To win this $208 hanger, simply click here to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter.
If you’re already one of our almost 4000 subscribers, simply find the Facebook post on our page about this article and click like!
Entries close on Friday at 9am so we can get it in the post in time for Christmas.
The winner is selected at random and entries are restricted to Australia.
Halley helmet hanger
The helmet hanger is made by Barcelona motorcycle accessories company Halley Accessories.
They also make helmet stands costing $190.
The rack support is made of laser cut and bent steel and the ball on the end is brushed stainless steel.
It is suitable for open and full-face helmets.
Halley product designer Marc Graells says the hanger has no sharp edges like other helmet racks that could rip the lining or depress the vital EPS shock-absorbing foam in your helmet.
It is important that you preserve the lining and foam in your helmet as this will save you in a crash.
Marc is a passionate rider who likes to show off his motorcycle as well as his helmet.
“I was fed up of spending money on my helmet to then have it hidden in a cupboard or torn by a traditional hook,” Marc says.
“I wanted to make something functional that would look after my helmet but also stylish. I take pride in my bike and my helmet on the road and I wanted to bring that into my home.”
The Halley hanger consists of a fitting, a stem and a globe on the end where you hang your helmet.
If you are handy, you could probably make one yourself for much less, although it may not look as stylish.
You could also buy a two-unit hanger and use the other to hang your stylish leather jacket beside your helmet.
Many riders like to get into the holiday spirit by wearing Santa, elf, Elmo or reindeer novelty helmet covers.
However, they could be a safety hazard, they may void your insurance and some police say they may be illegal.
Safety aspects of novelty covers
While novelty helmet covers may be fun and potentially protect your helmet from dust, scratches and chips, they could also be a safety hazard.
They can come loose and obscure your vision or become a choking hazard, especially at high speeds.
Most suppliers recommend they not be worn on the highway, but only at city speeds.
Since most are only worn in charity parades, speed should not be an issue.
But be aware that they can reduce ventilation which would make them stiflingly hot on a summer’s day in a slow-moving toy run procession.
They may also suppress important surrounding noises such as emergency sirens or the sound of screeching tyres.
Legal aspects of novelty covers
While we cannot find any legal reference in the Australian Road Rules to these novelty covers, police can still issue a ticket if they believe it is an offence.
So we contacted them for their interpretation of the road rules.
VicPol say it is “not possible to provide a blanket yes or no answer to your query, as it must be assessed on an individual basis”.
They suggest the following points could impact on the compliance:
The correct fitment is highly unlikely as the covers are “one size fits all’ and not manufactured for specific brand / model helmets.
The cover has the potential to impede vision through the visor when fitted or whilst travelling.
The cover may prevent the rider from securing the helmet correctly through the helmet buckle.
The cover has the potential to move / fall off at speed.
Queensland and South Australia police say novelty helmet covers are legal:
Novelty helmet covers are not illegal, as long as the rider is wearing a motorcycle helmet that complies with Australian standards and is securely fastened. Riders will need to ensure that the novelty cover does not obscure their vision.
WA Police did not respond, but the Western Australia Road Safety Commission says riders are already vulnerable road users and “wearing gear that might potentially make it harder for riders to spot other road users would not improve this situation”.
ACT Police say they would “take action against the user of the helmet cover if it contributed to an incident or collision (for example, if the cover impeded the vision of a rider)”.
“It is concerning to police that the manufacturers openly identify significant risks to the user of the product on their website,” they say.
Bah humbug
Since most riders wear novelty helmets as part of a fund-raising or at least fun-raising ride, it would be a particularly belligerent Scrooge cop who fined a rider over a helmet cover!
Speaking of Scrooges: If you crash while wearing a novelty helmet cover, your insurance company may use it as an excuse to void your policy.
More riders can now wear helmet cameras and bluetooth intercom attachments and fit tinted visors after South Australia joined the ACT in formal acknowledgement of 2015 changes to the Australian Road Rules (ARR).
It has never been an issue in Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory or Queensland where a former Police Minister actually encouraged helmet camera use for evidential reasons.
“I’m not aware of anyone in NSW being booked for having a camera or communication device on their helmet for a couple of years,” Brian says.
Attachments legal
South Australian Ride to Review spokesman Tim Kelly says the state accepted their submission to accept the ARR.
Hew says it means the requirements for adherence to a helmet standard “become point-of-sale only”.
