Which full face helmet is quiet?

[MGST]

I am in the market for a new helmet. I've got an ancient FFM full face, noisy as all hell, plus when it rains there is equal amounts of water on each side of the visor :doh: I want a fixed full face job ( not one of those ones where the chin bar and visor swing up ) which is nice and quiet. I wear earplugs with my current helmet if going more than 15 mins, but that gets to be a pain in the arse, plus its no good for trying to talk to people on group rides at regroups, so that only leaves lunchtime, and you can't get around everybody in time :crybaby:. I want a helmet that is QUIET!!

I read somewhere about double D's and clip straps - I've got DDs and want to stick with them. Can you take your pick, or does each manufacturer only offer one or the other?

Talking with a few people on the weekend ride, Nitro (is that the make or model?) helmet is said to be reasonably quiet ( and well priced ~$250? ).

I assume one can buy tinted/mirror/irridium visors for most or all current market helmets these days? Do they come standard with a clear visor?

Cheers

[Hitcher]

There is no such thing as a "quiet" helmet. Some are noisier than others in certain conditions. Buy earplugs. Wear them at all times. Get over it.

[James Deuce]

None of them are quiet enough to ditch the ear plugs. There are a lot of claims about dB levels inside helmets from manufacturers, but the real world tends to throw up stuff that controlled environments don't.

Noise above 85dB will damage your hearing. Most helmets run between 91 to 98 dB internally.

Buy any helmet that fits your head the best and meets basic safety standards. Go for fit above price or features. But stick with the ear plugs.

[pzkpfw]

I wear earplugs with my current helmet if going more than 15 mins, but that gets to be a pain in the arse,

And improve your aim.




(Sorry, had to be said.)

[HTFU]

And improve your aim.




(Sorry, had to be said.)

But said it was. :laugh:

As for the helmet and noise I use in-ear earphones and they take out most of the noise and you also have some sweet tunes to listen to. Sometimes just use them as plugs and leave the music off. Not sure of the db level but IPOD is set pretty low so it must be blocking out a lot of the noise.

[rainman]

Noise above 85dB will damage your hearing. Most helmets run between 91 to 98 dB internally.

Say what?

Hmmm. I have a very noisy helmet and don't use earplugs. Perhaps that's why my teenager is starting to mutter.... :)

[chris norman]

I've now got an upmarket AGV seems quiet enough i've never worn ear plugs i like to hear whats going on around me. Can't see the need unless I'm behind one of my chain saws. My 2 cents worth.

[James Deuce]

You're doing you're hearing in chris, but that's your choice.

[99TLS]

i've never worn ear plugs i like to hear whats going on around me. Can't see the need

yeah never felt the need also,nothing wrong with my hearing after 20+ yrs of riding without earplugs

[Usarka]

The suicided rate for deaf people is higher than blind people.

[Taz]

I can't ride any real distance on the open road without earplugs. Makes the ride so much nicer and less tiring over the long haul.

[homer]

I am in the market for a new helmet. I've got an ancient FFM full face, noisy as all hell, plus when it rains there is equal amounts of water on each side of the visor :doh: I want a fixed full face job ( not one of those ones where the chin bar and visor swing up ) which is nice and quiet. I wear earplugs with my current helmet if going more than 15 mins, but that gets to be a pain in the arse, plus its no good for trying to talk to people on group rides at regroups, so that only leaves lunchtime, and you can't get around everybody in time :crybaby:. I want a helmet that is QUIET!!

I read somewhere about double D's and clip straps - I've got DDs and want to stick with them. Can you take your pick, or does each manufacturer only offer one or the other?

Talking with a few people on the weekend ride, Nitro (is that the make or model?) helmet is said to be reasonably quiet ( and well priced ~$250? ).

I assume one can buy tinted/mirror/irridium visors for most or all current market helmets these days? Do they come standard with a clear visor?

Cheers

I just got a cheap CAR helmet it a lot better than the ffm i had which was an m7 model and cheaper

[discotex]

Talking with a few people on the weekend ride, Nitro (is that the make or model?) helmet is said to be reasonably quiet ( and well priced ~$250? ).

I take it that means you don't want to spend $800 on a helmet plus visors and shit?

