Helmet Advice
 

Hi,

I'm about to become an Adventure Biker and am wondering if anyone has any advice on what helmet to buy. Initially I will be doing much commuting between Wales and Norfolk but I am planning some adventures in the near future. I am getting a 1200GS but an confused by all the helmet options. Any advice guys/girls? Thanks.:helpsmilie:

Helmet Advice
 

Welcome!

My personal view is that if you are sticking to the tarmac a decent road helmet is the best bet, but try a few to find which are best fit for you and get properly measured - size matters!

I had an Arai which i loved - now i have a Shoei which is also good. I also have a Uvex adventure helmet which makes my ears hurt! You'll quickly know what is comfy (but the lining will give so it should feel a little tight on purchase - hence the importance of measuring).

Look for an Acu gold sticker and search online for the latest RiDE best buy analysis for an explanation of what good and bad looks like.




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Buy one that fits! Comfort is paramount above all - if it niggles, you'll not concentrate and enjoy the ride. Secondly, buy the highest quality you can afford. It's your head, and it's contents are REALLY important!

After a few purchasing errors, I'd always go with the above.

Yep. Buy one after lots of trying on, then wear in on ya head :innocent::scooter:
I have 5 helmets for different occasions doh My adventure is a Bell flipface & it's as uncomfortable as you can get !
Tried the shelf model & it was brilliant. Ordered one in & it's substantially tighter & causes pain after just 2hrs:oops2: :(
That reminds me, I must take that one backdoh

It's a critical decision & there are thousands of choices, good luck :thumbup1:

5 helmets, wow, i am so jealous :rofl: I only have the one, different occasions!? Birthdays and Christmas, now I am stuck.
Ref the tight one which causes pain, maybe it just needs loosening up doh

off topic... sorry but couldn't resist.


Back on topic

I have the Shoei Hornet and think its a really good helmet. But like everyone has said go in to a shop and try before you buy

Wayne

I've got the Shoei Hornet DS. Good helmet with excellent ventilation. The peak does a good job shading the sun, when its low in the horizon. At highway speeds 100 km/h + you can feel the wind on the peak (no fairing) and it can emit a whistle too. The difference with peak removed is noticeable both wind and soundwise. Only gripe is that its a bit cool riding under 10celsius. I'm happy with it and would recommend it.

The only product you'll likely never get to say, "I wish I'd bought a better one".

Go try several on and get the best you can afford. I've heard it said, some people have Shoei-shaped heads and the rest have Arai-shaped heads. Either way, I use an Arai Tour-X. I like it.

I can't recommend a specific brand, simply because as others have already pointed out, different manufacturers tend to make different 'shapes' of helmet, and not all brands are going to feel equally comfortable on your head.

As general (not brand specific) guidance, you might want to consider the following:

1) Full-face, flip-up, or open face? Personally, I can't bear full-face helmets, after having spent 30 years riding with an open-face helmet, I switched over to one of the Schuberth 'flip-up' helmets, and can tolerate it.

2) Ventilation - if you plan to do a lot of riding in warm climates, this is a very important consideration. Some helmets ventilate better than others.

3) Ability to replace components (and cost of component replacement) - if you ride a lot, certain components such as the clear shield and the cheek pads will need replacement long before the helmet itself needs replacement. Are these components easily available, and if so, are the prices reasonable?

4) Can it be locked to your moto? Some helmets don't use the traditional D-ring and strap, and therefore cannot be locked to the hooks provided on most motos. This can be a PITA, because it requires that you take the helmet with you, or have sufficient space to put it in a pannier.

Michael

Currently using Arai XD3, its my second Arai & i like it for its fit & comfort.

My first helmet was a Bell open face in the mid 70`s.

Try a cheapie on first, then try an expansive one, learn to feel the difference in build quality between cheap & pricey.

One you have narrowed down your choice Google that make & model & read the reviews on all the forums.

I paid more for my helmet than i did for my bike (1983 Tenere) :scooter:

Mezo.

Good technique trying Cheapo vs. Expensive. One thing missed (I'm surprised) about fit: So many new riders buy a helmet that is TOO LOOSE.

Sure, feels GREAT in the showroom, comfy, goes on and off easy. But in a month or two after broken in and has compressed a bit ... it's now TOO LOOSE. This means noisy, wobbles around at speed, not good.

Also be aware certain helmets fit different head shapes best. So, as mentioned, try a few on. But DON'T get it too loose ... if it's SNUG ... that is good, it WILL loosen up in a month of use.

Reading reviews is OK for determining how the helmet holds up but NOT how it will fit you. Subjective sort of thing, as is noise. Hard to explain.

