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Old September 11th, 2011, 09:24 AM   #1
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Helmets and prices?

I just want some user related and maybe some facts type info on helmets..

I've heard many things and most seem true, but this forum I trust the most

-Is there really any benefit to getting a shoei or arai versus something like an HJC or Fulmer for around 100-200$?
Besides brand name...=p
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Old September 11th, 2011, 09:34 AM   #2
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hmmm makes me wonder now :S
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Old September 11th, 2011, 09:37 AM   #3
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I'm not sure of all the details (bought HJC myself), but I've read that Arai has multiple liner options to fit your head/face in a more customized way, and one of the two allowed you to mail your helmet back for an xray inspection after a small drop to certify it as still good or not.

If I were going on a track or doing more serious things, I might invest more into it. But I got a helmet that fits well, feels comfortable and is DOT & Snell so that is enough for me right now.
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Old September 11th, 2011, 09:47 AM   #4
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I'm in need of a new helmet, but I'm too broke to drop $200+ on one.
What do you guys think of this one?

Flip-up street helmet

It's only $40, but the price is making me wonder if it'll be extremely cheap in build quality.
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Old September 11th, 2011, 09:51 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lil_Green_Demon View Post
I'm in need of a new helmet, but I'm too broke to drop $200+ on one.
What do you guys think of this one?

Flip-up street helmet

It's only $40, but the price is making me wonder if it'll be extremely cheap in build quality.
I really wouldn't trust it...
reminds me of harley and cruiser guy helmets. If you fall your face is gone =[

The system for flip up, I personally don't trust, it might break away during impact.
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Old September 11th, 2011, 10:19 AM   #6
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Please dont buy some fake ass helmet from ebay!! There DOT approval is probably the sticker they printed from there computer
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Old September 11th, 2011, 10:26 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin2109 View Post
Please dont buy some fake ass helmet from ebay!! There DOT approval is probably the sticker they printed from there computer
LOL think they printed up a "Made in China" Sticker for it too?
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Old September 11th, 2011, 11:53 AM   #8
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In my opinion, once you go over $150-$200, you're paying for low noise, low weight, and convenience features.

I just picked up a Bell Vortex for $100. You'd have a hard time finding real proof that a $500 helmet will protect my head any better.
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Old September 11th, 2011, 12:02 PM   #9
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Old September 11th, 2011, 01:22 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blink View Post
I just want some user related and maybe some facts type info on helmets..

I've heard many things and most seem true, but this forum I trust the most

-Is there really any benefit to getting a shoei or arai versus something like an HJC or Fulmer for around 100-200$?
Besides brand name...=p
The best thing is to try on all helmets to find the one that fits you more comfortably. It might be the $200 HJC or it might be the $800 arai, you wont know unless you try. Everyone has different head sizes and they have different shell sizes. If you lock yourself into a brand name helmet but dont fit into the shell right, you're out $$.
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Old September 11th, 2011, 04:35 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lil_Green_Demon View Post
I'm in need of a new helmet, but I'm too broke to drop $200+ on one.
What do you guys think of this one?

Flip-up street helmet

It's only $40, but the price is making me wonder if it'll be extremely cheap in build quality.
Don't buy this helmet. The company is terrible, and the quality is bad as well. Here is an entry I made in another thread on T-motorsports.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gfloyd2002 View Post
Great you are gearing up . . . That said, t-motorsports, who makes TMS gear, is a crap company that one should be very careful dealing with . . . the company itself has a terrible reputation for product quality, customer service, etc. The company is Chinese, and there appears to be zero testing on the products. They are the poster child for what is wrong with the DOT standard for helmets - DOT lets companies self certify, and TMS claims DOT compliance on it's $25 helmets -- I've seen one, and that is laughable -- better protection from a bike helmet, imho. Requests to prove their DOT certification with study results or specifics go unanswered. And responsiveness to complaints is nil. Their Better Business Bureau rating is the rarified "F" grade for a huge number of complaints and a number left completely unresolved. Here is their Better Business Bureau page: Look, Mom, We Got an F!

