Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on December 24, 2014, 12:36:42 PM
I just realized that I only buy helmets that have 3 letters of the alphabet in the name, THH, HJC and AFX 

this my friend was me too. Except for the icon

So this new helmet arrived already. WOW fast shipping from Revzilla. I didn't even pay extra for fast shipping.  Very surprised it's here.  So I immediately unboxed it and tried it on. First of all, it comes in a helmet bag with red fuzzies on the inside, way cool!   Second the sparkle on this graphic is excellent.  It is a tight fit. I expected that 1- its new and not broken in at all 2- it's possibly a little too small.  After about five or eight minutes I noticed I could feel my pulse in my head.  I think it's too tight. 

**** How do you know if it's just a snug fit because it's new or is it just too small? ***

I guess I'll try it on again and wear it for a while around the house. 
Thanks!

That is pretty impressive

Quote from: Rallyfan on December 24, 2014, 12:02:02 PM
This thread is costing me money. I'm now shopping Arai Vector, Arai Defiant, Schuberth S2, Nolan N86.

I figure a new shield for my old Arai is $50, so why not use the money for a new helmet... Sigh...

Hey!
I've had my N86 for a year and somewhere between 8-10k km now.
It's amazing! It's just so comfy once you got it on. Excellent pinlock shield (you can ride in foggy weather in single digit temps[°C] and actually see.. well, what you can see from the fog ), built-in sun visor that's just perfect (easy to handle wearing gloves, instruments right under its edge if you're looking ahead), and ventillation is so that if you close it, well you still don't suffocate, and if you open it, it's like actual wind inside that full-face baby!
Lock is easy to handle, too. 99% of the time I use it with a mask underneath (many reasons to do so), but no complaints on my side now that I haven't been able to find it for the last few days.
In my humble opinion, it was totally worth the price.

Yes I'm impressed with Nolan full faces. I'm looking seriously at N86 vs. Schuberth. I think Nolans are excellent products. Thanks for the impressions!

30 hour free shipping I'm impressed. I really love the helmet and wish it fit. unfortunately after a short while of wearing it in the house i could tell it's just too small. If it was in the large size it would be wrapped and under the tree.  But it's now back in the box and will be sent back.  If the return process goes well; I'll definitely shop with Revzilla again.
I checked on the Nolan n86 mentioned above. It's about the same price point, and has a drop down sun visor. However the ratings for wind noise are poor. Does that seem accurate to you Rallyfan?
thanks

I wear ear plugs always so I'm not qualified to answer fully, sorry. Check webbikeworld for tests.

The plugs attenuate high frequencies most so I can't comment on whistling. However the older N85 was quieter overall than my TMS,  and was comparable with my Arai. With either and the plugs I cannot hear any engines except mine (Jardine exhaust) and I hear only large tyre roar, so big rigs only, not cars. The wind is a subdued woosh.

I'd say above average quiet for mid and liw frequencies and ? for the highs due to my plugs. There may be a typhoon going on in the highs and I can't tell.

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on December 24, 2014, 12:36:42 PM
I just realized that I only buy helmets that have 3 letters of the alphabet in the name, THH, HJC and AFX 

i only buy helmets with 3 letters D O and T. Lol

Aldi, about fifty bucks, worth about what my head is worth! 
(Best helmet I ever had in 40 years riding).
What does that tell you about expensive helmets?

I ordered a Scorpion EXO500 two weeks ago....$200 list for $80 on closeout...

I guess you would call this a "mid range" priced helmet...but on closeout it was in the "cheepo" range!

When I go t it ...it was just a tad too tight...

Instead of returning it...I just ordered the next-size-up cheek pads...The helmet top part fit good, but the cheeks were too narrow...so now I have a custom fit...did this with my last Z1R helmet too...

The Scorpion has inflators to tighten the cheek pads after you put on the helmet....so now the helmet goes on reasonably easily, and I can tighten it up if needed....

Revzilla is a good company...

Most Internet Motorcycle companies realize the problem with buying stuff like helmets and boots without trying them on first...so they all have liberal exchange policies...just takes a couple extra days if you have to return something...

Cookie

Quote from: GatorTrae on December 24, 2014, 07:06:31 PM
30 hour free shipping I'm impressed. I really love the helmet and wish it fit. unfortunately after a short while of wearing it in the house i could tell it's just too small. If it was in the large size it would be wrapped and under the tree.  But it's now back in the box and will be sent back.  If the return process goes well; I'll definitely shop with Revzilla again.
I checked on the Nolan n86 mentioned above. It's about the same price point, and has a drop down sun visor. However the ratings for wind noise are poor. Does that seem accurate to you Rallyfan?
thanks

Quote from: Rallyfan on December 24, 2014, 05:09:59 PM
Yes I'm impressed with Nolan full faces. I'm looking seriously at N86 vs. Schuberth. I think Nolans are excellent products. Thanks for the impressions!

No problem!

Quote from: GatorTrae on December 24, 2014, 07:06:31 PM
I checked on the Nolan n86 mentioned above. It's about the same price point, and has a drop down sun visor. However the ratings for wind noise are poor. Does that seem accurate to you Rallyfan?
thanks

Well question was not directed at me but I'll take the liberty to answer it.
500km (touring+twisties) days are not uncommon for me in the actual 'season'. My weekly commute to university is 120km. My comfortable (for body & soul, lol) cruising speed is 120km/h. At those speeds and distances, I don't need to wear earplugs, but occasionally (if I'm in the mood for them, or my head already hurts) I do wear them. The wind on the GS500F gets my shoulders first, and most of it hits me right in the face (I'm 183cm tall), so YMMV.

Okay, here is what I know and what I've learned from people with the more expensive helmets.

Having one on is better than none. Full face is always better, modular or not. I never buy cheap helmets that are not snell approved. I currently have a Bell Vortex that is snell approved for street riding, it was $100, and an EVS that is snell approved for dirt. the bell was very quiet for the first month I had it, once the foam shapes to your head it is much louder. passed a certain price point in helmets all you are paying for is better ventilation vision and lower weight, not more protection.

If you are going for very lightweight, yes more expensive helmets are worth it. Same goes if it is very hot and humid where you ride. If you want to be protected and have good ventilation you will be looking for the 200-250 dollar helmets. But, in a high speed crash I honestly do not believe they protect you anymore than my 100 bell helmet would.

Between two helmets offering the same safety ratings though would you not say the lighter of the two would be safer? Acceleration forces can be substantial and less weight could be an advantage.

Safety rating does not mean "safety" or "safer"....

All it means is each helmet passed the minimum standard in a laboratory test....

A lighter weight helmet might be "safer"  or a heavier helmet might be "safer".....

Or in certain accidents one may be safer, but in other accidents the other might be safer.....

If I remember my motorcycle school lesson...I think they said that the max speed of impact that a helmet is designed to take is like 7 MPH....the speed your head would hit the ground if you fell off a STATIONARY motorcycle.........

So if you slam your head at 60......you're on your own...

Helmets do a lot to protect against abrasions at higher speeds though...

Back in my Bicycle racing days...our "helmets" were nothing more than 5 padded, but thin, leather straps....great for abrasion...nothing for impact...


Cookie

Quote from: Rallyfan on December 25, 2014, 07:01:58 PM
Between two helmets offering the same safety ratings though would you not say the lighter of the two would be safer? Acceleration forces can be substantial and less weight could be an advantage.

I think the main concern with the recent Snell spec involves helmets >XL in size, and the forces generated based on their mass and acceleration. I've looked at the curves in the past and remember noting that I wasn't comfortable with Snell >2010 for sizes L and lower.

Later Snell ratings are great though and it's now feasible to get Snell and ECE together.

Hello, I've had many hats over the years (sometimes a new one each year) and my findings are not part of the DOT vs SNEL regulation debate. When I get a hat, I do so tongue in cheek because even if I "hate it" I'm probably gonna get a new one next  year, and have 9 at home I can wear instead.

My favorite hat HJC if for no other reason than it's POPULAR. If I scratch the visor on a ride, I can normally pop into the local bike shop and they'll have another one. I DO want to get another shoei with the retractable sunglasses built in, but if I scratch the visor, I know I'll end up on the internet because local shops in my area don't carry visors or any parts for upper end caps.

So, have one of each? Is that a good answer to cheap or expensive? 

One of each is what I do, yes.

Human Nature is a funny thing.......


Guys are willing to spend hundreds  dollars for a helmet which may, or may not, be marginally (at best) safer than a cheaper one all in the interest of "safety"...

Yet you see those same guys doing some really unsafe things while riding...

We have the false impressions that "safety can be bought"...

Even this false line of reasoning: "well I have the best helmet that money can buy...so I'm gonna go down the road at 90 MPH and pretend I'm a GP racer"


I just love to watch the "squids" with the Guinney Tee shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes...but sporting the $800 helmet!

But in reality, safety comes from within.....Riding safely makes far more difference than if you have a $600 helmet compared to a $100 helmet...

Motorcycle riding is freakin' dangerous...period....But you can do many things to make it as safe as possible...mostly having to do with riding in a safe, sane way....

Safety gear, helmets, jackets, boots etc....only offer very limited protection.....they can keep a small incident small...but in a big wreck...sorry....that gear is not going to do a whole lot to save you....

Cookie

Until data are presented that prove all helmets offer the same level of protection, the impression that safety can be bought cannot be stated as false.

In fact looking back at the thread, I've seen several posts stating that expensive helmets offer more features, including my own; however, I've seen nothing to substantiate that expensive helmets only offer more features.

Moreover it seems reasonable that some of those features do increase safety in and of themselves. My expensive helmet has a thicker, larger, more optically correct visor, for example. This feature certainly contributes toward safety, as does the ventilation that increases comfort -- IOW decreases distraction -- and makes fogging less likely.

One can "ride safely" and avoid incidents but I do not believe one can "ride safely" and avoid accidents. This means I can ride in a manner that will prevent me from doing a wheelie and colliding with a liquid oxygen tanker in a school zone but I can't ride in a manner that will prevent someone careless from careening into me always and forever. Accidents aren't preventable or they wouldn't be accidents.

So maybe it's best to figure out which helmets are safest and buy those regardless of cost. They may be inexpensive or they may cost a prince's ransom, we don't seem to have a consensus. How do we find out?

Let's look at my personal example: who here feels my TMS (>$50) and my Arai ($ don't remind me...) offer the same protection?

Quote from: Rallyfan on December 26, 2014, 09:12:52 AMOne can "ride safely" and avoid incidents but I do not believe one can "ride safely" and avoid accidents. This means I can ride in a manner that will prevent me from doing a wheelie and colliding with a liquid oxygen tanker in a school zone but I can't ride in a manner that will prevent someone careless from careening into me always and forever. Accidents aren't preventable or they wouldn't be accidents.

I totally agree, but here is my story...It was the summer of 1977, July to be exact and I found myself laying on my back in Valley General Hospital, Renton Wa, it was yet another Stevo induced MC accident, due to nothing but pure Asshatery (ass-hat-ery) on my part. This time I had multiple fractures that would cause me pain even as I type this now. The doctor wanted me to stay in the hospital for a week of "observation" possible internal injury's IDK? Needless to say I had a lot of time to think about what role MC's where going to have in my life, if any. At one point I convinced myself that taking the top off of my CJ5 was really all I needed and that would take care of my MC MoMo, but in the end I knew it wouldn't..so I decided to drastically alter my riding style, pace myself and ride until I couldn't ride anymore. That was 37 years ago, I haven't crashed or even had to talk to a LEO since then. It's not that I am a better rider than anybody, I just know my personal pace. If I can do it anybody can, I no longer ride it like I stole it, I ride it like I've crashed it.

Stevo