A new helmet

It's time to buy a new helmet. I'm currently using RXA Exploder modular helmet which is 5 year old and helmet cushion are worned. I want to buy a modular helmet and also quieter than RXA. What do you recommend. Shoei, Schubert, Nolan or somethink else. I think all of these manufacuters made quieter helmet than RXA. I want to know Swing drivers experiences.

One that fits your head!
I've got a shoei shaped head so go that way. Reassuringly expensive as they say :-)

It's no good recommending any helmet for you unless you know your own head shape is the same as manufacturers like Shoei, Schuberth, Nolan etc have designed their helmets for.

I bought the Schuberth E1 advenure style flip front helmet a couple of months ago because I already wear a Schuberth M1 open face and it's quiet and comfortable, and wore a Schuberth J1 open face before that.

I chose the E1 because I wanted an alternative style to an open face and a flip front fits the bill. A height adjustable peak was a priority too for direct and low winter sun. It's also equipped to take the unobtrusive Schuberth SC10 U communicator which I fitted recently. It saves having to fit a Supervisor peak and mounting an Interphone set up on the side.

Arai are another quality brand I find comfortable, I used to wear their open face SZ's and was happy with them apart from the rain seal between helmet and visor. It was poor and made wet weather riding especially at night an ordeal. So Arai are off my shopping list for that reason alone.

In my experience you can wear a quiet helmet but it'll still be noisy even with earplugs if you're riding behind that rubbish OE Honda screen.

So Schuberth helmets work for me because I have worn them for years, they fit my head shape, are quiet and I always wear custom fit earplugs with them. I ride behind a height adjustable Airflow screen and have an adjustable Wunderlich wind deflector fitted to the top of it. This directs turbulence and rain over the top of my helmet and makes all day, all weather rides less tiring.

Whatever you chose put it on and continue to wear it for a half hour at least, better to do it at a store, no returns that way.

I needed a new helmet to replace my old Shoei. I was determined to find a moderately priced alternative. Tried literally dozens possibly hundreds of different makes and styles but ended up forking out £400 for another Shoei. The fit is just right for me and I find it comfortable and relatively quiet. It's worth taking the time to find what works for you.

JB

oldwingguy wrote:

Whatever you chose put it on and continue to wear it for a half hour at least, better to do it at a store, no returns that way.

I've never ever seen anyone wandering round a motorcycle dealership or clothing store wearing a new helmet for half a hour or so before they bought it to see if it fits.

The practice these days for helmets, gloves, clothing, etc is to look at and try out for size your item of choice in a dealership or store and then if you can you buy it cheaper online. There are end of year bargains and discounts to be had in stores that also sell online, especially on flip front helmets like the now discontinued Shoei Neotec as the updated Neotec II has just gone on sale.

But online is the way to go nowadays, especially from mainland Europe, competitive prices plus a few quid for delivery by DCL or UPS. Another bonus is once you're on a mailing list you get regular offers, deals, and discounts.

By buying online from Europe, I was able to buy my Schuberth E1 helmet in the Hunter Red paint scheme I liked, and the matching Schuberth SC10U com unit for the E1 for less money that some UK stores were selling the helmet alone for in a plain colour.

Schuberth E1 is very interesting helmet. In Finland the sun shines in the spring and autumn low and this visor can help a lot for minimize dazzle. I must found that helmet at first and match it to my "ball"

Meldrev wrote about Honda OEM srceen. I think this is second thing I must to update. Money consumption can not be hindered when it comes to hobby

Helmet selection and fit is so personal.  I have used Shoei helmets for a long time because they're comfortable for my head shape and good quality but was disappointed in the Neotech.   It was not as comfortable to wear as other Shoei helmets I've had.  Worst of all was the fogging, even with the visor insert.  Ended up using by Bell open face most of the time-- it cost 1/3 as much as the Shoei. Will at least look at the Neotech II when it comes to replacement time, though.

I have 2 Scorpion modular helmets.
The EXO-900X and the AT-950.
Scorpion helmets run 1 size small in general.
I purchased both from Revzilla who has free shipping and a free return policy if the helmet does not fit you right.
It's hard to find Scorpion in stores, but both helmets have been amazing.
I have the Sena 20s mounted on both.
Airflow is amazing.
Worth a look.

Interesting, I disposed of a Scorpion EXO 900 flip front helmet just a few months ago. Initially I thought it was a very good helmet, but I found that wearing it for more than a hour or two at a time it became uncomfortable. Simply because I found out a couple of years later it's more suited a narrower head shape than the one I have. I don't think the pump up cheek pads helped much either.  So after that it became more of a everyday run and cold weather helmet and worn for shorter periods it worked fine.

