I've just bought a HJC I70 helmet which I really liked until one of my mates has started to put the fear into me by saying it’s a polycarbonate helmet so it’s going to be less safer than a fibre helmet. The I70 replaces the HJC IS-17 which has a Sharp 5 star rating and the new I70 is supposed to be a better helmet by all accounts. My question is, would you guys wear a polycarbonate helmet or not?
It has ACU good approval and like I said the previous outgoing model it replaces has a Sharp 5 star rating. Just paranoid now as a mate has warned me that polycarbonate helmets are inferior with regards to safety protection?
No. Carbonfibre is the lightest! If your new helmet has the current safety ratings its the same as any other with that rating. A kilo of steak doesn't weigh any more of less than a kilo of salmon. Back in the late 70's I wore a polycarbonate helmet (Kangol/ cheap) and fell off my bike regularly (young/ idiot) and it was fine. Lets see a pic of this helmet?
Well worth reading. https://billyscrashhelmets.co.uk/bi...e-to-choosing-a-safe-motorcycle-crash-helmet/
I'd hazard correct fit is more important once you got 5 stars. I have no idea if any of mine are polycarbonate or not.
Polycarb is tough as fuck, your car h/lights are probably made of it at about 2-3 mm thick, try and break them with a hammer too see how tough it really is.
The only thing about polycarbonate helmets is when they first hit the market as the best thing since sliced bread was it was not UV stable over a long period of time. Now what 40+ years on, manufacturing chemistry has come on in leaps and bounds and there are to my knowledge no additional issues over any other helmet. Only clean with water, not chemicals and keep it in it’s bag when not in use ...... and don’t drop it Andy
It’s polycarbonate composite, nothing like the old and original polycarbonate helmets. Absolutely nothing to be worried about. Your mate is blowing air out if his arse. Andy
Polycarbonate got a bad name in the early '80's as you couldn't get your artistic mate with a new fangled fancy airbrush to paint tits/skulls on it, history now all good
Three years ago I got my 26 year old Arai Giga out of the loft where it had been stored just in a helmet bag IIRC it was of glassfibre/composite construction and I used it for racing in the 1990s. I also located a 3 year old Nitro helmet polycarbonate helmet which I didn't like wearing. This was kept in a bag and a box in the loft. Both had the ACU gold sticker. I decided to dispose of them, so I cut the straps off, salvaged the visors; but because I had heard of some silly beggars fitting new straps; I got my heavy axe out and gave each helmet a whack. The Nitro failed miserably as the blade managed to perforate not only the shell but also severely crack the actual polystyrene inside, with the corner of the blade actually penetrating it in one place. The Arai was a different matter.......the bloody axe bounced off the shell only really marking it. It took another whack to crack the shell, but the polystyrene was untouched - I removed it to check it as well. I currently use a Bell helmet which is all composite construction and lighter than nearly all the helmets on the market while still meeting the Snell and other standards five star, but I also have another newer Nitro polycarbonate one which I keep for emergency use.
