January 31st, 2014, 10:34 PM | #1 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Josh
Location: Kern
Join Date: Dec 2013 Motorcycle(s): '04 Ninja 250R Posts: 367
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anyone know if TMS helmets are good?
i mean the are cheap as F**k and DOT approved but not sure on the quality.
kinda skeptical on them cause of the price. and one have any insight on it? |
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January 31st, 2014, 10:37 PM | #2 |
Track Clown
Name: Chris
Location: Kingman, AZ
Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R, 21 MV F3 800, Kawasaki 400 build Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Sep '15
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find a close out on a scorpion, cannot go wrong there.
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January 31st, 2014, 11:19 PM | #3 |
MSF Coach!
Name: Lupe
Location: Antioch, Tennessee
Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2003 ninja 250 Posts: 886
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got my scorpion exo 500 for like 91 shipped from jafrum.com. if your on a tight budget there is a newish company on the scene that makes decent helmets that sell for like 60$ at dealers. the companies name is Fulmer. also AFX has some good features and are priced pretty aggressively.
my brother bought this AFX helmet for about 60 shipped. it has the sickest quick release snap system i have ever seen, and also has internal flip down sunshades. its still on sale here for about 56$ but jafrum runs out quick! http://www.jafrum.com/Motorcycle-Hel...rl-White-Skull
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February 1st, 2014, 06:29 AM | #4 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location
Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 6
MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13
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TMS? Neeever heard of it.
Is your brain cheap as f**k? You get what you pay for, up to a point after which it's all gravy (i.e., it's highly unlikely that a $900 helmet is fundamentally superior to a $500 helmet). DOT approval doesn't mean it's a quality helmet that will hold up over time. It means that a test sample passed the DOT impact test that is not representative of the real world, where we have things like UV exposure, cold temps that make plastic brittle, etc. It could have such poor build quality that it'll fall apart in a month. Did you know that DOT approval is done on the honor system? DOT helmets are not tested by independent labs. It's the manufacturer's word. Can you say "conflict of interest?" Stick to a known name brand. The major online retailers (e.g. Revzilla, Motorcycle Superstore, Sportbiketrackgear) are not in the habit of carrying crap brands. I'd trust my noggin to a helmet from a trusted brand (e.g. Scorpion, HJC) even if it were on closeout at a low cost. Provided it's not too old, of course.
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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February 1st, 2014, 06:41 AM | #5 |
Jedi on Two Wheels
Name: Cameron
Location: Kent Island
Join Date: Nov 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250r (Slightly Modded) Posts: 489
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Im definitely a firm believer that if there is any part of your gear that you want skimp out on, the helmet is not it.
Sure, get a cheap jacket if you want. Buy cheap boots if you want. Don't ride with knee/shin protection. Whatever. But don't worry about how cheap you get your helmet for... Yes, you SHOULD care about the quality of ALL your gear. But your helmet is definitely the one item that should never be under a certain level of quality. Afterall, it is housing the CPU to your body.
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May the force be with you and keep your rubber side down. |
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February 1st, 2014, 07:24 AM | #6 | |
Long Time Rider
Name: Blue
Location: Charlotte, NC
Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
http://news.yahoo.com/motorcycle-hel...--finance.html You'd be wise to read the info contained within this thread. http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=166150 |
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February 1st, 2014, 11:09 AM | #7 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location
Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 6
MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13
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That yahoo story reveals something very important.
The helmets were DOT approved. They failed in the real world. That should tell you something about DOT certification.
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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February 1st, 2014, 12:11 PM | #8 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Josh
Location: Kern
Join Date: Dec 2013 Motorcycle(s): '04 Ninja 250R Posts: 367
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I wear a Gmax 68s helmets right now. I like it..kinda. its very noisy at high speeds and kinds heavy. it has this cool led light bar on the back for safety I guess lol. it was a gift lol but im just looking at more of a stealthier looking helmet.