I fitted an Interphone F4 set and it worked well even though there was no cut outs in the inner liner to fit speakers. I also fitted a Supervisor peak and replaced the drop down sun visor with an amber one, all together a good package spoiled by the fact it was uncomfortable for all day wear

When the Scorpion AT-950 came along fitted with a peak I was very interested, like the EXO 900 I could have bought one here in York, but it was knowing that my head shape isn't suited to Scorpion helmets that put me off.

Anyway it's nice to know that you have the right head shape to get pleasure out of wearing Scorpion helmets.  

Bash On! wrote:

Helmet selection and fit is so personal.  I have used Shoei helmets for a long time because they're comfortable for my head shape and good quality but was disappointed in the Neotech.   It was not as comfortable to wear as other Shoei helmets I've had.  Worst of all was the fogging, even with the visor insert.  Ended up using by Bell open face most of the time-- it cost 1/3 as much as the Shoei.  Will at least look at the Neotech II when it comes to replacement time, though.

The new Shoei models with pinlock seem to be tricky or is it the problem with pinlock over all. Try this one, helped with my Shoei Gt Air, but you have to adjust the pinlock every now and then. Pinlock adjustment

I'll give it a try. Thanks, Leena!

Bash

As I ride a lot---I usually get 2 new helmets a year---In US, cheap ones in the $40-60 range- My neck was injured in about 1990----collision with deer in Switzerland...he died.

I need about 2 lb Helmet for all day comfort, some 3/4 work for me with safety glasses and foam ear plugs. At my age, 78 soon 79---I feel serious crash I will probably just splat anyway.

I have had Schubert=too heavy, some loss of side vision. Cheap helmet nobody will ever steal off seat on parked bike..

And of course I add/need no ear phones, comm devices in my helmet. Riding is the thing.

arskal wrote:

It's time to buy a new helmet. I'm currently using RXA Exploder modular helmet which is 5 year old and helmet cushion are worned. I want to buy a modular helmet and also quieter than RXA. What do you recommend. Shoei, Schubert, Nolan or somethink else. I think all of these manufacuters made quieter helmet than RXA. I want to know Swing drivers experiences.

 

The subject never discussed in regard to helmet's is their weight, The heavier the helmet, the more likely in a crash that the rider will die from his broken neck. Dozens of race car drivers would be with us today if their radio equipped and water cooled five pound helmet had not ripped their head off their body. The set of bones in the neck are one set of the weakest in the body, adding weight increases the momentum of the head in breaking this weak set of bones. My Blown AA/Altered turned 9.5 @ 165 MPH on Gasoline in 1960. The Blown Gasoline Dragsters I built in that same period Turned around 200 MPH. Experience is a much better teacher than Helmet advertising.

Lloyd 193

A quick Google search reveals a gridiron football helmet weighs a lot more than any motorcycle helmet, they typically weigh in between four and eight pounds depending on the type of face mask fitted.

Most helmet manufacturers websites and helmet reviews will tell you what specific models weigh.. Just out of curiosity I spent a few minutes of today's 'executive time' weighing my two Schuberth helmets on my electronic bakers scales. As we're mainly of the Baby Boomer generation on here I've used pounds and ounces

Schuberth E1 flip-up adventure helmet complete with peak, Pinlock fitted visor, and complete  Schuberth SC10U com unit integrally installed weighs 3lb 14.4oz.

Schuberth M1 open face helmet with full length Pinlock fitted visor, Union Jack side visor covers, and integral speakers and microphones weighs 3lb 1.6oz. If I plug the Schuberth SRC-System Jet into the back of the helmet, that puts the weight up to 3lb 4oz.

Just out of interest I even gone and dug Mrs M's HJC CL-ST full helmet out of the garage to see what it weighs compared to my Schuberths. As Mrs M has now voluntarily retired from touring and riding with me, I've removed the Interphone com unit, there was no Pinlock on the visor, just the breath guard fitted. The HJC weighs 3lb 7.9oz.

