First helmet bike, advice

[roadhog30]

Hi Everyone,
I am having my midlife crisis and decided having never rode a motorcycle to go for my test (DAS) love it, should have done it a long time ago, should be doing my mod 1 in the next month, I was just after your thoughts on a helmet i am considing purchasing, DUCHINNI D909 BLUETOOTH helmet, has anyone got one it seems good value to me, also which bike would you go for, XJ6 or the street triple, these are the two I've narrowed it down to, I've heard a lot of good things about the Yamaha but not heard from any owners of the Triumph, I know performance wise the Triumph will knock the socks off the XJ.
Cheers
Guys

[clancy]

the best helmet is the one that fits you the best mate, i have a bell M4r carbon https://www.sportouring.com/itemImages/image/M4R_CARBON_BIG.jpg


best bet is to go to a helmet store and just try loads on and find the best one for you.

im a big fan of triumph so id say the street triple test drive after youv done your test?
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KLX 300r

[Slacker24seve...]

Go to your nearest bike shop and try on as many as you can, within your budget. The staff should be able to advise on fit. If you are desperate for bluetooth other helmets like certain AGVs can take them. If the shop's prices are too high, get one online.

As for your bike you couldn't have chosen much more of diverse pair! One is a performance orientated triple, the other is an friendly, cosseting, slower middleweight four cylinder. Try sitting on a few, not just those two, once you've done your DAS. Your training school's bike should give you some idea of what sort of riding position you prefer and will most likely be a 500 twin of some sort.

Also it sounds like you're considering new or newer bikes. Most newbies* drop their first bike either in a low speed tumble or whilst stationary. Kick stand error, wobbling about in neutral, something like that. A lot of us have done it and that will prove costly on a new bike, less so if you're riding a cheaper model. I should point out that something a few years old with c10K miles with FSH is probably only just worn in

Should probably point out that the MCN show is next month and would be a good opportunity to try bikes and kit on


*cue cocky git with "I've never dropped a bike in my life" post
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Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[Bloggsy]

I found Arai & Shoei fit me a treat so bought a Shoei XR 1100 and it;s so quiet

[roadhog30]

That's a nice helmet mate, I've tried loads of helmets on already from £30 to £250 theres that many, and all fit slightly different, I didn't set out to get one with bluetooth it just seemed a good price £140 to have it built in.
I'm learning on an ER500 and have sat on a few other bikes the two that i mentioned though, to me both have a similar riding position, dropping it is a worry though cos your not the first person to say that.
Cheers

[Shaft]

Hi roadhog, I'm with clancy, that lid is only any good if it fits properly and is comfortable, there's nothing worse than having a helmet that puts pressure in the wrong place and gives you a headache after 20 minutes.

As others have said, try a few and find the one feels most suitable; put it on, with the forehead part of the lining sitting just above your eyebrows, then do it up and try and roll it off your head, from the front and back, then hold the helmet and move your head from side to side; if there's more than a few millimetres of movement, it's either too big, or the lining doesn't fit your head shape (the sales person should be able to help you with this).

Then, if you can, wear each one for 5 minutes or so, walk around the shop in it, make sure there aren't any tight spots and it doesn't start to feel too heavy; if you can't wait to take it off, or it feels like a relief, it's not right for you.

One odd thing is to check you're happy with the fastening system; I used double d ring straps for years, then bought a lid with a seatbelt type buckle and it took me ages to get used to it, so much so I once found myself at the side of the road, unable to take the damn thing off!

Specifically with the helmet you mentioned, two things I'm not sure about; first is the quality, it strikes me it's got an awful lot of features for a lid priced under £150, so I'd want a close look at one before I spent my money (yes, I know they all have to come up to a standard).

Secondly, as a novice rider, I'm not sure you really want to be listening to music or taking phone calls when you're riding, you'll have more than enough to be thinking about!
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Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[clancy]

shaft is spot on with picking a helmet if you go to a helmet store they will go through it all with you, there generally really good help.

as for bikes it might be worth getting a nice, new-ish, second hand bike for your first one, keep it for a year or so and get used to riding properly etc etc. then spend some big bucks on a really nice bike
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KLX 300r

[roadhog30]

Thanks for the advice guys.

[Slacker24seve...]

Should probably point out that ebay suggests this as your first bike, according to the ad thing at the bottom of the page:

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fabulous-Girls-First-Bicycle-Bike-helmet-bag-L-K-/130475111836?pt=UK_Bikes_GL
____________________
Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[B]

[fireyphoenix1...]

tried one on i can say if you gonna get it see if you can operate the controls on it with gloves on i couldnt

i ended up with a caberg GT with a just speak unit installed
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2014 Aprillia dorsoduro 750 factory.

[Dazbo666]

I have a Duchinni lid at the moment (the D419 Ace) and it's a perfect fit for me. I've tried lots of different lids that were much more expensive etc, but the main consideration should be down to a good fit as far as lids are concerned.

As already mentioned, your best option is to go to a shop and try lots of different makes and models - you're still under no obligation to buy from the shop ... you can take a note of the brand, model and size that fits the best, then order online, or from wherever suits you best.
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[DrDonnyBrago]

I have two lids, the first an AGV GP tech that cost me a small fortune and fit for about a week before the pads bedded in and it rattled around until I replaced it.

Now it is an HJC FG-15, cost me £100 and a cracking lid for the cost.

Buy the lid that fits you the best, there is no point having a super expensive helmet with all the bling if it rattles around on your bonce. Try on loads, then try on some more and buy the best of the lot.

[Paxovasa]

[fireyphoenix1...]

[B]

[Paxovasa]

[Carl_G]

Frankly, I had no choice about where to buy my helmet from 'cos I could only find one UK legal lid anywhere in the world that was big enough for my gigantic head!

Fortunately it fits a treat, and it turned up from the US in as immaculate nick as any helmet I've seen from a UK shop.
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CBT 11/09/10! Theory Passed 12/10/10! Mod 1 Passed 08/03/11! Mod 2 passed 13/04/11!
1993 Yamaha XV 535 (SMIDSYed) 2008 Suzuki GSF 650 (Hire Bike) 1993 Yamaha XV 535 (Resurrected!) 2004 Triumph Speedmaster 790cc (Payout from SMIDSY!)

[B]