HELMET PRODUCTION in Zhejiang China

I inspected few factories in China last week and took few shots...

What is Modular or "Flip-up" Helmets ?

A hybrid between full face and open face helmets for street use is the modular or "flip-up" helmet, also sometimes termed "convertible" or "flip-face". The word of "flip-up" is widely used, but sounds more like an American slang.

When fully assembled and closed, they resemble full face helmets by bearing a chin bar for absorbing face impacts. Its chin bar may be pivoted upwards (or, in some cases, may be removed) by a special lever to allow access to most of the face, as in an open face helmet. The rider may thus eat or drink without unfastening the chinstrap and removing the helmet.

As of 2008 there have not been significant scientific studies of modular helmets to assess how protective the pivotable or removable chin bars are. Honestly, full-face helmets are better than them in protection. An accident happened last year in Hong Kong that proven one of the "flip-up" weaknesses. When a lady had a ride with a Taiwanese Lubro "flip-up" helmet on the street, a car behind hit and striked her bike. She was pushed hard toward and her head hit on the ground. So, you know what happened? that flip-up chin part was crashed and her face was smashed and... She was alive, but that was once a beautiful lady losing her whole face. This also suggested that full face helmets was the best helmet type in all motorcycle accidents.

Truth about Carbon Helmets

Carbon Fiber Helmets are gaining popular this year in magazines, news, and even online. Some brands such as HJC and Akuma have been adveristing intensively on magazines with their special features such as coloring. Their prices are at least US$250 in store. They are unique and expensive, because not so many oem makers can produce carbon fiber helmets so far. I know only few can do it and asking for high price. But, to be honest to you, this technology is not a big deal at all.

Since 1994, carbon composites have become known for supplying a quality product. With its roots in the aerospace and automotive composites industries, many helmet makers have started designing helmets with carbon materials. Beware of "Carbon Fiber" helmets made in China. I saw some listings online selling carbon helmets for only US$30 with painted carbon patterns on appearance only. Absolutely 100% fake! The production cost of a full face helmet must go over US$100 per one unit.

I went to one of the oem makers this week and discussed with helmet engineers & technicians about carbon helmets. It costs much more to build one carbon helmet! Almost 3 times of fiber glass and only few oem makers can manufacture with raw carbon materials. I will soon examine the details of their production and testing next month and still working on building my first carbon helmet sample with color features that costed me few hundred bucks already

There are only one reason why a rider wants to buy a carbon helmet. It is very light in weight. The strength of carbon helmet is almost the same as that of fiberglass, but the weight of it is half or 3/4 of fiberglass helmet. This is more like a fashion for me so far. Soon in next few years, many brands can easily make carbon full-face or flip-up helmets.

Anyway, I am invited to attent the Feb 2010 motorbike tradeshow in Indianapolis and I will see you guys there!

Interesting Fact About Motorcycle & Helmet concerning accidents and crashes

• All the studies on this subject from U.S. and other places in the world show that riders who wear helmets crash less frequently and suffer fewer injuries and deaths if they do crash. They are less likely to suffer long-term or permanent disablement caused by head or neck injuries.
• A helmet that meets the D.O.T. standard (or Snell, even better),even a cheap motorcycle helmet, offers serious levels of protection if you crash.
• By cutting down on wind noise, helmets can actually help you hear other sounds better(not worse as some people believe). By reducing fatigue from the wind, they keep you more alert. By protecting your eyes from the wind, they allow you to see better.
• A full-face helmet can keep you from being distracted when a large insect hits your face.
• If you choose a bright-colored visible one, you will be more conspicuous in traffic, making it easier for other motorists to see and avoid you.
• Another important point to remember is that most motorcycle accidents happen on short journeys, so even if you are just going down the road for some milk, put on your helmet. Don't become a statistic!

The Best Helmet Graphics of 2009 - ICON PREDATOR

I have examined most of the famous brand helmets this year. Considering the helmet graphics itself only, I personally award "Icon Predator" for 2009. Most motorcycle dealers know that Icon helmets have been a leader in helmet graphics with frenzy cartoons, monsters, and creatures. I can imagine icon spends much of their energies and investment on their graphic designs! A Good Job!!

This predator helmet is the latest release of Icon Airframe Helmet, which is the best for most black-colored bikes. Well, as to my bike experience, black, matte black, gray, white, and silver-colored helmets are easier to sell on the markets. yellow, pink, and green ones are hardest to sell, because motorcycle bikes are hardly those colors. Anyway, it is my favorite helmet design of 2009, but the retailing price is not cheap. I know that ICON helmets are manufactured in Ningbo, China with own stuff and production lines.