“This means helmet attachments will become legal, tinted visors will become legal and MX sun visors will become legal,” he says.
The only amendment to the ARR was the inclusion of a reference to a helmet being in good repair and proper working order and condition.
Rider warned
Eric Aria (Photo courtesy Channel 7)
In 2017, Adelaide rider Erica Aria went to the Sturt Police Station to submit video of drivers cutting him off in traffic but instead received an official warning for an “illegal helmet camera”.
The police said he could cop a $450 fine if he was caught again with the camera.
Eric has now welcomed the changes to the state rules.
“At least now people know if they can legally wear them or not and there’ll be no double standards with police wearing them and not the riders who genuinely need the camera for safety and insurance reasons,” he says.
Safety testing
Brian says the NSW Centre for Road Safety did some “oblique impact testing” at Crashlab several years ago on the effect of helmet attachments.
It has been suggested that they can rotate the rider’s head in a crash, causing neck injuries.
However, the Centre’s report on this testing is yet to be released.
“It should eventually be released, we just don’t know when,” Brian says.
The Centre told us they had completed three sets of tests on attachments fitted to motorcycle helmets:
The final series of tests were completed earlier this year.The results and recommendations from the tests are currently been reviewed and a report is expected to be published in 2020.
Brian points out that in the ACT it is legal to have a camera or communication device on a helmet provided that the mount is ‘frangible’ which means it easily breaks off in a crash.
“What constitutes a frangible mount is not defined,” Brian says.
“Hopefully, the CfRS report will give guidance on this.
“The NSW Police wear cameras and communication devices on their helmets.
“I believe they have done their own oblique impact testing at Crashlab. They use a 3M product called Dual Lock.
“I believe Dual Lock was part of the CfRS testing. However, there are several versions of Dual Lock. I don’t know which one or ones have been tested.”
In fact, no other gear manufacturer has received the prestigious Nicolas Rodil del Valle gold medal since the awards began in 1983.
The gold medal is awarded to individuals who make significant contributions to “two-wheel racing activities and management of businesses”.
The awards were announced last week and Australian safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing, MotoCAP, won the road safety section.
Arai award
Arai says the award was vindication of their “achievement in contributions to the safety of many riders and numerous advancements to motorcycle sports over many years”.
“Understanding the reason for this award, Arai Helmet continues to make helmets without compromise for the sake of rider protection since the company’s founding as the first motorcycle helmet manufacturer in Japan,” their official press release states.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say these contributions are recognised around the world by the granting of this award.”
The company began was formed in 1926 by Hirotake Arai as a hat making company and was the first Japanese company to make motorcycle helmets in 1950.
The survey doesn’t include safety as a criterion, but judges on customer satisfaction, durability, vision, comfort, cleaning, features, design and value.
If you are frustrated with finding somewhere to safely rest your helmet the “Y” shaped Spanish Frog portable helmet support could be the answer.
Inventor Luis de Arquer says the 70 x 80mm Frog comes in two models that you either carry in your pocket or stick to the top of your helmet with a 3M adhesive strip.
Pocket
Sticker
They come in multiple colours, some with motorcycle manufacturer logos, and cost €20 (about $A35) each or half price if you support their Kickstarter campaign.
They claim it will ship to early supporters in January and others in February.
How the Frog works
The Frog supports the helmet in an upside down position without scratching the surface.
As Luis says, you can then put your gloves, phone, glasses and keys inside your helmet for handy storage.
If that’s a concern to you, try the portable pocket device.
The miniature tripod device won a A’Design Award for its usefulness and ease of use.
It is based on the Euclid Tripod Axiom which means only three points are required to define a flat plane.
Luis says it is stable enough to secure your helmet, but we wonder whether it would withstand a rickety cafe table or someone bumping into your bike with the helmet on the seat or tank.
If it does work, it would be a handy little device as it can be difficult finding somewhere safe and convenient to hang your helmet on a motorcycle.
By the way, if you are wondering why a Y-shaped item with three legs is named the Frog, it is apparently named after the Brazilan Brachycephalus tridactylus frog which is the only frog in the world with only three legs.
A tiny little piece of plastic has just made universal-fit MotoSafe earplugs from Dutch company Alpine Hearing Protection even better.
With the new minigrip they are now just that little bit easier to pull out, extending the life of the earplugs.
We have written on many occasions about the importance of earplugs. Basically they make you more relaxed, less weary, more alert and save your hearing, all at the same time.
