ok, a friend of mine has a m2r helmet for sale.. i think its the 225 model, open face and all. i checked the website, and it says DOT legal. does that mean i can run it at road racing events, and autoX's and also the strip.. i wasnt quite sure.

looks like this

thanx

 

DOT != SA approval.

If you want to race you will need a SA2000 helmet.

 

that is what i was looking for.. SA approval. i just didnt know what it was called.

so im guessing, this helmet isnt SA approved. that is probably why it cost $50? thanx for the quick reply RJ

 

Thats why its so cheap, yes.

Soloracer.com and OGracing have good deals on bell/g-force helmets.

 

Auto-x only requireds an M rated helmet. You can also find track days that allow M rated helmets as well. They are a bit cheaper than SA too. I got my G-force open face M rated helmet for $99

 

anyone know if HPDE's can use M rated??

 

m95 or newer

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by baonest &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">anyone know if HPDE's can use M rated??</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've never seen one that does. All require SA2000. Maybe West coast isn't as stringent...but they're all crazy anyway.

 

on the west, i dont know of one HPDE that DOES require a SA helmet.

theres nothing more stringent about requiring a SA, unless you are worried about fire protection.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpiceyRice &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I've never seen one that does. All require SA2000. Maybe West coast isn't as stringent...but they're all crazy anyway. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The panoz track days at road atlanta only require an M helmet. And thats on the east coast.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SpiceyRice &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I've never seen one that does. All require SA2000. </TD></TR></TABLE>

all HPDE's i've been to allow M rated helmets. And I'm east coast yO!

s

 

If you have (or intend to get) a rollbar or rollcage, do not buy an M rated helmet.

From the Snell website FAQ...
What are the differences between the SA and M standards?
SA Standard was designed for auto racing while M Standard was for motorcycling and other motorsports. There are three major differences between them:
SA standard requires flammability test while the M standard does not;
SA standard allows narrower visual field than M standard (Some SA helmets may not be street legal);
SA standard has rollbar impact test while M standard does not.

 

nice info brett.. thanx.

 

If flammibility is an issue wear a belaclava, now what about the rest of you?
M rated helmets have BETTER range of vision.
Most HPDE cars do not have rollcages. No chance for foward or side impact with roll tubing. Seat back should protect you from rollbar if you have one.

M rated helmets are perfectly acceptable for HPDE events.

 

THANK YOU!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Grumpy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
M rated helmets have BETTER range of vision.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is not necessarily true. Full face helmets like the Bell M2, Bell SR-Pro, Pyrotect SA, G Force Hyrbid, etc all have eye ports that are just as large as any M rated full face helmet I sell.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Grumpy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
If flammibility is an issue wear a belaclava, now what about the rest of you?
Most HPDE cars do not have rollcages. No chance for foward or side impact with roll tubing. Seat back should protect you from rollbar if you have one.
M rated helmets are perfectly acceptable for HPDE events.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't mean to come across as not recommending M rated helmets. I sell just as many of them as I do the SA rated versions. But, a helmet is an investment that will last you several years. You may find yourself just autocrossing one year, doing track events the next, then doing wheel-to-wheel the next year. For $200-$300 you can be in a quality full face SA rated helmet that would allow you to participate in all those activities without having to buy a new helmet...that's not a lot of money...especially considering how much more people spend on modifying their cars. If you'd tried to save $50 and bought a $150 M rated helmet, you'd need to go out and buy another helmet for competition use. I guess the point is to think about what types of racing you may do in the future, and then also how much more money you'd need to spend to get into an SA rated helmet.

 

looks like i might just BORROW this M rated helmet he has. no sense of buying it from him, even if he is selling it cheap.

 

Brett, consider the other issue, helmets need to be 5 years new for use in competition. and Snell recommends a helmet be put out of service after 5 years as well. So anyone who is not currently considering competitive road racing use within the next year or so, shouldnt worry about getting a SA helmet, because chances are, they either arent going to really get into competitive road racing or, when the time comes they do, they should buy a new helmet anyway as it would last them longer, plus the cost of preparing for road racing the helmet really is not a big chunk of it. so i dont think its good advice to suggest someone spend extra money to "prepare" for some future contingencies that wouldnt matter and have time limits on use. personally, i think recommending SA helmets when its not necessary confuses the difference between SA and M.

oh and, considering an open faced SA helmet is a complete waste of money, quite the oxymoron.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Brett, consider the other issue, helmets need to be 5 years new for use in competition. and Snell recommends a helmet be put out of service after 5 years as well. So anyone who is not currently considering competitive road racing use within the next year or so, shouldnt worry about getting a SA helmet, because chances are, they either arent going to really get into competitive road racing or, when the time comes they do, they should buy a new helmet anyway as it would last them longer, plus the cost of preparing for road racing the helmet really is not a big chunk of it. so i dont think its good advice to suggest someone spend extra money to "prepare" for some future contingencies that wouldnt matter and have time limits on use. personally, i think recommending SA helmets when its not necessary confuses the difference between SA and M.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Like the harness debate, this could go on forever. Buy the best helmet you can afford. If you don't have a lot of money to spend, get an M rated helmet, they are fine for most people. Atleast try to go full-face though, especially if you are going to do high speed events (HPDE's, etc).

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
oh and, considering an open faced SA helmet is a complete waste of money, quite the oxymoron.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Agreed. I pretty much never recommend an open face helmet for automotive events anyways. I guess they have their place, but I personally want the face and neck protection that a full face helmet provides. I cringe everytime I see somebody out on track with one of those $60 HJC open face helmets.

 

After my first event Sunday with AARRF, I used a loaner helmet (open face) and then did a session with my friends Bieffe Full face. I drove better with the open face, felt more natural, the Full face made me feel a bit clausterphobic (spelling???). Being strapped into a 3" 5-point harness and a Sparco Sprint is constrictive enough, but add on a full face-- ugh. I'm gonna start driving around with my Full Face helmet (DOT, not SNELL) to get used to it.

Jung