Stilo Motorsport Helmet Guide — New Zealand
Stilo Motorsport Helmet Guide — New Zealand
Written by Aaron Harris — Barcelona 24 Hour class winner, Bathurst competitor, and MSNZ licence examiner for helmets and racewear.
This page exists to help you make the right decision — not to sell you the most expensive helmet we stock. Stilo makes some of the finest motorsport helmets available, but the right choice depends entirely on what you're doing, which series you're competing in, and what your regulations actually require.
Read this before you buy anything.
ST5 vs ST6 — What's the Actual Difference?
This is the question we get most often. Here's the honest answer.
Stilo ST5
The ST5 is Stilo's mid-range circuit and rally helmet, homologated to FIA 8859-2015. It is the correct helmet for the vast majority of NZ club and national competitors. It's built from fibreglass composite, is well-ventilated, and integrates cleanly with Stilo's intercom and radio systems.
- Homologation: FIA 8859-2015
- Shell: Fibreglass composite
- Weight: ~1,350 g
- Best for: Club circuit, club rally, track days, hill climb
- Comms: Full Stilo intercom/radio integration
Stilo ST6
The ST6 is Stilo's premium helmet, homologated to FIA 8860-2018 — the highest standard in circuit racing. It uses a carbon fibre shell, is significantly lighter than the ST5, and is the helmet of choice for professional and semi-professional circuit competitors.
- Homologation: FIA 8860-2018
- Shell: Carbon fibre
- Weight: ~1,100 g
- Best for: National and international circuit racing, GT, single-seaters
- Comms: Full Stilo intercom/radio integration
Which Should You Choose?
If your series regulations accept FIA 8859-2015, the ST5 is the correct choice. The ST6's FIA 8860-2018 homologation is only required in a small number of NZ series. Buying an ST6 when your series accepts 8859 is not wrong — but it may not be necessary. Check your series' current technical regulations before deciding.
Rally vs Circuit vs Karting — Which Helmet Do You Need?
Circuit Racing
Full-face helmet required in all NZ circuit racing series. FIA 8859-2015 is accepted in most club and national categories. FIA 8860-2018 is required in some higher-level series — check your specific regulations.
Stilo options: ST5 (8859), ST6 (8860)
Rally
Full-face helmet required. FIA 8859-2015 is the standard accepted across NZ rally from club level through to NZRC. The ST5 is the most common choice among NZ rally competitors. Helmet communications are strongly recommended and often required at national level — the ST5 integrates directly with Stilo's intercom systems.
Stilo options: ST5 Rally (8859)
Karting
Stilo helmets are not CMR homologated and are therefore not approved for regulated racing kart use in NZ. If you are karting, you need a CMR 2016 homologated helmet. We stock alternatives — ask us.
FIA 8859 vs FIA 8860 — When Does It Actually Matter?
FIA 8859-2015
The standard accepted across the majority of NZ and international club and national motorsport. Fibreglass or composite shell. Covers circuit racing, rally, hill climb, and most other categories. If you are competing at club or national level in NZ, this is almost certainly the standard your series requires.
FIA 8860-2018
The premium standard, mandatory in FIA Formula racing, GT World Challenge, WEC, and a small number of other international series. Carbon fibre shell required. In NZ, very few series mandate FIA 8860-2018. If your series does not specifically require it, you do not need it.
The Honest Summary
For most NZ competitors: FIA 8859-2015 is sufficient. If you are unsure what your series requires, contact your series organiser or ask us — we will tell you the truth, even if it means recommending a less expensive helmet.
Open-Face vs Full-Face — Licence Implications in NZ
- Full-face helmets are required for all circuit racing, rally, and most competitive categories under Motorsport NZ.
- Open-face helmets may be permitted for some non-competitive track activities, hill climb categories, and certain historic classes — but this varies by event and category.
- If you hold a Motorsport NZ competition licence and are competing in any circuit or rally event, assume a full-face helmet is required unless your specific category regulations state otherwise.
Helmet Communications — What You Need to Know
Stilo helmets are designed from the ground up for integrated communications — this is one of their key advantages over many competing brands.
Rally
Driver-to-co-driver intercom is standard practice in NZ rally and is required at national level. The ST5 Rally integrates directly with Stilo's intercom systems and is compatible with most NZ rally radio setups.
Circuit Racing
Pit-to-car radio is used across NZ circuit racing from club level upward. Stilo helmets accept integrated speaker and microphone kits that connect to standard radio systems. Harris Race Radios can advise on the correct radio and intercom combination for your helmet and series.
This guide is maintained by Harris Race Radios — New Zealand's specialist motorsport communications and safety equipment supplier. If anything here is unclear or your situation isn't covered, contact us directly. We'd rather spend ten minutes helping you choose correctly than have you buy the wrong thing.