new helmet...whats a good choice for a woman?? [Archive]

Rashika

27th September 2005, 09:45

Okay its about time i upgraded my helmet as it is ...er... a FEW years old now. damn good helmet, Shoei.... but I guess new bike, new helmet. :banana:

And given that is has been...er ...about 10 years since I last looked the choices have probably changed somewhat. :yes:
I've seen a few different threads about helmets but wondered which brands women found most comfy to wear? I will be trying a few on this weekend but thought I'd see what others prefer to give me a bit of a head start.
I'd love another Shoei but dont know if finances will allow it...we'll see I guess.

My last one was fluke: was on special, right size (xs-s), only one and the colour matched my bike perfectly ...weird given my bike was a custom colour.

So any help out there??

vifferman

27th September 2005, 09:50

Go out, try on lots of helmets, and buy the best (and most comfy) one you can afford. If your current one is a Shoei, then that will certainly end up being among those shortlisted. One to match the Buell would be nice, but what if you change bikes unexpectedly? Maybe, given that it's a Buell, it's de rigeur to buy black anyway...

Rashika

27th September 2005, 12:10

Maybe, given that it's a Buell, it's de rigeur to buy black anyway...

yeah :2thumbsup now thats probably true!
and my last one was a very dark metallic blue....damn near black anyway

James Deuce

27th September 2005, 12:12

vifferman

27th September 2005, 12:14

I bought the Shoei Raid in basic black for $399 (clearance special) for my wife, and she really loves it. Apart from not having a removable liner, I think it's better quality than my ~$800 AGV X-Vent.
For what it's worth, she tried on lots of helmets, from $150 'budget' helmets to a $950 Arai, and the Shoei was the most comfy for her.

Rashika

27th September 2005, 12:40

Unless you have breasts on your head, I'm not sure that there is a valid reason to discriminate gender-wise when making a helmet choice.

Depends how read that really.

Besides, Vifferman has said all you need to know.

from what i have read from other threads the females seem to have found that helmets do fit differently for them than the blokes...just an observation I had seen.
Not to mention always having to get sm or xsm.
I was curious as to what others had found... I do recall having issues finding one that didn't spin round on my head, cos they were so damn big.
Just wondered if any brand was better than another

Patrick

27th September 2005, 13:00

Different helmets fit everyone differently. Try em all...swapped mine with a mate this weekend, same size, different brands, he loves his, I love mine, but we both found that with the other helmet, they both blew wind and noise right into your ear...but not when we were wearing our own. Go figure...

ManDownUnder

27th September 2005, 13:10

Ideal helmet for a woman...? Soundproof!

ok - gotta go... :chase:

InDeSkyz

27th September 2005, 14:38

If I could choose my helmet again, I would go for:

quieter
smaller
lighter

Instead of this damn heavy, noisey, plastic battering ram on my head.

jrandom

27th September 2005, 14:43

quieter

you get what you pay for, unless its an agv in which case you get shite no matter what.

smaller

your supposed to choose something that fits in the first place. silly girl.

lighter

once again, YGWYPF.

James Deuce

27th September 2005, 14:46

from what i have read from other threads the females seem to have found that helmets do fit differently for them than the blokes...just an observation I had seen.
Not to mention always having to get sm or xsm.
I was curious as to what others had found... I do recall having issues finding one that didn't spin round on my head, cos they were so damn big.
Just wondered if any brand was better than another

Awwww. Dangerous told me you'd bite!!

Biologically women have slightly smaller heads and slightly smaller brains, but they use more of the grey matter that they have than men. There is a theory that extra male grey matter is just a bit of spare porridge.

I find that Arai and Nolan Helmets fit better than any other brand. Shoei really hurt my ears and Shark presses into my forehead.

jrandom

27th September 2005, 14:48

Arai

good for pointyheads.

Nolan

seem to vary more than any other make in fit between models.

Shoei

good for melonheads.

Shark

doo doo, doo doo, doo doo doo doo!

[dorsal fin snakes through water]

Paul in NZ

27th September 2005, 14:51

[dorsal fin snakes through water]

I didn't know dorsal fin snakes could swim...

jrandom

27th September 2005, 14:53

I didn't know dorsal fin snakes could swim...

sorry. I missed an apostrophe.

