Posted: 3/16/2012 8:17:34 PM EDT
| I bought a very nice 09 Fatboy this week. I have not riden a bike in over 20 years.... and yes I am taking a safety course! Please give me your input on helmets. I bought a 3/4 but its a little uncomfortable, hot. |
On a more serious note, I have a half helm that I sometimes wear. A lot of people say that's bad, and they're not wrong. I understand the risk.
I also have a few full-face helmets. They all have good venting/air flow, are very comfortable and only get hot if I'm stationary for too long. I didn't pay a lot of money; I shopped closeouts and got good deals. Go to a store and try on a lot of helmets to find a brand that fits well and is comfortable. Heads are shaped differently, so what works for me may not work for you. ETA: I'm really an "all the gear all the time" (ATGATT) guy. As I said, I shopped closeouts and got good gear for a reasonable price. |
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Here's my take -
Even when I am in a "no helmet" state, I wear a full faced helmet. Yes. It is hot. But the protection is vital. I've personnally lost some family members due to head injuries caused by slipping and falling (we are talking at wlaking speeds). The human head is incredibly fragile. Therefore, I wear a full faced helmet. Three quarter helmets are a little cooler but offer no facial protection. And the little novelty beanie helmets some wear to 'stay legal' are absolutely useless. They are about as effective as a salad bowl. You have two major issues with head injuries. One is penetration (stuff sticking in your head). The hard shell on a helmet helps reduce penetration. The other big issue is shock absorbtion. When you hit your head your brain slams up against the inside of your skull. With a cheap novelty helmet there is zero shock absorbtion. Your brain ends up liquified and turned to mush inside your skull, even if the helmet remains intact. If you are lucky you will die. If you are unlucky you get to live as a vegetable. A decent helment (particularly those with the newest Snell M2010 standard, NOT the old basic Snell) will offer quite a bit of shock absorbtion. The helmet sort of acts like an airbag for your brain. Its entirely your choice. Its your head. You do not have to buy an expensive helmet, but approach the issue with honesty and being realistic. We ride bikes, so we accept greater risk. Its all about acknowledging risk, and accepting consquences for our decisions. For what its worth I do not find helmets - even full face - hot at full highway speeds. Some are quite hot in stop and go traffic. the Flip up helmets can be raised when its stop and go, and lowered at speed. Just an idea. |
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I like a fully face helmet. I have a scorpion 1000.
I used to have a HD and refused to wear a helmet, but I got out of bikes for a while due to the deafening noise (wind buffeting) while riding, sunburn, windburn and all the other drawbacks from being exposed in addition to the risk of crash. When I got back into bikes I bought a good helmet and would love to get a nicer one someday (Arai). The cheap helmets suck plain and simple. Spend the money and get a good one and I don't think youll look back. YMMV |
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Bell is back. They are making some great products. I received a Vortex with a photochrome visor (self tinting). It is the best bang for the buck helmet on the market.
Shoei fits me me best. Very good quality. I have a RF-1000. It is an excellent helmet. My Suomy is the lightest full face I have. It looks good and works good but the hot spot on the forehead makes it the last option in my garage. I have a Nexx 1/2. I got it cheap. Cool helmet, but wish I had a Bell 500 instead. I'm a helmet whore... |
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Full faced is really the only answer for a helmet.you just gotta find the right one for you.I have 4 and i.m trying to justify a 5th.fwiw 2 of my helmets are scorpion exo 750s and they are worth thier weight in gold.I also have a shoei qwest and it collects dust because its a pile of shit compared to the scorpions. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Like people in this thread are saying, a full face is the thing to get for protection. I have a Shoei that fits me perfect and is very comfortable even in summer heat so long as I'm moving. Or at least it is until I get an itch on my chin or need to wipe my nose or I get stuck in stop-and-go traffic and have to deal with the stifling heat. Then it is the most miserable thing I own.