The crude noisy fibreglass full face helmets of the 1970's with easily scratched press stud visors, no rain seals and zero ventilation probably weighed a lot more

I visited yesterday the largest motorcycle show in the Nordic countries http://mp.messukeskus.com/?lang=en

The reason why I went there was a new helmet what I plan to buy. I found Arai, Shoei, Schuberth, HJC from there. At first I test Schuberth C3. It was frustration. My eyeglasses were a problem and my head shape does not match inside to helmet. But, when I tested Shoei Neotec 2, I was convinced. It match perfectly to my head and my eyeglasses match perfectly. Sunvisor is amazing quality. The sunvisor is steadily adjustable. There is place mount Sena phone system to helmet seamlessly. Then I tested HJC helmet and Arai helmet. These match to my head but... you know..
Nothing felt like any after the Shoei Neotec 2. I fell in love with this helmet. Now I must to earn more money because this helmet exceeds my budget.

arskal wrote:

I visited yesterday the largest motorcycle show in the Nordic countries http://mp.messukeskus.com/?lang=en

The reason why I went there was a new helmet what I plan to buy. I found Arai, Shoei, Schuberth, HJC from there. At first I test Schuberth C3. It was frustration. My eyeglasses were a problem and my head shape does not match inside to helmet. But, when I tested Shoei Neotec 2, I was convinced. It match perfectly to my head and my eyeglasses match perfectly. Sunvisor is amazing quality. The sunvisor is steadily adjustable. There is place mount Sena phone system to helmet seamlessly. Then I tested HJC helmet and Arai helmet. These match to my head but... you know..
Nothing felt like any after the Shoei Neotec 2. I fell in love with this helmet. Now I must to earn more money because this helmet exceeds my budget.

Buying a helmet is a serious matter, In a crash a helmet may save your life or break your neck.

All our lives the weakest set of bones in our body has supported our eight pound head. Now if we add a three to five pound helmet the chances of breaking our neck in a crash increases dramatically.

Light weight Bicycle helmets pass the same impact test in the U.S. as those five pounders, Keep this in mind and if you decide on one of those light weight helmets, Look for that DOT sticker on the rear of the helmet.

Most readers will gasp when they read my next sentence,

Here in Florida Helmets are optional, I do not use one in state, I ride with a baseball cap, All my screens are high enough for this. The weather here most times allows us to ride in T Shirts, Some of the guys ride in Flip Flops, I do not approve of that. I always wear socks and good protective shoes or boots.

On the Interstate sometime drivers look twice when they are passed by a group of guys in polo shirts and me with a Colt cap on a scooter at ninety miles an hour.

I have always ridden with the lords arm around my neck. Lloyd 193.

I try to remember not to ride faster than my guardian angel can fly.

I've quite intrigued to read that there's motorcycle helmets that weighs 5lbs, I haven't a clue who manufactures them or what style of helmet they are

So it was quite easy to find an online list showing the weights of 272 Full Face, Flip-Up, Modular, and Off Road Helmets.

As I expected not one helmet listed weigh 5lbs, there's about 30 that weigh 4lbs and above, mainly flip-up and modular. The heaviest helmet on the list was the Caberg Sintesi flip-up at 4lb 7 3/4 oz.

Full retard post!!!!!!!!
The post generalizes the weight to make a point. And the fact that he wears protective gear on his feet but not his head is not commented on???????

Edit: I'm not complaining. I'm laughing out loud. I find this very humorous.

Not so much to make a point, more intrigued. Wearing a heavy helmet all day would be uncomfortable and tiring, especially if it's noisy too. I was also curious to find out the material one of these five pound clunkers was constructed from, and if they were an offering from a well known or obscure helmet manufacturer.

As as this topic is about about buying a new helmet which I have done recently, why would I comment about other protective gear like boots?

I've noticed plenty of riders in ball cap, T shirts, shorts, flip flops and no gloves in parts of the US where it's hot and humid, it's their choice, their skin, and ultimately their expensive medical bills if they come to grief.

I see it over here in summer and also over in Europe in hot weather, the only difference riders are wearing helmets.

I've also been to Far East countries like Thailand and Vietnam where riders and sometimes whole families similarly dressed are crammed onto one small bike. So I'm well aware of how riders and passengers dress in hot, and hot and humid climates.

Not many helmets will protect at 90 mph. To each his own. Vanity or safety.

If you ride enough, you WILL FALL. If you haven't fallen yet, ride a little more. You have to hit your head only once to be convinced that a helmet is necessary. I have had many falls, among them three head hits on my bicycle. If I had not had a helmet on any one of them, I would either not be around to type this, or not have the mental capability to type this.

My full face motorcycle helmet protected me from facial road rash and possibly more mental damage than I was born with.

I had a discussion with a fellow whose wife had a motorcycle accident with an open-face helmet. One side of her face was scarred for life. But, at least wearing her limited-protection helmet kept her alive to tell her story.

High viz full face helmets like white or yellow are cooler than vanity flat black. But if comfort and vanity are your thing, go for it.

As far as weight is concerned, the human head weighs over 10 pounds. A bare head carries enough weight to break a neck or crack open on the pavement, WITHOUT the extra weight of a helmet.

