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Hi,

I am looking at starting to take my DD NA6 to a few track events. I've got most of the boxes ticked but I don't have a helmet yet. Because i won't be using it much I don't want anything to expensive. If I decide to learn to ride down the track I think it would make most sense to get a motorbike helmet and not a car one? Needing a closed helmet because MX5 anyway.

Can anyone point me in the right direction, perhaps even a good store to browse/try them on in Melbourne?

Cheers

Check the regulations that you will be running under, they will specify the type of helmet.

CAMS Schedule D for example
http://docs.cams.com.au/Manual/GeneralRequirements/GQ05-Schedule-D-2017-1.pdf
SFI 31.1, SFI 31.1A, SFI 31.2A, SFI 24.1
Snell SA2000
AS1698

Interestingly this is buried within Schedule D - FHR will be mandatory for Club and Multi Club level effective 01/01/2018

I bought one of these a few years ago:
http://www.made2race.com.au/all-products/m1-helmet

They're cheap enough to have a punt on, and if it turns out you really get into track days, you can upgrade from there. But do check they meet the required regulations.

I have an ls2 brand helmet from Peter Stevens. Cost next to nothing and meets the standard. Of course it won't protect as well and is bulkier than a proper racing helmet, but it's an inexpensive way to try out sprints.

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Motorcycle dealers usually stock a large range of AS1698 helmets - which are good for track days & speed events (supersprints, regularity, hillclimbs, etc)
I'm told AS1698 doesn't require fire resistant lining, so may be something to consider.

If you are using your standard belts, then you have more options. Just remember that the cheaper helmets are generally heavier, and it is your neck that carries that weight. This mainly matters in the event of a shunt, but as the 3-point belt allows your body to move around quite a bit the neck has a reasonable chance of handling the loads imposed. Presume you are intending tracking with Vic MX5 club, in which case have a look at their website, get some advice from their motorsport captain.

If you are planning on a harness, that is different. A harness holds you tight - generally a good thing. But it also means that your neck has to take all the impact force of head plus helmet in the hopefully unlikely event of an impact. That is where a HNRS (aka HANS) comes into play, it limits the forward movement and protects the neck/spinal cord.

Search on here for more info, there have been a number of threads, and some pretty stark videos.

FWIW, when I got my HANS, I invested in a 'proper' Bell helmet (cheapest SAH2010 Bell I could find) - I couldn't believe how much lighter it was, compared to the motorcycle helmets I used up to that point - even with the HANS posts installed.

Interestingly this is buried within Schedule D - FHR will be mandatory for Club and Multi Club level effective 01/01/2018

The doc's aren't very clear on what "Club and Multi Club level" means. I thought that the 'normal' track days like the OP raised (ie basic licence, no logbook, run-what-you-bring days) were classed as "Speed" events, as they are technically not door-to-door races, but individually timed events. That would be covered under table 2.4 in the doc, which leaves it as "B" so not mandatory. Aren't "Club" level events beyond the CAMS basic licence?

note - I'm not dissing the idea of HANS at all. Yes they are a terrific idea, and it's on the list as one of the upgrades this year... just aware that the OP is looking to try track days out, and it's a decent cost for a Bell+HANS upfront.


Interesting footnote to table 2.4 which says "A full-face helmet is highly recommended for a driver of an open car." - I've always understood that it was Mandatory, not optional..

Deags - another item you might need (depending on the club I think) is gloves if you are going to run with the top down. Top up you don't need them. They don't need to be FIA - just gloves. I use my old bike ones.

FWIW I run an LS2 bike helmet currently - mainly because it's a full-face flip-front which makes it much easier to wear with glasses. Does anyone know of a HANS helmet with flip face?

Magpie wrote:Interestingly this is buried within Schedule D - FHR will be mandatory for Club and Multi Club level effective 01/01/2018

This is for racing. See 2.4 for speed events.

ianoz wrote:Interesting footnote to table 2.4 which says "A full-face helmet is highly recommended for a driver of an open car." - I've always understood that it was Mandatory, not optional..

Supp Regs will often require full face or goggles for open cars. Intent obviously is for the visor to be down. You will already know that an MX5 is an 'open car' top down, top up, or hardtop on. Not every scrutineer or official does though.

ianoz wrote:Deags - another item you might need (depending on the club I think) is gloves if you are going to run with the top down. Top up you don't need them. They don't need to be FIA - just gloves.

Supp Regs may require this too for open cars.

Basically, talk to someone in authority involved in running the events you are considering entering. You will be told what is the minimum, you may also be advised what may be desirable.

I went to a motorbike shop and picked up the base model Rjays helmet. Would be a horrible bike helmet due to the lack of wind and noise protection.
But for the track in the car it's pretty good. I can hear my car and get adequate airflow.

