Best value helmet?

[gunrunner]

What is the best all round helmet for price . Has to be reasonably quiet too .

[wickle]

the one that fits you properly

[gilly]

and be a pretty pink

[mattian]

I got an Arai Corsair RX-7 for about $900 something off motorcyclegear.co.nz. Last time I checked they had gone up to over $1000. You should check them out for some good deals.
I don't mind paying top dollar for a good helmet, it is in my opinion, the most important piece of safety gear you own.

[smashpalace]

buy the best you can afford! Every time

[Headbanger]

Buy one that fits well and is in your budget, All helmets in NZ are supposed to be (and are) safety rated.

A fancy name and graphics may drive the price up 700% but aren't going to make a lick of difference when your in trouble.

Put the helmet on, do it up, and then see if there is anyway to take the helmet off, You maybe surprised, People have odd shaped heads and some helmets can just be rolled right off.

Comfort wise, take note of any areas it maybe applying pressure to your head or jaw, anything small will get to be a major pain after a few hours in the saddle getting buffeted by wind and bumps.

[dogsnbikes]

As mentioned already budget,fit and need's

I have a Shark RSI reason I brought it ??? it fitted like a glove and still fit's like a glove RRP was $650 got 20% off

[Phreak]

You will probably laugh, but I got a new helmet for Xmas - an Oxford OX-2 in gloss black... Price? $99. Tinted visor, an extra $29. 4 Star CE safety rating, quiet, fits perfectly, looks the biz! Unbelievable value for money!

Thanks Cycletreads!!!

[KiWiP]

4 Star CE safety rating

Don't understand that CE rating. did you mean ECE 22.05? If so no star equivalence.

Look at S.H.A.R.P. http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/ This has a star rating (1 to 5) comparing helmets like for like which already have a recognised safety rating (be it DOT ECE Snell or whatever All helmets with a safety rating are pass or fail) SHARP is a British government sponsored research program designed to give us a real comparison outside of price (ie the recognition that spending more money does not always give you a better product) Oxford helmets do not have rating but I'm pretty sure that they are own badged HJC helmets which do. Compare specs to find your HJC equivalent.

Great article here to clarify http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/ece-22-05.htm


Thanks Cycletreads!!!
I agree bought my helmet from them and found them really agreeable and I got an excellent price. But when talking to them I did find that I had done a lot more research regarding standards than they had. Does it matter? well when I'm toes up in the ED, cabbage brained, feel free to walk past my cot and call me a :tugger:
I really like them nice peeps :niceone:

[slofox]

As already stated - the best value helmet is the one that FITS...

[YellowDog]

I use these guys:

http://www.thehelmetcenter.com/

But then I do know my standard size and fit.

If you have any fitting issues, make sure you buy from a store who can give you help and advice.

Also, take the one you tried on ans fits, not another out of a box.

Good luck.

[crazyhorse]

As already stated - the best value helmet is the one that FITS...

What he said :rofl:

[CookMySock]

Comfort wise, take note of any areas it maybe applying pressure to your head or jaw, anything small will get to be a major pain after a few hours in the saddle getting buffeted by wind and bumps.This is true, but remember in a few months the helmet will loosen a size or so. The two helmet I have bought fitted "properly" at time of purchase, but four months later was loose as crap.

Loose-fitting helmets are noisy helmets, and while you should wear ear protection on long trips regardless, short trips without ear protection are still much too noisy, unless you travel at 90-95k everywhere.


You will probably laugh, but I got a new helmet for Xmas - an Oxford OX-2 in gloss black... Price? $99. Tinted visor, an extra $29. 4 Star CE safety rating, quiet, fits perfectly, looks the biz! Unbelievable value for money!I have two LS2 helmets. $120-135. I crashed one of them and nicked the paintwork, but didn't even knock the visor off it. :headbang:

I don't think $600-$1000 helmets are worth that. Actually I think they are a lot of elitist wank. :cool:

Steve

[newbould]

You will probably laugh, but I got a new helmet for Xmas - an Oxford OX-2 in gloss black... Price? $99. Tinted visor, an extra $29. 4 Star CE safety rating, quiet, fits perfectly, looks the biz! Unbelievable value for money!