But I really am a hypocrite. I really shouldn't be riding on two wheels, anyway.

willajabir wrote:

Full retard post!!!!!!!!
The post generalizes the weight to make a point. And the fact that he wears protective gear on his feet but not his head is not commented on???????

Edit: I'm not complaining. I'm laughing out loud. I find this very humorous.

Thanks, I usually stand on my feet, not on my head.

Noise is a problem on our bikes, Years ago I discovered when out of Florida and forced to wear a Helmet that an I pod was a lot more satisfying than the many type ear plugs I had tried.

Not only do the ear buds block out the noise, Good music makes the miles disappear, I drop my I pod down inside my shirt and put it in a side pants pocket.

That way there is no wire to become entangled with and if you want to change a setting, It is easily done. I promise once you have tried this, You will not leave home without it on those long trips.

Enjoy your bike

Lloyd 193.

lloyd193 wrote:

arskal wrote:

It's time to buy a new helmet. I'm currently using RXA Exploder modular helmet which is 5 year old and helmet cushion are worned. I want to buy a modular helmet and also quieter than RXA. What do you recommend. Shoei, Schubert, Nolan or somethink else. I think all of these manufacuters made quieter helmet than RXA. I want to know Swing drivers experiences.

 

The subject never discussed in regard to helmet's is their weight, The heavier the helmet, the more likely in a crash that the rider will die from his broken neck. Dozens of race car drivers would be with us today if their radio equipped and water cooled five pound helmet had not ripped their head off their body. The set of bones in the neck are one set of the weakest in the body, adding weight increases the momentum of the head in breaking this weak set of bones. My Blown AA/Altered turned 9.5 @ 165 MPH on Gasoline in 1960. The Blown Gasoline Dragsters I built in that same period Turned around 200 MPH. Experience is a much better teacher than Helmet advertising.

Lloyd 193

Check out all the Helmet's listed on E Bay on the web, Light weight 2 lbs, DOT tested and approved.

Many composite 1/2 helmets under 2 pounds DOT and starting at about $20.00 US freight paid. Beware those fancy complicated, Uncomfortable, Heavy Neck breakers.

Happy motoring Lloyd 193.

lloyd193 wrote:

The subject never discussed in regard to helmet's is their weight, The heavier the helmet, the more likely in a crash that the rider will die from his broken neck. Dozens of race car drivers would be with us today if their radio equipped and water cooled five pound helmet had not ripped their head off their body.

Yep, totally relavent if your body is restrained but your head is free to move (seat belt in a car, etc) Not at all relavent on a pedal cycle, motorcycle or scooter where, when if the vehicle comes to a sudden & complete stop the greatest probability is the rider will seperate from the vehicle, with all body parts travelling at the same speed.

arskal wrote:

It's time to buy a new helmet. I'm currently using RXA Exploder modular helmet which is 5 year old and helmet cushion are worned. I want to buy a modular helmet and also quieter than RXA. What do you recommend. Shoei, Schubert, Nolan or somethink else. I think all of these manufacuters made quieter helmet than RXA. I want to know Swing drivers experiences.

 

Use an I pod to cancel out all the noise while enjoying the good music, Check all the light weight helmets available on E Bay, Freight paid.

I recommend the lightest DOT helmet you are comfortable with.

In the 50's we rode our murder cycles coast to coast and border to border, Usually throttle wide open without helmets.

That was before the Helmet business was a high dollar industry, Selling highly over priced heavy Helmet's thru TV to the American public.

The heavier the Helmet, The greater the chance in a crash of neck damage.

Enjoy your bike.

Happy motoring Lloyd 193.

Prolonged listening to music on with iPod ear buds for hours on end may be enjoyable, but will damage your hearing as surely as excessive wind and engine noise inside a helmet does.

Don't take my word for it there's enough online articles and medical studies proving it. It's already a problem with young people that spend their days listening to their tunes on iPhones and similar mobile/cell phones.

In fact I doubt if very many people use iPods at all these days (mine hasn't been used for years along with my Kindle)  when one device like an iPhone has music, video camera, video camera, Kindle, as many apps as you like and so much more. Video cameras have gone the same way, a matchbox sized Go-Pro camera does it all now.

I could Bluetooth continuous music from my iPhone into both my Schuberth helmets with their fitted earphones/speakers, but with my ears pressed against them it would be another notch up on the tinnitus scale. As it is I wear a quiet helmet and custom made ear plugs and I'm still able to hear sat nav instructions clearly at reduced volume, and those instructions or a passengers voice are all I want piped into my helmet.

You keep going on about neck damage caused by heavy helmets, is that more of a problem than brain damage, or severe facial injuries.