FEATURES:

• All world standard, meets or exceeds the following: DOT FMVSS 218(US), ECE 22-05(EUROPE), SAI AS1698(AUSTRALIA) & SG(JAPAN), safety and testing standard.
• Fiberglass
• Wind tunnel tested and refined
• Imported

Current US Motorcycle Helmet & Bicycle Laws for Each State

State	Universal law (covers all riders)	Partial law (covers young riders or some adult riders)	Bicyclists covered by state law
Alabama	yes	no	15 and younger
Alaska	no	17 and younger	no law
Arizona	no	17 and younger	no law
Arkansas	no	20 and younger	no law
California	yes	no	17 and younger
Colorado	no	17 and younger and their passengers 17 and younger	no law
Connecticut	no	17 and younger	15 and younger
Delaware	no	18 and younger	17 and younger
District of Columbia	yes	no	15 and younger
Florida	no	20 and younger	15 and younger
Georgia	yes	no	15 and younger
Hawaii	no	17 and younger	15 and younger
Idaho	no	17 and younger	no law
Illinois	no law	no law	no law
Indiana	no	17 and younger	no law
Iowa	no law	no law	no law
Kansas	no	17 and younger	no law
Kentucky	no	20 and younger	no law
Louisiana	yes	no	11 and younger
Maine	no	17 and younger	15 and younger
Maryland	yes	no	15 and younger
Massachusetts	yes	no	1 through 16 (riding with children younger than 1 prohibited)
Michigan	yes	no	no law
Minnesota	no	17 and younger	no law
Mississippi	yes	no	no law
Missouri	yes	no	no law
Montana	no	17 and younger	no law
Nebraska	yes	no	no law
Nevada	yes	no	no law
New Hampshire	no law	no law	15 and younger
New Jersey	yes	no	16 and younger
New Mexico	no	17 and younger	17 and younger
New York	yes	no	1 through 13 (riding with children younger than 1 prohibited)
North Carolina	yes	no	15 and younger
North Dakota	no	17 and younger	no law
Ohio	no	17 and younger	no law
Oklahoma	no	17 and younger	no law
Oregon	yes	no	15 and younger
Pennsylvania	no	20 and younger	11 and younger
Rhode Island	no	20 and younger	15 and younger
South Carolina	no	20 and younger	no law
South Dakota	no	17 and younger	no law
Tennessee	yes	no	15 and younger
Texas	no	20 and younger	no law
Utah	no	17 and younger	no law
Vermont	yes	no	no law
Virginia	yes	no	no law
Washington	yes	no	no law
West Virginia	yes	no	14 and younger
Wisconsin	no	17 and younger	no law
Wyoming	no	17 and younger	no law

^~ Alaska's motorcycle helmet use law covers passengers of all ages, operators younger than 18, and operators with instructional permits.

^~ In Florida, the law requires that all riders younger than 21 years wear helmets, without exception. Those 21 years and older may ride without helmets only if they can show proof that they are covered by a medical insurance policy.

^~ In Kentucky, the law requires that all riders younger than 21 years wear helmets, without exception. Those 21 years and older may ride without helmets only if they can show proof that they are covered by a medical insurance policy. Motorcycle helmet laws in Kentucky also cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.

^~ Motorcycle helmet laws in Maine cover operators with instructional/learner's permits. Maine's motorcycle helmet use law also covers passengers 17 years and younger and passengers if their operators are required to wear a helmet.

^~ Motorcycle helmet laws in Minnesota cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.

^~ North Dakota's motorcycle helmet use law covers all passengers traveling with operators who are covered by the law.

^~ Ohio's motorcycle helmet use law covers all operators during the first year of licensure and all passengers of operators who are covered by the law.

^~ Pennsylvania's motorcycle helmet use law covers all operators during the first two years of licensure unless the operator has completed the safety course approved by PennDOT or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

^~ Rhode Island's motorcycle helmet use law covers all passengers (regardless of age) and all operators during the first year of licensure (regardless of age).

^~ Texas exempts riders 21 years or older if they can either show proof of successfully completing a motorcycle operator training and safety course or can show proof of having a medical insurance policy. A peace officer may not stop or detain a person who is the operator of or a passenger on a motorcycle for the sole purpose of determining whether the person has successfully completed the motorcycle operator training and safety course or is covered by a health insurance plan.

^~ Motorcycle helmet laws in Wisconsin cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.

New Release of MASEI CHROME TORA TIGER HELMET 2010 Spring

Helmet Shock Absorption Test Equipment for ECE & DOT

As mentioned before, the ECE 22.05 standard administered by the Economic Community of Europe is the most common internationally. Both ECE and DOT standard test for energy absorption and helmet rigidity at greater impact speeds, but ECE standard requires that a sample from each manufacturing batch be re-tested for compliance for any manufacturer.

