Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
I am sitting here laughing at myself because someone else made the same mistake a month ago and I thought to myself "What a dumbass"
Only 6D and Bell have been willing to show their impact testing numbers. So based on that, here is what I know as truth as I have seen the numbers....
Linear impact
3 meters per second
6D=72g,
Bell=80g
6D definitely wins at this velocity as it should as it is designed specifically for these types of velocitys but Bell is not too far behind.
5 meters per second,
6D=134g,
Bell=120g
Bell wins at mid velocity impacts hands down (this is the velocity where a lot of moto crashes occur)
7.5 meters per second,
6D=........(they don't show you the results at this velocity)
Bell=207g.
The fact the 6D doesn't show the results makes me wonder? Bell is clearly well below both Snell (300g) and ECE (275g) maximums
There has also been a lot of discussion about rotational impact and how 6D helps there. I can certainly see how it may but there is no set standard as to what is considered safe, not safe or even fatal. No one knows and as far as I know only Bell has a way to test rotational impact and measure it.
As far as what One and Fox are doing with MiPS. Again, we know from mountain bike helmets (where the technology comes from), it helps at the low speed velocitys and rotational but the issue with this tech is it is 2 dimensional (it only moves forward and back,)
All this info is readily available on the interweb. A guy from Snell once told me "tell me exactly how you are going to crash, and I will build you the perfect helmet!" That being said, if you are happy with your choice, at the end of the day that is what is important.
Lastly, IMO....I think the technology that 6D developed is very good and a step in the right direction. However, I do not think it is the last word in helmet technology. They, or someone, will take the technology to the next level. At this point though, I will still choose a Bell Moto 9 or....get this....a TLD SE3 over the 6D.....Let the game begin!!! hahah.....
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
It's such a personal choice, but as much as anything else, I like the fact that the 6D has done something different, and that it's forcing the other manufacturers to look at what they're doing, instead of continuing to do the same old shit.
I recently had the unfortunate opportunity to put my 6D to the test and after watching my crash GoPro helmet cam video, and the frame by frame time-lapse, can I say the 6D performed better than the Shoei's i've worn for the past 10 years? Nope...but I can say even though I was slightly concussed, I was able to drive home and had no serious memory loss, head aches and literally felt 100% fine an hour later and this was not a little get off. I really augured myself into the Glen Helen terrafirma.
Here's the crash wearing my 6D.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcJI1X_y-Gk&list=UUstaIJfQhk5fJjWygGDjNoA
and the slow-mo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRMBiRUp-nU&list=UUstaIJfQhk5fJjWygGDjNoA&index=2
My name is Bob Weber and I am one of the cofounders of 6D helmets with my partner Robert Reisinger, who is the engineer on the project. We worked for 2 solid years developing the ODS technology through many challenging issues and at great expense.
In response to interest in our test performance at 7.5m/sec, see the attached photo (taken from the official report supplied to 6D from of the official certification testing laboratory). What you will see is a compilation of many figures. This is because the test result is dependent on many very specific details including site, temperature, and the type of anvil used in the specific test. So choosing a number to put out there is hard, but you would naturally want to lean towards your best data point. That is fine as long as you are using similar testing criteria for all data released. That said, the testing reflected on our website is accurate to location by location tests from our helmet compared to a group of control helmets that included the Bell.
6D’s best number on the 7.5 m/sec testing at ambient temperature on the curbstone anvil is 122 G’s at the Brow location. To compare, on the flat anvil the same location is 178 G’s. “The Fast Guy” states that the Bell Moto9 is 207 G’s at 7.5 m/Sec. What strike location (on the helmet) and with what anvil was this test conducted? The 6D’s poorest result at this velocity is 216 G’s on the Cold test on the flat anvil. This is still well below the certification threshold of failure.
The reason we did not publish the data at 7.5 m/sec on our web site is that the certification testing is either pass or fail. There is no grey area. The 6D passes all of the certification tests with flying colors. If anyone really wants to get technical, then start exploring the HIC (Head Injury Criteria) data that you can see in the photo of our results. 6D’s HIC numbers are exceptional.
The other reason we did not post the 7.5 m/sec data was we had way too much information to communicate with our technology and the introduction of ODS so we chose accordingly. There is a lot of education to do out there pertaining to this topic and unfortunately it is difficult to communicate and in some cases difficult to understand.
So all of that said, the comparison of the 6D to the Bell in the information provided by “The Fast Guy” is invalid as no one except Bell knows the specific locations of the tests they did at 3 & 5 m/sec, and which anvil was used and at what temperature. While the figure might be valid, he is comparing apples to oranges because the test site (and surely other details) is not consistent with our data.
All of this data above relates to linear impact testing, but the real jewel in the ODS technology is its ability to isolate the brain from the outer surface of the helmet in a superior manner to a single monolithic block of EPS material, be it single, duel, or triple density, with or without MIPS technology. 6D’s goal was to mitigate the energy transfer to the brain in the event of a crash and reduce rotational energy transfer.
