Shoei GT Air: rubbish SHARP test result

Shoei GT Air: rubbish SHARP test result

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Discussion

SVS

Original Poster:

3,824 posts

270 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
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SHARP does help when choosing between, for example, different helmets made by the same manufacturer.
Shoei's Qwest and NXR are quite similar helmets. The Qwest achieves a 5-star SHARP rating, but the NXR only gets a 4-star rating. That's useful info.

moanthebairns said:
sharp testing is the best, consistent form of testing with results regularly available to the public.
yes I agree.

outnumbered

4,067 posts

233 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
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I tried on a GT Air at the weekend and liked it.... Arse.


sjtscott

4,215 posts

230 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
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EvoBarry said:
I have a GT Air, am I bothered by this news? A little but not enough to stop me using the helmet. All tests try to replicate real life but we all know that no two accidents are the same so I take most results with a slight pinch of salt and trust the manufacturers to have built a reasonably safe helmet for us to use for the majority of purposes. And I try not to fall off as a rule, which seems to help.
Funnily enough the GT Air like all other UK/Europe wide helmets has passed ECE 22.05 to be road legal - this is enough for me. I've been riding bikes since before sharp existed when helmets used to have the BSI kite marks.
I view sharp as an additional indicator/differentiator for the helmet purchaser that is all. Two branded helmets of similar spec/price range one scores 4 one 5 - I'd likely go for the 5

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

254 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
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s3fella said:
Bugger, I have £1000 invested in my GT Air. May as well strap a could of baguettes to my head.
Never heard that expression before!

Gusto

606 posts

232 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
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If you want a shoei, get the cheapest - qwest - which is light, 5* and quiet, and pay for MTB's painter mate to customise it.


jcelee

1,039 posts

243 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
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I picked up a very nice XR1100 for a penny under £250 - an excellent helmet and also 5*. Still some out there.

H100S

1,436 posts

172 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
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This is my next helmet, I really like them. Nice features look very well made and this sharp test does not make me reconsider. I quite like the black and red one as well as the white one.

Sea Demon

1,156 posts

212 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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Got my GT Air on Monday - absolutely love it. My last helmet was a £30 LS2 FF351 which has a SHARP rating of 4 - there's no way the LS2 would protect my head the same way the GT Air will.

black-k1

11,889 posts

228 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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Sea Demon said:
Got my GT Air on Monday - absolutely love it. My last helmet was a £30 LS2 FF351 which has a SHARP rating of 4 - there's no way the LS2 would protect my head the same way the GT Air will.
confused How, other than the Shoei is "more expensive so MUST be better protection" method, would you justify your statement?

Sea Demon

1,156 posts

212 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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black-k1 said:
confused How, other than the Shoei is "more expensive so MUST be better protection" method, would you justify your statement?
If you've used both or tried both on, like I have - its easy to see how as 1 (the Shoei) fits very well, has good padding & doesn't move sideways/up and down my face or move up my face as I'm riding (even though its adjusted and sized correctly).



black-k1

11,889 posts

228 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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Sea Demon said:
black-k1 said:
confused How, other than the Shoei is "more expensive so MUST be better protection" method, would you justify your statement?
If you've used both or tried both on, like I have - its easy to see how as 1 (the Shoei) fits very well, has good padding & doesn't move sideways/up and down my face or move up my face as I'm riding (even though its adjusted and sized correctly).
What you describe is a size/fitting issue. Any helmet that moves like you describe is not the right size for you. Any helmet that is not the right size and does not fit correctly, regardless of price, will not offer the best protection.

Sea Demon

1,156 posts

212 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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I live in Kent so if you want to come and try both on, you can do & then you tell me which one you'd feel more beneficial in saving your life & riding with, I don't need to ride my bike to know which is best/safer, I can tell as soon as its on my head.

Both are the correct size & measured in the correct way - there's a reason why 1 helmet costs £30 & 1 costs £470 but each to their own, I'll stick with my GT Air.

black-k1

11,889 posts

228 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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Sea Demon said:
I live in Kent so if you want to come and try both on, you can do & then you tell me which one you'd feel more beneficial in saving your life & riding with, I don't need to ride my bike to know which is best/safer, I can tell as soon as its on my head.

Both are the correct size & measured in the correct way - there's a reason why 1 helmet costs £30 & 1 costs £470 but each to their own, I'll stick with my GT Air.
While the size label on the helmet may say it’s the right size for your head that does not make the helmet a good fit or the right size for you. Each helmet will have a different fit even though many will claim to be the same size. You need to buy a helmet that fits, not one that has a size label that matches the tape measure around your head.

Last year I bought a System 6 helmet having had a number of previous System helmets and having owned a Schuberth. (Schuberth manufacture the System helmets for BMW.) All my previous system helmets fitted superbly, as did my Schuberth but the System 6, although the right size, just did not fit me and was uncomfortable after only 20 minutes use. I tried it for several journeys but it didn’t get any better so was replaced by a Schuberth C3. The System 6 is not a cheap helmet.

