OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: Wombat on October 06, 2007, 08:37:25 pm
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I'd appreciate your collective wisdom with regard to restoring (or not) my old Bell Moto Star helmets.
I hope to start racing next year so I'm dusting off the few MX items remaining from the glory days of the late 70's.
The helmets are intact; they've never been dropped or smacked into the deck at any time.
The only part to deteriorate in both lids is the spongey stuff at the top - the part which sits directly on top of the head.
These 'skull cap' spongey bits are available as spares from Bell Helmets so that's not the issue.
Other than that they are in good nick.
I'm wondering if the overall integrity of the helmet survives after all this time.
Is there a rule on this for VMX racing (I've yet to receive a general rule book or sup regs)?
And I'm not a tight arse as far as buying a new lid is concerned; I simply prefer the old Moto Stars in the same way I prefer vintage to modern bikes.
Can anyone advise?
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The styrofoam can/does degrade with use and with time.
Particularly if they've stored in the garage, and have been near thinners or petrol.
Whether this is a real issue or just one of those "it can happen" things, I don't know.
It's up to you to make the call and live with the consequences, I guess. Ask a question like this on the internet and most people will say stuff like "You don't compromise on safety!", but in reality we all compromise - we compromise to suit our budget/emotions/sense of style/time restraints/perceived risk.
If I was in your postition, I reckon I'd be comfortable using the helemts you have (if that means anything).
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DO NOT USE THAT HELMET !!!! :o A saftey expert once told me never to use a helmet older than three years as ,on average, the stresses imposed on the shell from being "stretched" when putting it on or pulling it off as well as sun exposure and general wear and tear can weaken it to the point where it can shatter upon receiving even a minor impact. The guy teseted helmets and other saftey gear for a living (NZ equivalent of CSIRO?) so I have always followed that advice and passed it on to whom so-ever needed to hear it.
NO COMPROMISES ON SAFTEY.
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Sorry, but if you are restoring for just a period display that would be COOL ;) ;D
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OK Nathan & 'God, thanks for the feedback.
The info from the NZ CSIRO Boffin is interesting indeed; I have to respect that opinion considering it's what he does for a living!
Dammit - I hate the new lids.
I've looked for a simple, plain old one colour MX lid as an alternative; maybe I'm looking in the wrong bike shops and web sites.
Can anyone point me at a quality brand/model MX helmet a little less space-shippy and fluoro-graffiti than most modern lids?
They must be out there. :-\
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OK Nathan & 'God, thanks for the feedback.
The info from the NZ CSIRO Boffin is interesting indeed; I have to respect that opinion considering it's what he does for a living!
Dammit - I hate the new lids.
I've looked for a simple, plain old one colour MX lid as an alternative; maybe I'm looking in the wrong bike shops and web sites.
Can anyone point me at a quality brand/model MX helmet a little less space-shippy and fluoro-graffiti than most modern lids?
They must be out there. :-\
This is what I wear, I just peel off the excess decals and stuff and it looks ok.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-NEVER-WORN-M2R-SX90-MX-Helmet-Adult-XL_W0QQitemZ160101199291QQihZ006QQcategoryZ46161QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
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Any helmet is better than no helmet at all. But...
...if you have a $10 head wear a $10 helmet ;D
Keep , or restore, your Bell for 'display only'. May be to ride a display lap with period gear if you are inclined, but to race get a modern helmet. If you ask around I'm sure you can get plain colours.
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A simple one colour helmet can actually cost about twice as much as one of the technicolour vomit ones.They have to be removed from the production line and sent to a certified helmet painter for colouring,and by the time it gets to you...........well you can imagine all the additional costs they can put on it! ( I too hate those technicolour things!!)
Roger
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Wombat, you can still buy the regular old style open face helmets at great prices. Simply fit a period mouth guard and old skool performance peak and your away. I don't like my modern full face helmets either but I do love their weight when compared to the old Bell Motostars. ;)
(http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/9085/openfacewi1.th.jpg) (http://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=openfacewi1.jpg) or (http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/197/docjetfacemu1.th.jpg) (http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image=docjetfacemu1.jpg) or (http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/5286/billjetfaceko3.th.jpg) (http://img70.imageshack.us/my.php?image=billjetfaceko3.jpg)
Handsome brutes eh! Lifted from Suzuki Central :P
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I too collect helmets, but for safety sake i bought a new Arai open face and did as Doc said,put a period peak on it and mask. Bit of a contradiction worrying about my fat head and then running an open face though ::) Price your willing to pay to look cool!
