You have the somewhat unique allowance in the US to opt out of wearing gear, and I've made my thoughts on that clear—you do you. But there are few things worse in this industry than taking advantage of those who pay to gear up by selling them sub-par or even dangerous gear. That's exactly what a company called Bikers Lifestyle did.
Bikers Lifestyle was investigated by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) earlier this year and, as a result, prosecuted at Willesden Magistrates Court and ordered to pay over £10,000 ($13,490) in fines and costs. But when you hear the reason the company was fined, you might agree with me in thinking that it wasn't enough.
The DVSA prosecuted the company for selling helmets that failed to meet the required UK safety standards for eye protection, but that's just where the products' lacking start. One model of helmet in particular was tested and produced results that indicated a 100% risk of fatality in a collision. Furthermore, three out of four helmets sold by Bikers Lifestyle failed to meet UK safety standards catastrophically.
The successful prosecution of Bikers Lifestyle is all down to the vigilance of the DVSA's Market Surveillance Unit, which carried out independent laboratory testing on the brand's helmets. After the results were shown to the magistrates, it was concluded that there was a high degree of culpability and risk of harm to consumers. The company then had to remove all non-compliant products from its range.
The technical director of the PVA PPE Group, Paul Varnsverry, said, "The prosecution of Bikers Lifestyle Limited was vital, given the serious nature of its conduct. It's unclear whether the financial burden of the fine, legal costs, and customer reimbursements led to the company’s dissolution, or if liquidation was used as a means to evade payment. In a similar case involving motorcycle clothing, directors were personally required to settle penalties or face imprisonment. It remains to be seen whether the director in this case will be recalled to court to pay up or face custodial consequences."
Although the company has been dissolved, this might not be the end we see of the gear or, at least, this type of gear. Motorcycle helmets without CE certification or falsely claiming CE certification are rampant on selling platforms like Facebook Marketplace, and my advice for anyone who wants to buy gear is to do so from a trusted retailer, because companies like Bikers Lifestyle are popping up faster than they can be shut down.
Oh, and any brand falsely claiming CE certification deserves more than a $13,490 fine, or do you disagree?
