Which Helmet
 

I'm currently looking around for a new helmet and would be grateful for any views you may have to which is the best out there. I've mainly had Suomy's in the past but could be tempted away if the price is right,looking at spending between £200 and £300.:sing:

Depends on the shape of your head.

Personally I found my Arai RX7 Coesair a bit noisey and not the best fit. Got a new Shoei XR1000 at Ally Pally with over a £100 off and been delighted with it so far.

Have a look at the new Raid 2 on Shoei site.

http://www.feridax.com/

take a look at the New - AGVs - they have come along way v.comfy,washable linings, I have the Ti - tech or something like that around £350.00 as good as a top Arai. Rossi as One v similar , plus they're Italian:sing:

dont get a titech, very crap in my opinion

go for the arai first, a top quality helmet that will never let you down, the best in my eyes

secondly go for a shoei, i sold my agv and bought a shoei xr1000, very happy with it especially now ive bought the chin curtain to go with it makes a hell of a difference

whne i need to replace the shoei i will be returning to arai without a doubt though

Arai Astro J can be picked up at the right money £200 £250 pleased with mine stiil light but a bit hushed up, no nead for ear plugs with it ;)

Steve buy Arai or Shoei

I have a UVEX great lid, quiet, comfortable. light, but try and buy a new visor or a chin vent cover no chance...:flame:

Go for a good brand.... Aria,Shoei, AGV, Just make sure it fits your head properly and its comfortable.... I only seem to be able to fit into the arai .... Lovely lids but a bit noisy at speed ! :D

Dont buy a Dainese like I did a couple of years ago- they're noisy & not a good fit. Horrible

[quote]Originally posted by deej
dont get a titech, very crap in my opinion


That's useful , your opinion is.....!
I,ve owned Arai's which are noisey , AGV's are top rated at the moment by all the press.

you single most important thing is to get the best fit.

a good fitting 200 quid lid will be better than an ill fitting 500 quid lid.

you will generally get better construction/spec with higher priced stuff and they may well be lighter too. i used to have an arai and loved it, now have a shoei mainly because it had the graphics i wanted and it fits as well as my arai did. the only downside is the venting is not so good but i have sorted that with a foggy mask.

I was discussing this with a few mates the other night (one of which is a bike journo & can get any lid he wants free). Result was unanimous - Arai if they fit you properly). They are a bit noisy, but it's because the venting is so good. If Arai doesn't fit, Shoei or top AGV.

I have an Arai Astro J Replica and got it for under £300 from J&S Sports, they have a wide choice and their prices are very competetive!

The new Shoei won the test in Ride magazine that was out today.

However they never tested the three tops lids if I recall;
AGV Ti Tech
Shoei X- Spirit
Arai RX7 Corsair.

Probably had a £400 limit or something as most other models were included.

I have a Suomy (Capirossi's replica) and i like it.

Dickie is dead right. If an Arai Corsair doesn't fit properly then it'd be cheaper to wear a saucepan! Many people treat lids as fashion accessories and see the fancy paint job or the 'look how expensive my lid was' price tag.

My methodology goes like this:

To select a helmet, first try on all the different brands on the shelf and find the ones that fit properly - ask the sales person what training they have in helmet fitting... I think all Arai outlets have to have at least one trained staff member (could be wrong tho!). If they just ask you "is it comfortable sir?" then ask to speak to someone who knows what they're on about!

Once you've got a few that fit, ask the salesdude about the features. They'll all have a BS mark on them, but why have some not got an ACU gold sticker? Also bear in mind, for example, a lid which doesn't have changeable padding won't fit for very long!

Now you have a small selection left to choose from, so haggle the price on those you can't afford and reject the ones that seem just a bit too cheap. Then all that's left is to choose the one that looks pretiest!

Have i missed anything?

For me, the only lid that fits me properly is Aria... cos my guardian angel just wants me to spend my life broke!

When I needed a new lid I tried on several brands untill I found a good fit :D
Then i choose a design :cool:


So I ended up being the proud owner of an ARAI :cool::cool::cool:

I'd go with Nicks suggestion. the fit is above all the overiding factor when choosing a lid.
a new one should, if anything be a little tight as it will bed down on your head.
Arai fit me well, and yes, i find them noisy to. I've now got a Shoei. Fits just as well and is a lot quieter than my arai was.
I can't get a suomy on for the life of me. Gives me a headache within minutes. i had a Bell years ago, but the newer ones don't fit now. Personally, i've never got on with AGV.
But that's just it. It's VERY personal. Just because a lid gets top marks in a test, it'll be no use at all to you if it doesn't fit properly. It won't protect you properly and it'll give you a headache.
When I try a new lid on, i do the strap up and then try and twist the thing around on my head and also try and pull it off forwards and backwards. If it doesn't move to much then it's pretty good. I was told years ago that you should just be able to get your little finger down the side of your temple. works for me??????
Lastly, keep it on for a few minutes in the shop. Yes you'll look stupid walking around in a lid, but a quick fit and then taking it off, won't tell you if the pressure builds up and starts giving you a headache.

I have had Arai's from the day the first delivery arrived in the country, - the Astro. But they are heavier than they should be and those visor pods over your ears make them noisy.

So wanting a change I tried something else; a Shark RSR. It is an underrated helmet, Arai build quality, light and quieter, and I really like the shape and design, - great with a black visor. And there are deals around on them.

But as everybody says make sure it fits whatever you buy.

Forgot Shark. I so wanted a Walker rep but again, it wouldn't fit. Quality is up there with the best on the market.

at least I can get an arai now he's switched camps :cool: