SHOEI Helmet Reviews - SHOEI Helmet Safety

SHOEI Helmet Review by Helmet Stuff.com
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SHOEI HELMET PROTECTION
Even the most observant and skilled rider cannot completely eliminate the risk of an accident. In the first instance, a helmet therefore has to protect the rider's head. Before buying a motorcycle, the potential customer will generally go for a test drive in order to test the bike's road handling. Unfortunately, the degree of protection provided by a helmet cannot be tested in the same way prior to an emergency and, regardless of its material or production quality, can neither be seen nor felt. For this reason, the DOT regulation as well as SNELL M2005 for safety helmets stipulate the degree of protection helmets must guarantee. The company's technical expertise coupled with strict quality controls enables the production of safety helmets that not only fulfill the safety requirements, but also provide various advantages with regard to wearing comfort.

DOT Standard (FMVSS 218) and SNELL M2005 DOT Standard and SNELL M2005 are well known in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. While the former is a compulsory standard which all manufacturers of safety helmet for motorcycle satisfy for sale in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the latter is an optional standard.

SHOEI HELMET SAFETY FOR MOTORCYCLES

While most of SHOEI products are SNELL certified, all products sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico are complying with all the requirements of DOT accordingly. Method and requirement of penetration test is almost same in both standards.

There are, however, substantial differences in those of impact absorption test and retention system test as explained later in detail.

AIM? The SHOEI Shell? What's that?


"AIM" stands for "Advanced Integrated Matrix" and constitutes SHOEI's high-performance outer shell, which is characterized by three main aspects: (1) a shaping process involving a fiber-reinforced layered matrix, (2) the molecular structure of a resin and (3) a composite structure. All in all, this results in an outer shell that provides an ideal level of impact absorption, sufficient elasticity, light weight and a high degree of rigidity.



(1) Shaping Process plus Fiber Reinforced Matrix
One of AIM's special features already lies in the pre-shaping process. In general, an FRP shell is formed by using a thermosetting polymer that was previously impregnated with various reinforcing fibers – fiberglass among others – and is subsequently set with heat. The rigidity of the shell is largely dependent on the quantity of the material used, its properties, its respective position within the composite and its compatibility with other materials. The SHOEI shell owes its ideal shape to the integration of organic fibers and the three-dimensional pre-shaping of the layered matrix. This enables an outer shell to be produced that, in comparison to conventionally manufactured products, provides sufficient rigidity at light weight.

(2) Synthetic Resin
A specially adapted unsaturated polyester resin, a so-called thermoplastic, is used to produce the AIM outer shell. During the thermosetting stage, the resin forms a three-dimensional molecular structure, whose internal meshing ensures both rigidity and elasticity. In addition, the synthetic resin is highly corrosion-resistant.

(3) Composite Structure
The AIM shell consists of a thermosetting plastic plus various layers of reinforcing organic fibers and fiberglass. Various orga at strategic points with regard to both the helmet shape and the fiber properties and then combined with fiberglass. In comparison to shells that solely consist of fiberglass, the AIM shell provides a comparative degree of rigidity, but is both lighter and more elastic. Further lightweight is realized in AIM+ by applying in low specific gravity high performance organic fiber with high tensile strength in addition to ordinary organic fibers.

(1) Shaping Process plus Fiber Reinforced Matrix
One of AIM's special features already lies in the pre-shaping process. In general, an FRP shell is formed by using a thermosetting polymer that was previously impregnated with various reinforcing fibers – fiberglass among others – and is subsequently set with heat. The rigidity of the shell is largely dependent on the quantity of the material used, its properties, its respective position within the composite and its compatibility with other materials. The SHOEI shell owes its ideal shape to the integration of organic fibers and the three-dimensional pre-shaping of the layered matrix. This enables an outer shell to be produced that, in comparison to conventionally manufactured products, provides sufficient rigidity at light weight.

(2) Synthetic Resin
A specially adapted unsaturated polyester resin, a so-called thermoplastic, is used to produce the AIM outer shell. During the thermosetting stage, the resin forms a three-dimensional molecular structure, whose internal meshing ensures both rigidity and elasticity. In addition, the synthetic resin is highly corrosion-resistant.

(3) Composite Structure
The AIM shell consists of a thermosetting plastic plus various layers of reinforcing organic fibers and fiberglass. Various organic fibers of low specific gravity are applied at strategic points with regard to both the helmet shape and the fiber properties and then combined with fiberglass. In comparison to shells that solely consist of fiberglass, the AIM shell provides a comparative degree of rigidity, but is both lighter and more elastic. Further lightweight is realized in AIM+ by applying in low specific gravity high performance organic fiber with high tensile strength in addition to ordinary organic fibers.

Main Safety Performances Required in SNELL M2000 and DOT Standards