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February 1st, 2014, 12:45 PM | #9 |
Private Joker
Name: Ben
Location: Towson, MD
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): '99/'01 Ninja 250 "sketchy", '13 Ninja 300 "yoshi", '03 GSXR 600 "merlin" Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Mar '14
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Just imagine that all of these helmets could be DOT approved. While they aren't necessarily DOT approved but they could be, exactly as they are, if the manufacturer wanted them to be)
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February 1st, 2014, 06:23 PM | #10 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Luca
Location: Westchester ny
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: 26
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GMAX gm68 very good helmet for 50$ shipped
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February 2nd, 2014, 05:06 AM | #11 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Rebecca
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja 300 w/ ABS, 2014 NC700X, 2008 Ninja 250 (sold), 2002 Ninja 250 (sold) Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Jan '18, Sep '13
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Stick with a name-brand helmet to be on the safe side. There are great clearance deals out there.
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February 2nd, 2014, 08:29 AM | #12 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
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I won't go lower than scorpion or HJC.
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February 2nd, 2014, 09:16 AM | #13 |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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February 2nd, 2014, 09:31 AM | #14 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16
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Everyone has to draw their line somewhere... I like the safety, features, and price of HJC and scorpion... Never looked into the others, I have heard bilt builds decent stuff
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February 2nd, 2014, 09:54 AM | #15 |
So, where's the reverse?
Name: Anson
Location: Ontario, Canada
Join Date: Nov 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.
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That's your guardian angel trying to tell you something. Good on you for listening and seeking advice . Like others have said, stick to reputable brands and look for deals on closeout. Just pay attention to the manufacturing date. Even better if you can get a helmet with an ECE or Snell 2010 rating.
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Squidbusters. I ain't afraid a no squid. |
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:02 AM | #16 | |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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Quote:
7 years? 10 years? |
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:04 AM | #17 |
antiant
Name: antiant
Location: Cali
Join Date: Aug 2012 Motorcycle(s): None Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Oct '14
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Usually it's 4-5 years, I believe.
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:09 AM | #18 |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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Ok... But that seems kind of short for what can be a high-priced item. In shops, the helmets on the shelf can be a year to a year and a half old.
Heck, even the flashlight batteries I buy at Costco say "Best if installed before 2024". |
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:10 AM | #19 | ||
Cat herder
Name: Gort
Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location
Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 6
MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13
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Quote:
From another forum, check out this short thread. It's about a guy who went down at 60 mph on the highway at night, wearing all black. He'd broken his leg, and found himself in the middle of high speed traffic, in the dark, wearing all black. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=456642 The thread has a photo of my helmet in it. Suffice to say, it's not stealthy... After reading my $0.02 on the importance of being seen, the OP in that thread wrote this: Quote:
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:16 AM | #20 |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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I was thinking the same thing when I saw that yesterday.
My biased observation is that white helmets are the most visible. That's the color I'm shooting for in my next new-helmet purchase (maybe sometime this year). Most brick-and-mortar shops don't stock too many white ones. |
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:17 AM | #21 | |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location
Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 6
MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13
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Quote:
The ones that shattered with big cracks have either ABS or polycarbonate shells. Fiberglass doesn't fail like that. It delaminates, which is a good thing. Caution: this video can be misleading. What you see is what happens when you take a sledge hammer to a helmet. Last I checked, this is not what motorcycle helmets are designed to protect against.
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:19 AM | #22 | ||
antiant
Name: antiant
Location: Cali
Join Date: Aug 2012 Motorcycle(s): None Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Oct '14
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Quote:
Quote:
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:25 AM | #23 |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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I fugure the white helmet will contrast the hi-viz yellow jacket.
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February 2nd, 2014, 10:53 AM | #24 |
So, where's the reverse?
Name: Anson
Location: Ontario, Canada
Join Date: Nov 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.
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Yeah solid white is a good alternative to the hi-viz.
