Fake Motorcycle Helmets Pretending to be Big-Brand Units

There are counterfeit motorcycle helmets out there pretending to be big-brand units, but built cheaply and badly by shonky factories. There are also so-called novelty helmets, some of which are so novel they have replica approval stickers and labels on them…

I once met a guy, who was a motorcycle safety expert described one fake helmet he’d come across as being ‘like a plastic bucket with a visor, definitely unsuitable for use on the road’. Yet the helmet looked for all the world like a real one.

Most of the scammers sell their fake motorcycle helmets on websites like eBay, but others set up proper-looking websites. Some claim boldly that the helmets meet UNECE 22.05 standards (or other standards), while others aren’t so blatant but leave it to you to read between the lines about whether or not they are real motorcycle helmets from one of the big-brands.

Buying a motorcycle helmet without physically inspecting it first is always going to be a risk. If the price is too good to be true, it is too good to be true. If you’re not buying from a reputable source, be extremely skeptical. Personally, I wouldn’t trust any web-based seller without a recognized name, a solid reputation and a following that rates them highly.