Where to buy a helmet?

[bp2ooo]

Assuming my sr swap will be done soon, i am in the market for a helmet so i will be able to run my car on the track. I was just wondering who has got a helmet, where they got it from, and how much they paid if you dont mind sharing. Ive never bough a helmet before and dont really know what i am looking for. Thank you, chris

[Pennyfreak]

u shouldn't need a helmet unless u r running like 11 or 12 second passes i think. unluess u r doing some heavy modding to the sr before putting it in it would probably just be best to put that money towards ur engine. correct me if i am wrong anybody.

[bp2ooo]

nope. i read the rule book, you need it for any car 13.99 or quicker. Then if you are 13 or quicker on street tire you need a driveshaft loop. 13.99 or quicker on a slick you need a driveshaft loop. 11.99 or quicker you need a roll bad, 10.99 or quicker you need a full cage.

Ps. with a front mount, and boost controller i should be low 13's hopefully. But i know i will be mid-high 13's for sure. If i go to any sactioned event, and run quicker then 13.99 i will get kicked off.

[TrueSlide]

I know on road courses you need to wear a helmet. I would just look for something that fits good, isnt big, and covers the face too.

[daniel240]

go to a motorcycle shop and look for one there.

[stretch240sx]

go to a motorcycle shop and tell em you are gettin one for a car and want a full face wit as much of a view as possible. or just get an open face helmet. ok now im not sure for car uses but for bike uses i think arai and shoei are some good helmets. should be the same for car... im just gonna use my arai bike helmet to satisfiy the rule nazis....

[Bubba1]

Racer Wholesale is where I bought my helmet. (Bell SRPro II)Reasonably priced. Shipped to your door.

[Bubba1]

Oh, depending on where you go, a motorcycle helmet may not be acceptable. Race tracks/Car Clubs use safety ratings. Many clubs require a SNELL 95 rating minimum. You should check what the helmet requirements are where you're going to be using your car before spending the few hundred bucks for a helmet. I went with the Bell SRPro II because it's full face, but with a wide face opening (I wear glasses) SNELL 95 and no visor. 240sx's have windshields, so visors are not required where I run. It's also reasonably priced. HAve fun

[Bubba1]

Oh, I do road racing, not drag racing.

[Repo Man]

Also consider HJC helmets. Good helmets and very well priced. I got mine for $160 and it carries the Snell 95 rating. I would suggest going to a good motorcycle shop and being fitted by a pro as I did. Proper fit is something that many people overlook but will make a big difference if the helmet actually has to protect your nugget. I was fitted by the local Harley shop and they took excellent care of me.

I picked mine up for roadracing too, but wear it at the strip as well.

[96_S14_SE]

Also consider HJC helmets. Good helmets and very well priced. I got mine for $160 and it carries the Snell 95 rating. I would suggest going to a good motorcycle shop and being fitted by a pro as I did. Proper fit is something that many people overlook but will make a big difference if the helmet actually has to protect your nugget. I was fitted by the local Harley shop and they took excellent care of me.

I picked mine up for roadracing too, but wear it at the strip as well.

My girl got me one in perfect condition for 25$ at some local thrift store hehe. HJC snell M95** black full faced. It was a split second buy and she brought it home. It happened to be the correct size and all. I only run it at the auto-x's but its a nice comfotable fit.

As far as saftey gear goes they may or maynot be so anal about it. Here at OSW they dont do a thorough tech of the car at least on the test and tune nights, aka street drags. If you run 13.9 and faster they require a helmet, and if you run 11.9 they will require a roll bar. As for the driveshaft loop they have never looked for his (as he doesnt have one) and runs consistent 12.1's in his stock turbo'd z32. This weekend he should be hitting 11's though easilly as he's running 110, 17 or so lbs, 720 injectors and a host of other things on a stock ignition and thats what we are putting in tommorow night. He constantly loses a cylinder down the track due to this.

They may check for these things after his 11's constantly but all they check for now is a helmet. So unless you go to some big event they may not even check these things untill you get pretty quick, like Jay quick.

** the snell95 everyone is refering to can either be SA (snell auto) or SM (snell motorcycle) and the # refers to the year. Auto-x only requires any snell helmet from 90 up or a sa90 / sm90. I would check to see what you need as most open track and drag sanctions will require a "SA" and some year (90 95 00).

