Munich, Germany - Recalls are becoming so commonplace in the automotive world that we sometimes don't bother to report on them if it's a model that's not sold in South Africa and there's no safety risk involved.
However, this is the first time we've seen a recall on a motorcycle helmet - to be precise, the BMW Helmet Sport, which is apparently made for the Blue Propeller Boykies by Schuberth, a very reputable purveyor of crash hats for road and track.
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According to the BMW statement this particular helmet, identified by the model code 059241/P on the chinstrap, doesn't fully meet the approval test requirements of the European standard UNECE R 22.05.
Exactly what that provision is, BMW doesn't say, but it stresses that there's no safety risk involved - you can bash and crash it and yank on the strap, and the helmet won't let you down. No other helmets in the BMW bikewear range are affected.
Nevertheless, BMW has decided to take this helmet off the market. Owners (of whom there are 1140 in South Africa) are asked to hand in their helmets at any BMW dealership.
Regardless of the age of the helmet (and they've been available here since 2008, so some of them must be pretty well worn out by now) BMW will exchange it straight up for another helmet (or anything in its bikewear range) of equivalent value.