Riff Raff

27th September 2005, 15:16

**R1**

27th September 2005, 15:22

This is one of those... no right answer threads...I have an Arai, i love it, it's the 5th one i have had, it fits well and they crash well!!..

I have crashed in a Shoei and knocked myself out for an hour(it was a bad crash tho)

my AGV ended up with a flip top flap on top(and i knocked my self out for 5mins or so)

and i had some cheap shit kbc or sum such that i broke the jaw part off(and lost a tooff)

So if you plan on crashing a lot i would recomend an Arai, otherwise it's your head, whats it worth to ya $$$$????

ManDownUnder

27th September 2005, 15:31

once again, YGWYPF.

Isn't that place a wee way South of Wales?

Biff - can you help?

Rashika

27th September 2005, 15:49

Awwww. Dangerous told me you'd bite!!

:p only sometimes......

Rashika

27th September 2005, 15:51

Hey Rashika you probably read the saga of me trying to find a new helmet. Having done a couple of rides with my new Shoei XR-1000 (RRP $599) I have to say I'm very impressed with it. It's very light, comfortable, quiet and stylish. And of course, it's the only bloody one I could find that fit my head!!!

yeah i think i did read some of that thread ;)

shoei is definately on my list....
its nice to see someone with a particular model who can give me some feedback on it ...ta!

Lou Girardin

28th September 2005, 13:03

Shoeis seem to fit more females well than other brands we have. Possibly because Shoei's are snugger around the neck and jawline.

cowpoos

28th September 2005, 20:47

IU also have a shoei xr1000....I reckon its the bees bollocks...quiet...light...good vetilation...and the dealer I brought it off didn't stop opening padding pakets until it fitted me perfect...

and style...it has heaps of that... :done:

EssGee

29th September 2005, 13:59

I have a Shark, which fits me really well, but Uvex helmets are great if you've got the $$$$. Very light and good range of vision (pretty colours too).

Beemer

4th October 2005, 12:57

My first road helmet (as opposed to a rally helmet for in a car) was a Shoei RXR - very comfortable, reasonably quiet and the fit was really good. I've just bought a Shoei Raid (Shogun graphics, on special for $3.99) and it is gorgeous - VERY quiet, lighter, and just feels plusher inside. I've tried all sorts of helmets and Nolans are horrible on me and Arai are just a tad expensive when there are options like Shoei!

One of the nicest helmets I've ever had, and I like the D-rings - my RXR has a seat-belt type clip and I could never get the ends tight enough for it to fit snugly.

vifferman

4th October 2005, 13:01

One of the nicest helmets I've ever had, and I like the D-rings - my RXR has a seat-belt type clip and I could never get the ends tight enough for it to fit snugly.
I thought you'd think that about the Shoei. :niceone:
But what do you think about that strap retainer on the helmet? My wife can't get hers to clip on, so she just tucks the end of the strap inside her collar. I suspect it'll ease up with use, but it seems pretty dumb and hard to use compared to the "mild" (not very sticky) velcro tab on the end of my AGV's strap.

Rashika

4th October 2005, 14:00

So far the Shoei XR 1000 is winning...I tried a few different helmets last saturday.
The Arais were a good fit as well, HJC okay, but couldn't get one in my size to try on so couldn't say for sure.
None of the others had a small I could try either....oh well...their loss.

Be nice if there was another colour option , but black will prob have to be it for me... cant see the fangy looking red or blue ones going too well with the Harley racing colours on my bike.... hmmm maybe some trendy orange stripy thing? :devil2:

Lou Girardin

4th October 2005, 14:16

Check out the new Diabloc 3. Skulls on one side, cherubs on the other.

Sparky Mark

4th October 2005, 14:17

When choosing one for Mrs Sparky Mark recently, I found I was most happy with the one which had the best sound proofing...

Ahem.. :whistle:

M1CRO

4th October 2005, 22:58

Never had anything but Shoei's.. Not helpful, but my 2cents worth :niceone:

5th October 2005, 02:59

.
.
I've had Shoeis for the past more-than-I-care-to-think-about years, they suit me perfectly. I like some of the Arai graphics, but they just don't sit quite as well on my head.

As far as I'm aware, there's no real difference between men and women's heads, except as noted above that some women may have smaller heads (not even going to think about the "smaller brain" issue.....)

