Needs a new helmet! ASAP!!!

[ultimateanswer]

I donated 26" total of my hair to Locks of Love today and have come to the sad realization at my pony tail was all that was keeping my helmet from moving around vigorously upon my skull! I currently have a 7 year old Scorpion EXO400 shell in the XL size. I have been drooling over the EXO1000 since they came out but wanted to know what the general opinion on what was the best helmet for sport touring is. Price really isn't speed bump here because I manage the sales department at a motorcycle dealership so I can buy at cost. So shoot away!!

 

[Texan]

Contests on giving your hair to a worthy cause. Just think of how nice someone will feel wearing your shiny tail on their head. And I bet your gonna save on shampoo as well.

26" is a freaking lot of hair!

But really, Remind me not to come into your motorcycle shop and ask advice from the sales staff on which helmet I should buy for sport touring.

I'd make sure whatever one you buy offers room for speakers in case you add one of those newfangled Bluetooth gizmos. I don't know which one that is for you since we all have differently shaped beans.

 

[FJRBluesman]

If you can get a lid at cost, go for the Arai, I dig those helmets very comfy, but way too pricey. I've owned three and now have an HJC.

BTW - IMO 7 years is way too long for a helmets useful life, especially if you wear it a lot. I'd rotate helmets every 3-5 years depending on the lid, I also use mine almost every day.

Good luck.

 

[weekend rider]

What is there to fail on a helmet other than the head liner and they ar replaceable.

what happens to the material that the helmet is made out of, after 7 years?

 

[Patriot]

What is there to fail on a helmet other than the head liner and they ar replaceable.
what happens to the material that the helmet is made out of, after 7 years?

the foam between your noggen and the outer shell breaks down over time...5 years is max for helmet materials to be guaranteed effective

and the shell also gets brittle with age...some faster (polycarbonate) than others (fiberglass)

 

[Tom Edison]

I like my Nolan 102N. The flip front is very handy, easy to access your mouth with treats or fluids. Vents pretty well and the sun shade is there for the real bright stuff or when you haven't got shades on.

 

[Tree Doc]

I sported an EXO1000 for a couple years. It's a great helmet for the price-point as are the 700's and 400's like you have now. I was even able to crash test an EXO1000 and with an extreme side impact with asphalt, it got a 2 thumbs up from me. Not so much as a headache after the impact. The EXO1000 is a pretty heavy helmet since it houses that cool flip down visor (which I really liked) and that ultimately became the deal breaker for me. The 700's are quite a bit lighter but don't have the flip down visor.

My wife and I have since moved on to Arai. I sport a Corsair and her head fits the Quantum II. It's likely that I'll never buy anything but Arai again. These lids are awesome. I stepped away from the less expensive helmets with the cheaper polycarb shells. They obviously work but meet SNELL with that 1 impact rating. I've seen first hand a lot of these shells fracture after that severe impact. I want more. Chances are good I'll never take multiple impacts to my noodle if I go down but it's worth it to me to be prepared and have the best, IMO, for myself and my wife.

I offer up a pretty good video from Jay Leno's Garage featuring Bruce Porter from Arai talking about how to properly fit a helmet, which most have no clue how to do, and you'll see some pretty amazing stuff in addition to just plain excellent, useful information. The video sorta proves my point on shell construction.

Check it out....

https://www.araiamericas.com/default.aspx?pageid=160

 

[painman]

Personally I would go for the Arai. Reason is quality you can see and feel, hand made, it comes in different head shapes to fit "your" head, great ventilation and the liner comes out for cleaning. I also like the fact that the visors have flipup vents that are nice to have in the summer and helps eleminate fogging when cool. That makes total sense IMO. Question is what is your head worth? Not affiliated with Arai in any way. PM. <><

 

[5lbtrout]

Have you looked into Shark Evoline Series 2? I love the versatility of this helmet. It looks like they made improvements from the previous version. Not cheap, but this looks it it will be my next helmet.

https://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-...oline-series-2/

 

[mike_123]

ive been eyeballing the schuberth c3 and the bmw system 6

so far the only 2 helmets that felt like they belong on my nugget

 

[FJRBluesman]

What is there to fail on a helmet other than the head liner and they ar replaceable.what happens to the material that the helmet is made out of, after 7 years?

the foam between your noggen and the outer shell breaks down over time...5 years is max for helmet materials to be guaranteed effectiveand the shell also gets brittle with age...some faster (polycarbonate) than others (fiberglass)

Gunny.
The Styrofoam that is designed to decelerate your brain starts to compress, thus making that component non-working to decelerate your brain. If the foam is compressed, how does it now slow down your brain in a safe way? The foam liner that contacts your hair and cheeks is for comfort and some fit.

