Your Lid

[vfr=>]

I have owned lots of helmets, but Shoei fits the best-snug, light, and quiet. Graphics are also great, and have great depth. I also have a dark smoke shield which is great in daylight, but too dark for night time.

[ewryly]

Shoei RF1000, great fit and no buffeting at all.

[Yosh70]

I've always had Arai but decided to try a Suomy Spec1R this year.
Light as air, a bit noisy on the highway tho.



And since I keep the tinted visor on the Suomy, I keep a clear shield on my other helmet for night time riding....a HJC AC12 Yikes III.



Seems Shoei is the most popular on this board....may have to try one of the RF1000's next time.

[MileHighInterceptor]

Shark RSR2 Fujiwara. Made out like a thief on it from ebay. $650+ MSRP paid $225 for it, brand new.

[Gatekeeper]

Just a reminder....... Helmets have experation dates and may not work when you need them to.

With the exception of the 1/2 helmet. None of those are more than 3 years and 2 of them are less than 5 months old.

I go through helmets and motorcycles like they were water. Between binning them on the race track or just selling/trading them off for the next new toy, I've gone through over 12 bikes in the last 4 years.

[SilverSurfer800]

"if you have a ten dollar head then buy a ten dollar helmet." It was an old honda ad slogan.

This has been dis-proved so many times. As you state this is an ad trying to justify the high price for a helmet. That Motorcyclist Magazine article that tested helmet showed that the best preforming helmet is a $100 unit. You don't always get what you pay for...

Read the article HERE

[DANIMAL]

I thought that would stir the pot.

You are absolutely correct, Silver
All the helmets tested to DOT and Snell 2000
Are basically the same for protection


Helps me justify spending all that cash one of the best, lightest, coolest (looking & Temp)
Helmets out there.
Nope it was my money and I'll buy what I want.
I wasn't asking for validation.
I was just Taunting youse guys. I did say "ten dollar"
you can buy a $10 helmet a a yard sale or on ebay.
would you wear one? I think not.
And you should believe everything you read in every magazine, too.
I suppose you are gonna vote for Obama. All that hope and change.
LOL I Can't stop I'm Taunting again. FOTFL

[drewl]

I HAVE a $10 dollar head!!!

[SilverSurfer800]

I thought that would stir the pot.

And yes I AM voting for him! You thought I was voting for that told ass bush clone??? Silly mortal!

[KC-10 FE]

The European ECE 22-05 standard is widely considered by the motorcycling press to be the best certification out there.

After the Motorcyclist Magazine article (which is probably the best helmet article ever written, if you haven't read it yet, read it now) blasted SNELL, the magazine lost most of their helmet advertising. SNELL basically acted like a 5 year old & said "Liar, Liar" & promptly lost most of their credibility overnight. The SNELL standard is basically too much & too stiff. A helmet could be made that will still protect your noggin fine but will not meet the overkill impact standard of SNELL. Funny thing is, SNELL will have a new standard out for 2010 which the helmets are much, much more forgiving in an impact. I am greatly interested in this since Arai fits me better than anything else & they are a SNELL helmet.

KC-10 FE out...

[SilverSurfer800]

WOW I'm actually AGREEING with KC-10! My SparX is ECE-22-05 certified and DOT all for only $120. The major helmet manufacturers better wake up and cost their helmets more realistically or their sales will plummet in this crappy economy.

[KC-10 FE]

In all reality, the price of helmets is determined just like comparing a Toyota Camry to a Maseratti Quattroporte.

Both are mid to large size 4 door sedans that will seat 4 comfortably & 5 in a pinch. Now, is there anyone out there that if the two cost the same wouldn't pick the Maseratti?

The difference between a $100 helmet & a $500 helmet comes down to bells & whistles and quality control. Every helmet legal for sale that is not a novelty helmet must meet US DOT Standards so every single one of them will protect your sputnik. Now, is having easy to change shields, removeable washable liners, vents that actually vent, stability at speed, etc worth something to you? The 100% removeable liner in my RX7 alone is worth the extra cash. My helmet smells new & fresh once a month since I take the stuff out & hand wash it in the sink. I've seen low end helmets that I would be ashamed to put my head in. I've also seen low priced helmets that are un-freakin-believable values. The GMAX would be the first one that springs to mind. I've also noticed over the last 10 years or so that almost all the helmets are increasing in price. I paid $300 for my Quantum II in 2000. Now, a Quantum II is at least $400 if you buy it at a dealer. HJC, KBC, AJC, etc all used to sell most of their helmets in the $125-$200 range. Now all of them offer a flagship helmet over $300. The never stopping march of consumerism trudges on.

KC-10 FE out...

[DANIMAL]

Drewl,

WHen did you trade in the five dollar one you had

[drewl]

I got this one as a graduation present from nursing school.

[Rhino88]

I have an HJC CL-14,a Shark RSF2 Racing and just bought a Shoei Diabolic XR1000.A good helmet in NZ will cost you between $500-$800.

