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Arai Helmet

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Arai Helmet, Limited
Company typeJoint stock company
IndustryMotorcycle helmet Auto racing Kart Racing Helmet manufacturing
FounderHirotake Arai
Headquarters
Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture
,
Japan
Key people
Michio Arai (executive director)
Akihito Arai
Websitewww.araihelmet.com

Arai Helmet Limited (株式会社 アライヘルメット, Kabushiki-gaisha Arai Herumetto) is a Japanese company that designs and manufactures motorcycle helmets and other helmets for motorsports.

The business has roots from the turn of the century involving cap production, followed by military headgear from 1930 onwards, industrial safety helmets after World War II, and finally motorcycle helmets from 1952 onward.[1][2]

History

Arai's origins can be traced back to the production of kepi-style caps by Yuichiro Arai in 1900. His son, Hirotake Arai (who succeeded his father in 1930), a keen motorcyclist, was approached to create a new design of sun-barrier caps for the growing Imperial Japanese Army, which was later involved in the 1934 invasion of China, the Second Sino-Japanese War, and World War II.[1]

After production was stopped during WWII, Hirotake Arai created the Arai Sewing Machine Company, which produced and exported T-shirts and overalls in occupied Japan in the late 1940s. When Japanese construction industry unions made protective headwear compulsory, Arai produced safety helmets for construction workers, made from a resin outer shell lined with cork (which has since been substituted with expanded polystyrene). He wore an industrial safety helmet when riding his motorcycle and established a new business, the Arai Hirotake Shoten Co. Ltd. After being awarded a Japanese Industrial Standards license in 1950, Arai began manufacturing and selling the first Japanese motorcycling helmets, designated H.A. after his initials.[1][2][3]

Expansion

Hirotake Arai's son Michio had spent time in the United States,[2] recognizing a potential market for their helmets (which was dominated by Bell at the time). Arai was approached by New Jersey-based motorsport accessory retailer Roger Weston,[3][4][5] who later managed the Arai Helmet Americas division,[6] with a goal to recruit an American racer from the Daytona 200 to wear an Arai helmet. Despite approaching top American racers and with hopes of Dave Aldana agreeing, it was not until 1978 that Ted Boody Jr. became the first official Arai racer outside of Japan (followed by Freddie Spencer, the first non-Japanese Arai-contracted Grand Prix rider).[1]

In 1983, Belgian former motorcycle road racer Ferry Brouwer formulated a business plan to bring Arai helmets to Continental Europe, creating the Dutch Arai Europe division.[1]

Technical aspects

Arai's helmets are hand-built,[7] with each fibre-reinforced plastic shell incorporating multiple reinforcing parts laid onto a round base (known as a "bird's nest").[2][8] Shells are assembled inside a concave metal mould, moulded using a process pioneered by Arai, inspected, and cured in a kiln before further processing and inspection.[8]

Safety

All Arai helmets sold in the US are made to meet or exceed Snell Memorial Foundation safety standards. A number of Arai helmets meet FIA requirements for Formula One and other motorsports.[9]

Accolades

From 1999 to 2011, Arai was ranked first in customer satisfaction in all thirteen annual J. D. Power and Associates Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction studies.[10][11][12]

  • Arai XD helmet kit
    Arai XD helmet kit
  • Arai Astro helmet
    Arai Astro helmet
  • Custom-painted Arai GP5 helmet
    Custom-painted Arai GP5 helmet
  • Björn Wirdheim wearing an Arai helmet
    Björn Wirdheim wearing an Arai helmet

References

  1. ^ a b c d e The story of Arai: Thinking ahead. Interview with Michio Arai by Laurent Benchana. Motorcycle Sport & Leisure, January 2004, pp.062-067. Accessed January 10 2020
  2. ^ a b c d Tuttle, Mark. "Inside Arai Helmets | Rider Magazine". Rider. Retrieved 2021-02-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b HA/Arai helmet recall, U.S. Department of Transportation (facsimile legal documents), August, 1977 (at Google Books). Retrieved January 10, 2020
  4. ^ R.I.P. Roger Weston, Former President Of Arai Helmet Americas roadracingworld.com, January 17, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020
  5. ^ Rest In Peace Former President of Arai Helmet Americas, Roger Weston Cycle World, January 19, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020
  6. ^ Arai Helmet Americas, Inc., legal document at Florida Department of State sunbiz.org, December 9, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2020
  7. ^ "Pursuit of Quality". Araiamericas.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-02. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  8. ^ a b "Made in Japan: Up Close From Inside the Arai Helmet Factory". Ultimate Motorcycling. 2019-09-27. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  9. ^ https://www.fia.com/file/80537/download/9264
  10. ^ "2008 Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study | J.D. Power and Associates". J.D. Power. J.D. Power and Associates. 2008-06-02. Archived from the original on 2008-12-15. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  11. ^ "News". Arai. Arai Americas. 2008-06-02. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  12. ^ "J.D. Power 2011 U.S. Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Results | Rider | Rider Magazine". Rider. Retrieved 2021-02-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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