A riding buddy has a Nolan helmet with the flip up chin bar... I like the idea of it, but haven't tried one yet. Those of you that have them or have had them, what do you think? Also I should add that I'm interested in putting helmet speakers in it. Is there enough room in them?
Thanks, Brap
I have a N103 with helmet speakers; I've got about 15K miles on the setup.
Overall on the Nolan I'm mixed in how I like it. It fits great, I like the finish and the flip down tinted visor is great altho it takes some practice to find and work the control for that. It's easy to flip up/down the face. I also got mine @ a reduced price from? I forget where, but was one of the big online retailers like Newenough (now Motorcyclegear.com) or Dennis Kirk (I'm on a number of email alert lists).
On the negative it's a noisy helmet sometimes like yesterday when we did the Central Florida FJR ride and at times had pretty strong cross winds; at times it's not an issue as my Cee Baily +4+2 keeps the wind off of you pretty good in certain conditions.
I also don't like how the interior is seeming always coming unsnapped and seems to move around.
On installing helmet speakers: it's not bad but you just have to pay attention and route everything in there right. I did it the first time and didn't sink the speakers in far enough, did a ride and just 'barely' made it home as my ears hurt so bad from the speakers pressing on them. And I mean BAD, to the point of dang near just taking the helmet off! I said 'dang near'. I went back, and trimmed a 3M sanding disc to the diameter of the ear speaker and sunk the speaker 'well' quite a bit deeper and now no more problems.
The chin bar is close to my chin/mouth so the mic for my comm system is always pressing against lips/chin. Also the regular faceshield - the outer clear one, not the tinted inside flip down - bugs me sometimes as I like to ride with it open at times but it constantly flips down with the wind at freeway speeds. I've had other helmets that don't do that.
So I guess for the price it's a good helmet and I'm sure I'll get many more miles on it, but when it needs replacing in another couple of yrs I don't know that I'll buy another one; I'll have to see what is offered at that time...
