Author Topic: Helmet Recommendations  (Read 9113 times)

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Offline welldc

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #20 on: June 15, 2019, 22:28:36 »
Returning to biking after a (very) long time away, so took myself down to the dealers yesterday to sort out a helmet. I fancied a Caberg flip front.

Well, the staff at the dealers were very patient and helpful.
Caberg - too close to my chin (and I'm not Bruce Forsyth)
HJC - tight around the forehead and cheek bones
Nolan - felt like my head was in a vice
Frank Thomas - very uncomfortable around my ears
Bell - tight on the jaw bone
LS2 - too tight round the forehead

So now we are moving up the price range..........
Shoei Neotec 2 - great fit, comfortable but £500
Schuberth - too tight and too close to my chin

I'm so glad I didn't just order online.
The Neotec was an L and a good fit. Some of the others were 2XL and still weren't right.

Found a Givi flip front that was fairly comfortable (I hope it beds in a little) but needed a 2XL to get the fit. Good value at £125.
Really is a case of different hats for different heads.

PS: Thanks to Tanya at J&S Doncaster for her patience.

Offline vstroman

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #21 on: December 27, 2019, 16:08:25 »
Have a notion to get a flip up, can't decide between these 2, anyone any experience with either? price is good.

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/319363

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/226185

Offline Steady Freddy

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #22 on: December 27, 2019, 20:10:10 »
J&S have a Schubert flip in their sale, £100 off.
Momentum is everything

Offline edbailey

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #23 on: February 01, 2020, 21:01:30 »
I've always had Schuberth, currently got the C3 and I'm well pleased with it.  However I've had ot nearly 3 years so starting to look at other lids and I fancied the look of the Nolan N70-2GT mainly because of the HUGE visor and removable chin piece?

Offline Hugo Magnus

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #24 on: February 02, 2020, 07:43:50 »
You should have gone with the Shoei,   lol  I've had mine 7 years and I'm not in any hurry to replace it.
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Offline edbailey

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #25 on: February 02, 2020, 08:51:21 »
I'm not in a hurry to replace it,  it's just the idea of a lid that can be full face or open sounds pretty good. But also the manufacturer advises replacing the helmet after 4years which I never believed or did until I bought my last one and handed my old one to the shop owner who uses them as examples.

He separated the outer shell to reveal the filling underneath and honestly I nearly threw up when I saw all the cracks and how brittle the foam was and that helmet was about 8years old.

Offline sillyboy

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #26 on: February 10, 2020, 17:39:53 »
check the manufacturing date! :icon_wink:

Offline Domenico

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #27 on: February 11, 2020, 13:54:42 »
hello! I tried Schuberth C4, C3, AGV Carbon fiber and some others, but Shoei Neotech II fits perfectly to my head.
I decided to own just one helmet at time and invest som money on it. I didn't buy the expensive Sena Intercom and kept my excellent BTX Pro1 by Midland.
Whereof one cannot speak
Thereof one must be silent.

Offline bonne

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #28 on: May 12, 2020, 22:52:25 »
I have tried a lot, and it came down between Shoei Neotec II or Nolan 100.5

The Shoei is very comfortable, but I liked the features (hinged flip-up, large visor, dual safety on locks etc.) and cheaper price on the Nolan, so I went for that. Also got a B901 intercom.

I am not perfectly happy about it though. The wind noise is quite loud. The pinlock is not working properly and the B901 has been swapped ones a few months after I bought it (couldn't always turn on) Apart from that, the intercom is great. Pairs perfectly with a number of Sena headsets (it is a Sena OEM)

So...

Offline Darren marsh

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #29 on: May 13, 2020, 15:25:33 »
Has to be Arai all day long for me
Check J&S out they have the Arai Rebel for £350 ish when I got mine they were £550 ish
However I always budget around about £500
And even though I go Arai I still try them all on as each model fit my strange shape of a head different
My daughter had her pick of helmets in J&S and went for a HJC as it fitted her the best she picked the HJC asto and it was £200
if you look on line they have some good discount on the HJC helmets
Safe riding and bring out the sunshine  :sunny:

Offline Bigcats30

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #30 on: May 31, 2020, 20:07:35 »
DO NOT buy the Shoei Hornet ADV as they are utter useless in wet weather to the point it becomes dangerous as you cannot see as they just steam up (even with pinlock in) as there isn't enough air flow.

Also when you try and 'crack' the visor open to let more air in (like you can on a Arai) its opens a good inch which is just stupid (you cannot crack the visor open) so then the rain gets in

Utterly beautiful and comfy helmet otherwise but utter useless in wet weather

tested competing in the Wales500 last year
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Offline Mr Nick

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #31 on: May 31, 2020, 22:58:03 »
Interesting: I have an original Hornet & have no misting issues now but there problems initially with the pinlock that came with it. I was considering the ADV version to replace it as & when that comes up but I'll pay attention to that side of it at the time.
Seems pearl asbo orange is faster after all....

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Orange Bikes Matter!

