Dutchblog

BMW Motorrad have launched their 2010 Rider Equipment collection….

BMW press release (PDF) may be found here.

More images may be found here.

BMW Motorrad Rider Equipment is renowned throughout the industry for its innovation, quality and diversity, and represents perhaps the largest choice of such equipment produced by any motorcycle manufacturer in the world. With the release of the System 6 helmet in early 2009, BMW Motorrad further reinforced its position as a market leader in this sector and is now offering motorcyclists one of the most advanced helmets ever produced.

System 6 is the latest in a long line of motorcycle helmets that can trace its history back to 1981 and the first ‘System’ produced by the German manufacturer. Since then, developments in materials technology, crash test data collection and changing consumer requirements have propelled innovations in the helmet’s design.

Now, almost two decades later with the arrival of the System 6, BMW Motorrad has released its most accomplished helmet to date. Its predecessor – System 5 – proved popular; however BMW Motorrad was wary of becoming complacent in the highly competitive helmet sector, as Project Leader for Motorcycle Helmets Bernhard Neuheuser explains:

“Like everything in the world, the helmet industry is constantly changing. If manufacturers stand still, they get left behind, so there is the need to continually develop products. Competitors regularly release new products, so although the System 5 was a great product, we couldn’t be complacent and had to design a product that was even better than its predecessor – and that’s where System 6 comes in.”

In addition to boasting a minimal weight of 1,570g for the smaller shell version, the latest System 6 is one of the quietest flip-fronts on the market and comes with a drop down sun visor. It’s also more compact than System 5 with a cleverly designed chin bar pivot which optimises the size of the helmet when the chin bar is in an upright position.

As ever, BMW Motorrad has placed an emphasis on safety and System 6 possesses exceptionally high standards of impact absorption and has an extra neck band to prevent the helmet from twisting on impact, ensuring it remains in the best possible position on the rider’s head.

Before the helmet was made available to the public, the design was subject to intensive tests to ensure its integrity. The visor, for example, was lifted up and down 25,000 times, while the chin bar mechanism was tested 10,000 times in order to recreate the everyday strains it was bound to experience in the real world.

BMW Motorrad also tested the helmet’s aerodynamics and aero-accoustics in a variety of simulated weather conditions including wind, rain and extreme temperatures, all under the supervision of Neuheuser.

The Project Leader is immensely proud of the System 6, and in particular, the innovation and progress in technology that the helmet represents. “One of the most impressive aspects of System 6 is the four-lever mechanics within the chin part,” he says. “Traditionally, the chin part has just one pivot point, however the System 6 features four levers, resulting in a elliptic movement, rather than a circular movement. This has allowed the size of the helmet to be reduced dramatically when the chin part is up.

“However, the unique chin part is only one of many features that make the System 6 stand out,” he continues. “Our helmets are traditionally a combination of features that work together to create distinctiveness. For example, System 6 combines a sun visor, anti-fog feature and a reduced weight with the four-lever system, plus the forthcoming optional communications system will be unlike anything else on the market.”

With competition fierce in the motorcycle helmet sector, System 6 represents another step forwards for the German manufacturer and includes several new features for a BMW Motorrad safety helmet, including anti-fog technology and a sun visor. From August, System 6 will also be available with the in-helmet communications system option featuring Bluetooth technology and using BMW Motorrad’s Navigator IV system.

Although System 6 represents the pinnacle of technology at present, further advancements in visor design, construction techniques, materials and industry standards will inevitably lead to a successor to System 6’s crown from BMW Motorrad. So what does Neuheuser foresee these developments will be?

“The future for the motorcycle helmet sector is good, but it’s not easy to predict what advancements will be made as we are currently working with what is physically possible,” he says. “I can see electronic tinted visors proving successful in the future for example, but can’t see how carbon fibre construction will be economically viable. I think that it would be beneficial for a new standard to be introduced in the industry as this may prove to be the catalyst for further development and new technologies.”

Key features of System 6:

• Low weight: 1,570 g (smaller shell), 1,670 g (larger shell)
• Extra neck band to prevent the helmet from twisting
• Excellent aero-acoustics
• Chin guard with quadruple-joint mechanism
• Double visor as standard
• Drop-down sun visor.

More images may be found here.

BMW Press Release:

Fittingly, riders with professional racing ambitions will find that the new DoubleR collection is a complete, tailor-made range of rider`s equipment, produced with only the finest materials and to a high level of manufacturing excellence. The products’ designs consciously reveal their close affinity to motorsport: just as much attention has been given to their look and comfort as to such factors as safety and a love of detail.

The DoubleR collection comprises a leather suit, helmet, boots and gloves. Together they make up a complete outfit, which is ideal not only for riders of the new supersports bike, the BMW S 1000 RR, but also for all other ambitious riders.

For the helmet and boots, existing successful products were taken and their design enhanced yet further, while the suit and gloves are completely new product developments. The DoubleR collection will be presented at the EICMA international motorcycle show in Milan this coming November.