Thanks Cycletreads!!!

Yip my Oxford was $99.00 full face and has the necessary sticker. Was also tight on first fitting but moulded to my head. Gets loose again whenever I have a hair cut - but then I only do that 4 times a year. Can't compare with other makes but is probably a little noisy. Perhaps a thick scarf type thingy (not a scarf as such I know - I'm not a WWII fighter pilot) - would reduce this.

[Marmoot]

HJC is one of the good value ones. It's a lesser Shoei, but historically has been quieter than Shoei.
Similar construction, but often with slightly different materials.
The interior feels much more comfortable than a lot of lesser brands, but still inferior to the top of the range (Shoei, Arai, AGV).

If you want to save money, get plain coloured ones rather than graphic ones. You won't be seeing it when you're wearing it anyway.

[Cross Rider]

HJC is one of the good value ones. It's a lesser Shoei, but historically has been quieter than Shoei.
Similar construction, but often with slightly different materials.
The interior feels much more comfortable than a lot of lesser brands, but still inferior to the top of the range (Shoei, Arai, AGV).

If you want to save money, get plain coloured ones rather than graphic ones. You won't be seeing it when you're wearing it anyway.

What he said HJC are good for me but:clap:,different helmets for different shaped heads. Try them all until one fits perfectly.

[SPORK]

I tried on probably 15 different helmets of different brands and models, and the first one that fit properly was a Shoei XR1000. Maybe my head is weirdly shaped, but it was quite frustrating. Thankfully Mt Eden was having a clearance sale on them. Wonderful! Just need a whisper kit now, the wind noise is quite annoying at anything over 80kmph.

[Dave Lobster]

Ask around people that fall off a lot and are still alive.

[DMNTD]

Ask around people that fall off a lot and are still alive.

In that case Shoei :rolleyes:

[kave]

I've written off two Nitro helmets, both did the job that they were meant to do. The visor mechanism on the Nitro helmets is a weak point though, if you are commuting and riding every day of the year only expect 18 months of use before the visor clips start to fall apart. I am now trying out an RJays GP2. Noise levels are similar to the Nitro but the quality of the vents and other mechanisms seem to be a lot better.

[p.dath]

What do you want the hemet for? Road use? Off-road?

[Ender EnZed]

Don't waste an extra $150+ on graphics.:tugger:

[scracha]

Get the best one you can afford but all things said, stick to your budget and get good all-round protection. Too many idiots with fancy lids but wearing jeans, trainers and no gloves. Helmets are throw away items and should be binned after 3 years. Better to wear an undamaged $100 helmet than wear a $1000 helmet that's either too old or been damaged but you can't stomach replacing it because it's so expensive.

At the budget end, Shark are good quality and value for money. I've crashed in an S500, S650 & S800. Now using an S800 and have 1 for a spare. All the same shell, just the S800 has removable lining and better visor.

[steve_t]

Anyone have opinions on who makes the quietest helmets regardless of price? :niceone:

[Headbanger]

Ask around people that fall off a lot and are still alive.


I've crashed in an S500, S650 & S800.


:msn-wink:

[varminter]

Whats the story about replacing it every three years? I would assume it depends on how often it's worn. Mine's started to split in the padding near the straps but I don't think it affects the safety. And who the hell has a thou' to spend on a helmet. Some people have too much money, send some my way:msn-wink:

[scracha]

Anyone have opinions on who makes the quietest helmets regardless of price? :niceone:
Shoei IMHO. Not the syncrotec tho. As others have said, it's the fit that makes the difference.



Whats the story about replacing it every three years? I would assume it depends on how often it's worn.

Not really. Sun-damange and how it's stored and looked after is just as important. Some sites say 3, some say 5 years. If it's rarely used and stored properly then I guess you could stretch it to 4 or 5 years but it's your head, not mine.

http://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/helmet_CSi.pdf

[Insanity_rules]

I've written off two Nitro helmets, both did the job that they were meant to do. The visor mechanism on the Nitro helmets is a weak point though, if you are commuting and riding every day of the year only expect 18 months of use before the visor clips start to fall apart. I am now trying out an RJays GP2. Noise levels are similar to the Nitro but the quality of the vents and other mechanisms seem to be a lot better.

Not long bought a Nitro. Bit loud for long trips but great ventilation and comfortable. Visor clips you say? I bought 2 visors and the clips do feel a bit soft when changing them. Came from an HJC which I found more comfortable but the new HJC's fit differently and don't really suit me anymore.

[Monkeynz]

I recently bought the new fibreglass HJC less graphics so added a tinted visor instead. Seems very quiet and well vented compared to the Nolan I had bought when in England. $400 for a new fibreglass HJC wasn't too bad I thought. It fits snug too.

[What?]

Anyone have opinions on who makes the quietest helmets regardless of price? :niceone:

BMW Sport Integral (made by Schuberth) is by far the quietest hat I've ever owned (and I have had a few, including Arai and Shoei)

[What?]

I've written off two Nitro helmets, both did the job that they were meant to do.

Anyone remember Robert Holden cartwheeling through the Holden billboards at Manfeild, and walking away from it? He was wearing (probably) the least expensive helmet on the market at the time (Pro Helmet). He made the same comment.

[Milts]

I've only owned two helmets, both HJC, but my $200 HCJ was very good value for money. Comfortable and very well ventilated, and held up well when it needed to. My current HJC was $150 but has much worse ventilation and is not as comfortable. Wind noise was loud but acceptable in both, although slightly better in my current one.
If I had to buy another helmet right now, it would be the $200 HJC hands down - excellent ventilation and comfort, I would consider it to be very good value for money.
That said, go to a shop and try on a bunch. Pick whicher fits you best.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I don't think $600-$1000 helmets are worth that. Actually I think they are a lot of elitist wank. :cool:
Steve

Bullshit. There's (apart from importation taxes etc) a reason they're expensive.


Anyone remember Robert Holden cartwheeling through the Holden billboards at Manfeild, and walking away from it? He was wearing (probably) the least expensive helmet on the market at the time (Pro Helmet). He made the same comment.

Who said he bashed the sign down with his head though?

I'm not saying a $200.00 helmet won't do as good a job as a $1000.00 helmet...but I sure as fuck don't want to find it it doesn't come the big one.

And I've had some pretty big ones!

[pritch]

I don't think $600-$1000 helmets are worth that. Actually I think they are a lot of elitist wank.

Funny. I was just scrolling down the page and saw that comment. The thought immediately occurred, "I know who wrote that." And it was indeed he. :sherlock:

I'd hate to be that predictable.

Once a helmet is approved, and fits, it's safe. The extra money may buy R&D, exotic materials, lower sound levels, more comfort, linings that are removable for cleaning, or fancy paint jobs.

I used to buy black because it's cheaper, but for years I had coveted a fancy paint job and last year Santa delivered one.

Elitist wank? Dunno but I like my AGV, whether DB or anybody else approves or not is irrelevant. I also like my black Shoei. They are both nicer and more comfortable than the (free) Shark which I wear on the Moped because it fits under the seat.

[KiWiP]

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard
I don't think $600-$1000 helmets are worth that. Actually I think they are a lot of elitist wank.


Bullshit. There's (apart from importation taxes etc) a reason they're expensive.

An element of truth in both statements I think. Expensive helmets have a name, fancy graphics, useful features as well such as removable linings, internal sunshields, extra vents. But safety is not guaranteed with price. ALL helmets sold meet a minimum requirement. SHARP (http://sharp.direct.gov.uk) ratings are a much more extensive suite of tests and compare like for like giving a 1 to 5 star rating.

not so good buy (safety per dollar) :dodge:
Schuberth S1 Pro £450 ($1000+) 2 stars
Arai Condor £240 ($600+) 2 stars

Better buy :2thumbsup:
Nitro N755VX £70 ($160) 4 stars
Box BX2 £60 ($135) 4 stars

So lashing out the bucks doesn't guarantee a SAFER helmet (remembering any helmet is safe as it has a rating).
But overall helmet must fit correctly (said lots of times before but worth saying again).
Age is relevant because helmet liner deforms with time, it beds in doesn't it so no reason for the deformation to stop.

I have a Shark S650, 4 stars, $300 and very cool graphics (my 13 year old nephew says so so it must be cool). and it fits like a glove so I'm happy :woohoo:

[pritch]

SHARP (http://sharp.direct.gov.uk) ratings are a much more extensive suite of tests and compare like for like giving a 1 to 5 star rating.



As has been discussed here before, the SHARP tests are considered by some (including me) to be seriously flawed. It's your money though and if that's what makes you feel good, by all means buy a helmet highly rated by SHARP.

Meantime until they sort it all out I'll continue to ignore them. If I was buying a new helmet tomorrow it'd probably be a lowly rated Arai.

[DEATH_INC.]

Here's some ideas.....

[Flange]

Like lots of others have said, fit and comfort is real important. So too is quietness, and of course the helmet should have passed a reputable test.

So too is weight - the more weight that's flogging around at the end of your neck in a crash, the more likely that neck is to be damaged.

Most helmets have weight stickers on them, but if you know a dealer well enough for him to allow you to take a set of precision scales to his shop and then weigh the helmets, you will find that the stickers are largely crap.

I have a nice HJC carbon fibre helmet which feels really light, yet when weighed against the cheapass CAN helmet that I use day to day, guess which one is lighter ? It's not the $600 HJC.

The CAN fits my swede well, is relatively quiet, is very resistant to fogging, it's the lightest thing I've found so far, and is EC approved.

And at just a bit over a hundred bucks, it's not too difficult to slide it up on the top shelf after a couple of years and go buy a new one.

As for price equating to quality, well Arai, Shoei, AGV and the likes, all pay big bucks each year to the big name riders for them to wear their product. Who pays for this ? I figure that a fair chunk of what you pay for an AGV ends up in Valentino's very deserving pocket. Conversely, probably none of what we pay for a no name brand goes out in sponsorship and this is probably the main reason why the no name brands are so much cheaper.

Cheers
Flange

[Swoop]

Anyone have opinions on who makes the quietest helmets regardless of price? :niceone:
That is a very rare beast indeed. Lots of personal preferences and opinion on noise and it can be affected by the type of bike you are riding at the time.

[pritch]

As for price equating to quality, well Arai, Shoei, AGV and the likes, all pay big bucks each year to the big name riders for them to wear their product.



That can probably be filed under R&D? If the helmet isn't up to snuff the rider is sure as Hell going to let the manufacturer know. Ant West scored himself a sponsorship from an unusual helmet manufacturer a couple of seasons ago and blew his chances in one race completely when the helmet fogged up so bad he couldn't see. The message would've got back to the factory real quick.

[Dave Lobster]

That can probably be filed under R&D? If the helmet isn't up to snuff the rider is sure as hell going to let the manufacturer know.

Apart from Arai, which manufacturers give their riders an off the shelf lid?

[p.dath]

As has been discussed here before, the SHARP tests are considered by some (including me) to be seriously flawed. It's your money though and if that's what makes you feel good, by all means buy a helmet highly rated by SHARP.

Meantime until they sort it all out I'll continue to ignore them. If I was buying a new helmet tomorrow it'd probably be a lowly rated Arai.

Which testing standard do you prefer that allows you to compare one helmet to another?

[pritch]

Which testing standard do you prefer that allows you to compare one helmet to another?

Is that a trick question? There doesn't seem to be a sensible answer.
Which in itself may be an indication as to the nature of the question...:whistle:

I know you're a fan of the SHARP
ratings and that's nice for you. What I've read tells me the tests are seriously flawed, and as they exist, are a nonsense. I'm not going into that again, y'all can do your own reading.

If they change the regime to get credible results then the SHARP ratings will certainly be useful for what you suggest.

I note that fans of the system love to point out that cheap hats that I normally wouldn't consider buying get better results than say f'rinstance Arai. I'd suggest that is a good indication the testing regime is
flawed.

Lest it be thought that I hold a grudge because my helmets didn't rate highly: my AGV rates five stars, my Shoei gets three, and the Shark I use on the moped gets four. None of which will tempt me to use the Shoei on the moped, because it's a superior helmet to the Shark in all other respects but one. The Shark has a coating on the visor that renders pinlocks and Cat Crap and all that other nonsense obsolete (so too does the AGV).

[ynot slow]

We have a ladies LS2and she likes it,quiet,my Shoei is a little noisy,but lighter than my HJC,and I like the lightness.

[CookMySock]

An element of truth in both statements I think. One of those "commentors" sells helmets though, and the other one doesn't care what anyone thinks about what he says.


We have a ladies LS2and she likes it,quiet,my Shoei is a little noisy,but lighter than my HJC,and I like the lightness.Which is weird coz I have an LS2 and its noisy.. or maybe I just ride faster or something..

My son and my mrs have HJC helmets, and I particularly dislike the visor mechanism. It's detents are in the wrong place and theres not enough of them, making it hard to find a proper place to put your visor when you flick it up. The LS2 visor is much much better, with TWO detents available for use below the eye-horizon line of the rider, giving much better flexibility.

The main problem with the LS2 is the bloody thing leaks in the rain! Water pisses in around the visor and streams down the inside.. not good! Both my daughters' and my LS2 leak quite badly in the rain, where my old FFM was much better.

Comparing further, the HJC did not fog as bad as the FFM, and the LS2 is also a lot better in the fogging department compared to the FFM. The FFM fogged like a bitch, making it almost unusable in the winter.

The LS2 has a ratchet fastening clip compared to the FFM and HJC with their D-ring fastener, which I hate. I will always have a helmet with a ratchet fastner now - so so so much less dicking around, and safer I think - since when you put your helmet on you click it locked in one movement - it's just too easy to do, so you just do it. Not so with the D rings.

Overall, I like the LS2 better than the HJC and the FFM, and it was $135. It looks nice too.

Steve

[pritch]

One of those "commentors" sells helmets though, and the other one doesn't care what anyone thinks about what he says.


If that's the case why would "the other one" bother saying anything at all?

I'm not meaning to be rude, I'm really interested. And no I'm not a psychiatrist :no:

[CookMySock]

If that's the case why would "the other one" bother saying anything at all?Because the other one, like yourself, enjoys posting what they think on a public website.

Perhaps we might all say nothing after a person in authority has spoken? Wheres the fun?

The Internet is full of experts speaking the facts. sic.

Steve

[steve_t]

I thought D rings were supposed to be superior???

[CookMySock]

I thought D rings were supposed to be superior???I heard they were required on the track. But for touring convenience the ratchet pisses over the D rings.

Steve

[rapid van cleef]

im gonna throw in my thoughts here. first of all, try on lots of different helmets. the same sizes from different manufacturers will have a different shape to them, even different models by the same company will have a different fit to another model of the same brand.
try to get a helmet with a factory added anti fog coating on the visor. i have that on my helmet, and i have also used an oxford fog city insert on me visor which was great.
i have a mate that bought a nitro helmet as it was the only one that fitted him properly. and it was a 1/4 the price of the shoeis/ arai's. i had me heart set on an shoei xr1000, but the shape is wrong for me bonce. shoe raid II score very highly in testing and its the most comfy helmet ive ever had on me head.

my wifes got an hjc as that was the best fit for her and it scored top marks in uk's ride magazine for overall best buy and safety etc and it was only 120 GBP......erm.300 bucks maybe? it beat the arais and shoes hands down, but that means nothing if it doesnt fit your head

check out uk's ride magazine for thorough testing of all bike gear. its the regarded as a kinda bible in the uk for product testing for gloves to armour and all the ancilary equipment you could possibly want as a biker.

get a lid or a couple that fits your head, then see if you can afford the finish you want. and then research the lid for reviews and safety/ crash / impact testing etc. read, read ,read.

[KiWiP]

I do support the SHARP approach but with dissenting voices I have started to do a bit more research into 'Am I rite!'

I can only find one technical paper dissenting SHARPs approach
http://perg.bham.ac.uk/pdf/Critical_evaluation_SHARP.pdf (short form from International Journal of Crashworthiness. Yes there is a journal for that)

Are there more? I don't want articles from random websites or newspapers/magazines.

