Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125861
this bike • Checkpoint Number Four, May 29 , 1974 1 _ Checkpoint Number Five, May 31 ..1974 The United States Department of Transportation' s National Highway Traffic Safety Adm inist rat ion recently set a new safety helmet sta ndard , known as Standard 218. According t o the best sources of information on safety helmet design (The Snell Memorial Foundation, the Safety Helmet Council of Amer ica, Bell Helmets, Inc., and others) the new sten dard forces manufactu rers to build helme ts offering ride rs less chance of survival under actual crash conditions th an cu rrent Snell Memorial Foundation approved helmets do . It wor ks like th is: 218 requires a softe r helmet lining mate rial, wh ich is the major shock absorption secti on of a helmet. While this less den se liner will mean a rider has less chance o f getting a headache if he falls off and impacts sand, clay, or some other yield ing, flat surface, it does not perfor m as well in impacts on curved or shar p surfaces (roc ks, cars, poles, bikes, etc). If a rider wearing a D.O.T. Stand ard 218 helmet hits a non -Hat ob ject (as happ ens in most serious high speed get offs where maximum protection is essent ial), the liner will "bottom out " and offer no protection. A Snell approved helmet, on the other hand , will perhaps be a bit less comfortable when sitting still or falling down in sand, but gives a rider a better chance of surviving hard impacts. . For. this chec kpo int , contact th e NHTSA and ask them the follow ing Questio ns: 1) What research is the basis for the ir insistance on adh erance to the part of t he standard requi ring use of a softer helmet liner as pass/fail criteria. 2) Who d id that research . . 3) Why they feel the research source knows more about helmet design and impact survivability requirements than the Snell Foundat ion. 4) What st andard ized test ing equipment is used throughout the helmet ind ustry and by th e NHTSA to insure that unif orm standard test ing readings are being turned out at all test locat ions arou nd the countr y. Writ e to Lewis S. Buchanan , Motorcycle Specialist, Nat ional Highway Traffic Safety Adm inistrat ion ,.. Washingto n, DC 205 9 1. Send Cycle News West, Depart ment Polit ical Enduro, Bo x 498, Long Beach , CA 90801 a copy post marked May 29 , 19 74. Write to you r United States Congressman and ask that Congress invest igate D.O.T. Standard 218 and the research beh ind it . Explain why you fee l t h is should be done to answer unanswered Questions. Mail you r letter to your congressman May.31 , 1974, and send Cycle News West, Department Political Enduro, Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801 a copy postmarked the same day . Th e Cycle News Polit ical Enduro' s last checkp oint w ill be an- nounced in the Cycle News dated July 3 .and on sale June 25 . The person complet ing th e endu ro with the least nu mbe r of po ints w ins a b rand new Honda XL250K l. del ivered in Septe mber, 1974. Winnerswi llbe annou nced d uring July. 1974. . The skill co nt est void where pr ohibited b y law . Cycle News, Inc. emp loyess, contributors, and their fam ilies are not eligibile . All judging w ill be don e by Cycle News,l nc., and all judg ing decisio ns are final. r------- ---------------, SubscribenotN! DI::PT. SUB. P.O. BOX 498 LO. 'G BEACH. CALIFORSIA 9080 I 512.50 CYCLE NEWS WEST (1 yr.) CYCL E NEWS WEST (2 yrs .). . . ...• 22.00 CYCLE NEWS WEST (3 yrs.l .• . • • .•• 30.00 Via 1st class mail for one year 40.00 Via air mail for one year . •.. • ..... . . 50 .00 Th is is a Renew al • . . . ... . . . . . •.•... .. . . Please bill me ..••. . . .. .. . . . . . . •. . .. . .. I enclose check or money order .. ..• • . . . .. 0 0 0 0 0 0 Name IPlea.. print le9iblv l AddrllS S City L 56 0 0 Stin e Z ip ~ ~