I need to buy a motorcycle helmet, but I don’t know anything about them.  I know I want a full face model, but have no idea what make or model’s are good.  I don’t want to buy a cheap piece of crap, but don’t want to throw away money either.

What brands and models should I be looking at, and what types of features should I look for.  I’m a new rider so I have no idea what features will come in useful.  I had been estimating a decent helmet would run about $300.  Is that high, low...?  Thanks for the help.

E mail me i have 2 brand new 3\4 helmets Im looking to get rid of cheap!

About the only thing I know at this point is that I definately want a full face model, sorry.

There are numerous manufactures out there who make great products . All have a rating on them for MC or a Snell Foundation for racing . The big differences are the materials used (I have a carbon / Kevlar Bell M3 for racing cars ). It is light weight and has a good aero shape with good cooling vents .

And most importantly IT FITS PERFECTLY !!!

That is the bottom line , not all helmets are the same measured size manufacturer to manufacturer !


GET THE ONE THAT FITS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then look for features  and manufacturer .

I chose Bell over Simpson just because of the fit .


And remember , you get a helmet with a long pointed face , when you turn your head at speed , the wind will tend to take your head off !!!!!

Really isnt a 'best'.

Go to a shop and try on several models.

Once you find a 'comfortable' one wear it for 10-15 minutes, see if it stays comfortable.

Some say 'get snell certification'.  That is noce, but it really doenst matter unless you plan on racing.  ANSI is the basic certification.  SNELL only certifies full-face, and it is a voluntary certification.

For normal street use comfort is the most important factor.  Each persons head is a bit different, what is 'best' for one guy is not for another.  All depends on the shape of your head.

I've always used Shoei or Arai, as I find the others to be a bit clunky.  The most important thing as others have said is fit.  Just go try a bunch on and see what works for you.  It should be snug, with a tiny bit of squeeze to the cheeks, but not tight.  And yeah, decent ones are about $300 bucks but check around for deals on the internet.

OK people, class is in session!

Lots of inaccurate info being blathered about, some right on the money.

First lets start with the TWO standards that are acceptable in the USA.

There is the DOT (Department of Transportation, FEDERAL) and the Snell Foundation.

This link will take you to the entire page, I'll just post the good stuff.
[url]http://www.smf.org/articles/dot.html[/url]

There are two organizations setting safety standards for motorcycle helmets in the United States, the Federal Government's Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Snell Memorial Foundation.

DOT sets minimum standards that all helmets sold for motorcycling on public streets must meet. The standard is Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218 (FMVSS 218) and is known commonly as the DOT helmet standard.

Both Snell and DOT position the helmet on a test headform and then drop that helmeted headform through a two guided falls onto a fixed steel anvil. The test is repeated so that each helmet is impacted on at least four different sites on its surface against either a flat or hemispherical shaped anvil. Snell testing also impacts the helmet against a steel edge anvil that may simulate the edge of a sign stanchion or guardrail. The differences are in impact severity and impact criteria. How big an impact must the helmet withstand and how do the testers determine that the helmet actually withstood the impact.

Snell requires that helmets withstand substantially larger impacts than DOT.

Ancient wisdom has it that it's not the fall that does the damage, it's the sudden stop. Both Snell and DOT measure the suddenness of the stop with an accelerometer, a device used to measure acceleration or in this case deceleration, that is mounted inside the headform.

Snell and DOT use different methods to analyze these pulses. Snell limits the peak value to 300 G's.  The DOT Standard requires that the peak acceleration not exceed 400 G's but they also put duration limits on the acceleration pulse.

There are also administrative differences between Snell and DOT. Snell Certification means that Snell technicians in Snell labs tested samples of the helmet to Snell standards before the helmet was certified. Furthermore, as a condition of certification, Snell regularly buys samples of all Snell certified products and brings them into our lab for follow-up testing.

DOT certification is done on the honor system. The helmet's manufacturer determines whether his helmets satisfy DOT and then claims the qualification for himself. There is not even a reporting requirement. The government does contract for some spot check testing at commercial and private labs but not very much. In recent years much of their effort has been spent against so-called beanie helmets that are obviously substandard and are worn only by helmet law protesters.

In fact, Snell certified helmets do meet DOT. If you want to be sure that your helmet meets the DOT standard, get a Snell certified helmet. Manufacturers apply for and earn Snell certification because they care about quality. These are the very manufacturers for whom the honor system works. A Snell sticker is your best assurance that the helmet meets both Snell and DOT.

With motorcycle helmets the old Bell Helmets ad line still applies:
"Buy a 10$ helmet if you have a 10$ head".

The best helmets sold in America are Arai and Shoie and in that order.

As far as fit goes the more expensive the helmet is the better the fit (sorry, that's the way it works).

Arai helmets used to be for people who had a "long" face, Shoie helmets were for people who had more of a "round" face. Arai now makes a helmet for each style of face. Shoie has always done that. You may find that in one model they only have the long face version, and you may have to move up or down to get to the round faced version, or vice-versa for the other manufacturer.

