Helmet recommendation required
Discussion
Gents,
I know next to nothing about bikes so need some advice.
A friend just passed her bike licence here in UAE and is looking for a helmet. The ones she showed me don't look so great. I race and do trackdays on 4 wheels and having bounced off the barriers I'm pretty forthright when it comes to getting a decent lid. I said I would look into it but hoping you have some ready pointers.
Budget is £300 which is more of a guide for now. She will be doing trackdays and touring and wears glasses. Needs to be well ventilated, comfortable/light and performance orientated. Full face not flip up. Fewer graphics the better though If there's a Dovizioso rep going I've no doubt she'd take it.
Also, is there a bike version of HANS? What's recommended for track riding in terms of safety gear?
I know next to nothing about bikes so need some advice.
A friend just passed her bike licence here in UAE and is looking for a helmet. The ones she showed me don't look so great. I race and do trackdays on 4 wheels and having bounced off the barriers I'm pretty forthright when it comes to getting a decent lid. I said I would look into it but hoping you have some ready pointers.
Budget is £300 which is more of a guide for now. She will be doing trackdays and touring and wears glasses. Needs to be well ventilated, comfortable/light and performance orientated. Full face not flip up. Fewer graphics the better though If there's a Dovizioso rep going I've no doubt she'd take it.
Also, is there a bike version of HANS? What's recommended for track riding in terms of safety gear?
Getting a decent fitting helmet is most important; go to a bike shop and try different brands and sizes. Different brands may fit certain head shapes better than others.
In the UK, SHARP is a good reference for safety of helmets. [url]https://sharp.dft.gov.uk//url]
Shoei Ryd is a 5 star full face lid. Comes in at her budget, and a quality make.
There are devices similar to HANS, but very few use them on the road. Mostly for motocross people and often called a Leatt brace. https://www.leatt.com/. Some claim that they reduce ability to do shoulder checks etc. Another possible alternative is some airbag vests or jackets inflate in an accident and try to immobilise the neck to reduce risk of injury.
In the UK, SHARP is a good reference for safety of helmets. [url]https://sharp.dft.gov.uk//url]
Shoei Ryd is a 5 star full face lid. Comes in at her budget, and a quality make.
There are devices similar to HANS, but very few use them on the road. Mostly for motocross people and often called a Leatt brace. https://www.leatt.com/. Some claim that they reduce ability to do shoulder checks etc. Another possible alternative is some airbag vests or jackets inflate in an accident and try to immobilise the neck to reduce risk of injury.
LuS1fer said:
Importantly, it also didn't make me look like an alien with an inflatable head.
Good point. Some brands/ models offer more shell sizes than others. Eg. if you have a medium head size, but the helmet model only comes in small and XL shell sizes, you'll end up with a bigger shell than you need (and the inflatable head look).
Lol. My Stilo ST5 is XL and looks massive but that's not why I bought it.
She favours the HJC RPHA but the photo she sent me looks like it had a big big of plastic stuck whereas I am wary of anything which can be pushed through, or else weakens, the shell.
I have recommended a Shark Race R Pro based on what I read and that's also now on the shortlist apparently.
I also said to try them all on [I tried pretty much everything in Demon Tweeks before deciding!] but hard to do so in UAE. Will likely buy it via the UK for tax back but may have to take a flyer.
She favours the HJC RPHA but the photo she sent me looks like it had a big big of plastic stuck whereas I am wary of anything which can be pushed through, or else weakens, the shell.
I have recommended a Shark Race R Pro based on what I read and that's also now on the shortlist apparently.
I also said to try them all on [I tried pretty much everything in Demon Tweeks before deciding!] but hard to do so in UAE. Will likely buy it via the UK for tax back but may have to take a flyer.
As you have said, she just needs to try as many as possible on as some companies make shells that fit and others don't, for instance I can wear 95% of what Shoei, AGV and X-Lite make but have never found a Arai or HJC that fits me, once she susses what helmets her head is suited to it all gets easier, I've had trackday crashes in lids from £500 Shoei XRs to £150 AGV K3's and the latter held up just as well.
neutral 3 said:
Arai or Shoie.
Generally Shoei for a rounder head, Arai for a longer one. Shoei are a bit quieter and visor changing is easier. RYD (Ride, geddit) is an excellent basic helmet, but buying remotely is always a risk, especially as a good retailer will change cheek pads and centre pads to fine tune the fit.SS7
shoestring7 said:
neutral 3 said:
Arai or Shoie.
Generally Shoei for a rounder head, Arai for a longer one. Shoei are a bit quieter and visor changing is easier. RYD (Ride, geddit) is an excellent basic helmet, but buying remotely is always a risk, especially as a good retailer will change cheek pads and centre pads to fine tune the fit.SS7
OK here's my take on helmets. Skin regenerates mostly, bones heal mostly but your pip is the control centre for everything so never ever skimp on quality.
No one sets out to crash but it does happen.
What I would do is to search for quality products that are perhaps last years design or even the year before. Look at X-Lite Carbon Fibre X803 if she can stretch or X802 if she can find some.
Example here https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/...
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/...
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/...
AVOID ANY HELMET THAT IS CONSTRUCTED FROM POLY or PLASTICS. If you bounce they bounce too.
A
No one sets out to crash but it does happen.
What I would do is to search for quality products that are perhaps last years design or even the year before. Look at X-Lite Carbon Fibre X803 if she can stretch or X802 if she can find some.
Example here https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/...
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/...
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/...
AVOID ANY HELMET THAT IS CONSTRUCTED FROM POLY or PLASTICS. If you bounce they bounce too.
A
As has been said it's all about fit, if it moves around it's useless. Also as others have mentioned skin and bones regenerates so the stuff in your head is the ECU and it's so compliant so I always invest heavily to protect my bonce!
Personally I'm an Arai guy, currently running an RX-7V, it's not the lightest or the quietest, but previously testing Arai's crash protection I'm happy/confident with my choice.
Personally I'm an Arai guy, currently running an RX-7V, it's not the lightest or the quietest, but previously testing Arai's crash protection I'm happy/confident with my choice.
Freakuk said:
As has been said it's all about fit, if it moves around it's useless. Also as others have mentioned skin and bones regenerates so the stuff in your head is the ECU and it's so compliant so I always invest heavily to protect my bonce!
Personally I'm an Arai guy, currently running an RX-7V, it's not the lightest or the quietest, but previously testing Arai's crash protection I'm happy/confident with my choice.
And you are FAHST .... Personally I'm an Arai guy, currently running an RX-7V, it's not the lightest or the quietest, but previously testing Arai's crash protection I'm happy/confident with my choice.
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