AMA staff members Nick Haris and Mike Sayre visited the Snell Foundation in North Highlands, Calif., for a tour of the facility where motorcycle helmets are tested.

The foundation is dedicated to “head protection through scientific and medical research, standards development, helmet testing and public education.”

Snell staff demonstrated the range of testing they do, from impact to flame resistance. One tidbit from the tour: Snell workers use a log splitter to destroy helmets after testing, because people were “dumpster diving” for discarded helmets.

The Snell visit came about after Haris and Sayre attended the annual gathering of the State Motorcycle Safety Administrators in Sacramento, Calif.