Hey all,
I've been looking through helmets on various websites and have found the Nolan helmets to be very appealing (particularly the ones with the built in sun visor) but I haven't found any to be BOTH DoT and Snell certified.

How many people feel Snell certification is REALLY worth it? (I really want a Snell certified helmet because of the vigorous tests performed).

And, how many people have Nolan helmets and can vouch for them?

Thanks,
Jeff

Snell supercedes DOT.

If a helmet is Snell certified, it is DOT certified.

Unfortunately, I can't find the article, but a magazine did a comprehensive test and concluded that Snell helmets do not protect better than DOT-only helmets.

My impression is that Snell-rated helmets, and typically helmets with very stiff shells like fiberglass or carbon fiber, can protect from higher speed collisions (think 100 mph instead of 50 mph) but thus are not quite as good at lower-speed collisions.

_________________
Flickr.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearb ... index.html

"The DOT helmets we had were all plastic-shelled, and none cost more than $100. How did they do? They kicked butt. In what must be considered a head-impact Cinderella story, the DOT-only helmets from Z1R delivered less average G force to the headform through all the impacts than any others in the test.

And they still excelled in the big-hit, 150-joule impact—a blast 66 percent harder than any actual DOT test for a medium-sized helmet. "



"So the softest DOT helmets came through our tests with protection to spare. But doubt lingered, in spite of everything we had seen: How would they do in a monster, wicked-big impact?

So we decided to kill them. We ran the Z1Rs up the test rig one last time. Not just to the 10-foot, 150-joule Snell test height, but all the way to the top of the rig: 3.9 meters, or 13 feet. T...

The peak Gs for the monster hits were 208 for the curb impact and 209 for the flat-pavement impact. Just a few Gs more, that is, than many of the Snell-rated helmets transmitted in their seven-foot hits on the flat anvil."

_________________
Flickr.

Here it is. Very informative when learning about how helmets are supposed to protect your melon.

_________________
1994 Suzuki Katana 600
1994 Honda Magna 750

Thanks guys, this should help me with my decision a lot.

So with a snell helmet, your heads geometry can be maintained at a higher g force impact. The problem is, your brain with skull geometry maintained cannot with stand the higher g force impact snell is designed for. The skull may not be broken at all but the egg inside is scrambled.

A snell rated helmet is always as good as a DOT helment. But are you getting what you think your getting at triple the price or more?

_________________
Goldwing 1500se '98
VN500 LTD '07 Sold

snell only certifies full face helmets.

My Bell Sprint full-face is both DOT and Snell approved and only cost around $150.00.

_________________

Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

I wanted to also thank you guys for that article, I'm reading it at the moment, and I was...misinformed I guess would be the word, about the differences between Snell and DOT. I thought you paid so much for Snell because they do extreme amounts of testing and DOT was just a regular old helmet that didn't do very much testing at all.

I am very much amazed, to be honest, and I am pretty much speechless lol. All this time I thought I had to have a $300 helmet because it was "safer" and had "more safety features" and whatnot.... HURRAY FOR RESEARCHERS

_________________
FOR PONY!!:horse:

Wants to own:
Honda Shadow VLX


~Once I accepted the fact that I'm always going to be a strange person, my life has been a hell of a lot more fun.~

The differences in Snell versus DOT on impact protection was not as great as the article implies. The Snell was slightly higher than DOT.

DOT helmets are certified by the manufacturer to be in compliance with DOT. They do not test them regularly. DOT does random tests and your model may or may not have been tested. It may also have failed the test. DOT lists the helmets they have tested.

SNELL Tests every model with it's certification. A little more rigorous then DOT. Not only is impact tested, but other qualities that DOT doesn't test. The test for helmet retention, field of view, strength of strap connections, etc and more. Check the SNELL site and check DOT . See for yourself.

SNELL assure the helmet model is actually tested and passed. It assures that the straps will hold the helmet on your head in an accident and will not separate from the helmet.

SNELL will test any helmet submitted to them. There are SNELL shorties, 3/4 (Open Face) and full face. The helmets with the lift up chin bar have not been submitted tio SNELL for testing. I suppose the MFG feels they may not pass some of the retention requirements, but I am only guessing on this.

I have seen complaints about the Nolan model that the hinge area by the side of your head is not well padded because of the hinge for the chin bar. Some have reported head bruises in the area after a fall. I like the idea of a chin lift type helmet, but I am not sure I would be comfortable without the SNELL rating.

_________________
Richard - Fully Dressed

Naked 1991 Honda NightHawk 750
Naked 1976 Honda CB360T