Personally, I wouldn't buy their product because of serious concerns over their commitment to safety, their refusal to certifiy testing, and generally their unresponsiveness to motorcyclists. I would not be surprised if their products have killed riders.
I subsequently was able to contact the actual manufacturer of these helmets in China (as opposed to T-motorsports, who is the Chinese company who merely sources the gear) and speak to them. (I speak Chinese.) They had no idea what the DOT standards required, and do not test their products for DOT, but assured me that it was okay to put a DOT sticker on their helmets.

This is why you want to go with a reputable, name company. One that prides itself on its safety testing, like an Arai or Shoei. I also have faith in HJC and Scorpion helmets. But not TMS.
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Old September 11th, 2011, 04:39 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blink View Post
I just want some user related and maybe some facts type info on helmets..

I've heard many things and most seem true, but this forum I trust the most

-Is there really any benefit to getting a shoei or arai versus something like an HJC or Fulmer for around 100-200$?
Besides brand name...=p
The best source for helmet information is Web Bike World. Everything you need to know is there, except which helmet shape best fits your head. After reading up on Web Bike World, start trying on helmets.

I personally believe that the extra cost on Arai or Shoei is worth paying, and supports responsible safety testing and thoughtful design, as well as components that last well. I'm done buying cheap gear and replacing it 2 or 3 times before the good stuff would have worn out. When you think of it that way, it isn't always cheaper to buy the less expensive option. I'm also willing to pay extra for the cost of a good safety program, the cost of ECE or Snell certification, detailed research, etc. That said, I also own an HJC I got for $125, and have liked the helmet, with trust in HJC quality despite the fact that it wore very quickly.
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Old September 11th, 2011, 04:51 PM   #13
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I don't regret buying my shoei one bit. Nice and light, very comfortable. It seems pretty quiet although its the only one i've ridden with so nothing to compare to. My roomate's scorpion is heavy as hell (although it's modular and has the built in sunglasses). My other friend bought a Bilt and it feels/seems really cheap. I'd look for a closeout on a nicer helmet.
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Old September 11th, 2011, 06:14 PM   #14
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I believe in the saying that you get what you payed for.

How much is you head worth? $40?
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Old September 11th, 2011, 06:36 PM   #15
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I wouldn't go for that helmet...or really any helmet off ebay. I personally stay away from modulars as they're extremely loud, no matter what brand of them you get. Scorpion and HJC helmets give you the best bang for your buck in my opinion
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Old September 11th, 2011, 07:30 PM   #16
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So basically, if your helmet says made in China, it's crap???
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Old September 12th, 2011, 03:26 AM   #17
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Not necessarily. Some of the worlds worst stuff is made in China. Forget about government regulation, forget about corporate ethics, and forget about pride in workmanship or experience in manufacture of a particular product as traits to be taken for granted. And much of the country's manufacturing is geared toward doing stuff cheaply, and not well. Some company simply buy what the factory offers without caring about these things.

But it all depends. There is also very good stuff made there. Sometimes the brand is heavily involved in manufacture in China, and controls the process. Some brands/purchasers have very tight quality goals, instill ethics in their foreign factories and care about the potential impact of poor quality on the value of their brand. Some design the process in the factory, have people in country to monitor, etc. For me, it depends on whether the brand is merely a consumer of product made in China or whether the brand itself manufactures in China with a closely controlled partnership or brand-owned factory.

I toured a Chinese sock factory there where they contracted to make the Gold Toe brand of sock. They also used a different part of the factory for their own brand. The quality of their own brand was terrible. Cheaper thread, worse weave, on older less capable machines. But the Gold Toe side put out good stuff. The people from Gold Toe regularly inspected, helped design the process, specified which machines had to be used, etc. They don't mess around, and I came away more willing to buy Gold Toe products, not less. So sometimes a brand name is more than a marketing tool, but an actual sign to the consumer that the product is a quality product.
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Old September 12th, 2011, 06:24 AM   #18
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I buy based off the company name, and not the price. No one doubts that Scorpion makes good helmets, but I'd have no issue buying an EXO-400 for $50 on closeout.


