileira by Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas, Brazil)
• SHARP (UK)
• Snell M2005 & M2010 (USA)
• SNI (Standar Nasional Indonesia)
• TCVN 5756:2001 (test and certify by QUATEST 3) (Vietnam)

[a4anurag]

Helmet certification standards are a highly controversial subject in motorcycle circles, everyone wants to believe their helmet’s certification standard is number 1 but at the end of the day it’s down to each rider to do their research, make their decision and the wear their helmet.

The Snell Memorial Foundation has developed stricter requirements and testing procedures for motorcycle helmets with racing in mind, as well as helmets for other activities (e.g. drag racing, bicycling, horseback riding), and many riders in North America consider Snell certification a benefit when considering buying a helmet while others note that its standards allow for more force (G's) to be transferred to a rider's head than the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) standard. However, the DOT standard does not test the chin bar of helmets with them, while the Snell (and ECE) standards do.

In the United Kingdom, many riders choose helmets bearing an Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) Gold sticker as it defines a stricter standard than the legal minimum ECE 22.05 specification. Helmets with an ACU Gold sticker are the only ones allowed to be worn in competition, or at track days.

As we are all aware, you can get almost anything via the internet these days and helmets are no exception. While buying online can allow you to easily make a lot of different comparisons between helmet models, graphic styles and of course price there are also a few drawbacks.

• Buying online gives the consumer more choices.
• Buying helmets online allows the consumer to find the best price.
• Buying online is so much more convenient.

The drawbacks:

Choosing a proper helmet depends on other factors that become very difficult to determine online, even on a wide screen computer monitor.

• First there's fit – Get the right size suits your head and fits perfectly to protect you during an accident.
  
  
• Comfort – A proper fit helmet shouldn’t mean it is comfortable so while buying a customer must choose a helmet that fits the best and is comfortable all round so that it can be worn always and for longer durations.
  
  
• Style – The best and the most unique of the lot. A computer screen may show a particular design or stickering look good but that may not be the same in reality so it is a challenge to find a good looking attractive helmet.
  
  
• Getting what you pay for – VFM is what all buyers need at the end of the day without any compromise, so a proper research is needed before paying the money.
  
  
• Most of all wear it – Last but not the least, once the helmet is bought it must be worn for it to protect the head in case of an accident. A helmet will not protect if it is kept on a shelf or in the cupboard so at least for flaunting sake it must be worn always.

[a4anurag]

TESTING STANDARDS

I am going to cover the regularly used standards which one is most likely to see:

1. DOT,
2. ECE 22.05,
3. Snell and
4. IS 4151:1993.

1. DOT Helmet Standard:

This stands for “Department of Transportation", but the standard is FMVSS 218, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard #218, Motorcycle Helmets, and it is applicable to helmets sold in the U.S. for on-road use.

The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) enforcement authority of the DOT certification requirement applies to helmets intended for on-road use. NHTSA does not test helmets against the DOT standards before they can claim DOT certification; rather, each helmet manufacturer marketing their helmets for road use in the U.S. must test and self-certify the models they want to sell and then permanently affix the “DOT” emblem signifying compliance with FMVSS 218.

NHTSA enforces the standard by acquiring random samples of the product and sending them to an independent testing lab to verify compliance. Penalties to manufacturers for marketing non-compliant products can be steep—up to $5,000 per helmet.

FMVSS 218 sets standards in three areas of helmet performance: Impact Attenuation, basically energy absorption; Penetration Resistance; and finally the Retention System Effectiveness.

The standard also requires peripheral vision to be not less than 105° from the helmet midline. Projections from the surface of the helmet (snaps, rivets, etc.) may not exceed 5 mm.
The impact test measures acceleration of a headform inside the helmet when it is dropped from a fixed height onto a spherical and flat surfaced anvil. The standard allows peak acceleration energy of 400G (G being “gravity constant” or an acceleration value of ft. per second x seconds).

The penetration test involves dropping a piercing test striker onto the helmet from a fixed height. The striker must not penetrate deep enough to contact the headform.

The retention system test involves placing the helmet’s retention straps under load in tension. For this test the load is progressive; first a load of 22.7 kg (49.9 lb.) is applied for 30 seconds, then it is increased to 136 kg (299.2 lb.) for 120 seconds, with measurement of the stretch or displacement of a fixed point on the retention strap from the apex of the helmet.

