Helmet Ratings

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:49 am

I've heard that there have been some helmets released that have DOT stickers even though they have failed DOT testing. Does anyone know where I can find out about the actually rating of a helmet? Also if you have any recommendations for a helmet please feel free to post a review.

Right now I'm considering:

AFX FX-97

HJC CL-Max Helmet

Scorpion EXO-700

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:50 am

I'm really happy with my Fulmer AFD4, full face.

Kent

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:44 am

Corsair wrote: Also if you have any recommendations for a helmet please feel free to post a review.

The best helmet is the one that fits the shape of your head.

What are you doing on January 5th? The IMS will have many brands of many helmets all in one place so you can try them all on for a direct comparison.

I highly recommend not buying a helmet unless you've tried it on and spent a little time in it too make sure there are no pressure points that will become uncomfortable down the road.

Kevin K · Post by **Kevin K** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:58 am

All of the helmets that you've shown are DOT approved. The easiest way to insure that you're getting a good, DOT helmet is to buy one from a dealer. Few, if any, dealers will sell an illegal DOT lid. Any dealer that would sell one is not a dealer that I would do business with.
-K

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:33 am

vitaminC wrote: The best helmet is the one that fits the shape of your head.

What are you doing on January 5th? The IMS will have many brands of many helmets all in one place so you can try them all on for a direct comparison.

I highly recommend not buying a helmet unless you've tried it on and spent a little time in it too make sure there are no pressure points that will become uncomfortable down the road.

Thanks for the tip (common sense tips tend to be the greatest advice!)

Here's a Helmet Review I came across over @ motorcyclistonline.com Any opinions?

Also found SNELL's website and they have a listing of some of their approved helmets

tam · Post by **tam** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:40 pm

Here's a long article, but it's actually a really good read:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearb ... index.html

Conclusion is that you might want to stay away from a Snell approved helmet, and go for just DOT instead

scootie · Post by **scootie** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:20 pm

tam wrote:Here's a long article, but it's actually a really good read:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearb ... index.html

Conclusion is that you might want to stay away from a Snell approved helmet, and go for just DOT instead

the thing is almost all FF helmets are Snell approved, so it would be pretty hard to get a FF helmet that is not Snell approved. Also FF will protect your teeth & jaw area in the event of a crash.
This diagram shows where most injuries to the head happen in motorcycle/scooter accidents

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:32 pm

@scootie

In the above mentioned Motorcyclist report there is a list of 9 FF helmets that are DOT but not SNELL aproved. The one the author seemed to like most is the Z1R: ZRP-1.

scootie · Post by **scootie** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:52 pm

Dave- thanks!
I didn't read the article all the way to the bottom. I knew there were some FF European helmets w/o Snell approval, but didn't realize there were more choices.

xkennx · Post by **xkennx** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:54 pm

Best thing you can do is goto local motorcycle shops and try them on, size can be very different even form the same manufactor (depending on the model)

Any DOT helmet will be good, snell is just a 3rd part company that does their own inspection.

Dont always think the more $ the helmet the better it is, I have a $900+ at home I never wear (it looks cool as shit, but i hate wearing it) and I have another that cost me $250 and i could wear it all day and night and never gets uncomfortable.

tam · Post by **tam** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:18 pm

I was under the impression that the more expensive helmets were mostly about materials used, weight and noise reduction. I can deal with some noise and weight if it saves me $400, as long as my head is safe!

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:57 pm

tam wrote:I was under the impression that the more expensive helmets were mostly about materials used, weight and noise reduction. I can deal with some noise and weight if it saves me $400, as long as my head is safe!

Nope. It's also about smooth paint and fancy graphics!

scootie · Post by **scootie** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:38 pm

check out http://www.newenough.com/product_depart ... seouts.htm

Great prices on closeouts

I bought an Icon Alliance ($200 helmet ) for $54---very comfy and quiet--no fancy graphix though.

gt1000 · Post by **gt1000** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:18 pm

Helmet talk is kind of like oil talk or chain lube talk, everyone's got an opinion and pretty much everyone can be right, or wrong, depending on where you stand. That said, vitaminC's point about fit is probably the most important thing. People have different head shapes and sizes and there are helmets out there that will match your head. You just need to spend the time and effort to try them all on. I also think the article in Motorcyclist Online is an excellent resource and good place to start.

I wear a Scorpion EXO-400 because it fits me, it tests well and it ventilates really well. An added bonus for me is that it's also very quiet at high speed, partly by design and partly because with Scorpion helmets I can wear a very tight fitting small instead of a medium. My wife has a very small round head and finds the Arai Quantum 2 to be the most comfy helmet by far.

Arai's, Shoei's and some of the Euro brands like Suomy and AGV have the best fit an finish, IMO. But the Scorpion is close and costs only a fraction of what a comparable Arai costs.

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:35 pm

Oh, I forgot to put in a plug for my helmet!

I wear a KBC VR1, which you cannot buy any longer, but I think the current version is a VR3. I am fan of bright, solid colors.