Any one who has quoted 'had a high rating' or something similar can they tell me the source of the high rating. From all I have read all ratings, DOT Snell ECE 22.05 etc are a pass or fail rating. If there is some other data available can you point me to the source.

Please don't :girlfight: on this post as I am seriously trying to get the big picture. I was an engineer/scientist in a former life and am now a physics teacher in NZ so have an academic interest as well as a personal one. :Playnice::beer::calm::beer::calm::beer::calm: Ahhh.. sweet

[cc rider]

*Try them on
*Research the product
*Read reviews
*Ask others
*Try some on again

*Then make the best informed decision you can.
It's your scone, only you can be responsible for it.

Good Luck :2thumbsup

cc

[Crasherfromwayback]

The Internet is full of experts speaking the facts. sic.

Steve

Riding GT650R's...

[ManDownUnder]

back to helmets for a second.... my 5c.

Get the right helmet for the job. One that fits, is comfmy, doesn't roll off your head (do it up, grab it from the back and try to rollit forward off your head.

Another dimension to be considered is the application of the helmet. If you are racing you'll need a helmet that's higher spec'd than pootling about on the road, or scootering.

I'm quite happy in my $200 helmet because my riding is of about that speed the helmet is designed for. If I was racing I'd be looking for something a lot further upmarket.

[Maha]

back to helmets for a second.... my 5c.

Get the right helmet for the job. One that fits, is comfmy, doesn't roll off your head (do it up, grab it from the back and try to rollit forward off your head.

Another dimension to be considered is the application of the helmet. If you are racing you'll need a helmet that's higher spec'd than pootling about on the road, or scootering.

I'm quite happy in my $200 helmet because my riding is of about that speed the helmet is designed for. If I was racing I'd be looking for something a lot further upmarket.

Check! I have a KBC head.....:confused:

[ManDownUnder]

Check! I have a KBC head.....:confused:

so that's one durex head and one KBC head?

[Hinny]

If they change the regime to get credible results then the SHARP ratings will certainly be useful for what you suggest.

I note that fans of the system love to point out that cheap hats that I normally wouldn't consider buying get better results than say f'rinstance Arai. I'd suggest that is a good indication the testing regime is
flawed.


Dredging the depths of my memory I seem to recall that the reason for this may be that some cheaper lids have a softer shell than the more expensive ones. This is regarded as being a superior attribute in terms of impact absorption.`
My Shoei had a lower rating because of that than some which were 1/16th of the price.
I was convinced and may well buy an FFM for my next lid. ... If it fits.
One other thing I recall is that most people wear helmets which are too big for them.

[Maha]

so that's one durex head and one KBC head?

Well, one is shaped like a Portuguese Racing Sardine....:laugh:

[ManDownUnder]

I thought D rings were supposed to be superior???

Don't know about superior but I do know they get a bad rap for no good reason. They're not hard to use even with gloves on.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Don't know about superior but I do know they get a bad rap for no good reason. They're not hard to use even with gloves on.

'D' rings are the only system I'll ever use

[Goblin]

BMW Sport Integral (made by Schuberth) is by far the quietest hat I've ever owned (and I have had a few, including Arai and Shoei)+ one. I love my Sport Integral! Very quiet and comfortable compared to my Shoei and my FFM, but I dont knock the saftey of the cheaper FFM, having had a 70 kph head on with a car. It did save my skull.

[Beeza]

I had a Nolan N95 polycarbonate full-face about 30 years ago -- brilliant! Could open and shut the visor with a gloved hand, easy as.

Then I bought into the Bell helmet logo of the time --- "if you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet" --- and I bought a hand-laid fibreglass Bell --- same as the ones the Formula 1 car racers and 500cc GP bike riders wore. It was HEAVY and the visor clipped down with press-studs. I loathed it. I knew that if ever the worst happened, the heavy Bell helmet might shred progressively rather than shatter, as plastic helmets reputedly did. But it was sure to snap my skinny neck surer than a hangman's noose. I dumped the Bell.

Buy a helmet one size -- and ONLY one size -- too small as it WILL loosen up with use and then end up being the nice, right, snug-fitting size. If it's still too tight 6 months later, it's a bad buy.

