I'm useless

[Vantagefan]

OK, straight to the point. I'm about to buy a Hornet having done all the necessary licences and I had an old hand-me-down helmet up until now. Going onto a bike I quite like (and slightly more powerful than my previous!) I'd like to get a new helmet.

Sadly I don't have any friends or relatives that ride and I don't trust a salesman to advise on the best one to get. Does anyone here have a brand they wont touch, or one they swear by for whatever reason?

Your help, as always, is much appreciated!

[scorcher]

you could start here........... http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

[Chilli]

As long as it has all the relevant kite marks or gold stars or whatever they are called these days, go for the one that fits you best (assuming you'll wear ear-plugs, so wind noise won't be an issue)

[Fubles]

all heads and helmets are different shapes.

Pop down to your local dealer of choice and find out which brand suits you best in your price range.

Personally I'm an Arai/Shoei shape and I have a Arai Chaser wraith and A Shoei RaidII.

The Arai is a bit more comfortable and has better ventilation, the Shoei has a much better visor system.

[Yazza54]

Arai

HTH

[3DP]

Find what fits you best, but as a rule - if you are not sure what you are doing, look at Arai, Shoei, Shark or AGV and you'll know you'll have a good helmet.

[unclepockets]

You need to go somewhere decent and try loads on, the best fitting will give you your answer, Arai lids don't seem to suit my bonce and certain Shoei helmets don't although their Qwest will be the next lid I get as it seemed to fit me brilliantly, worth noting that with the premium helmets, you can buy different thickness cheek pads to get a better fit.I'm also impressed with the quality of Shark and AGV helmets.

I bought a Spada flip-lid last year as I didn't want to spend loads especially on a flip-lid and found it noisy but comfortable, the padding has compressed a fair bit though, then I bought a Caberg V2RR but not impressed with the quality.

I picked up a brand new HJC IS-16 recently as it was on special offer for £99 at Bridge in Exeter and its brilliant, average noise but for the money I'm quite happy with it.

[Vantagefan]

Thanks for the help - I've looked at the Sharp list and I'd never heard of Caberg but they have more 5 star helmets than Shoei and Arai, even though Bell has even more my friends are immature and I'd get too much stick for having Bell on my forehead.

[3DP]

Vantagefan said:

Thanks for the help - I've looked at the Sharp list and I'd never heard of Caberg but they have more 5 star helmets than Shoei and Arai, even though Bell has even more my friends are immature and I'd get too much stick for having Bell on my forehead.

The SHARP ratings are a bit of a political hot potato. The tests are lab based and involve some slightly questionable tests. Some cheap helmets come out well and high end ones that racers use only get 4 stars.

I have a Caberg for my station bike. Although the helmet is strong, the quality of the components inside is not especially high and it's noisy as hell.

For my road bikes, I like AGV and have had a few of these, but if you have a bigger budget, you can't really beat Arai.

[creampuff]

Biking is relatively dangerous and a helmet only makes it a bit less dangerous. IMHO there is minimal difference in impact absorption between helmets; they all pass the same standard. SHARP is just a rating on top of the standard. Although I've only ever had 4 x helmets so plenty of people know more than me.

White colour helmets have been shown in statistical studies to reduce SMIDSYs by 30%. 30% is an awful lot. I personally would only buy a white or high viz green/yellow helmet.

Fit is the #1 priority. A throbbing head from an ill fittiing helmet is a safety hazard as well as making your trip totally unenjoyable. So work out which helmet you think you want and then spend 30 mins with it on your head in the shop.

I like flip-front helmets for a variety of reasons, among them you can get off the bike and talk to people without taking the helmet off. Also if you need good peripheral vision like when you are reversing, you open the front. I also like internal sun visors.

YMMV.

[y2blade]

Fubles said:

all heads and helmets are different shapes.

Pop down to your local dealer of choice and find out which brand suits you best in your price range.

Personally I'm an Arai/Shoei shape and I have a Arai Chaser wraith and A Shoei RaidII.

The Arai is a bit more comfortable and has better ventilation, the Shoei has a much better visor system.

This^^^^^^

[Mr OCD]

Yazza54 said:

Arai

HTH

+ 1 ...

I've had mates complain about AGV, Shark, etc... but I've never had anyone complain about an ARAI.

But buy what fits - also worth noting different models from same brand have different head shapes...

For example: I have a couple of ARAI Chasers... yet the RX7's don't fit me ... neither do the Quantums.

[djt100]

From Experience
Shoei - Most comfortable lids, but not the quietest
Arai - Overpriced, simple as that yes they are good, but they are also very loud.never got on with mine
Shark - Feel cheap but ok, Also feel very big on year head over other brands, not fit just mass
AGV - Very Quiet and almost as comfortable at Shoei and always good prices.

if there are any bike shows coming up ( NEC november?) then wait and get one at a show, you'll get last years models for a fraction of the price normally, plus you will be able to try on everyone without shop hassle

[Fleegle]

Just make sure its 5* sharp rated otherwise its a given you will die howwibly

[black-k1]

When buying a helmet then considering crash protection is very important but, with luck, you'll never need to test that protection. The noise from most helmets WILL damage your hearing, even with ear plugs fitted. Try.the likes of a Schuberth helmet an protect your hearing as well.

[mitzy]

If its got a design you like buy it

[N Dentressangle]

creampuff said:

White colour helmets have been shown in statistical studies to reduce SMIDSYs by 30%. 30% is an awful lot. I personally would only buy a white or high viz green/yellow helmet.

Not disagreeing with you - my next helmet will be a white one - but do you have a reference for the studies? Or is it the University of the Bleeding Obvious?

[sc0tt]

My hjc fits me like a sock. As above buy what fits YOU not what everone else recommends.

[Pothole]

sc0tt said:

My hjc fits me like a sock.

You do know you're supposed to put it on your head?

[Dare2Fail]

N Dentressangle said:

creampuff said:

White colour helmets have been shown in statistical studies to reduce SMIDSYs by 30%. 30% is an awful lot. I personally would only buy a white or high viz green/yellow helmet.

Not disagreeing with you - my next helmet will be a white one - but do you have a reference for the studies? Or is it the University of the Bleeding Obvious?

I'd love to see the report too. I suspect, and I may be wrong, that the number of people who wear some sort of flourescent bib or jacket is higher among those who wear a white lid than a lid of another colour/design. As a result the study would be skewed. Basically, there is no way it is as simple as 'wear a white lid and the chances of someone pulling out on you is 30% less', there will be other variables that have not been factored in unless it was a spectacularly well designed and thought through piece of research.