The Motorcycle Helmet Thread

[casechopper]

This is my current daily commuter helmet (Scorpion EXO-R410)

I picked up a few different Scorpion helmets at $50-$70 on a steep clearance and like them for the price. They're Snell and DOT certified so should be decent.

 

[rocketeer]

Cheapness is not necessarily a detrimental safety factor. Arii make some of the most expensive but a £50 helmet is still rated the same. You often pay more for graphics such as Rossi or any GP racers replica lid, but with Arii's and other high end helmets you often pay for comfort. Where the cheaper helmet may use the same shell with different thicknesses of padding, Arii and Shoei use different shell sizes for S M L as do other high end helmets. Then of course there is the country of origin, china make cheap helmets but also some Bell Helmets too where as Arii and Shoei are made in Japan.
A lot depends on what you can afford.
My dream lid would be a carbon Arii weighing 1kg, but I may be taking £2500. Gulp!!!!

 

[lina]

This is my current daily commuter helmet (Scorpion EXO-R410)

I picked up a few different Scorpion helmets at $50-$70 on a steep clearance and like them for the price. They're Snell and DOT certified so should be decent.

I've thought about trying a scorpion helmet, mostly because I'd like something with vents for the hot summer months. How would you say that they fit compared to other helmets you've tried? Any sense of whether they'd work on my oval head?

 

[casechopper]

I've thought about trying a scorpion helmet, mostly because I'd like something with vents for the hot summer months. How would you say that they fit compared to other helmets you've tried? Any sense of whether they'd work on my oval head?

I haven't tried too many other helmets so I don't have a lot to compare them with. The upper vents don't seem to do a lot. The mouth vent helps and I usually keep the visor open with safety glasses when it's warmer out. Keep in mind that 99% of my riding is between 0-40 mph (my commute is around 5 miles each way on local roads) so I might not be feeling the air flow you'd get at higher speeds. It does have a lever that you can push which leaves the visor cracked open. This is very nice for when it's too cold to leave all the way open but you need ventilation to keep the visor from fogging up. The helmet I started with was a cheap 3/4 HJC helmet. In comparison the Scorpion helmets are significantly heavier but contain much more padding. The HJC helmet feels like I'm wearing a bicycle helmet if I wear it now.

I wear a long oval hat and the Scorpions I've tried (Exo-R410 and Exo-R500) both fit fine and comfortably. They do take a few wears for the foam to break in and feel a bit claustrophobic during that break in period.

Motorcyclegear has the exact helmet I'm wearing available for around $50 right now so IMO it's a good deal.

 

[dan_t]

Shoei xr1100. Full face or nothing for me thank you.

 

[willyto]

I don't think buying vintage helmets with the intention of wearing them is a smart thing to do. They don't offer the proper protection in case of impact. Same thing with open helmets, you can heal a leg, arm, hand but don't expect your face to look any good after hitting the road or your head for that matter.

Here in Europe you couldn't buy or wear the Bell Custom 500 because it's not dot approved yet in the USA most riders are wearing it or even going without helmet.

I work in the E.D. and believe me, you don't want to be wearing open helmets. Having your jaw fractured or broken is no joke and it's an easy thing to prevent.


I had an Arai Corsair RX-7 but now with the Vespa PX-150 I wear a more appropiate looking Bell Bullitt:

 

[rocketeer]

Deciding factors and ease of usage can determine a helmet price:-

Cheaper. One size shell fits all(well maybe two)
Expensive. S.M.L.XL. size shells

Cheaper. Plain paint.
Expensive. Race rep and similar graphics.

Cheaper. Safety belt style chin strap.
Expensive. Double 'D' rings

Cheaper. Weight = Heavy
Expensive. Weight=lighter materials(carbon fibre)

Visors.
My Bell Star has the easiest visor change ever, the Arii is fiddly and you can easily break the change mechanism. Shoei similar,though the visors are typically priced at around £45 each for these three.
Cheaper helmet visors can scratch easier and if it is a cheaper non recognised brand such as those bought at bike shows, you may not find replacement visors in your local Helmet store, or at all..

Other details can also affect price such as vents, can let in rain, visors with anti glare coatings, some lids have drop down dark visors such as the Shoei GT Air(never used mine).
Spares availability, the lock down mech broke on my Shoei Raid II but an easy fix as Shoei make a range of easy fix spare parts and new inner padding. Arii have a helmet recon service + spare parts you can fix yourself.

Most of the big brands make a range to suit all pockets, also some of the cheaper brands are coming up using carbon and fitting the higher end details now.
Just remember a helmet only protects you and cannot save your life such as racer Marco Simonceli, who's helmet came off during a Moto GP race crash which I was unfortunate to witness live on TV.

Well that was just a few notes on lids I have tried. I did have a full face original with the old Bob Heath wrap around full face visor, great looking for retro wear but the visor would start to scratch from day 1 so it went without ever been worn in anger.

 

[heron163]

Curious how often everyone replaces their helmets and does anyone wear earplugs while riding?

ear plugs: yes

I rotate helmets out of service on A. Crash or B. 3 - 4 years service

 

[2wheelgrplr]

Heck yeah! Another area where I have way more than what I really need! Practically a joke in my MC club - what helmet will I wear today?!

For everyday commute or shorter fair weather rides - usually on my Triumph Scrambler (last of the line air-cooled 865cc version): I wear either open-face Biltwell Bonanza (2) or a Japanese brand. I used to wear the Bell 500 but it doesn't fit as well as the Biltwells or the Japanese one. Full face options are Biltwell Gringo, Nexx G100 and Elders Bell Moto3-type (another Asian brand).

Colder weather or longer ride options are all full-face: Shoei RF1100, Shoei Neotec Modular and Icon (forgot the exact name, Icon Airmada I think)

ADV-type long distance riding on my Triumph Tiger 800XCx: Shoei Hornet ADV and Nexx XD1.

On my to-buy list: Bell Moto3, Bell Bullitt, Simpson M30.

Pics to follow soon!

 

[Mark]

My skid lids through the years: Stadium polycarbonate open face(first helmet 1976- 85. Second hand fibreglass Everoak Racemaster(86-90). A break from biking brought me back in 1999 with another Stadium cheap, then the old Kangol in the picture up to 2011.
A new chapter in motorcycling , I bought my Hayabusa so it was Go Go Power Rangers and bought a Shoei Raid(the fly picture) I then fancied a Shoei GT Air with the flip down visor but could not get on with it and my neck was aching from the weight. Only wore that about a dozen times so someone got a bargain., Finally the Bell Starr carbon and I love it. About 1/2 kilo lighter than the GT Air.

Second time I've heard the name Hayabusa in this thread, forgive my ignorance but I have only recently returned to motorcycling. I am guessing some kinda new bike? Pics?

 

[Edward]

Why do so many cruiser riders wear those plastic German WWIIalike cut downs? In the US some states you must have a hat, others not. Over here they are a plague, worn a lot by the 1%er wannabes (Not legal in the UK) Our police often stop riders wearing them.
Back in the 'Greaser' days of the late 60s and early 1970s real WWI and II German stahlhelme were worn, often chrome plated and looking at old 1960s US biker magazines real ones were sold as were plastic copies for the surf set.

Nazi-related stuff (not that the Stahlhelm, first issued in 1916, was "Nazi" by design or intent, but it was so strongly associated with them by the end of the War that W Germany dropped the design altogether) has long had a certain cachet with certain types who may not share Nazi politics directly, but enjoy the symbolism for its power to offend.

'Shorty' helmets in general are popular in certain parts of the US where law requires that 'a helmet' must be worn, as it's the minimum necessary to comply and doesn't give the police a reason / excuse to stop the rider. Of only very limited use in an off, though. If they're not DOT approved, I wouldn't be surprised if an insuracne company refused to pay out after a heaed injury in a spill.

Cheapness is not necessarily a detrimental safety factor. Arii make some of the most expensive but a £50 helmet is still rated the same. You often pay more for graphics such as Rossi or any GP racers replica lid, but with Arii's and other high end helmets you often pay for comfort. Where the cheaper helmet may use the same shell with different thicknesses of padding, Arii and Shoei use different shell sizes for S M L as do other high end helmets. Then of course there is the country of origin, china make cheap helmets but also some Bell Helmets too where as Arii and Shoei are made in Japan.
A lot depends on what you can afford.
My dream lid would be a carbon Arii weighing 1kg, but I may be taking £2500. Gulp!!!!

Amazing what they can cost, isn't it? Seems to hold true for all bike gear, though - affordable can be serviceable perfectly well, but if you want to spend "more", there's no ceiling to that....

I don't think buying vintage helmets with the intention of wearing them is a smart thing to do. They don't offer the proper protection in case of impact. Same thing with open helmets, you can heal a leg, arm, hand but don't expect your face to look any good after hitting the road or your head for that matter.

Wouldn't trust a vintage helmet myself either. If all you want to do is avoid being stopped by the police, it'd do (though no shorty styles in the UK), but unless it meets ECE standards here in the UK, it's not fully road legal, and an insurance company won't pay out in the event of a head injury.

Here in Europe you couldn't buy or wear the Bell Custom 500 because it's not dot approved yet in the USA most riders are wearing it or even going without helmet.

The EU ECE standard is, as I understand it, much higher than the US DOT; there's lots of stuff out there that is DOT approved, but not ECE. The highest standard is, afaik, the (extra-legal informationary only) UK SHARP rating system - https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/ .

I work in the E.D. and believe me, you don't want to be wearing open helmets. Having your jaw fractured or broken is no joke and it's an easy thing to prevent.

Based on the stats, it always seemed to me that open-face helmets left out the most important bit when it comes to protection; I believe that statistically you're twice as likely to hit the jaw-area in an off than any other around the skull. Personally, I'd prefer that be helmet rather than jaw, but it's up to the individual I guess.

It's the one thing I'll be very quick to compromise the old-school look on.

Vintage helmets look really cool for a display piece or for costume, but I wouldn't risk one on the road.

I had an Arai Corsair RX-7 but now with the Vespa PX-150 I wear a more appropiate looking Bell Bullitt:

Looks like a nice match for your scooter, too. The Bullit is beautiful. Not sure I'll be able to justify its cost to begin with - I think I'm going to start off with a Premier Trophy.

Probably end up doing what my dad always did when he needed a new helmet, and buy at the end of the 'design' year.... if you're not worried about thew latest graphics or colour, it's amazing how much that can save on the same helmet, unchanged in all but surface appearance.

 

[IXL]

I have some Arai Signet-Q helmets, which I find to be outstanding. Firstly, because of my rather "hatchet head," I always have to get a helmet that is too large, side-to-side, in order to get enough room front-to-back. The Signet-Q model allows me to fit into a size Small, which fits well, side-to-side, and still feels just swell on the front-to-back dimension. Secondly, the ventilation is well thought out. Thirdly, some models have graphics that really appeal to me.

 

[sal]

Aria Signet and a Bell 500

 

[lina]

Shoei with face cover that Does Not Fog no matter how hard it's raining

Shoei 3/4 for Hot Southern Days

Harley Half for Damn It's HOT out here in Kansas, et all!!!!!

The Most Comfortable Helmet ever made....

Oh my, a legendary Ruby..? Where did you get that beauty?

 

[lina]

I love the open face easy riders. I've got a vintage black and gold that I painted and surely ruined and a biltwell root beer float. Now this is a thread that has me really wanting to say goodbye to jacket season!
View attachment 68561

These both look very cool to me..

 

[lina]

Heck yeah! Another area where I have way more than what I really need! Practically a joke in my MC club - what helmet will I wear today?!

For everyday commute or shorter fair weather rides - usually on my Triumph Scrambler (last of the line air-cooled 865cc version): I wear either open-face Biltwell Bonanza (2) or a Japanese brand. I used to wear the Bell 500 but it doesn't fit as well as the Biltwells or the Japanese one. Full face options are Biltwell Gringo, Nexx G100 and Elders Bell Moto3-type (another Asian brand).

Colder weather or longer ride options are all full-face: Shoei RF1100, Shoei Neotec Modular and Icon (forgot the exact name, Icon Airmada I think)

ADV-type long distance riding on my Triumph Tiger 800XCx: Shoei Hornet ADV and Nexx XD1.

On my to-buy list: Bell Moto3, Bell Bullitt, Simpson M30.

Pics to follow soon!

Please do post pics. Did you order the Elders from Thailand, or are they available elsewhere?

 

[oneterrifichog]

Oh my, a legendary Ruby..? Where did you get that beauty?

My wife and I bought them at Bastille Harley Davidson in Paris in 2009. They were very helpful and shipped them home for us.

 

[Graemsay]

I've got a Bell Bullitt Carbon in the Ace Café scheme. I always wear earplugs.

 

[rocketeer]

I've got a Bell Bullitt Carbon in the Ace Café scheme. I always wear earplugs.

Pedantic time
There is no accent over the e(´) as in Ace Cafe. It is pronounced Kaff, with a heavy emphasis on the 'K' sound and FF(can be more Fs)
Bikers do not race from Costa to Starbucks where your latest iPod app is more important than a bikes performance.
Café's are where you order you Americano and cup cake(known as a muffin in US speak), Cafe's are where you drink tea and scoff a full English breakfast, or just a tea and bacon sandwich if on a diet.

 

[rocketeer]

Second time I've heard the name Hayabusa in this thread, forgive my ignorance but I have only recently returned to motorcycling. I am guessing some kinda new bike? Pics?

Hayabusa! The Japanese word for Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird on the planet can reach a speed of 200mph in a dive. It's main food is blackbirds which it captures in its beak in a dive, killing them.
Before Suzuki introduced the 'Busa' the Honda Super Blackbird was the worlds fastest production motorcycle, then the Hayabusa was developed and stomped all over the Honda by around 11mph, hence the Blackbird/Hayabusa connection, it killed it.
So here's me in full Power Ranger mode with my Dainese two piece and Shoei Raid II Helmet(retired but still serviceable)

Photo courtesy of Matt Birch Photography.
I'm not going that fast, probably 45mph around a 90˚ bend.