which helmet am i better off going for?

aj1soad · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 22 Mar 2012 Karma :

Dazbo666 · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Karma :

You're much better off going to a bike shop first, and trying a number of different branded helmets...
Take note of brand and size etc, then buy online if that's the way you want to go.

As is often mentioned on here, a relatively cheap helmet that fits properly is going to be of much more benefit than an expensive helmet that doesn't.

(edit: please don't just go by the stated size of the helmet...
For me, an XL Duchinni, or AGV helmet will fit, but what appears to be a similar XL Arai or Shoei just doesn't)
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supZ · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Feb 2009 Karma :

what helmet should you go for?

one that fits right. everything else is a nice to have.

get to a shop and try some on, find out what fits then make a decision and buy online if you want. dont buy without trying. all helmets have different sizes and shapes so the same size in 2 different ones wont necessarily fit you
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GREENI3 · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Nov 2010 Karma :

I'd defiantly recommend going to a shop and trying some on.

When I was buying a new lid I went to my local bike shop and tried on every helmet they had.

None of them fit properly except KBC.
And that was a Small (55-56cm). My head measures 58cm which would indicate a Medium, but all manufacturers vary in sizes.

And remember, you don't have to buy it from the shop. Thumbs Up

Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

Heads and helmets are different shapes. Try on lots.

Technically you can return helmets under the Distance Selling Regulations - there's no exception for them (although there possibly should be), but you'll get no end of grief, and you might end up paying more in return postage than paying a shop premium.
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HondaRebel125 · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 24 Mar 2012 Karma :

in b4 the one that fits Mr. Green

But seriously, the one that fits, I have been trying ones out and the only ones that seem to fit properly are all 300 pounds, that's nearly a months wages after tax for me, but it is better than brain damage or death, I hear that can really affect your ability to ride!

Thumbs Up

Sako · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Feb 2012 Karma :

Themightyimp · Crazy Courier Joined: 24 May 2011 Karma :

DrSnoosnoo · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2012 Karma :

Just like others have said, get down to a shop and just try some on. When I did my CBT I borrowed a helmet some taka(insert rest of word) helmet on and it was Large. so In my head I was Large.
Went to a shop and I bought a Nitro helmet but I was XL in that make.
Good luck
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Fowlersrs · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Mar 2012 Karma :

If this is your first helmet then I think itd be suicide to order online without trying, I thought I knew what I wanted only to find that my head didnt want something because it was agony to wear, honestly, get down to a big shop, try everything on, find some designs u like, note the models, even ask if theyl match an online price, then you get to take the helmet home and not run the risk of it being smashed by a courier!!

aj1soad · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 22 Mar 2012 Karma :

went to a shop today and tried alot of different helmets on. the only 2 in the shop out of about 100 that fit nice with my glasses on was either BOX BX1 scope XL, or HJC XXL

pinkyfloyd · Super Spammer Joined: 20 Jul 2010 Karma :

Screw Loose · Scooby Slapper Joined: 09 Feb 2012 Karma :

As has already been said, go for the fit in store.

Sizes differ quite a lot, I'm a medium if it's a shoe, and a extra large if it's a nitro. For what it's worth, get it done properly at a shop, you wouldn't buy a new bike off ebay without checking it out first, don't treat your helmet any differently.

Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

JoeDougieDoug... · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Oct 2011 Karma :

I know its probably out of your price range - being a first helmet and all, but I have just bought a AGV Longway helmet...the flip up one. Its really quite comfortable and it actually has space in the padding for glasses which is nice. I bought mine for £100 but it was on sale, I think they go for about £150.
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_Iain_ · Banned Joined: 01 Feb 2012 Karma :

https://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

Search for the helmet on there, see how many saftey stars it got.

Also take note of the fitting advice, then go to a proper bike shop and get them to fit it.
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Jemcamb · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 16 Nov 2012 Karma :

I'm thinking of buying a Nitro Aikido helmet. Are they any good? Thanks

Englishman · Trackday Trickster Joined: 03 Nov 2011 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

TomGT · Spanner Monkey Joined: 22 Apr 2012 Karma :

don't pay any attention to the Sharp test, it is complete and utter bollocks. When the Sharp scheme won't tell manufacturers like Schuberth how they can improve, and £50 Chinese lids are getting more stars than Arai, you know something's up.

Went in to Infinity the other day and the guys in there agreed, they had an Arai Rx? that was worn by a lad who used to work there, he hit the central reservation of the M1 head first at 80mph, the Arai has a scuff on the left side and some smashed foam on the inside, but he survived without any head injuries.

Try that in any Box, Nitro, Takawattawa, Caberg and you will be killed, more often than not the helmet compresses to something like a piece of steel. The fact that Richard Hammond is still alive is testament to Arai, as well as the many racers who crash and survive. The reason Arai's score so low is because the side pods fall off, which they are meant to, this has probably saved lives on its own.

The Simpson Bandit doesn't even have a Sharp rating, but has all sorts of Snell ratings and suchlike, the fact that drag racers going more than 200mph trust them means they are more than good enough for the road.
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bikertomm · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jul 2010 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

TomGT. I strongly suspect you misunderstand a great deal of the physics behind how helmets work.

A helmet that is completely smashed to bits after an impact will probably have taken more energy out of the impact than one that looks relatively undamaged. There is a definate school of thought that some of the cheaper brands actually offer more protection because of this.

What you are paying for with an Arai is the longevity of a composite shell, lightness and different sized outer shells for different head sizes (cheaper helmets use one shell size and different thicknesses of padding). As well as a fairly large chunk of brand image.

I wear an Arai but only because it's the only one I've found that has robust enough cheek pads to prevent it pressing the visor against my nose at high speed.

Simson bandit is a particularly poor example to give. It's a car racing helmet. Not only does it have severely restricted peripheral vision but it is snell tested which means it's designed to take multiple impacts and resist penetration by a sharp object. As such, it's generally tougher than a motorcycle helmet which is only likely to sustain a single primary impact. Think of an egg being dropped in a biscuit tin compared to in a cardboard box.
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J.M. · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Mar 2011 Karma :

TomGT · Spanner Monkey Joined: 22 Apr 2012 Karma :

I do see your point Stinkwheel, but I'm basing my beliefs on what I've seen in my job. I've had a lad on a TZR that slid face first after his Caberg opened after a 40mph impact, a 16 year old on a ped who had a broken jaw after a low speed T-bone wearing a HJC, and a 52 year old with a base of skull fracture after being rear-ended at a junction.

On the contrary, a mate had a serious accident which involved hitting the roof of a Mercedes at high speed before bouncing 40ft down the road, he should have been killed, but his AGV Stealth saved him with the only head injury being a fractured eye socket. The AGV has a 5 star sharp test, which contradicts my point.

But I'm sure you'd agree that you should invest as much as you can in a high quality helmet, there are many people alive today because of their Shoei or Arai, but to date I haven't met anyone at a cafe, meet, or ride out who has mentioned their Box.

At the end of the day it's about trust, there's a video somewhere of the Schuberth factory tour, any component that's not absolutely perfect is chucked in the scrap bin, Chinese goods are generally made on the contrary. But at the same time my new Arai could have been assembled poorly in the last minute before the start of lunch hour, or the tested helmet in the batch could have just scraped through the factory safety test.
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stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :