Mmmm, this thread got me thinking - I haven't bought a new helmet for about 12 years and that was a cheapish OGK :Wideyed: I think I will have to invest in a new one this year
I think this is the closest from what I have found. If you can find something closer it would be a great help [emoji1]
Imho Arai is the best you can get. Every helmet is created and checked that it can overcome a high velocity impact. Problem is that the impact test is always performed at the top of the helmet. Hence all manufacturers reinforce that part of their helmets. An Arai is one of the only ones (AGV too i think) that no matter where the impact takes place it passes the test. Last winter i was holding a Nolan helmet with bluetooth and sun screen visors and what not. The helmet part just above the visor i could just buckle down with pressing my finger. That doesn't boost my confidence tbh. Maybe it's me, but why take a chance on safety? -My 2 Cents-
I've never been able to find an Arai that fits due to shape. I get on well with the AGV large shell mediums but find the vents always break and the new visor lock really awkward to open with gloves. NEXX is a Portuguese manufacturer keeping there manufacturing at home and they took criticism on there first race style helmet the xr1 which suffered from side impact weakness in testing and viewing aperture. They came up with the xr2 using the xr1 as a base and strengthened its weak points. So for that reason I want to try its fit. It's cost being sub £300, carbon fibre and lightweight do it for me! [emoji1]
Good! I'm not trying to say you should only buy Arai. Just be thoughtful of what you buy and do some research because a life is worth more then the price of any helmet.
I'm fortunate to have an friend who used to sell and service Arai's and various others. I used to take her with me when buying a new helmet. Maybe I should pimp her out to you guys [emoji12]
Her favorite trick was to give the helmet a good pull around on your head making sure they is no movement and no contact with the chin or nose on the front. It's surprising how many people you see with chins and or noses touching the front of a helmet. Or chins hanging out the bottom passed the chin guard.
Ok I'll get straight on to it for you - you might want to pop over to the bbc and check the ten day weather forecast whilst you're waiting...
I have its predecessor, great helmet for the money. I'm only in the market for a new one as my helmet is blue and the bike is red.
I broadly agree that you get what you pay for with these things, but do dissent from this. I've had Arais, Shoeis and Schuberths and would now rank both the latter above Arai. I think Arai were market leaders for a long time, but that the opposition has caught up and they have rather complacently stood still, refusing for example to do anything about [1] their consistently above average wind noise and [2] their godawfully bad visor change system. Shoei and Schuberth finish is at least as good as Arai, and the former better value. And they're both much quieter, and with infinitely better visor systems. When you add to that the fact that Arai don't always perform very well in the SHARP tests, I don't think Arai can be said to be the best you can get, at least as incontestably as a few years back. As for the Arai-shaped head thing which always comes up in these threads, I have vainly tried numerous times to point out that there is no such thing. Arai make different helmets in three different shapes - what they call 'long', 'intermediate' and 'round' oval. When you try an Arai on it could be any one of these. I wish we could nail this myth. Getting the right Size Arai for you | whyarai.co.uk 'For this reason, one model might fit you better than another, so try them all!' The Importance of Arai's Different Interior Shapes 'This is why Arai has gone to the considerable effort to design, create, and offer different interior shapes. (Arai doesn't believe that real comfort can be achieved by trying to stuff every different head shape into a single helmet interior shape.)'
My Shoei Brigand just arrived. I must say, the packaging from sportsbikeshop is probably the best I have seen. The helmet looks way better in the flesh than it does in pictures and it feels noticeably lighter than my previous Shoeis. I got the helmet for £399 which is the cheapest I could find anywhere on the net. Add to this a free choice of visor, i went for the mirrored silver, free shoei holdall, free re-usable ear plugs and a visor cleaner and I think I have done well. Thumbs up to sportsbikeshop
Ordered a K5, was told there are delivery/supplier delays. Ordered a Shoei and it hasn't arrived either. :Banghead:
