I am currently traveling with the Arai XD-3. It has been a fantastic helmet. A peak to keep the sun out of my eyes. A visor for when it is raining or there are lots of bugs. I can wear goggles without removing the visor, and even close the visor over the goggles. I have a pinlock visor, however the insert needed replacing about eight months ago and I haven't been able to find a replacement anywhere in South America so I consider that a useless feature and a waste of money.

In the past six months I don't think I've closed the visor once. Most of the time I just wear sunglasses as my goggles are not very comfortable. I think I would actually be happier with a full MX helmet, however I've rarely ridden in the rain during this time.

The one change I would make is to add a quick-release to the chin strap so that I can get it off a little bit faster/easier when talking to people. I am tempted also to try a helmet with a flip-up front, but I would miss the peak and good air flow I have now.

I purchased a Shoei Hornet helmet about 3 years ago and quite like it... This helmet fits my head shape {oval} very well... If you have more of a round head shape then another brand would be better... My only complaint with the lid has been shield fogging in cold and humid conditions... I fixed this by installing a pinlock visor... With this helmet I can wear goggles with the shield up or down and remove the peak to stop it from catching wind on long HWY jaunts...

I also use and like the Nolan Flip front and own 2 of them {older and newer gen} which fit a head shape similar to what the Shoei does...The flip fronts offer a lot of real advantages for traveling over fixed chin bar helmets, namely not having to remove your helmet for conversing, picture taking and at border crossings and checkpoints... The helmet also is equipped with a retractable sunshade which is quick to operate... The perceived disadvantage of flip fronts is the chin bar may not be as strong and open up on impacts... I have tested this first hand in an offroad crash where the chin bar took an impact, stayed shut and saved me from facial damage...

I have 2 friends that purchased the Aria XDs {1st and 3rd gen models} and just loves those lids except for the fact that both of theirs have stripped off and lost the vent covers after riding some bushy tracks... You would think that such an expensive helmet would have a better method of fastening its parts to hold up to a bit of abuse...

I recently bought a 2013 Wulfsport Prima Speed - partly for the 'shades' - and wouldn't advise you to buy one just for that 'drop-down inner sun sun visor', Alex.

Riding last Sunday morning with the low Autumn sun mainly to the front-left, I found the thing really rather annoying because the shades didn't drop far enough (meaning that vision was half-darkened, half unaffected). That doesn't sound too bad but it meant that the 'join' was pretty much ON the principle 'sight line'. That also made it rather weird flicking between long- (darkened) and short-range (normal, bright) vsual scanning whilst motoring along the straighter, faster roads.

I guess such a design would work better without a peak, so you could tilt your head down and look 'mainly' through the shades, when required, without the peak blocking forward-vision.

A great idea with poor implementation, I'd say. For me, those shades need to drop about half-to-one-inch further.

P.S. Angus, the "Arai XD", as referenced by the guys in the US, is the same lid that Arai market in the UK as the "Arai Tour-X".

Thanks a lot for the comprehensive answers guys. It's nice to have found a place that offers sound advice and well written, considered responses.
Dad and I will be test riding bikes next week, so I'm going to get the new helmet before then. I've found a place that has the Arais in stock, along with a large range of other stock, so I can see how a number of different products feel on my large head.
It also seems to be the consensus that fitting a pinlock visor is the way to go for anti-fog?
Oh, and yes, they're marketing the Arais as the "XD-4 Explorer" here.
Thanks again!

I have the Duchinni helmet and two guys I ride with have the Wulfsport ones. As far as I can see, unless the wulfsport one's have changed now, the Duchinni is fairly different (I think the Acerbis ones are the same as the Duchinni). The visor on the Wulfsort ones is really not great as it distorts your view massively, whereas the Duchinni one curves less severely and offers good vision, I'd say as good as the last AGV road helmet I had.

Been really pleased with mine so far considering they are of the lower end of the market:thumbup1:

Chris, there's a new Wulfsport Prima Speed for 2013 which looks identical - spot the difference.

http://www.adventurebikerider.com/me...70/Acerbis.png

http://www.adventurebikerider.com/me...t-Black-2.jpeg

http://www.adventurebikerider.com/me...t-White-1.jpeg

Bum, if I'd have waited I'd have saved £45 doh

The new Wulf one is completely different to the old one then :oops2:

I use a flip-up helmet. Nothing like the fresh air on a hot day or riding around towns, then flip it down for faster highways. They're cheap too, my Nitro/GMAC F341-VN cost about £60. They're a bit heavier and noisier than regular full face but I'm used to the weight and I wear custom ear plugs anyway. It has one of those internal sun visors, a nice opening mechanism on the chin bar and a ratchet instead of a double-D, which I prefer. Had mine a couple of years and is still going strong. Will probably try the tourX3 atsome point.

http://www.motorcycle-shop.co.uk/52-...matt-black.jpg

ahh man !! a £60 Flip helmet terrifies me. I can imagine it folding like a cheap Chinese deckchair in any significant tumble.

