helmet strength ?

[red98]

Having a clear out/ tidy up, these old helmets have  been put in the "throwing out pile".........time for some testing   

[fazersharp]

Are you looking for volunteers to wear them

[darrsi]

This poor sod needs one of them, the Health & Safety aspect is shocking. 

[red98]

  ......you busy noggy ?

[red98]

Three helmets.....shoei txr july 1996.....hjc zf7.no date just batch no, estimated 2004......hjc is16 feb 2012

First test using my biggest adjuster weighing in at approx 20kg, dropped on helmet from head height, just the weight of the hammer, both the shoei and zfz crack the top coating/ paint but are in one piece, is16 does a bit better, just a scuff mark and no cracks to th paint.

[red98]

Live testing     .........little bit harder this time, head height again but with a bit of welly.........getting some funny looks from the neighbours now   ...........shoei has a small crack to the fibreglass and more cracked gel/paint all over not just the point of impact,,zf7 doing a bit better, more flaky paint but just around the impact area, is16 is interesting, the mechanism for the internal visor broke on the first impact, expected, paint still intact, but, hammer bounced back and helmet made a run for it  could see the helmet flexing, did'nt notice that on the other two, flexed enough to pop the inner padding out.still looks pretty good on the outside though........TBC ,got to do a little warm up for the next one, ppe please   

[YamFazFan]

  you're not going to try dropping that safe onto them are you?

[fazersharp]

  This looks like an opening scene of casualty.
Sledge hammer - wet what could possibly go wrong

[Skippernick]

As i understand it the outer harder shell is designed primarily to cope with the odd knock in everyday life that a helmet gets. Its the softer inner liner that does the protecting on impact. There fore how are the insides?

[red98]

you're not going to try dropping that safe onto them are you?

Foc.....did'nt think of that 

[fazersharp]

I have got at least one old helmet and its a almost a shame to waste I think there should be some king of charity to donate to like you can with your old specks

[red98]

As i understand it the outer harder shell is designed primarily to cope with the odd knock in everyday life that a helmet gets. Its the softer inner liner that does the protecting on impact. There fore how are the insides?

inner polystyrene all good, just about to do the next test, neighbours are hanging over the fence now so will do a safety briefing before I start 

[fazersharp]

you're not going to try dropping that safe onto them are you?

[red98]

I have got at least one old helmet and its a almost a shame to waste I think there should be some king of charity to donate to like you can with your old specks

thats a good point FAZERSHARP but dont helmets have a shelf life ?

[red98]

Shoei 0 red98 1.........good swing of the hammer, not quite flat out, broken through the fibreglass and split the inner polystyrene....this is the oldest of the three by at least 8 years........NEXT...

[fazersharp]

I have got at least one old helmet and its a almost a shame to waste I think there should be some king of charity to donate to like you can with your old specks

thats a good point FAZERSHARP but dont helmets have a shelf life ?

Thats right but im thinking of say india where they dont have enough money to buy a lid (if they want one) so an out of date one would be better than no lid at all-- kind of thing

[red98]

Zf7......got a more central whack on this one, more of a dent, cant see any cracks in fibreglass but it is hairy in places, good cross break in inner polystyrene.......Next

[fazersharp]

That zf7 was my old lid I had for 12 years up until last year. That one will be interesting

[fazersharp]

Actually any test would be better from the side or front as that is more likely where the impact would be

[red98]

I have got at least one old helmet and its a almost a shame to waste I think there should be some king of charity to donate to like you can with your old specks

thats a good point FAZERSHARP but dont helmets have a shelf life ?

Thats right but im thinking of say india where they dont have enough money to buy a lid (if they want one) so an out of date one would be better than no lid at all-- kind of thing

yep...agree with you FAZERSHARP.....in this mad age of health and safety I wonder if theres a charity out there who would take it on ?

[red98]

With you on that one FAZERSHARP....next test will be full frontal on the chin guard....if I can hold it...

[red98]

Is16, same test, no cracking on outside or damage to paint, think it might be a different finish, inner poly is damaged, this lid has the internal tinted visor, the mechanism on top of the lid went on the second test and has left a square hole where you can see the poly inner, wonder if this is a weak point ......

[red98]

Full frontal test......shoei......wow, that was easy, just the weight of the hammer as test one, broke clean through, inner and outer.....

[red98]

Side test.....zf7.....again another clean break, same test, just the weight of the hammer, thought it would be stronger than that as a lot newer than the shoei....

[red98]

So that just leaves the is16, a tough flexable cookie, no cracks on the outside of this one yet which is reassuring as I now have the later FG15 

the main difference ive noticed in these tests is the flexabilty in the outer hard shell of the is16, the newest lid at only 3 years old, the two older lids were easy to break from the side and front but this could be down to age.


Got to finish this test and the is16....but how......its over to you foccers...........................name the test