The Shoei XR-1000 (http://www.shoei-europe.com/en/swf_products.php?name=XR-1000) is pretty quiet. I found it extremely comfy too. Superb ventilation as well. Best graphics by far if you're into that sorta thing.

You can get a special whisper kit for them which should make them the quietest helmet on the market but at the expense of airflow. Take a look on the Shoei site.

I got a dark tinted visor for $89 yesterday and now it looks the business and I can finally ditch my sunnies.

Apparently the Shoei dealers will let you noise test them (saw it in a Shoei magazine ad). I assume that means you can test ride them.

[Marmoot]

I want a helmet that is QUIET!!

Volvo.......:mellow:

[NZsarge]

There is no such thing as a "quiet" helmet. Some are noisier than others in certain conditions. Buy earplugs. Wear them at all times. Get over it.


None of them are quiet enough to ditch the ear plugs.

Noise above 85dB will damage your hearing. Most helmets run between 91 to 98 dB internally.

Buy any helmet that fits your head the best and meets basic safety standards. Go for fit above price or features. But stick with the ear plugs.

+1..........

[vifferman]

It depends SO much on the wind the helmet is subjected to, which depends on your bike's aerodynamics, the collar of your jacket, your height, riding position, etc. After that, the next most important thing is the aerodynamics of the helmet, and how well the padding wround the base seals it up.

My Shoei (XR1000) is quiet aerodynamically, but (however) the shell lets a lot more ambient noise (bike enigine, road noise, etc.) in than my last helmet (AGV XVent) which was noisier aerodynamically.
The only way to tell is for YOU to ride YOUR bike while testing a given helmet. I've had one (1!) offer of a helmet test-ride in 33 years. It sold the helmet.

[MGST]

Ok thanks to everyone for their input so far. I gather that the best thing is to go and try a lot on to find which one fits my ugly head the best, as it seems different brands fit differently, and even different models from the same manufacturer. I think I will start at Motomail in College Hill, looks like they have a good range from 5 or 6 manufacturers, and go from there. Also sounds like I will be staying with the earplugs :crybaby:.

[Edbear]

I'd also recommend a chat to Lindsay at Cycletreads in Takapuna. We bought two Grex RD1's and had them fitted with the Blueant Interphones.

They are very much lighter and quieter than my previous Zeus flip-front! However I found that changing from the GSX-F600 to the Boulevard meant that I no longer use earplugs, either. The cruiser screen makes wind roar a thing of the past!

[MGST]

I take it that means you don't want to spend $800 on a helmet plus visors and shit?

The Shoei XR-1000 (http://www.shoei-europe.com/en/swf_products.php?name=XR-1000) is pretty quiet. I found it extremely comfy too. Superb ventilation as well. Best graphics by far if you're into that sorta thing.

You can get a special whisper kit for them which should make them the quietest helmet on the market but at the expense of airflow. Take a look on the Shoei site.

I got a dark tinted visor for $89 yesterday and now it looks the business and I can finally ditch my sunnies.

Apparently the Shoei dealers will let you noise test them (saw it in a Shoei magazine ad). I assume that means you can test ride them.

I don't really know how much a good quality and/or nice/comfortable bike helmet costs. I've got a Bell Sport II extended coverage helmet for motorcage racing which cost $699 at the importers back door some 5 years ago. It is nice and comfortable and good quality - I can't fault it. But it's no good for a bike cos the eyeport is narrow and there is no seal around the eyeport for the visor to keep the water out etc. It's obviously not designed to be used in an open car ( or bike ). So anyway if a decent bike helmet costs ~$800 then so be it, after all, how do you put a value on your life aye?

I looked at the Shoei site you said, and they have got some very nice looking helmets. That XR1000 Kagayama in blue looks very tasty ( with a silver mirror visor maybe? ). And that whisper kit sounds like the go too. I don't think I can get to the shops for a week or 2, busy at home gardening etc, but I will try and come on the 250 ride you have got on 3rd Jan and check out your helmet ( I want to come on your ride anyway :scooter:).

[discotex]

So anyway if a decent bike helmet costs ~$800 then so be it, after all, how do you put a value on your life aye?