The reason for this is the liner. The SA have nomex liners, while the SM have a cheaper nylon liner. The reason is that on a bike you are unlikely to be pinned under it in case of a fire. Nylon if burned will stick to your face, which isnt so good for the medics to try to get it off if its melted to you. Nomex is safer and doesnt have the same properties thus is used in the automotive helmets, where the chance of personal containment in a burning vehicle is much greater.

The nomex will set you back more but you will be nearly 100% sure you wont have a problem with it on anytrack, as long as you get a newer year model.

Hope this helps.

Edit: just read that not only does the SA cary a flamability test it also carries a rollbar impact test. Obviously a motor cylce wont need a rollbar test but if you plan on getting a roll bar / cage,it might be nice to know that the helmet you by can withstand direct hits to the cage. They both carry the same impact tests, but the SA has these extra. The extra tests and nomex are what makes the price slightly stteper.

[SRdS14]

yeah, definitely go to a bike shop.. also, sometimes u may get luck at garage sales...SERIOUSLY!! don't laugh..

lol, my friend wears a jet-pilot helmet when he goes..its funny as hell.

[89sxRCR]

If you actually care about safety never wear a second hand helmet... One drop and they could be ruined and you dont know the history of it. common mistake by many people. Bike shops offer the best, myself i like my SHOEI.

[Bubba1]

I had gotten fitted for and tried on LOTS of helmets at a Driving Impressions, which is a chain of racing equipment stores located at some eastern race tracks. Nice store but pricey. I used them to figure out exactly what I wanted plus I also asked a bunch of Audi club members about what they liked. You'd be astonished by the differences between helmets. I think I paid $219 for mine thru Racer Wholesale. Fits perfectly.

[Bubba1]

I also agree with 89sxRCR. I would never recommend a used helmet. Remember you only have one head. (well, only one that can see over the steering wheel). Good luck

[matt240det]

It depends on what state tyou race in as far as the rules go, i know at E-Town everyone has to have a helmet, where as LVD in New York only requires one for 13.99 and faster...go to a search engine and type in motor cycle helmets or snell approved helmets, i bought a snell 2000 helmet brand new 3 color helmet ofr 80 bucks..i'll look for the link and postok found it http://www.mawonline.com/ looks like prices went up since i got mine like 2 years ago, hjc has some good ones, and just look around the website..oh and for drag racing make sure it is snell 2000, some trackst still take 95, but make sure it says snell approved, not just dot approved

[bp2ooo]

wow, thank you guys for all your help. Just one quick question....

I think 96_S14_SE will be able to answer this. The helmet i am looking at is Snell M2000 . So that means its snell motorcycle 2000? will that be ok on a drag strip? or do i need a snell A2000? Thanks

[daniel240]

A lot of auto-x racers wear open face helmets and they are a lot cheaper to buy than full face helmets.

[96_S14_SE]

wow, thank you guys for all your help. Just one quick question....

I think 96_S14_SE will be able to answer this. The helmet i am looking at is Snell M2000 . So that means its snell motorcycle 2000? will that be ok on a drag strip? or do i need a snell A2000? Thanks

Yeah its a motorcycle helmet certified to 2000's standards. Full faced as well, no?

As for being able to use it on the strip it shouldnt be a problem. I seriously doubt they will care. My friend has been using my Snell M95 for his nearly 11 sec blazes with out a hassle at orlando speed worlds street drags (wed / fri).... If you plan to do the same you should be fine. Now the only time you may have a problem is if you run at a large sanctioned event, like a points event or somethinbg like that. Things become more anal then and they "may" have a problem with it. Youd have to check the sanctioning body be it nhra or what not to make sure.

As for anywhere else like solo II its more then adequate in that department as all they require most of the time is a dot and snell (all snell m and a helmets should be dot cert. but not all dot's are snell cert.) cert. helmet from s90 and up...

If the time comes for me to get another helmet it will be a new model SA helmet though. The flame resistance, cage impact testing, and 100% compliance to all sanctioning bodies makes it worth the extra bit of money to me.

I would just contact the place you plan to run, and any associations you may run with (say NHRA) in the future, on the phone and see what they say for sure in the issue of running a SM2000 mellon cover. Would only take a minute and remove all doubt.

[stretch240sx]

yeah never buy a used helmet... not just for the safty reasons, but about the health reasons. think about some of the skin bugs and lice that can be in that helemt...

and BTW both my heads can see over the steering wheel... so any ladies wanna talk just let me know... j/k:ylsuper