In Florida and some other states you're not required to wear a helmet at all, so you're hardly an authority to lecture the reader on the pros and cons of helmet wearing. Especially riders who are compulsory required to wear one all the time, all year round, and in all sorts of weather conditions. Do you think their years experience count for nothing simply because they haven't played with hot rods and dragsters, or weren't riding around in the 1950’s.

Looking back I've worn helmets manufactured by Nolan, Kangol, Griffin, Nava, Shoei, Shark, Kiwi, Arai, and Schuberth plus a few other brands, and the weight of any of them was never an issue, never even thought about.

It was things like helmet noise, visor misting, inadequate visor ratcheting detents, leaky rain seals, brow bands causing pressure points, or choosing a helmet that was wrong for my head shape that were the problems. Of course you're never going to find that out wearing a straight off the shelf new helmet for a short period of time in a showroom.

lloyd193 wrote:

Selling highly over priced heavy Helmet's thru TV to the American public.

Hardly relevent to a member in Finland bud

[quote="Meldrew"]You keep going on about neck damage caused by heavy helmets, is that more of a problem than brain damage, or severe facial injuries.



Well said, Mildrew.

Ok arskal , Let's sift through the bs.

steve_h80: Get one that fits your head.
Mildrew: Know your head shape.
lloyd193: Get the lightest helmet that fits you (forget the DOT part as that doesn't apply to Finland per The Bern)

I'll add: If you can't afford the lightest, get the lightest you can afford.
Second, check the boxes for the features you want or not. i.e. breath box, skirt, drop down visor, peak, speaker pockets, works with glasses, color, etc.

willajabir wrote:

Ok arskal , Let's sift through the bs.

steve_h80: Get one that fits your head.
Mildrew: Know your head shape.
lloyd193: Get the lightest helmet that fits you (forget the DOT part as that doesn't apply to Finland per The Bern)

I'll add: If you can't afford the lightest, get the lightest you can afford.
Second, check the boxes for the features you want or not. i.e. breath box, skirt, drop down visor, peak, speaker pockets, works with glasses, color, etc.

Thanks Lloyd 193.

Then here's some more bs to sift through. Isn't knowing what shape your head is and finding out which brands manufacture helmets for that specific head shape useful to know. You won't then waste money on a helmet that may be comfortable on short runs, but becomes vice like on your head after a couple of hours. Then you'll lose any enjoyment of the ride as you're constantly adjust the helmet to relieve the pressure on your forehead, cheeks, or ears.

How about helmet noise, no mentio of that's and it's a biggie, I'd go so far as to say the vast majority of riders suffer from some form of hearing damage. I've had tinnitus for many years, back from when we thought a full face helmet was all we needed and damaged our hearing permanently in a very short time. Isn't choosing a quiet helmet a priority over lightness.

A lot of features on helmets are of limited value, a drop down sun visor doesn't work riding into direct sun like a fitted peak does, and the vast majority of full face, flip up, and modular helmets aren't fitted with one. Some modulars supply a peak, but if it's fitted you have to remove the full length visor first and are left drop down sun visor, and vastly reduced facial protection.

So you're left mainly with adventure style full face and flip up helmets, a style which isn't to everyone's taste.


Arai have never installed drop down sun visors on their helmets, or provided space for helmet speakers in the inner shell. Breath guards and chin skirts are more useful to riders living in colder climates than hot ones, and a Pinlock inner visor works a lot better than either. So no Pinlock on the list?

In a nutshell so to speak, head protection is the primary function of a helmet and more often that not you'll never put it to the test. The secondary functions of eye, hearing, and mist free vision in all weather conditions are a priority every time you wear a helmet.

I fail to understand you logic Meldrew.

I summed up the advice minus the bs (sifting it), gave you credit (and others), then you make an extended post to argue the post I agree with you on.

I openly offer my apology and should you wish, I'll delete the reference to you and giving you credit for the advice. Alternately, report the post and have it removed officially.

I'm not even the slightest bit offended, choosing a new helmet is always a bit of a challenge.

I appreciate arksal's decision to go for the new Shoei Neotec 2, I read a lot about it around the time I ordered my Schuberth E1 as it was available to pre order for January. Apart from what Shoei have done to update it, the communicator for it is similar to the one on my Schuberth, where everything is installed inside the helmet, nothing has to be clamped or stuck on outside.

The arrival of the Neotec 2 means that there's lots of Shoei Neotecs on sale now with really big discounts, I was tempted but I wanted a flip up helmet fitted with a peak like the Schuberth E1, as I'd been swapping a Supervisor peak round on three different helmets.