New SHARP ratings published

Added on Thursday, April 21st, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

More than 20 new motorcycle helmet safety ratings have been published by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning ahead of the extended bank holiday.

Today’s ratings take the total number of helmets rated by SHARP – the Safety Helmet Assessment and Ratings Programme – to 247.

The scheme aims to make it easier for bikers to assess the safety credentials of motorcycle helmets, giving helmets a rating out of five depending on their performance in a series of pre-determined tests.

All helmets on sale in the UK must meet minimum legal safety standards but the SHARP scheme uses a wider range of tests to provide riders with more information on how much protection a helmet can provide in a crash. According to the Department of Transport, SHARP has found that the performance of helmets can vary by as much as 70%.

With helmets across a wide price range scoring highly, all riders should be able to find a high performing helmet in a size and style that fits them and at a price they want to pay.

In the latest set of results, the Shark Race R and Race R Pro helmets scored the maximum five stars, as did the Lazer Bora and Caberg Konda. The Marushin 222 was the only helmet in the test to score just one star.

“Many of us will be making the most of the extended bank holiday period to take our bikes out and – hopefully – take advantage of some good weather,” said Road Safety Minister Mike Penning.

“I would urge anyone thinking about buying a new helmet ahead of the weekend to check out the SHARP website before making their decision. A well fitted helmet with a high SHARP rating will provide you with the best possible protection in the event of an accident so it’s well worth checking the advice on the site before you buy.”

The SHARP website was re-developed in response to feedback from motorcyclists and the motorcycle industry and has increased in popularity since it was re-launched last summer. The SHARP website can be found at: www.direct.gov.uk/sharp.

Latest ratings: April 2011:

No	MAKE	MODEL	Rating	Latch %
1	AGV	S-4 SV	4
2	AGV	LONGWAY II	4	90%
3	AGV	STEALTH SV	4
4	BMW	SPORT	4
5	CABERG	KONDA	5	97%
6	HJC	R-PHA 10	3
7	KAWASAKI	SPORT	3
8	LAZER	BORA	5
9	LAZER	KESTREL	3
10	LAZER	OSPREY	3
11	LS 2	FF386	4	100%
12	LS 2	FF385	4
13	LS 2	FF358	4
14	LS 2	FF384	2
15	MARUSHIN	222	1
16	NITRO	NS-FP	3
17	NITRO	REACTOR	3
18	NITRO	N-PSI	4
19	NITRO	NGFP	4
20	NOLAN	N63	4
21	SHARK	VISION R	4
22	SHARK	RACE R	5
23	SHARK	RACE R PRO	5
24	SUOMY	APEX	3
25	SUOMY	EXCEL	3
26	SUOMY	D2O	3	100%
27	UVEX	XENOVA	3
28	VIPER	RS V131	3	93%