picking a helmet

[Daisy]

I spent nearly an hour this morning trying on all the different brands. I must have a melon shaped head, because the Shoei and Arai felt short - like they weren't pulled down enough - and the Nolan flip had me completely flummoxed. Is there a special art to removing that one? I managed to remove my earrings with it. I also have sinusitis today and my eyebrows ache, so it was bloody easy to find the ones that are too tight on the forehead! I tried a couple of Sharks and the fit was much better ... dunno that I'm gonna be comfortable telling people I have a Shark head but. I was only tyre kicking today ... well, actually I bought tyres ... but I'm going back next week when my head feels better and I'll try the Nolan again - because I like to tour these days and it will save another helmet change in the near future. If I still can't get my head around it I will buy the Shark RSF 3.

[Stereo]

Most of the money you pay for is for
A: Brand name
B: Design
C: Model

So a Arai, from this year with the latest design costs a fortune. That doesnt make it a better helmet than a Shoie from 2 years ago, without a design.
Some of the less expensive brands are good helmets too.. Shark, KBC, AGV to name a few...

[ty]

I tried every brand they had in the shop and bought the one that fit my head to best.
I think it was a large...what does that say about me?

As above - get what fits. For decent helmets I had HJC and 2 Shoei's - simply because they were the only ones in the store that fit my head (XXL for them).
Current helmet is a $85 RJays This one an XL

[Strika]

As I think Glen said, buy the most expensive Helmet you can afford that fits you best!
Having said that, I still rate Arai as the No1 Helmet in the world, If they fit you, they are well worth the money! Buy them so they are really tight in the cheeks to start with and they will last you a good 5 years! I still have on which was Built in 1989 which fits and operates perfectly. I only stopped using it due to it's age! Next in my opinion, would be a Shoei, once again, if they fit you. The AGV's are better now than they used to be. I think they may have borrowed some of the construction ideas from Dianese when one bought the other. But I still find, on a long 600+klm day, the Arai is the one which causes less irritation by the end of the day! As Glen said and I stated previously, once again buy the best quality lid you can for what you can afford, which FITS you best.

[gazza2008au]

i got a shark RSF2i helmet and it fits like a glove its awesome compared to my THH helmet it feels very soft and snug doesnt sit to low or high on my head just perfect and its pretty light in weight and wow its very quiet! there is just one problem the visor isnt anti fog do the anti fog film restrict visibility?

[gpxpunk]

arai is my choice, but then again everyones head is different.

[corvus2606]

I also have a fat head, and Id recommend Shoei xr1000, why?



that was from a solid contact with a 4wd bumper at ~50km/h

I walked away with no head injuries, not even a concussion

[gazza2008au]

poor bumper lol just kidding wouldnt all hemets have done the same thing since they all meet aussie standards?

[corvus2606]

poor bumper lol just kidding wouldnt all hemets have done the same thing since they all meet aussie standards?

yeah, I ruined that bumper. there is a pic of it in my crash thread.

Different brands meet them to different levels. There is meeting the standards, and then there is exceeding the standard.
Had i been wearing my old KBC helmet, i suspect i may have had a little more damage, the shoei just feels better built.

nothing against the other brands, I just feel that the xr1000 is a great helmet

[Jonno]

There is meeting the standards, and then there is exceeding the standard.

Can to elaborate on this statement, factual please?

[hoffy]

go with a main brand, Shoei, Arai, AGV, Sharks, they are all pretty good and will protect ya head.

The reason to spend more money for one of the better brands is the comfort and insides will hold up better over a longer peiod of time and should outlast a cheaper helmet 3 to 4 times over , thus providing superior value...it's tru, try it

[corvus2606]

Can to elaborate on this statement, factual please?

Shoei xr1000 (and alot of other helmets) are SNELL approved. the snell standard is quite alot more extensively tested than the AS standard. The AS is a minimum requirement, but is far from the be all and end all of helmet testing. That said, neither is the snell or dot testing, but snell does go quite alot further.

I believe the Shark RSI as also renowned for being one of the safest helmets out there, I am only making my recommendation based on an experience that I would not have survived had it not been for my helmet.

[King Nicholas]

I just upgraded from my Shoei XR1000 to an XR1100.
I was surprised that, with the new model I wear a size smaller, a M, so I don't have a big head!
I fits even better but it is noisier, something I only found out after trying it on the bike.
Not happy really but if that's the worst problem I have, life is going well.

[Daisy]

... I am only making my recommendation based on an experience that I would not have survived had it not been for my helmet.

I think most people who have bashed their scones on the scenery and lived to tell about it will tell you that it was because of the helmet - and they will most likely have hearty recommendations for whatever brand it was in their particular case. Some of them even survive with the visor still attached.

I got my new helmet yesterday, A Shark Evoline. Shit it was nice to walk into the servo with it on.

[seiko1]

I was surprised that, with the new model I wear a size smaller, a M, so I don't have a big head!

Maybe your head has shrunk now
Happens to all of us after a bad stack and we realise we're not invincible