Offline Mark Shelley

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #32 on: June 01, 2020, 06:52:27 »
Having owned Arais for many years, Astros, Tour Xs etc, I went for a Nolan XLite X551 a few years ago. I am now on my second. I prever it to the Tour X. On the bcak of this I also recently bought a Nolan N87 for when I am riding my non Adventure style bikes after reading nothing but excellent reviews. The reviews are correct. It is unbelievable build quality and features for the cost. If you shop around you can pick up last years colourways for as little as £125, which is a steal.

Offline SimonW

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #33 on: June 01, 2020, 09:37:43 »
I had an X-Lite X-551 too and wanted another, but it seems something changed on the sizing with the GT range and it no longer fitted. After trying on approximately 1 billion different lids (including Arai, Klim Nolan etc) I settled on a Nexx X.WED2. It's nicely made, with a huge eye port and some nice touches like removable plates to better accommodate helmet cams, extra stick on pads to tailor the fit and an extension for the peak if required.

Offline Brockett

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #34 on: June 01, 2020, 10:46:35 »
Everyone has a different shaped head. In most cases 'fit' is determined by the safey foam and lining.
Low price almost certainly means low value. The shell may be as good but the lining not so and the more it is worn the more the lining will compress and the fit become sloppy. Higher end helmets with generally fit you for longer.
That said I buy medium to good quality, new old stock because I really don't feel like paying £500+ for a helmet in one go. I  have four helmets and replace one of them every year so I'm not saving money, I'm just not spending it all at once.
It is unlikey we will be able, even if we want, to try on any clothing while this virus is kicking about.
Given the variations in head sizes and shapes and the necessity of getting it right I'd hope the helmet suppliers could come up with a head guage like they do for shoes so people could tell what size and shape would suit them best.

This doesn't last forever, so do it while you can.

Offline longtom

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #35 on: June 01, 2020, 12:20:10 »
I use and would recommend a Shark flip-front with ready-fitted pinlock, great bit of kit and good value in my opinion.

Offline Mr Nick

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #36 on: June 01, 2020, 12:25:31 »
I was lucky enough to try the Simpson Venom in the last few days before the seemingly optional restrictions came into force and found that it suited my head shape, as does Shoei Hornet, Bell X-14 and Caberg Ego. Arai X-4 just didn't fit comfortably: felt too narrow from memory.
I tried a couple of flips and something didn't feel quite right about them, even though I did use an open face with Scott goggles and face mask for a while when I was younger, so it wasn't just the opening front. Horses and spectator free courses as they say.
Seems pearl asbo orange is faster after all....

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Offline Dr Evil

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #37 on: July 19, 2020, 17:55:41 »
I've had massive problems with helmets as I have a weird shaped head and a very tight wallet......
I cannot stick to only having 1 helmet as I like to mix it up from time to  time depending on how I feel.
I have found that only a few manufacturers make a XXL helmet that is actully XXL.

I currently have a Caberg Stunt, Bell MX-9 and a AGV K3 and a LS2 open face

Caberg, excellent. Fairly quiet and with built in sun visor and great chin fastening.
Bell, awful. Noisy, crap old style d ring chin strap and bloody expensive visor replacements.
AGV. bit tight on the cheeks, but very good quality.

I tried on more expensive helmets, but none fitted. In fact I couldn't even get an Arai over my forehead !!

All were under £100 and I would reccommend all of them, except the Bell.....
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Offline Rixington43

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #38 on: August 20, 2020, 12:56:49 »
During my first stint riding some years ago I found that pretty much every manufacturer I tried, the medium was a bit big and the small was too small. I ended up with the best option I could find being a small Shoei as plenty of shops told me I had a Shoei shaped head. So, on returning to bikes last year, I decided I probably needed to fire up the Shoei shaped wallet :)
Went to J&S in Notts and tried on several helmets (all flip fronts) from pretty much every brand they had in and was delighted to find that, not only do I now have an HJC shaped head, but that the RPHA 90 medium in that gorgeous (or vile) matt grey and fluoro yellow was on a really good offer and was the best fit I could find. I have always had lids either be tight on the forehead or loose at the temples but this one seems snug all round and the build quality is perfectly acceptable. Removable liner made fitting a headset a breeze too.
On the subject of breeze, the lid is nice and quiet (although I always wear plugs) for a flip front but cooling on hot days is perhaps it's weak point. I have also known people to take issue with the lower spec Pinlock suffering from fogging although I've not experienced that even riding in some pretty heinous conditions.

Offline MrNorbH

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Re: Helmet Recommendations
« Reply #39 on: August 21, 2020, 11:19:53 »
I use and would recommend a Shark flip-front with ready-fitted pinlock, great bit of kit and good value in my opinion.

I actually have a Shark Openline flip-up, not the best build quality to be honest. I expected much better from Shark, the little pulling tab on the locking mechanism broke off after a month, the rubber trim around a bottom of the helmet also came loose. Some of the little red attachment points for the lining broke.. Maybe I just picked up a cursed helmet lol

Anyways, looking to change it soon, going back to full face.
The White goes faster..everyone knows.