VIDEO: Fake helmets fail test – is it worth the risk?

Mandated by law, every Malaysian motorcyclist is required to wear a helmet when riding. But many seem to take a lackadaisical attitude to wearing this essential piece of safety equipment.

It does not matter if the distance is near or far, wearing a helmet can save a rider’s life, not to mention the cost to family and community at large. However, there is another danger for riders and that is the fake helmet.

All helmets are required to have a safety certification such as ECE, DOT, SHARP, SNELL or ISI before being approved for use by authorities. Testing costs money and reputable helmet manufacturers chalk this up to the cost of doing business, with part of that cost being passed on to the consumer.

VIDEO: Fake helmets fail test – is it worth the risk?

Safety has a price, as they say, and that price is the peace of mind that comes from knowing that while a helmet cannot protect from unforeseeable impact, within the limits of its safety performance, the helmet will do the job. There are some people who produce fake replica helmets of reputable brands, offering a cheaper product because nothing which they produce is submitted for any sort of testing.

This scourge of fake helmets is becoming common, especially on Malaysian Facebook. The consumer wants a branded helmet, with the fancy graphics and impressive logos but does not want to pay the price of the real thing, which, while passing a standards test, is also made from materials designed to absorb impact and in a certain thickness.

So, the fake helmet maker comes out with a replica, made from cheaper or substandard materials like plastic, mimicking the original down to the fake testing standard sticker. Pricing for a fake helmet can be as much as 20% of the cost of the original but do you know what happens when an imitation helmet fails?

VIDEO: Fake helmets fail test – is it worth the risk?

Watching the video, several imitation helmets are subjected to the same ECE/DOT testing as the originals, and the fakes fail spectacularly. The video examines the overall quality of the imitation while the testing, and the after effects, can be seen at around 5:40.

What is obvious is while the fake helmet might look outwardly the same as the original, in safety, the performance is very lacking. Wanting a replica that makes you look good while riding is not an excuse to risk your life.

The lesson is clear, always purchase the best helmet you can afford and there are reputable brands sold in Malaysia starting from around the RM500 price point. While riders lust after something like a Shark Race-R Pro Carbon, AGV Pista GP, X-Lite, Shoei X-14 or Arai RX-7X, there is something in every manufacturer’s range to suit every budget, like the HJC C70 at RM949.

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Mohan K Ramanujam

Coming with diverse and extensive experience in heavy engineering, Mohan enjoys making anything with wheels go fast, especially motorcycles. His weapon of choice is the Desmoquattro engine, and he has a penchant for anything with a dash of Italian design. Strangely enough, he insists he's a slow rider.

 

Comments

  • Brian on May 13, 2020 at 4:16 pm

    It is worth risk because people do know what they are paying for. So who else can they blame if they think they got a huge bargain off official retail price? Go to Lazada can find plenty of complaints on fake products and some can be returned. In this case, those who bought these fake helmets return with their lives for a refund to god.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
    • Janji ade gaya, makes us look good while riding.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 2
      • Amran on May 13, 2020 at 5:55 pm

        Janji Lazada ade refund policy.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
      • Copy Paste on May 14, 2020 at 12:18 am

        Copy paste: “In any transaction, it’s always buyers beware. If the price is too good to be true, it always isn’t real. If they didn’t know what they were buying, they shouldn’t be blaming the other party for not specifying before the sale. If the Dutch buyer had wanted N99 masks, they should have bought N99 masks and pay the reasonable pricing for them.

        If I go pasar and said I wanted lobak putih but was given lobak biasa, I would walk away. I wouldn’t have bought it and then complained about being cheated.”

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
        • Satthiya on May 14, 2020 at 9:46 am

          How to check if fake or original? Any link or article that can help so that consumers can be more aware?

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • azrai on May 13, 2020 at 4:53 pm

    Biar papa asal bergaya. Biar mati asal bergaya.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Leafable on May 13, 2020 at 10:01 pm

    Life or money? You can only pick 1.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Ben Yap on May 14, 2020 at 9:43 am

    even with original helmet, with that kinda crash even if you survive, you’ll still be paralyze. so biar mati asalkan tak menderita.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Satthiyasar on May 14, 2020 at 9:44 am

    How to check for original or fake helmets? Can you guys publish an article to shed some light on this?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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