I have a safety question on helmets. I have an opportunity to buy the helmet below. It’s a “Shoei”, but it’s a European Shoei, which meets all the European safety spec. It does not have a U.S. DOT stamp on it.
It’s a sweet helmet, it fits real well, and it does meet all European spec.
Would you buy it?
What is, if there is a differance compared to DOT and other safety specs.?
1014482135.jpg (http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/1014482135.jpg)

Yeah, if you're getting a good deal, I'd buy it! Have you tried looking on the web for differences b/w european and US safety specs?

I'd feel safe enough in the thing if it's a street helmet that I bought new, or used in good condition... but there's another issue here (that may not apply if the cops in your area are cool). I once had helmet like the navy fighter-pilot dudes use... and while wearing it, I got a ticket for not having *approved* headgear in Virginia Beach back in the `80's. I tried to fight the ticket in court, but what it came down to was: "no DOT sticker, you gotta pay a fine." Now, after this happened, I was in a leather shop (the kind that caters mostly to the HD crowd) and I noticed that right next to their display of plastic beanies (I call `em skid-lids... they have no styrofoam, just a plastic bucket for the top of your skull ...they are NOT DOT approved) was a stack of white stickers with "DOT" on them in black letters for like $0.50/ea. I'm sure you can still find those stickers in those kindsa shops, and if I had a helmet that was re-painted or like you're considering this european helmet... well, I *promise* I won't get a ticket for no "approved headgear" in Virginia Beach again...

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by A-Dub:
I have a safety question on helmets. I have an opportunity to buy the helmet below. It’s a “Shoei”, but it’s a European Shoei, which meets all the European safety spec. It does not have a U.S. DOT stamp on it.
It’s a sweet helmet, it fits real well, and it does meet all European spec.
Would you buy it?
What is, if there is a differance compared to DOT and other safety specs.?
1014482135.jpg (http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/1014482135.jpg)<hr></blockquote>

i'm pretty sure the european's standards are just as good, if not better than america's standards... i'd buy that in a heartbeat if i was you... that helmet is nice...

Don't sweat the DOT rating too much...except for run ins with the law. The European CE standards are tougher than a Snell rating. So it should be safe enough.

Yet, I'll never buy a helmet that is only DOT approved. I trust the Snell M rating or euro CE.

The DOT sticker is not worth much safty wise the Snell and Euro are though. In the National Level of compition (Trials) a while back when the new carbon fiber helemts came out they were not DOT approved. In the rules we have to have a DOT approved helemt. So we made stickers, thats all they have to go on, least for the Trials Helemts.

Look at it this way those dumb ass beani caps harley riders call helemts are DOT approved, not snell!

[ 02-27-2002: Message edited by: LifesAStoppie ]</p>

the euro approval is better than DOT..get it

i beleive DOT require is not a quality issue it is size issue, the dot requirement is that the helmet covers a section (percentage of) of your head. i.e forehead+ sides+back, get it? and also i beleive "snell" is a quality inspection

the pic didnt come up????