Cheap helmets vs. expensive helmets

[Laura]

I have an HJC CL-14 helmet, size M. It was the cheapest one they had at the store, and it fit my head well, so I bought it. I figured it would protect my noggin just as well as the more expensive ones.

I have two problems with it, and was thinking of getting another helmet anyway, in case I wanted to take anybody else with a medium-sized head for a ride.

Problem number 1: At highway speeds, if I turn my head the slightest bit, my head gets jerked back. My helmet seems to act as a sail unless my head is in exactly the right position. Are the higher priced helmets more aerodynamic?

Problem number 2: The other day I was parked in front of a building with huge plate glass windows. Now, the primary reason I ride is that it is fun. But I have to admit, I like to look cool, too. As I was getting the bike warmed up, I looked over at my reflection in the window, and realized the my head looks GIGANTIC in this helmet. Imagine a stick person with a big circle as a head. I'm usually all for looking skinnier without having to diet or exercise, but looking skinny because you have an enormous head just isn't flattering. Are the higher priced helmets made out of a material that is thinner while providing the same amount of protection?

Does anybody have any helmet suggestions? Thanks.

Laura

[Baker]

yes more expensive helmets are more areodynamic, and it doesn't matter what helmet you get you head will look huge

[vtlion]

I had the same experience as you.  I bought a $95 fulmer helmet when I first picked up my GS.  It got me on the road, but it was heavy and bulky.

If you're riding an unfaired bike on the highway and you turn your head sideways, the wind is gonna hit you no matter what you're wearing.  Still, I did feel some difference between the Fulmer and my 'new' helmet.

I just switched my Fulmer for an HJC CL-12 (current model = CL-14)helmet now that I bought used from an acquaintance.  Its got a much better profile and I feel more comfortable in it at highway speeds.  I would say to prevent the sail-effect and whistling (my fulmer whistled at 80mph... annoying) the #1 thing to look for is not to get a helmet with alot of goofy design elements sticking out from the surface... look for a nice bullet shape, and get a good brand like Shoei or HJC.

[vtlion]

my head looks GIGANTIC in this helmet

Try wearing puffier clothes... it'll make your head look smaller  :mrgreen:   :lol:  

seriously though, i've found that if I'm wearing a t-shirt with my helmet on, i look ridiculous.  If I have my leather jacket on with the shoulder armor in (as I ALWAYS do when riding) I look much more properly proportioned... just a thought.

peace

[CasiUSA]

Yeah, Either way your head is gonna look ginormous. As far as a more expensive helmet, it is basically going to offer the same protection, but with reduced weight.

[JLKasper]

You might try and experiment with adding foam behind the fabric lining of your helmet, and/or adding some pads on the chinbar on the cheek area to make the fit snug.  I've had some helmets that were snug front to back, but some looseness on the sides caused twisting problems at higher speeds.  I "shimmed up" the sides and the twisting lessened.  Most helmets do this after a year or two when the soft foam deteriorates from perspiration or simple oxidation.  

If you want a smaller helmet for a given size, keep in mind that the bulk of the helmet is the dense styrofoam that actually provides the impact protection.  You might find that DOT certified helmets have smaller exterior dimensions than Snell-certified ones, which must withstand more rigorous impacts to make the grade.   The most expensive helmets are constructed with shells that contribute to impact absorption which in turn enables the manufacturer to use less styrofoam, therefore making the helmet more aerodynamic.

[brandiwine]

i went with an arai for several reasons, even though it was expensive.  first there was the shape issue.   i needed an XS helmet,  plus my head is oval shaped which i found out by trying on different brands of helmets.  none of them ever were small enough and none of them felt secure around my cheeks.  with the signet -gtr i found the shape that felt the best, plus i could change out the cheek pads and the top pad and buy thicker ones if i needed to, which i did.  
as i was riding this summer, i had the same effect you had with the wind.  so at the motorcycle show i picked up some of the thicker pads and it's 100% better.  the wind doesn't  smash my helmet to the side anymore, it feels more like an extension of my body.
plus with the arai, i have more ventilation options than my roomate with her shoei.  i believe she has a rf-900, but i'm not sure since it's not here right now.  for my situation, the arai was definately the way to go and well worth the $ i paid for it.

[Jared]

Heh....

Remember what the helmet is for...Protection.... the helmet is designed to absorb and spread out as much of the impact as it can....(thats what the inner liner does...do you want less liner there?!?!!?)

Personally I think My head is worth a better (yes usually more expensive) quality helmet......

Function before form when it comes to helmets..... Make sure they fit your head correctly too . I have Shoei  Head....They always fit me best.


Cheaper helmets were (are?) made of more of a plastic compound....The plastic ones tend to bounce more than the fiberglass based ones do...  Much more likely to hurt (or even break) your neck from a bounce...

You get what you pay for...

Is your head worth another 50-100$? every 4-5 years?

Anyway....

[96gs]

well, i have a NOLAN and its perfect. except the part that is still i lil 2 big. i just were a tobagon under my helmet. makes for a tight fit, and also for the winter it keeps my head a lil warmer. and the weight, its not bad at all. a lil wind noise not much. or in this case, i can hear my engine goin 70 down the interstate in every gear. i also have a wind screen so that helps alot. it was originally for the moma but she has one she likes better so its mine. anyway my dad paid 90 bucks on it. he was recently in a wreck with his helmet (forgot what kind) but he paid 120 for his. of course now it looks like crap but we still keep it in the garage and i look at it every tie we go out for a ride. it reminds me not to get complacent. i still kick it up a good bit though. but anyways, who cares what you look like or if it makes wind noise. just get a helmet that fits and your omfy with. its supposed to save your life not make you look cool. thats my opinion on this subject

[JohnNS]

A cheaper helmet shouldn't necessarily be bad in a protection sense, would it? Anything with a DOT/Snell sticker on it had to meet some sort of standard, so they can't be all that bad.  :dunno:

The biggest difference I've found is comfort. I have a cheap helmet I used to use before I got my Shoei, and now I can't even stand how it feels on my head for even a couple minutes. Funny how it never really bothered me before. The Shoei's got me spoiled now.  

