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All About Helmets.


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Hey guys,

 

I have been away for a bit, so here is an interesting topic of debate.What should one look for in a good helmet/what makes a good helmet?

 

What helmet do you use and what do you have to say about them? Is carbon fiber and kevlar really so much superior to fiberglass as far as impact resistance is concerned?

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I like a helmet that is lighweight and not too LOUD inside. It's a tough tradeoff between good ventilation and low noise. I wore Shoeis for years and they were a very comfortable fit, but I have a KBC now and was very pleasantly surprised to find that it was as light or lighter, and considerably quieter than the Shoei I had before.

 

I haven't used a carbon fibre one yet but I look forward to getting one, they are super light weight.

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Carbon fiber or fiberglass in a helmet isn't much of a difference.. they are designed to "give" when impact occurs, so while the carbon fiber might be a little stiffer, the real important part is the give in the syrofoam inside the helmet. . If you wanted an impenetrable helmet, then you could easily make a all carbon fiber helmet but your noggin might be in trouble when you hit something as it wouldn't give at all .. .

 

My list of factors are similar to hotfoot above - I prefer quieter helmets. . Shoei and Arai both make excellent helmets and are the big names in the space. . The quietest helmet I've used is the schuberth (German) which are known for their F1 helmets. However, they don't have a broad range in their helmet line as its pretty much the best modular or best track helmet and thats it. . I'm not a fan of AGV helmets. They look great but it sounds like a wind tunnel inside. . .

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The biggest thing I look for in a helmet is the built in sun visor, it might not be a big deal for a track only helmet, but if you commute or do a lot of street riding its really awesome to have. Its one of those things that once you get used to having it, the idea of not having it becomes unacceptable. It used to be hard to find, but its becoming more common with most brands incorporating it into their lineup

 

I've have a few Scorpion helmets, most recently a EXO-500 which I was pretty happy with, still use one for track riding, I have a new Shoei GT-Air helmet which I like very much, it came with a pin lock system which is also a very nice feature.

 

Schuberth has a much larger helmet lineup for sale in Europe, but their import line in the USA is very limited

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Actually the lineup is the same there and here. . . they sometimes have a few more colors in certain styles there than here. . The same C3Pro, S2, and SR1 are there and here.

 

What I meant was that they just don't have a $400 helmet - its all $600-$900 for their helmets which is fine for some but difficult to recommend that to others.

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Thanks for the input guys.Schuberth helmets are very good but pricey.Even more than top shelf AGV and SHoei helmets.

 

The older SHoei's were noisy but the new RF 1200 is supposed to be well vented but quiet.I am looking to get a new helmet and was looking at the AGV Ti Tech.It was AGV's top of the line race helmets a while ago and go fairly cheap now.Anyone familiar with them?

 

Was also looking at the Shark RSR2 which is a full carbon fibre and aramid composite shell.

 

Any good helmets you know of in the 100-300 dollar range? Will be used for commuting, touring and some track riding.

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I used to wear Shoei and liked them, they fit my noggin, I liked the way the visor changed, and I didn’t think they were too loud. But I replaced my last one with an Aria Corsair V and I was amazed at the aerodynamic difference. The Arai really seems to cut through the air better. It especially doesn’t seem to catch as much air when I turn my head. And it flows a ridiculous amount of air. That said it is the loudest helmet I have ever ridden in, not a big problem on the track but it's not as street friendly as the Shoei.

 

 

One helmet I might consider is the carbon fiber KBC. Cobie was riding one last year and really seemed to like it. When he showed me his I was impressed by how light weight it was. And I believe it sells for less than $400.

 

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Actually the lineup is the same there and here. . . they sometimes have a few more colors in certain styles there than here. . The same C3Pro, S2, and SR1 are there and here.

 

What I meant was that they just don't have a $400 helmet - its all $600-$900 for their helmets which is fine for some but difficult to recommend that to others.

 

 

My mistake, last time I looked at their product line they had more helmets in it and were only Importing one of them here, they have only been available in the US for a few years now.

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I have to agree with the aerodynamics of the Corsair V. I upgraded from a lower model Arai to the Corsair V and was absolutely amazed with the way it cut through the wind. I'm not bothered much by wind noise on the track because I'm wearing ear plugs. On the roads at lower speeds earplugs are not needed but for long interstate journey's they certainly make things more comfortable.

 

Choosing a helmet is a balance between picking the features that are important to you and minimizing the disadvantages.

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Stoker,

I would say first and almost a proper helmet fit is paramount. I would consider the fit of a helmet the main factor, unless the helmet is total garbage in crash ratings, then I would go with a helmet that didn't fit as well for the safety factor. If possible have a helmet professionally fitted. You may be surprised as to what you actually wear. A very close friend that is a member here wore XL helmets for years. He was fitted for a helmet that ended up being a small. A lot of brands have different "fits" for the helmets in their line up.

