1.2kg Helmet Weight Limit Scrapped

In 2018, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) proposed a new ruling to ban the sales of non-ISI certified helmets. It was a great decision given how risky those non-certified helmets are. However, there was another new rule that stated that the weight of a helmet cannot exceed 1.2kg. This new policy sought to make helmets lighter and comfortable and also convince riders to wear them. While the new rule was definitely good, it also meant that helmets from foreign brands couldn’t be sold in India as most of them weigh 1.4-1.5kg.

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Safeguarding local manufacturers from foreign competition is always welcome, but the fact remains that Indian helmet manufacturers cannot match the safety or quality standards of foreign brands. Another big aspect is the price. Most locally manufactured ISI-certified helmets cost well under Rs 2,000 while imported helmets are priced above Rs 5,000. More importantly, the BIS ruling meant that those who were willing to spend the extra money and didn’t mind the extra weight in favour of safety would be breaking the law! Understandably, this rule faced a lot of flak from two-wheeler enthusiasts.

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Thankfully, the government has taken feedback and scrapped the older rule. BIS has confirmed that the helmet weight limit has been raised to 1.5kg again but imported helmets have to comply with the ISI norms. The new policy will come into effect from September 4.

This new rule should come as a sigh of relief for imported helmet dealers and enthusiasts who refuse to compromise on quality, and rightly so. We, at ZigWheels, laud the decision and encourage our readers to invest in good quality riding gear for their safety.