Don't discount Sumoy, HJC or Bell helmets, they meet the Snell and DOT standards and they are on the "less" expensive side.

Buying a used helmet is always a crapshoot, you don't know if it was owned by a lice and ringworm infected non-hairwashing mo-fo, and you may not be able to see if there is any crash damage to it.

About crash damage, once your helmet has been "used in anger" and you have knocked your mellon off the ground your helmet is now worthless. The outer shell is what protects you against the sudden impact, it is designed to take the impact and spread it out from the point of impact all over the helmet. The inner foam liner (EPS) is what cushions your skull. It works by being crushed, this is what slows your mellon down and cushions it when it bounces back and forth inside of the helmet. On many helmets you can't see when the EPS liner has been crushed. Some manufacturers will do an instection on your helmet to see if the liner is still good.

Full face is the only way to go IMHO, and always wearing a helmet is the only way to go IMHO also.

However, I agree that wearing a helmet SHOULD be a CHOICE.

Did you know that the Federal Gov'mint used a VERY FLAWED study (done by Harborview Medical Center in Seattle) to base the FEDERAL helmet law on. Harborview is the same liberal commie left wing POS hospital that churns out other flawed and worthless studies, like how many CHILDREN (up to age 20 frickin 5) are killed by guns everyday.

So, I hope this has answered your questions and has helped to clear up any misconceptions about motorcycle helmets.

CLASS DISMISSED!

Here's what you need, Pottsie!

[img]http://www.johnnyg.westhost.com/hel-ger-flightcrew-175-si-s.jpg[/img]

What's a motorcycle helmet????!!!

I ride with Shoei. Used to ride with Arai but they gave me headaches. Try both brands and see which your head fits better. You can't go wrong with either brand.

Suomy make some nice helmets too.

I bought an HJC, it is a decent helmet,also be careful with used helmets, you should replace them after 5 years as the materials degrade.

I always have used a 3/4 my next will be a flip up, alot on injuries are to the chin and I my head and face are important to me.

If you are riding a Harley, you can only go with no helmet or the plastic Nazi looking helmet with the spike on top. For sportbike riding a reversed baseball cap should do the trick. Just kidding.

I would stick with either Arai or Shoei. The general consesus seems to be these 2 brands are the best. I had a Shoei RF900 and it was very nice. Whichever helmet you choose make sure it fits well. Wear it for a while in the store, a helmet that seems to fit for a minute or so can feel like a vice on your head after 10 minutes. Get one with the Snell rating, this is a higher rating than DOT from what I've heard. Good luck, be careful out there!

Bell or Shoie, I consider to be the best IMHO

I've got two Bells, one for my dirt bike and one for the street. Had a Shoie back in the late 80's for dirt biking.

As has been said, make sure you get one that fit's properly!

USN Joe is right on.  

Just note that helmet MUST be DOT approved to be legal to use on US highways.  Snell approval is a different standard (not necessarily better, just different) and is optional for manufacturers.

Having said that, helmets with both DOT and Snell approval are preferred.  

I have experience with Arai, Shoei, and AGV helmets.  All are quality lids but Arai and Shoei are like the BMW and Mercedes of helmets.  

Arai and Shoei offer the best protection (pro racers use Arai and Shoei almost exclusively--no cheap helmets on those guys' heads--and you can buy the same thing that they wear), the best fit (try both, you may have an Arai head or a Shoei head but maybe not both), great graphics and paint, and superior shield mechanisms.  

DO NOT SKIMP ON A HELMET!  IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE.

Buying a cheap helmet is like buying a Lorcin to backup your new Bushy.

Oh, and $300 is not too much.  Every helmet I have ever owned was at least that much--a few were more.  Even solid color Shoeis (no racer graphics) go for about $300.  It's ok.  It's a fixed cost of playing the game.  

Also, the helmet should fit TIGHT!  Maybe a little uncomfortable at first.  Pressure points (on the forehead for example) can be relieved by gently pressing the liner with a spoon (just enough to relive the pressure, don't do too much).  

Get a pro (not necessarily the dumbass at the dealer) to help you with fit if you aren't sure.  A proper fit is as important as wearing the helmet in the first place.  

Now get out there and ride.  

Whichever fits you most comfortably.  That being said, I prefer Arai.

Another vote for Arai.

I like my Shoei...

"In recent years much of their effort has been spent against so-called beanie helmets that are obviously substandard and are [b]worn only by helmet law protesters[/b]."

wth????

sometimes i wear a half shell...sometimes a full face. sometimes i wear full leathers...sometimes just a jacket...sometimes just gloves.

wth?

what i wear depends on which of my bikes/karts i'm piloting...how far i'm going...temperature...anticipated speeds and traffic conditions.

i don't leave the driveway for a bicycle ride without a helmet strapped on...so i'm far from being 'bare head'. still...helmet laws do suck.