I don't even trust the £300 flips.

Yeah, it's a common criticism that I hear a lot, but I don't know how well it's borne out by the actual facts. It is 'kite-marked' and meets certain safety standards. I suppose it could be argued that these standards are flawed and there are anecdotal stories of them failing but you make your own choice and try minimise the risks as much as possible... I high-sided in Irkutsk on some wet tram tracks, landing on my head and it was fine. In a 'significant tumble' even the best helmet isn't going to save you from a broken neck or spine.

Well... I went to the NEC bike show, looked at and tried on several dual-sport type helmets, and concluded they were all a bit rubbish. A lot that wouldn't play nicely with goggles, but my main objection was that the stubby little peaks (compared to an MX lid) seem to be just style, not function. I tried the Hornet on, and couldn't see the peak. If I can't see it, it's not going to keep the sun out of my eyes. The Acerbis (and clones thereof) look like they might have a longer peak, but although I think I saw one at one point, I couldn't find the stand again to try it on.

I also established that Threewheelbonnie was right about Roof Boxers feeling so flimsy they may as well be an open face - and that they're a really odd shape that meant when wearing the right size for the top of my head, the chin-bar smacked me in the face before it would close.

Ended up buying a Shark Evoline S3 at a decent discount. Same idea as the Boxer, but seems to actually be executed a lot better - chinbar feels much more solid and isn't held together with poppers, has a second dark visor, etc. Will see how it goes. If I don't get on with it I'll just take an enduro lid and goggles to the US next year.

Well I think I've found my new helmet, although it's not out yet. The Givi X.01 Tourer, which I'm guessing is based on the existing X.01 with its removable chin-guard but given a peak. There are times when I like open face, I think it makes the wearer more approachable but I don't want open-face all the time. I'd looked at the HJC IS-Multi but it appears to have been discontinued, hopefully this will be a good substitute.

http://motorhead.ro/wp-content/uploa...01-900x900.jpg

Arai all the way!!!
 

Ive always used Arai lids simply because of the fit and finish and probably trusted them more because of better branding and advertising but after having a head on collision with a car at 60mph wearing an RX7 GP and caving the roof in with my head I know now that I will never wear another brand,I broke my pelvis and ankle and was black and blue all over but my head and face wear fine and I wasnt even concussed!! Ive just bought a Tour X3 LWD replica for £230 and I cant recommend it enough,ive even used it on my fireblade with no problems!!

Bought my firs Arai Tour X3 a few days ago - I've pimped it out as usual - got it used for £175 in almost mint condition. My first impressions are positive. It's very comfy, more comfy than my new nitro flip up which squeezes my ears. The visor is great with a bright sun, on a normal day it doesn't catch the wind much but it was very windy the other day and my head felt like it was being ripped off. On a moderately cold day it's warm enough but it is generally quite a cold helmet even when the vents are closed. on a freezing cold day its bearable with a balaclava and a neck tube. Ivevheard prople taping over vents which might help I suppose. The double D ring is a PITA as I'm used to ratchets and seat belt buckles, but its getting easier with practice. I believe they come with pinlock as standard but if not get one because they are awesome if properly fitted. I miss having a tint so bought a tinted visor too, not pinlock, I keep the other in a sock in tank bag. It changes quite easily with 4 screws, I used my engine key. Not as quick as my flip-up but not a big deal. It's fairly quiet, especially compared to my flip-up but I wear earplugs anyway, although I have noticed bit of a rumble in certain conditions but again no problem with the earplugs. So I quite like this helmet but I dont reckon I'll be using it in sub zero because its so cold. I don't think I'd pay full price for it, which is still around the £400 mark.

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/...ps830d77dc.jpg
http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/...psdd650d74.jpg
http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/...ps874125aa.jpg

I have a nexo x-tour, fit my head perfectly. Really happy with that one.