I currently have a Diabolic XR1000, a lovely helmet. Not silent, but then I don't believe such a beast exists. Very comfortable.

Yes Vifferman, the "clip on end" occasionally causes me trouble, but most of the time it just clips in okay.

It's very important to get a helmet that fits and suits YOU. As a general rule you definitely do get what you pay for. Also important to get the right fit - it has to be slightly too snug when it's brand new as the padding "beds down" over time to give a perfect fit.

A point to note: I take a size smaller in the XR1000 than I have in my other Shoeis (a small in this one, a medium in previous ones).

Remember the old Bell ad?

"If you've got a $10 head then wear a $10 helmet"

Could they order in a special size for you if you like a particular graphic? Other option is if you know your size, to get someone who's going overseas to get one for you if they can. (Anyone from Chch going to the MotoGP next week??)

Good luck with the hunt Rashika!
.
.

avgas

5th October 2005, 03:37

I like shoei.....but with a buel you should buy a Craft RX7 carbon...or one of those simpson things
also
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/09/29/piers.tucker/index.html/
dunno if i like the idea of GPS near my skull

Beemer

5th October 2005, 08:10

I thought you'd think that about the Shoei. :niceone:
But what do you think about that strap retainer on the helmet? My wife can't get hers to clip on, so she just tucks the end of the strap inside her collar. I suspect it'll ease up with use, but it seems pretty dumb and hard to use compared to the "mild" (not very sticky) velcro tab on the end of my AGV's strap.

Yeah, that strap retainer is a pain in the bum! Why they couldn't have some kind of dome there rather than requiring you to notch a narrow plastic clip into the gap between the D-rings is beyond me! In the beginning I just couldn't get it to clip in so I would tuck the strap up inside the helmet. Unfortunately it would invariably come loose and end up banging on the helmet, so now I make the effort and I am finding it is getting easier because I roughly know where it clips into now.

vifferman

5th October 2005, 08:14

.As far as I'm aware, there's no real difference between men and women's heads, except as noted above that some women may have smaller heads (not even going to think about the "smaller brain" issue.....)
No worries - the current research suggests women have smaller brains, but their 'grey matter' is sort of used more. (I was going to say "more dense" but that opens a whole new can of grey goop...)

Remember the old Bell ad?

"If you've got a $10 head then wear a $10 helmet".
.
Yeah, but I have trouble finding a $43.27 helmet, so I usually end up over-capitalising. :confused:

Goblin

5th October 2005, 09:40

I had a Shoei for 9 years and thought it was the ultimate lid, until I got my SportIntegral earlier this year. I know its BMW brand so cost a little more but it is THE best helmet I have ever worn. Its light, comfy and quiet, dont need ear-plugs. Was very tight to start with but has worn to the shape of my head. I truely recomend you try one of these.

Rashika

5th October 2005, 09:42

Goblin

5th October 2005, 09:52

hmm...do you have a link to any websites with it? It is not one I have seen anywhere

Try www.bmw.co.nz There may be information or links on there.
There must be a BMW dealer in your area...go and see them and ask about the SportIntegral.

Posh Tourer :P

6th October 2005, 05:55

no one has recommended a purple one yet??

Rashika

6th October 2005, 07:09

no one has recommended a purple one yet??
oooooo I'd love a purple one...but dunno if it would go well with black/white/orange of my bike :cool:

vifferman

6th October 2005, 07:25

I had a Shoei for 9 years and thought it was the ultimate lid, until I got my SportIntegral earlier this year. I know its BMW brand so cost a little more but it is THE best helmet I have ever worn.
Is it actually a Schuberth, like the BMW System X helmets?
I had a look at the new Schuberth helmets Kery has at Motohaus, and they had some pretty kewl features (like flip-down sun visor), but were a bit weird, quite different in design and features to almost every other helmet on the market.

Goblin

6th October 2005, 09:09

Is it actually a Schuberth, like the BMW System X helmets?
I had a look at the new Schuberth helmets Kery has at Motohaus, and they had some pretty kewl features (like flip-down sun visor), but were a bit weird, quite different in design and features to almost every other helmet on the market.
No, it's a SportIntegral, but a flip-down visor sounds like the buisness. I will have to invest in a tinted visor for summer. :sweatdrop