Sorry to be so thick, but does anyone have in depth arai knowledge? I was wondering what in essence the differences are between RX7- quantum - and the other one that ducati used as their range of helmets. The reason I'm interested is that I understand the cheek pads and some of the lining is removable for washing, and after seeing some of the deals on certain sizes was wondering whether the shells are the same size and the linings different thicknesses for example. I've currently got a suomy gunwind of 14 years vintage, sized medium which has given up the ghost, and a lot of me is wondering whether I just convinced myself that I didn't have an arai shaped head all those years ago as I couldn't afford one. I'm also wondering if now that I've got a little erm.. fuller in the chops a size up might be in order? Any arai bobble hats, please fill me with your knowledge!! :smile:
I have a Gunwind need to replace it as well 14 years is um not good ..... please buy a new lid quick as old lids won't protect your noggin! My Gunwind is waiting to be replaced . I brought an Apex and it hurts me gutted as most Soumy fit me well. I loved my Simpson best want another but pricey and only black or white.
I have an Arai about six years old and it's not got washable cheek pads etc, it's the cheap skate version but it fitted like a glove in Hein Gericke so I bought it sharpish after trying on about 300 different lids. The guy in the shop was telling me that whichever Arai you buy, be it extra small, medium, large etc the shell is that corresponding size not just padded internally. How much truth there is in that I'm not sure, but it makes little difference. I love mine, fits like a glove, build quality is superb, no lifting at speed etc, proper good helmet. Wouldn't wear anything else now.
IIRC there are two shell sizes for each head size; eg the same for XS and S, then it goes up to same for M and L, and so on. The difference between the shells and the sizes is the linings - obviously it's thicker for the smaller one. I got a S (Quantum? or was it a Viper GT..) and then decided it was a tad too big as it seemed to sit too far down - the nice chaps on the Arai truck at a BSB event told me all of this and sold me a new lining section, which in effect made the helmet an XS. It wasn't what you would call cheap though... but if you got a good deal on a helmet with the same shell size it might be a bargain even if you had to fork out for a new lining - if it's a model with a removable lining, obviously. You'd need to check all the info on the Arai website or call an Arai dealer. You can get all the accessories like linings etc (and the bloody side pods and chin vents which self-destruct) pretty easily from a dealer or off t'internet. I love my Arais
Nope just skint! Anyhoo, it was four years old when I mothballed the bike and so it's technically five years old now!!?! I knew it was due for a replacement as the foam padding was disintegrating and the adhesive on the aero vent had finally dried so the vent just fell off. The side plate's tabs have started to break so now I have pressure differential in my left ear! So on sunday I'm going to pick up a shiny RX7-GP I'm so looking forward to washable linings! Just for your info, I spoke to Arai (mainly to see if they had any Agostini reps hidden away, but no banana) and the shells are as follows: XS/S M/L XL There are the extreme shells, XXL, XXXL and XXS but these are special cases. So, with the right pad set a L can be fitted to a medium head and vice versa. They also mentioned that it was worth buying extra side plates as they produce them for a particular design graphic style for about five years then stop them as the liveries get updated. handy to know. Thoroughly nice people
Hein Gericke used to do 0% finance for 12 months - don't know if surviving branches still do - made buying expensive helmets very affordable.
OK, I get it... I totally get it.... I can see what everyone carps on about... I picked up my RX7-GP yesterday and it fitted like a dream, and feels magnificent upon ones heed. When I bought my suomy I obviously convinced myself my head didn't fit an arai because the arai didn't fit my wallet. If anyone still has a gunwind, I got three visors (black, gold iridium and clear) going free (you can have thelid as well, but you'll have to fish it out of the local tip and glue it back together as I sawed it in half)
I'm a bit ambivalent about Arais now. In the 90s, I always had a Shoei which was fine. When it came to a change, their colour schemes at the time were very tedious, so I bought a Quantum Haga replica which was superb. Having crashed in it after a few years, I bought another Aria - an RX7 Corsair somebody's replica. Now this one is very noisy and flows a lot of air and half of the visor steams up on one side (I suspect a bee in a vent or something, but don't know how to take it to bits to check). So simply put, if I could get another one like the Haga I would, but if it's going to be like the RX7, I won't. I realise that it's all about head shape blah blah but you really pay top dollar for an Arai and I am very disappointed with the one I have. Fortunately I have a Shark something something Foggy replica where the venting seems purely cosmetic, so I wear that at the beginning and end of season and keep the Arai for hot days when I'm less concerned about the air flow. But it is noisy so earplugs are necessary on long trips. Not a big fan of earplugs. If anyone can shed any light on the Quantum/RX7 dichotomy I am all (unplugged) ears.
