From an Arai to a Shoei?

[boman]

Has anyone changed their helmet? Gone from an Arai to a Shoei? Or vise versa?

Which one is Quieter, in your opinion? Pluses and negatives on both. I would be really interested?

Have you any other recommendations?

Many thanks for the input..

[Marmoot]

I might be wrong, but I think they have different shell shape, so they fit different head shapes. Best to try both and see how you feel.

Personally, I like Arai's aggressive look.

[KoroJ]

You'll never really know until you try them for yourself....and then it's too late 'cos, chances are, you've already brought it.

Go for comfort, check for adequate venting etc, and be prepared to have to wear earplugs. You'll either like it or eventually wear it out and get to try again.

Same goes for tyres...one mans trash is another mans treasure!

[boman]

Sorry, I edited the question. I want to know about noise. Not the fit.

Thanks.

[KoroJ]

I brought a Raid II because all the reports I read said it was very quiet. Turned out to be crap.

I eventually found out that are quite good on maked sprotties but tend to roar on screened tourers.

If you want info on noise, make sure you get it from someone on the same or similar bike.

[lostinflyz]

its going to depend mainly on the model???

[boman]

I brought a Raid II because all the reports I read said it was very quiet. Turned out to be crap.

I eventually found out that are quite good on maked sprotties but tend to roar on screened tourers.

If you want info on noise, make sure you get it from someone on the same or similar bike.

An interesting reply. I will be sure to try out the Shoei on my current steed.

[crazyhorse]

I have both.

Bought the Arai a few years ago - perfect colour to fit my yellow SV650..... great fit and fairly quiet.

Bought a Shoei to go with my blue GSXR1000. I personally think that although they are both different helmets etc, the Arai is much quieter, but it does appear to be a different fit too.

So the Arai is it for me :)

[Marmoot]

Arai is one of the noisiest helmet.
But if you wear earplug, you'll be sweet.

I use Alpine earplug. It cost $49 and comes with a pouch. But it's worth every cent and I've used my pair for 3 years so far and it is still ok.
It filters out the wind noise, but you can still talk to people even with the helmet on. That's good in my opinion.

[boman]

I have both.

Bought the Arai a few years ago - perfect colour to fit my yellow SV650..... great fit and fairly quiet.

Bought a Shoei to go with my blue GSXR1000. I personally think that although they are both different helmets etc, the Arai is much quieter, but it does appear to be a different fit too.

So the Arai is it for me :)

Great. Someone who has both. Thanks for that.

[crazyhorse]

Great. Someone who has both. Thanks for that.

You're welcome. Good luck making your decision though...... but you really gotta try them both.

[blackdog]

I have just gone from an AGV K3 to a K4.

The K3 is the quietest helmet i have ever owned. The K4 is a little noisier but almost not noticeably. (but noticeably sexier. the things we do). It is a happy sacrifice for me because I find the K4 moves around a whole lot less with the slight change in shape.

I have had KBC's, HJC's, Nolan's, and Arai's. The K3 and K4 for me are quieter than them all for mine.

I can't comment on the shoei's but the one's i tried on sure do feel good. Not enough for me to give up my new vyrus though;)

[Hitcher]

The helmet isn't the only thing that contributes to helmet noise. Screens are terrible things for buggering up the aerodynamics some manufacturers strive so hard to imbue their helmets with. Chop, buffet, turbulence, crosswind chatter, all par for the course behind a screen -- even screens that have electric adjustment aren't perfect. I was amazed at how quiet my Shoei became when I stopped riding an FJR1300 and went naked on an Aprilia Shiver.

Even without a screen, helmet noise can't be eliminated. Compression and expansion as air passes by a moving helmet is inevitable. Shoei's noise reduction kit works well and even fits an HJC.

The best thing for dealing with helmet noise is customised earplugs. Moulded to perfectly fit your ear canals, made from silicon. Brilliant.

[Vgygrwr]

Owned a Shoei Raid 2 with ER6n and Street Triple ok but only with air plugs on long rides. Became more noisey when I chenged the ST3 handle bars for more upright riding position. Changed to TDM 900 and have gone to air plugs with 3 db more attenuation, that is developed a real roar. Bought XR1100 as quieter waste of $700. Claim that the Qwest is supposed to be better for upright riding position. Really need to try before buy, best of luck.

[Mom]

Has anyone changed their helmet? Gone from an Arai to a Shoei? Or vise versa?

Which one is Quieter, in your opinion? Pluses and negatives on both. I would be really interested?