We’ve tried many different earplugs, including personalised moulded plugs which are very effective, but can leave you feeling disoriented like you are underwater.
MotoSafe plugs are cheaper, more convenient (no need for a fitting because they fit all ears) and more comfortable, even when riding all day with a tight helmet. Since there is no silicone in the material, they also don’t get sweaty or itchy.
Turbulence generated at high speeds can reach 103dB which is why all racers wear foam plugs to block out all sound.
The filter in MotoSafe blocks damaging high-frequency wind noise, but still allows you to hear important sounds such as sirens, horns and screeching tyres.
Meanwhile, it still allows you to hear “pleasant sounds” such as your music, phone conversation, GPS turn prompts and your bike’s exhaust note!
However, we have damaged a couple of sets in the past trying to pull them out.
They come with a small black plastic applicator which you use to push them all the way in until you hear an air seal. (Make sure to wet the plug first!)
To remove them, reverse the applicator and dig underneath the plug to break the seal, then grab the filter and gently pull them out.
The previous plug design had a short filter and you sometimes had to twist them to get them out, breaking the filter in the process!
Old MotoSafe earplugs without the mingrip
Now the minigrip prevents that issue and makes them just that little bit better.
They come in black (Tour) which reduces noise by 27dB or red (Race) which provides 30dB of noise filtering. I use the red ones all the time; even when just heading out to the shops.
Tour plugs
Race plugs
Tinnitus
In Australia, about four million people have hearing loss. In the UK it’s 10 million and in the US, some 48 million have some form of hearing loss.
While hearing loss is a part of the natural ageing process, it is increased by prolonged exposure to excessive noise and riders are more than likely to experience greater hearing losses in their senior years.
I not only have profound hearing loss, but, like about 30% of the population, I also suffer from tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
These conditions have developed from years of motorcycle riding, as well as playing in rock bands, going to concerts and listening to loud music.
The ringing is so bad it sometimes wakes me at night.
It’s not actually motorcycle exhaust or engine noise that cause the biggest problem, but wind noise, according to the American Industrial Paramedic Services.
That’s why riders should have some form of hearing protection whenever they ride, especially on long trips. Any earplug is better than no earplugs.
How long can you ride without risk of hearing damage?
Speed
Average volume of wind noise under a helmet
Maximum time without risk of hearing damage
100km/h
94dB
15 minutes
120km/h
98dB
7 minutes
140km/h
102dB
3 minutes
160km/h
106dB
90 seconds
Helmet protection?
If you don’t think you can get hearing loss or tinnitus from riding because you wear a full-face helmet, you’re wrong.
Dutch magazine Promotor tested the noise levels in 10 different “system” (modular or flip-up) helmets at varying speeds and found some startling results.
The best result was 86dB at 50km/h which proses a risk of permanent hearing damage after just two hours of riding.
At 100km/h, the same helmet registered 100dB which is more noise than a hammer drill at 95dB.
At the other end of the spectrum the worst performing helmet registered 92dB at 50km/h which is comparable to a train speeding past.
At 100km/h it registered 106dB, which is louder than the noise of a chain saw or a disco.
While full-face helmets are quieter, they are not substantially quieter, especially if you ride with the visor open on hot summer days.
Technical details
Alpine MotoSafe earplug filters reduce noise at different levels for different frequencies.
For the technically minded, the Tour plugs reduce bass sounds around 63Hz by 6.6dB and 8000Hz treble sounds by 16.12dB which is wind noise at 50km/h.
The maximum amount of protection is in the harsh and harmful midrange of 2000-4000Hz where the noise suppression is 23.8-18.5dB.
The Race plugs drop bass frequencies 15.7dB, midrange by 26.1 and treble by 19.7dB.
Reduction in noise may vary from ear to ear, depending on fit, with a variation of 2.8 to 4.4dB.
This data was tested according to European standard EN 352-2: 2002.
While drink riding may be rare, it does happen, but not if a Taiwanese smart helmet fitted with a breathalyser becomes available.
The “Bluetooth Alcohol Detection Smart Motorcycle Helmet” was designed by Taipei City University of Science and Technology and has won best invention at the recent Seoul International Invention Fair.
It includes a breathalyser to test the blood alcohol content of the rider’s breath when they put on the helmet.
The helmet is also connected via Bluetooth to the motorcycle and prevents it starting if it detects alcohol on the rider’s breath.