My point is that your description of the LS2 says it’s not a good fit. That is not related to its cost. The level of protection will be compromised by the fit, not by the fact that you only spent £30 on it. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that the LS2, if fitted correctly, will offer MORE protection than the Shoei!

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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black-k1 said:
My point is that your description of the LS2 says it’s not a good fit. That is not related to its cost. The level of protection will be compromised by the fit, not by the fact that you only spent £30 on it. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that the LS2, if fitted correctly, will offer MORE protection than the Shoei!
Exactly. That's why I buy lids that fit rather than are a particular make. The only reason to change makes is for better ventilation etc (or just to avoid the stty quality ones that fall apart in 3 miles).

Sea Demon

1,156 posts

212 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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black-k1 said:
While the size label on the helmet may say it’s the right size for your head that does not make the helmet a good fit or the right size for you. Each helmet will have a different fit even though many will claim to be the same size. You need to buy a helmet that fits, not one that has a size label that matches the tape measure around your head.

Last year I bought a System 6 helmet having had a number of previous System helmets and having owned a Schuberth. (Schuberth manufacture the System helmets for BMW.) All my previous system helmets fitted superbly, as did my Schuberth but the System 6, although the right size, just did not fit me and was uncomfortable after only 20 minutes use. I tried it for several journeys but it didn’t get any better so was replaced by a Schuberth C3. The System 6 is not a cheap helmet.

My point is that your description of the LS2 says it’s not a good fit. That is not related to its cost. The level of protection will be compromised by the fit, not by the fact that you only spent £30 on it. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that the LS2, if fitted correctly, will offer MORE protection than the Shoei!
My 2 year old LS2 helmet is ste compaired to my Shoei but you know best having not worn either.

The helmets that are tested are also brand new. My LS2 fitted fine when it was new (I wouldn't have bought it otherwise) but after 2 years daily use - its the materials ie: the padding that have let it down fitment wise, it all got thin and didnt hug my face like it did/should after about 6 months. I have an Shoei XR1000 helmet that I used for 2 years and that still feels as well padded as the day I bought it (no longer used as I was knocked off and it took a knock).

I'd genuinely like to see the test results of both helmets after say a years use, I'd put money on it that anyone in an LS2 would come off worse.


black-k1

11,889 posts

228 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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Sea Demon said:
black-k1 said:
While the size label on the helmet may say it’s the right size for your head that does not make the helmet a good fit or the right size for you. Each helmet will have a different fit even though many will claim to be the same size. You need to buy a helmet that fits, not one that has a size label that matches the tape measure around your head.

Last year I bought a System 6 helmet having had a number of previous System helmets and having owned a Schuberth. (Schuberth manufacture the System helmets for BMW.) All my previous system helmets fitted superbly, as did my Schuberth but the System 6, although the right size, just did not fit me and was uncomfortable after only 20 minutes use. I tried it for several journeys but it didn’t get any better so was replaced by a Schuberth C3. The System 6 is not a cheap helmet.

My point is that your description of the LS2 says it’s not a good fit. That is not related to its cost. The level of protection will be compromised by the fit, not by the fact that you only spent £30 on it. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that the LS2, if fitted correctly, will offer MORE protection than the Shoei!
My 2 year old LS2 helmet is ste compaired to my Shoei but you know best having not worn either.

The helmets that are tested are also brand new. My LS2 fitted fine when it was new (I wouldn't have bought it otherwise) but after 2 years daily use - its the materials ie: the padding that have let it down fitment wise, it all got thin and didnt hug my face like it did/should after about 6 months. I have an Shoei XR1000 helmet that I used for 2 years and that still feels as well padded as the day I bought it (no longer used as I was knocked off and it took a knock).

I'd genuinely like to see the test results of both helmets after say a years use, I'd put money on it that anyone in an LS2 would come off worse.
Again I think you are missing my point. You made the statement that your Shoei offered better protection than your LS2 when repeatable scientific tests disproved that. I asked you to justify your statement.

Your justification related to fit (or lack of). I pointed out that issues with fit are not cost related and apply equally to all helmets. I don’t dispute that a new helmet will likely give better results than the same helmet after 2 years use but again, this is not directly associated to the cost of the helmet. To reverse your point, I’m certain that a new LS2 will offer significantly better protection than a 2 year old Shoei GT Air.

You have a point that a more expensive helmet is probably less likely to change its fit characteristics through use thus probably making it safer after 2 years of use when compared to a cheaper helmet after 2 years of use, but currently, this can be neither proven or disproven.

Contrary to what you say, I don’t know best and have never claimed that I do. What you did was make a completely unsubstantiated statement regarding the safety properties of two helmets and I simply asked you to justify your statement.

You wear what you want and what you think works for you. If spending more money makes you feel safer then you most certainly don’t need my permission to continue to spend as much of your money as you feel is required.

Just as an after thought. I currently wear an expensive helmet that gets a 3 star rating and I'm very happy with it. smile

Sea Demon

1,156 posts

212 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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I could carry on disagreeing with you but I simply can not be bothered as its a waste of my time and nobody cares..