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Be fore warned....A half Helmet is nothing more than a PRETEND Helmet, nothing more. A good flip up is a good choice.
Dean O
Gran Pa Hoon
Founder San Jose BMW
Builder of the Motorcyclist Cafe Barn and Bunkhouse
Alamogordo, NM
'20 Spyder F3 L
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Very Active Member
I agree that regardless of cost, a helmet must fit well and be comfortable. A $1000 helmet means nothing if you won't wear it because of pain or hot spots. I have a round head that is large so the best fit I could find was in an HJC IS Max 2 in 3X. It's modular with good ventilation and a drop down sun shield. Around $200 My wife likes her Sedici Systema from Cycle Gear, also modular with a drop down sun shield. Around $200. The SENA 20s unit fits fine in both.
Last edited by Highwayman2013; 01-16-2018 at 09:29 AM.
2016 F3 Limited
2019 Ryker Rally
2014 Suzuki V Strom 650
2020 CSC TT 250
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Very Active Member
I have this helmet and like it very much for the wide range of vision if offers, I don't care much for the quick release strap though, I prefer the strap and D ring method. Overall I'm very happy with this helmet though.
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/nolan-n44-helmet
Ed
They told me not to give up on my dreams, so I went back to sleep.
Champagne 2017 RTS SE6
Quantum Blue 2012 RTS-SE5 "Bluebell, Bell for short" - Traded 09/2017
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by rpatsh
Fit, Fit, Fit, that is the important thing!!!
And two helmets of different models and different years and the same size from the same mfr won't necessarily fit the same.
Sierra Electronics will, or at least used to, let you order more than one helmet and return the ones you don't like.
2014 Copper RTS
Tri-Axis bars, CB, BajaRon sway bar & shock adjusters, SpyderPop's Bumpskid, NBV peg brackets, LED headlights and modulator, Wolo trumpet air horns, trailer hitch, custom trailer harness, high mount turn signals, Custom Dynamics brake light, LED turn signal lights on mirrors, LED strip light for a dash light, garage door opener, LED lights in frunk, trunk, and saddlebags, RAM mounts and cradles for tablet (for GPS) and phone (for music), and Smooth Spyder belt tensioner.
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Active Member
Agree with Scorpin
Originally Posted by Raprider
CycleGear has full-face and modular helmets with built-in bluetooth communications for pretty darn reasonable prices...unfortunately, not in the XS that me and the missus needed...so we recently (2 years ago) went with Scorpion modular lids and are both very happy with fit...and will be adding Sena setups by Spring.
My wife and I have Scorpion Exo 3/4 helmets. We like them very much. The not only have the clear face shield, but a retractable sun visor as well, so in daylight, you can run just sun visor protecting your eyes, face shield or both. They are lightweight and comfortable and seem to be very protective. If I remember correctly we paid about $150.00 each retail from the dealer.
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I've tried $600+ Arai's and Shoei, $129 HJC and KBC, and everything in between. Currently my collection has AGV, Suomy, and Bell. Bell by the way, has Sena integration on their Qualifer DLX line - the Sena SMH10 unit fits into a little pocket in the shell.
You don't have to spend top dollar. Many road racers who ride twice as fast as you, have perfectly safe helmets at reasonable prices. Look for Snell, ECE, and DOT approved helmets. https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...ty-ratings-101 Anything without are considered "novelty" helmets. While there is debate whether a $1000 carbon fiber limited edition race helmet is 5x safer than a $200 off the shelf unit, the general rule of thumb is the more expensive ones have more features and are lighter or quieter.
If this is your first helmet, go to an actual shop and try all of them on. Cyclegear has a good selection of their inexpensive house brand and the premium Shoei and Arai. They all fit differently even within the same brand. Try, try and try some more.
Last edited by asp125; 01-16-2018 at 02:58 PM.
When life throws you curves, aim for the apex
Current stable: 09 Thruxton / 09 FZ6
Sold List: 97 Ninja500R, 03 SV650K3, 01 Ducati 750Sport Dark, 73 CB350/4, 03 F650GSA, 08 Gixxer600, 03 Gixxer600, 91 VFR750F, 09 KLX250, 06 Thruxton 900, 08 Spyder RS , 12 Street TripleR, 15 RC390, 02 VFR800, 09 KLX250S, 10 F650GS
JLohPhotos
... Motorcycles are kind of like Baskin Robbins... You're looking at 31 flavors of ice cream, don't you kind of want to know what they all taste like?...
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Very Active Member
Wife has an HJC RPHA MAX and loves it. Probably the lightest Modular on the market. I have a KABUTO Modular. We both love our helmets. And the SENA units fit and work great. Tom
Baloo is my name. Spyders are my game. Well, it's a doo-bah-dee-doo, yes, it's a doo-bah-dee-doo, I mean a doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee-dee-doo. And, well, now. Ha ha! What have we here?
2020 Petrol Blue Metallic RTL
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by akspyderman
Correction?/Update?