Wearing a helmet every day also takes it's toll. The Styrofoam liner slowly compresses, soon it's real loose. After a year or so try on a brand new helmet the exact same helmet brand, model, and size, you'll by shocked by the compression of everything.

BTW - Just my opinion, but all those guys storing their helmets on their mirrors when parked, real cool looking, but each time they do it it's damaging that Styrofoam interior.

Know why the interior white Styrofoam is painted black, looks maybe? Nope. It's a visual. When the helmet compresses you'll now see white around the foam cells. That is bad, that means the helmet has been compressed or compromised in that spot. You have a helmet where white is showing around the cells etc, you have a spent helmet IMO. Just MO, take it or leave it. I take my head pretty serious.

I do like Arai best for fit, it's pricey, but... That's why I went to another brand this time. There are many opinions and great debates regarding SNELL Vs DOT. IMO as long as it's DOT you're good to go. SNELL takes the same impact twice (DOT once) which makes the helmet more rigid to endure this and could have an effect on the proper amount of deceleration.

Go do a Google search regarding how helmets work and their safety. You'll start thinking differently about how to choose a helmet.

Start reading here. Don't stop until you totally understand helmets and their safety features.

Good luck.

 

[ultimateanswer]

I ask mainly because for the most part the guys the owner hires in the P&A department are either doo rag wearing old fart H-D guys or the war paint sport bike doing one thousand million MPH riding MF's, if you catch my drift. I have looked at the Arai's and unfortunately our mark up isn't enough to make it worth it for me to buy one at cost vs retail. I have been also leaning toward a "convertible" style like an EXO900 or the Nolans and others along those lines. I will start to window shop on Tuesday when we open back up from the weekend, and I'll post up the results! For the record I have been complaining for the last year or so about needing a new dome, and for the first year and a half of this dome's life it was used only once a month racing with the SCCA.

This charity is very near and dear to me because I have a friend who spent 3 years in Houston, TX at M.D. Anderson and St. Jude's with his son fighting renal cancer. He received a hair piece from Locks of Love. It gave that little guy so much confidence and reassurance that there were good people out there who do things like this for people they don't even know or will probably ever meet! I do this ever 2 years or so because of this!

 

[C&C]

Since you're not brand reliant, you need to get a helmet that fits the shape of your head; some of us have rounder heads, some oblong and some inbetween. Comfort and fit; try a bunch on and go from there and if your shop doesn't have a big enough variety, go somewhere else to try some on. (you could always order one from your shop at cost after you determine size and style)

 

[Patriot]

I've heard nothing but positive reviews of the Shoei Multitech Flip

A friend has one and swears by it...quiet, great venting, comfortable on his noggin

a real consideration, but probably most expensive flip out there

but then, as many ask, what's ya head worth?

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Look at the Element Fastrack Bluetooth if you want bluetooth built in.

I've heard nothing but positive reviews of the Shoei Multitech Flip
A friend has one and swears by it...quiet, great venting, comfortable on his noggin

a real consideration, but probably most expensive flip out there

but then, as many ask, what's ya head worth?

This is my current helmet. It's not a bad helmet, it's just an okay helmet. The fit is great. If this is considered quiet I would hate to hear noisy. You get a lot of wind noise around the joints where the front of the helmet flips up. I find the venting to be adequate. It is heavier than a full face helmet too. I am in the process of buying a full face to replace my Multitech.

 

[pjm204]

i go through a helmet every two years or so...then I buy something on closeout...I'm a big fan of HJC and KBC.....they fit my head like a glove

 

[RaYzerman19]

If you are looking at a modular flip front, they are noisier than full face, and from personal experience, the Nolans fit a bit strange (for round heads) but may suit the shape of your head. HJC Symax II is OK, more chin room, but the Scorpion EXO-900 seems built better than most and has air-adjustable cheek and neck pads, good speaker placement. The Shoei Multitech is noisier by most reports (I have not tried one).

 

[Patriot]

I have a warped head and found the best fitting helmets are Fulmer and HFC

I only wear flips

I currently wear a white IS-Max because of price and I favor the flip down fighter pilot shield

it's polycarb

chin bar is closer than my Fulmers and the chin bar was flexing outward when the helmet was on my head

I mostly couldn't flip it up when wearing it, even though it worked perfectly off my head

I found the metal hooks were no longer parallel to the receiving locking mechanism, so I tweaked the hooks slightly outward and now all is well

I like the helmet alot and love the flip down shade

I wonder if I should hav purchased the Sy-Max...fiberglass and more expensive so maybe a step up

 

[GreyGoose]

+1 on Arai. Theres simply nothing out there like it. You need to try on a quantum 2. There on closeout everywhere since arai is introducing a new model to take its place. You will not regret this decision. I will never buy anything else.

GreyGoose