For winter riding and for my daily commute in traffic year round, I find a 3/4 much more comfortable. Specifically I wear the HJC (IS-33?) 3/4 that has a flip-up face shield and a second sun shield that comes down from inside. Compared to anything else I've tried It is the least restrictive in terms of peripheral vision, it has the least issues with fogging, it protects my face from bugs and hailstones while still allowing access for scratching my chin or wiping my nose and it handles rain much better than a half helmet+goggles. And the sun shade piece is a great option if I'm riding in early morning or at dusk since I don't have to stop to swap out goggles. Also great for things like pulling into a parking garage since I can just retract the sun visor rather than being blinded wearing tinted goggles in a poorly lit basement. On summer weekends when the weather is nice and I'm not worried about being stuck in traffic I usually wear a half helmet and goggles. |
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I love full face helmets. If much safer then other styles, it keeps bugs off your face, it reduces noise, helps with people seeing you (assuming you chose white, silver, or hi-viz), and again, its much safer. I low sided last year and in the process my helmet contacted the pavement. I got up and walked away a little wiser but greatly embarrassed. Without the helmet, half my face would have been lost on the pavement.
The latest helmet I have is a Scorpion EXO 700. I love it. Right now they are being clearanced off for awesome prices. I'd suggest checking them out. I also suggest www.motorcyclegear.com as a retailer. The 1000 series is the better model but the 700 is the most value packed for the price and quality. |
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Quoted:
I also have a shoei qwest and it collects dust because its a pile of shit compared to the scorpions. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile In your most humble opinion, of course. I know numerous people that have the Quest, and absolutely love them. Could be that it just doesn't fit you right. My RF-1100 fits me like a glove and is by far the best helmet I've ever had. And I have owned Scorps in the past. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Quoted: Quoted: I also have a shoei qwest and it collects dust because its a pile of shit compared to the scorpions. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile In your most humble opinion, of course. I know numerous people that have the Quest, and absolutely love them. Could be that it just doesn't fit you right. My RF-1100 fits me like a glove and is by far the best helmet I've ever had. And I have owned Scorps in the past. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile The rf1100 is a far superior helmet to the qwest. Cons Here are the facts about the qwest,it lacks vents it has 4 a chin,center dome, and 2 upper rear vents.It also has no spoiler,so the rear vents dont pull out much heat. It flows very little air even at 80mph,without the visor cracked on the highway it will fog in 90 degree heat.It makes my head sweat in anything over 50 degree+ Its noisier than my scorpion exo750's across the board. The price-its an entry level shoei its currently $315 for a solid color.$450 for graphics packages. Its not the most aerodynamic of helmets.It really needs an airfoil on the rear to help it out. Pros It has the softest liner materiel of any helmet ive ever touched The visor has 6 positions,plus the side crack and a lock. It comes with a chin curtain and nose guard. It fits me well. If someone were to drop 3 to 4 bills on a entry level helmet there are way better choices. eta-I was extremely disappointed by the shoei,I understand its an entry level helmet,but its only marginally better than its $100 cousins made by HJC |
| I have a shorty but I only wear it when it is stupid hot and humid out. And even then only for city riding. A year ago a truck kicked up a rock and hit me dead square in the middle of the visor right between my eyes. It whipped my head back pretty good, and if I had been wearing a shorty I guarantee it would have led to me crashing the bike and having to get facial surgery. And that was in the city too, I couldn't find my shorty so I wore the full face. Now the shorty is for when the girlfriend tags along for a ride. That is the only time I wear it. |
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Quoted:
Full faced is really the only answer for a helmet.you just gotta find the right one for you.I have 4 and i.m trying to justify a 5th.fwiw 2 of my helmets are scorpion exo 750s and they are worth thier weight in gold.I also have a shoei qwest and it collects dust because its a pile of shit compared to the scorpions. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Seriously? A Japanese made Shoei Qwest is a pile of shit compared to Chinese made Scorpions? What makes it that way? I just got my girl a EXO700 and I compared it to my Shoei X11 and there are small, but noticable quality control differences. Also, the plastics on the Shoei are a better level. I just recently looked at a Qwest and thought it was a very well made helmet, still a step above Scorpion. ETA: Just read your other posts. What kind of bike do you ride, as seating position and head angle are a MAJOR influence on the Qwest airflow. It was designed as a "sitting upright" helmet, not a leaning forward position. Even on my SV, (standard) I can tell a HUGE difference in my X11 airflow if my head is up versus leaned forward. Noise is heavily influenced too. |