2. ECE 22.05 Helmet Standard:

ECE stands for “Economic Commission for Europe,” which was created under a United Nations agreement in 1958. The 22.05 part refers to the specific regulation that the standards for testing are described in.

The ECE standard, which is accepted in 47 countries, is similar to the DOT standard in several ways, for example: like the DOT standard, peripheral vision through an arc of 105° from the helmet midline is required. Also, environmental conditioning of helmets to be tested is required similar to the DOT standard and certain labeling requirements apply, as well.

Impact absorption testing is performed in a manner very similar to the DOT standard, involving a drop test from a fixed height on a steel anvil with a headform fitted inside to measure the energy transmitted. Peak acceleration energy at the headform allowed to pass the test is 275 G. Impact absorption and rotational forces are also tested at points where any surfaces or parts project from the shell of the helmet.

The retention system is tested with a free-fall drop test of a 10 kg (22.0 lb) weight from a height of 0.75m (29.5 in.) attached to the fastened chin strap. No more than 35mm displacement of the attachment point is allowed.

The chin strap buckle system is also tested for slippage under load, and the strap material itself is tested for abrasion resistance and tension failure load (which cannot be less than 3kN or 674.4 lb). There are also tests for ease of release and durability of quick-release buckle systems.

There are some areas where the DOT and ECE standards differ, for example: The surface of the helmet is tested for abrasion resistance—but in this test the performance standard requires that the helmet surface either shear away or allow the test surface to slip past the helmet. This is to minimize the amount of twisting force the helmet would transmit to the wearer’s head and neck. Projections from the helmet (snaps, rivets, etc.) may not exceed 2 mm.

Another test assesses the rigidity of the shell of the helmet by measuring the deformation of the helmet shell when progressively more load is applied up to 630 N (141.6 lb.).

In addition to these areas, ECE 22.05 includes performance for the visor on a helmet, if it is an integral part of the helmet. DOT provides standards for visors and other eye-protection gear in a separate standard referred to as VESC 8 (Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission). The ECE standards do not include a test for penetration resistance.

Unlike the DOT system, where the product is not subject to third-party testing prior to sale, the ECE system required batch sampling when production begins, submission of up to 50 sample helmets/visors to a designated laboratory working for the government that uses the ECE standards under the United Nations agreement and verification of quality control during on-going production.

The ECE standard specifies which type or configuration of helmet the approval applies to, using the following codes: “J” if the helmet does not have a lower face cover, “P” if the helmet has a protective lower face cover, or “NP” if the helmet has a non-protective lower face cover, (stated as ECE 22.05J, ECE 22.05P or ECE 22.05NP).

[a4anurag]

3. Snell (Snell Memorial Foundation M2010) Helmet Standard:

The Snell Memorial Foundation is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1957 dedicated to improving helmet safety. Snell goes beyond the governmental standard-setting approach and is available to assist manufacturers with helmet development by offering prototype testing.

Snell's California helmet testing laboratory is the one of the few in the United States accredited to ISO 17025 by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).

Before a helmet can be Snell-certified, it is tested in Snell's state-of-the-art test facility. Snell technicians conduct a variety of tests to determine the helmet's performance and ability to stay on the head in different environmental conditions – ambient, wet, heat, cold. Depending on the application and the standard, each helmet must pass all or some of the following tests.

Test types

Impact Test

This test involves a series of controlled impacts where a helmet is positioned on a metal head form and then dropped in a guided fall onto various steel test anvils (Flat, Hemisphere, kerbstone, Roll bar, Edge or a Horseshoe type) which simulate different impact surfaces. The head forms are instrumented with an accelerometer to measure peak G force or acceleration which is measured in ‘G’ravitational units. The impact energy (drop height and mass), or how hard the helmets are impacted is unique to each standard. However, in any valid test, if the peak acceleration imparted to the head form exceeds certain threshold value (around 300 G's, depending on standard and test type), the helmet is rejected.

Positional Stability (Roll-Off) Test

A head form is mounted on a stand so that it points face downward at an angle of 135 degrees. The helmet is placed on the head form and the straps and buckles adjusted to obtain a "best fit". A wire rope is hooked to the rear edge of the helmet and brought forward so that its free end runs across the helmet and downward towards the floor. The free end of the rope has a mechanical stop with a 4 kg weight resting on the stop. The weight is raised to a prescribed height and dropped onto the stop. The resulting shock places a rotational load on the helmet. The helmet may be shifted, but must not roll off the head form. Next, the head form is rotated 180 degrees, the helmet adjusted, and tested with the wire rope hooked to the front edge of the helmet and the test is repeated. As in the first case, the helmet may be shifted but must not roll off the head form.

