Helmets

I know everybody has their own preference on helmets, but recently the trim around the bottom of my ancient HJC started coming off. I reattached it with some gorilla glue, but it got me thinking that I really could use a new helmet.

I went to Valley Cycle Center in Winchester VA to try on a few and I wasn't even considering an Arai as they are so expensive. I was looking for another HJC. The sales guy talked me into trying on a few others though and in the end the Arai Astral was so comfortable I couldn't believe it.

I would have bought one right then, but again, the expensive part. I couldn't afford it. I decided I'd bide my time, and I just kept watching for sales and Ebay auctions. (Sorry to the sales guy that I didn't buy it there, but you know...) I found this one brand-new on Ebay for $200.00. I prefer solid colors to any crazy graphics, so this one was perfect.

I've only ridden with it once so far - last Saturday. I rode all day though and it was great. It's quieter, lighter, and the breath deflector really works to keep the visor from fogging. It's so pretty I haven't brought myself to put reflective tape on it yet like my old one.

I just thought I'd state my newfound appreciation for Arai's. Anybody else love their helmet?

 

Loved my Shoei GX-1, big heavy thing looked like the NASA helmets. My nephews now play spaceman with it (retired it after 12 years).

 

I bought a bell from Wally mart and to my surprise it is one of the most comfortable, good loking helmets I have ever owned. For something that I bought on a whim for less than $100 bucks, it is quite a wonderful thing

 

I've bought most of my gear off ebay. So far I've had great luck with the fit on helmets and jackets by studying the mfr.'s charts and trying on friends gear when available. 1st helmet was a discontinued Shoei full face (NIB), then a KBC half lid (also NIB). The KBC is light and comfortable, plus has an adjustable "vent" in the visor to let air flow through the visor so the wind doesn't feel like it's trying to rip the helmet off your head. But as far as protection goes, the KBC is a toy next to the Shoei. Both are excellent helmets, but I'm glad I bought 1 of each style.

 

I love my HJC CL-15, but thats just me, they don't fit some people right, but I could not be happer, just a hare over 100 bucks.
I feel safer as a new rider with a full face helmet, I figure whats the point in surviving a motorcycle accident if you do not get to have a chin??
As for 3/4 helmets, my dad has a few J-Max helmets he picked up for like 50 bucks at a swap meet brand new, tehy are great.

 

I'm currently riding with an HJC CL-12 full face - not a bad helmet, and certainly was well priced a couple years ago at around $180cdn.
I'm pretty much set that my next helmet will be one of the "modular" designs though -- I really like the Nolan, but it's getting nigh on impossible to get in Canada for some reason.
I've also heard really good things about the Vega Summit 2 helmets, but they seem to be only available online, and I'd really like to be able to try them on prior to spending the hard earned cash....

 

I considered a modular, but I don't smoke and the added benefit of being able to talk to someone easier at a stoplight didn't seem to be worth it when the salesman told me that none of the modulars he had in stock are Snell rated and that the cheaper ones tend to pop open in an accident.

 

i have a few helmets but none as good and comfortable as my hjc fussion 2 full face, i went and priced it at the local bike shop and they were selling it for $299.00 cad, i loved it right off the bat but really didnt have that kinda money so i came home searched around on flea-bay for a couple of weeks and found the exact helmet some guy in toronto was selling brand new, and i mean brand new the guy only took it out of the box to take a picture of it , so i bid on it at the last minute and ended up winning the helmet for $42.00 cad. what a steal, one of the best helmets i have ever owned and the price makes it real sweet.

it doesnt really match my bike but i smile every time i put it on so its all good.

 

Well - another benefit of the modulars is being able to put it on while wearing glasses, and being able to have a drink when stopped without taking the lid off, and being able to get gas without being forced to take off the full-face (yes, this has happened to me), and being able to cross borders without having to take off the full-face (also happened to me).

Oh - and the salesman above pretty much lied to you. Not even the cheapest ones have any documented cases of opening in an accident -- mind you, it's possible, and I suppose cheaper ones with lower construction standards might be more inclined to - but to date there's no evidence of this. Most of them have metal-on-metal latches now too, further reducing the possibility. And Snell rated is overblown and pretty much useless for motorcyclists use - they test for the kind of impacts that happen in car racing - not motorcyclists falling off. Tests have shown that Snell rated helmets are "harder" but transmit more G-forces to the skull of the wearer in motorcycling cases - DOT and/or ECE helmets have much lower G-force transmission.

 

Well I'm glad a modular wasn't that important to me! You're right about those other added benefits. I don't need glasses for vision, I just use sunglasses sometimes, and I haven't gone over any international borders on my bike, but being misinformed by a salesman kind of sucks.

Thanks for the update on info. I still like my Arai though

 

I bought an HJC Symax flip face and had to take it back, it gave me a headache wearing it. Tried a size larger, which had too much room on the sides of my head and it also put too much pressure on my forehead.

I went helmet shopping, two dealers only in this town, and I went to three dealers in the next town 1 hour drive away. I can't remember all the different brands I tried on, but ended up having the best fit with a Shoei. Shoei's are quite a lot more money then the HJC and I needed to check with my local dealer. They laughed that I had a Shoei head, and could order them, but NO returns if it didn't fit!

So I went on-line and I found a dealer in Eastern Canada that was clearing out the next model up from what I was looking at for a landed savings to me of $230.00.

I now own a Shoei RF-1000 full face.