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yamaha yzf 600r and I ride it like a sport touring bike.If I ride tucked the noise is loud and very little to no air flow,riding straight up it flows a little better,the wind noise is bad.Maybe I just got a helmet that missed the qc. Quoted: Quoted: Full faced is really the only answer for a helmet.you just gotta find the right one for you.I have 4 and i.m trying to justify a 5th.fwiw 2 of my helmets are scorpion exo 750s and they are worth thier weight in gold.I also have a shoei qwest and it collects dust because its a pile of shit compared to the scorpions. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Seriously? A Japanese made Shoei Qwest is a pile of shit compared to Chinese made Scorpions? What makes it that way? I just got my girl a EXO700 and I compared it to my Shoei X11 and there are small, but noticable quality control differences. Also, the plastics on the Shoei are a better level. I just recently looked at a Qwest and thought it was a very well made helmet, still a step above Scorpion. ETA: Just read your other posts. What kind of bike do you ride, as seating position and head angle are a MAJOR influence on the Qwest airflow. It was designed as a "sitting upright" helmet, not a leaning forward position. Even on my SV, (standard) I can tell a HUGE difference in my X11 airflow if my head is up versus leaned forward. Noise is heavily influenced too. eta- either way it is the last shoei I will ever spend money on.I shouldnt need a pinlock in 90 degrees,and I should'nt need earplugs on the street when wearing a $400+ helmet |
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Quoted:
Seriously? A Japanese made Shoei Qwest is a pile of shit compared to Chinese made Scorpions? What makes it that way? I just got my girl a EXO700 and I compared it to my Shoei X11 and there are small, but noticable quality control differences. Also, the plastics on the Shoei are a better level. I just recently looked at a Qwest and thought it was a very well made helmet, still a step above Scorpion. ETA: Just read your other posts. What kind of bike do you ride, as seating position and head angle are a MAJOR influence on the Qwest airflow. It was designed as a "sitting upright" helmet, not a leaning forward position. Even on my SV, (standard) I can tell a HUGE difference in my X11 airflow if my head is up versus leaned forward. Noise is heavily influenced too. I own a qwest, and hate it. Noisy whistling driving me insane, even checked out by Shoei CS. Only seems to work behind a windshield. Even then, fogs up incredibly easy. |
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Quoted:
I'm considering ditching my HTC FS15 for a Shoei Neotec later this year. Flip face Excellent ventilation Shoei comfort Flip down sun visor I love the flip face helmets. Got a Schuberth C3 and absolutely love it. Very very quiet up to highway speeds. 70+ it picks up but it isn't as bad as my other two helmets. Got to love the integral sun visor especially for those of us that wear glasses  The ability to keep my glasses on my face while slipping the helmet on is great. It also goes down enough to actually block out the sun. My previous visor equipped helmet sucked in that regard.
I really appreciate the ratcheting closure, beats the shit outta the double D rings of frustration (with gloves). Even with my gloves, helmet is off with a light tug. Very comfortable. Very cool. At the first visor position it flows very well up to 30mph, after that it's like a compressor is shooting air through the crack and it bugs the shit outta my eyes. Fully closed it's nice and cool when you are moving. You can't really lift the face outta the way due to the chin curtain, but I haven't needed to, and Florida is fucking hot and muggy all the fucking time, so the helmet is good to go. It also comes with a Pinlock
Oh and the little fucker is aerodynamic as fuck. I don't get any buffeting from the wind, only when close behind a vehicle. It's great because I have a naked bike, and I hated how my HJC acted on the interstate especially when lane checking. Cons: The fucking price 
OP definitely look at that Shoei Neotech if you want the flip up type helmet. It looks to have all of the schuberths pluses and still be $150 bucks cheaper. Good luck dude and ride safe 
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| My dream helmet right now is the Nolan n-104 with the n-com bluetooth. |
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Definitely at least a 3/4... I know alot of people who have evaded injury just for having one..My grandpa fell off his Harley a long time ago wearing a 3/4...He slid at least 60 feet and the cheek part of the 3/4 taking the brunt of it..
Find a helmet with the forehead vents..You wouldnt think it but they make a HUGE difference. Right now my 3/4 is a Daytona Gun Metal Grey...I like it alot, No problems at all and it claims to be the smallest DOT 3/4, Which I believe is true. I had a Vega before which was comfortable but it literally stuck 8 inches off of my head, lol. |
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Shoei or Arai, test fit it in the shop. I went to Sportbike Track Gear in Shelby Twp and they helped me out big time. I tried the top-end ones used in MotoGP and didn't feel/see a huge difference from the slightly lower end models, and got one that fits perfectly (RF-1100). I didn't like Arai's face shield system. The higher end helmet brands will have good quality face shields, usually polycarbonate instead of acrylic. |