First Helmet???

[Mocha Man]

I've been down to my local bike dealership to look at helmets and was overwhelmed with all the choices. Not because there were too many of them, (I was expecting that) but because there were so few that fit my needs. I'd like an anti-fog one that actually works and would also love to have a drop-down sun visor. Any advice? If not, what was your first helmet? I'd like to get an idea of a good helmet before I go blow $200 on something I may not like. Oh, BTW, I'm looking at the Scorpion EXO-700 because of the reviews I've seen.

[YORCHI]

The fog goes away once you start riding. If it gets foggy when you're stopped at a light or something, just lift up the visor, that's what I do.

I got the Shoei RF-1100 because I trust Shoei and I liked all of the reviews on that helmet. It has a ton of air vents and it's very light and comfortable. I decided not to get a dark visor for it because I may end up riding at night one day and would regret having such a dark visor. Plus I have sun glasses that I can wear so I really don't need a dark visor.

Make sure you try them on and like how they fit. Make sure it's DOT and SNELL approved.

[ironglory]

I got an Arai Corsair RX 7. They offer alot of choices to cover different shapes of heads.

[Vampyre]

I got an exo-500. Antifog and the drop down internal visor. I don't think the 700 has the internal visor.

[choneofakind]

I've got an EXO400. good basic helmet. Choose the helmet that fits you best. worry about features later. the fit and the DOT/SNELL ratings are the most important parts

[alex.s]

requirements:
- dot approved
- fits YOUR HEAD well. everyone's head is a different shape. make sure you get one that fits you well.
- removable inner liner (they get nasty)

nice:
- euro or snell approved (some people say euro is better than snell and some helmets don't do both because of the cost)
- is bright, easy to see.
- light weight

useless IMO:
- "anti-fog" <-- never works.
- drop down visor (just get a tinted visor, i say)
- horns
- vents <-- almost never work. when they do they're still unneeded, except in the back... back vents i find to rarely work but when they work well they're amazing.

with that said my first helmet was an exo-1000... well actually that's not true my first helmet was some $40 special no-name brand from pepboys left over from pocket bike racing... but i upgraded to the scorpion when i got the ninja. the scorpion was comfortable, quiet, and heavy. the drop down sun visor was nice, but i found with my next helmet (hjc cl-16) that i prefer tinted visors. they're also lighter than the whole internal visor thing. vents are useful, but there's no vent like your front visor

[setasai]

Originally Posted by Vampyre

I got an exo-500. Antifog and the drop down internal visor. I don't think the 700 has the internal visor.

+1 on the scorpion's. The anti-fog is pretty awesome. I've never had it fog up and I ride all year but then again all year seasons in cali is pretty much the same lame weather.

The EXO-500 or 1000 would suit your needs. I have a exo-400 and 700 and I love both. I carry extra visor's with me just in case.

[Mocha Man]

Thanks for the reassurance on the Scorpion! I'm definitely getting the EXO-500. I had no idea about the drop-down sun visor. That was the only thing I disliked about the EXO-400 or -700s. I can't wait to get mine now!

[Boom King]

Did you get to try the helmet on? Don't buy a helmet purely on reviews you've read or the brand name. Make sure it fits your head first. Even if you're dead set on a particular Scorpion model, if it doesn't fit your head, you're wasting money. When you talk to the sales person, don't even tell them that you're looking for a Scorpion. The first thing they should do with you is determine your head size and shape and then based on that info, recommend some helmets within your needs and budget. Features like anti-fog and sun visor are inconsequential when your helmet is flopping around your head on the freeway from being too big or giving you a migraine from being too small.

A knowledgeable sales person should be checking for proper fit for each helmet you try on. If you put it on and all they say is "it's got great graphics" or "it matches your jacket", you can bet they're just looking to make a quick buck. Wear the helmet in the store for at least 10 -15 minutes to make sure it fits right. Remember that a helmet will get slightly looser over time as it forms to your head.

[choneofakind]

+1. fit is the important part, not the look or features. the helmet is the only thing between your brain and the pavement if it ever gets used the way it's intended for. get one that fits you right

[gfloyd2002]

When shopping for a helmet, best place to start is webbikeworld. Best helmet reviews on the web and very good information about sizing.

webbike world helmet review page
webbikeworld helmet faqs
webbikeworld helmet shape and weight chart
webbikeworld - what you need to know about helmet shapes.

But best advice has already been given. Try the helmet on in the store, with a knowledgeable sales clerk. Best to go in with an idea of what you are looking for, and general knowledge about shapes. Then try on some to see what your general head shape is and go from there. I would also strongly encourage you to consider getting a white or high viz helmet. Kawi green works nicely for that. A study on the causes of injuries in motorcycle accidents show that compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk of accident, and generally light colored helmets compared to generally dark colored helmets led to a 19% lower risk of accident. Seems like having an easy-to-see helmet is a super easy way to get rid of 1/5 of accident issues, yes?