We know these concussive impacts are severe and the medical community tells us they are bad for one’s well-being. Common sense tells us that reducing this energy transfer to the brain is good. The technology we developed seems to be doing a great job of this based on the many testimonials we have received now that riders have been crashing in their 6D’s in the real world. We have some incredibly torn up helmets by now and we do not promote in any way, shape, or form you will not get a concussion or be injured in the 6D helmet. No one can make that claim.
We all take fantastic risk riding and racing our motorcycles and that’s why we wear helmets… Motocross is the best sport in the world and I want it to be there for my kids kids, and their kids too. I personally feel like we need to be working on track design and safety a bit more today. The bikes are just too good.
Anyone looking for specific information about 6D is welcome to contact our offices and we will do our best to answer your questions. I also want to say “Thank You” to everyone that has purchased a 6D as your support is allowing continued R&D of our ODS technology for other helmets that will be released in the future.
714-772-2121.
Sincerely,
Bob Weber
6D Helmets
Oh yeah....welcome to Vital, it's everything you've heard and then some!
I was definitely getting one before and that just made me clearer about why.
Hey Doug! Glad to hear you're ok mate, that crash was crazy, I was actually wondering when and how, bloody snuck up on ya didn't it! Braking bump kicker? Time to get the shock revalved mate? haha. Glad you're ok!
The thing I like about it that just makes sense is any of us that ever hit our head on the ground you feel that shit. It hurts like a mother. You get a bad headache right away. Sure you were protected and didn't crack your head open but you feel it in your head and it hurts andt you always thought how nice would it have been if my head was not only protected from the material but what if there was a suspension so when I hit the dirt it was all nice and plush and I didn't feel anything.
Imagine riding your bike without suspension. Sure, it's better than jumping that high without a bike but you still feel it and it hurts that's why we have suspension on our bikes.
I had a very low speed crash one time and hit the dirt head first and got a concussion. Had a few higher speed ones with larger falls as well. So if it's just as effective as the other ones but also gives suspension inside the helmet and adds that benefit as well then it just makes sense to buy it. I mean it seems logical.
Head injuries are scary stuff so I hope it does just as good a job as regular helmets and then adds more protection on top of it. It appears that way. There's a side of me that's still skeptical but I do like the technology.
While I am forever sceptical, the theory behind 6D's design is strong and I appreciate the transparency vs the typical "trust us our helmets are expensive and we've been doing this a long time so our helmets are the best" marketing spiel that seems to be so popular. Looking at picking one up but unfortunately I seem to be in between sizes and they're like $850 in Canada which is a lot to spend on a helmet that might not fit right.
Pit Row
I would suspect that the lower speed impacts of moto (compared to street) would be similar to having a couple of linebackers slam into each other. But then again, I'm just guessing.
I was about to buy from Bob's Cycle but then noticed I had a 10% coupon from ebay. I ended up getting one for $603 (free ship).
When I got it, it was too stiff and hurt my head, so I went back to the Arai...which is super soft.
However...I called 6D with this issue and got the most amazing service that one could expect. They sent out some new foam and instructions and I installed it...and...now the 6D is the only helmet I run with.
I should add that I don't have much hair so that may have something to do with it.
And...I don't really know much about the technology BUT I really do like the fact that the have a piece of safety equipment that they test and show the numbers from.
So I'm a fan.
By the way, brain injuries, even the really small ones, are a really big deal...for the rest of your life. So...don't skimp on helmets.
Being tall licks balls sometimes.
Last crash was a couple days ago--Saturday before Father's day. He was double-doubling whoops, but picked a higher gear. He did a spectacular endo and landed on the back of his head. Wrecked an oversized rotor in the process, so he couldn't practice any more, as he wanted to. Then we reviewed the damage to the helmet and had one of those father-son hugs. He said "These things are amazing! I literally did not feel a thing." Then he spent the day cleaning the garage instead of racing . . . 'cause he won't ride with any other lid. Smart kid. I got to catch up with my bud at 6D today. There is no better customer service for anything that I have found. Great people, great principles, great product. I agree with you 100 percent, DaveJ.
Very similar experience here when meeting Bob Weber and the 6D staff in person. I brought mine in for evaluation, even though I knew it had served it's purpose and was finished. I also brought the crash video on DVD; no need though, they had already seen it and analyzed it from seeing it here on Vital
My only hope is as they grow and become a larger, more successful company with bigger offices and more employees, that Bob Weber's passion and commitment of helping to preserve life stands firm. I've worked for a company that went from 90 employees to 600 in 9 years and watched in heartbreak and dismay as the culture shifted from service and passion for the mission statement to profit and growth. Hence, i've been with a different company for about 14 months
Cheers Bob Weber and 6D.
Doug
Post a reply to: 6D helmet users