If you don't really ride much, a cheap helmet can get you by. If you ride alot though, and for long distances occasionally, you owe it to yourself to get the best quality you can afford. It really is worth it!

I like to draw a comparison to work shoes. Some of the people I work with buy the absolute cheapest safety shoes they can find, which makes little sense to me. Sure, they protect you well enough, but you suffer comfort-wise cuz you're in them all day. Same thing there...buy the best you can afford, it's worth it.  

John

[pantablo]

JohnNS is on to something. Cheaper helmets protect the same as pricier fare, assuming they all meet DOT/Snell ratings. Pricier helmets will give more features which will make wearing the helmet more comfortable-venting, lighter weight, better visor positions, chin fairing, removable liners for washing, etc.

Fit is the most important aspect and a helmet should be chosen on that basis primarily-then on make, color, etc. Arai is one of the best (lets save the my helmet is better than yours for another thread) because they have different shaped helmets to accomodate different heads. They're different lines are all different shapes.

A helmet, when bought new should feel like its one size too tight and not give you any hot spots (pressure points on your head). As it breaks in it will fit like a glove.

[Wrencher]

I for one, am all for helmet style being higher on the list of criteria.

The single most important safety feature of a helmet is getting it on your head before you go riding. If its uncomfortable, heavy or ugly as all get out, you are going to be that much less inclined to actually wear it.

Does style come before function? No, but style and function are not mutually exclusive.

[Mat]

just one thing
before you go buy a really expensive helmet get the rest of your gear... at least a jacket  because your head is no good if you don't have a body to put it on

[clkeith50]

Having a DOT sticker on the helmet doesn't mean that the helmet has been tested to meet the DOT standards. It means the manufacturer SAYS it meets the DOT standards. DOT doesn't test the helmets, but accepts the word of the manufacturer that it will meet the standards. A Snell rating on the helmet means the manufacturer has actually submitted samples, and that they have been tested and passed. It's more of a marketing issue than a safety issue.

[vtlion]

I can't believe that a manufacturer who claims to meet 'DOT' standards doesn't have to bear a burden of proof.  There has to be some data to support it, and it has to be subject to some sort of third-party audit, or the 'DOT' rating would mean nothing.

[clkeith50]

There have been cases of DOT mandated helmet recalls because the helmets didn't meet the standards. But, it's always after they've been manufactured and sold. Big name manufacturers aren't going to risk their reputation selling substandard helmets. A marketing company that contracts with an inexpensive overseas manufacturer doesn't have as much to lose. It's a case of the industry being left to police themselves. Some will play by the rules, and some won't.

[Cal Price]

Vtlion has to be right, In Europe we work to EC (or CE if you're French) or ISO standards, In UK only BSI still applies in a few areas. My company does this stuff and we have to be internally audited by other departments and Externally audited by the appropriate Authority. They sometimes suggest corrective measures and this all gets published in those boring safety mags that no-one reads but it is there. A lot of this stuff is governed by world-trade measures, the U.N. and the like, surely the U.S. does the same.

[Laura]

Hey- thanks for all the info. (Even though some of it is contradictory!)

If I'm reading things correctly, it sounds like most of the sail effect is from riding an unfaired bike, but if I put a bit more padding in, the helmet might not twist as much.

The most expensive helmets are constructed with shells that contribute to impact absorption which in turn enables the manufacturer to use less styrofoam, therefore making the helmet more aerodynamic.

Aha. So if this is correct, I CAN buy a helmet which is thinner yet affords the same amount of protection as a thicker helmet.

Try wearing puffier clothes... it'll make your head look smaller

 but then I'll look fat when I take the helmet off. Or I could have inflatable clothes. Anyway...

I probably will buy one of the higher end helmets. I like the idea of a thinner helmet with removable, washable padding. (Especially in the summer!)

Remember what the helmet is for...Protection...

I agree, although some people wear them for warmth. A lot of people ride scooters around here, and when it's warm out, I hardly see any of them with helmets on, except for girls with cute little helmets matching their Vespas. Now that it's cold, lots of people on scooters wear full face helmets. I saw three Harley riders today, and they were all wearing helmets. Although I don't remember seeing these particular riders before, so maybe they wear helmets all year round. By the way, I don't like the looks of most Harleys, but these bikes looked pretty nice. I think they were V-rods. (And NO, I am NOT trying to start a rag on Harleys thread!)

Laura

[JohNLA]

I like my Cl-14 but I have always had a big head  :mrgreen:

[KevinC]

The more expensive helmets will be thinner, and therefore smaller. They spend more $ developing them, and minimizing the bulk is one of their aims.

Also, the cheap helmets use only one or two molded plastic shell sizes, and then make the inside different sizes with thicker or thinner foam. Typically they mold a shell that will meet the SNELL requirements with the thin XL foam liner, and then the smaller sizes end up with a very thick foam liner to fill the large shell. The expensive helmets use composites (lighter) to mold a shell for each size, with the minimum foam for the performance level they are looking for.

The expensive helmets typically have tricker face screens, and better sealing. If two helmets have SNELL stickers (never settle for a DOT helmet, the level of the requirements is very low) the protection will be similar, although I know Arai and Shoei at least set maximum G level targets better than SNELL requirements by a considerble margin.