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Price your willing to pay to look cool!
Brad, for me that's about 57cents worth :D
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Plenty of cool dudes at the morgue....
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I looked and for racing any helmet that meets FIM standards is OK (pg 230 MoMS).Just need the AS silver sticker for road use
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I have an open face with US Snell, and DOT rating-tjough it will be replaced after next year. Once in a while you can find an open face fiberglass/kevlar helmet-so that you can paint it. I think I will next pop for one of these, and paint it a nice egg yellow. You could even do this with a modern full face, as long as it is fiberglass composite, and not polycarbonate or plastic.
I found a Moto Star about 4years ago-at a thrift store in Tucson, Az. I gave $ 3, stripped it, painted it, replaced needed lining parts from Bell, and wore it once. I gave it to my Uncle, to display in his fabrication shop in Louisiana. This way, I am not tempted to wear it.
BTW I would have thought by now that at least one decent helmet maker would make some helmets in solid colors at the under $250 range. During the Stanton/Bradshaw era they were readily avaliable in wht. Most of us bought the wht helmet and had it custom painted(don't ask-this was the same area as hair bands and mullets). Were a safe open face in wht, and a safe but not to techno looking full face available as the same-I think they would sell.
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Plenty of cool dudes at the morgue....
Always fascinating.
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/68D51845F3970A92CA25713000705D3A/$File/33030_2004.pdf
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Im prety sure Arai do a white full face. I got a white open face from Arai
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So I'm not the only one who'd jump on a reasonably priced solid colour helmet? I'd love a simple, straight metallic grey helmet, be very happy with a black one, and happy with a white one. Best I can manage is a combination of those three...
I'm calling shenanigans on the "NZ CSIRO" stuff. My old MDS was over a dozen years old when I retired it. Bashed shit out of it with a hammer, before hack-sawing it in half. The hammer did remarkably little visible damage, but after sawing it in half, I discovered that the styro-foam liner was seriously compressed on top.
If I'd had a big bingle in this helmet, it was never going to shatter - but the lack of impact absorbtion would have been a real problem.
The sytrofoam is where the safety is. The shell just mostly protects the styrofoam (both in the weeks/months/years leading up to the big hit, and during the big hit).
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Brad,
We need pictures dude. Arai are not known for their budget price, but are always worth the spend. I've got 2.
Do they look anything like the old style ??
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open faces are available over the counter, even round scooter retro ones, all Dot approved. I lost as why you cant find one ?
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http://www.araiamericas.com/helmet_details.asp?model=VXPRO3 (http://www.araiamericas.com/helmet_details.asp?model=VXPRO3) Here are solid colours in Arai. Not cheap but you know the drill!
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open faces are available over the counter, even round scooter retro ones, all Dot approved. I lost as why you cant find one ?
Freaky the problem is that most of these are polycoarbonate, most are not Snell approved-and most are not in a desirable color. I have seen black, wht. and red. I have one of these in black as well. I think the school bus yellow, silver, and orange are the most preferable vintage colors, that said I would spend 199 on a very good open face fiberglass, that I could paint how I wanted over a 59.99 poly helmet(though I do not think a fiberglass shell is a safety advantage over a poly shell). BTW I have tried the Krylon "Fusion" plastic paint on some sidepanels. After sanding with #600 grit and several coats(must wiat 7 days between coats) the finish was not acceptable to me. In my opinion it was obvious as a painted suface due to the orange peel( which can not be color sanded and buffed out)-and no clear to put over it.
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This little beauty protected my head as a young bloke. Hell even met Aussie standards of its day. ;D
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Here are the photos of my Arai with old school peak and mask. Still has Conondale dirt on it!
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-5/1259377/hel1.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-5/1259377/hel2.jpg)