Helmet - educate me, please

[quattro]

I'll be heading to NZ for a year. Heading on the first of October. I've been looking on trademe and I have a good idea of what I need in terms of the bike. I'll bring most of my own bike gear but I'll buy a lid in the Auckland area, where I'll land.

How much would I need to spend in order to get a safe and comfortable but affordable lid. I'll probably end up leaving it behind when I go home so I don't really want to buy anything too fancy. Are there brands that are popular there that I wouldn't be aware of? Am I guaranteed to get screwed if I walk into an Auckland shop and buy one off the shelf?

[Maha]

If you go and see Todd (TOTO) at http://www.cycletreads.co.nz/default.aspx he will attend to your needs.
Or...click on that banner at the top of this page?
But Todd wont let you down.

[p.dath]

Lids for road riding (which is what I assume you mean) started at about NZD$130 and go up to NZD$2000. By NZ law, only road legal lids that meet state safety standards are allowed to be sold, so as long as you are buying a lid for road use, you can't buy a "wrong" lid, or an "unsafe" lid.

So then it comes down to picking a comfortable lid that fits well, and at this time of the year, I would consider getting one with a pinlock to stop fogging (it is cold here at the moment).

A lid with a pin lock visor built in might be NZD$750. You can probably get a lid for NZD$500 and get an after market pinlock as well.

[oneofsix]

I'll be heading to NZ for a year. Heading on the first of October. I've been looking on trademe and I have a good idea of what I need in terms of the bike. I'll bring most of my own bike gear but I'll buy a lid in the Auckland area, where I'll land.

How much would I need to spend in order to get a safe and comfortable but affordable lid. I'll probably end up leaving it behind when I go home so I don't really want to buy anything too fancy. Are there brands that are popular there that I wouldn't be aware of? Am I guaranteed to get screwed if I walk into an Auckland shop and buy one off the shelf?

google for "motorcyle helmets nz" will give you some web sites to check. this will give you a good idea of price and selection but about $200 for a start and up from there dependent on features etc. IMO Ignore Trademe as these will largely be second hand and therefore useless. I would expect a rip off at any NZ motorcycle shop but I don't shop in Auckland as its too far away.

[jellywrestler]

IMO Ignore Trademe as these will largely be second hand and therefore useless.

maybe you shoiuld actually try looking at the trademe site one day?
There's 949 helmets in the helmet section listed as NEW!

[JMemonic]

You must have you own lid ? Why not bring it with you as I am sure to meet the requirements in Ireland it would meet NZ requirements. At least you know that way it fits, and how comfortable it is.

Unfortunately in NZ being such a small market we kind of get a mixed bag of lids from various markets, I have personally tried on lids from the same manufacturer, same model etc that have completely different fits depending on which market they were intended to go into, I went through a range of xxl and xl lids to get one that fitted my head, with some xxl being to tight in places and some xl being to loose.

[rapid van cleef]

Another thing to consider is, it may be a lot cheaper to buy a lid and bring it with you..

[Hitcher]

Am I guaranteed to get screwed if I walk into an Auckland shop and buy one off the shelf?

Dear god. This topic has been done endlessly over the years. This site has a most excellent search facility. Please use it. You'll find out that the best solution, surprisingly, is to go shopping and to buy something you like, can afford and which fits.