DoubleR Suit – Superbike performance for the road.

The one-piece racing suit in BMW Motorrad motorsport design is made of  highly wear-resistant kangaroo leather, only 1.0 millimetre thick, making it 20% lighter than regular suits made of calf leather. It is also notable for its skin-tight fit.

The DoubleR suit is extremely pleasant to wear while also providing a very high level of active safety. The integrated and non-removable NP protectors at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees offer a high degree of protection and are extremely effective in absorbing impacts.

The extended-length, removable back protector is anatomically formed in 3D to provide a wide area of protection and enhanced safety for the spine, shoulder blades and kidneys.

The collarbone is additionally protected by an integrated impact-absorbent material. The new, plastic-injected, INOX stainless steel shoulder and elbow sliders distribute the force peaks to the underlying protectors and facilitate sliding in the event of a fall. Replaceable standard-production sliders made of hard plastic are employed in the knee areas. A zip is also provided for integrating the BMW Neck Brace System.

The torso, sleeves and legs of the suit are strongly preformed in line with standard racing posture, while the hump, which is a typical feature for this segment, has the effect of improving aerodynamics. The perforated leather areas, together with the TFL® cool coating of the black leather, prevent the suit from becoming excessively hot in high temperatures. At low temperatures, the windblocker undervest, supplied with the suit, can be used to protect the rider from the cold. The pre-fitted knee sliders are supplied as standard, as is a high-quality suit bag.

The DoubleR suit will be available in the colour combinations blue/white/red and black/white/red.

DoubleR Helmet – consistent coordination work.

The DoubleR helmet has been developed from the Sport helmet model. The classic design employs the BMW Motorrad motorsports colours of blue/white/red, making it the perfect match for the DoubleR collection.

The extra spoiler, which is especially constructed to maximise the aerodynamic properties of the BMW S 1000 RR and its narrow windshield, offers increased stability at high speeds.

DoubleR Boots – design enhanced by professionals.

The DoubleR boots are an enhanced design of the existing, professionally featured Sport boots and which have been especially developed for riders intending to employ the BMW S 1000 RR for sports use. The new features include large hook-and-loop-fastender inside zip covers for simplifying foot insertion. The blue nylon soles have been reinforced and refashioned to match the metal footrests of the S 1000 RR. The new boots will be available in the colour combination white/black.

DoubleR Gloves – safety meets comfort.

The DoubleR gloves are of a completely new design and made of 100% kangaroo leather. To improve its protective properties, the palm material is partially doubled and fitted with a Kevlar® underlay. The more at-risk zones are fitted with impact-absorbing Suprotect® foam in varying thicknesses.

Also, stingray leather is incorporated in the hand edges. This is a natural material with a strong inherent structure and combines the great safety of leather with the comfort of modern textiles. The stingray leather’s grainy structure has several benefits: it slides well without becoming hot, it is extremely wear-resistant, and although it has hard spots, it is in itself quite flexible.

A finger bridge reinforced with Kevlar® protects the little finger in the event of a fall, while the wrist is protected by an anatomically formed hard-plastic shell in BMW Motorrad design.

The strongly pre-curved cut guarantees a fold-free fit. The knuckle shell, made of GFK, is made in three different sizes, for an improved fit. Stretch material is incorporated underneath the hard shell and the leather stretch inserts at the bottom of the fingers increase their agility.
The DoubleR gloves will be available in black and in the classic BMW Motorrad motorsport colours of blue/white/red.

More images may be found here.

Safety ratings for the most popular flip-front motorcycle helmets were announced yesterday by SHARP, the Department for Transport’s Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme.

The 20 helmets are the first flip-front models to be rated under the scheme and bring the total number of helmets assessed by SHARP – which launched in June 2008 after research showed it could save 50 lives a year – to 96.

Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: “Motorcyclists are the single most vulnerable group on Britain’s roads today. They account for just 1% of all road traffic, but for 20% of all those killed on the roads last year. If all riders wore the safest helmets available 50 lives could be saved each year.”

“We started the SHARP scheme to ensure that all riders have the best possible independent safety information on which to base their helmet choice. That is why I delighted today to be announcing SHARP’s first set of ratings for flip-front helmets.”

“Full face and flip-front helmets from across a wide price range and from a variety of manufacturers have received four or five stars – so all riders should be able to find a high-scoring helmet in a size and style that fits them and at a price they want to pay.”

All helmets must meet minimum legal safety standards but the SHARP scheme uses a wider range of tests to provide riders with more information on how much protection a helmet can provide in a crash.

The objective advice will help riders to choose the safest helmet suitable for them. The SHARP tests – which award ratings of between one and five stars – showed that the safety performance of helmets can vary by as much as 70%.

Only two flip-front motorcycle helmets attained the five star rating:

• BMW System 5
• Caberg Trip

Full details of SHARP including their testing parameters may be found here.