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Squidbusters. I ain't afraid a no squid. |
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February 2nd, 2014, 11:29 AM | #25 | |
Private Joker
Name: Ben
Location: Towson, MD
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): '99/'01 Ninja 250 "sketchy", '13 Ninja 300 "yoshi", '03 GSXR 600 "merlin" Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Mar '14
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Quote:
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February 2nd, 2014, 11:40 AM | #26 | |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
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Quote:
Stronger material doesn't necessarily mean more protection. "There's no replacement for displacement" is particularly applicable to cushioning a shock force. Stronger material and stronger foam means less displacement for a given force hit. Thicker, less dense foam would provide better protection, but manufacturers have to appeal to helmet asthetics: most of us wouldn't buy a bigger, more special-ed looking helmet. One of my backup helmets is an HJC, too. It came (gasp! used) with the Ninjette. |
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February 2nd, 2014, 11:44 AM | #27 |
Private Joker
Name: Ben
Location: Towson, MD
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): '99/'01 Ninja 250 "sketchy", '13 Ninja 300 "yoshi", '03 GSXR 600 "merlin" Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Mar '14
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Snell is overall protection, Which is a combination of higher ability to keep force from penetrating as well as the inner shell being able to absorb a larger amount of force. Mostly what the sticker means is that the helmet passed through a series of fairly difficult tests. Any helmet with a snell rating should be able to protect you, assuming the inner padding hasn't been activated already.
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February 2nd, 2014, 07:57 PM | #28 |
It's a long boring story
Name: Ryan
Location: St. Louis
Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250 Posts: 167
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Motorcycle closeout has bell vortex helmet for 89 all the time. Snell rated if you are worried about that. I found it difficult to find any accessories for my fulmer helmet. They refuse to sell online and most shops around here dont carry a lot of fulmer stuff. I couldnt even buy a smoked shield.
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February 3rd, 2014, 07:11 AM | #29 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location
Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 6
MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13
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I'd go hi-viz yellow for the helmet if you can find it in a model you like.
A good way of thinking about this is to use your eyes, observe and draw conclusions based on what you see in the real world rather than doing thought experiments. Next time you're out for a drive (and the snow is gone) observe how many things you see in the environment are white or reflections that appear white. The number is large. Since white objects are commonplace in the environment, we tend to tune them out. They get lost in the visual noise. Relatively few objects are fluorescent yellow. Being unusual, it grabs attention. Which is why highway workers wear fluorescent yellow vests instead of white. My personal choice is to go for a fluorescent yellow helmet and not worry about the jacket, largely because I only wear leather. I've posted elsewhere on the reasons why I feel a fluorescent helmet is enough for me so I won't bog this thread down with that stuff. Do a search and you'll find it. Re contrast... white and yellow are not contrasting colors. Take a black & white photo of that combo and the jacket will appear very light gray against the white helmet.... very low contrast. White would contrast with a dark color. But even so, what leads you to believe that contrasting gear matters? What matters is contrast with the background.
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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February 11th, 2014, 09:01 PM | #30 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Eric
Location: Los Angeles
Join Date: Apr 2013 Motorcycle(s): '86 Honda VFR700 Posts: 173
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I owned a modular TMS helmet when I first started riding last year. It was a decent helmet for the price, I guess - extremely low on features, ventilation, aerodynamics and the like, but that was what I was expecting, and it seemed sturdy enough. I wasn't confident in it, though, so I bought myself a GMax 68s for ten or twenty bucks more. Holy ****, by the way - can't recommend this helmet enough. More comfortable than helmets I've tried on that are six times the price or more, and with a proven track record of safety and so on. Plus, it has rear LEDs for night visibility, which is baller as ****.
Anyway, so I bought a new helmet, and did my best to deliberately destroy the TMS one. All I managed to do (without a sledgehammer, admittedly) was crack one of the points where the flip-down front attached - the screw and its attachment point inside the helmet were fine, but I managed to get the visor portion of the helmet to break free of the screw entirely. I should have tried something like filling it with apples or whatever to see if they'd bruise inside it during this abuse, but I didn't think of it. Anyway, it proved itself to me. Now my partner owns a TMS helmet that she wears when she rides pillion, and I don't worry about her extremely valuable brain a bit. Just my two cents. Regarding the recall - it was an issue with chin straps on one particular size of one particular model helmet. Yeah, a helmet is a ****ing horrifying thing to have go wrong, but your chin strap is something you can test yourself without doing any lasting damage to your helmet - it's not a "stress once" piece. The chin straps on her helmet and on my old (retired) one are both fine. On the BBB grade - every single negative factor that went into it seems to be based on the fact that they ignored the BBB, not any actual concerns with their product. Fine by me. Yeah, this is anecdotal evidence. But even crappy evidence is better than no evidence, which is all this thread has so far except for one good post by DaBlue1 (props to him!) |
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