Helmets

[weymouth399]

I have seen posts about helmets here before. I am in need for a quiet, light weight helmet. My race car helmet is way to loud as well my dirt bike helmet. I don't have a $10.00 dollar head, so cheap isn't what I'm looking for. (don't want to go crazy) I just would like some imput from all you experts, likes, dislikes.
TIA Bob

[Kopfjaeger]

ive had shoie and nolan helmets and at the moment r jays helmet and a cheap agv helmet. by far for me was the nolan. pretty comfy bit of wind noise but light and  nice. the rjays are good but i dont like thier visor system it breaks too easy. the agv was shit the shoie was beautiful. nolan was 300 ish aus, r jays about 220 aus and the shoie was 500 and the agv was just shit and none of them pinched my crown and gave me a headache. m2r helmets do tht to me as do thh and other cheap helmets.

[markmartin]

Bob, I've been happy with the Shoei RF-1000.  It's light, it fits my head well and has an excellent visor.  It's also easy to change the visor if I want to remove my mirrored visor to a clear one if driving at night. It's got a removable chip 'flap' that snaps into the bottom of the helmet that keeps alot of wind from coming up into the helmet. It's vented and these seem to work pretty well. 
Check out this article in Webbikeworld  http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/shoei/rf-1000/

I find it fogs up pretty easily on cool mornings, although I can push the visor open just a crack to slove this---perhaps I'm not adjusting the visor setting or vents correctly--I'm going to look into that---

the above article in Webbike world claims that it is quiet--I've nothing to compare it to but a dirt bike helmet so I'll take their word for it. -- I still want to wear ear plugs if I'm going any distance.

If I could change anything, I'd like the opening to be wider on the sides for better peripheral vision.

[SkyFive]

Here ye' go, this is what I bought and I'm very pleased with it. It is half price too.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nolan-X-1002-Metallic-Silver-Helmet-XLarge-XL-Modular-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2ea5987eaeQQitemZ200346730158QQptZApparelQ5fMerchandise

P.s - Make an offer of $135. plus shipping.

[Travis398]

i would suggest to get one that is at least snell approved.

[jvb_ca]

Bob.
I also have a Shoei RF1000. Am very happy with it. It was the best fiting/most comfortable helmet I tried on a few years ago. Not as light as the HJC Carbon I was also looking at, but the comfort was better. It does seem to be a bit noisy, but good fitting earplugs quite things down. Visor is easy to change and I don't ride in winter(at least not the FJ) so fogging is not really an issue. The little spoiler at the rear really works at speed.(not that I do that  ) but it seems to keep the helmet from wanting to lift off of my head, as my old one did. The RF1100 is out now, so there are lots of RF1000 mark downs out there.

Cheers...Jake

[spsmith_fj1200]

I have a couple of Arai helmets, since I can find one of those that fits the shape of my head.    I owned a Shoei but the shape of the helmet gave me a headache on days when I rode long distances.

[weymouth399]

Great info guys thats why I asked please keep it coming . A new helmet 

[Dan Filetti]

Bob, I've been happy with the Shoei RF-1000.  It's light, it fits my head well and has an excellent visor. 

+1 on Shoei -Really like my RF-1000, fits better than many others I've tried, for more money even...

Dan

[Pat Conlon]

To answer the question, I would have to say, it depends on the shape of your head.
I'm a fan of Arai. Yes, they're expensive. Any helmet mfgr. who makes different models based on the shape of the skull is, IMHO, on the right track. My Irish noggin has a long oval shape, and the Arai Profile helmet is the most comfortable helmet I have ever owned. Ever. Like after 42 years of wearing helmets.
I've had Shoei's, HJC's, Simpson's in the past but, nothing compares with the comfort of my Arai.
If you have more of a intermediate oval, or round oval skull shape, the Shoei's should fit fine, but for me, they pinch my forehead. You can't immediately notice this pinch when you try on the helmets in the store, only after about 30 minutes of riding, then this pinch turns wicked. It would get progressively worse as the ride continues. Very distracting.  I would take a ball peen hammer and try to compress the styrofoam on the forehead area but I could never get it right, always the pinch.
We had a FJ rally in Gunnison Colorado a couple of years ago and the Irish bloke, we call Nobby, came out from New York to join us.
IIRC He was wearing a Shoei RF1000 on his trip out and, when he took off his helmet at the Gunnison KOA, you should have seen the large goose egg pressure sore on his forehead...oooowww shit that looked painful.
He also has a long oval head shape. I showed him my Arai and explained what was going on with his Shoei.
Needless to say he went out immediately (the next fookin day) and bought a Arai Profile, and the problem was solved.  

That being said: The drawback to all Arai full face helmets is that their visor attachment system absolutely SUCKS.
As in, it's so difficult to remove the visor it's stupid.....(perhaps I'm stupid, but then again, I have a lot of company) I can not understand  why such a expensive helmet would have such a absurdly difficult system.
I take extra care with my visor 'cause when my visor gets scratched on my Arai, I'm screwed. I'm just gonna throw the helmet away any buy a new Arai.... it's that bad.

The Shoei, HJC and seeming all other helmet visor attachment systems are light years ahead of Arai.


 HTH Pat

[Dan Filetti]

To answer the question, I would have to say, it depends on the shape of your head.
I'm a fan of Arai.

While doing helmet shopping a year and a half ago, I had heard a lot of people really like the Arai.  I went to the local M/C shop charged up to prove my head was worth the $500 or whatever.  I was feeling powerful in the way that only safety inspired discretionary spending can make you feel,  but was, in my case underwhelmed with the comfort of the Arai.  Maybe it shape of my head, or just what I'm used to, but the Shoei fit like a glove for me.  I wanted to like the Arai, I came prepared to love it, but did not.  Funny.

Bottom line on comfort, try it on, leave it on for a while as Pat says, although you may have trouble wearing a helmet around a store for half an hour... Everyone is different.

Dan



   

[andyb]

Go by fit, period.

The best $600 whatever isn't worth a crap if you get a headache wearing it.

That being said, Arai has a bunch of different helmet shapes, Shoei is known to be a good one, etc etc etc.

[FJ Flyer]

I've got an RF1000. It fits my head shape well and is fairly quiet and comfortable. Sheld changes are a snap and different cheek pad sizes are available. I have a pinlock shield and insert and fogging is not a problem.

I've had a RF200 and 800. The only issue I had was with the mechanism to crack open the shied has broken 3 times on two helmets.

Went down once and the RF1000 did its job and was replaced with a new one.

I'd say find a good helmet that best fits your head shape.

[Firehawk068]

I also have a RF1000, and it fits me just right. I have worn it on some all-day rides with no pinching, and no headaches...(I have a fairly round-oval head)
I have also noticed the fogging on colder mornings, but as soon as you start to move it clears right up. The ventilation is good(not great) Noise is fair (better with the mesh panel that's included for the chin area)
I love the ease of changing out the visor.....It really is a 20 second process.....
It is by far my most favorite of the helmets I've owned over the past 20 years.

[Marsh White]

I just bought a new AGV S-4 Helmet today and had it signed by Max Biaggi.

Honestly! : http://www.dainese.com/us_en/news/Max_Biaggi_Dainese_D-Store_Orange_County

Seems like a very nice helmet.  I'll let you guys know after I've ridden a while in it.  I had a couple of buddies over and we weighed helmets on my digital scale - it was by far the lightest between a Shoei X11 and an Arai something.  My AGV came in at 3.1 pounds and is a Large.  And half a pound lighter than my old KBC.