7 replies to this topic

[brands77]

Michelle Duff seems to be the first rider to wear a Jet open face crash helmet in the uk (reported to be a Bell), in around 1963/64. A picture of Tom Phillips in 1965 shows him wearing what looks like one, but very few British racers seem to have adopted them until much later around 1968/69 - from looking at photos. Pudding bowl helmets seem to have been the most popular type of crash helmet throughout the 1960s. I have seen a picture where John Cooper is wearing a pudding bowl helmet alongside Kel Carruthers and Kent Anderson wearing Jet type open face helmets and behind is Peter Williams in a full face helmet - at the Hutchinson 100 at Brands in 1970. F1 car racers seem to have been wearing Jet type open face helmets since around 1961.

 

Given that in bike racing, as a rider, you are far more likely to take a blow to the head and that newer helmets should be safer, why did the use of pudding bowl helmets by top class bike riders persist for so long? Was it habit, tradition, was it a macho thing or were they too expensive or something else?

[tonyed]

When I started racing in 1969 I had a jet type helmet with a stud down visor. Cant think of the make but it was a good British manufacturer. 

Went to a Bell full face around 1972. Cost half as much as the bike. There was a good bell advert at the time:

'If you've got a ten pound head buy a ten pound helmet'

With the cost of the Bell I think I overpriced my head. Sold it quite soon to a hot shot at work and made a profit then bought an HA. (later to become Arai) although the person I bought it from has convinced me recently it was in fact a Shoei. 

I think many of the 'older' riders liked the old pudding basins or 'battle bowlers' as they were known as they allowed the rider to hear the engine without the isolation of the more enclosed head gear.

Anyway to an extent what you know is best.

If you didn't crash you didn't need a helmet.

Something the modern day riders should think about>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

My favorite helmet story came from a race meeting at Oulton Park when I was riding a TZ350 in 1979. The AGV Ago I had was refused at scrutineering as it only had one fixing stud each side for the chin strap.

To allow me to take part in the 1st practice session I had to borrow a helmet from one of the medical officers. It had a two stud chin strap but an effin great crack across the chin bar which, in my opinion, made it less of a protective item than my own helmet.

After practice I returned the said item and found a guy in the paddock selling Bell Stars. I still have it today, although not in use.

When we were racing at Daytona in 1981 I bought a Simpson Kevlar 'Star Wars' hat, Weighed nothing compared with my Bell. The Auntie Cretins Union wouldn't stamp it as they deemed it unsafe because of the slight downward projection of the chin bar which could cause a neck fracture should I find myself sliding up the road feet first on my stomach. The Bell, weighing 3 times a much was not considered a danger to life, limb or neck even when the whiplash caused by impacting an solid object, like the Armco that lined the race tracks of the time could break the neck. However fair play I did try that out striking the Armco at the old Bomb Hole at Snetterton and my neck, although not broken did only fracture one vertebrae and one in my lower spine, can't blame that one on the Bell.          

Edited by tonyed, 07 May 2023 - 19:21.

[GregThomas]

When I started in 1969 in NZ, most were already wearing jet style helmets. From memory it was 1971 that the NZACU brought in a rule that helmets had to incorpoate temple protection. Which effectively banned the old pudding basins.

 

edit - memory kicked in again, the first version of the rule had it worded as "temporal protection". It got reworded fairly quickly.

Edited by GregThomas, 07 May 2023 - 20:33.

[billlawrence]

mike hailwood paddy driver dicky dale all tried jet helmets in 1959 1960 I think only dale posited with them 

[T54]

We had "Jet" helmets in France since 1959, when a manufacturer called "Geno" introduced them. I had one and that was my first racing helmet.

[Lee Nicolle]

First helmet I used was a pudding basin that I guess  my father used before my birth in endurance trials. This in the late 60s.

Having been a 4 wheel racer since the early 70s my first helmet was an open face with the appropriate standards.  I used that through my rallycross days and into circuit racing. Then a series of full face until  a few years ago. All ofcourse general bike helmets. 

I was having problems with my latest bike helmet as It was pushing my head too far forwards for comfort and was very uncomfortable with my neck brace to the point of not wearing it.. So I lashed out and bought a kevlar FIA standard helmet with a LOT less shape at the back. Most expensive helmet I had ever owned. But really nice. At the same time I bought a tapered neckbrace and that is far better than the common ones. Which I had used for many years With the thick part under my chin my head does not move much at all. And I prefer this to the over hyped HANS device The little I do these days does not require a HANS. All of these things require a properly done up and fitting helmet.

I have seen helmets come off on several occasions in car racing, both road race and speedway.

And for road use way too often. Had a bike v car crash in front of my place on monday. Riders helmet was 30 feet down the road from the rider and one shoe was 20 feet away.

[GregThomas]

Bike stewards in NZ are very careful checking helmets. If it's a new one or a rider they've not seen before they ask to see it on and have a good heave and tug to see it fits properly.

I've even seen the absurd sight of a very large steward lifting a small rider off the ground by the helmet. Unintentionally I must add.Apologies all round - particularly to the rider's father.

 

[opplock]

Bike stewards in NZ are very careful checking helmets. If it's a new one or a rider they've not seen before they ask to see it on and have a good heave and tug to see it fits properly.

I've even seen the absurd sight of a very large steward lifting a small rider off the ground by the helmet. Unintentionally I must add.Apologies all round - particularly to the rider's father.

 

My father was secretary of the club organising motor cycle racing at Levin until early 1970. For some reason he took custody of pudding basins rejected by the Scrutineers, often two or three per meeting in my early years of going. Riders eventually realised that it was less hassle to buy a new one occasionally than try to borrow one during a race meeting.