Shark Spartan lid, SHARP test

[F1.ash]

When I bought this at the beginning of last year it hadn't been tested but I thought it probably wouldn't be that much of issue, surely it wasn't going to be a poor performer at ~£300 at the time. I bought on comfort and fit rather than anything else.

Well, in December last year it got tested and it was perfectly fine in all but two test areas.

https://i.imgur.com/kDRWYc8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/uJWx3XI.jpg

So now my dilemma is do I buy something else or live with it. I would after all probably have been looking to buy a 5 star rated lid given the the choice. My sensible head says change it. This may have been a dumb question but thought I'd see what popular opinion is.

Opinions/thoughts gratefully received

[rpsmith79]

Do these tests actually take into account the fit of each helmet they test (i suspect not), as in, would a lower rated, but better fitting helmet protect your noggin better or worse than a higher rated, but ill fitting helmet where the helmet may move around on your head, or your head move from side to side on impact for example

Personally, i would rather have a well fitting comfortable helmet with a reasonable safety rating, than just going for outright safety rating
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Current Bike: Honda CG125 ES4 // Honda CB600FS Hornet // Triumph Street Triple R

[grr666]

I've got a Spartan Carbon, and a Speed R. I'll happily wear either without any worries.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Ste]

The lid which fits you the best will give you the best protection.

The safety ratings take no account of how lids fit you so whilst a lid can have a 5 star rating in the SHARP tests, if how it fits you was taken into account then it might only get a 1 star rating.

[F1.ash]

[F1.ash]

[Rogerborg]

That's a common pattern in mid-high end lids. I recall some hand-waving and not-fair sniffling about racehelmet, and side impacts being (ostensibly) rare in that environment. But the Spartan touts itself as a touring lid, so doesn't even have that weak-sauce excuse.

The other way of looking at it is lids that score 5* are likely to be Spaceballs sized XXL shells with loads more padding inside them.

FWIW, I've just bought a LS2 flippy fronty with a similar spazz-pattern on it. I reckon I'll just had to take a full frontal facial if I come off.
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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

[Johnnythefox]

My LS2 FF352 Full face fits me and is rated 4 star by Sharp, cost me fifty quid.

[AshWebster]

https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets/hjc-fg-st/

Mine's not too shabby and fits a charm. but like everyone says - each to their own
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Honda cg125 J reg peice of shit ---> CB650F ---> 2016 CBR600RR
Ford KA ---> 93' MR2 ---> 94'MR2 ---> 98' Subaru WRX STI Ver 3 (track car)

[Dalemac]

Am I the only one who found the visor mechanism on the Spartan/Skawl absolutely bollocks?

I went through 4 visors in little over a year before sending the whole thing back. The 'C' bits just kept snapping off.
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YBR125 -> GPZ500S -> SL1000

[NJD]

[Dalemac]

[grr666]

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_cat/2559

Brighter LEDs and a revised (replaced) visor mechanism. Apparently.
____________________
Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Dalemac]

[P.]

[Dalemac]

[MarJay]

Until the sharp tests came along, Arai were regarded as the best built, safest lids on the market. They disagree with the methodology of the sharp tests, and claim that an ear region impact is next to impossible due to the riders shoulders. The impact is more likely to be above the ear on the crown.

They've said this for years, but the Sharp people take no notice. It sounds logical to me, so personally I'd forget about the sharp tests and live with my lid.

It's still possible to die wearing the safest lid in the world, and it's still possible for a 30 quid Aldi open face to save you in an accident.

I use Sharp to help me make a decision, not to make the decision for me and I certainly wouldn't be getting rid of a 300 quid lid on the basis of their arguably flawed tests.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Rogerborg]

[MarJay]

[Rogerborg]

And yet they can't manage 5* in a simple, repeatable, well defined test . How about that.
____________________
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

[Ste]

[Rogerborg]

If your helmet decapitated you at the point of impact, your head wouldn't experience much deceleration.

BrainPal® ?
____________________
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

[MarJay]

[Rogerborg]

[Johnnythefox]

Many high end helmets are designed to perform well using the American SNELL testing, this has high velocity, high impacts. To do well using SNELL, helmets are very strong in order to resist impacts.

However current thinking and research in Europe is that helmets need to be less 'stiff' and to absorb impacts rather than resist such that rapid brain deceleration is minimised.

IMO the SHARP testing regime is well thought out, science based and very good.