My opinion (and this is just opinion based on various tests and articles I've read) is that any helmet that meets the Euro or DOT standards will save your brain in the type of accident you would most likely have. Worrying about 200km/h off a cliff isn't why you wear a helmet.

E.g. Fall over at traffic lights. It's amazing how much force you can generate falling just that far. The other one is relatively low speed accidents.

What you get for paying double or triple is part image (if we're being honest) and part features. The top end helmets are (theoretically) more suitable for 250km/h+ on the track as they have better aerodynamics etc.

My criteria is fit, can crack/lock visor, ventilation, visor options (must have pin-lock option), graphics/style.

Oh, mirror is $150 or something mad and scratch real easy which is why I got the tint.



I don't think I can get to the shops for a week or 2, busy at home gardening etc, but I will try and come on the 250 ride you have got on 3rd Jan and check out your helmet ( I want to come on your ride anyway :scooter:).

Sweet as. I'm looking forward to it already :)

[MGST]

What is the visor pin-lock? Someone back a few said they wouldn't worry about it too much for some reason which escapes me, and other people swear by it and say it is a must have.

+1 about meeting the standards. But while the cheaper helmets meet the standards, do the 2 or 3x $$ helmets EXCEED the standards, or still only meet them? I agree with the image / name brand etc thing affecting the price too.

Mirror visor is $165, Tinted $89. Is the darkness level ( for want of a better description ) the same between mirror and tinted?

I know I can ask all these questions at the shops, but some of them have "salespeople" that are purely "salespeople" ie: don't know one bike from another, as long as you leave your cash at their shop. You can't beat a user's opinion ( whether good or bad ) from on the road experience of the product in all conditions.

I'm assuming bike helmets have plastic/polycarbonate/whatever shells? I ask cos cage racing helmets ( decent ones ) are either fibreglass or carbonfibre and are somewhat sensive to careless handling / storage etc.

[RDJ]

Have ridden quite a few years with different helmets (searching for the elusive ''best" allround fullface)

SHOEI XR-1000
smallish fit for the listed size, quite quiet by comparison with Bell

SHOEI Multitec
good fit, noisier than the XR-1000 (well it is a flipup)

BELL
snug fit, but noisy

ARAI SIGNET
nice fit, small for the listed size, very quiet (now discontinued)

ARAI PROFILE
nice fit, good sizing, quietest helmet I've ever ridden with

SCHUBERTH
all noisy, second in noise only to the BELL

of course sizing and fit depends on your headshape

and yes for longer trips earplugs really help.

Good luck.

[discotex]

What is the visor pin-lock? Someone back a few said they wouldn't worry about it too much for some reason which escapes me, and other people swear by it and say it is a must have.

Pin-lock is an anti-fog system. If you've ever used ski goggles that have the two layers to stop fogging just imagine that for bike helmets.

Of course you could perservere with cat-crap, inserts, and all that shit and get fog free too. The anti-fog coating on my HJC worked great for about 4 months over winter then just stopped working. I haven't personally tried pin-lock but it works for ski goggles and people RAVE about it. Getting one for my Shoei this winter for sure.



+1 about meeting the standards. But while the cheaper helmets meet the standards, do the 2 or 3x $$ helmets EXCEED the standards, or still only meet them? I agree with the image / name brand etc thing affecting the price too.

In theory they exceed them. Arai make a big deal about how their helmets are the same helmet (bar custom fitting padding) as you see MotoGP riders wear. Other companies say that's great but you're riding on the road.

One thing is certain, the Shoei and Arai don't flex much if you squeeze the sides in but the cheap ones do. How that effects their performance who knows.



Mirror visor is $165, Tinted $89. Is the darkness level ( for want of a better description ) the same between mirror and tinted?

Mirror is a lighter tint.



I know I can ask all these questions at the shops, but some of them have "salespeople" that are purely "salespeople" ie: don't know one bike from another, as long as you leave your cash at their shop. You can't beat a user's opinion ( whether good or bad ) from on the road experience of the product in all conditions.

I find Mtomail generally good for that. All the staff I've met all ride bikes or scooters and know the gear well.



I'm assuming bike helmets have plastic/polycarbonate/whatever shells? I ask cos cage racing helmets ( decent ones ) are either fibreglass or carbonfibre and are somewhat sensive to careless handling / storage etc.