Dynamic Retention Test

The helmet is placed on a head form and the chin strap fastened under a device approximating the contour of the jaw. The jaw piece is loaded with a 23 kg weight for approximately one minute. The retention system is tested by simultaneously removing the 23 kg weight and applying a 38 kg mass in an abrupt guided fall. The retention system fails if it cannot support the mechanical loads or if the maximum instantaneous deflection (stretch) of the retention system exceeds 30 mm. Drop heights for the 38 kg mass are different for each standard; however the mechanism and failure criteria are similar for other types of headgear.

Chin Bar Test

The chin bar test applies to full face motorcycle, special application racing and kart racing helmets. The helmet is affixed to a rigid base with the chin bar facing upward. A 5 kg weight is dropped through a guided fall to strike the central portion of the chin bar. Maximum downward deflection of the chin bar must not exceed the stated distance.

Shell Penetration Test

The shell penetration test applies to motorcycle, special application racing, kart racing, skiing and equestrian helmets. The helmet is affixed to a rigid base. A 3 kg sharply pointed striker is dropped in a guided fall onto the helmet from a prescribed height. The test striker must not penetrate the helmet or even achieve momentary contact with the head form.

Face shield Penetration Test

The face shield penetration test applies to full face motorcycle, special application racing and kart racing helmets. The face shield is affixed to the helmet and shot along the center line in three separate places with an air rifle using a sharp soft lead pellet. Pellet speed will be approximately 500 kph. For both types of shield the pellet must not penetrate, and for the racing helmet any resulting "bump" on the inside of the shield must not exceed 2.5 mm.

Flame Resistance Test

The flame resistance test applies to special application racing helmets only. The test is conducted using a propane flame of approximately 790 degrees centigrade. The flame is applied to the shell, trim, chin strap and face shield for a specified number of seconds, and any resulting fire must self-extinguish within a specified time after flame removal. During the whole process the temperature of the interior lining of the helmet must not exceed 70 degrees centigrade.

The Snell label identifies the type of application the helmet is certified for, using letter codes:

M = Motorcycle
SA = Special Application
SAH = Special Application, frontal head restraint system
K = Karting
CMR = Children’s Motorsports Restricted
CMS = Children’s Motorsports Standard

[a4anurag]

4. Indian Standard for Helmets Testing - IS 4151:1993 – Protective Helmets for Motorcycle Riders – Specification

Prior to any type of further mechanical tests, each helmet shall be subjected to conditioning:

Types of Conditioning

i. Solvent conditioning - Take a cotton cloth approximately 150 mm square and a quantity approximately 25 ml of a solvent consisting of test liquid with (70 percent octane and 30 percent toluene). Using the cloth soaked in the solvent, apply the solvent to all those regions of the outside surface of the helmet shell within 50 mm of the chin strap fixings and keep these regions wet within the solvent for 7.5 ± 2.5 seconds. Repeat the procedure on the remainder of the external surface including any chin guard, keeping these regions wet for 12.5 ± 2.5 seconds. No further conditioning or testing be done during the following 30 minutes.

ii. Ambient (temperature and humidity) conditioning - The helmet shall be exposed to a temperature of 25 ± 5°C and a relative humidity of 65 ± 5 percent for at least 4 hours in an oven.

iii. Heat conditioning - The helmet shall be exposed to a temperature of 50 ± 2°C for not less than 4 hours and not more than 6 hours in dry heat.

iv. Low-temperature conditioning - The helmet shall be exposed to a temperature of-20 ± 2°C for not less than 4 hours and not more than 6 hours in a cold chamber.

v. Ultraviolet-radiation conditioning and moisture conditioning - The outer surface of the protective helmet shall be exposed to ultraviolet radiation by a 125 watt xenon filled quartz lamp for 48 hours at a range of 25 cm subsequently spraying for 4 to 6 hours with water at ambient temperature at the rate of 1 litre per minute.

--------------------------------------------

Testing Methods:

1. Impact Absorption Test:

Principle

Impact absorption capacity is determined by recording against time the acceleration imparted to a headform fitted with the helmet, when dropped in guided free fail at a specified impact velocity upon a fixed steel anvil.

