Motorsport Helmet Retailers in South-East?
Discussion
Hi all
I'm looking to buy a helmet but want to try them on rather than just get mail order. Are there any such places in Kent? I live in North Kent but happy to travel.
I'm a medical away from my MSA licence and have my first race (a pursuit at silverstone for VXR) at the end of August) and so want something that will give me longevity in future standards for a couple of years at least.
I'm sure there used to be a place outside Brands but i think that Closed down, but are there any other similar places?
All thoughts and ideads gratefully received!
Thanks
Tony
I'm looking to buy a helmet but want to try them on rather than just get mail order. Are there any such places in Kent? I live in North Kent but happy to travel.
I'm a medical away from my MSA licence and have my first race (a pursuit at silverstone for VXR) at the end of August) and so want something that will give me longevity in future standards for a couple of years at least.
I'm sure there used to be a place outside Brands but i think that Closed down, but are there any other similar places?
All thoughts and ideads gratefully received!
Thanks
Tony
Stand 21 are based at Brands hatch and sell a range of helmets
http://www.stand21.fr/casques/F21/F21-2.html
http://www.stand21.fr/casques/F21/F21-2.html
I know you said you didn't want to go mail order, but I ordered a couple of open-face helmets for my son and me from these guys last week.
Great price, very fast (and cheap) delivery and the helmets are great!
We measured our heads and they both fit perfectly. Do you have a particularly mis-shapen head?
http://www.v2sport.com/
Great price, very fast (and cheap) delivery and the helmets are great!
We measured our heads and they both fit perfectly. Do you have a particularly mis-shapen head?
http://www.v2sport.com/
I agree in principle - I don't think I have a particularly mis shaped head ( 
) - but I've read people say that different helmet brands fit them differently, even though they're made for the same sized head. Eg some pinch more on the forehead, others around the sides etc. I imagine it will be more noticeable in a full face helmet, too.
Thanks for the link though, when I've decided which to go for I'll be certain to check them!
) - but I've read people say that different helmet brands fit them differently, even though they're made for the same sized head. Eg some pinch more on the forehead, others around the sides etc. I imagine it will be more noticeable in a full face helmet, too.Thanks for the link though, when I've decided which to go for I'll be certain to check them!
Tony - I'm not far away (E.Sussex) and gave up trying to find a dealer with any sort of range of motorsport helmets in this corner of the country. Reverted to Demon Tweeks mail order - they are absolutely fine about taking back lids that don't fit (have to be still in absolutely new condition and you pay postage, of course).
The measurement of your head is just the starting point; the OMP model I liked turned out to pinch my forehead but the Arai (+£200) I eventually got fits perfectly
- Sod's law.
So don't be put off mail-order but do make sure the retailer has a sensible return/exchange policy!
The measurement of your head is just the starting point; the OMP model I liked turned out to pinch my forehead but the Arai (+£200) I eventually got fits perfectly
- Sod's law.So don't be put off mail-order but do make sure the retailer has a sensible return/exchange policy!
Dave thanks - gives me slightly more confidence to try something like that now (buying then sending back if not right).
I was visiting friends in Derby this weekend, so took the opportunity to go to Grand Prix Racewear at Silverstone. Essentially, my choice boiled down very very quickly to the Bell RS3 and the Arai GP5 (think it was the GP5). Anyhow - the Arai L was too small, and XL too big, so that kind of put a big sway to the Bell. Fitted nicely, but I'm not entirely sold on it and don't know why. Think it's the big chin spoiler!
So, next on the list is a visit to Stand 21 at Brands. I'm still yet to try any other brand than Bell or Arai so want to give them a go too.
Thanks all for the info - the one in Croydon sounds interesting too I'll look into that.
Ta
I was visiting friends in Derby this weekend, so took the opportunity to go to Grand Prix Racewear at Silverstone. Essentially, my choice boiled down very very quickly to the Bell RS3 and the Arai GP5 (think it was the GP5). Anyhow - the Arai L was too small, and XL too big, so that kind of put a big sway to the Bell. Fitted nicely, but I'm not entirely sold on it and don't know why. Think it's the big chin spoiler!
So, next on the list is a visit to Stand 21 at Brands. I'm still yet to try any other brand than Bell or Arai so want to give them a go too.
Thanks all for the info - the one in Croydon sounds interesting too I'll look into that.
Ta
I've just got back from Stand 21. Lovely bunch of guys running it, and some fantastic stuff. To be honest, most of the helmets are more than I wanted to spend.
