The Egg shells we put on our heads

[bpate4home]

So I'm in the market for a new lid. I've read VentureFar's review of the Scorpion convertible but I would want to ride with the chin guard up most of the time given that is hotter than ol' Billy heck (as my dad would say) in Houston in the late summer. I wear a half egg shell now and there is no real air flow under the plastic. A couple of things I've found while digging through tons of marketing material first air flow is king, which we all knew. Second, the DOT rating on helmets leaves a lot to be desired and although the Snell rating is better well. . . . . These all boil down to so very basic tests as well as mostly relying on the manufacturers to be honest in their testing. There seems to be a new rating, at least for me, called FIM. It's causing a lot of stink with Snell and DOT because of the testing and requirements. To the point where Snell has posted that it is an unreasonable rating. I find this interesting as being an IT guy I see this all the time when a company losing the rat race belittles the guy who is right. Anyway, I am looking for thoughts on safety ratings, on the helmets you are using as well as recommendations. I do need to make a purchase soon, say in 30 - 45 days. Here are some items I'm looking for:

 

 

• It should be light.
  
• Air flow - a lot of it
  
  • I'm bald and sweat a lot
    
  • I would prefer a full face for cold weather riding too
    

   

  [*]I like the convertible idea but would it work at 80 MPH?

  [*]I would like to have a tinted internal visor also

  [*=1]I live west of my place of work so I ride into the sun both ways

  [*=1]I do wear photochromatic shades, non prescription from 7eye that I love.

[zagger]

For what it's worth - I like my Arai helmet. Like this one: https://www.araiamericas.com/node/224

 

I like having the chin guard a little further out (like the Arai) than the normal full face helmet so that you aren't breathing straight into the chin guard. I cut out the vents to provide better airflow. Although I really like the visor sun protection, I did cut it back a bit from the stock size. As I recall, I also installed a tinted shield. Although it is expensive to change your mind, it might be good to pick something to try and see if it works for you.

zag

 

PS I'm not a fan of hinged chin guards since I'm concerned that it might hinge up or down right when I'm doing a face-plant. I like the components of the helmet to be rigidly fixed.

Edited April 20, 2020 by zagger

[dave_wells]

I bought a Shark Evo One 2 from cycle gear in Columbus Ohio. Not online

The sales guy was awesome he spent a good hour or so helping us find something that fit right. They have a great exchange policy

 

I like the helmet. The chin bar flips all the way back and out of the way, it has the internal tinted face shield.

Being a black helmet it manages to stay cool. I sweat a lot. That is not an issue

I am not sure of the weight i couldn't find it in the paperwork. I have a small scale it came in at 4.5 pounds

 

I would not recommend using the pinlock shield insert. Riding around in 90 degree temps with the shield up caused it to warp and scratch up the helmet.

Cycle gear gave me a new helmet no problem.

No pinlock and no problems since that.

 

We are getting headsets put in this week.

 

I am happy with the helmet

 

 

https://www.cyclegear.com/gear/shark-evo-one-2-helmet

[saddlebum]

Check out this link it is fairly informative on the Helmet. Personally I did not much care for it when I checked it out at the bike shop last year.

 

[saddlebum]

My full face is about 14 years old and so by rights and if I were to follow the rule of thumb I should have been looking for a new one some years back. But the helmet has not seen a lot of millage as I tend to prefer wearing my 3/4 helmet except in crappy weather, but the reasoning behind the rule of thumb is that the shell though it looks good would have gotten brittle with age and the foam inside starts to deteriorate. I to would prefer a fixed jaw but I find the modular helmet easier to get on when you have to wear glasses. I noteced some of the new helmets actually run a groove along the temple to allow room for the arms on the glasses.

[vzuden]

I would not recommend using the pinlock shield insert. Riding around in 90 degree temps with the shield up caused it to warp and scratch up the helmet.

Cycle gear gave me a new helmet no problem.

No pinlock and no problems since that.

