Monday, February 2, 2009

Find a Safe Helmet through Snell Motorcycle Helmet Testing

By Frank Medley

The Snell Memorial Foundation is an organization designed to promoting helmet safety standards, and testing helmets to make sure they are safe. It was founded after the death of auto racer Pete Snell, who died in a 1956 despite the fact that he was wearing a helmet.

The Snell motorcycle helmet testing is very detailed and thorough. It uses more tests and steps than that of the Department of Transportation, and is performed by Snell, and not by the manufacturers themselves.

One of the most important parts of the Snell motorcycle helmet testing is the vision test. This is especially important for full face helmets. It ensures that when riding, a motorcyclist has complete peripheral vision.

The next round of testing is the performance tests. These are what help to ensure that your helmet will remain intact, and will do its job should you ever be in a fall or accident on your bike.

The helmets are also subjected to a variety of conditions before they are tested, to ensure that they will work after being used in normal conditions. They are both heated, cooled, made wet, and then tested.

The Snell motorcycle helmet testing also includes several different types of impact testing. This is designed to ensure that during an impact, the helmet will minimize any damage to your head.

There has been some criticism of the Snell testing. Manufacturers argue that it is very expensive. Others argue that the testing is too rigorous, and that the helmets need not be so tested to be proven safe.

If you are looking for a motorcycle helmet that is as safe as possible, a helmet which meets Snell motorcycle helmet testing standards is right for you. It will be sure to meet all safety standards.

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