08-12-2021, 06:33 AM
Extremely interesting information you were able to gather, MP. This thread is most informative.
I seem to be in a quagmire on this though. Can't seem to get past the notion that the incremental increase in safety between the FIM helmets and a "crap" Snell 2015 helmet is statistically insignificant. Yes, of course it's possible, I would even concede probable, that a fall involving the head hitting the pavement would include rotational inertia, but to what degree? I think one looks at only half (or less of the equation) if one focuses only on the number of fatalities related to head trauma. Wouldn't we also have to know how many non-fatal crashes involved impact to the head of the driver and what, if any, long-term effects that impact had on that population? It is at least theoretically possible that some degree of rotational inertia is mitigated in a Snell 2015 helmet.
I wear the best gear I can afford. But if I really wanted 100% protection from a motorcycle crash, I would not spend any money at all. I would actually gain a little money by selling off my bike and gear and binge-watching Bosch or whatever the next fun detective series is. My point is that it's all a compromise. Everything from wearing jeans instead of leathers, to mesh versus leather versus airbag vests, to disabling the kill-switch from one's kickstand
So, the questions that remain unanswered for me are whether the FIM/SHARP helmets really are significantly safer in the world in which I operate my motorcycle and if the increased cost of said protection is within my budget. I think I'm going to base that final decision on my friend, MisterProfessionality's, significant research on this topic. 
I seem to be in a quagmire on this though. Can't seem to get past the notion that the incremental increase in safety between the FIM helmets and a "crap" Snell 2015 helmet is statistically insignificant. Yes, of course it's possible, I would even concede probable, that a fall involving the head hitting the pavement would include rotational inertia, but to what degree? I think one looks at only half (or less of the equation) if one focuses only on the number of fatalities related to head trauma. Wouldn't we also have to know how many non-fatal crashes involved impact to the head of the driver and what, if any, long-term effects that impact had on that population? It is at least theoretically possible that some degree of rotational inertia is mitigated in a Snell 2015 helmet.
I wear the best gear I can afford. But if I really wanted 100% protection from a motorcycle crash, I would not spend any money at all. I would actually gain a little money by selling off my bike and gear and binge-watching Bosch or whatever the next fun detective series is. My point is that it's all a compromise. Everything from wearing jeans instead of leathers, to mesh versus leather versus airbag vests, to disabling the kill-switch from one's kickstand
So, the questions that remain unanswered for me are whether the FIM/SHARP helmets really are significantly safer in the world in which I operate my motorcycle and if the increased cost of said protection is within my budget. I think I'm going to base that final decision on my friend, MisterProfessionality's, significant research on this topic.