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Drawkward
| | Posted on Saturday, June 12, 2010 - 10:22 am: | 
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JD, I suspect you got taken on that deal.
If I can find it I will dig up the article where a mag tested several helmets in a common garage drop scenario...off of a bench or a bike. What they found that no damage was done to the helmet because........there wasn't a head inside of it. The extra weight of the head causes all of the damage inside of the helmet making it "done" after a crash.
And Arai or any other expensive/not expensive helmet isn't going to be more than one time use after a crash with a human head inside of it. So Dk, be careful with that.
Kc10: Now that is something that I can understand. The comfort and fit that some expensive helmets offer is possibly worth the money. The only thing I would care about is helmet shape when it comes to cutting through wind. Sometimes more expensive helmets have better, or less, drag coef. That being said, I don't practice that as I have a Gmax because its amazing amount of vents...Houston is hot. However, the thing is a little big and doesn't cut wind perfectly. Hot weather riding was my only concern when I bought it...it was before I started doing trackdays. I think now I would buy a helmet specifically for size over air vents. It's good when you can easily turn your head in a race suit with a hump on the back of it. |
Freight_dog
| | Posted on Saturday, June 12, 2010 - 01:02 pm: |
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I've ridden a $100 Fulmer for years (one of the top rated in the MC mag test) and a $150 HJC. I recently switched to a Shoei and I fully understand the price difference. Comfort, fit, and finish are all far better than the cheapie helmets and the safety level is similar or greater. Obviously, a manufacturer that races a lot has more real world crash testing. If all you can afford is a Bell then get one, its better than nothing. If you have the means, you will not regret spending the extra on a fine helmet. I will from now on. |
Daggar
| | Posted on Saturday, June 12, 2010 - 01:36 pm: |
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Joebuell - Check out Shark and Akuma. They have several models that are DOT/ECE. |
Smoke4ndmears
| | Posted on Saturday, June 12, 2010 - 01:37 pm: |
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Hey the new Bell's are amazingly nice helmets. At least the Star (which I have one of) is. As others have pointed out the margin in price isn't safety, it's fit, comfort, wind stability, ventilation and noise reduction. I own and old Arai Quantum and it's successor of sorts Profile. Both of them, specifically the Profile, are so stable, comfortable and quiet that I will never go back to cheaper helmets until they can match the all around performance of a quality helmet. They improve upon the entire riding experience. |
Firebolt32
| | Posted on Sunday, June 13, 2010 - 07:00 pm: |
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The fit is more important than the brand, honestly.
+1
Techguy, I have a HJC. Their website states it meets DOT as well as SNELL standards. I rode tested mine in Dec. It did it's job but now hangs on the wall next to my other, now useless, helmet.
The helmet is, in my opinion, truly only going to safe you in slower speed accidents. If I was doing 150 rather than 50, my neck would have snapped like a twig.
A |
Dktechguy112
| | Posted on Sunday, June 13, 2010 - 07:33 pm: |
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Firebolt32,
you are right, i just looked at my helmet and it does say snell approved.
My bro wrecked my bike in a $400 arai helmet. It didn't hit the ground in the crash, amazingly. I have seen first hand how important gear is. My bro had a full leather race suit, arai hlemet, full leather gloves, and long race boots on. If you would have told me before the wreck that he was going to crash where he did and walk away with no injures i wouldn't have believed it. I think the race suit saved his life, he rolled three times down a 30 foot ravine into a rocky ditch at about 60 mph.
I am actually considering purchasing a nice arai or scorpion helmet. Any suggestions? I currently have a $150 hjc, but after seeing my bro's wreck, it makes me want to get some better gear. |
Pariah
| | Posted on Sunday, June 13, 2010 - 09:35 pm: |
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Not sure if anyone has brought this up, but Snell has updated their standard. Snell M2010 actually meets DOT and ECE 22-05, making it an awesome new standard--- a "world helmet" standard, in effect. The outer-shell high rigidity of the older Snell helmets has been addressed. Sounds great, except your helmet is now even less shrapnel proof (not a concern in Europe as much as it is here).
See:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/sne ll-2010-standard.htm
This is great--- I don't have to feel I'm wasting my money on a high-quality Snell M2010 helmet from Arai or Vemar any longer. What a relief... |
Bueller4ever
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 05:25 am: |
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All shark helmets are non-snell. They are also very nice lids. |
Hogzilla
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 08:17 am: |
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Dktechguy112, the Shoei RF1100 is SNELL 2010 certified and runs $360. It is the most comfy helmet I've worn. If you fit an HJC it should fit you. |
Tbones1125r
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 08:33 am: |
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You can also find Shoei X-11's on sale. Super light and comfortable. I picked up an X-11 Glory for $340! |
Joshinga
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 12:20 pm: |
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Ok Guys the bottom line is that no matter what helmet you buy that has a "DOT" certification holds the minimum standard as far as the government is concerned. With that said the different price levels boil down to fit and finish. Things like Weight, style, fit, noise...... as long as the DOT is their and is not just a sticker you bought at the flea market it will protect your melon. |
Pariah
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 02:48 pm: |
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But DOT is really minimal.... I mean, you don't need a chinbar to be DOT certified, and most damage to the head occurs around the chin. |
Pariah
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 02:49 pm: |
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666!  |
Drawkward
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 04:20 pm: |
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quote:But DOT is really minimal.... I mean, you don't need a chinbar to be DOT certified, and most damage to the head occurs around the chin.
Care to provide some source for that?
Also, if that's the case, why don't SNELL or DOT test the chinbars on full face helmets? |
Firebolt32
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 06:41 pm: |
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I can't find a source on that but I've heard the same thing Pariah stated Dr.
 |
Pariah
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 08:20 pm: |
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Snell, apparently does test chinbars... here's a quote from their website:
"Chin Bar Test
The chin bar test applies to full face motorcycle, special application racing and kart racing helmets. The helmet is affixed to a rigid base with the chin bar facing upward. A 5 kg weight is dropped through a guided fall to strike the central portion of the chin bar. Maximum downward deflection of the chin bar must not exceed the stated distance."
As for DOT, there is no chin bar test because DOT does not require a chin bar. Here are some DOT approved helmets:
... |
Bueller4ever
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 08:22 pm: |
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Look, duhamel crash wearing a shark rsr2, non-snell rating. Who said you couldn't race in a helmet that isn't snell certified?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCkhAq9rztQ
head plant no less. |
Froggy
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 08:39 pm: |
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Hogzilla
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 08:39 pm: |
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DAM! That's a heck of a spill. |
Firebolt32
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 08:51 pm: |
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Looks like he used that .4% Froggy has posted there. Shows you what great gear does for you. He didn't miss a beat! Break dance on handle bars, do some track side ass sliding, haul ass to bike and get back in race. NUTS! |
Froggy
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 09:08 pm: |
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Hogzilla
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 09:10 pm: |
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Time for a new face shield. |
Xbud
| | Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 09:35 pm: |
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Look, duhamel crash wearing a shark rsr2, non-snell rating. Who said you couldn't race in a helmet that isn't snell certified?}
Helmets certified to the ECE 22.05 standard are approved for competition events by AMA, CCS, FIM, Formula-USA and WERA and are chosen by nearly every professional motorcycle racers competing in world championship road racing, motocross and off road events, including the ultimate sport of Moto GP. Helmets that are certified to both DOT and ECE 22.05 offer the highest level of realistic protection with the added benefit of light weight for day-long comfort and rider performance. |
Pariah
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 - 12:24 am: |
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Totally agreed... you don't need Snell, all you need is ECE 22-05 (if ECE 22-05 is met, I would argue you don't even need DOT). That said, ECE 22-05 probably implies DOT, since DOT alone means virtually nothing. |
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