 

As for the Shark RSR2's they are good helmets. I have 2 of them. They are outdated and out of production (but lighter than the new Carbon helmet that replaced it), finding replacement parts is becoming a problem, almost impossible in the US.

 

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Totally agree with previous points on getting a proper fit - have it fitted professionally if possible. I used The Service Pavillion (Arai dealer often found traveling around the AMA circuit) to select/fit the correct helmet and I was very pleased.

 

Also, my take on helmets generally is: you get what you pay for. Less expensive helmets might protect just as well as more expensive helmets; however, overall quality, fit, comfort, etc., are almost always better the more you spend.

 

Having crashed landed on my head and having had to live with a year of post-concussion syndrome, I'll offer a final thought: do you want to trust your one and only brain to a cheap helmet? (yes, yes, cheap is relative; just something to think about though)

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I had similar thoughts regarding price and protection.However, some of the older top shelf helmets are going fairly cheap now...so i suppose price is subjective.

 

In addition, i agree that fit is of prime importance.Many people think a helmet should be loose and comfy but apparently they should be so tight you must not be able to chew gum or talk while wearing one.

 

I was looking at the Vemar Eclipse.Any experience with this one?

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The advice I've received on fitting a helmet is to try it on without the cheek pads if you can. Ensure it fits the crown of your head first & foremost. Then change the cheek pads to be comfortable if that is possible. Either way, pay attention to how it fits your head & not your cheeks.

 

Benny

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  • 4 weeks later...

Given that in-the-ear protection is so good these days, how important should it be that a helmet is rated as quiet? I've got a Schuberth C3, the top rated helmet in terms of it's own noise attenuation, and I also wear a several year old Arai that still fits my head great but is way noisier by itself. But with my custom molded ear protection or with just the cheap foamy plugs, there's really no difference in how much noise reaches my ears comparing helmets. Noggin protection and of course fit are most important maybe followed by aerodynamics, weight, quality of construction for things like the face shield mechanism, amount of venting available, and even appearance all seem to be more important than how quiet it's rated. That's assuming you're protecting your ears which we should all be doing every time we jump on the bike.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I used a school SR1 that seemed like it was brand new. I used it for two days so I feel like I got a pretty good indication of how it fit and how it felt aerodynamically at speed. I'm sold and this will definitely be my new track day hat.

33P_5712-XL.jpg

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I have a question for the helmet experts. I typically wear an XS helmet, and even with the XS I have to put padding in the crown to keep the helmet from coming down too low on my eyes. Recently I bought a youth helmet for my son, and out of curiosity I tried it on - and it fit me really well!

 

So now I am wondering - is there any reason why I shouldn't wear a youth size helmet? Is there any actual safety-related difference between a youth size helmet and an adult helmet with XS size padding inserts? The particular helmet he has seems both lighter and smaller than some of the adult XS helmets I have tried. (ALL of my dirtbike gear is in youth sizes, it is easier to find than women's gear and usually priced lower, too.)

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  • 2 weeks later...

For the Schuberth experts - I saw something on the web about specific models for women, that had some features that sound interesting to me, including a different fit, smaller sizes, different type of liner, etc. I need a helmet for roadracing, do you have one in a women's version?

 

As far as I could tell the women's model was only in the flip-up version, and I have never tried one of those. Are they suitable for racing use? It would be for roadracing-use only (no street riding), speeds up to 160-170mph. If that one is not suitable, what model is best to use?

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  • 2 weeks later...

For the Schuberth experts - I saw something on the web about specific models for women, that had some features that sound interesting to me, including a different fit, smaller sizes, different type of liner, etc. I need a helmet for roadracing, do you have one in a women's version?

 

As far as I could tell the women's model was only in the flip-up version, and I have never tried one of those. Are they suitable for racing use? It would be for roadracing-use only (no street riding), speeds up to 160-170mph. If that one is not suitable, what model is best to use?

 

The woman's version is currently just available in the flip front helmets (C3/C3W and C3 PRO/C3 PRO Women). Key differences are (over) simplified into "Foam, Face Fit, and Fabric".

 

The foam in the cheek pads is a memory type as opposed to the standard open-cell type

The face fit accommodates a woman's (generally) higher cheek bones and narrower facial profile

The fabric is softer and is intended to be easier to clean in terms of makeup removal

 

We have fit many men into these, and women in the men's helmet, because it really is about fit first. Some guys have narrower faces, and some women have wider.

 

In terms of suitability for track use, the flip front helmets tend to like a more upright riding position. On a dedicated sport bike, you may notice a reduced vertical field of view when "tucked in". Aside from that, some tracks and/or sanctioning bodies may have restrictions on either the flip front type of helmet in general, or on the quick-release chin strap.

 

Our best dedicated track helmet is the SR1. It is the lightest and best ventilated and was designed with the racer in mind. It does not come in a woman's fit, but so far I haven't seen much of a need for one. The helmet fits close and snug, just like it should. It's definitely worth checking out.

 

Hope this helps.

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