If you're buying a £14K BMW GS ... then why not go with the most expensive helmet? Shuberth! And it's German! The Shuberth is good (but early ones were crap) and for a flip up it's good too, but took years for them to get there and it's still fiddly. Shoei and Arai know lots more about helmets ... with Korean HJC right behind.

I prefer Shoei Neotec (flip up modular) I also own a lower cost (but very highly rated) HJC flip up SyMax ll. Here's the latest version, Symax lll:
HJC SyMax 3 Helmet - RevZilla

Hard to beat HJC helmets for value. Read reviews on their RHPA type helmets. Super light.

Helmets with a peak!
 

Consider a helmet with a peak, brilliant for riding into sunlight and it keeps the sun off you face and the screen. The Arai XD-4 is the benchmark but there's plenty of others, I have a BiLT helmet with peak and it's great. I simply wouldn't go back!


https://www.freedomcyclelasvegas.com...cle-Helmet.jpg

Price is just what you pay. There is no proven difference in technology or production techniques between an £800 race replica and a £40 scooter lid, they all pass the same very basic testing to get the approval sticker. The price difference is just how much someone will pay to think they are getting the Moto GP lifestyle.

Buy what is comfortable and let's you see. Headaches, wind noise and misting up will be a prime factor in having to test the impact resistance.

Have to disagree with the helmet lock advice for Europe. The locks can be forced open with a table knife, so your lid goes with you unless the main bike security chain will go through the chin bar without getting it filthy.

I use an open face with goggles in summer (cheap scooter job, £70 five years , brand unknown ), a Frank Thomas jet style for winter and a peaked/visored MX style ( Australian made, forgot the name. ) for anywhere there might be dirt above walking pace.

Spend your cash on fitted earplugs not brands, logos and trying to look like Charlie or Rossi.

Andy

As long as the helmet has the safety ratings, I'm in the U.S. so we look for DOT and Snell, a less expensive helmet should perform the same in a crash as a more expensive helmet. After that, you're paying for creature comforts and graphics.

I wear a shoei rf1200. There are similar less expensive helmets, but the Shoei is easier for changing out cheek pads and such to customize the fit. It also has the system allowing an emergency responder to remove the padding so the helmet comes off easier. It came with a pin shield, has good ventilation and is relatively quiet and light. I'm not necessarily recommending that helmet, just an example.

If you're going to be doing a lot of riding, I would read reviews on different helmets. Lower priced will still keep your head safe, but on long rides it's nice to have some of the extras (except graphics, they cost waaaay too much, get a solid color)

I found a great article on fitting a helmet, I'll see if I can locate it again and post.

Fitting (or not fitting) a helmet. | Motorcyclist

This isn't the one I was looking for, but it's the same info.

Don't get hung up on head measurements, it's just a starting point to trying on helmets. Don't forget that many have different sized cheek pads so you can dial in the fit. Happy shopping!

It's a lot more than "basic testing" Andy. And standards DO matter. The British Standards, IMHO, are best standard in the world, far in advance of CE Euro standard (corrupt) or USA DOT standard. (lots of helmet industry experts agree Brit standards are overall best)

USA also have SNELL standard, which also involves comprehensive helmet testing, which I witnessed when I did an article on SNELL some years ago. Spent a day at their facility in Sacramento, CA documenting the testing they do and recording two hours of interviews.

The main thing I got out of the SNELL guys was that companies like Arai and Shoei are much more invested in helmet safety and technology than some fly by night, year old Chinese company. NOTE: big difference between Chinese helmets and Korean ... mainly HJC. Korean HJC are highly rated world wide in all testing.

Arai and Shoei have their own testing facilities, and according to
the SNELL guys (who've visited both companies at least a half dozen times)
the testing and results are proprietary ... and they (nor anyone else) is allowed access to their testing or data.

But it's true, even cheapo helmets will protect you fine ... most of the time.
And you're right, much of it is marketing driven, image and style up front. And Plush interiors and Hip graphics seem to sell helmets more than anything else.

I just know I'm glad I was wearing my very expensive Arai R-7 when I took a flying leap off a cliff .. and landed on my head! :oops2:
Other than forgetting how to speak Spanish for a year ... I was "mostly" OK! :smartass:

Hi Andy:

I'm not certain I agree with that. While it is true that in most fully developed countries, all helmets offered for sale must pass whatever testing standard that country mandates, there can be some very significant differences between helmets that both pass the standards test. The differences don't always correlate with pricing, but generally speaking, I think "you get what you pay for".

Having said that, I do agree wholeheartedly with you that it is a complete waste of money to pay any premium for a helmet that has fancy graphics on it.

