Legality of Japanese Helmet (Non ECE)

[deadwolf]

I'm interested in buying a helmet from Japan that claims to meet the Japanese SG standard but isn't tested for UK standards. The helmet:

https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/crowracing/item/491899/

With UK laws having clear restrictions on what standards are legal, I'm not sure how much grey area there is regarding helmet standards, especially when you have that exception where Sikhs are allowed to forego helmets in lieu of a turban.

Will wearing that Japanese helmet get me taken down by the plod the moment they see me?
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Motorsapien Art

[CaNsA]

LOL no.

[SQL]

if you are that worried buy the kitemark sticker (or print it) and buy a ACU sticker on egay.

[J.M.]

How many times has your helmet actually been inspected by the plod? I know that none of my helmets have ever been inspected, even with tinted visors.

So long as you're wearing a helmet, I very much doubt that they're ever going to question in.

Worst case scenario, you have a small fine to pay (around £20).
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Efes123]

WTF

[j.silvs]

[fox]

[Walloper]

For every non-EU-approved helmet brought into the UK two baby kittens are mercilessly flatted by a steam roller.

I don't know if our plod are up to speed on helmet approval. They're not all clued-up on the one headlamp on in a twin headlamp bike.

I think as long as you are wearing a helmet they won't bat an eyelid.

But in an accident, your face may be pressed into the helmet and when you awaken from the coma you will look Japanese (But an F-ugly Japanese though.)
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[ElBandido]

[Rogerborg]

[Fnatic]

I'd imagine if you suffered a serious head injury wearing an illegal helmet, you'd receive a much lessened compensation payment under the principle of contributory negligence.

Not only that, but wearing a non EU/UK helmet is no different in law than wearing no helmet.

[deadwolf]

Thanks for the replies, now I'm somewhat reassured about the odds of getting busted.

[ElBandido]

[Jim Mc]

You are thinking of ACU, not ECE. The sole purpose of the ACU is as you've stated above, you have to have their fancy pants sticker on your helmet to gain access to a track. This is for ACU affiliated tracks only mind you, however I'm not aware of any which aren't ACU members.

Kitemark is specific to BSI which has been superseded by ECE and is required to legally ride on the road in the UK and EC member states.

[ElBandido]

[Rogerborg]

[ElBandido]

[Rogerborg]

No, I'm not saying that. As always, I'd suggest that you read the actual Regulations and decide for yourself.

The BSI kite mark is fine, that's what's actually specified in the Regs. An ECE marked helmet is allowed as an alternative. Pretty much all helmets you buy now will be ECE marked though as that covers them most places in Europe - although I wouldn't be surprised if Ze Germans have some extra TUV bollocks going on.

Then we get to visors, which are covered by a whole different set of regs. IIRC, mine has an "E13" sticker peeling off on it, which means it's ostensibly been approved by, uh... Luxembourg. Technically, when that sticker blows off then it magically becomes un-approved, even though there's no practical way of verifying that it actually passed any testing to begin with.

And I expect that's why there's that surprising bit of common sense in the helmet Regs, although I'm not ruling out a very convenient "infinite monkeys on keyboards" accident.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[DottyDuck]

nevermind the helmet i like the coke can holder for the handle bars!

p.s i kind off like that helmet :O
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CBT- 2012 Theory- 18/12/13 Mod 1- 07/01/14 Mod 2- 15/01/14
Old Bike: Zontes Panther 125cc - wrote off Current Bike: Kawasaki ZR7

[ElBandido]

[pits]

Always thought you could wear what you wanted as long as you expect it to give reasonable protection the same as any other lid.
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Stinkwheel: You have no right to free speech
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[illuminateTHE...]

I was about to make a similar thread about using karting helmets on the road. I have 3 karting helmets, 2 arai's (one painted) and one v2 pro.
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Theory: PASSED Module 1: PASSED Module 2: PASSED 12/2012!!!

yzf r125 [SOLD] sv650 [CURRENT]

[radicalrabit]

I threw one of them away when I moved house, an Old Bell helmet with a press stud vizor was ugly when I bought it and a gobbin shade of blue
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VF1000 F2F, BLACKBIRD with carbs, 2nd VF1000F2F just need somewhere to go now..

[Jayy]

Mate, I ride with a Bandit Alien ll (not street legal) airbrushed up with teeth and shit on it and a Predator helmet with dreadlocks and a a very small visor and red LED lights on it.

Never been pulled with either of them on and in fact got thumbs up from plod a few times with the Predator.

I wouldn't worry about it!

[deadwolf]