ITV NEWS in the UK have unearthed a shocking and growing industry in counterfeit motorcycling goods and in particular of motorcycle helmets that simply do not stand up to safety testing but are still being sold and with fake labelling too.
Whilst fake goods is nothing new, this worrying trend has been on the rise for some time and online sales have been harder to trace and shut down. Helmets are being offered at a fraction of the price and branding has been copied too, but the materials used are suspect and less than proven under stress conditions.
The best advice is refrain from buying cheap brands or well known brands which are at seriously reduced prices. The old adage…if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
In general look for the following:
- Look out for the helmet’s E-number – this shows the product has been safety tested in Europe
- If there isn’t an E-number, don’t buy the helmet
- Use a reputable supplier
- Look at the helmet yourself, in person, and check it has the right markings
- Spend an appropriate amount of cash – if it looks cheap, don’t buy it
The point here is that a motorcycle helmet is designed to protect the rider’s head up to certain forces. It is never claimed to be full proof of course as injury recovery and survivability is determined by a combination of impact forces and levels of protection, however if that component which is designed to absorb forces is made of inferior products then it stands to reason there will be little if any protective qualities should an impact occur.