ENGLISH TEXT The motorcycle helmet world is investing in a revolution known as ECE 22-06. This is the acronym for the latest European certification with which all manufacturers must comply, according to the methods and time frames that we’ll outline here with the help of Danilo Piras (Helmet Department). The standard comes a good twenty years after the introduction of the previous ECE 22-05. The transition will see both certifications occupying the shelves in stores… EURO 22-06: AND WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Hi Danilo, are we talking about helmets that are now safer than previous versions? Inevitably, yes. The goal of each new European regulation is to improve testing methodologies in order to bring increasingly protective helmets for motorcyclists/scooter riders to the market. How does one meet with the new standard? By modifying the construction characteristics, or by making helmets more robust and perhaps heavier? The new standard foresees a different approach to the homologation tests indicated in 22-05. A change of direction that leads to a targeted design with a slight increase in thicknesses, weights and densities. Was a price increase inevitable? Yes. Greater effort, an increase in raw materials and more significant investment inexorably lead to an increase in the prices. Wearing a comfortable helmet is very important for those who are in the saddle for hours at a time. Does the new standard also improve this aspect? This aspect is not regulated by 22-06, although increasing the number of shells and/or polystyrene will clearly add to the level of comfort. But GIVI continues to invest constantly on this front. Let’s go back to the title of this interview... Could you outline the current situation for us? We’re essentially in a period of transition, foreseen by the new regulation. An appropriate THE NEW LIFE OF THE HELMET period of adaptation that will see the two standards (22-05 and 22-06) coexist on shelves in stores. Shopkeepers are still displaying mainly ECE 22-05 approved helmets. And it seems they can continue to sell them for a few more years. Is that right? That’s absolutely right. The new standard has only been in effect for about a year and the helmets currently in circulation are mainly 2205 approved. It’ll take time before they disappear. But at a certain point, the 22-05 models that users are currently wearing will need to be “retired”, I imagine. What will the procedure be? As of now, users are not subject to any limitations or ‘expiry dates’. We’re nevertheless talking about helmets that are approved, protective and safe. As is always the case when going from the old to the new, the European Commission has planned the steps needed to make this change. If there are no restrictions regarding the use of an ECE 22-05 helmet, would you recommend the old or the new standard to a novice user approaching the helmet world for the first time? Well, first of all I don’t like the word “old”, seeing as the 22-05 helmets are still on sale and, I repeat, can be worn for many years to come. I simply believe that the choice comes down to a user’s requirements. If they’re looking for particular helmet (in terms of colour, size, design, weight...) and can’t yet find it among those with the new certification, then nothing is stopping them from buying one from a previous collection. For those who like to have more technical details, what truly innovative aspects does the new 22-06 standard introduce? It’s quite a complex issue. But the most important new aspects regard: - Differentiated speed and zone impact testing - Inverse removal test - Rotational impact test How has GIVI prepared for this “new generation” at the production level and in terms of its in-house crash testing? Will jet and demi-jet helmets that obtain ECE 22-06 approval follow the same technical process as full-face helmets? Does the inner visor pose any problems? We immediately took action so as to adjust to the new standard as quickly as possible. Yes, all the helmets are subject to the same types of test, excluding those areas that are irrelevant depending on the type of helmet (jet and demi-jet helmets do not undergo the chin protection tests). Generally speaking, the sun visor has always created problems, in that it’s one of those elements that must be carefully considered during the design phase. The 2022 GIVI HELMET collection already contains models that are 22-06 approved. Some were even presented at EICMA in 2021. The company clearly took action in time. Was it hard to adjust? It’s been difficult, and it will continue to be difficult this year, considering that we’ll present more models at EICMA 2022, all already in line with the new standard of course. Our goal is to update the entire range as quickly as possible. 26 Tech
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