[Mountain Dew]

+1000 to ^

The fact that webbikeworld tells you the shape of the helmet puts them leagues above the other helmet reviews (that don't).

A helmet being snug is completely useless if it doesn't fit the shape of your head.

[Mocha Man]

I've tried a lot of helmets on, but the problem is that where I live hardly any dealers have Scorpions. I've read and watched a lot of things on the sizing of them and found one medium Scorpion at a dealership that was waaaaay too small. Do you think I should order an XXL then? That's generally the size that I wear in any brand.

On a side note, the only other helmet that I can find in my area that has what I'm looking for in one is the HJC IS-Max Bluetooth helmet (not really going to use the bluetooth for safety reasons if I did get one). Really all I want is good ventilation but I'd love a drop-down sun visor.

[setasai]

You could always get the helmet online from a reputable store that has a good return policy. I know revzilla allows the first size exchange to be free. Theyre super helpful, give them a call and they can probably steer you in the right direction.

[Mocha Man]

Originally Posted by setasai

You could always get the helmet online from a reputable store that has a good return policy. I know revzilla allows the first size exchange to be free. Theyre super helpful, give them a call and they can probably steer you in the right direction.

I've been on Revzilla and Motorcycle Superstore a lot the past few days. My only problem with buying online is having to use a credit card. I'd rather avoid that if I could but from the looks of it I might just have to do that.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by Mocha Man

I've been on Revzilla and Motorcycle Superstore a lot the past few days. My only problem with buying online is having to use a credit card. I'd rather avoid that if I could but from the looks of it I might just have to do that.

What's wrong with using a credit card?

Regardless on if you buy it from them online, they'll still be able to help you answer some questions about head shape and sizing. Like if you told them an XL in HJC model ___ fits you fantastic, they can tell you if the scorpion you're looking at has a similar head shape and what size you'll most likely fit.

What other brands are there at your dealer/shop that you can try on? I find that with helmets and gloves, trying on as many as possible is useful in determining what you like.

[Mocha Man]

Originally Posted by setasai

What's wrong with using a credit card?

Regardless on if you buy it from them online, they'll still be able to help you answer some questions about head shape and sizing. Like if you told them an XL in HJC model ___ fits you fantastic, they can tell you if the scorpion you're looking at has a similar head shape and what size you'll most likely fit.

What other brands are there at your dealer/shop that you can try on? I find that with helmets and gloves, trying on as many as possible is useful in determining what you like.

The "credit" part is the problem haha I just try to pay with cash, check, or debit on everything. My dealership basically specializes in HJC helmets. They have a few Shoei's but those are WAY too expensive for me. They also have Bell but I can't seem to get any of those to fit me. I've had an HJC dirt bike helmet for a long time and I love it so I wouldn't mind buying an HJC street bike helmet if I didn't have to worry about it fogging up.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Mocha Man

The "credit" part is the problem haha I just try to pay with cash, check, or debit on everything. My dealership basically specializes in HJC helmets. They have a few Shoei's but those are WAY too expensive for me. They also have Bell but I can't seem to get any of those to fit me. I've had an HJC dirt bike helmet for a long time and I love it so I wouldn't mind buying an HJC street bike helmet if I didn't have to worry about it fogging up.

You can't get a credit card?

[Zola]

Have a Shoei RF-1000 and RF-1100 with pin shields for both. Totally solves fogging.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by Mocha Man

The "credit" part is the problem haha I just try to pay with cash, check, or debit on everything. My dealership basically specializes in HJC helmets. They have a few Shoei's but those are WAY too expensive for me. They also have Bell but I can't seem to get any of those to fit me. I've had an HJC dirt bike helmet for a long time and I love it so I wouldn't mind buying an HJC street bike helmet if I didn't have to worry about it fogging up.

Oh I see. Try on the shoei anyways. If you know your size for the shoei, I'm 100% positive that they can tell you what size would fit you for the scorpions and whether or not head shape would be comfortable. Goodluck.

[dwolson2]

I don't know if you got your helmet, but I just did about 3 weeks of research and for the price(200-220) the absolute best helmet (options/safety) is the scorpion EXO-500. Snell is not all its cracked up to be. A test(and I can't remember the name) showed that snell helmets fared worse in motorcycle crashes transferring more momentum to the operators head than most DOT only helmets. Which makes sense, they are designed for car use. The testing is 4 times in the same spot(shortened version) and in what motorcycle accident do you hit 4 times in the same spot? Maybe close to the same spot. Anyways, the helmets end up being a denser material and don't absorb as much of the hit, transferring it to your head. From all the reading I have done the best combination is DOT and ECE. So I searched those helmets for 2 weeks and found a website showing only ones with those certifications. Then I researched all of those within them. I found 2 that I liked Akuma helmets and the EXO 500/1000. Since none of the local places have the akumas I checked out the EXO 500(cheaper and lighter) I really liked the fit and bought a Oil slick black one.

