Icon Airframe Pro or other quiet long oval.

[CaseyJ955]

I'm looking at this on motorcyclegear.com and trying to narrow down a good lid. I'm a long oval large with my funky mellon.

 

I'm wondering if anyone here has tried the Airframe Pro. It looks like it has all that is important to me, the site says it's quiet but many of the reviews dont really agree.

 

Quiet is a must, aside from comfort its probably my biggest concern. I do not use ear protection, and until this point in my life I have been just fine riding 800+ miles in a day with nothing more than wind noise, twisted thoughts and the voices.

 

I wonder if anyone else has tried this lid?

Any other suggestions on long oval lids that are exceptionally quiet.

This will be the first time I plan to install headset and mic for music and intercom. My current Arai is just to noisy to hear anything at highway speeds. I thought about some of these techy lids with all that stuff built in but I dont want to use bluetooth and hassle with battery life, besides I have no use whatsoever for phone pairing and all that other crap but if one of these lids happens to be really quiet I might consider it.

 

Edit. The Signet X looks really good too, and reviewers say it's quiet and good for a freaky long melon. I'm hoping not to have to spend 6 bills to get a proper lid. I will if I have to but dont really want to.

 

 

 

Thanks!!

Edited March 16, 2017 by CaseyJ955

[Flyinfool]

My experience buying helmets is that I have to try it on before I buy it. I think size means nothing in the world of helmets. The last time I was helmet shopping 3 years ago, I tried on 2 slightly different styles from the same manufacturer, in one, the medium fit perfect, in the other the XL fit perfect. This is from the same manufacturer on the same day. I had not just saved someones life or anything like that, that could have made my head swell real quick.

 

Or I may also have an odd shaped melon that needs different fits.

[CaseyJ955]

My experience buying helmets is that I have to try it on before I buy it. I think size means nothing in the world of helmets. The last time I was helmet shopping 3 years ago, I tried on 2 slightly different styles from the same manufacturer, in one, the medium fit perfect, in the other the XL fit perfect. This is from the same manufacturer on the same day. I had not just saved someones life or anything like that, that could have made my head swell real quick.

 

Or I may also have an odd shaped melon that needs different fits.

 

I have had good luck with larges, but not perfect luck. The first real helmet I bought was an Aria signet in 2000 when I rolled my Sprint ST off the showroom floor, not really understanding helmet shapes, ie long oval. I learned that the Signet lids are actually good for a long oval melon and I did squeeze a lick over 10 years out of that one.

 

For lots of items I do that thing where I find it on the shelf and decide it fits proper, then come home and find it on Ebay or some online dealer that doesnt flood the market with Chinese counterfeit items, then buy for 20-50% less than retail. Maybe doing that for lids is not a solid plan. We only have two motorcycle showrooms around here that sell real proper non-HD bikes and gear. If I want to buy studded chaps, a Village People vest and a 1/4 helmet with flames and a skull I can go to the HD showroom. Around here the vast majority of HD riders wear no lids so I'm sure it wouldn't make sense for them to stock proper lids even though they are the largest motorcycle showroom in the area. Other than that it's about a 6 hour ride to the nearest locality where I might find showrooms big enough to carry the spendy lids. My wife got a medium youth HJC off the shelf for $79, not fair that I'll end up paying> $600 haha.

 

I'll make some calls and see if anyone has either of the two models I'm sort of looking at. Do you feel that the inconsistencies are bad enough that if I find a great model/size/shape of helmet on the shelf that it would be different if I ordered the same lid online? I expect that the price difference will be significant.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Edited March 16, 2017 by CaseyJ955

[RedRider]

Just replaced my Profile with a SignetQ long oval. They fit similarly so should be comfy. The Q was on closeout at Motorcyclegear.com and made the choice vs. a new SignetX pretty easy.

 

That being said, I tried on the X at the Motorcycle Show and it fit beautifully. Seems to have an additional mm or so in the length that made it even more comfy than the Q. Speaker pockets are also deeper so more speaker selections can be installed that won't touch your ears (can get very painful over a long day).

 

You may want to look at an LS2 helmet. They are available in a long oval, but don't seem to be as quiet as the Arai. Very cost effective though.

 

OK, now the major point of this entry -- WEAR EARPLUGS. It may take you a while to find a pair that fit well and will allow you to wear them for long days. If you are doing multiple long days, it may help to use neosporin or something similar on the plugs. They are really cheap insurance against something you cannot get back if it is lost - your hearing.

 

I do Iron Butt rallies (haven't done the big one yet) and have done 6+ 1000 mile days in a row. Without hearing protection, I would be in trouble. Lots of conversations in the IB world concerning plugs. Just about everyone in that world wears them (at least everyone I know, which is many of them).

 

/rant

 

RR

[Flyinfool]

If you are getting the same make and model and size of helmet it should be the same no mater where you get it from. It is when you change from one model or brand to another that size goes out the window.

 

When I go to a shop to try it on and see what I like. I will usually get it from that shop. If you do not support the local shops then they will disappear and all that will be left is pot luck thru mail order. Yes it costs a bit more to support the local shop and I certainly am not made of money, but to me it is the right thing to do. I really miss some of the small shops around here that have folded because people were using them to get hands on to see what they like and then heading for the internet. It does cost more to maintain a storefront and have staff to help you, If I am going to use a service I expect to be willing to pay for that service.

Sorry for the rant.

[CaseyJ955]

I called both showrooms in the area, nobody has the Signet x, or really much in the way of Aria. Nor the Airframe. They tell me there is very little demand for the high dollar lids. I'm going to end up doing that thing where I order online with my gourd measurements and hope I hit it. A few of these places offer free return/exchange services.

 

I called BH HD shop, "Hello, I'm in need of a good quality lid, wondering if you have a good selection?"

"Um... do you mean like a hat or what?"

"No, a lid, a helmet, I know it's a long shot but I'm looking for something in an Aria full face for a long oval"

"...... nothing like that, hold on please"..... "We have Harley Davidson brand and (freedom & something) brand"

"Ok, not quite what I'm after, thank you for your time"

 

She did call me back and said she could order Aria and almost anything and shot me some prices, so the cust service and follow up was there. I was surprised that the word "lid" meant hat and not helmet. Nice lady but the moral of the story is I'm not probably not going to find anything on the shelf within a 300 mile radius. As I suspected its going to be an online affair so an advanced knowledge of which lids fit my freaky ass dome is a plus and also as suspected, the high end Aria is probably the best combination of quality, fit and quiet.

 

I tried to wear ear protection and I just cant, I tend to get panicky if I cant hear whats going on around me. With a helmet that can minimize wind noise I'll be ok.

 

Thank again gents for the feedback and information. It really is helpful.

[RedRider]

Both Motorcyclegear and Revzilla have great customer service and easy returns/exchanges. Fair prices also.

 

To be fair to the HD dealership not recognizing a lid as a helmet, I'm sure they sell more HD ball caps than they do helmets.

 

You will soon get used to wearing ear plugs (you can still hear what is going on around you). I found it was like a seat belt. Once you get used to it, it feels weird not wearing it.

 

RR

[Freebird]

I too have bought from Revzilla a couple of times. Had to return one helmet and it was painless. They do NOT offer free shipping on returns but you can buy a pre-paid return shipping label through them that limits the return shipping to $7.00 and something.

[CaseyJ955]

I'll have to dig up the reciept for the last lid I bought, I think it's in my Triumph file. I got it online and the customer service was quite good but can't recall where. I see that motorcyclegear has a way to find an appropriate lid by actual head measurements. I would guess that others may have that ability as well.

 

I'll dig the online retailers and see what I can find. It's nice to know that revzilla and motorcycle gear are trusted, I'll start there. Thank you.

[The Tooch]

OK my though we do not have the penny anymore in Canada

 

Over several years I have bought stuff from Revzilla, Motorcyclegear, MotorcycleSuperStore, and JPCycle on-line and it has been great, with no problems. Revzilla has those great product videos that are nice as well.

 

Now.....I've also bought from CanadaMotorcycle which is now called FortNine (Dumb name! and I don't know why they changed it?!) Lately if I was going to buy anything I would buy it from FortNine because it is Canadian, so I don't get beat up by the US dollar exchange. They also do really good product video reviews, that are honest and sometimes FUNNY! The product line is almost the same as Revzilla's so lots to choose from.

 

Now why, why do I tell you this.......I've noticed lately that a number of the customer reviews posted on FortNine's site are Americans and that they seem to be from all over the USofA and not just the north east. Why would that be??!

 

Let's see a helmet selling for $200. CAN is actually $149.51 US :bawling:Why don't I get to buy it for that!?

 

Might be worth a look for you......https://youtu.be/GO6guuJtPkM