 

I will always use the pin-lock unless they invent something better. I have had it on the last two helmets and I replace them every five years. I do remove the pin lock in the late spring after the weather has warmed up and reinstall it in the fall. It snaps in and out very easily. I ride in temps as low as the upper 20’s F so fogging would be an issue without it. With it - no fogging at all.

[bpate4home]

Check out this link it is fairly informative on the Helmet. Personally I did not much care for it when I checked it out at the bike shop last year.

 

 

I looked at this helmet at the dealers a couple of weeks ago and I too was not impressed. Neither the chin guard or the 'skirt' felt very uncomfortable to me.

 

I'm also questioning the DOT standards. They have not been touched in a long time and materials available for a helmet have improved immensely. I think this is where the newest Standard of FIM comes into play. If I read the test parameters correctly Snell and DOT require only top impact testing. the FIM standards require 45 degree impact testing. When's the last time any of us landed smack dab on the top of a helmet. I never have, that I can remember at least.

 

As far as the 5 year standard for a replacement goes: That is in less than ideal storage situations such as being in the sun 24x7. I'll call BS on that one as my helmet is about 8 years old and I'd put money on it still passing the DOT tests. (And yes that want to throw it in there, my life too as I wear it every day.)

 

I did find this review of a Modular from AGV that was intriguing. https://www.webbikeworld.com/agv-sportmodular-carbon-helmet-hands-on-review-so-very-good/ It ain't cheap either at $750. I like the carbon fiber and the fact it's under 3 lbs. but the price, when I was a kid people thought I was crazy buying a full face helmet for $75.

[saddlebum]

When I was a kid the saying was if you got a $10 brain buy a $10 helmet if you got a $100 brain buy a $100 helmet.

 

Also regarding some of the excuses people make for not wanting to wear a helmet and don't get me wrong, I totally get how nice it would be to ride without one face and hair in the wind and all that. But all I can say is in both off road and on road, I walked away from enough situations, were I was totally thankful that I was wearing a helmet at the time and on two occasions I would probably not be here if I had not been wearing one. Sure there are examples of cases were a person was harmed because of a helmet and may have been better without one but those cases are so extremely rare in comparison.

[bpate4home]

When I was a kid the saying was if you got a $10 brain buy a $10 helmet if you got a $100 brain buy a $100 helmet.

 

Also regarding some of the excuses people make for not wanting to wear a helmet and don't get me wrong, I totally get how nice it would be to ride without one face and hair in the wind and all that. But all I can say is in both off road and on road, I walked away from enough situations, were I was totally thankful that I was wearing a helmet at the time and on two occasions I would probably not be here if I had not been wearing one. Sure there are examples of cases were a person was harmed because of a helmet and may have been better without one but those cases are so extremely rare in comparison.

 

Don't get me wrong, I will always wear a helmet but there is a point were the cost does not equal the product being offered. I've seen a helmet split in half right along the seem when the guy I was riding with landed on a rock, this was back in the early '80s. But a $250 - $300 vs some upwards of $1500 that pass the same old, dated testing? For example the HJC RPHA-01R and the LS2 Arrow C EVO are FIM certified along with only a few dozen others. The prices range from $300 to nearly $3,000. Are these $300 FIM certified helmets that passed FIM testing standards safer/better than those $1,500 Arai helmets that only have passed DOT or SNELL ratings?

[Du-Rron]

So I'm in the market for a new lid. I've read VentureFar's review of the Scorpion convertible but I would want to ride with the chin guard up most of the time given that is hotter than ol' Billy heck (as my dad would say) in Houston in the late summer. I wear a half egg shell now and there is no real air flow under the plastic. A couple of things I've found while digging through tons of marketing material first air flow is king, which we all knew. Second, the DOT rating on helmets leaves a lot to be desired and although the Snell rating is better well. . . . . These all boil down to so very basic tests as well as mostly relying on the manufacturers to be honest in their testing. There seems to be a new rating, at least for me, called FIM. It's causing a lot of stink with Snell and DOT because of the testing and requirements. To the point where Snell has posted that it is an unreasonable rating. I find this interesting as being an IT guy I see this all the time when a company losing the rat race belittles the guy who is right. Anyway, I am looking for thoughts on safety ratings, on the helmets you are using as well as recommendations. I do need to make a purchase soon, say in 30 - 45 days. Here are some items I'm looking for:

 

 

• It should be light.
  