Real mix between brands and models. Most have specs online.

[Kelem]

My Suomy is farken noisy, fits great..

[Taz]

My shoie actually has vents that work where the HJC I had previously had vents that really didn't do shit. That's one thing you get with a quality helmet over a cheap korean. I suppose Shoei put more effort into R&D than HJC. My hjc would fog it's visor even if it looked like it was going to rain...... I use the HJC to ride to work (as I don't mind it getting scratched up when leaving it in the pack on the bike) and the shoei for touring etc.

[homer]

Just a thought
I notice the most wind noise is depending on how the helmet and the top collar of the dririder jacket sit

If there reasonabley fitting together you dont get as much wind noise
and if the collar is not fully pulled up theres a lot more noise
So it may not be always the bad lid thats the prob

[Dave Lobster]

My 2c worth.

Buy a Shoei or an Arai, depending on what shape head you have.

A helmet that passes basic tests is just that. A basic helmet. There's a reason good helmets are dearer. And it's not because you're paying for the name. I've hit the road at 130mph in an Arai and walked away. I doubt very much that I would still be here if I'd been wearing one that might as well be from the $2 shop.

[PrincessBandit]

My Shark RS2 is pretty quiet and sooooo much lighter than my (cheap)FFM; it has the anti fog visor but much to my disgust my spectacles still fog at times which means lifting the visor to clear my damned glasses. Seriously thinking about going back to contacts, then I could wear decent sunnies as I don't have a tinted visor.
ps still find earplugs make a huge difference though, that annoying high pitched whistle is considerably reduced.

[timg]

Use cat crap or dishwashing detergent on both sides of your specs = no more fogging of the specs. My Nolan has a pinlock insert which works brilliantly but my specs still fogged up. Cat crap or dishwash solves that problem. Cheers.

[PrincessBandit]

thanks for that timg, have seen cat crap on trade me and have plenty of detergent under the sink! Will try them both out. :2thumbsup

[What?]

I currently have a BMW Sport Integral - by FAR the quietest helmet I have owned (and I have had Shoei and Arai lids).
I also have a Nolan N100, which is by far the noisiest lid I have ever owned.
The downside of the BMW hat is that it's a bugger to get on - comfy as when it is on, but not the sort of thing you'd want for a 10 minute ride to the shops.

[Motig]

Ive never heard a noisy helmet in my life:dodge:

[AllanB]

Happy with my HJC, and the vents work just fine.

The main thing to consider first is fit - a $1000 helmet is not worth shit if it does not fit. I find helmets vary a lot in fit (after all my head size does not change!) Shoei's do not fit me, nor AVG or KBC. HJC fits well as do Arai's.

There was a very interesting report in a US motorcycle magazine last year about helmets and the tests they are subjected to. So interesting in fact that the magazine lost mega advertising dollars from the big name brands (arai etc) when they published the article.

Also most brands have different levels of cost - Arai $900 - $1500, HJC $300 - $700 Shoei $500 - $1500.

Get one that fits. And wear ear-plugs as they all make a noise.

Try this when riding next as it will show you the biggest noise factor with helmets - 1. crouch a inch or two lower than your normal ride height, 2. sit up a inch or two higher than normal. Notice the sound difference - all that is a result of your bikes aerodynamics (or lack of).

[The Stranger]

You're doing you're hearing in chris, but that's your choice.

What's the problem with that, the more fucked your hearing the quieter your helmet and it saves the cost and discomfort of wearing earplugs.
It's a win win situation.

[The Stranger]

I use a Shoei with a whisper kit. Drops the higher pitch noise a fair bit, but main reason I got the kit on it was for warmth during the winter.
It works exceptionally well at that.

[sprag]

that annoying high pitched whistle is considerably reduced.

Ummm the air plugs stops the wind from blowing between the ears ?

hehehe *hides*

[HTFU]

What's the problem with that, the more fucked your hearing the quieter your helmet and it saves the cost and discomfort of wearing earplugs.
It's a win win situation.

Thats all good until one day when you start talking dirty to your missus while you are giving her one and don't realise you are shouting :Oops:.

