helment info for newbie | GTAMotorcycle.com

helment info for newbie

rome

Well-known member
i'm looking to get myself a helmet, i looked at HJC, SHOEI, BELL AND ARAI, I was leaning towards HJC for prcie reason, my question is, does the price have a big bearing on safety. I'm a bit confuse cause i ask around and got diff. answers, and the people i ask are all experience bikers. I put this question here to get more information, hopfully not getting more confuesd.
I hope this will not turn into a brand war.

cheers
rome
 
As long as it is dot or snell approved (preferably both) then it has passed certain safety standards and is safe enough for use. I don't think and Arai is that much safer than an HJC

The price difference arises mainly from difference in comfort, noise reduction, and options
 
Not really....different liner materials, different graphics...some helmets look "put together" a bit better but a good HJC helmet will do you fine. You are paying a lot for marketing when you get up higher but you do get some added extras. Whether you feel that's worth it to you is really your call. Definitely have a look online though, I've bought a $500-600 dollar helmet online for $250 brand new and another $300-400 helmet for $100 brand new simply because they were last years model/graphics etc.

Spend your money wisely because you should also be looking for a good pair of boots, some pants, gloves and a jacket.
 
don't buy online - get into to a dealer and find a fit - the brand is almost secondary - they all fit a bit different - experienced riders tend to know which ones fit their heads.
Make sure its decently snug but no pressure points as they will turn to blinding headache.

Fit is the key - take a rider with you .....many of us have more than one helmet.
There is nothing wrong with Kiji either as long as you can try it.

I got a $400 Shoei as a secondary Helmet for $160 cash - guy bought it on line - was too big. My gain.

I wear a cheapo Bell open face...fits me fine.

Don't get hung on price and graphics and brand.....DO get serious about fit and feel .....and if you intend to do tunes - room for comm is good but most current brands are okay.

•••

non-slip boots a very good idea for a newbie. Make sure the soles are nonslip - sometimes hard to find.

Jacket for sure - I like armoured mesh with a liner

JoeRocketPhoenix3MeshJacket.jpg

http://www.webbikeworld.com/joe-rocket/phoenix-jacket-pants/
- there are excellent Joe Rocket mesh around used for cheap - then buy a liner ( $60 ) plus a rain overjacket ....serves me from about 6 degrees to 30+
Ballistics are really hot - gotta be real cold before mine goes on.

Pants ...meh

Gloves yep - some of the new armored ones are also cool..don't get too tight as when you grip the bike it shifts the fit quite a lot.

and safety glasses are ideal for night riding - never fog and $7 they are way cheaper than shields if they get scratched.
They are made to very high optical standards....hit a safety supply store - they have sunglasses the same way.....take your helmet with you.

Dayglo mesh vest - might save your life in the rain, fog or dark. $12 at the safety store and the drivers will think you're a cop.
Goes over anything.
 
Last edited:
Someone passed me this link: http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/ its a company that does helmet testing and rates them on a 5 star scale. You can get a 5 star rated helmet for cheap. The price difference would seem to be based on weight, comfort and ventilation.
 
Are you noticing that there's a lot of different opinions? :)

My advice is don't go too cheap and don't go too expensive. HJC have some good lids. Shoei and Shark (when I can find one) are my choice. A lot of that is because they have models that fit me well. That includes things like the visor opening size and shape and the shape and position of the chin as well as the fit on my head. Go into a shop that has a lot of selection and find out what will fit you and what you like. Then shop around for a good price. For example, I know that Shoei X-11's fit me well in size L. I bought mine online for a very good price.

You can also check on the reviews of any helmets that catch your fancy to see what others think of them but beware of people bashing helmets when they don't really know anything. For example many people bash Sharks because they think they're cheap (they do have some cheap models but they also make some of the best helmets out there) and some people advise to buy Arai because anything else sucks (I find Arai to be overpriced and to have crappy visor mechanisms but that's my own bias).

Good luck and happy hunting. Choose well and don't second guess yourself. Even if you buy something you find you don't love and you want another some time down the road its not a problem. Having more than one lid is always good for many reasons.
 
Snell is generally a better certification than DOT. Some others can chime in on the differences and even some other safety certifications from Europe. The higher end and costly equipment usually has light weight material and may have custom assembly and paint etc. Other than cost, there may be some downside with excessive noise.

Middle of the road brands can sell some crap as they have several models up and down the price scale.

Ultimately, make sure it's comfortable. Choose something and wear it around the showroom as you browse for other gear. Make sure it's meets the safety standards required. You can scan the web for consumer reports on most common models and get some feedback on fit and finish. Does the visor fog or won't stay partly open, how is the ventilation, noise protection and comfort etc.

