I need a new helmet - which one??

[bishboy]

After my latest little off and the resultant damage to my helmet (pic below) I have to get a new one.

I was thinking of an Arai (only ever had Arai - 3 of them) or Shoei for around the $800, but then have to decide on the design, not normally a fan of replica helmets as they normally charge exorbitant amounts for these, but the McCoy replica is not to bad (and has green on it) but is $1,200 Although some of the replicas can be on special for around $800

Now my questions are:
- what are the main differences between and $800 (or more) and say a $400 - $500 (AGV, Shark etc) ? Given that they all meet the standards, is it mainly things like weight, venting, quality of the lining etc
- it is only being used on the track and therefore wind noise or venting (even here is Qld) is not a main priority, as will only be on for a max of say 20 mins at a time.
- I know I should try them all on and buy the one that fits the best.
- but given the liklihood of higher speed crashes on the track (damage below is from 160kmh low side), is it just good sense to buy the best as it privides better protection?

Do you think it will buff out?

helmet damage.JPG (104.71 KiB) Viewed 5262 times

McCoy replica.jpg (70.73 KiB) Viewed 5259 times

[robracer]

Personally I would go for a long time known brand & Arai is up there with AGV shoei Nolan etc
I have no idea about Shark, RST (very cheap & nasty) & a heap of newcomers to the market that may have standards approval but I would not trust.
You will pay a heap more for graphics... just compare a 1 colour helmet with the same type with graphics then for a replica its even more
There is prob no difference in the make.... just graphics.
$600 - 800 is the mark I would aim for & if its just track use why bother with a $1200 replica ... put the left over into a set of tyres

[Ratmick]

Mate if you can walk away from a 160kph crash with damage to your helmet like that then I'd be sticking with the same brand of helmet...

In my opinion, apart from the shape of the head that certain helmets seem to fit better than others, the main differences are:
Fit - Cheap helmets don't seem to fit as well.
Noise - Cheap helmets are generally a lot noisier.
Finish - Expensive helmets look...expensive. It's hard to quantify but it's the quality of the paint/finish and the fit of the padding inside. Cheap helmets are generally flimsier.
Safety - All helmets sold in Australia meet AS1698 but some of the dearer ones also meet/exceed Snell and DOT standards as well. You can't buy them in Australia without the AS1698 sticker though...

Most important really is fit, if they don't fit properly it doesn't matter how good the helmet is if you head is going to bounce around the inside of it like a pea in a tin can when you're rolling down the road. FWIW I've tried on most of the major brands and it appears I have a Shoei shaped head . Some of the other were very tight across the front of the head, some seemed to have a lot of space above my head.

Mick

[Six Addict]

i'd be sticking with AGV, nolan, shoei or arai... and as rob said plain colours are cheap... i do personally think tho that a lot of arais and shoeis are way overpriced... even before u start talking about replicas...

i think an AGV stealth will be my next helmet...



$430 is pretty good for this helmet altho i really cant even fault my AGV airtech



for $299

personally if i was buying a track day helmet then i wouldnt worry about the extra plush lining... with a 20 minute stint as long as u buy a correctly fitting helmet, u wont notice any comfort issues anyways IMO

[BarraSpalding]

I really like that... hopefully they got a few more neutral colors as red and my green bike dont gel

[Six Addict]

ive got red jacket, boots and helmet and number plate on my green bike

they do a silver/grey/black version



or different graphics

[marksesh]

Yellow helmet, Red/ black jacket, black pants, green black bike. I'm an allsort.

[MickLC]

Nothing wrong with Shark helmets, they are pretty nice (if they fit your head)

[Disco]

I say get one that fit's comfortably.....I have a shoei tz-1 and an AGV stealth and they are like chalk and cheese.....

[kawadoug]

Go to this site and you will be surprised at the star ratings for some of the more expensive helmets and also some of the so called inexpensive ones. Our helmets only have to meet a basic standard whereas this British test is a star rating system and gives you a better idea of whether you are really getting safety for your money.

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/search/resul ... =0&price=0

[Tinman]

Wow there no ratings for M2R as it the only helmet that works for me

[nicko]

Wow - im amazed at the rating on the sharks!

I have two AGV Stealth helmets - never had a problem with them - for some reason i always like the look of teh AGV better

[Strika]

I've biffed a few helmets in my time and all I can say, is that Arai's have never given me a head ache!!!

[dilligaf]

got a shark rsr2 and love it. very light and quiet on my bike.

[Blurr]

got a shark rsr2 and love it. very light and quiet on my bike.

+ 1 on the rsr2 sharks. Personally the best i have ever owned. Easily the queitest with the best overall internal padding.

I destroyed one at oran park just after turn one at a decent speed and after the way it held up considering the off i went straight out bought another.