Be careful: paints and varnishes can destroy the integrity (strength) of the shell and the helmet will lose its rating. Do not apply either without consulting with the manufacturer.

 

As long as you don't bake the paint, it's fine. Every professional race driver out there has their helmet painted.

 

The solvent in some coatings can deteriorate the shell. It's still worth checking with the helmet manufacturer.


This is your brain:



This is your brain on track:

 

I think Kyle/Mahjik has it right....not sure if the M helmets don't comply with the multiple hit part, they do not have the nomes liner.
Pretty sure most HPDE groups permit the M helmets.
A bit strange to worry about fire as we all in HPDE seem to wear cotton pants and shirts, often short sleeves and so on, so to obsess about a helmet liner is a trifle amusing.
As mentioned fit is everything...many have a Shoei head...many have an Arai head.
Then we can get into full face v. open....the topic has endless possibilities.
Bottom line...just like voting, go HPDE'ing "early and often".

 

It's an old wise tale that pops up on car forums from time to time with zero evidence to back up the claim. Maybe if you have some 60 year old lead paint in a barn, that may not be a good idea to use... However, the suggestion in this thread is for a professional painter who specializes in painting helmets, rather than suggesting the OP do it on his/her own.

 

Motorcycle and Automobile standards are different. I was going to look for a simple link but started down a rabbit hole of dry specs, baseless opinions, and everything in between. I gave up, so if it is critical to you, do your own research. I've been through a fair number of motorcycle helmets and have sufficient trust in the sanctioning bodies that I get what is required for what I do. Or better.

I'd be multiply dead without quality motorcycle helmets. When the car event organizers tell me that I need a different helmet to satisfy them, I buy one. For HPDE I was OK with an M/C helmet, but not for wheel to wheel racing, and not just because of the SFI rating.

 

It's a moot point as autocross isn't racing, and I might be one and done anyway. LOL I saw that Nuremberg crash reel and yeah I am so super duper not going to do that. AND NOT BECAUSE I'M SAVING IT FOR A FUTURE COLLECTOR. LOL

 

I've never autocrossed but HPDE was a hoot, especially at a track where I have so many motorcycle laps. Still, I imagine there's nothing quite as much fun as saving your car for a future collector. Maybe I'll give that a try. Someday. Maybe.

 

Coming back to this, I spent a few more minutes and found a brief FAQ on differing standards on the Snell Memorial Foundation website:

Snell Foundation - Helmet FAQ

Flammability and multi-impact are the two factors listed.