Helmet time

[Stuey]

Hi Chaps,
I have also been looking at replacing my helmet. I currently have a Suomy Booster, which was only cheap (?100 in a sale) but has been a good lid, if a little noisy due to the pods over the visor ratchet coming a little lose.
You can narrow down the choice by making a short list, such as;

1 do you need to fit an Autocom? - i did so a removable liner is better

2 are you concerned about the noise level? then all those venturi air channel thing on the top can only add to the noise, likewise the visor pods on the sides.

3 would the pinlock visor system be any use ( this lets you put a dark visor over the clear one, rather like a tear off ) or would you just fit a black visor?

As far as the fit goes, I was speaking to the chap in Hein Gericke in Preston. He told me that the Shoei's do have different cheek pads ( they are in the brochure but are not cheap ) as an option.
He also told me that the top AGV, the Ti-Tech (the one Rossi wears) is custom fit to your shape when you buy it. What he meant by this was that as long as the helmet fir the crown of your head, they would then swap the cheek pads as required - free of charge!

As for the standards, a lady who sold Elaine as Shark lid, told me that a lot of the lower end lids which are now available, could not pass the now out of date British standard. This has been replaced by the European standard 2205 (I think) which is not as strict. So even though most of the new lids will have this standard, you can bet that the more expensive ones are actually of a higher standard.

Stu

 

[osprey03]

It used to be that the cheaper models became progressively slacker as their lining compressed

So True, just look at Jordan & Posh Spice !!

 

[Geoff Clement]

Now I am gonna REALLY show my age here.. my first bash hat was a thing called a Corker.
It was basically made of leather and cork and was usually used by old farts and the like.. but I had spent all my wonga on insurance and tax so was gratful when someone donated a bash hat of any sort for me to wear

So are you saying that you have been an old fart for years jaws,

 

[R2B2]

I have found the Schuberth S1 to be a bit special too... and they are a tad cheaper now. I think you can now get one for ?289...??

 

[frenchuk]

(...) is how do you tell what a helmet is like without finding out "the hard" way, they don't let you try before you buy (...)

Hence me not being able to recommend highly enough the Schuberth S1 - I found the hard way that it's a great lid - since I wouldn't be posting now if it was not... Not the cheapest but I never understood people speaking about price when mentioning helmets - and before someone says "we're not all loaded blablabla" you're loaded enough to buy an expensive bike, leathers, boots etc etc... But then again it's up to you to put a price on your head I guess - having said that it's also true that you pay the design, the flash graphics, the brand marketing etc... your call :beer:

 

[D.S.]

I agree with the D'Artagnan the Gay Gloves Muskateer; what price ya head?
Personaly I swear by Arai, but that's 'cos I'm an Arai head. I like the fact you're able fit different cheek pads, etc. I'm on my third Quantum F ('cos I'm a serial crasher ).
The Schuberth looks a good lid, if not a tad Star Wars in Gay sort of way :}

 

[frenchuk]

Joe you seem so into gays (%$fan), got an address for you

 

[scruffygit]

I too lost a lot of money on an Arai Astro J that fitted fine in the shop but was agony after 40 minutes on the bike but I cannot fault their customer service.

Natalie has an Arai head (I'm a shoei - got a X-ceed but looking at getting a Z-one/XR100/X-spirit next year, can't make my mind up yet) but couldn't get a really good fit - the Astro J size S was a touch too large an the XS too small. The shop (Hein Gerike in Northampton) arranged for the Arai rep to come to the shop at a time to suit us and it was custom fitted it to her free of charge (brand new helmet).

The rep even spent 20 minutes playing with my Astro J in an attempt to get it to fit. Unfortunately the basic lining shape is wrong as I have a long oval head shape more suited to the Arai Signet or Shoeis in general - his words so much respect for an honest opinion rather than commercial gain.

 

[XX-Simon]

Cant rate the Roof Daytona and others in there range enough :yo:
Quite look great with a good finnish and NEVER mist up :bow:
What else you want from your helmet :blush:

 

[frenchuk]

What else you want from your helmet :blush:

Save your life? :dunno:

 

[Codbasher]

I see that no one has mentioned SHARK helmets yet?? WHY?

Is it because like mine, the visor snaps open at speed doing a lifesaver, the seatbelt lock, although it stays done up the strap loosens over time. There only has to be a slight humidity in the air and the bugger mists up (despite copius amounts of fairy liquid, dog urine and any other anti mist agent on the inside of the visor. But it is comfy. Wife also has a SHARK and her forhead hurts after a couple of hours. In the shop the SHARKs were the best fit, and quality seems good, but I dont think I will have another.

On the other hand I have an HJC, I use it for winter riding, it does not mist, the visor stays shut, it came fitted with something like a foggy, it has double DD strap thingy's, its comfy but noisy.

Have tried the Arai and Shoei's but they seemed uncomfy.