Nolan N103 flip face Helmet

[Muppet]

Have a look at this re: N103

www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=349660

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Well without comparing I couldnt put money on that. Re your comment about the internal visor... are you sure it doesnt go up? I kinda pictured that it did.

Yes it goes up...

[Pogo2]

Well - I went to collect my N103 from cycletreds today - and I'm most disappointed.

I take a MED sized helmet. But once I tried closing the flip face - it hits my chin before closing. I have to pull my chin right back in order to get it closed.

Its not wearable.

Struggling away with the pain of having the helmet on - it fitted everywhere else well - just not the chin - so it was the right sized helmet.

I tried on a N102 for comparison (also a MED) and there is certainty more room in the front of the older helmets.

So if you find your N102 tight in the front - don't even think of getting the 'upgraded' model.

The flip down sun shield is now internal - but it dosnt come anywhere close enough. It comes 1/2 way down into your vision and is really off putting. I tried a HJC with the same feature and found it better on the HJC.

Anything else? - finish was very good, although I think that that the front wind dam seams more plastic on the 103 from the 102. The latching mechanism had a solid clunk to it and felt secure - and seems better (safer?) than all the other flip faces that I looked at.

So - after looking forward to this new helmet I ended up ordering a Shark RSR2 instead.

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. In a kind of perverse way your experience makes me feel a bit better about my N102 purchase a few weeks ago. I was a bit disappointed that the 103 was going to be available as I brought the 102. Re the space for the chin, my chin would always touch the helmet when I extended my jaw in the N100. But with the N102 I certainly have a bit more room.

[Griffin]

Have a look at this re: N103

www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=349660

Aw why didnt I think of adding all my own extras to make the Nolan a better helmet? Those velcro dot things really set it off

[Swoop]

Motomail will be getting their stock "in a week", so goodness only knows how long that will be.

[Pogo2]

I went into Holeshot to buy my Nolan. I asked the guy when he thought they maybe getting the 103 in stock. He said that the agent/rep had not mentioned anything about them so they could be 6 months away. The guy also said they were trying to get rid of their 101's so the 103 would not be in in the near future.

The day prior I surfed an american website and they did not list the 103. It did sound reasonable cos I thought the americans would get the 103's first. So I buy a 102 and then read here that the 103 is here and is on sale. So I guess stock is drifting into stores now.

[Mystic13]

I'm looking forward to trying the 103's.

There are other helmets with visors;

Motomail have the Givi, HJC and of course the 103's. The new HJC is also out on Wednesday at Motomail. Apparently the same helmet with a much better mechanism. I want visor that I can drop to various heights. HJC currently don't do that. Maybe Wednesday they will.

and AMPS have the Schuberth.

My requirements for a helmet include the visor. It's just so damned useful.

As for service and after sales service. You can't beat Motomail. So I'd buy of them first. You get to really know a retailer when things go wrong and these guys have been great.

[Papa Bear]

Can anyone please tell me who stocks these 103's in Christchurch? Very keen on having a look.
Seems to be very mixed reports on how good/bad these are.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Those in Dunedin I was told that Honda Otago will be stocking them and possibly MCR

[Griffin]

Can anyone please tell me who stocks these 103's in Christchurch? Very keen on having a look.
Seems to be very mixed reports on how good/bad these are.

I believe you can go to any 'good' bike shop and ask that they order one in for you to look at. Most will oblige a request from a potential customer. If you dont like it they can either choose to stock it or return it to the supplier. (thats what Motomart Lower Hutt did for me anyway)

[MaxCannon]

I just got the Givi H401 from Motomail

Tried on the HJC FS10 and didn't like the fit. The visor was also a bit too high up in my field of view.
Also the sunvisor mechanism is on the back of the helmet and it felt pretty flimsy to me.
Disappointed because I can get HJC from a friend at mates rates.

Also tried the Nolan N84 - cheapest of the lot, good quality fit and feel but the visor is right in my sight line.

Really liked the Givi. Light weight, firm fit and quality finish.
The visor beats the other two hands down IMHO
Comes down a lot further and appear to be a darker tint.

I don't ride with glasses ( I weat contacts) but I tried it on with my glasses and there are no issues hitting the sunvisor.

I'd have to say - don't but off what you read on the web - go try one on.
All three were a large but the shaping of the HJC didn't suit my head at all.

[MarkH]

-Bump- no posts in this thread for 4 weeks?

I am thinking about getting a better helmet and relegating my current helmet to spare for pillion status.

The Nolan 103 looks pretty decent for the price and has some pretty nice features. I might have to pop into Motomail and try one on for size/comfort. It is probably also a good time to switch to plain white - apparently the studies show that you are less likely to be in a accident with a white helmet. Option to connect to my phone in stereo would be pretty cool - my phone has bluetooth and plays MP3s (and has an 8GB memory card). Internal sun visor is also a big bonus. But if this helmet doesn't fit my head well then I would not consider buying it - comfort first!

[Griffin]

It is probably also a good time to switch to plain white - apparently the studies show that you are less likely to be in a accident with a white helmet.

Personally I think these "studies" are flawed. You will probably find that rather than a proper study being completed (where by equal numbers of black, white and inbetween colours of helmets are trialled with all riders pushed out on to the street in similar conditions to see if an accident occurs)... that instead each accident that has occurred has had the colour of the helmet noted.

The problem with this is that black helmets are by far the most popular choice of solid colour helmet available... therefore, in any group of motorcyclists hit by a car, the likelihood of a higher number of black helmets being noted is increased, purely due to their popularity.

The truth is, if a driver isnt going to notice your bike, your bulk, your lights or the noise from your debaffled muffler... then he/she aint gonna notice your white helmet. End of story.

[Swoop]

The Nolan 103 looks pretty decent for the price and has some pretty nice features.

I tried one on yesterday at the Motomail sale.
Personally, I found that the field of view was more restrictive than the Shoei I was comparing it with and the weight was surprisingly heavy.
Yes, there is all of the actuating gizmo's for the flip front and also the visor retraction system, but I will stick with the "old fashioned" technology for now.

[shafty]

-Bump- no posts in this thread for 4 weeks?

I am thinking about getting a better helmet and relegating my current helmet to spare for pillion status.

The Nolan 103 looks pretty decent for the price and has some pretty nice features. I might have to pop into Motomail and try one on for size/comfort. It is probably also a good time to switch to plain white - apparently the studies show that you are less likely to be in a accident with a white helmet. Option to connect to my phone in stereo would be pretty cool - my phone has bluetooth and plays MP3s (and has an 8GB memory card). Internal sun visor is also a big bonus. But if this helmet doesn't fit my head well then I would not consider buying it - comfort first!

Prolly the dumb questin of the day Mark, but how do you upload music to your phone? Does it involve stupid telecom fees? I think my phone has the capability, but I'm still 'smarting' from a ridiculous Telecom bill for trying the Internet on it when I first got it. I've since seen Fair Go talk about Telecom charging access rates of 47 times the cost of traditional braodband, on mobiles. PM me if if prefer so I don't hijack the thread.....