Arai: how noisy are they?

[Salted_Peanut]

Arai fits me, and we're entering the autumn's discount pricing. But Arai lids have a reputation for noisiness: urban myth or the noisy truth?

[NS400R]

Depends on the model. But even the RX7 is fine with earplugs.

[fredd1e]

I've used a few sport touring lids recently starting with my old GT Air (still got it as a emergency fall back lid?) , a Schuberth SR2 on which bits broke & not as comfortable as the GT Air it was meant to replace so picked up an Arai QV Pro in a sale (too cheap to turn down) and its more comfy than the SR2 but noisier than either of the other two. Being Arai's Sport Touring lid (based loosely on the RX?) its got less vents than the racier Arai Lids but its still has more of a breezy feel to it (possibly the side pods) . I still have it as its got a lovely paint job & is a nice summer lid when I dont need peace and quiet.

[lucky5trike]

In my experience, a lot of wind noise is affected/influenced by the fit of the helmet around the neck area.

I've had the Arai Condor and RX7 Corsair and whilst they were superb lids, they were noisy compared to my current Schuberth C3 Pro.
The difference between the two brands being closed lid or flip faced, thus a 'better' (more snug) fit around the neck with the Schuberth.

Additionally, I find wearing a neck scarf/snood helps as well to plug the gap (even with my 17.5" neck!) as well to further reduce noise.

All imho of course

[hiccy18]

My RX7V is noisy compared to previous lids (AGV, Caberg, Laser), I wouldn't contemplate riding anywhere further than the shops without earplugs. However it fits really well, great ventilation and came with a Pinlock visor so I'm happy enough to live with it until it needs replaced. If I start doing motorway commuting I'll definitely look at getting another quieter lid though.

[thatdude]

I've always worn arai's, so cant really comment on how the noie level is relative to other helmets.

I will say that whatever you wear, it will be noisy anyway and it's really good practice to wear ear plugs (disposable ones are best to prevent ear infections)

There are lots of factors that influence noise levels, including the kit you are wearing, the wind direction, the accesories on your bike, the general design o the bike, the vehicles you are following etc etc etc. Reducing noise levels is easy with ear plugs and it is very important to have a well fitting helmet.

[GriffoDP]

I'll second what dude said. On my K1300S the wind was such that my GT Air was quieter than my old Arai Chaser. Chaser would get quieter if I put hand over the massive chin gap.

Bring on my GS and the Arai is quieter than the GT Air. Or maybe the same. Either way. Got wind?

[Sidecar Man]

Had a few Arai,s always found them Loud From chaser V up to RX7 . Quietest lid I have ever had was a Schuberth. Awesome Helmet

[podman]

Id agree, especially the more expensive lids with the extra spoilers etc...I was an Arai only man until 2019, swapped over to Shoei(for the internal sun visor really) but it is quieter than my previous Arai's.

[tomdoeslifeee]

They've gotten better with the new pod system, its smaller that before which helps with keeping the noise levels down.

As an RX-7V wearer it is quite a noisy helmet with all the larger ventilation system on top. I always wear earplugs for my commute as it's just good practice to protect my hearing so noise isn't something I've had a problem with. I did give it a back to back test with a Schuberth C4 Pro and what a difference. The C4 Pro was comfortable without ear plugs for the 45 minutes I had it on, really quiet.

BUT, these are my views based on my experiences. Type of bike, size of screen, how you sit on the bike, and other factors will also contribute to wind noise levels. I've been eyeing up the Profile-V that's on offer atm...

[zzrman]

Salted_Peanut said:

Arai fits me, and we're entering the autumn's discount pricing. But Arai lids have a reputation for noisiness: urban myth or the noisy truth?

In my book urban myth. I've had Arais for years but always worn earplugs.

[RemaL]

I love my Arai RX7. Had a few over the past 15 + years. And also had other makes and while they are nosier than some I wear earplugs and never found an issues even when doing 350 miles a day touring.