The first impact shall be carried out within 45 seconds of conditioning. All the subsequent impacts shall be completed within not more than 5 minutes after subjecting to the conditions. The conditioned helmet tested shall meet the requirements, when the resultant acceleration (RMS value of acceleration measured along the three directions) measured at the centre of gravity of the headform shall be < 150 gn (where gn = 9.81 m/sec2) for any 5 milli seconds continuously and at no time exceeds 300 gn.

2. Resistance-to-penetration Test

The protective helmet shall be placed, with an initial load of 10 N, on a headform oriented in such a way that the plane tangential to the shell at the point selected for the test is substantially horizontal. A metal punch with a conical head rounded at the top shall be placed vertically to touch the shell at the point selected and held in position by a ring. A metal drop hammer shall fall on the top of the punch, and the depth to which the point penetrates into the shell shall be measured by means of an inertia-free device, such as a photoelectric device, indicating the minimum vertical distance reached in this test between the head of the punch and the headform.

Helmet shall be subjected to test at two Points within the area of protection at least 5 mm distant from each other and from any earlier point of impact, after subjecting to process of conditioning which has given the least, satisfactory results in impact-absorption test. During the test, the head of the punch shall not come closer than 5 mm measured vertically to the headform.

3. Rigidity Test

The helmet, after undergoing ambient-temperature and humidity conditioning, shall be placed between two parallel plates by means of which a known load can be applied along the longitudinal axis or the transverse axis. An initial load of 30 N shall be applied, and after two minutes the distance between the plates shall be measured. The load shall then be increased by 100 N every two minutes to a maximum of 630 N. After two minutes of application of the 630 N load, the distance between the plates shall be measured.

4. Dynamic Test of Retention System

Helmet shall be tested for their retention system and it shall meet the following requirements:

a. The dynamic displacement of the point of application of the force shall not exceed 35 mm.

b. After two minutes, the residual displacement of the point of application of the force, as measured under a mass of 15 ± 0.5 kg shall not exceed 25 mm.

c. Damage to the retention system shall be accepted provided that it is still possible to take the helmet easily off the headform and that the requirements given in (a) and (b) above are met.

5. Audibility Test

This test shall be carried out under the prevailing atmospheric conditions and the background noise level shall be such that the reading indicated on the sound level meter by the noise is at least 10 dB of below that of the horn sound level.

This test shall be carried out in an open space in which there is no obstacle within a radius of 12 m and no acoustical focusing affects or nearby parallel walls. The horn shall be mounted 1.2 m above the ground and shall be fixed in a rigid manner on a base whose mass shall be at least 10 times that of the horn and not less than 15 kg and shall be adjustable sideways and up and down. The sound waves are emitted from the horn by using suitable 12 V DC power supply and are directed towards the rear of the headform at the distance of 2 m. The two readings are taken with and without helmet. The difference shall be recorded to the nearest dB.

6. Retention Test of Helmet

The helmet previously conditioned at ambient temperature and humidity, shall be placed on and secured to the appropriate headform,

A device to guide and release a falling mass (the total mass being 3 ± 0.1 kg) is hooked on to the rear part of the shell in the median vertical plane of the helmet, The falling mass of (10 kg ± 0.01 kg) is then released and drops in a guided free fall from a height of 0.50 m ± 0.01 m. After the test, the angle between the reference line situated on the crown of the helmet and the reference plane of the headform shall not exceed 30°.

7. Opening Angle (Visor) Test

The helmet, fitted with the visor being tested, shall be placed on a test headform of appropriate size. When the visor is in the raised position, the angle between the secant MN defined in Fig. 8 and the horizontal shall be at least 5°, with the point M situated below the horizontal plane passing through point N.

8. Flexibility of Peak

The peak shall neither break nor become detached from the helmet. Its deflection shall be between 6 mm and 32 mm. The helmet shall be left on the headform used for the and loaded with a load of 120 N to hold it firmly in place. A mass carrier having a mass of 114 g shall be suspended from the front edge of the peak at its centre by means of small hook and a light strong thread passing over a pulley. The position of the pulley shall be adjusted so that the thread is perpendicular to the peak at its point of attachment. A mass of 1 kg shall be placed gently on the carrier and left for 2 minutes, after which time the resulting movement shall be measured by means of an index attached to the thread below the pulley and moving over a fixed vertical scale.