[PrincessBandit]

Ummm the air plugs stops the wind from blowing between the ears ?

hehehe *hides*

You cheeky young lad you! You're just lucky you live so far away from me or I might just have to sort you out! Hahaha. I'll have you know that I have plenty between my ears; just of what I'm not sure though...

[Pixie]

You're doing you're hearing in chris, but that's your choice.
DON'T NEED EAR PLUGS
YOU GET USED TO THE NOISE

...it's called deafness

[MGST]

THanks to everyone for their feedback, opinions, reviews, and recommendations so far.

Went to Red Baron today ( to get a new front brake light switch actually so I'm all legal for the 250 ride on Thursday ). Got there just before they were closing so didn't have much time to try lids on etc. BUT looked at a few ( they got lots and lots and lots ). I picked up a Shoei XR1000 ( expensive ) off the rack first, and the first thing I noticed was how light weight it is. Man that is light. It said 1380g on the side ( I weighed mine when I got home and its 1500g ) but it feels a hell of a lot lighter than mine. That must save your neck on long rides, no? Also picked up Shoei Raid II ( expensive-ish / affordable ), not as light as XR1000, but a touch lighter than mine, and HJC (?) ( cheap ( in the scheme of things ) ) which felt about the same weight as mine. Obviously the more you pay, the less it weighs ( the less you get? ).

Shoei had nice D rings and some material attached to the chin strap on the jaw side so you don't get the strap digging into your jaw so much. Nice touch. Looked like a decent vent at the top of the chin car just below the visor too.

Just as a note, I will be buying this helmet for my second helmet for long weekend rides etc ( keeping my cheapie for 10 minutes back and forwards to work etc ), so I don't mind spending a decent amount on it because comfort is high on the list for this helmet. Hopefully I will have it for a long while ( not intending to decorate the road with it ( and I don't ride like that either ) so cost will be spread over X years of riding. I will be able to get my full licence in 5 months, and then I will be looking for something like a Honda CBR 1000 F, Suzuki RF900, Honda CBR 1100 XX etc sport/tourer bike to do plenty of longer riding around the countryside.

Anyway, will have to go back soon long before closing time and try them all on. Then to the next shop...

[awayatc]

Just a thought
I notice the most wind noise is depending on how the helmet and the top collar of the dririder jacket sit

If there reasonabley fitting together you dont get as much wind noise
and if the collar is not fully pulled up theres a lot more noise
So it may not be always the bad lid thats the prob

Today in Canterbury was high wind warning, so a perfect day to experiment a bit with my Zeus fliptop and collars...
Without anything, at around 120 kms the windnoise is quite substantial.Most of that noise however comes from underneath the helmet...When I cut open an old beanie and rolled that around or underneath my helmet it improved 300%
140 just as quiet as 100 without it....I also noticed with the Zeus that it was much noisier leaning forward (as on a sportsbike) then it is sitting upright ( as on dual purpose style bike...go figue)
I was considering using earplugs before, but definitely don't need them if I use a collar.

[swt 3]

My partner has a Schuberth. He doesn't use earplugs, & finds it borderline. Maybe that's why he's got selective hearing.

[madandy]

Replacing my HJC AC10 with a new, lighter, more comfortable Shoei XR1000 has forced me to use ear plugs. Or maybe this bike is just so damn loud compared to the last one <_<

[Pussy]

I've had several Shoei helmets over the years. The first, the XR800 was the queitest. XR900...bit noisier, Z two(same as the Z one available in NZ, just with removable liners)...average, and the current X- Spirit..not all that quiet, but very comfy and aerodynamic. Probably going to start wearing earplugs

[NinjaBoy]

The main thing to consider first is fit - a $1000 helmet is not worth shit if it does not fit. I find helmets vary a lot in fit (after all my head size does not change!)



+1. Find the brands that fit your head comfortably first then you can start making choices.



Shoei's do not fit me, nor AVG or KBC. HJC fits well as do Arai's.



Interesting... my HJC was the most comfortable but I couldn't fit an Arai... I seem to have a Shoei head

[sAsLEX]

HUH PARDON!


Got some new custom plugs, but also got a new bike with an Akrapovic pipe, and at certain revs it must set up in a standing wave in the helmet as the noise picks up suddenly, even with plugs!


I wonder if a different shaped helmet might alleviate this?