Is FIM The Helmet Certification We’ve Been Waiting For?

Despite the fact that manufacturers and road safety agencies heavily rely on them, it’s a known fact that motorcycle helmet safety standards are a little all up in the air. In the U.S., there are two main certifications offered: DOT, which is mandatory for all helmets sold in the country, and Snell, a non-mandatory tag awarded by the eponymous non-profit organization. Across the pond, 47 countries rely on the Economic Commission for Europe’s (ECE) R 22.05 certification and require riders to wear an ECE homologate helmet.

Despite the agencies’ seemingly good intentions, there is one major issue with all of them: the standards are grossly inconsistent and, in many cases, obsolete. In February 2020, we documented the results of a series of independent tests conducted by Act Labs that resulted in a number of DOT-certified helmets underperforming and even failing the tests altogether. DOT helmets are actually tested by the manufacturers and if they meet the minimum requirements, they get their sticker. Easy peasy, lemon (and head) squeezy.

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kthutchinson said:

Before anyone becomes too enamored with the FIM standard (FRHPhe-01) or it proposed replacement (FRHPhe-02), I recommend reading the Snell Memorial Foundation letter to the FIM expressing their concerns (http://www.frhp.org/user/pages/02.news/fim-response-to-snell/SnellFoundation-FHRP.pdf).

As an aside, ECE 22.05 may soon become ECE 22-06.

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kthutchinson said:

Before anyone becomes too enamored with the FIM standard (FRHPhe-01) or it proposed replacement (FRHPhe-02), I recommend reading the Snell Memorial Foundation letter to the FIM expressing their concerns (http://www.frhp.org/user/pages/02.news/fim-response-to-snell/SnellFoundation-FHRP.pdf).

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Rinty said:

Can someone explain what this is about?

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PGlaves said:

Short answer: The Snell Foundation has never agreed that any other testing standard was as good as its very own. They had a good case with the US DOT standard. Much less so with the ECE standard. Now along comes a racing organization with another one for Snell to disagree with.

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36654 said:

It's more than that, in this case. The MIPS technology advocates a "softer" styrofoam liner with some rotational deflection. Snell hasn't accepted that as an improvement, but offers two certifications for 2020.

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