I have an HJC modular that is excellent all rounder. It's simple and does the job. Might not look too sexy but, it would take more than a helmet to make any improvement for me anyways.


Cheers and good luck!!!
 
+1 on Cycle World's selection. It's pretty big. But a lot of people have bad experiences there so I'm not going to say to shop there.

+1 on the fit. Fit is the most important.

Good luck on the search.

PS. I heard good things about Zariz Cycle's helmets. Check them out.
 
Safety wise - price doesn't make much differenct. They pretty much are all DOT and/or SNELL.

However, comfort, ventilatoin, fit, weight - you get what you pay for. I went from a Shoei RF900 ($350), to a cheaper TZR ($200), then to a really cheap Scorpion exo1000 ($100 online sale). The RF was by far the best - the TZ was noise, the Scorpion was damn heavy.... I went back to a RF1100. My Scorpion has only 3 months of wear on it - then I couldn't take it.

The more expensive helmets seem to cut through the air better (less buffeting), are more ventilated, and are more quiet.

I wish I had considered the fact that I wear that helmet for about 2hrs/day driving to and from work - that's a lot of time. So, go ahead and find the most comfortable helmet - and buy it - no matter what it costs.

You'll regret getting a cheap uncomfortable helmet.....
 
Safety wise - price doesn't make much differenct. They pretty much are all DOT and/or SNELL.

However, comfort, ventilatoin, fit, weight - you get what you pay for.
You'll regret getting a cheap uncomfortable helmet.....

+1..... its all about comfort and fit and unfortunately only good brand helmets deliver that. Motorcycling is a hobby and buying the gear is the price you pay depends how much you wanna enjoy it. As "bennyskywalker" said having the helmet on for 2hrs or more a day needs to be comfortable.
 
Something to think about, I have a HJC helmet with a sun visor that slides forward and retracts by a push of a button. Under $200 from cycle world. It was very handy.
 
Safety wise - price doesn't make much differenct. They pretty much are all DOT and/or SNELL.

However, comfort, ventilatoin, fit, weight - you get what you pay for. I went from a Shoei RF900 ($350), to a cheaper TZR ($200), then to a really cheap Scorpion exo1000 ($100 online sale). The RF was by far the best - the TZ was noise, the Scorpion was damn heavy.... I went back to a RF1100. My Scorpion has only 3 months of wear on it - then I couldn't take it.

The more expensive helmets seem to cut through the air better (less buffeting), are more ventilated, and are more quiet.

I wish I had considered the fact that I wear that helmet for about 2hrs/day driving to and from work - that's a lot of time. So, go ahead and find the most comfortable helmet - and buy it - no matter what it costs.

You'll regret getting a cheap uncomfortable helmet.....

No...you do not always get what you pay for..I paid $250 for a helmet that used to retail at $600...Macdoc above did a similar thing....savvy shoppers get what they pay for! Just remember this...a $1000 helmet is totally useless for you if it doesn't fit. Go by fit first whatever the helmet is.

My 2c, Shark helmets are extremely good for the price (especially online) make sure you have the fit right first though, check locally, if the local stores can't come close to online prices (give them a chance) then take the online purchase.

Use earplugs always, this makes a noisy helmet quiet.
 
Go into a shop that has a lot of selection and find out what will fit you and what you like.........

that is unethical and disrespectful - if you use their services then at least give the dealer a chance to match or get close to the online price.
There is a point where disintermediation becomes counter productive....you keep it up and there will be no places to try a helmet on.
 
that is unethical and disrespectful - if you use their services then at least give the dealer a chance to match or get close to the online price.
There is a point where disintermediation becomes counter productive....you keep it up and there will be no places to try a helmet on.
I agree with this, as I work at a bike shop and am the main helmet sales person. We put a lot of effort into helping you find the right helmet, so please don't waste our time. And no, I don't get commission so that's not why I want you to buy from the store.
 
I agree with this, as I work at a bike shop and am the main helmet sales person. We put a lot of effort into helping you find the right helmet, so please don't waste our time. And no, I don't get commission so that's not why I want you to buy from the store.

I sympathize. But, I spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars in my favourite shop each year and I have bought helmets there on occasion. I don't mind paying a premium to buy locally. But I'm not going to pay a 100% or more premium. And I don't waste any sales staff's time. Unless they've locked the helmets in a cabinet.
 
100% up is bad but at least give them a chance to match say within 20% ( hassle and border etc and knowing you got one that actually is the size it says is worth something ).

The gesture is appreciated by staff and owner even if they lose the sale and depending on stock etc they might just meet it especially older models.
 

Back
Top Bottom