Both of my helmets are coming up on five years old and probably due for replacement soon....if for no other reason than they have a few scratches here and there and the liners are filthy. But both have done yeoman duty...so no complaints from me. My first choice is an Arai but man have you seen the prices??? Top of the line and were talking $800+. The old adage about getting what you pay for is not always true, that's what keeps rags like Consumer Reports in business.....think Harley-Davidson here. If anyone can prove an Arai or other high price helmet is safer than, let's say an Icon that meets the same Snell, DOT, EC2205 standards than speak up. I know Arai sponsors more big name racers and has a larger advertising budget than possibly the rest combined. Who pays for that? D'ythink they roll that back Into every helmet they sell? Opinions? Thoughts?

* Last updated by: Kruz on 4/24/2011 @ 5:12 PM *

I used to love my HJC Symax and was about to get another at close out price of $125 from New Enuf then was able to take a Shoei Multitech for a spin. Yes the $450 helmet felt so much better than the HJC and quieter that I spended the money.

I tell the wife of the new expenditure and all I get is "Great a $400 helmet for a $50 dollar head". I had to remind her that I make the most money and all she says is right now give me the debit card.

I just started wearing my new Shoie and it is not a huge amount better than my Icon. The Shoei is somewhat lighter. It does not have the glue ventilation ducts so I imagine it may be a bit stronger, perhaps having fewer holes...IDK? I liked it so I bought it. Has been my fav for a couple years.

I would just steer away from real el cheapos. If you need the lightweight advantage of an $800 CF helmet than go for it. I think putting the additional $550 you spent on that lid toward a set of lightweight wheels would be a much more economical use of weight loss $$$.

BG, could you do me favor and change the thread title to "Skidlids....what's on your noggin" instead of your nothin. That was a typo error and when I attempted to edit it wouldn't let me change the title.

Thanks!

I guess here is my question, you have DOT and Snell Foundation. You have two hundred dollar Snells and you have eight hundred dollar Snells. What's the difference if the protection is equivalent? Weight? Features? Quality? Paint? Graphics? Name?

* Last updated by: Kruz on 4/24/2011 @ 9:30 PM *

The build quality is supposed to be better. I myself wear a Shoei. I was going to try somethign new, but they did not fit my head as well. Motorcyclist did a huge write-up on helmets awhile back. Their lap testing came to same conclusions as the EU has, Snell helmets are not necessarily better. Alot of data points the other way. DOT standards actually are softer helmets,which translates to less energy transfer.

I would go by the fit, and function of the lid. I like my RF1100, but it is not as quiet as my 900 was. I think it has something to do with the ear cups. Much larger on the 1100.

Kruz, this is pretty long, but a good read from some time ago.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmet-faq.htm

For me fit, features, and noise level are the most important. I love both the Shoie's I've owned.
And I really like my carbon fiber Joe Rocket I got from NewEnough, at a substantially lower price
than my Shoie's. Which one will protect my head better??

I hope to NEVER find out LOL!!

* Last updated by: Philhnnss on 4/25/2011 @ 12:44 AM *

I've been a die hard Shoei buyer. It just fits better than Arai. Price is basically no object. It it fits and I think it looks awesome, I'll buy it. Having said that, when I was looking for helmets this spring to replace the Shoei, I tried on EVERYTHING right up to a Bell Star Cerwinski for $650.00 and bought a HJC CL16 CARNAGE. Retail price is around $145.00 but I got it through a friend who works for a bike shop for $92.45. I can't believe I bought such a cheap helmet, but it fits better than the Shoei and has all the updated DOT/Snell standards. I figure that if, for some reason, I don't like it It's kind of "disposable". But I think it will be OK.

I have always purchased the latest and greatest depending on graphics a lot.

So I have a John Kacinski replica Shoei, and the replica Shark I wore last season. Both great helmets. A Shoei just like my replica saved my life years ago when I low sided my ZX11 in a 90 degree corner at almost 60 mph.

But now, I use a HJC BT MAX with a flip up facepiece and built in microphone and stereo speakers. I got it because they collaborated with Chatterbox to make the new -H Chatterbox unit snap into the helmet with everything pre-wired ready to go.

Even though I'm not using it for music, my phone and GPS will go through the Chatterbox, as will inter-bike communications.

So these days, I'm buying helmets for comfort, field of view, and utility with the way I want to ride.

Sometimes I see one of the new carbon fiber or kevlar-carbon weave helmets and feel a tug on my wallet. But they don't match the rider anymore.

* Last updated by: privateer on 4/25/2011 @ 6:42 AM *

Good article Phil, thanks! It does give some food for thought, first off the idea that there is one best helmet and the other that expensive is always better. I do like the idea tha Arai is one of the few manufacturers that builds shells to fit different head shapes, round, oval, long etc. I bought two of the Zox Spectra Rs back in 2006 from my local stealer, one in silver/gray and one in red/silver with the Speed Freak graphics, they were under $200 at the time. I liked the graphics design and overall quality, they had the Snell M2005 certification which was important to me and the helmets were relatively light in weight. Other features I liked were the fibreglass, Kevlar/Aramid composite shell which I figured was better than the cheaper polycarbonate. The best part they were a snug and comfortable fit and have continued to be so over the last five years although the inner padding is starting to loosen up do to age. Interior replacement kits are available from Classic Cruiser for about $32 so no biggie there. The body hardware, vents and plastic bits etc. have held up well over the years. The original acrylic face shields are still crystal clear and scratch free even though I use paper towels and a spray bottle to clean up after every ride. My only complaints are that the face shield is truly a bitch to get off and back on and the white painted portions have had an odd color shift over the years from a pearly white to a milky white...weird.

Anyway, I just ordered two more off the Internet , one in Matte Black/Red/Silver and the other in Matte Black/Blue/Silver. The spoiler at the rear of the helmet makes it very stable at high speed and check out the size of the air intakes on the top and cheeks, ventilation is very good and the wide periperal vision is also nice.

Here's my old Silver/Gray one about to be either retired or go in for an interior overhaul:

* Last updated by: Kruz on 4/25/2011 @ 9:57 AM *

I just picked up a Shoei X-11 Luthi.

I was shopping for an X-12, but couldn't pull the trigger based on cost. Would have been about $800 for the helmet and two new shields... Got the X-11 for $200, and since I already had an X-11 Kiyonari, I had extra shields.
The X-11 is a great lid, and for the prices some places are closing them out for, I think a guy would be hard pressed to find a better helmet for the $$$.

Ok Dogo, looks great, now we need to see a shot of you on the bike.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 4/25/2011 @ 11:52 AM *

spammer !

Man, I think I drank to much yesterday! I'm seeing echoes!

Ok Dogo, we need to see a shot of you on the bike.

But I haven't got my new leathers back from the seamstress yet!

spammer !

Echo fixed, not sure what happened there. BTW who's the spammer, me or Dogo?

BG must be MIA, anyone know how to change the thread title, I can't fix it?

You guys need to post some pics up with all of your gear on, I went first.

$60+ for replacement sheilds, ...really. Looks like I'll be sticking with my noisy but affordable HJCs

Testing the Arai

More Arai Crash Testing

What is Arai made of?

Helmet Penetration Testing

MCN Tests Cheaper Helmets

And just for fun, how does your body react when your head is hit without protection?
This happens!

This is the ammo I used to make my decision on the Arai.

* Last updated by: loadedmind on 4/25/2011 @ 12:09 PM *

Loaded, most of those videos are over 2 years old. Though granted, Arai are excellant helmets.

The important thing is, if it wears both a DOT and Snell sticker, it has passed the most rigorous tests given.

After that, it comes down to fit, field of view, comfort, quietness, replacement part costs, and the like. No?

What about the arguement that they are testing to standards that actually put the head in more peril due to increased stiffness and foam density. Some cases there's just no stopping the goo in your head from smacking into the skull, you're just going to fast to slow down without a jolt to the pudding in your head. I'm not really depending on my helmet to keep me 100% safe, just save my life so I can be a vegetable and drool on everyone.

Roger that Edge, helmets work great for glancing blows and sliding abrasion at reasonable speeds but a direct frontal impact at high speed in any helmet is going to turn your brain into tapioca ala Ayrton Senna's Formula 1 crash at Imola. Isle of Man TT guys know this, if they go down at speed those trees and stone walls are very unforgiving. Smart Guys like Valentino Rossi won't do the IOM.

Which is why I suffered 2 x Traumatic Brain Injury due to impacts that left no marks on my head (well, one did, but hardly worthy of the damage caused).

The point is, if it is DOT and Snell, its the best anyone knows how to make in 2011.

Nobody is making the contention it will stop your brain from bouncing off the inside of your skull during a sudden impact to the head, or due to force vectors slinging the head to the side or front or back hard.

What we know is, if you wear the helmet, you are better off than if you don't, if you wreck. If you fly head first into the side of a tractor-trailer at 60 mph, helmet or no helmet you are dead.

I crash tested an RF 1000 at 200kph,my brain still works,I can understand everything Hub says

I was reading an article that said no one helmet is perfect in every type of possible crash scenario, it's a crap shoot at best. If you stiffen the shell too much to stop sharp object penetration, there may not be enough give to absorb the impact and cushion the cranium. The cheaper DOT jobs actually out performed the Snell rated helmets in some scenarios due to their softness. They might not do as well if the crash involved a sharp edged object. Bottomline, you pay your money and take your chances, the rest is in the hands of the Good Lord...may I have an Amen?

Im using a RF1000 right now as it fits well and as I dont care much about graphics or at least wont pay that much just for looks , RF1000 is pretty good at air venting so down here its hot too often. Also the RF1000's are under $200 another year or so and Ill try the RF1100 as most say the fit is the same . I also have a HJC CL-SP for the wing as it fits different for more upright riding and the RF works well for ZX14 riding . Either is good price but if your helmet fits , thats the main thing as all else will be forgotten if the helmet gives hot spots