Also, someone posted about just getting a tinted visor, I would encourage you to always have the clear with you, or get one with the drop down visor. I got stuck once at night with only my tinted visor(my old HJC) and I could barely see 15 feet in front of me. Needless to say I was scared driving the back roads of MN(think DEER)

Good luck with whatever you get though!

[Mocha Man]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

You can't get a credit card?

I can (and do) have one, but I just don't like paying with it. I like to keep my credit record as clean as possible.

[FBNTH]

Originally Posted by Mocha Man

I can (and do) have one, but I just don't like paying with it. I like to keep my credit record as clean as possible.

Credit record or credit history is a record of how you handle borrowed money. If you dont borrow money (e.g. using credit cards, loans, mortgage, etc.) you wont have a record. Having a clean non-record is the same as having no record.

I am assuming your reason for doing this is to have a good credit score. Im not telling you to run up a credit card, just showing you there's an error in your reasoning. Not using a credit card is not a way to build credit. Having debt and responsibly handling that debt is how you build credit.

Have you ever heard of not having enough credit to get a loan? This would be a reason why.

[Mocha Man]

Originally Posted by FBNTH

Credit record or credit history is a record of how you handle borrowed money. If you dont borrow money (e.g. using credit cards, loans, mortgage, etc.) you wont have a record. Having a clean non-record is the same as having no record.

I am assuming your reason for doing this is to have a good credit score. Im not telling you to run up a credit card, just showing you there's an error in your reasoning. Not using a credit card is not a way to build credit. Having debt and responsibly handling that debt is how you build credit.

Have you ever heard of not having enough credit to get a loan? This would be a reason why.

Yeah, I just meant i want a good credit score. Sorry I didn't really get any sleep last night due to my dog's constant need to go outside and am not really functioning correctly today haha. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I feel better about it now after I took a nap and my brain's in full-gear now. I think I'll probably get that helmet eventually online now.

[blink]

Originally Posted by Mocha Man

I've been down to my local bike dealership to look at helmets and was overwhelmed with all the choices. Not because there were too many of them, (I was expecting that) but because there were so few that fit my needs. I'd like an anti-fog one that actually works and would also love to have a drop-down sun visor. Any advice? If not, what was your first helmet? I'd like to get an idea of a good helmet before I go blow $200 on something I may not like. Oh, BTW, I'm looking at the Scorpion EXO-700 because of the reviews I've seen.

There's no such thing as anti fog

[Linuss]

Originally Posted by Mocha Man

The "credit" part is the problem haha I just try to pay with cash, check, or debit on everything.

Just pay what you owe and credit isn't an issue. As for getting a good scroe, you can't get a good credit score without using credit. Infact, FICO recommends using less than 30% of your available credit, but preferably under 10% to get the best rating. Go to myfico.com and read up the forums. I'm 23 and I have a credit score better than people twice my age because I know how to use it wisely.


I have the EXO-500. Love it. Wish I had gotten white instead of black, but I have red reflective tape on it so it works.

[YORCHI]

What about a debit/credit card? It's what I use for all my online purchases.

[Boom King]

Try PayPal. You can have the funds come out of a debit account rather than a credit card. Last time I bought motorcycle gear online, I paid the vendor with PayPal.

[Linuss]

Originally Posted by YORCHI

What about a debit/credit card? It's what I use for all my online purchases.

I used to use my debit for EVERYTHING, but when I wisened up about credit, I realized that wasn't the best thing.


Most financial people recommend NOT using a debit card online, as if someone gets it, they can clean out your bank account rather easily and it could take a while to get it back.


Honestly, a good credit card, such as an American Express, would be the best bet online. They allow you to return an item you don't want, even if the store you bought it from wont. They also will replace an item if it's damaged or stolen in the first 90 days. And they'll also extend the warranty of the item for another full year.

Plus, any decent CC company will let you create a temporary credit number that can be used online, where you set the limit. This way people dont have access to your REAL CC number, and they can't spend more than what you set the limit for.

Plus, CC companies will more often than not side with their cardmember over a retailer if a dispute arises.




PS-- In a dispute, PayPal will drop you in a second if it means them keeping their money. Plenty of stories online about that.

[Boom King]

Originally Posted by Linuss

Plus, CC companies will more often than not side with their cardmember over a retailer if a dispute arises.

PS-- In a dispute, PayPal will drop you in a second if it means them keeping their money. Plenty of stories online about that.

I once had a dispute over a refund with a seller on eBay. My money was refunded but I lost a good chunk of coin due to a change in exchange rates. I explained my case to PayPal and they stepped up and deposited the difference into my account out of their own pocket.