We bought an ECE Testing Machine for designing helmet and cost us around US$100,000 from Taiwan. Please see the video for this Shock Absorption Test. When manufacturing a batch or a certain amount of helmets, we need randomly to take one helmet for testing and give data details together with the shipment.

If you want a free Shock Absorption Test Info or want us to perform a free Shock Absorption Test for your helmet, please contact me via email.

Why Motorcycle Helmet Law is necessary? DOT & ECE

Of course, like me, most of motorcyclists prefer to ride on bike without wearing a helmet. This is a free country. However, let come to reality concerning about your life.

There are few examples of how helmet laws have had effect on rider's lives.

* California's helmet use law covering all riders took effect on January 1, 1992. Helmet use jumped to 99 percent from about 50 percent before the law.

During the same period, the number of motorcyclist fatalities in California decreased 37 percent to 327 in 1992 from 523 in 1991.15

* Nebraska reinstated a helmet law on January 1, 1989, after repealing an earlier law in 1977. The state then saw a 22 percent reduction in motorcyclist serious head injuries.

* From 1968 to 1977, Texas had a universal helmet use law estimated to have saved 650 lives, but the law was amended in 1977 to apply only to riders younger than 18. The weakened law coincided with a 35 percent increase in motorcyclist fatalities. Then, Texas reinstated its helmet law for all motorcyclists in September 1989. The month before the law took effect, the helmet use rate was 41 percent. The rate jumped to 90 percent during the first month of the law and had risen to 98 percent by June 1990. Serious injury crashes per registered motorcycle decreased 11 percent. But in September 1997, Texas again weakened its helmet law, requiring helmets only for riders younger than 21. Helmet use in Texas dropped to 66 percent by May 1998, and operator fatalities increased 31 percent in the first full year following the repeal.

* Kentucky repealed its universal helmet law in 1998, followed by Louisiana in 1999. These actions resulted in lower helmet use, and quickly increased motorcyclist deaths in these states by 50 percent and 100 percent, respectively.

* In 2000, Florida's universal helmet law was weakened to exempt riders 21 and older who have at least $10,000 of medical insurance coverage. An Institute study found that the motorcyclist death rate in Florida increased by about 25 percent after the state weakened its helmet law. The death rate rose from 31 fatalities per 1,000 crash involvements before the law change (1998-99) to 39 fatalities per 1,000 crash involvements after (2001-2002).

An estimated 117 deaths could have been prevented during 2001-02 if the law had not been changed. An evaluation of the Florida law change by NHTSA found a similar effect; motorcyclist deaths per 10,000 motorcycle registrations increased 21 percent during the two years after the law was changed compared with the two years before.

Helmet laws definitely helps the casualty and death rates in this country.

In my sense, most of riders prefer helmet use is not mandatory; while helmet-related businesses have tried to push the legislators with casualty figures. As a rider, I do not want to get a road ticket, because I do not wear an DOT approved helmet.

My Friends! Listen to My Favorite Song Today !

Special Today! Let me show you one of my favorite song!

Performed by Son Yanzi and Mai Kuraki. For more of them, please find them in youtube!

New Release of MASEI DARK KNIGHT HELMET

MASEI DARK KNIGHT DOT MOTORCYCLE HELMET

Opposed to ILLEGAL ROAD RACING! at 305 mph

I opposed to those riders who drives like crazy. This movie shows you how crazy and dangerous it is at the speed of 305 mph. Safety comes first and fun comes second. It can protect you and care about your family. When a bike goes up to 305 mph, the machine is already flying like a plane and can take you to the heaven.

Movie Reviews: Shoei RF 1000 Motorcycle Helmet

Any Helmet Needs to be Replaced in every 3 years.

The most important part of a helmet is an expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam liner (which resembles Styrofoam) That is like those white packing box material when you buy a TV from Walmart. This EPS actually absorbs the energy of an impact. DOT standard requires 1 inch thickness of it.

In a crash, the polystyrene is permanently crushed, so if you hit your head with your motorcycle helmet on, the helmet is no more use to you than a baseball cap. The helmet may look just fine externally, perhaps just a small scratch, but it probably no longer has impact-absorption in that area. The important points that a motorcycle helmet should protect, according to the Snell institute, are the crown of your head, your temples particularly right behind your eye socket, and your jaw.

