Subject: BMW: Re: System Helmets </a>
I hate to tell everyone the dire facts of life, but.....
BMW AG is not going to sell ANY System helmets in the North/Central American
market area because of the high risk of liability insurance claims/awards
being granted by juries/courts to the wearers of helmets who sue the deep
pocket manufacturer/distributors to recover/gain compensation for their own
stupidity.
If BMW AG were to add the cost of liability insurance to the cost of the
System helmets, we would have to pay over $1,000 in extra costs. It just
isn't worth the extra expense to the company when they sell less than 100,000
units per year and it certainly isn't worth it to the consumer (read you and
me).
I just ignore all the flap here in the US and buy my System helmets by mail
order from Nachtmann Autohaus Lancia in Munich. I can get the order delivered
anywhere I want, whenever I want, and my costs are the same as they would be
if I lived there, with shipping added of course.
I have used the System helmets since the Model I, now using a Model III, and
intend to continue unless Shoei can give me a lower cost with comparable
comfort. Nuff said!
<a href="mailto:Tracker_at_aol.com"><i>Tracker_at_aol.com</i></a>
Subject: BMW: Re: BMW System Helmets </a>
Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 18:49:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: GIGREENE_at_aol.com
Subject: BMW: BMW System Helmets
>I'd like to get some information on the BMW System helmets. It seems everyone
>I know that has one likes it, a lot. Doesn't matter though. I can't get one
>right now. But next summer I'm going with my church choir to Scotland for 10
>days in July. Would I be able to find such an animal in Scotland? Will the
>System III helmet be dropped in favor of a newer version?
Geoffrey & List,
The System IV was introduced at German dealers the first week in Sept.
System IIIs will continue to be sold in Europe (including Scotland) till
supply is
depleted (whenever that may be), already at 20% discount off list, maybe
more by some dealers.
You'll be able to buy a System IV from any authorized BMW dealer in
Scotland. However, not all dealers stock all sizes/colors all the time. If you
want to be _sure_ that a particular size/color is available to try from a
particular
dealer within a 10 day window in July, you'd best communicate (tel or fax)
ahead of time. You can get a directory of all BMW dealers in Europe with
phone & fax numbers by ordering BMW Part No. 01 99 9 787 367.d from
any US BMW bike or car dealer (some car dealers may even stock this
Euro dealer directory).
I wouldn't 'commit' to buying a System helmet--or any other helmet--until
you have an opportunity to try one on. Not all helmet designs/shapes fit
all heads with equal comfort. As often noted on this list, in North America
there are, e.g., 'Arai heads' and 'Shoei heads' (usually but not always mutually
exclusive). Basic shape difference also translates into sizing difference
sometimes. As one example, my head is comfortable with both a Shoei
RF700, and a System IV a 'half-size' smaller. YMMV.
Suggestion: try as many different good helmets as you can in the US, find
one or two that feel best, contact Scottish dealer before you leave, try
System helmet (s) there, decide if you like the fit/feel as well as what you
found in the US. Make your own 'cost-benefit' decision (a System IV will
cost around US$400 +/-, depending on exchange rate, after a VAT refund)
>Also of some concern is whether they are 'legal' helmets in the USA. (They've
>got to be better than the soup bowl/novelty helmets I've seen on a lot of
>heads, but that doesn't make them legal.) Could insurance coverage (health,
>etc) ever be an issue if wearing a non-DOT helmet?
Others have commented 'bout this. System III/IV are 'illegal' in the USA.
That means BMW and their manufacturer, Schubert, choose not to have them
certified by DOT, and imported to the US, because of concern with 'potential'
lawsuit liability. On the other hand, I've never heard of insurance coverage
or claim denied, or lawsuit filed/won, because a helmet was not DOT certified.
Helmet not worn, maybe; helmet not certified/'illegal', never heard of it.
I guess there's always a first time.
>I feel compelled to wear the best legal helmet I can, and perhaps that will
>exclude the System helmets. I'm open to comments. Thanks for your opinions.
Final comment: I'll continue to ride with a System helmet in the US, because
I like the combination of design features. But, they are _not_ 'better' in any
compelling way from lots of helmets sold in the US, at both the same and
lower cost levels. Hope this helps.
Court Fisher
Princeton NJ
all the usual suspect acronyms
court.fisher_at_worldnet.att.net
>Geoffrey Greene
>AMA HSTA MOA RA Airhead MSF-Instructor
>------------------------------
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