In a separate instance, I once had to cancel a plane ticket last minute and again lost money due to the exchange rate. I called up my credit card company and they basically said, "too bad, so sad".

[zilaniz]

This is what I would do, go down to the dealership and try on a bunch of different brands of helmets and see which fits best. Then go online and find what you like on sale or closeout. I got my arai for a little under 400 on closeout, cant beat that.

[Linuss]

Originally Posted by Boom King

I once had a dispute over a refund with a seller on eBay. My money was refunded but I lost a good chunk of coin due to a change in exchange rates. I explained my case to PayPal and they stepped up and deposited the difference into my account out of their own pocket.

In a separate instance, I once had to cancel a plane ticket last minute and again lost money due to the exchange rate. I called up my credit card company and they basically said, "too bad, so sad".

It's because you're Canadian


Obviously YMMV

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Mocha Man

I can (and do) have one, but I just don't like paying with it. I like to keep my credit record as clean as possible.

A squeaky clean record, is actually a bad thing. Companies want to know your responsible, and that means paying your credit card bill on time every month. If you don't use it, they can't make the determination that you are responsible for paying your bills on time.

Things that are good for your credit score:
1. Monthly usage of 1%-20% of your total credit limit.
2. On time monthly payments
3. Credit accounts that have been open for many years.

Things that are bad for your credit score:
1. Monthly credit utilization of 0% or 21%+
2. Late payments
3. New accounts (gotta start somewhere though)

Using your credit card is a good thing and is much safer than a debit card. If money is stolen from your debit card, well, good luck getting that back. But if money is stolen from your credit card, you are 100% guaranteed to get everything back.

I've made the switch from using my debit card for everything to using my credit card for everything. I don't spend any more money than I used to, even though I'm only using my credit card. Utilize your credit card and be responsible. You will be rewarded with great credit scores and low interest rates. I'm about to turn 21 and my Equifax score is 750 on the dot, something that allowed me to get my student loans this year. Once again, be responsible and you will be rewarded.

/end thread hijack (sawy)

[Gurk]

helmet purchase was as important to me as the bike purchase. if my helmet was stolen today, id go get the same one.

i sacrificed

-internal sun visor (meh... i got a sun visor. looks badass and works perfect)
-easily replacable visor (meh... u gotta use a coin or your key to unscrew/screw but i rarely ride at night so my sun visor has been on since day one)
-dough (paid $419 for flat white and it was worth every penny)

for

-one of the lightest helmets ever
-one of the biggest eyeport on a full face helmet
-great airflow
-perfect looks (imo)
-good protection (dot only but good enough for me. this thing is STIFF!)
-perfect fit (adjustable liner comes with helmet)

and bought a Nexx XR1R as my first helmet.

[CharlieBucket]

No matter how cool a helmet looks, you're not going to wear it if it hurts your head. You need to find one without pressure points, one that fits snugly without hurting, one that won't wiggle loose in the case of an accident.

If you find several that fit you well, consider comparing their safety ratings on this website: http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/ I was shocked to find the helmet that I bought initially actually rates very poorly for side impacts! Then, buy the safest helmet you can afford.

[Mocha Man]

Originally Posted by blink

There's no such thing as anti fog

I thought the same thing until I read so many great things about the EXO-500 and everyone said it refused to fog on them. Or, if it did fog, it went away instantly, so

[Linuss]

My EXO-500 has never fogged.


My glasses? Different story.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by Linuss

My EXO-500 has never fogged.


My glasses? Different story.

+1 Same experience with the scorpion anti-fog treatment. Wish it came in a bottle so I can add it to my glasses.

[ruben]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Using your credit card is a good thing and is much safer than a debit card. If money is stolen from your debit card, well, good luck getting that back. But if money is stolen from your credit card, you are 100% guaranteed to get everything back.
/end thread hijack (sawy)

mmm thats not true. most debit cards can be used as a credit card so long as its issued by a credit card company. which is what youre doing anytime you buy something online. you cant use debit online since youre unable to enter a pin.

with this is a usual zero liability guaranteed by most major credit card companies. so long as you dispute it in a timley manner [usually 60 calander days] the bank has 10 calender days to fix the situation [youre covered by regulation E, gov'ment regulation] if it takes longer than 10 days, the bank must credit you till they do finish the investigation which should be max 45 calender days. the only inconvenience is losing your money for those first couple days.

using a credit card is a little better as youre using your credit and no direct access to your funds.


ok now that were on the subject of helmets, whats everyones thoughts about bluetooth helmets and modular helmets? is the extra flip up make things different? i like the idea of bluetooth and two way communication [tho id be riding solo till i make some friends with bikes] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...tomotive&psc=1 is what i have in mind :\

[kyrider]

I got the EXO-400 and really like it. I did but a tinted visor and took everyones suggestion to go up one size from normal and got a great deal through eBay.