That said, I have no issue keeping it around $200, like when I bought my EXO-500.
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Old September 12th, 2011, 07:08 AM   #19
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I buy based off the company name, and not the price. No one doubts that Scorpion makes good helmets, but I'd have no issue buying an EXO-400 for $50 on closeout.


That said, I have no issue keeping it around $200, like when I bought my EXO-500.
very well said
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Old September 12th, 2011, 09:58 AM   #20
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Once rated for DOT use (legally) any helmet is going to protect your head. The extra dollars are for: graphics, quality of secondary materials, comfort, and aerodynamics.

I have a number of helmets ranging from free (AFX sent to me from revzilla by accident ) to SS1000 (150 ish?) And I had a Shoei back in the day (still saving up for an X12 BB). The main difference IS confort and windnoise, as well as parts that can be replaced and fitted.

I would stick to the normal quality offerings from reputable sources like Bell, HJC, Suomy, Arai, Shoei, Speed&Strength, Scorpion, Fullmer, AGV...blah blah blah. You can shop anywhere from the sub $100 to the $800+ range with those brands. I think someone mentioned closeouts...do it. Buy two or three so you can rotate them. That's what I do so they all last a little longer since I use them every single day.

Anything not legit from ebay or the local flea market isn't worth it.
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Old September 12th, 2011, 10:15 AM   #21
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Closeouts is the way to go. I would go to a dealer and try a bunch of different brands on and see which fits you best, then go online and find some on closeout. I got my arai for like 380 ish or something like that about 2 years ago on closeout when it originally was almost 700. The dealer down near me has a ton of shoei TZ-R on closeout for 100 bucks! I would grab one but they don't fit my head right.

http://www.montgomeryvillecc.com/Sho...idaa1289zz~r=~

Thats what I would buy if I were you, assuming they fit you right
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Old September 12th, 2011, 10:35 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarC View Post
Once rated for DOT use (legally) any helmet is going to protect your head.
Hmmm, I'm not so sure.
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Old September 12th, 2011, 10:36 AM   #23
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I believe in the saying that you get what you payed for.

How much is you head worth? $40?
Exactly, my next helmet will be by NEXX at almost $450 (the non carbon)
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Old September 12th, 2011, 11:02 AM   #24
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Really? I'm pretty sure we are not talking about skull caps, etc.

IMO if you are considering that type of helmet safety or price is not a concern.

But the fact still stands....
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Old September 12th, 2011, 11:21 AM   #25
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Quote:
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Really? I'm pretty sure we are not talking about skull caps, etc.

IMO if you are considering that type of helmet safety or price is not a concern.

But the fact still stands....
You said that any DOT approved helmet will protect your head. I linked to a DOT approved helmet that does not. Ergo, DOT approval, in and of itself, is meaningless.
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Old September 12th, 2011, 11:27 AM   #26
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I will have to agree with Art Vandelay that a DOT certification doesn't tell much of the story. The skullcap he links to is DOT certified, but I would never wear it and I don't think it's very safe.

Every motorcycle helmet sold in the US is DOT certified, but it requires no testing on the manufacturer's part. SNELL or ECE will give you a better picture of how safe the helmet is. Your best bet as everyone here is suggesting is to research the helmet and stick with a reputable company.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...ell#post366698
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Old September 12th, 2011, 11:41 AM   #27
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I was about to post up the fact that SNELL is a rating with mandatory testing and should be used. Cuong beat me to it :P


What I was getting at is the fact that a decent reputable helmet, regardless of cost, will still provide protection. That was before I was nit-picked to death about some worthless half helmet that only a moron would put on their head.

However, if we want to be nit-picky, even the half helmet when placed upon the head will protect said head from injury. Yes? ERGO, it will do it's job (though not to the standard we would like). Would I wear one? Hell no. Do I think the OP should wear one? NOPE. Do half-helmets have anything to do with the OP's thread? Again, no. BOTT.
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Old September 12th, 2011, 11:55 AM   #28
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definitely worth the extra money if you have it. i have a shoei rf1100. fits real nice and has good air flow. i tried on my buddies arai rx7 and it's super comfortable and light weight.
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