Bluevrs2

Not sure if t was on this forum or elsewhere a paramedic was attending a bike accident. There was a bike helmet laying aside and he went to pick it up perhaps thinking if fell of rider's head. To his autorów the head was still inside the helmet, wit the rest of the body meters away... Helmet was in one piece. I very rarely see bikers on the streets wearing "motorbike version" of HANS device...

If you are going to have a Track Day accident serious enough to need a helmet to protect your head it is highly likely that there will be nothing left of the rest of your body...

Once I buy one provided I never need it for what it's designed for I should never have to buy another one

Don't bank on it Martyn. Helmets deteriorate gradually mostly internally from the natural greases, oils and sweat your head produces. In the motorsport world helmets are replaced quite regularly, and certainly every 3 to 5 years.

Jab,

Not sure that example is totally true, but having been involved in rallying for more years than I care to remember, in the last 3 years we have had a few deaths in the UK that have potentially been caused by head injuries. All bar one have involved sideways hits into solid objects (trees!).

I would ask all those who are thinking about cheap or second-hand helmets to think what their life is worth, not just to them, but to those that they will leave behind, and also to those who will have to come and pick up your pieces. Having been involved in a motorsport fatality I can asssure you it isn't nice!!

You only have one head!!

Don't bank on it Martyn. Helmets deteriorate gradually mostly internally from the natural greases, oils and sweat your head produces. In the motorsport world helmets are replaced quite regularly, and certainly every 3 to 5 years.

Jab,

Not sure that example is totally true, but having been involved in rallying for more years than I care to remember, in the last 3 years we have had a few deaths in the UK that have potentially been caused by head injuries. All bar one have involved sideways hits into solid objects (trees!).

I would ask all those who are thinking about cheap or second-hand helmets to think what their life is worth, not just to them, but to those that they will leave behind, and also to those who will have to come and pick up your pieces. Having been involved in a motorsport fatality I can asssure you it isn't nice!!

You only have one head!!

Absolutely, if you can afford go for it. There are lids made of a mixture of carbon fibre, Kevlar cloth and some fancy plastics and can withstand Sherman tank going over them. But please remember to wear this http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/karting/neck-braces/leatt-kart-neck-brace or equivalent. HANS device enabled helmets and the itself makes sense when you have full racing harness installed.

IMHO helmets are only useful when worn with neck braces, which limit helmet movement and save your neck from potentially fatal overloads, especially during frontal shunts and off passenger side whacks where you helmeted head has no A-pillar to stop at.

Graham, you need to remember that track days at our level (not thinking that dude with yellow GT-R ) are rather far removed fro Rallying reality. Even with full roll cages, top line helmets and full racing harnesses keeping them immobile in their carbon-Kevlar seats they still die... Even in F1, where drivers safety is the highest of all motorsports we had Felippe Massa's accident he barely survived when that suspension spring hit his helmet and almost killed him.

So, wear a helmet but ALWAYS wear a neck brace with it. Even though road cars have soft linings inside still it would not hurt I wear knees, elbows and rib protectors. Sparco do rather nice ones

( and I not get a commission ) http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/karting/body-protection/sparco-rib-protector-with-shoulder-pads . But again, some people will say chest protection and pads is a step too far .