Hi all, I always like the look of drivers who have all the gucci gear. Well presented matching colour schemes and the like.
I’m probably due a new helmet. Currently I have a motorcycle one as I also ride motorcycles. That said is their much / a noticeable reason to use say an “Arai GP-6S” car helmet over a motorcycle helmet? The car / kart helmets are expensive compared to even high end bike helmets.
Reverse the choice and can I use a car helmet on a bike?
The seating/riding posture of a bike vs a car/kart are pretty different, so you’ll notice the helmets are designed with that in mind. They balance differently on the head and the visor shape is pretty different. Bike helmets tend to have a larger visor opening and are designed with the intent that you’ll be looking more up and forward as you’re crouched over on the bike. A car/kart helmet is designed with a smaller eyeport for better facial protection and with the intent that you’ll be sitting back, reclined and looking out the middle/bottom of the eyeport more.
That being said some people do prefer the feeling or fit of one vs the other regardless of the intended use. Generally motorcycle helmets are legal in many karting series as long as they are Snell rated. Some moto helmets are only DOT rated and wouldn’t be legal for karting. Technically kart/car helmets are not road legal for a bike but I highly doubt most officers know the difference.
In the end, most people use a kart/car helmet for karting, but as long as the helmet in question is legal for use according to the regulations of your series, both styles of helmet will work. Other than being the legal rating, fitment is the second most important part of a helmet and everyone’s head is different shaped, so go with what works best for you.
If you want to look cool though, check out what helmets are in the grid at the big races. Hint: no motorcycle helmets.
I wouldn’t use a car helmet on a bike. Motorcycle helmets are tested under different conditions than car/kart helmets. You can use a motorcycle helmet on a kart but it’s not really recommended.
I’d listen to TJ, he’s probably dealt with every type of kart/car helmet there is lol.
For my own 2 cents I’ve always preferred the karting/car helmets as they’ve felt better made for the application (haven’t tried any top shelf motorcycle helmets though). Especially when it comes to higher hp classes like shifter where the air hits you pretty good, having a shell that is designed around looking straight and not up could be a valid selling point.
I have an Arai GP6-S and while it’s perfectly fine for karting, the extra weight with the radio system and hans anchor could make the SK-6 a better option if you’re planning to use purely for karting.
I started off karting in a motorbike helmet, but later made the switch to an Arai SK-6 kart helmet. I mainly found that the karting helmets are a lot lighter and therefor easier on neck strain during cornering, as well as looking a lot better especially when custom-painted.
Aside from aesthetics and personal preferences of comfortable helmets, a motorbike helmet is fine for karting, as you can imagine that motorbike riders are far more likely to hit their head on the ground than karting drivers are. I wouldn’t use a karting/car helmet for bikes though, as they aren’t tested under the same conditions.
Well i think its all dependent on how much money you want to throw at it, and if you to Racing in a series where approved heldets arerequired.
We use a FIA approved ZAMP helmet, signifikant cheaper then Arai, and never had an issue.
BUT i really dont see an issue in using a motorbike helmet in a decent quality for karting, BUT you will have issues using a kart helmet for Mc riding due to a smaller visor opening.
Pegram still wears his motorcycle lids in karting…for good reason for crossover I’m sure. I wore an Arai motorcycle helmet when I started in karts and every time I buy a new lid I think about going back to the motorcycle lids.
There could be an argument that shell shape going through the air is paramount when it comes to designing a motorcycle helmet and that most closely relates to karting where your head is out in the open. I’d love to see a study on that data somewhere and would be curious if the motorcycle helmets are tested head tilted down or if they would be just as good on a kart.
If you’re looking for a custom paint job and like one of the ones from Arai / Shoei or others they could present a pretty good value in the market compared to buying and having one custom painted.
That said I still just bought another plane white SK-6 for myself cause it was easy and “cheap” and Arai fit me the best. No need for the extra cost of a car helmet where you’re paying for nomex lining and the like.
I used motorcycle helmets 15-20 years ago. Seemed to work fine. Now I have a Bell RS7 Pro and it is the best helmet I have ever had. Light, fits perfect, and I never notice it while driving, which is a great indication it is designed well. The main benefit is the eye port shape and placement is better than it is on the bike helmets.
What I love about my sk-6 is the quality. The visor looks like it would stop a .22 round almost. With the little ducktail like TJ has, it looks cool, too.
Having used both for motorsport I would say go with a car specific helmet. I have owned Arai, Simpson, and a few other brands. Never spent over $600 on one and concern myself only with the following:
Cost
Comfort
Visibility
Crash Rating
Motorcycle helmets are generally not allowed in car competitions so I like to get something that can be used for as much kind of racing as possible. I am the opposite of a lot of racers. I don’t care what I look like as long as I am in front of you!
