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James Cater Racing

~ Realising the childhood dream…

James Cater Racing

Tag Archives: Koden helmet

Helmet Upgrade: Koden KSC25 Carbon

26 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by jamescaterracing in Formula Vee, Racing, Rules & Regulations, Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

best helmet, best value, budget, car racing helmet, carbon, cheap, drilling HANS posts, formula vee, HANS, Koden helmet, Koden KSC25, M&P, UK

Helmet Upgrade: Koden KSC25 Carbon

Much as I love my floro yellow Koden, the move to using a HANS device meant my hand was forced, and I needed to buy a new helmet with the SAH2010 approval with the HANS posts drilled.

It was always my intention to get a ‘better’ helmet when I could, so I figured now I might as well spend and get something I’d be happy with for many years to come.

Most of the big names sell their entry level helmet for around £400+, then the HANS posts will cost another £40+. That’s all a lot of money for someone with an Oliver Twist style race budget like mine!

Having been happy with the fit of my Koden, I looked at their more expensive models at the Autosport International Show, and found the fit equally as good, but the quality of their later helmets noticeable better.

Their base helmet with HANS fitments could be had for around £250!  The only limit is that you have to have black or white, so no gaudy glowing colours this time…

However, if I’d bought one of these (and I’d be happy to race in them) I’d have always been kicking myself for not buying the full carbon fiber version – so I did!

The show price from Mark at M&P was an absolute bargain of £350 INCLUDING the HANS fitments!  So for that extra £100, I’d be getting a Koden KSC25 in real life carbon – the likes of which would set you back, ooh, one or two thousand for one of the ‘big name’ brands!

Quality is excellent.  Nothing is flimsy, all the bits join together perfectly, and even the Nomex lining is well-stitched and as good as any I’ve seen.  Weight is a stunning 1330g.  To put that into perspective, as a biker of 15 years riding daily, I buy the best kit I can.  I have never worn a helmet as light as the Koden KSC25, and it’s very, very noticeable as soon as you put it on!

It’s got a trusty double D-ring fastener, and holds my noggin like a sensuous lover.  Or a wrestler about to crush your head like a grapefruit.  Whatever makes you feel safer!  And the button on the front is to release the visor – so no more fumbling around for the lift tab!

As you can see from the first picture, you get a few accessories, too.  There’s the peaked bit, for people who drive closed cars and are deluded into thinking nothing can ever possibly get through the windscreen, so don’t need a visor.  And another bit that I think is a spoiler.  I’ll put that on, if I can – I need to check clearance in the Vee cockpit with the HANS kit, first, though.

You can get spare visors, but I forgot to get one!  I think you can get black/smoke or blue iridium.  I wear blue iridium on my bike, because a) it looks cool, and b) the blue tint gives better viewing definition in cloudy or overcast conditions – perfect for the UK!

I am chuffed to bits with my Koden KSC25.  For the price it’s unbelievable value – but just as a race helmet for ANY money, it’s a damned fine buy!  I’m sure it will do me proud.

NEC Autosport International Show

13 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by jamescaterracing in Formula Vee, Racing, Rules & Regulations, Uncategorized

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Tags

autosport international 2015, HANS rules regulations, jaguar XJR-15, Koden helmet, lister storm gt, NEC show, renault RS 01, sauber c9

NEC Autosport International Show

Every year I umm and arr about whether I NEED to go to the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre, paying £10 to get ripped off for parking, and gazing at a load of racing cars, before spending obscene amounts of money on kit.

With some of the rule changes this year, and wanting to try out some HANS devices, and also find out a lot of information, the 2015 show was essential for me.

I don’t technically have to wear a HANS until 2016, but I’d be stupid to get in a car without one (see previous blog).  I have now found out for definite that you can’t get any old helmet drilled and fitted with HANS posts – they do have to be certified to have them.  So this means my flouro yellow Koden helmet is going to have to go.

I’m almost certainly going to get another Koden helmet – but the HANS fitted ones only come in black, white or carbon fibre.  They fit me really well, and are closer to what a helmet SHOULD cost without getting ripped off for a brand name!

I sadly didn’t take advantage of the show offer for £350 for the carbon lid with posts, so will probably now have to pay £400 and then get the posts as well!  Unless any of you guys have a contact to help me out here?

I was pleased to see that the AHS Formula Vee on the 750 Motor Club stand was fitted with the elusive Hoosier tyres we have to buy for this season!  The look of them has definitely grown on me, and poking them found them to be very soft, with very deep tread. 

I swear I’m going to film the holding area after the first race, then make a drinking game: Every time someone pushes down on or prods another drivers tyres to try to gauge what pressures they’re running, you have to take a drink.  It will be a very messy and very short game…

Anyway – the highlights of the show!

I hadn’t been there long before I saw this beast sat in the distance:

It’s the truly awesome Sauber/Mercedes C9 Group C beast!  Thinking this would be Car Of The Show for me, I then noticed a Lister Storm right behind it!

This was my favourite car from when they came out (I have the brochures for the road version!).  I don’t know what colours it’s in here (maybe the Spanish series), but it was amazing to see one in the flesh.

To complete my top 3, despite an Audi Sport Quattro and Jaguar XJR-15 being right next to the two above, it has to be this mean-looking Renault that I know nothing about:

A Renaultsport R.S.01 apparently! Mmm!

A damn fine show, overall – probably my favourite one so far!  If you went, what were the best bits for you?

 

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