Better quality helmets will offer features such as more comfortable padding around the cheeks and strap, and often can be fitted with different sizes of cheekpads and/or helmet liners in order to optimize fit.

If a rider will spend a lot of time in environments where rain, fog, or cold weather is common, a Pinlock face shield (or similar: a double-element face shield that minimizes fogging) is worth the extra cost.

Full-face helmets with a flip-up front chin bar, such as the Schuberth that I have, can be of great value to riders who wear glasses (like me) or who find conventional full-face helmets to be a bit claustrophobic.

If you apply your argument (cited above) to cars, it would read "Both the cheapest Korean subcompact econobox and the most expensive Mercedes S class have to pass the same vehicle safety standards - so, there is no point in buying anything other than the cheapest Korean subcompact econobox when you next need to buy a car." I think you would agree with me that that statement is a bit over the top.

Respectfully, Michael

Hi Dave:

I agree, a visor of some kind is a great feature on a helmet.

Many years ago, I bought a great helmet that did not come with a visor, and I went searching for solutions. I came across this company: SuperVisor, who make a little plastic visor that attaches to the front of the helmet with adhesive industrial Velcro. I bought one (back then, they were $10, 15 years later, they are $20) and have been very happy with it.

Michael

The SuperVisor
http://super-visor.com/wp-content/up...uper-visor.png

I would substitute "Chinese" for Korean above as both Hyundai and Kia both typically finish ahead of Mercedes in reliability ratings. :blushing:
(Hyundai and Kia, all one company now)

But I get your point ... and it's a good one ... accurate, IMO. bier

Regards Visors or Peaks ...
I prefer putting a strip of Elec. Tape across the top of my visor. It's adjustable and easily removable. Blocks Sun perfectly, does not compromise quietness or air flow.

Peaks are OK at low speeds, like off road, but going fast they catch the wind and most are really noisy compared to
top of the line street helmets.

I did not know Bilt helmets (Cycle Gear in house brand) were sold in Oz? Bilt are now Very good value and have gotten so much better than the utter crap sold under the Bilt brand a few years back.

My Shoei is ridiculously expensive but is very quiet for a Flip up. Mine current one is wearing out, I'll buy another. The HJC is good but not nearly as quiet.

The Dual sport helmets with peaks ....? Too noisy for me when road riding at 70 or 90 mph ... which we tend to do in deserted areas.

Nice tip :-)


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the ECE 22.05 standard is a joke. It is still the EU norm, because we have a huge market for cheap helmets in central and southern parts of the continent. Money and protection do not go hand in hand, but money and comfort often do, combined with material longevity.

I won´t wear a helmet, that has a shell made out of plastic.. but that´s just me.

Look up the sharp ,uk-european helmet tests will be educational on the price per performance info anyway

Unfortunately close to dead:

SHARP Helmets - THE HELMET SAFETY SCHEME

The industry didn't like the answers. Some big names got some low scores and there was cheap and cheerful.

You can get a 5* Caberg for £90 or a 2* Schuberth for £450.

Getting this made into legislation requires the EU to do something which we all know will only happen in about 200 years or two minutes after they ban bike completely, whichever happen first. Until then it's ECE22.05, the lowest common denominator of 20-odd countries legislation.

Andy

Appart from all what was said before...
There's fiberglass helmets which tend to be lighter, more expensive, and more fragile than polycarbonate helmets.

I had a one week old shiny shubert helmet (light, glass fiber, comfy) replacing an old and wornout nolan (polycarbonate, heavier, noisier, ...) which was blown of a table by a gust of wind, which caused the fiber shell to crack. I'm pretty sure the Nolan wouldn't show as much as a scratch from such an impact, and even more probable... because of its weight it would have stayed on the table.

Both materials have their pro's and cons. For everyday hop on and off the bike I'd rather have the polycarbonate helmet. For long days in the saddle, I'd take the glass fiber. If there's only one, I'd take the polycarbonate.


If you have glasses, I'd really go for flip up helmet. Saves you struggling with glasses off-helmet on-glasses on gymnastics. If you don't have glasses, I'd take a full face helmet. They are quiter and the safest type of helmet.
I like a flipdown sunscreen inside the helmet. They combine well with glasses, can be lowered and raised while riding (entering a tunnel, exiting in the glaring sun). Those on the outside get scratched and dirty easily, and riding with a scratched visor into the setting sun ain't really fun.

Personally I don't like a peak because it generates more noise at highway speeds (and typically, riding around in europe there's a lot of highway between you and where the fun begins).

And since helmets are expensive, it's worth shopping around for a previous year model at sale.

