Bringing kit back from the US.

Originally Posted by creamerybutter

Thing is both my sisters and girfiends lids have labels with Kitemarks on them but mine only has the British motorcycle sport gold sticker does that mena my lid it technically illegal or is just a gold sticker ok?

IIRC what this means is that all lids are road legal but your sisters and girlfriends lids cant be used on track days while yours can as it has that BMS gold sticker.

Stu, Customs officers can strip down your car at a port to do a search and leave it in bits if they have to go search something else - they have no legal requirement to have to put it back together again.

In the case of a lid they would scan it first - and only destroy it if they found something. However, there is a case of someone bringing back some statuettes as gifts for his mother that the scan couldnt show anything on - the statuettes were then broken open for a search and while nothing was found there was still no onus on HMRC to compensate or replace.

Basically if there are reasonable grounds for an officer to do a search they can destroy the item in the process. There IS a reason people say Customs have more powers than the police. :P

Originally Posted by lynw

Basically if there are reasonable grounds for an officer to do a search they can destroy the item in the process. There IS a reason people say Customs have more powers than the police. :P

So where can I apply for the job of "Stuff breaker" ?

Originally Posted by lynw

IIRC what this means is that all lids are road legal but your sisters and girlfriends lids cant be used on track days while yours can as it has that BMS gold sticker.

Sorry they both have the gold sticker as well as the Kitemark mine just has the gold sticker.

Originally Posted by Baph

So where can I apply for the job of "Stuff breaker" ?

Try www.hmrc.gov.uk. Probably a remote chance since Gordys trying to cut 100,000 civil service jobs.

Originally Posted by creamerybutter

Sorry they both have the gold sticker as well as the Kitemark mine just has the gold sticker.

IIRC the gold sticker means you can race in the helmet for 4 meets. The lack of kitemark means it hasn't been through the british tests(which includes a sharp point smashed through the helmet) only the weaker EU ones. It saves money on tests I think.

Should have a mark somewhere I guess but checked my Roof and I'll be damned if I can find it. My old FM has a label with E3 sewn onto the chin strap but I have no idea what it's for.

I don't think the construction of helmets changes for different countries. A Japanese company (Arai or Shoei, I can't remember) only changes the padding inside for different regions (different head shapes). You could find out which helmets passed the SNELL tests as well and get that model here.

Originally Posted by Law

I don't think the construction of helmets changes for different countries. A Japanese company (Arai or Shoei, I can't remember) only changes the padding inside for different regions (different head shapes). You could find out which helmets passed the SNELL tests as well and get that model here.

What he said. Following the recent Snell test story in whatever mag it was, a lot of people have this concern. MCN recently printed a (rather amused) response from either Arai or Shoei (though I imagine it's the same situation for almost all manufacturers) along the lines of, "Don't worry, we don't engineer weaker helmets specially for the UK market. We make helmets that pass the most stringent tests in all countries the helmets will be sold in and then make all helmets to that spec."

In short, the lid same lid bought here will be SNELL-compliant, just like the American version. It just might have different markings to the American one (eg ACU Gold Sticker, etc.) However, I wouldn't like to wear one that didn't have all the neccessary UK-spec markings. Not for any legal reasons; I can't see a police officer asking to inspect my helmet (fnar, fnar ), but more those of insurance.

Have a bad off (either as a result of another driver on any policy, or "your fault" on fully comp) that results in head injury and you can guarantee the insurance company will try to get out of paying the associated costs as you were technically not wearing a helmet (much like technically, riding with a small plate is "without a numberplate"). Twisted I know, but that's the way their minds work.

Originally Posted by lynw

Try www.hmrc.gov.uk. Probably a remote chance since Gordys trying to cut 100,000 civil service jobs.

tis also the same job as "poo poker" you still wanna give it a go?

Originally Posted by Law

IIRC the gold sticker means you can race in the helmet for 4 meets. The lack of kitemark means it hasn't been through the british tests(which includes a sharp point smashed through the helmet) only the weaker EU ones. It saves money on tests I think.

Should have a mark somewhere I guess but checked my Roof and I'll be damned if I can find it. My old FM has a label with E3 sewn onto the chin strap but I have no idea what it's for.

the "e" markings are now required as opposed to the kitemark. your lid needs one of these for use on the road, don't think they are kitemarking any more.