SHARP adds more helmets

SHARP Logo
SHARP, the UK government’s Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme, has just evaluated a further 28 motorcycle helmets.

That brings the total number of different models assessed to 247, all of which have been subjected to identical impact tests that exceed the compulsory British Standard BS 6658:1985 or ECE Regulation 22.05 checks.

Out of the 247 helmets rated, thirty were awarded the maximum five stars. The good news is that six of those retail for under £100, so it would appear that the correlation between price and protection can be tenuous.

The results also clearly demonstrate that a particular brand name won’t necessarily ensure a certain level of quality, as some manufacturers have very large score variations within their ranges.

That’s not the case for Bell, though. It has had six helmets go through the programme, from the £165 M1 to the £495 M5X Carbon, and all were given five stars. No other manufacturer with more than one SHARP-assessed helmet has achieved such a perfect score.

Conversely, the consistently least successful manufacturer is CMS. Its two tested helmets - the £60 GP4 and the £159 GP5F - each only managed to get one star.

To visit the SHARP website, click here.

Related post:
SHARP helmet rating

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts:

Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson

Image
Saab has got experience of producing special editions in honour of rally driver Erik Carlsson, having previously named versions of the 900 and 9000 after him during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Now it has decided to do it again, this time to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Swedish driver’s first win in Britain’s RAC Rally, which was achieved at the wheel of a Saab 96. Thankfully, the company has resisted the urge to just bung some fancy alloys and a few other extra bits onto something like a mid-range diesel model. Instead, it appears to have resurrected the limited edition Turbo X from a couple of years ago, as the new edition similarly features a turbocharged 2.8 litre petrol V6, Saab’s XWD all-wheel drive system and a six-speed automatic gearbox. The result is the 9-3 Aero Carlsson saloon, which turns out to be a very rapid car. With 276 bhp (205 kW / 280 PS) and a healthy 400 Nm of torque, the 0-60 mph (96 km/h) dash takes just 6.9 seconds. But it’s in the mid-range t...
Read more

American spec Fiat 500

Image
Fiat has released the first details and images of the North American specification 500. The tiny city car will be available in Pop, Lounge and Sport trim levels, and is distinguished from the European version by its more aggressive front and rear bumpers, bigger grille and flared sills. Another unique feature is the engine. Fiat has decided to use the 1.4 MultiAir unit currently found in models such as the Fiat Punto Evo and Alfa Romeo MiTo. Perhaps it felt that using the forthcoming two-cylinder TwinAir in the American 500 would have been too much for markets there to take? There’s no word yet on what power output the MultiAir will have, although in its current applications it comes with either 103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS), 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) or 167 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS). Similarly, prices have yet to be confirmed, but hopefully both details will have been sorted out by the time the order book for the 500 hatch opens later this year. For convertible fans, the 500C is due ...
Read more

i10 N Line versus the Up! GTI

Image
Hyundai has confirmed specifications and pricing for its sporty i10 N Line. This new variant – which arrives at dealers later this month – benefits from some cosmetic tweaks, unique suspension components and a more powerful 1.0 litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine.
Read more