Hello All

I've been riding for about a year and will hopefully consumate the deal on a 750 Monster within the week.  I initially purchased a HJC basic fullface helmet when I started riding.  I have a large head and the 2X HJC fits me very well.  The helmet is inexpensive but is DOT and Snell rated.  What am I getting for my money by spending 3 - 5X more money on another Snell and DOT approved helmet?  Longer life, better protection, quieter, cooler looking?

Opinions?

WarrenJ

from my research it seems that the biggest factors in price are

cooling
wind noise / buffetting
and comfort


the consensus seems to be that all major brands are safe helmets. although arai will swear all day long that theirs is the safest!!

good luck.

SNELL and DOT are the two safety standards used in the US but the only one required by law is DOT. You should do the research yourself but in general the SNELL rating uses high speed (and some will argue more unlikely) impacts to rate helmets while the DOT standard uses lower speed impacts. So if you're expecting to "use" your helmet on the freeway or track, you might wanna have SNELL but if you don't think you want to survive such a high speed crash, go with DOT only. Since SNELL is an independent rating system they charge for it and (in general) you'll be paying about $75 more just for a SNELL rating.

Other costs go into (as stated by redial) venting, comfort and durability. I would group venting with noise because helmets the vent better are usually louder but just because it's louder doesn't mean it vents better.  Comfort ranges from removable cheek pads, so you can "freshen" up your helmet after a year or two, to weight, to liner quality. For durability I'm referring more to vents and switches. One of the things that I liked about my Shoei was that all the vents are molded into the shell. Cheaper brands like Icon glue them on to the shell and if you leave your helmet on the bike in the sun a lot they can fall off.  I've heard about some brands also having flimsy vent switches that would break.

In general you should buy a new helmet at least every 5 years regardless of use. If you use your bike as a primary some might say you even want to go as low as 3 years. The foam in the helmet deteriorates on its own just from sitting but sweating in the helmet speeds this up even more. While it will take a long time for a helmet to actually look like it needs to be replaced, it probably won't protect you quite as well as the day you bought it 5 years later.

To learn about helmets and to get a pretty fair and unbiased look at each go to www.webbikeworld.com   

Quote from: COWBOY on April 17, 2009, 08:19:30 AM
To learn about helmets and to get a pretty fair and unbiased look at each go to www.webbikeworld.com   

although that site is great, they seem to slam everything! even the quantam 2 which the guy says is his favorite helmet, he slams the hell out of it! hard to tell which they really think are the better lids


also its worthwhile to read the article on snell ratings from the link that cowboy posted. They make some points about the snell rating. The cliff notes are that the snell rating uses different but not necessarily "better" crash testing, and the crashes from snell ratings are probably less likely to happen, compared to the crash testing from DOT

In the end they say that a helmet with dot, but not Snell rating would probably decrease G force transmitted to the head/brain in most crashes. I believe snell uses high speed tests. And we all know most crashes are around turns at lower speed than the straightaways, where riders are much less likely to fall

Honestly after trying a few helmets in my opinion: just like everything else in life there are some really well made ones (both low and high priced) as well as some real junk (both low and high priced).

Usually higher priced helmets will have more features (lighter weight, vents that are more solid, material inside the helmet is more plush, removable liners, usually quieter, usually a better visor system... etc)

Not everyone will notice and/or appreciate all those things and justify the additional cost....

I've owned a HJC CLSP,  Shoei RF1000 and I now have a Scorpion Ex-400. For the money, I think the Scorpion is the best of the helmets I've tried.  I cannot believe how clear the visor is....even the dark smoke one I have is really bright, almost like polarized sunglasses and has not fogged once on me even in stop and go traffic on a cool morning.  Its not super quiet, but the optional "Aeroskirt" I bought for $7 helped quiet it down some.  90% of my riding is in town so wind noise is not really an issue for me.  Every helmet I have owned has required earplugs on the highway though.

Oh yeah, forgot to add under costs: name brand.  Seriously, some of the helmets you're just paying for a name brand. Having said that though, I think Shoei are worth the coin. While the Scorpion I have now is OK, I'm going back to Shoei once I've got a job again and it's time for a new lid.

has anyone tried an HJC fs-15 non carbon? it got good reviews on webbikeworld.com and at $207 for the graphic models on newenough.com it seems like a good helmet for the pricepoint.

Dot and Snell are kinda like the bare minimum requirements set safety standards. Certain manufactures do actuall tests on their own and are constantely trying to make there helmets better. Alot of money goes into R&R. The top dollar manufactures keep trying to make the perfect helmet. The low cost manufactures are out to make sales. This is not saying that the cheaper helmet won't protect your grey matter. it is just saying that certain companies have different goals. Now that being said, I do ride with one of those high cost lids. (Arai). I feel safer. Even if it's just a name. I have been down and my head hit  the hood of a car. I feel that with a cheaper helmet I may not have had the great protection that I did. Ya know, its all in my head.

The closest thing to an unbiased test for helmets currently available is the SHARP tests and scores by the British Govt.  Personally I find the $10 helmet for a $10 head argument to be one of the dumbest ass arguments made.  High dollar does not equate to high safety in and of itself with any product let alone Helmets.  The Sharp tests IMO confirmed what Motorcyclist magazine article articulated in 2005.

Safety is primary but not the only criteria since fit, comfort, airflow etc all play a role as well.  These areas are where the price makes the most difference.

Buy the helmet that fits you the best and you can afford.  Spending your last 800 on a helmet and then riding in a "cheap" jacket in jeans and tennis shoes would be a helluva lot worse.

Oh yeah, there is also the weight factor. The main reason  of non-helmet wearers. They believe that the added weight will catapult you head. Bottom line is you have to find the helmet thats right for you. You need to feel confident that if you do go down, you have the best protection.

I own a Shoei RF 1000, an Arai RX 7 and a Scorpion 400. I love the Arai but hate the price on them. For the money, you can't go wrong with the Scorpion 400. I think it's a great lid. 

Quote from: Pedro-bot on April 19, 2009, 06:44:03 PM
you can't go wrong with the Scorpion 400. I think it's a great lid. 

im amazed at how many people feel this way. I tried on all 3 of the scorpion line, and to me they were absolutely unwearable. I guess it goes to show you we all have different head shapes  [moto]

I have crash tested 2 Scorpion exo-700's now.  1 pretty major with a car rear-ending me where  my head bounced from the corner of the cars headlight to the tarmack to the concrete curb: 3 impacts to the helmet and not so much as a headache (wish I could say the same for my bodily injuries ) I do not believe a more expensive lid could have done any better as my noggin was unscathed    The second was a lowside where I took a good tumble and once again the Scorpion did it's job flawlessly, I am now on my 3rd exo-700 lets hope I keep this one for a while 
Nothing like real world experience to validate your choice.

I've only heard good things about the Scorpion. I current own a Shoei RF-1000 and love it. My Arai was nice, but too expensive and the Shoei fits me perfectly.