Wednesday, April 08, 2009

More Helmet Ratings by SHARP


Got an email update from the folks at SHARP, kind of like the British version of the DOT, who've published ratings on helmets, including flip-ups, on how they perform when impacted.

Excerpts from the email:

An extra 28 motorcycle helmets have been rated by SHARP - the Department for Transport’s Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme – taking the total number of ratings published to 125.

All helmets must meet minimum legal safety standards but the SHARP scheme uses a wider range of tests to provide riders with more information on how much protection a helmet can provide in a crash. The objective advice, which includes important guidance on how to select a good fitting helmet, will help riders to choose the safest helmet suitable for them. The SHARP tests - which award ratings of between one and five stars - showed that the safety performance of helmets can vary by as much as 70%. With helmets across a wide price range scoring highly all riders should be able to find a high performing helmet in a size and style that fits them and at a price they want to pay.

For more information about the SHARP programme, visit the SHARP website at http://www.direct.gov.uk/sharp.

Here's a LINK to the ratings as of today. CLICK HERE.

4 comments:

Stacy said...

My beef with SHARP is what's the difference between a 4 star and 5 star rating?

If I have a 4-star helmet (and I do), is it going to protect me a teeny bit less than a 5-star helmet? Or a lot less?

The ratings seem to correspond directly to price. Hmm, imagine that!

Jack Riepe said...

Dear Charlie6 (Dom):

I ride with a Nolan, which got a four rating I think.

I can live with that.

Fondest regards,
Jack
Twisted Roads

Jack Riepe said...

Dear Charlie6 (Dom):

I just wanted to wish you and your family a nice, warm Easter.

Fondest regards,
Jack Riepe
Twisted Roads

redlegsrides said...

Why thank you Jack, and to you and yours as well! I've a pack of 17, count them, 17 rumored socially acceptable "guests" coming for Easter....I'll let you know if they go into hyena mode a la macpac riders....