Custom motorcycle helmet makers?

October 22, 2007 7:18 AM

Custom motorcycle helmet artisans? Am needing to find someone to fabricate a DOT-approved motorcycle helmet for me. Artist/machinist needed.

I am thinking of having a motorcycle helmet made and I am going to probably need help finding someone to fabricate it. I want to make a DOT (Dept. Of Transportation) approved helmet that on the inside is padded, comfortable and so on, but the outside will look like the evil villian Kroenen from Hellboy, which you can see here: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y95/chibiwakki/KroenenMask2.jpg

Need help finding the perfect artisan. I've contacted numerous f/x artists but none of them have experience in doing real helmets (i.e. their stuff would look great, but wouldn't protect).

posted by MrTangent to sports, hobbies, & recreation (8 comments total)

First, awesome. Second, is there some reason why it could not just be an "overlay" of an already manufactured helmet? Yes, the decorative stuff would be destroyed in a collision, but you're not going to want to re-use the helmet after a crash anyway. Third, peripheral vision, dude.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:28 AM on October 22, 2007

DOT Approval is a lengthy process in the helmet manufacturing industry. It is probably expensive and is destructive.How many thousand dollars are you willing to spend to get DOT approval?

Go with an overlay.
posted by JJ86 at 7:53 AM on October 22, 2007

BTW, here is the DOT helmet standard.
posted by JJ86 at 7:55 AM on October 22, 2007

Troy Lee Designs will do custom painting of helmets. DOT/SNELL/etc approved too.

It will probably cost at least 700-1000 on top of the helmet you select.
posted by whoda at 7:58 AM on October 22, 2007

Thanks for the replies. It doesn't necessarily have to be DOT approved. I was thinking of the overlay idea. I guess I could have a open face helmet (that would be DOT approved) that would have the Kroenen face overlay modified on it.

As far as peripheral vision goes, that is a concern. I was thinking that the immediate side of the helmet right by the goggle eyes could be a curved, dark black UV glass inset in to the curvature of the helmet, allowing for peripheral vision and would blend in to the overall aesthetic. I am thinking that it's going to cost upwards and over a thousand to have something like this made.
posted by MrTangent at 8:41 AM on October 22, 2007

posted by MrTangent It doesn't necessarily have to be DOT approved

Actually, it might. My guess is that a non-DOT-approved helmet would not legally qualify as a helmet, so you could be ticketed for not wearing a helmet. Additionally, your insurance company might refuse to cover you if you're injured in a collision and they discover the helmet wasn't DOT approved, and a nasty lawyer for the other parties could exploit your helmet's lack of peripheral vision as a contributing factor to an accident.

A better course of action would be to modify a new, DOT-approved helmet with an overlay, or consult a movie or stage propmaker to modify an existing helmet.
posted by fandango_matt at 2:21 PM on October 22, 2007

Peripheral schmeriferal.

Get a Simpson, and a good graphics guy or girl will be able to 3D the eyes on the brow of the helmet - your problem is the visor colour, as it has to be black of course - and Simpson ain't DOT for bike use as far as I am aware for exactly the peripheral vision restrictions - hasn't stopped anyone using them though, but each to their own...

Layout is the issue... So, if eyes go on the brow, and the visor is black, is the chin big enough / well placed enough for the grill type image is the question...

Ebay Art on Simpson Helmets (RX8's) / ">LOVE this one / ">Craft Alternative to Simpson (Nice Grill) /

Cost wise seems to be c$500ish for a job, but I could see it being much more - double - to get what you really want. Good luck! Cool idea.
posted by DrtyBlvd at 2:35 AM on October 23, 2007

Arse. Links not good.

Found via Ebay listing here:

http://motors.search.ebay.co.uk/simpson_Motorcycle-Clothing-Helmets_W0QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ3QQsacatZ14784QQsbrsrtZd
posted by DrtyBlvd at 2:37 AM on October 23, 2007