Obviously the bike would be set up to only start in the presence of the helmet, but that doesn’t stop a rider having it as a spare or the pillion wearing it!
Drink driving and riding
This helmet is similar to the Saab-invented Alcohol Interlock which requires a driver to blow into a tube to activate the ignition.
Mind you, that didn’t stop him winning the 2019 Kenneth A Stonex road safety award after advocating wire rope barriers, lower speed limits, mandatory hi-vis rider vests and mandatory electronic rider aids.
Honda smart helmet
It’s not just Taiwanese science students who think this helmet tech is the answer.
Every motorcycle helmet seems to have a retro model after the recent Arai Rapide Neo and now the Shoei Glamster road helmet.
Shoei already has the Ex-Zero which is more of a retro adventure helmet.
Shoei Ex-Zero
While the Glamster is a handsome looking helmet and has all the usual Shoei hi-tech, quality finish and protection, the name is perhaps one of the lamest we’ve ever heard.
It’s as cringe-worthy as the hipster video to announce the helmet’s release.
It shows riders on neo-retro BMW and Ducati scramblers heading to the beach for some racing with their hipster friends before heading home.
Glamster
Shoei Australia spokesman Jade says the Glamster is going into production now and due to arrive around April.
“We will have them on our website closer to the date of arrival and images will be uploaded for viewing and purchasing on our website,” Jade says.
There are no Aussie prices yet, but they cost £399.99 in the UK (about $A760) for a choice of eight plain colours while the graphic Resurrection is £499.99 (about $A950).
Resurrection
Resurrection
Glamster will come in three shell sizes for five head sizes from XS-XXL.
Inspired by ’70 and ‘80s race helmets, it uses modern material and production techniques.
It has an AIM built outer shell with organic fibre and multi-composite fibre in various layers for shock-absorption and rigidity.
The interior liner is removable and washable. It is made from multi-density EPS with different densities to protect different parts of the rider’s head.
The visor is Pinlock ready with three-position adjustment and a wide aperture.
Ventilation is provided by air inlets in the chin and forehead and exhaust outlets at the rear.
By the way, some people pronounce Shoei as “shoe-ee”, others say “showy”, while the Japanese say “show eye”.
Three open-face helmets scored just one star (Bell Scout Air, Eldorado EXR and R Jays Navona II) two scored two stars (LS2 Spitfire and Scorpion Bandit) and only one scored three stars (Arai SZ-R VAS).
The RXT 817-Street was the only full-face helmet to score two stars.
Top rated
The top-rated motorcycle helmets in this year’s tests with four stars are:
Airoh Valor
Bell Star (with angular acceleration management system)
CRASH tests 30 helmets a year and releases the details every spring.
AGV X3000 (3 stars)
Aussie testing
It seems strange that helmets are still tested in Australia when European-standard helmets have been available here for four years.
However, Centre for Road Safety active executive director Craig Moran says that while all helmets sold here meet either Australian Standards or global standard UNECE 22.05, CRASH ratings “give riders more information so they can chose the best helmet for their situation”.
By “more information” they mean ratings out of five for safety and comfort. The standards just say they passed the tests, but don’t provide ratings.
For example, a helmet only has to achieve the lowest one-star CRASH rating to pass Australian and Euro helmet certification.
AS/NZ 1698 and UNECE 22.05 certification make no mention at all of comfort which is important for reducing rider fatigure which can distract your attention.
Helmets rated
CRASH has now tested and rated 52 full-face helmets since 2017 and 102 pre-2017, 24 open face helmets since 2017 and 35 prior and 14 dual-purpose helmets since 2017 and 23 prior.
It is not as comprehensive as the similar British SHARP helmet safety scheme which has tested and rated hundreds of helmets, almost all of which are now available for sale in Australia.
“The helmets are chosen based a number of criteria including their approximate number of sales or popularity or if the consortium identifies a particular helmet as requiring further performance testing,” Craig says.
“Helmets are proven to reduce the severity of head injuries as well as the likelihood of death and disability.
CRASH testing
“We also recently launched MotoCAP which is a consumer information program designed to provide riders with scientifically-based information about the protection and comfort of a range of motorcycle jackets, pants and gloves available in Australia and New Zealand.”
CRASH is run by a consortium of NSW government agencies and Swann Insurance.
It assesses and compares motorcycle helmets in terms of their ability to protect the wearer’s head in a crash and how comfortable the helmet is to wear.
Bringing you the Best Motorcycle News from Around the Web!
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
