The Auto Cycle Union (ACU) is working to prevent a rash of fake helmet approval stickers, which were being offered for sale online. The ‘ACU Approved’ gold stickers, which are required on helmets for racing and track days in the UK, are usually applied to approved helmets when they are new – riders don’t need to add them later.

Supported by Trading Standards and legal partners, the ACU has had over 5000 fake stickers removed from the market. “This is a serious issue for rider safety,” said Matthew Edwards-Wear, CEO of the ACU. “Anyone using a helmet with a fake or tampered sticker is putting themselves in serious danger.” The genuine stickers bear the words ‘British Motorcycle Sport’ and the ‘ACU Approved’ logo – all helmets carrying these stickers have undergone independent analysis by the ACU. Edwards-Wear added: “Our work will continue to make sure we eradicate any illegal activity that threatens the safety of competitors and fundamentally goes against what we stand for as a members’ organisation.”

At the BMF, chair Jim Freeman welcomed the ACU’s move. “Counterfeit approval stickers and clothing labels used to mark goods sold to riders are a big problem, not just for competition use but for ordinary road riders. The BMF are 100% behind the ACU initiative. The scale of the problem is revealed by the numbers involved; this doesn’t look like individuals affixing labels to their existing helmets but traders ‘certifying’ their stock to enhance sales. As ever, if something looks like a surprisingly good deal, don’t be the one getting surprised. That said, if a rider wants a custom finish on a helmet there should be an avenue to obtaining legitimate replacement stickers, perhaps the ACU could oblige, for a fee naturally?”

Written by Peter Henshaw

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