• Air flow - a lot of it
  
  • I'm bald and sweat a lot
    
  • I would prefer a full face for cold weather riding too
    

   

  [*]I like the convertible idea but would it work at 80 MPH?

  [*]I would like to have a tinted internal visor also

  [*=1]I live west of my place of work so I ride into the sun both ways

  [*=1]I do wear photochromatic shades, non prescription from 7eye that I love.

 

The BEST helmet is one you never need.

 

Regarding getting locked up in Standards, FIM helmets are going to be pricy. No way around that.

A DOT/ECE helmet will probably pass the FIM standard. Moto GP races all require a DOT/ECE helmet, even for those races held in the States, like Austin Texas.

I have several LS2 helmets. I like them all.

 

Try MOTORCYCLECLOSEOUTS.COM for lower priced Shoei, LS2, HJC, Arai helmets.

 

Right now my favorite helmet riding a Z900RS is a $80.00 Fiberglass DOT/ECE rated LS2 Arrow helmet. No lift at -very- high speeds and is the same helmet Yonny Hernandez wears in Moto GP.

 

My favorite helmet to wear (full face) on the RSV is a $80.00 Fiberglass DOT/ECE rated FF397 LS2 Vector/Citation helmet.

 

You may like the $120.00 LS2 Metro V3 Modular helmet.

 

I like the above LS2 helmets because they are all LONG OVAL and fit perfectly.

 

They also have good pricing on SHOEI, HJC etc helmets.

 

Don't let a FIM standard get in your way of getting a "realistic" helment that while not passing a FIM standard officially, would pass it theorititcally. (spelling)

 

To further complicate your helmet standards are the "World Standard" helmets (Icon Airframe Pro) (AGV Pista) and the SHARP Standard.

https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets/?manufacturer=Ls-2&model=All&type=2

 

Get two or three cheap helmets of the same brand to keep the guts of them clean by swapping out dry interiors while you are washing the other.

 

 

(Speaking of helmets... What engine oil should I use... hahahah)

[Du-Rron]

Are these $300 FIM certified helmets that passed FIM testing standards safer/better than those $1,500 Arai helmets that only have passed DOT or SNELL ratings?

 

The $1500 Arai helmet is hand built. Arai will never give you a flip down sunshade, and they probably will always attach their shields with Pods, and hell no there ain't gonna be no discussion of a "Modular" with Arai. There is no standard, FIM or otherwise, that an Arai probably cannot pass.

 

The $300 FIM helmet RATING is telling you that it is as good as their practical testing allows, which should be a touch better than a DOT/ECE or a World Standard helmet rating. It is not a comparison to a BRAND.

[luvmy40]

I'm likely to be flamed for this, but

 

Helmets are inclement weather gear and stunt/sport kit.

 

I would never run a hair scramble or Moto GP with out a helmet but if it ain't raining or snowing, I don't cover up on the highway.

 

That said, I use cheap Hawk (Leather up.com) modular helmets because they keep me dry and warm and don't break the bank.

[bpate4home]

The $1500 Arai helmet is hand built. Arai will never give you a flip down sunshade, and they probably will always attach their shields with Pods, and hell no there ain't gonna be no discussion of a "Modular" with Arai. There is no standard, FIM or otherwise, that an Arai probably cannot pass.

 

The $300 FIM helmet RATING is telling you that it is as good as their practical testing allows, which should be a touch better than a DOT/ECE or a World Standard helmet rating. It is not a comparison to a BRAND.