RE: SENA communicators and newest Nolan modular helmets.
The SENA communicators that I have (SMH-10) do not attach to the lip on the above mentioned NOLAN's. I use the screw down attachment. I have not tried the "stick on" tabs. Just an update, because I see others have had success with the SENA on Nolan.
We bought the built in N-Com with the Nolans. They are NOT as good (reception wise) as our SENA--which we have mounted on earlier versions of Nolan.
Tried the stick on for the wife's 20s and it came unglued out on the road. I found a way to make the clamp work.
2016 F3 Limited
2019 Ryker Rally
2014 Suzuki V Strom 650
2020 CSC TT 250
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Helmets are Personal
You said you have a Cycle Gear near you. Go try on as many as you can handle. My forehead was raw, after trying on over a dozen helmets a few weeks ago, at my local Cycle Gear. Helmets are personal. Irrespective of price or rating, you want the helmet to be comfortable. I tried everything on from $100 lids to helmets in excess of $600. I used to be really comfortable with HJC; however, my oval head shape doesn't seem to work with the newer models. I tried on everything from Bilt to Arai. I settled on an AGV K3 SV. The helmet works great and readily accepted the Sena 10S communications system. The folks at Cycle Gear installed the system in my helmet for me at no additional charge. Truth be told, they are rather simple to put in. The AGV works great for me and the Sena 10S is absolutely stellar for my needs. Good luck.
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Don't look at the price label
When trying on helmets, ignore the price. Keep trying different ones until you find one that fits. (newbies, ask a good salesman or read up on how a helmet should fit). Most people at first end up getting a helmet that is too big for them. Once you find the best fitting one, then look at the price and if it's more than your budget, ask the salesman for help on similar helmets as far as head shape, size, and features.
When life throws you curves, aim for the apex
Current stable: 09 Thruxton / 09 FZ6
Sold List: 97 Ninja500R, 03 SV650K3, 01 Ducati 750Sport Dark, 73 CB350/4, 03 F650GSA, 08 Gixxer600, 03 Gixxer600, 91 VFR750F, 09 KLX250, 06 Thruxton 900, 08 Spyder RS , 12 Street TripleR, 15 RC390, 02 VFR800, 09 KLX250S, 10 F650GS
JLohPhotos
... Motorcycles are kind of like Baskin Robbins... You're looking at 31 flavors of ice cream, don't you kind of want to know what they all taste like?...
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Very Active Member
A site sponsor BajaRon sells helmets or did. He's very good with the explanation for fitting. He helped me select different arai pads due to a fitment screw up at the dealer for an arai helmet.
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Very Active Member
First, figure out what your head shape is -- round, round oval, intermediate oval, or long oval. This is the most important thing you need to determine. It is absolutely critical to comfort and safety.
Different helmets within major brands cater to different heads shapes. Arai in general caters to oval heads, and their Signet line is one of the very few that caters to long oval heads. Shoei does a lot of intermediate oval helmets.
Revzilla does a good job of identifying which helmets fit which head shapes. You should try several helmets, each chosen to test how its shape fits on your noggin.
For example, I've used Arai Signets for my last three helmets due to my long oval head shape. I tried a Shoei Neotec (because I really, really wanted a modular helmet), and bought their slightly larger headliner to see if that would accommodate my head. It didn't, and now I have a perfectly good Neotec sitting on my shelf.
Moral: get the proper helmet for the shape of your head.
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Active Member
End Result
First off, I want to thank everyone for their input!
I kinda put everything into a blender and came out buying a Shoei Neotec modular.
This helmet had all the bells and whistles and was very comfortable.
It was a little more than I wanted to spend but I'm sure it will be well worth it in
the long run.
Thanks again all.....
Jeff
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Originally Posted by Fat Baxter
First, figure out what your head shape is -- round, round oval, intermediate oval, or long oval. This is the most important thing you need to determine. It is absolutely critical to comfort and safety.
Different helmets within major brands cater to different heads shapes. Arai in general caters to oval heads, and their Signet line is one of the very few that caters to long oval heads. Shoei does a lot of intermediate oval helmets.
Moral: get the proper helmet for the shape of your head.
I found Caberg helmets offer a great fit for "long oval" shaped heads like mine. I take a XXL and most manufacturers helmets just don't fit. At all. These are German made I believe and offer a terrific value with all of the options like flip down sun shade and pin lock visor ...
If you have a noggin like mine this helmet will fit snuggly side to side and front to back.
amazon.com has them and they are very reasonably priced. Very.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by Jeffmal
First off, I want to thank everyone for their input!
I kinda put everything into a blender and came out buying a Shoei Neotec modular.
This helmet had all the bells and whistles and was very comfortable.
It was a little more than I wanted to spend but I'm sure it will be well worth it in
the long run.
Thanks again all.....
Jeff
The story ends with a happy ending, enjoy your new helmet!
