The First and The Only
The new ECE 22.06 test is a nightmare for helmet manufacturers. Although it may be a nightmare for them, it’s a blessing for us riders. The stricter ECE certifications get, the safer your helmets are as a result (and the more expensive they get… oops). Arai’s new sport-touring lid is the first and only helmet to pass the newly introduced ECE 22.06 standard testing.
Arai has always had somewhat of a leg-up on the helmet game (with Shoei) thanks to their heavy involvement in high-level motorsports. Helmets must be as safe as possible for the riders going 350km/h+ around a closed circuit with 19 other adversaries dualling for podiums. This dangerous competition often breeds high levels of safety R&D, which later translates to the tech we find in our road-wearing helmets.
The older ECE 22.05 test saw a weighted anvil be dropped on the helmet at a speed of 7.5 m/s (with six sensors measuring the forces exerted throughout the helmet). The new 22.06 certification sees 7.5 m/s, 8.2 m/s, and 6 m/s in addition to a 45-degree impact at 8 m/s to evaluate how the rotational forces affect the rigidity and safety of the helmet. As I mentioned earlier, there were 6 total sensors in the older test. The new 22.06 test doubles that amount to the tune of 12 live-tracking sensors.
Arai’s new Quantic helmet passed this test with flying colors thanks to their impact-absorbing (and newly designed) EPS liner in addition to a reinforcing ‘super fibre’ belt taken from their Formula 1 helmet designs.
The Quantic weighs in at 3.6 pounds with the Pinlock inserted, but we can forgive the extra pound of weight when being compared to today’s lightweight sub-2.5lb helmets, and attribute it to the added safety of the helmet.
The Arai Quantic is arriving at local dealers near you in the next month and a half, and pricing will start at £499.99 (~$695 USD) for solids.