Have you any other recommendations?

Many thanks for the input..

I have just abandoned my Shoei. Watch out for the destroy a Shoei helemt thread anytime soon. I always thought I had a Shoei head, but it appears I may have had a wankers head afterall :dodge:

I managed to chunk my Shoei and needed to replace it. I tried on a replacement Shoei at Motomail, absolutely brilliant, matched the bike, felt great on my head... $1500 (round figures) and outrageously priced!

So I went to Cycletreads and had a look around. I have managed to find a Shark that fits my head, and my pocket to boot. Great deal thanks TOTO!

As far as noise goes...

The Shoei was VERY noisey when I pillioned behind Maha, but ok when riding my own bike. The Shark on the other hand is quieter as a pillion, am still to test it on my own bike.

It is however heavier on the head, resulting in a bit of a sore neck, building the muscles required to hold the thing against the wind :baby:

[Grumpy]

I have changed from a Arai RX7 to a XR1100 Shoei. I was expecting the Shoei to be quieter but I don't think there was much of a difference. I personally think that the Arai a little better quality but the Shoei has a better shape and I got alot less buffeting. I ride "naked" :shit: so that is a big plus.

[boman]

I have changed from a Arai RX7 to a XR1100 Shoei. I was expecting the Shoei to be quieter but I don't think there was much of a difference. I personally think that the Arai a little better quality but the Shoei has a better shape and I got alot less buffeting. I ride "naked" :shit: so that is a big plus.

Exactically what I am looking at doing. I love some of the Arai styling. But I am hating the wind Noise. I might wait to see what the Arai ia like on the new scooter, before I change it.

[ops.normal]

Shoei's noise reduction kit works well and even fits an HJC.

Not meaning to hijack the thread or anything - but by noise reduction do you mean active noise cancelling? As in decent music headphones etc - the battery powered jobbies that transmit the inverse of the noise wave?

Does anyone wear active noise cancelling earplugs or passive only?

Cheers!

[Usarka]

Arais have a rep for being noisey. I haven't tried both because shoei's fit my head like a cactus in a condom.

[steve_t]

Shoei Qwest. Good noise reduction but not good enough venting IMO.

Active noise reducing earphones don't work well on the bike but are really effective on airplanes

[Sensei]

Own 6 Shoei's , 1 Shark ,1 AGV & 1 Arai ... the Shoei's & the others sit on the shelf now as The Arai is night & day more comfortable than all the others ... I worry about comfort & saftey 1st & noise 2nd ...

[steve_t]

Own 6 Shoei's , 1 Shark ,1 AGV & 1 Arai ... the Shoei's & the others sit on the shelf now as The Arai is night & day more comfortable than all the others ... I worry about comfort & saftey 1st & noise 2nd ...

Isn't comfort (and probably noise a bit too) more to do with the shape of your head and the shape of the helmet than anything else?

[boman]

Own 6 Shoei's , 1 Shark ,1 AGV & 1 Arai ... the Shoei's & the others sit on the shelf now as The Arai is night & day more comfortable than all the others ... I worry about comfort & saftey 1st & noise 2nd ...

The only thing I can Fault the Arai on, is noise. But that could be where the bikes screen throws the wind. the Comfort is great.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I brought a Raid II because all the reports I read said it was very quiet. Turned out to be crap.

I eventually found out that are quite good on maked sprotties but tend to roar on screened tourers.

If you want info on noise, make sure you get it from someone on the same or similar bike.

I have a Shoei Raid 2, and an Arai Vector. Actually Ihave two Raid 2's because I fell off on a trackday and scraped it down the road to the point where it was no good for another trackday, but I am perfectly comfortable wearing it on the scooter. The "Scooter" Shoei is stock, and the other one has a "Shoei Whisper Kit" fitted. the scooter one is very noisy, but since it hardly ever goes above 60kph I dont really care. the whisper kit makes a difference and should be standard equipment IMO. The Vector is very good noise wise, I think it is "longer" in the sides or something.

on the open road I always wear earplugs anyway.

I read a recent review of the Shoei QWEST (replacement for the raid, I think?) which said it was very quiet. I'd like to try one, and will when i need to replace the Raid.

so, my advice is: if you buy a Shoei, budget another $129 for the whisper kit. and another $10 for ten pairs of disposable earplugs.

[Reckless]

I had top line Shoei's for years then went to a Shark RSR2. Much quieter imho!
Seem to have a Shark, Shoei Fox, Shaped head??
I never use ear plugs hate them! Same with music, phones and intercoms!
Like to hear the bike, the other traffic and concentrate on my riding! Look at the fit around the ears make sure its snug and you won't need ear plugs! When I close the Visor on my shark the bike goes quieter its so good! Its often the visor fit that makes noise.
But each to their own try before you buy!

[boman]

I had top line Shoei's for years then went to a Shark RSR2. Much quieter imho!
Seem to have a Shark, Shoei Fox, Shaped head??
I never use ear plugs hate them! Same with music, phones and intercoms!
Like to hear the bike, the other traffic and concentrate on my riding! Look at the fit around the ears make sure its snug and you won't need ear plugs! When I close the Visor on my shark the bike goes quieter its so good! Its often the visor fit that makes noise.
But each to their own try before you buy!

I have tried on a Shoei, Xr1100. Very comfy. It fitted just as well as my Arai. Possibly a bit more room around the chin. Will look at a Shark, see how it fits.

[slofox]

Got both. Started with a Raid II. Eventually swapped to an Arai Chaser.

Reason for swap was fitting. Lots of people have told me I am a dickhead but it would appear I am an Arai head instead. So yah boo sux to all those bastards who said otherwise!

Noisewise? Not a lot to choose between the two. Initially I thought the Arai was quieter but swapping from an SV to a GSXR pretty much took out any difference.
I had the Shoei fitted with a whisper kit which does sort of work. But earplugs work better than any add on...

As has already been said, it is the airflow over the helmet that makes most of the noise anyway. I've found that some plugs work better than others. The best reduction, for me, comes from el cheapo foam plugs. They may not have the overall attenuation level of individually moulded plugs but they take out the frequencies I most hate - ie wind noise.

[Toaster]

Sorry, I edited the question. I want to know about noise. Not the fit.

Thanks.

It depends on what type of Arai and Shoei.

I changed from an Arai NR5 to a XR1000 Shoei but found the helmet not that quiet at all which is apparently a fairly common view.

Just bought a Quest Shoei which is much better, for me anyway now I am on a Tourer and sitting upright...ish.

[Toaster]

my head like a cactus in a condom.

So you won't be getting any head any time soon then.....:shutup:

[boman]

It depends on what type of Arai and Shoei.

I changed from an Arai NR5 to a XR1000 Shoei but found the helmet not that quiet at all which is apparently a fairly common view.

Just bought a Quest Shoei which is much better, for me anyway now I am on a Tourer and sitting upright...ish.

Arai RX7 Corsair. Shoei XR1100. But I am open to other options

[onearmedbandit]

Isn't comfort (and probably noise a bit too) more to do with the shape of your head and the shape of the helmet than anything else?

Mostly, but not entirely. Arai are not the lightest helmets on the market but they reference 'weight distribution' as being more important than overall weight. This will make a difference to comfort levels as well.

[boman]

Thanks for all the replies.

[vifferman]

Thanks for all the replies.
Here's another.
While it's generally true that Arais and Shoeis are different shapes, there are a couple of shell shapes for them. AFAIK, the Arai Corsair shape is very similar to the average Shoei ("long oval"), whereas most Arai shells are different.

[blackdog]

Arai RX7 Corsair. Shoei XR1100. But I am open to other options

I still reckon get yer noggin in an AGV (at least for a spin round the block). K3 is fantastic value for $ and the quietest lid I ever owned.

[Number One]

I found out that all this time of riding I have a shark head. Went from Shoei to shark and haven't looked back didn't fit any of the other flavours that well either....odd noggin LOL

[mokomoa]

Its a shame you can,t test ride helmets, could make the world of difference on which one to buy.

[mokomoa]

double post ......

[Grumpy]

Its a shame you can,t test ride helmets, could make the world of difference on which one to buy.

I've done it before. Doesn't hurt to ask. There are some shops out there that will let you.

[IdunBrokdItAgin]

Its a shame you can,t test ride helmets, could make the world of difference on which one to buy.

You'll be pleased to know that you can! Well the Arai helmets anyway.

Arai supply dealers with yellow test helmets - there are a few dealerships around NZ who have got the helmets in (follow the attached link for list):

http://www.araihelmet-europe.com/2010/banners/try-an-arai-helmet-before-you-buy/

[boman]

Yes, you can test ride an Arai. Also Scott at Mr Motorcycles in Puke, has some Shoei's to borrow, and test ride. But I do not know about the others, Shark, AGV etc. It would be interesting to try them all.

[Elmer]

I settled on an Arai. I was able to test ride one as some of the shops have test helmets available. I got mine from Motorad in Wellington. Recently received a newsletter from Arai with a lot of tech stuff in it - I'm sure I made the right decision. Happy as a sandboy really! Oh, and by the way it's very quiet.

[boman]

50 - 50 split really. I bought a Shoei, to replace the Arai. Only because i broke another side pod. Sick of that. So I went for a helmet design without them.

[raftn]

I had an Arai, now have a Shoei, I like the Shoei best. It was a fifty fifty call but in the end the ease of changing visors made it an easy choice. Arai's system can be a bit annoying, and I to broke a side plate which realy pissed me off.

[NZsarge]

Great. Someone who has both. Thanks for that.

If you go to an Arai certified dealer chances are they'll have some demo helmets they might let you try (look for the solid hi-vis ones) and I have seen demo Shoei's too but not for a while.

[NZsarge]

I reckon I could wear either, like the Aria's though, on my 3rd one now.

[nic]

Has anyone changed their helmet? Gone from an Arai to a Shoei? Or vise versa?

Which one is Quieter, in your opinion? Pluses and negatives on both. I would be really interested?

Have you any other recommendations?

Many thanks for the input..

Yep - I have had two Arai helmets (Quantum e and Astro R) and have recently bought a Shoei (xr-1100)

The Shoei is quieter and has a fabric chin 'skirt' which reduces the noise further.
I have always worn earplugs too

:)

[Metastable]

I had an Arai RX-7 corsair and I got a Shoei X-11.

I don't like the Shoei as much as I did the Arai.

My biggest gripe with the Shoei is that if I'm in a full tuck, the I can't see straight ahead without cranking my neck up. The top lip of the helmet blocks my view. Because almost exclusively ride at the track, this is a problem.

The Shoei is quieter than the Arai..... the little side pods make a ton o noise on the Arai.

I hope that helps.

[steve_t]

I had an Arai RX-7 corsair and I got a Shoei X-11.

I don't like the Shoei as much as I did the Arai.

My biggest gripe with the Shoei is that if I'm in a full tuck, the I can't see straight ahead without cranking my neck up. The top lip of the helmet blocks my view. Because almost exclusively ride at the track, this is a problem.

The Shoei is quieter than the Arai..... the little side pods make a ton o noise on the Arai.

I hope that helps.

You should have a look at the X-12 or RF1100. The visor port is a lot larger

[boman]

I had an Arai RX-7 corsair and I got a Shoei X-11.

I don't like the Shoei as much as I did the Arai.

My biggest gripe with the Shoei is that if I'm in a full tuck, the I can't see straight ahead without cranking my neck up. The top lip of the helmet blocks my view. Because almost exclusively ride at the track, this is a problem.

The Shoei is quieter than the Arai..... the little side pods make a ton o noise on the Arai.

I hope that helps.

Having just bought a Shoei, to replace my RX 7 with. I am finding much the same. The Shoei is quiet. but the Arai, was warmer. I seem to get more wind on my face than I did with the Arai. This could be a fitment problem, with the visor, I will take it in and see if they can fix it.

Just as a matter of interest has anybody fitted a HARD warning light to their Shoei? How did you do it? The way I fitted it too my Arai, wont work on the Shoei.

Thanks.

[tuska]

have had/worn shoei, arai, hjc, exlite even a bell.....they all bloody noisey...but i think thats xtz66o's for ya, all quiter on tdm....shoei fits my face better and not as likely to fog as others.i so shud throw out my shelf of oldies!

[ruinedinc]

I have just gone from an AGV K3 to a K4.

The K3 is the quietest helmet i have ever owned. The K4 is a little noisier but almost not noticeably. (but noticeably sexier. the things we do). It is a happy sacrifice for me because I find the K4 moves around a whole lot less with the slight change in shape.

I have had KBC's, HJC's, Nolan's, and Arai's. The K3 and K4 for me are quieter than them all for mine.

I can't comment on the shoei's but the one's i tried on sure do feel good. Not enough for me to give up my new vyrus though;)

You have a vyrus? the one with the 1198 motor? how did you get hold of one of those?

[imdying]

He wishes :laugh:

https://www.cmcbikes.com/agv-k4-vyrus-black-silver.html

[blackdog]

You have a vyrus? the one with the 1198 motor? how did you get hold of one of those?

You mean this?

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Vyrus/vyrus_987_c3_4v.htm


He wishes :laugh:

https://www.cmcbikes.com/agv-k4-vyrus-black-silver.html

Thats the one. Snug as a bug.