My next helmet will likely be a modular, or flip-face, helmet, just because I can

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:14 am

DUDE! You need to eat!

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:30 am

BuddyRaton wrote:DUDE! You need to eat!

That's what my mom always tells me!

Of course, in that particular pic, no one is in the suit...

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:48 am

Glad to hear that your happy with the KBC Vit C. I just ordered a KBC FFR today! I've been looking for a modular or flip front for a little while and tried one of these on. I've been wearing a Nolan 3/4 with a full shield that I really like but was looking for a bit more protection. Ordered the solid silver and pick it up Friday!

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:59 am

BuddyRaton wrote:Glad to hear that your happy with the KBC Vit C. I just ordered a KBC FFR today! I've been looking for a modular or flip front for a little while and tried one of these on. I've been wearing a Nolan 3/4 with a full shield that I really like but was looking for a bit more protection. Ordered the solid silver and pick it up Friday!

Excellent! Please post a review once you've had a chance to get some miles in it.

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 5:12 am

vitaminC wrote:Excellent! Please post a review once you've had a chance to get some miles in it.

If you're putting miles on your helmet, you're doing it wrong.

ECS

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:17 pm

Motorcycle Helmet Compliance Testing

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:48 pm

vitaminC wrote: Excellent! Please post a review once you've had a chance to get some miles in it.

Well it took more than a couple of days to get it. After I ordered the dealer had it on backorder for 3 weeks. I finally found one (Silver Freeze model) that is the same as the picture in an earlier post. I've only been wearing it for a few days now but so far I really like it. I am getting used to the reduced visual angles. My Nolan was like having a fishbowl out front. I do need to tilt my head a little once in a while but I think that it will be one of those things that you notice until you get used to it, not a big deal.

Post by **polianarchy** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 5:23 pm

Helmet talk! Good stuff, and thanks for the links to the long but informative articles.

Does anyone else feel claustrophobic in a full-face helmet? I promised my dad I'd wear a full-face helmet (he's seen the stats on chin and jaw injuries). The 3/4 helmet didn't bother me at all, but something about the full-face makes me feel all heebie-jeebie* inside.

* a technical term

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 6:11 pm

polianarchy wrote:Does anyone else feel claustrophobic in a full-face helmet?

I wear a full face and don't have a claustrophobic problem. I was not a 2-wheeler at all prior to buying the Buddy, and it did take a little getting used to wearing the helmet at first, but it is no problem now. I wore it for several hours on Saturday and it was fine. Just make sure you get one that fits your head properly.

For me the only problem with the full face is my glasses, which I need to remove to put on (and take off) the helmet. I dropped my glasses one morning while putting on my helmet. I am nearly blind without them and I managed to start to step on them while looking for them.

Fortunately they were only slightly bent and I was able to bend them back, but that could have been a $400 mistake if I had not noticed I was starting to step on them.

My next helmet may be the type that you can flip up the whole front of because of that. Still get the full face coverage but a little easier to deal with glasses.

shovde · Post by **shovde** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:36 am

I have the Scorpion EXO-700. It's not a bad helmet, but it's a little heavy and a little noisy. They also run very small, so make sure you try one on. I guess you get what you pay for. I might upgrade to something nicer next riding season.

Shane

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:37 am

Helmets are unfortunately one of those things that people seem to go through several of before finding the "right" one for them. Depending on budget this can take weeks or years.

I am still looking for a modular to fit on my uniquely-shaped noggin but am committed to finding one. I'm not willing to do a whole back and forth with ordering one online and returning them until I get one that fits. Oddly enough, though, there's no motorcycle gear megamart/outlet store in the LA area.

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:39 pm

who has a full face and who doesn't?

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:22 am

I have two. One is a skid-lid with lots of cool stickers on it that I wear with goggles and the other is an open-face Z1R Metro helmet with a full face-shield (actually two...one dark smoke and one clear).

--Keys

gt1000 · Post by **gt1000** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:34 am

Corsair wrote:who has a full face and who doesn't?

I thought this might be worth polling, so I started one.

PasadenaSue · Post by **PasadenaSue** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:27 am

Keys -

When do you ride with your full face helmet and goggles? I got a Z1R Metro when I bought my scooter, and I have been riding with that. However, I also have my full face helmet that I use when I ride my dual sport. It's definitely heavier and the goggles are less convenient than the flip up visor. So, I am curious when you ride with the full face helmet.

Regards -

PasadenaSue

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 4:18 am

Sue,
As I read your reply, I got the impression you are thinking my skid lid is a full face. It is not. A skid lid is one of those tiny 1/4 helmets that Harley riders wear. They are even sometimes DOT rated...mine is...barely. You know the old adage; a $35 helmet for a $35 head...

I generally use the Metro when it's cold out or maybe expected to rain or something. In other words, it's been on my head constantly since I got it for Christmas. I use the skid lid and goggles when it's warm out. It's just a little less restrictive to me. There are those who will caution you about the poor protection provided by a skid lid, though, and I think they're probably right. It IS better than just a ball cap, though...

--Keys

Modern Buddy

Helmet Ratings

Helmet Ratings

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