As for me, I have a rather large nose. Not only does it fog up a closed visor in milliseconds, but it also makes a full-face claustrophobic. I therefore now use an open face helmet with my trusty old Stadium Mk 8 replica split-lens goggles and a bandanna over my mouth. Old-school, but comfortable. I can smell the cow-dung and the mown lawns and that other roadside stuff that you miss when you're in a car or locked up in a full-face helmet

Earplugs? No thanks. I need to hear if my bike is carburetting and breathing properly.

Each to his/her own.

[p.dath]

Then I bought into the Bell helmet logo of the time --- "if you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet" --- and I bought a hand-laid fibreglass Bell --- same as the ones the Formula 1 car racers and 500cc GP bike riders wore. It was HEAVY and the visor clipped down with press-studs. I loathed it. I knew that if ever the worst happened, the heavy Bell helmet might shred progressively rather than shatter, as plastic helmets reputedly did. But it was sure to snap my skinny neck surer than a hangman's noose. I dumped the Bell.

I'll add my own personal opinion in here. I don't think anything is wrong with plastic helmets.

After considering fit, you need to consider the type of accident you want protection from.
For me, I want to minimize the amount of energy transferred into the brain. That's what causes brain injuries.

The DOT standard is often considered a 'basic' standard. I take a differing view, and say that it is more optimised for low speed impacts (say 0km/h to 100km/h). You'll notice that all the plastic lids comply with the DOT standard.

The SNELL standard includes an incredible hard double impact test. I take the opinion that your unlikely to suffer such a hard double impact - expect perhaps at track speed.
As a result, only fibregalss (and better) lids achieve the SNELL standard (I'm sure there will be a few plastic lids that do as well just to prove me wrong but generally ...). If you meet the SNELL standard you pretty much meet the DOT standard.

So lets say you are a road user. Do you want a plastic lids that breaks as it absords the impact and dissapates the energy, or a super hard fibreglass lids that insteads absorbs and transmit more of the collision energy into your brain - but wont have a mark on it after the impact?

The SNELL standard allows a huge amount of energy to be transmitted to the brain - in my opinion (and that's all it is - my opinion). If you Google the subject you'll find there is a lot of conjecture about this as well.
If you want to take it to the ultimate end, why not just make a helmet from the toughest substance on earth? I'll tell you why. Because you'll die or end up a vegetable, but have a beautifull looking helmet without a scratch on it.

[pritch]

- in my opinion (and that's all it is - my opinion).

Well, you and a lot of other people, including me. :yes:

It's all swings and roundabouts though and I own both types.

[chef]

this is the best helmet maybe in the world http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=262280872

[Hinny]

No it's not!
Disagree? ... then tell us all, why.

[pritch]

this is the best helmet maybe in the world http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=262280872

Yeah right! I'll see yours and raise you...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/custom-paint-airbrushed-helmet-bandit-xxr-not-simpson_W0QQitemZ170426059933QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK _Motorcycle_Helmets?hash=item27ae2f4c9d

Much better :whistle:

[KiWiP]

Yeah right! I'll see yours and raise you...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/custom-paint-airbrushed-helmet-bandit-xxr-not-simpson_W0QQitemZ170426059933QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK _Motorcycle_Helmets?hash=item27ae2f4c9d

Much better :whistle:

Don't want to see yours but will raise you http://www.graf-x.co.uk/htdocs/images/customhelmets/album/medium/0059.jpg
I just love that this guy (well it's got to be a guy hasn't it) spends a small fortune on a custom paint job and then goes 'Yeh let's put 'G** F****D" on the side' Classy :lol:
Do like it otherwise.:cool:

[SPman]

Oh well then, back to this article....http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/motorcycle_helmet_review/index.html

[pritch]

Oh well then, back to this article....http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/motorcycle_helmet_review/index.html

Yeah, I've read that before. It isn't any more cheerful second time around...

[Hinny]

Yeah right! I'll see yours and raise you...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/custom-paint-airbrushed-helmet-bandit-xxr-not-simpson_W0QQitemZ170426059933QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK _Motorcycle_Helmets?hash=item27ae2f4c9d

Much better :whistle:

Pritch FTW