Enjoy!

Helmet advice
 

Thank you all for some really useful and interesting advice. I have now purchased my helmet and I went for a Caberg Duke flipface which fits perfectly and is comfortable, if slightly tight just now. Passed my DA last week after 15 years of motoX racing as my body is taking longer to heel nowadays! What's that all about! Really enjoying Hubb. Keep safe all.

Good to hear that your found the advice given helpful and I realise this is a little late but here is a photo of a friend's Davida helmet after a 70 mph crash that left him with 25 broken bones, a ruptured spleen but no head injuries despite the damage to his helmet. This is a £260 helmet, I wear the same and was told rightly or wrongly by the manufacturer that the difference in price and performance between a cheap and expensive lid is in the quality of the lining. There is no way of knowing if he would have been any worse or better off with one of the helmets Lidl were offering for £25 a few weeks ago which also pass EU standards but I know which one I would sooner wear.

Thanks for the link to that article. It's of particular interest at the moment as we're trying to sort out a helmet for my wife. I've bought enough helmets over the years (I must have seven or eight knocking around at the moment) to know pretty much straight away whether something fits properly but it's probably been twenty five years since my wife last had one and even then I'm not sure it was the best of fits.

What criteria she uses to determine comfort, fit etc may well not be same as me and without trying hundreds of them may not know the difference between one that fits and one that fits properly. Asking someone "how does that feel?" is close to useless unless there's some basis for comparison. Something that fits ok for two minutes in the dealer's showroom may turn out to give you a headache after two hours on the road, or it may be noisy or claustrophobic or the strap may strangle you or there may be some other issue that makes you want to throw it into a ditch.

I particularly hate the "chew the inside of your cheeks" issue that you get with some helmets and while that may be resolvable with different padding it's not much use if alternative padding isn't available or you're a week into a three week trip. Some sort of guide as to which helmet design works best with what shape of head would be a step forward but I've never seen that kind of information. Small / medium / large, yes but not best for long and thin / short and fat (or any other shape) head. Spending several hundred pounds on a helmet and then having to take a hammer to the polystyrene (or whatever it is) padding to relieve pressure points doesn't strike me as the way it should be done.

Yeah its difficult assisting someone buy a helmet , I had the same issues with my wife before our SAmerica trip, I found that using the words 'snug' and 'even pressure over all of your head' helped her find a decent fit, but 5 years later the lining was so compressed that the Arai Vector she bought was leaving red marks on her forehead and was so uncomfortable she sold it - the headlining in the Vector was not replaceable, she has a very long oval shaped head, to the point where the longest oval lids from Arai and Schuberth are not long enough, she is still looking for one that fits.

I use an XD3 and over time the headlining compressed, giving me a similar pressure point on my forehead, but the lining on the XD3 is replaceable, so I bought a new liner (the thickest one they sell) and now its bedded in its a perfect fit again.

So if you can, choose a lid with a removable/replaceable liner - I even wash it sometimes :)

The peak on the XD helmets is removable - it takes about 1 minute to take it off - so for a long road trip at speed its great, when you need the peak you can refit it - though after a while riding with a peak on your neck muscles get used to it - I prefer them, but its a personal thing.


If you are buying a helmet take a book into the store or walk around for at least 15 mins and if you can do it for 30 mins that's better, then look for any red marks on forehead or uncomfortable areas....its a shame something a bit more scientific hasn't been developed, maybe some sort of pressure sensing skull cap you put on and then try a few lids.

We spent a happy half an hour or so at a bike dealers this afternoon with my wife trying on helmets. This is (more or less) how it went:

1st helmet (size XS), "how does that fit?" - "fine".
2nd helmet (size XL) "how does that fit? - fine.
3rd hemet (size M) "how does that fit" - "fine"

I then tried on two size L (my normal size) helmets from different manufacturers. One fitted as it should and the other was way too small and I know it would give me a headache. If you can't even depend on the basic sizing information to be correct it really is pot luck.

There's some statistic somewhere that says a good percentage of women are wearing the wrong size bra as they've no idea what a correct fit is supposed to be like. I suspect there are quite a few bikers suffering the same problem with helmets.

http://i.imgur.com/UZEG3Zw.jpg

First Shoei (GT-Air), replaced that after pretty bad wash out. Got knocked out but thankfully no lasting damage. Guess helmet did well!

http://i.imgur.com/jlPHuII.jpg

Replaced with (cheaper) Qwest. Shoei were the only ones that fit my head but after trying on cheaper helmets I really appreciate the Shoei's - very comfortable lids. I missed having a sun-visor on the Qwest though...