Fake Arai GP-6S? With Photos
Discussion
Help needed please.
I recently purchased an Arai GP-6S helmet from Japan on eBay! I knew the risk of potentially buying a fake but with the guarantees that PayPal offer I thought I'd give it a go. Saving nearly £300 seemed like a good idea. Too good to be true - usually is!
The pictures of the helmet are below, I'm certain its a fake but now I have to prove it. Couple of things that convince me it's fake. 1. It doesn't fit like an Arai I tried on at the Autosport show 2. The Arai badge is a solid sticker and is not laminated over, I seem to remember the badge just being the black Arai logo then lacquered over none of the White should be a sticker. 3. There is no date stamp on the chin strap, this is from my motorcycle days but as I remember all Arai helmets had a built date on the strap. 4. The internal lining is not removable, it's glued in place, not even the cheek pads.
I'm sure I could find more things but that's a good start.
If you have one of these which is genuine could you please add photos so I can use them to demonstrate the authenticity.
Lastly I'd like to add that although trying to buy something like this may seem a touch crazy from Japan I was fully aware of the risk, I have bought many things like this before and had no problem, this time I got it wrong!
Thank you for any help or thoughts.
Ed.
I recently purchased an Arai GP-6S helmet from Japan on eBay! I knew the risk of potentially buying a fake but with the guarantees that PayPal offer I thought I'd give it a go. Saving nearly £300 seemed like a good idea. Too good to be true - usually is!
The pictures of the helmet are below, I'm certain its a fake but now I have to prove it. Couple of things that convince me it's fake. 1. It doesn't fit like an Arai I tried on at the Autosport show 2. The Arai badge is a solid sticker and is not laminated over, I seem to remember the badge just being the black Arai logo then lacquered over none of the White should be a sticker. 3. There is no date stamp on the chin strap, this is from my motorcycle days but as I remember all Arai helmets had a built date on the strap. 4. The internal lining is not removable, it's glued in place, not even the cheek pads.
I'm sure I could find more things but that's a good start.
If you have one of these which is genuine could you please add photos so I can use them to demonstrate the authenticity.
Lastly I'd like to add that although trying to buy something like this may seem a touch crazy from Japan I was fully aware of the risk, I have bought many things like this before and had no problem, this time I got it wrong!
Thank you for any help or thoughts.
Ed.
Edited by CTrickle on Wednesday 28th January 10:10
I'm afraid mine is now painted, so I can't take photos of the original finish, but the Arai logo on the front is usually just a sticker on the car helmets due to the likelihood of them being painted. The front vents are always pretty rough though and the pads aren't removable. The Full blown GP6 has 'one time removable cheek pads' which are for emergency removal of the helmet after an accident, but you usually need someone who knows what they're doing to remove the pads, and even then, I believe it's only the front few that can be taken out.
As for the chin strap....the car helmets don't have a date stamp.
As DDg has already said, I suspect you've got a Japanese spec GP6. The Japanese domestic market ones have a different shell size/shape to fit the smaller average head dimensions in that market, so whilst the head circumference is the same, the shape won't be. My helmet painter checked the labelling in mine (I bought mine from a friends spare allocation!) when I handed it over and said 'good....it's not a JDM spec'. The only difference I can see with yours is the size labelling not having inches on it and also having some Japanese text. I suspect this is how you can tell as everything else looks identical.
My suggestion from a returns point of view, would be to check to see if it mentions anywhere on the ad about being identical to European ones, or the same as ones purchased in Europe, which would be a lie. If unfortunately, it doesn't make any such claims, you may have to just try and find someone who wants to buy a Jap spec GP6....
As for the chin strap....the car helmets don't have a date stamp.
As DDg has already said, I suspect you've got a Japanese spec GP6. The Japanese domestic market ones have a different shell size/shape to fit the smaller average head dimensions in that market, so whilst the head circumference is the same, the shape won't be. My helmet painter checked the labelling in mine (I bought mine from a friends spare allocation!) when I handed it over and said 'good....it's not a JDM spec'. The only difference I can see with yours is the size labelling not having inches on it and also having some Japanese text. I suspect this is how you can tell as everything else looks identical.
My suggestion from a returns point of view, would be to check to see if it mentions anywhere on the ad about being identical to European ones, or the same as ones purchased in Europe, which would be a lie. If unfortunately, it doesn't make any such claims, you may have to just try and find someone who wants to buy a Jap spec GP6....
Motorcycle Helmet Reviews Sorted by Internal Shape.
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmet-shapes.htm
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmet-shapes.htm
Weslake-Monza said:
The Snell sticker is SAH which I thought meant it had HANS posts fitted from the factory. If you google Snell and having found their web site send them the number on their sticker the SAH etc they will be able to investigate it for you.
Arai's only come with the threads fitted now, so they're 'HANS Ready', hence the SAH. But it wouldn't hurt to check the serial number on the sticker.My few years old GP6S came with HANS posts fitted, and so did my Carbon one that I got a couple of months ago. Perhaps things have changed, although it could be that they're standard fit over here but not in Japan.
The rest of it all looks fine though OP, nothing about it screams fake at me. You might even find that slightly basic looking 'Car Racing Helmet' (or whatever it says) sticker is a requirement in Japan.
Sounds like you've got yourself a Jap spec helmet for a Jap spec bonce!
The rest of it all looks fine though OP, nothing about it screams fake at me. You might even find that slightly basic looking 'Car Racing Helmet' (or whatever it says) sticker is a requirement in Japan.
Sounds like you've got yourself a Jap spec helmet for a Jap spec bonce!
The Wookie said:
My few years old GP6S came with HANS posts fitted, and so did my Carbon one that I got a couple of months ago. Perhaps things have changed, although it could be that they're standard fit over here but not in Japan.
I think they come from Arai sans HANS and then GPR/Demon Tweeks fit them before sale. My 6 was direct from Arai (and European spec) and had the hilarious 'Racing Car Helmet' sticker on without HANS posts and with the brilliantly Japanese Manga style guide which has pictures of crying helmets in it....!Edited by RacerMike on Tuesday 3rd February 10:46
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