Your helmet should be replaced every 3 years. This makes sense when you understand that plastic foams do break down over time, just from exposure to sunlight. So make sure you replace you helmet on that timescale and more frequently. It is very simple to say. You get the white packing foam after you buy a TV and put it aside for 3 years in your garage. See how fragile it can become.

How to Clean Your Motorcycle Helmet

To keep your helmet looking new and feeling comfortable, I recommend that you clean your helmet at least once a month. Please remember that your helmet is constructed of a variety of materials, so it is important to clean the various pieces in a manner to suit the given material.

1. The Outer Shell:
Only commonly available helmet or plastic cleaning products should be used to clean the exterior surface of your helmet. Automotive wax can be applied to protect the paint finish, but other harsh chemical should be avoided to keep from damaging the high-gloss finish.

2. Plastic Parts (including the shield)
Plastic parts should not be cleaned with anything containing solvents, including petrochemicals, as these agents are absorbed by the plastic material and may cause them to deteriorate and weaken over time. Acid or alkaline based corrosive cleaning agents, such as window cleaners containing ammonia, should also be avoided.
Shield must be clean always before riding to make sure the clear visibility. The shield should only be cleaned using a soft cloth or a cotton swab with cool water.

3. Comfort liner
Removable padding should be removed and washed by hand in cool water using a neutral cleaning agent or in a washing net in the washing machine. Fixed padding should be wiped with a damp cloth containing a neutral cleaning agent. After cleaning, all parts should be thoroughly dried out of direct sunlight in order to prevent the development of unpleasant odors.

4. EPS Liner
The EPS (expanded polystyrene) liner is neither solvent nor heat proof, so the liner must be treated with particular care during cleaning. It should be cleaned using only a damp cloth in order to avoid scratching.

My New Project - Helmet Featuring LED lights

I attended the motorcycle helmet trade show last week and discussed with few customers and wholesalers about the new trends of motorcycle helmets this year.

It comes to my attention that few manufacturers and few brands have developed and innovated the LED lights on the helmets. Therefore, I start a new helmet project featuring LED lights with my teams. It is the time for brain-drain or bring good ideas together on this from riders. If any good ideas and thoughts about this helmet LED lights, please feel free to email or contact me, so that we can create a better products.

I need to spend time to work with my teams for battery support, electronic circuit, wiring, materials, timeframe, light designs, and others...

Motorcycle Accident Deaths Increase Steadily in US

In 2008, an analysis of federal accident reports has revealed a trend in motorcycle accident fatalities. Death rates from motorcycle crashes have steadily increased since state helmet laws were weakened approximately 10 years ago.

Most states used to require all motorcyclists to wear helmets. This began to change in 1985, when the federal government stopped withholding highway money from states without helmet laws. After this decision, the annual motorcycle accident death toll rose from 2,160 to 4,810 and the number of states with mandatory helmet laws dropped from 47 to 20.

Last year, the National Transportation Safety Board unanimously recommended that states require riders to wear helmets. Opponents of mandatory motorcycle helmet laws say that it is an individual's right to choose what to do with his or her body. Pennsylvania motorcycle helmet law does not require adults over the age of 21 to wear helmets.

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How a Helmet fits your head ?

To fit your head, you must measure your head with cm to make sure you buy the right size of the motorcycle helmet. (see the size table) fitting is important to retention for your safety.

Most helmets come with advice for fit and sizing. Most dealer accessory-sales personnel also have some training in fitting a helmet. Basically, the helmet should fit snugly so that it is stable when you shake your head side-to-side, front-to-back or up and down.

A full-face helmet should grip your cheeks and jaw as well as the top and sides of your head. A helmet that is too loose may come off in a crash, and one that is too tight will be uncomfortable (see the next section for more detail). If it only contacts the top of your head, that will soon become uncomfortable. Proper fit means that it is snug enough that your skin moves with it when you try to move the helmet on your head.

The fact that you wear a Medium in one brand and model does not mean that another model will fit you best in the same size, because of the shape of the helmet design.

For example, Open Face or Short helmets, which do not usually hold faces, will fit riders easily. Before buying, you should wear the helmet to make sure the correct fitting.

Though my preferred helmet is size M, I need an L in another model from the different maker and occasionally find a Medium that fits comfortably too. On the other hand, I can wear S-sized open face helmet comfortably.

Skull Motorcycle Helmet in Mass Production

This week starts the trade show of Motorcycle Helmet in Guangzhou, Canton and I am one of the guests. Later, I visited and inspected few OEM makers in that area. I shot a short movie of their mass production.

I found this good-looking skull graphics in mass production! This skull graphics used in helmet have been popular these months and are posted in all kinds of helmets such as motorcycle, bicycle, and cross.