New helmet safety ratings

New government safety ratings for helmets have been released.

• Save £££s on motorcycle helmets

An extra 27 flip-front and full-face helmets have been tested in the Department for Transport’s Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme (SHARP).

Arai’s £400 full-face Quantam gets just three stars out of five, the latest in a string of disappointing SHARP ratings for the manufacturer. Its RX7-GP does better, earning four stars.

Meanwhile AGV’s T2 and Shoei’s X Spirit II, both full-face, score five stars.
The highest rating for a flip-front helmet is four stars. Full-face helmets from CMS get just one star.

Over 200 helmets have now been rated in the SHARP scheme. The full results are on the website, which also includes new demonstrations of how the tests are conducted: www.direct.gov.uk/sharp

Transport minister Mike Penning said: “By making sure that motorcyclists have access to the best safety information, promoting further training and safe riding, and reminding drivers to look out for bikers, I hope that we can improve safety for motorcyclists.”