[a4anurag]

Last but not the least a comparative summary of the testing standards for Helmets

----------------------------------

Sites and References Used:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcy..._and_standards
   
2. http://www.smf.org/docs/internet_helmets
   
3. http://ultimatemotorcycling.com/moto...e-22-05-snell/
   
4. http://www.citehr.com/253505-safety-...#ixzz2qy4JAlcX
   
5. https://law.resource.org/pub/in/bis/....4151.1993.pdf

Thanks for reading and I hope it is easy to understand and most important thing is

PLEASE WEAR HELMETS AND ALL NECESSARY PROTECTIVE GEAR ALL THE TIME WHILE RIDING FOR YOUR SAFETY

Anurag.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Motorbikes. Thanks for sharing!

[slicvic]

Fantastic thread!

I doubt how many of the IS 4151:1993 labelled helmets pass the retention tests.

[a4anurag]

SHARP (helmet ratings)

SHARP (the Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme) is a British government quality ratings scheme for motorcycle helmets, established in 2007.

SHARP tests shop-bought helmets, seven for each model, using 32 tests which aim to measure the protection they offer the brain in impacts at a variety of speeds and against both flat surfaces and kerbs. It rates the helmet models from one to five stars, and states that a five star helmet "offers good levels of protection right around the helmet."

Check the below animation for a clear picture and understanding.

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/content/animation

The SHARP test point has been attributed a colour to show the level of performance measured against a flat surface in our high speed test (8.5 m/s).

The impact zones have been graded in six colours which are marked as being from 'Very good' to 'Poor'. The boundary for each colour is linked to understanding of the risk of injury established in the “COST 327 Research” (the most thorough investigation of motorcycle crashes conducted in Europe).

Analysis of more than 350 individual crashes was supplemented by further research that reconstructed a sample of those crashes to determine the relationship between the forces experienced by the rider’s brain and the injury received.

The impact zone colours are based upon discrete brain acceleration values:

Green - Peak acceleration up to 275g: the ECE 22.05 test limit at 7.5 m/s.
Yellow - Peak acceleration up to 300g: the British Standard 6658:1985 test limit at 7.5 m/s used by SHARP as the maximum permitted value for a 5–Star rating.
Orange - Peak acceleration up to 400g
Brown - Peak acceleration up to 420g
Red - Peak acceleration up to 500g
Black - Peak acceleration in excess of 500g.

The Imapct Zone Colours:

How are the impact zones displayed:

An Example:

I just randomly picked up AGV K4 Evo helmet to see the ratings given.

Source:http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/testsratings/agv-k4-evo

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by slicvic

Fantastic thread!

I doubt how many of the IS 4151:1993 labelled helmets pass the retention tests.

Thanks for the appreciation.

I'll be happy to see how many helmets sold in India really pass the IS 4151 standards leave alone the retention test.

I have seen helmets from Rs 200 being sold on the road where riders buy it just to evade the police checkpoints.

Anurag.

[vnabhi]

Thanks for taking the trouble to compile and post this awesome stuff on helmets. Little did I know till I read this thread.

I'm guilty of using a half helmet of Studds make for several years. You'll laugh if I tell you how old it is. I bought it in Panchkuin Road, New Delhi way back in 1984!! I got the inner lining changed a few years back as the original one was getting torn.

I rarely ride scooters nowadays, but when I do, I find it to be far more comfortable for my short 1 to 3 km stints than a newer one that my kids use.

[mashmash]

Brilliant thread Anurag. The information has been compiled beautifully. I had no idea about the various standards and what they stood for.

I use a full face Studds for city riding and an LS2 for the highways.

Shobhit

[apachelongbow]

Along with the regular protection of the head, helmets serve a very important purpose for a biker, they protect hearing loss. Riding a bike at around 60kmph, the rider is constantly subjected to around 100 decibels of noise, and prolonged exposure to such high levels of noise means the rider will go deaf before 50!!! Very sad to realize that Indian bikers can use any excuse not to don helmets, wonder what kind of thinking will go on within their heads when they are coot deaf at 50?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

Along with the regular protection of the head, helmets serve a very important purpose for a biker, they protect hearing loss. Riding a bike at around 60kmph, the rider is constantly subjected to around 100 decibels of noise, and prolonged exposure to such high levels of noise means the rider will go deaf before 50!!! Very sad to realize that Indian bikers can use any excuse not to don helmets, wonder what kind of thinking will go on within their heads when they are coot deaf at 50?

A good point made buddy

The worst reason to avoid helmets I have heard is 'hair fall'

There is no place of arguments with such cases rather than just

Anurag.