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I've had the main gear shaft out of an Alfetta tumble just over the top of my windscreen on the back straight at Winton and a Pulsar piston and conrod just miss the passenger side mirror on the Southern Loop at Philip Island. It may pay to keep those sorts of risks in mind when deciding how much face and neck protection you want in a helmet.

In terms of future proofing I would personally only be looking at helmets that have at least provision for HANS mounts, if not HANS mounts already fitted. HANS mounts can be bought later at about $50 per pair and they're very easy to fit to helmets made for them.

RS2000 wrote:Motorcycle dealers usually stock a large range of AS1698 helmets - which are good for track days & speed events (supersprints, regularity, hillclimbs, etc)
I'm told AS1698 doesn't require fire resistant lining, so may be something to consider.

What I meant by 'good for' was 'meets requirements'. I'm another who now won't run without a hans (with 6 pt harness).

deags wrote:Hi,

I am looking at starting to take my DD NA6 to a few track events. I've got most of the boxes ticked but I don't have a helmet yet. Because i won't be using it much I don't want anything to expensive. If I decide to learn to ride down the track I think it would make most sense to get a motorbike helmet and not a car one? Needing a closed helmet because MX5 anyway.

Can anyone point me in the right direction, perhaps even a good store to browse/try them on in Melbourne?

Cheers

So a first helmet then.

My suggestion from 30 years of racing experience and nearly the same as a fire marshal at all event levels is a good quality full face helmet that at a minimum is compliant to AS1698. Do not even consider an open face helmet. I have seen the results of debris striking your face in a closed car where the driver wore an open face helmet, not pretty.....

The main differences between a bike helmet and a motorsports helmet for cars is the size of the eye port is bigger in a bike helmet, and most car motorsport helmets are not compliant with AS1698 due to this. The second difference is the material used in the liners. In a Snell spec helmet the liner material is fire resistant. The easiest way to pick a Snell spec helmet is the colour of the chin strap, which will be yellow, whilst a non Snell spec helmet will have a black chin strap.

The better the helmet, generally the lighter the helmet. The lighter helmet the better for you.

The other thing to remember is that different helmets fit people differently. I know quite a few people who cannot wear a Bell helmet, yet they are my favourite brand as I find them very comfortable. My bike helmet is a Kabuta which I like, is lighter than my Bell, but not quite as comfortable to wear from a decent period of time.

Best thing to do is to decide on a sensible budget, say $300 to $500 dollars or more if you want and go from there. Go to a bike shop or motorsport accessory shop and try on helmets in your price range for comfort and fit. Also look at things like availability of extra visors. I run a clear and tinted visor on each of my helmets. Also take into consideration will you wear glasses with your helmet, some a near impossible to push glasses frames over your ears, some are easy or the glasses may not sit comfortably on your nose in the confines of the helmet.

Also once you have your helmet, get a bag for it and don't drop it......

When you have finished for the day let the helmet sit with the visor open to let the liner dry out, even if you wear a balaclava they will get wet.

And when using your helmet, once under way, put the visor down fully, or at most cracked open one position only. You will be suprised how much debris hits your visor on a track day, rubber, dust, gravel is normal, car parts and cars less common, but can happen, and it is much better for this stuff to hit the visor rather than your face, or worse, eyes.

In short, buy the best full face helmet you can afford and use it properly, i.e visor down.

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the late follow up.

Thanks for all your helpful input! I wasn't expecting such a big response.

I headed into a motorbike store in the city to have a browse, none of them had AS1698 stickers. The people at the store said they all follow a euro standard now so they don't have them AS certified. I am sure they would have been fine but I didn't want to risk it.

I was time pressed so I ended up at a motorsport store and bought a Racelid helmet for a lot more than I planned on spending, but it's much better than anything else. I had a blast at the track and plan on coming back, so it's a good investment especially with the HANS compatbility etc.

Thanks again for all your help.

I ride motorcycles, on road and off. I have 6 helmets currently and won't use any of them in the MX-5.
Price is not a great indicator of quality nor protection. AS1698 is a bare minimum and i want better protection than that offered by a helmet that just passes 1698.
For road riding i bought a Suomy with a SHARP 5 star rating (1698 gives 1 star) and i got a superseded model for $200, latest model retails for $800.
Off road weight is more important and in a car even more so, especially when using a harness.
I just learned about HANS so maybe not so critical if that is fitted.
As a rider i am fanatical about protection. Im thinking the same about protection for motorsport.
I will be getting a CAMS approved roll bar, 6 point harness, HANS and the most protective ful face helmet i can find.
+ race suit, underwear, shoes.
I might economise on tyres but not on protection.

Nuddy wrote:I might economise on tyres but not on protection.

A refreshing point of view.
Sadly I see so many people who quite happily spend thousands on modifying their engines/cars to make them fast(er), but baulk at spending hundreds on making sure they are safe inside those cars.