They've got exclusively carbon fibre lids, custom fitted (they'll spend half an hour giving you a proper fit). Consequently the cheapest on offer is £800+
I didn't want to waste their time with a fitting, but if money was less of a factor I'd snap those helmets up. Compared to some carbon fibre lids I've seen on the net, they're actually a bargain.
They've got exclusively carbon fibre lids, custom fitted (they'll spend half an hour giving you a proper fit). Consequently the cheapest on offer is £800+
I didn't want to waste their time with a fitting, but if money was less of a factor I'd snap those helmets up. Compared to some carbon fibre lids I've seen on the net, they're actually a bargain.
Interesting you say that - I was going to update this thread in a couple of days to kind of bring it to a close.
I went up to GP racing at silverstone at the weekend and tried on the Arai GP5 and the Bell RS3 - the Arai didn't fit well at all and although the Bell did, it felt too far away to the visor, which felt odd.
I phoned Stand21 because they looked perfect, but had no prices, so I wanted to get an idea before I went. Spoke to a top bloke, very helpful indeed and to be frank, if I could have afforded one then I'd have had zero question about going there - they sounded, and spoke, great. It's just that he said, for what I was looking for, we were talking from £1300. In a few years then may be, but not when I first start out.
So, after all this I still had no helmet. There's one that I really like the look of and cannot find ANYWHERE to try it on. It's the OMP Grand Prix. So I e-mailed a company that had them at a ridiculously good price compared to Demon Tweeks and GPR, called YB Racing, and essentially asked if I can buy it, but send it back if it fits incorrectly or just doesn't feel comfortable - at my cost for the postage, of course. They said no problems at all! So today I ordered the OMP GP with Hans at £386 delivered (!!!!). A ridiculously good price, I think. that's an SA2005 helmet, with hans, and looks good too. Just hope it fits
My logic behind doing it was, firstly, that I could find nowhere to try it on, and secondly that with a big V8 and poor MPG the postage cost would be less than the cost for me to drive somewhere anyway
So, thanks for everyone's help and advice. I'll let you know how I get on with the GP (hopefully arrive sat/mon) - and I have my first event for it next wednesday (just a track day, but it's a wearing of my new helmet )
I went up to GP racing at silverstone at the weekend and tried on the Arai GP5 and the Bell RS3 - the Arai didn't fit well at all and although the Bell did, it felt too far away to the visor, which felt odd.
I phoned Stand21 because they looked perfect, but had no prices, so I wanted to get an idea before I went. Spoke to a top bloke, very helpful indeed and to be frank, if I could have afforded one then I'd have had zero question about going there - they sounded, and spoke, great. It's just that he said, for what I was looking for, we were talking from £1300. In a few years then may be, but not when I first start out.
So, after all this I still had no helmet. There's one that I really like the look of and cannot find ANYWHERE to try it on. It's the OMP Grand Prix. So I e-mailed a company that had them at a ridiculously good price compared to Demon Tweeks and GPR, called YB Racing, and essentially asked if I can buy it, but send it back if it fits incorrectly or just doesn't feel comfortable - at my cost for the postage, of course. They said no problems at all! So today I ordered the OMP GP with Hans at £386 delivered (!!!!). A ridiculously good price, I think. that's an SA2005 helmet, with hans, and looks good too. Just hope it fits
My logic behind doing it was, firstly, that I could find nowhere to try it on, and secondly that with a big V8 and poor MPG the postage cost would be less than the cost for me to drive somewhere anyway
So, thanks for everyone's help and advice. I'll let you know how I get on with the GP (hopefully arrive sat/mon) - and I have my first event for it next wednesday (just a track day, but it's a wearing of my new helmet
)TonyHetherington said:
It's just that he said, for what I was looking for, we were talking from £1300.
Yes, most of the lids were over £1,000 but they had some stock of an old design that they could discount to £800-odd.I think I'll be doing the same as you. Mail order after checking the return policy. I still like the look of the V2Sport helmets.
Ah I see - yes, even at that price it was a little over my budget. If I get good, as they say, then that's for a couple of years I think Seemed a great company though, very annoyed I couldn't get one
The company I've bought my OMP GP from is YB Racing, who seem ok so far (they have an ebay shop too with cheaper prices). all the big companies seem to have pretty good returns policies regarding helmets and whether they fit or not. I was quite surprised how different the Arai and Bell were in how they fit, when they were both of same size (60cm head).
Seemed a great company though, very annoyed I couldn't get one The company I've bought my OMP GP from is YB Racing, who seem ok so far (they have an ebay shop too with cheaper prices). all the big companies seem to have pretty good returns policies regarding helmets and whether they fit or not. I was quite surprised how different the Arai and Bell were in how they fit, when they were both of same size (60cm head).
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