Pudding basin hemets

[VBellman]

Hi all, I,m new to this site, my last Ariel was a 1955 350NH, and that was in 1960, my last bike was a Yamaha 1200, I,m now 73, and resolved to just watching, unless there is a 1955 350NH knocking around.
Back to the subject, I used to have a pudding basin helmet, and "progressed" to a full face,I always fancied going back to my first helmet, but have been reading that these have now been banned, as not meeting some unelected Belgian civil servants nanny attitude.
Well, having just browsed through ebay, under the heading of half helmets,what do I find, a pudding basin helmet under the heading New-Star_Style Brand ECE DOT motorcycle half helmet made by the YETINGCO of China, size up to 62cm (my size, bighead)
NOW comes the crunch, it says these helmets pass EC and American standards, and are stamped with a ECER22.5 Standards mark, if so this means you can legally use them!!
When, and if stopped by plod you can proudly display said mark,but believe me the odds against you getting stopped for that are very slim, I know what I'm talking about, I used to be one.
Thought you boys might like to know.

[tony.barnett]

I thought that if they were kitemarked they were still legal. Has that changed?

[chris.vredenbregt]

I can imagine that you do not ilke a full face helmet and for nostalgic reasons want a jet or even a cromell for the looks, but allowed or not keep in mind that you wear a helmet for yourselve and not for some european nitwit.
I race (full face since 2 years a must) and I have seen some accidentresults with jets and cromwells ,I can assure you that you don't want to end up that way.
Keep in mind,how carefull you drive, there are more idiots on the road than you can think of........Chris

[VBellman]

re kitemarks, I think regulations governing pudding basins, say something along the lines that if you had one already, and it had a kitemark, you could continue wearing it, (condensed a bit) nowadays the marking is altogether different, the marking is circular with a large E in it, along with a number code for country of manufacture,i.e E3, made in italy, E4 made in Belgium, and so on., any further numbers are batch numbers etc.
re chris, thanks for your advice, having done a police advanced m/c course on 850 Commandos, I always drive defensively, I know theres always the idiot, BUT wouldnt it be nice to be given the choice? At least if you were racing I would presume they were all going the same way!

[Leejm]

I use a piss pot bash hat. Its a new one but I do have some vintage ones just to own them. I never liked full face helmets. Its a bit like look through a tunnel and I don't like been closed in feeling. It saved my life two years ago after I went though a cars back window. Long story . But my teeth were not so lucky. But a trip to the dentist sorted that.

[chris.vredenbregt]

Indeed you are right vbellman? we are all going the same way during the race but even on our tracks there are bents,corners potholes and overtaking racers and of course we make mistakes(unbelievable,but yes) same as on the road,than it is better to be protected ,we do not have a helmetchoice on the track b.t.w.,only full face,but sometimes in a parade I wear my old cromwell.
But what would you do as in some states in america where you do not even have to wear one ? would you go unprotected ? I agree with you that having a choice would be nice but that goes for a lot of things like seatbelts pushbike helmets, leather gear and so on......Chris

[Leejm]

Nice imperial by the way! I really like new imps. I have always thought they are a great bit of kit.

[robin.parker]

Hello Mr Belman,
Don't bother about being 73, so am I, and I still ride my bikes, and-------there are blokes a lot older than us still; "at it". I just find kick-starting 500cc singles a bit much, if they don't go first or second kick (they usually do), I should have stuck to 350 singles, or vertical twins! You should go and find yourself an NH.

About helmets, I sometimes use a modern Open Face, Jet style, otherwise an old "Corker" or one of a couple of old Pudding Basins, I never really enjoyed Full Face helmets. If it was made for the purpose, it's OK to use it, but not to sell for use.
As regards Chris's well made points, I have to confess that I wear a helmet 75% because the "government" says I must and 25% for me!

Robin.

[VBellman]

Sorry folks,
Pig ignorant of me, my first name is Vaughan.
Many thanks for the feedbacks, and Chris, I didn't mean to cast a slur on your racing abilities! and I love that bike of yours.
Did anyone see the Isle of Man TT, holy snapping a~~~~~oles , the speeds were unbelievable, I personally love the chair racing, used to have an A10 with a single seat chair,and carried out on ordinary roads, it puts the so called Superbikes into perspective doesn't it, for all the skill they have to show they might as well ride on a straight road? Whats more, most of them were not what I would call, spring chickens.
Robin# I would love an NH again.

[Eero.Korhonen]

Hi,
Here is one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ariel-NH-350- ... 35ec321cf6
Br, Eero