ACU removes 5,000 fake helmet stickers
The Auto-Cycle Union has taken fresh steps to enhance rider safety after removing 5,000 counterfeit stickers online.
A growing number of fake ‘ACU Approved’ helmet stickers have surfaced on the black market, with the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) leading a major crackdown effort.
The ACU claims to have already removed 5,000 fake helmet stickers as part of those efforts, while its investigation is being supported by its legal partners and Trading Standards. The ACU has also confirmed that, together with its partners, it has “acted” against eBay “for trademark breaches”.
If you’ve been a rider for any period of time, or are new to motorcycles and just starting out, you will know, or most definitely should know, that all gold ‘ACU Approved’ stickers are necessary for track days and all sanctioned racing events.
Helmets used for such events go through the ACU’s vigorous safety tests and are then awarded a gold ‘ACU Approved’ sticker by the manufacturer or importer.
Matthew Edwards-Wear, CEO of the ACU, said this about the ongoing situation.
“This is a serious issue for rider safety. Anyone using a helmet with a fake or tampered sticker is putting themselves in serious danger. We’re committed to stamping this fraudulent activity out and protecting our competitors.”
“With the help of our partners, we’ve already acted against eBay for trademark breaches and removed over 5,000 fake stickers from sale. It’s a strong first step, but our work will continue to make sure we eradicate any illegal activity that threatens the safety of competitors and fundamentally goes against what we stand for as a members’ organisation.”
The ACU, aside from doing its best to remove as many fake stickers as it can, is also working on new agreements with manufacturers and importers to offer a more strict system, so that any attempts to produce counterfeit stickers are stopped going forward.
Additionally, the ACU is set to roll out new hologram-style gold ‘ACU Approved’ stickers, which will be available for the 2026 season.
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