White 2013 Spyder RT Limited. BajaRon Swaybar, Custom Dynamic Third Brake Light. Ultimate Custom Black and White seat with driver and passenger back rest. Gloryder Led Wheel lights.Custom Dynamics Led Bright sides, Amber and Red Fender lights, and Saddle Bag Bright sides.
2016 F3 Limited Intense Red Pearl. Lidlox, BRP Driver Back Rest, BRP Passenger Back Rest,Fog Lights, GPS, Signature Light! Custom Dynamics LED Bright Sides, Amber and Red Fender lights, and Saddle Bag Bright Sides.
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Active Member
Originally Posted by Highwayman2013
I agree that regardless of cost, a helmet must fit well and be comfortable.
+100 This is the most important thing with helmets. Especially if you want to ride further than your corner grocery store. I've spent a lot on a helmet just to find it has a 'hot spot' one hour into riding. An uncomfortable helmet can be much more dangerous than whether it has a Snell, Snark, ECE, or whatever rating. Being uncomfortable is distracting beyond belief on a long road trip.
Try it on at a local store, shop prices online if you want--but make sure the online retailer has a great return policy.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by malibu_dan
.....make sure the online retailer has a great return policy.
Most dealers won't accept a return helmet if you admit you've taken it out on the road. (hint, hint)
In my Neotec example above, I wore it around in the store for a while and it felt OK. The inevitable hot spot didn't show up until about two hours into the first ride. Then it became insufferable. But the dealer won't take it back.
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Originally Posted by Pirate looks at --
Before you rule out a helmet because of Price, ask your self; "How much is my brain worth. We ryde with Arai helmets that cost us over $600.00 each and are Snell certified. Really the most important consideration is, how does it fit. If you are uncomfortable you will be miserable. Don't shop at the dealer, they usually carry very little in inventory. Go to Cyclegear if you have one close by, they have lots of options to choose from and you can try them on to know that they will fit. Walk around the store for a while so you can get a good feel for how it fits. You can also go to Revzilla.com and see video reviews of most helmets.
Happy shopping!
Exactly my feelings also. You really do get what you pay for.
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Active Member
Have a Scorpion
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SpyderLovers Sponsor
Go to your local Cycle Gear Store they will have a bunch of
different helmets to pick from or go on line to Cyclegear.com
Originally Posted by Jeffmal
When I purchased my F3T a couple of weeks ago, the dealer had slim choices
in helmets so I purchased a 3/4 Cyber for $50-..... Now I am looking for suggestions that are safe and not too
crazy price wise but comfort is also very important!
Any suggestions from you seasoned Ryders?
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Just picked up a new Shoei Neotec on close out at the new Cycle Gear store in Chattanooga, Tn. About $100.00 off.
Like it, very comfortable.
They have a huge selection in that store.
Dean O
Gran Pa Hoon
Founder San Jose BMW
Builder of the Motorcyclist Cafe Barn and Bunkhouse
Alamogordo, NM
'20 Spyder F3 L
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Active Member
money well spent
Originally Posted by Jeffmal
First off, I want to thank everyone for their input!
I kinda put everything into a blender and came out buying a Shoei Neotec modular.
This helmet had all the bells and whistles and was very comfortable.
It was a little more than I wanted to spend but I'm sure it will be well worth it in
the long run.
Thanks again all.....
Jeff
Money spent on safety is money well spent even if you never use what you bought. When you need good safety gear, it's too late to buy it. What it comes down to is, what is your life worth? When I used to race sailboats, I had really good quality automatic inflatable life jackets equipped with laser signals, water activated flashing beacon, die markers (that was the result of another boat losing a man over the side in heavy swells during a race and even with helos , the coasties and Sheriff's marine patrol and a half dozen race boats looking, we couldn't find him. He was lucky enough to be seen by a worker on a oil platform) whistles and small, waterproof VHF radios. I never needed any of it, but it was cheap peace of mind. The photo I use is about the only time I ever raced without wearing my life vest. Later that day when the wind and swells picked up we all dressed up.
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I recently found out the Cycle gear was purchased by Revzilla. Cycle Gear gives veterans a 10% discount. Cycle Gear can also get any helmet that Revzilla carries. My wife and I ordered and got the new Schuberth C-4 helmet. This helmet is supposedly one of the quietest on the market. It is just about as light as a Carbon Fiber also. We also got the Schuberth version of the Sena 30K system, which is just 2 little packs that are placed in the housing of the helmets. Makes for a Nice, clean look. So far we are really impressed. The only thing we don't like about Schuberth is the size of the helmets, they are large, I wear a large and it doesn't fit in the Frunk.
Good luck in your search for a helmet... We value our heads so we go with good ones.
USAF MSgt, Retired
2018 F3 Intense Red
Squared Away Lasar alignment, TricLED Headlights, Foglights,Safety Bundle with Turn Module, BajaRon Sway Bar,Squared Away Mirror Wedges, Stebel Air Horn, Dash Turn Indicators, TricLED USA Flag
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