DOT helmets
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
Anybody wearing the retro Bell looking helmets? I have been looking for one. Not sure if the new ones look and fit as well as the ones from the 70's. If you know where to get one llet me know. I would like black or red whit and blue. Looks like they are all the rage of the younger crowd...
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,183
Likes: 836
From: KMHT KFMY
we had a case in MA where a MA State Trooper was busting everyone he could. MA law says the helmet has to be this that and the other thing related to ears, so the MMA took the case on, got into court, and while cross examining the trooper got hold of a department issued helmet from a cop in the courtroom... and guess what it didn't meet MA law!
You can buy DOT stickers at any rally or on EBAY, the cop has to prove it isn't DOT approved at trial. They are not going to spend that sort of money on a helmet violation.
You can buy DOT stickers at any rally or on EBAY, the cop has to prove it isn't DOT approved at trial. They are not going to spend that sort of money on a helmet violation.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 0
From: 310
Anybody wearing the retro Bell looking helmets? I have been looking for one. Not sure if the new ones look and fit as well as the ones from the 70's. If you know where to get one llet me know. I would like black or red whit and blue. Looks like they are all the rage of the younger crowd...
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,942
Likes: 7
From: guntersville, al
tell them you'll see them in court and i'd bet they drop the ticket. get a case into court and win for lack of required list of DOT helmets and it will set a precident that they won't want to see.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 0
From: 310
Daytona helmets has DOT german helmets
http://www.daytonahelmets.com/
http://www.daytonahelmets.com/
I'm going to fight it without a doubt. That wasn't the only violation he wrote me up for so I'll be pleading not guilty for sure.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 803
Likes: 0
From: Northern, NJ
First of all, I dont mean for this to be a post about whether we should or shouldnt wear helmets. Its a post about how to appease the lawmakers and their stupid laws. Im betting that most LEOs dont really give a rats *** whether we wear a DOT helmet or not and that they musch would rather be out protecting people and fighting crime.
But ..I know a guy who knows a guy who hates ANYONE telling him that he has to wear a helmet. So anyway .this guy I know wears an XL size helmet, but the DOT helmets, even the ACC DOT, all look totally mushroom stupid and we all know it. Remember that the stupid look is because there is a full 1.5 tot 2 inches or more of dense Styrofoam between the helmet and liner. So anyway, this guy I know goes down to Renegade Classics and buys an HCI Official DOT Half helmet in a size medium for $55.00 and it is much too small to wear. Then he goes home and places the helmet upside down on a pillow in the garage so as not to scratch it up. Then he takes the round barrel end of an aluminum baseball bat and places it into the inside of the helmet. He then hits the handle end of the bat with a single jack sledge and it compresses that section of the 2 inch thick Styrofoam to about 1/3 of an inch instead of 1.5 inches. Then I, I mean, this guy, repeats this procedure very carefully all around the entire interior of the helmet until he has a very nicely fitting helmet that has about 1/3 to ˝ inch of now very compressed Styrofoam, no more mushroom head look and a nice looking DOT helmet, although altered. Anyway. this works for me and is my choice. I guess if some helmet **** Leo wants to get out his micrometer and proof of certification as a helmet expert then Ill just have to eat the ticket.
But ..I know a guy who knows a guy who hates ANYONE telling him that he has to wear a helmet. So anyway .this guy I know wears an XL size helmet, but the DOT helmets, even the ACC DOT, all look totally mushroom stupid and we all know it. Remember that the stupid look is because there is a full 1.5 tot 2 inches or more of dense Styrofoam between the helmet and liner. So anyway, this guy I know goes down to Renegade Classics and buys an HCI Official DOT Half helmet in a size medium for $55.00 and it is much too small to wear. Then he goes home and places the helmet upside down on a pillow in the garage so as not to scratch it up. Then he takes the round barrel end of an aluminum baseball bat and places it into the inside of the helmet. He then hits the handle end of the bat with a single jack sledge and it compresses that section of the 2 inch thick Styrofoam to about 1/3 of an inch instead of 1.5 inches. Then I, I mean, this guy, repeats this procedure very carefully all around the entire interior of the helmet until he has a very nicely fitting helmet that has about 1/3 to ˝ inch of now very compressed Styrofoam, no more mushroom head look and a nice looking DOT helmet, although altered. Anyway. this works for me and is my choice. I guess if some helmet **** Leo wants to get out his micrometer and proof of certification as a helmet expert then Ill just have to eat the ticket.
GREAT STORY and an even BETTER idea!!!
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 803
Likes: 0
From: Northern, NJ
I found some light reading here:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CARS/RULES/.../page3.html#Q9
as well as here:
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/ashore/.../DOT_helmet_safe_unsafe.doc
How does a helmet get added to NHTSA�s approved helmet list?
DOT or NHTSA does not "approve" motorcycle helmets, thus, there is no list of "approved" helmets. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has the statutory authority to issue Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) applicable to motor vehicles and items of motor vehicle equipment, including motorcycle helmets. The law establishes a self-certification process in which the motorcycle helmet manufacturers certify that their products are in compliance with FMVSS No. 218, which establishes minimum performance requirements that the products must meet. NHTSA enforces the standard by randomly selecting and purchasing motorcycle helmets from the marketplace and testing to the requirements of the standard at independent test labs.
