Difference between Bike and F1 helmets

[dragstaar]

I was just wondering, is there a structural difference between the helmets bike racers wear, and the ones the F1 drivers wear?

I thought there may be some aerodynamics involved, but i couldn't see any immediate and obvious differences

[The Tot]

Aperture on helmets is a lot slimmer. There's more reinforcement around the brow area. I believe they're constructed from Carbon Fibre composites.

They don't have to worry about sliding down the road in one but DO have to have restraints for HANS devices to prevent basalar skull fractures - used to be the most common cause of death; hyperextension of the neck, and was only mandated when Dale Earnhardt died from it.

Just have a ganders at the Arai, Bell or Schuhbert website since they all do lids for both disciplines and might outline the technical differences. I know on my Arai RX-GP, they have a peripheral belt on the brow which was adapted from F1 to increase impact strength.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[Llama-Farmer]

I always wondered this, and whether you could use a motorbike helmet for a (car) track day and vice versa.

Aside from HANS I wasn't aware of any obvious difference, but I didn't look into it at all

[Shaft]

[Kickstart]

[Shaft]

To be fair though, the Yanks are particularly paranoid about safety.

Any good quality bike helmet will be approved for UK car racing and you have to get quite a long way up the chain before flame retardent linings become mandatory.

You do see a lot very expensive helmets at fairly low level motorsport, but I suspect that's more to do with racing drivers generally being flash gits, rather than any need to obey the rules.
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[Kickstart]

[J Charles]

I certainly notice a difference when i wear my Bell RS3 Pro Race for sprints and hillclimbs. I can't see bugger all compared to my bike helmet.

Still i only need to look out the front of the car.
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'07 Triumph Scrambler 900 - '61 Matchless G12 - '78 BMW R100RS Motorsport - '79 Bultaco Sherpa T

[Llama-Farmer]

[Shaft]

[L4Isoside]

It is about weight also, my mate does racing and his helmet is made for hans obv but on top of that is probably half the weight of my bike helmet. Did pay more than x2 for it though.