[SilverSurfer800]

The Sparx has a removable liner, less wind noise than the Shoei RF900 i moved from which didn't have a removable liner, vents that kept my head cool on a 90 plus degree day, quick release face shield with no tools and even came with ear plugs in the box! The decal for graphics could be a little better but for $120 i can deal with that.

Some people just like paying more, I understand that...

[mello dude]

The European ECE 22-05 standard is widely considered by the motorcycling press to be the best certification out there.

After the Motorcyclist Magazine article (which is probably the best helmet article ever written, if you haven't read it yet, read it now) blasted SNELL, the magazine lost most of their helmet advertising. SNELL basically acted like a 5 year old & said "Liar, Liar" & promptly lost most of their credibility overnight. The SNELL standard is basically too much & too stiff. A helmet could be made that will still protect your noggin fine but will not meet the overkill impact standard of SNELL. Funny thing is, SNELL will have a new standard out for 2010 which the helmets are much, much more forgiving in an impact. I am greatly interested in this since Arai fits me better than anything else & they are a SNELL helmet.

KC-10 FE out...

+1 to above. I think SNELL was a bit embarrassed about the whole motorcyclist mag thing because the testing was very credible. Hence the new improved 2010 standard.

MD

[XXFirefighter]

And don't have pics of the Shoei FR1000 or the Suomey.
Those are just black.

[John451]

After the Motorcyclist Magazine article

A very good article although it misses 2 areas of testing, durability of outer shell and inner foam, ie breakdown of materials over time including resistance to weather and solar radiation and a sharp spike test.

On the breakdown question based on the all important brand reputation I'd be willing to bet lids like SHOEI, ARAI, Suomy, Shark would last the test of time better than the newer brand cheaper alternatives, if a new to market brand is found over time to be rubbish they'll just launch another brand name.

The spike test is more dependant on your Countrys general riding conditions.

One reason that the European standard helmet is different and fails the Australian Helmet Standard is the Australian sold Helmet must also be resistent to sharp object penetration which came about from collecting real world local crash data. The obvious reason would be our higher back country speeds and greater chance of crashing through road side objects like fences, branches etc.

like comparing a Toyota Camry to a Maseratti Quattroporte.

But would you rather crash in a Lexus or Chinese Chery ?

NCAP crash test Video showing a Lexus and Chery crashing at 40mph:
YouTube - Crash Test: Comparing chinese death shi&#% cars with others

[drewl]

Are we going there? OK. We go there.

[drewl]

Bumpity

[drewl]

Introducing the Limited Edition Drewl Special 2008 Reggie's RoadHouse BBQ Lid


Rare edition for a limited time only. Offer good while supplies last, first come first served. Subject to availability and dealer participation. Expires 8/26/08.

[Pliskin]

I wear prescription glasses. I've found that manufacturers on some of the more expensive lids will make the shields in an actual curved mold, rather than a straight piece which is subsequently bent and shaped to fit the helmet.

The difference, for me at least, is that the optics are much better, especially if wearing polarized sunglasses. There's something about some of the face shields where I would get what looked like prisms out of the corner of my eye. Annoying to say the least, but possibly a danger as well.

All other things being equal, I gladly will pay $500 for a helmet that gave me excellent visual properties versus $200 for a helmet with poor visual qualities.

[Yakima9]

I had an older Arai that I replaced with an HJC AC-12 Carbon last year. Mmmm...carbon fiber.

[vire]

I have a Shoei RF-1000 diabolic 2 and my wife's is a Scorpion exo 700 Black Dhalia. The matte black and red on her helmet makes it look awesome if only Scorpion made a mens helmet to match.

I'm a noob so my first helmet I bought 3 months ago was a discontinued KBC tk-7 and was decent but heavy and hot. I just picked up the same shoei rf-1000 diabolic as you earlier today. The difference is incredible with the wind having no effect even if I lift my chin up at 80 compared to getting pushed around at anything over 45 before even with head tilted down. I must also have a shoei head as it fits like a glove and although I'm always open to try other brands this one will be hard to top.

[elf800]

suomy eagle stars and strips had picotte shoei best helmet ever wish i had another..look its drewl and derts at a rest stop:ncb:

[Davidvfr]

Shoei RF900

I'll get around to taking a photo of it one day...

[NorcalBoy]

My latest lid, Suomy

[Scubalong]

Introducing the Limited Edition Drewl Special 2008 Reggie's RoadHouse BBQ Lid


Rare edition for a limited time only. Offer good while supplies last, first come first served. Subject to availability and dealer participation. Expires 8/26/08.

I like the helmet remind me of Walmart happy face.

[FJ12rydertoo]

Present helmet is a Schuberth C2 flip-up which replaced a Schuberth flip-up, which replaced a Shoei Synchrotech, which replaced a Shoei Duotech, which replaced a Shoei, which replaced another Shoei, which replaced a Bell, which replaced another Bell, and several more before that.