 

Personally didn't know Arai was handmade. BUT that alone does not make them better than say a $300 LS2 helmet. I've probably tried 30 different helmets in the last several months. Really didn't love any at first blush. Scorpions that I tried basically earned the heck no right out of the gate. Especially that convertible monster they have which in my opinion is compete garbage. There are several Arai models that are in the final testing for FIM.

 

The biggest reason I am questioning the standards rating is that DOT/SNELL which are touted the most have not been revisited in a substantial amount of time and their is a large amount of noise coming from the SNELL works that FIM is 'unrealistic' from one article. It probably should have been a different thread but. . . . Being in the IT world since writing my first program in ~'80-81 at the ripe old age of 14 I watched many entrenched standards groups make a lot of noise when they are about to be replaced. Instead of getting on the stick and working to make things better they whine.

 

MotoGP announced in 2019 that all helmets must pass the FIM homologation standards. Looking up the different standards testing I was really shocked at the limits of the testing completed. DOT/ECE/SNELL all focus on the crown of the helmet for certifications whereas FIM added 45 degree impact testing initially. Admittedly though I am still reading more on this as I have time. The newest FIM mandates go even further with a random drop point test, basically freefall testing.

[bpate4home]

I'm likely to be flamed for this, but

 

Helmets are inclement weather gear and stunt/sport kit.

 

I would never run a hair scramble or Moto GP with out a helmet but if it ain't raining or snowing, I don't cover up on the highway.

 

That said, I use cheap Hawk (Leather up.com) modular helmets because they keep me dry and warm and don't break the bank.

 

You'll get no flaming from me as I believe we are all grown adults and make our own decisions. Now to convince my wife of that viewpoint for our adult kids LOL.

[cowpuc]

I'm likely to be flamed for this, but

 

Helmets are inclement weather gear and stunt/sport kit.

 

I would never run a hair scramble or Moto GP with out a helmet but if it ain't raining or snowing, I don't cover up on the highway.

 

That said, I use cheap Hawk (Leather up.com) modular helmets because they keep me dry and warm and don't break the bank.

 

You'll get no flaming from me as I believe we are all grown adults and make our own decisions. Now to convince my wife of that viewpoint for our adult kids LOL.

 

Funny,,, I tend to lean slightly in the same direction as you two lop eared varmints concerning the matter

 

[Du-Rron]

Personally didn't know Arai was handmade. BUT that alone does not make them better than say a $300 LS2 helmet. I've probably tried 30 different helmets in the last several months. Really didn't love any at first blush. Scorpions that I tried basically earned the heck no right out of the gate. Especially that convertible monster they have which in my opinion is compete garbage. There are several Arai models that are in the final testing for FIM.

 

The biggest reason I am questioning the standards rating is that DOT/SNELL which are touted the most have not been revisited in a substantial amount of time and their is a large amount of noise coming from the SNELL works that FIM is 'unrealistic' from one article. It probably should have been a different thread but. . . . Being in the IT world since writing my first program in ~'80-81 at the ripe old age of 14 I watched many entrenched standards groups make a lot of noise when they are about to be replaced. Instead of getting on the stick and working to make things better they whine.

 

MotoGP announced in 2019 that all helmets must pass the FIM homologation standards. Looking up the different standards testing I was really shocked at the limits of the testing completed. DOT/ECE/SNELL all focus on the crown of the helmet for certifications whereas FIM added 45 degree impact testing initially. Admittedly though I am still reading more on this as I have time. The newest FIM mandates go even further with a random drop point test, basically freefall testing.

 

The most important thing is FIT of the helmet. All other standards dont matter if it dont fit. Concentrate on FIT first, then decide on price/value purchase based upon standards. When I wear a helmet it is DOT/ECE never just DOT. By the time I get another helmet the FIM standard will be out and I will get a DOT/FIM standard helmet based upon fit and price. By the year 2027 comes around another "standard" will probably pop up that we will need.

 

Instead of questioning Standards, jut get a helmet you like, fits well, and is within your budget. Then ALL will be ok.