The symbol DOT, constituting the manufacturer's certification that the helmet conforms to the applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards. This symbol shall appear on the outer surface, in a color that contrasts with the background, in letters at least 3/8" (1 cm) high, centered laterally with the horizontal centerline of the symbol located a minimum of 1.1/8" (2.9 cm) and a maximum of 1.3/8" (3.5 cm) from the bottom edge of the posterior portion of the helmet.
Snell Sticker
In addition to the DOT sticker, a label located inside the helmet showing that a helmet meets the standards of a private organization like Snell is a good indicator that the helmet meets the federal safety standard. To date, we have never seen a novelty helmet that has a phony DOT sticker plus a phony Snell sticker.
Manufacturer’s Labeling
Manufacturers are required by FMVSS 218 to place a label on or inside the helmet stating the manufacturer’s name, model, size, month and year of manufacture, construction materials, and owner information. A cheap helmet that does not meet the federal safety standard usually does not have such a label.
Be sure to cover ALL the above "to do's"...For those of us who CHOOSE to use our own DOT stickers!
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CARS/RULES/.../page3.html#Q9
as well as here:
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/ashore/.../DOT_helmet_safe_unsafe.doc
How does a helmet get added to NHTSA�s approved helmet list?
DOT or NHTSA does not "approve" motorcycle helmets, thus, there is no list of "approved" helmets. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has the statutory authority to issue Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) applicable to motor vehicles and items of motor vehicle equipment, including motorcycle helmets. The law establishes a self-certification process in which the motorcycle helmet manufacturers certify that their products are in compliance with FMVSS No. 218, which establishes minimum performance requirements that the products must meet. NHTSA enforces the standard by randomly selecting and purchasing motorcycle helmets from the marketplace and testing to the requirements of the standard at independent test labs.
The symbol DOT, constituting the manufacturer's certification that the helmet conforms to the applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards. This symbol shall appear on the outer surface, in a color that contrasts with the background, in letters at least 3/8" (1 cm) high, centered laterally with the horizontal centerline of the symbol located a minimum of 1.1/8" (2.9 cm) and a maximum of 1.3/8" (3.5 cm) from the bottom edge of the posterior portion of the helmet.
Snell Sticker
In addition to the DOT sticker, a label located inside the helmet showing that a helmet meets the standards of a private organization like Snell is a good indicator that the helmet meets the federal safety standard. To date, we have never seen a novelty helmet that has a phony DOT sticker plus a phony Snell sticker.
Manufacturer’s Labeling
Manufacturers are required by FMVSS 218 to place a label on or inside the helmet stating the manufacturer’s name, model, size, month and year of manufacture, construction materials, and owner information. A cheap helmet that does not meet the federal safety standard usually does not have such a label.
Be sure to cover ALL the above "to do's"...For those of us who CHOOSE to use our own DOT stickers!
Last edited by shredsurf; Mar 16, 2010 at 03:24 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 803
Likes: 0
From: Northern, NJ
More dribble....this appears to be about the only thing the cops can use to "school" themselves on identifying a non DOT helmet.
Identifying USDOT Compliant Helmets
Below are components of USDOT compliant motorcycle helmets:
Identifying USDOT Compliant Helmets
Below are components of USDOT compliant motorcycle helmets:
- Thick Inner Liner: Helmets meeting the minimum Federal safety standard have an inner liner usually about one-inch thick of firm polystyrene foam. Sometimes the inner liner will not be visible, but you should still be able to feel its thickness. Unsafe helmets normally contain only soft foam padding or a bare plastic shell with no padding at all.
- Sturdy Chin Strap and Rivets: Helmets meeting the USDOT safety standard have sturdy chinstraps with solid rivets.
- Weight of Helmet: Depending on design, unsafe helmets weigh only one pound or less. Helmets meeting FMVSS 218 generally weigh about three pounds. These helmets provide a more substantial feel.
- Design/Style of Helmet: The USDOT safety standard does not allow anything to extend further than two-tenths of an inch from the surface of a helmet. For example, while visor fasteners are allowed, a spike or other protruding decorations indicate an unsafe helmet. Unsafe helmets are noticeably smaller in diameter and thinner than ones meeting the USDOT standard.
- DOT Sticker: Helmets that meet FMVSS 218 must have a sticker on the outside back of the helmet with the letters “DOT,” which certifies that the helmet meets or exceeds FMVSS 218. It is important to note that some novelty helmet sellers provide DOT stickers separately for motorcyclists to place on non-complying helmets. In this case, the DOT sticker is invalid and does not certify compliance.
- Snell or ANSI Label: In addition to the DOT sticker, labels located inside the helmet showing that a helmet meets the standards of private, non-profit organizations are good indicators that the helmet also meets the Federal safety standard.
- Manufacturer’s Labeling: Manufacturers are required under FMVSS 218 to place a label on or inside the helmet stating the manufacturer’s name, model, size, month and year of manufacture, construction materials, and owner’s information. A helmet that does not meet the Federal safety standard usually does not have such labeling. Remember that a DOT sticker on the back of the helmet and proper inside labeling do not necessarily indicate that a helmet meets all DOT requirements. Many helmets have counterfeit DOT stickers and a limited few also have manufacturer’s labeling. But the design and weight of a helmet, thickness of the inner liner, and the quality of the chin strap and rivets are extra clues to help distinguish safe helmets from non-complying ones.