?100 Helmets - help please.

[mrbluesbox]

Hi all

Firstly ill say a quick helo as this is my first post. hello

Ok. Ive just passed my CBT this week and have got myself a nice Derbi GPR 125 Nude to play around with over the next 12 months while i get a bit of experience and pass my full bike test.
Obiously before i go and pick it on saturday up im gonna get myself a decent helmet and have a budget of about £100.
Ive had a look round and these far to many helmets i can get for this kind of money but to be honest i aint really got a clue whats gonna be the best.
Any suggestions on what i should buy for this kind of money would be greatly appreciated.
Also if anyone knows any good bike stores around central manchester i should check out that would be really usefull aswell.

Thanks

Gaz.

[Method]

Im not from around Manchester so i cant realy help you out with the local shops,

However for £100 you should be able to pick yourself up a high end - middle market helmet (if that makes any sense).

Makes like Lazer, Caberg, HJC should all be available for that kind of money.

However if you find that there are Arai, Suomy etc in your price range, then i would suggest going for one of them.

However - Make sure it has the gold stamp on the back (Its al ittle sticker in gold / yellow that is from the ACU saying it has passed safety requirements). If its got the gold stamp, and it fits you correctly (Because that is the most important thing), then you should be fine what ever you go for

Just be aware that cheap helmets are cheap for a reason. Not necessarily more dangerous and not as well put together than the higher end models, but they dont have the same comfort that the larger brands do, and you might miss out on certain features that prove usefull.

My suggestion is to get down to a few local bike shops, go in and just tell them that youve recently passed your test, your after the best helmet you can get for your budget. Let them talk you through the different helmets and explain them to you, after all, you want to know something about whats saving your head right?
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[angryjonny]

Really - just try a load on. All helmets sold in the UK have to meet the same safety standard so it really just comes down to comfort and finish.

My first helmet was a HJC CL-Max but after riding for an hour or so it got really uncomfortable, so I splashed out and got an Arai Condor (£200ish) which was totally worth the money.

A good helmet will fit your whole head snugly but not too tightly at any point. If it's pressing on your temples or forehead you'll get mighty headaches and that'll take away your concentration. And it'll take away the fun.

Try on as many as you can and don't just sling them on and off. Leave them on for a while and see if any pressure points develop. Heads vary in shape so there's no silver-bullet formula for a well-fitting helmet. I appear to have an Arai head - others have Shoei heads etc.

[Jenks]

Hi, i spent £100 on a helmet, was a flip face 'Caberg' in matt black, very comfy! and lovely!!!
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[Dragonfly]

agv k series are £109 and there comfy also. I have one.
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[Zen Dog]

I currently have a Caberg Justissmo (which has loads of features for the cash) and is now about £100. Bit noisy though.

Before that i had a HJC (which are a bit rubbish in terms of features), but are very tough, well made and very comfy, quite a few different models around the £100 mark.

Welcome and good luck!

Zen Dog
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[Aikman666]

Shark might still have thier half price sale on, good quality lids, bought my RSF2 Vision for £80 before doing a long slog on my bike, and ive got to say ive never heard a bad thing about them
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[Keen]

for 100 quid I'd go for either an agv lid or a HJC.... both have very nice looking lids available for that price. The HJC lids are especially good value, the FG-14 is an award winning lid (literally). But as others have said, get the salesperson to help you with fitting.

PS I was in manchester this summer (for the chili's concert) and I noticed there is a really big flash dianese store in the centre of the city, really cool
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[mrbluesbox]

Thanks for all the quick repies
i got a few models to be going on with now.

Got another quick Q though, does anyone have any preference over what helmets are made of - i.e. resin or fibreglass composite etc. The guy who i did my cbt with said the fibreglass / composite ones were generally better and if budget allowed i should go for one of those.

So would it be better to get a cheaper fibreglass one or an expensive resin one?

[veeeffarr]

Hein Gericke on Bury New Road in Salford.

Just take a hand gun with you and keep an eye on your bike.

Staff are very nice there tho.

There's another shop further up the road towards McDonalds but looked a bit shit.

[Trip]

Sorry for the thread hi-jack but any recommendations for websites to buy lids from?

Anywhere with special offers on ATM?

Cheers
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Past-CG125 Present - Yamaha XJ600N Future - WHO KNOWS?

[TheShaggyDA]

A vote here for the Caberg V2. Big improvement on my last lid, the maker of which I have no clue, but I remember it was about £80 7 years ago.
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[mchaggis]

Here's a vote for the AGVs. The £109 helmet is a quality item, comfy and quiet. If you're buying gear, it has to fit. Go to Heine Gericke and say 'I have £100 in my pocket, I need a helmet.' They'll help you out and are usually pretty damned good. Bike shop staff are usually a bunch of rude, pushy bastards.
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[cagiva gezzer]

Don't go for certain makes. I find that AGVs are for pin heads and i couldn't get them to fit me.

Try as many differnet makes as possibe.

FM were my top choice, but they've changed slightly and are less comfy now...
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[Misc]

I had a Lazer for £80, fitted well & came out of a crash unmarked leaving the car with a head shape dent.

[yambabe]

You should be able to pick up a Suomy Dark Metal for around £99 (that's what I paid for mine) which is a good helmet if you have a large odd-shaped head like me!

Whistles with the visor up though, even at low speed........
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[Whosthedaddy]

I had a Caberg V2 a bit noisy and heavy for £99, but am impressed with my Tackechi for £65, cheaper and som much comfiewr and quieter
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[Itchy]

[Itchy]

[Itchy]

Fuck Dainese their store is Sooo insanely over priced a little bit out the city as TobyR said is Hein
Gericke much more reasonable here , plenty of buses to get there if you have no transport of your
own, and a 20 minute walk just don't stray from the main road or go there at night at night it becomes
a death zone. Toby was brave/stupid enough to go there and walk out wth £400 of stuff, I'm surprised
he is still alive.

If you head out the city centre via Newton street and turn left you should pass a shop called
On Ya byke , which always seems to have tons of bikers parked up outside , if you are in North
mancs go ask Speedwell bill to sell you something .
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[Jebus]

I got a XL agv gp pro, got a large head and it fits me well and comfy enough, not had it on road yet, only slight problem is the stap is a bit annoying if i dont do it up just right.
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[yambabe]

[kawakid]

[angryjonny]

[mrbluesbox]

Thanks again for all the help.

Just been down to Heine Gericke in salford and got myself an HJC AC-11 - currently got em on offer for 89.99 which is a bit of a bargain