[StrykerLover]

Thursday I'm gonna be ordering myself a new full faced helmet. There's so many choices that I'm getting dizzy just looking around. What have you guys and gals been having the best experience with regarding full faced helmets. I've pretty much narrowed my search for a helmet in the $100 - $200 price range, matte black finish, and a tinted windscreen preferably one that transitions with the sunlight.

I really like the Bell Arrow or Vortex and the ICON Alliance rubatone. Does anybody have any suggestions? Noise levels, durability, safty, and parts availability and of utmost importance for me.

Thanks in advance, I appreciate your input.

Adam

 

[larry]

While it may be tough to spend the extra bucks. The Shoie Quest is the way to go. Quiet and comfortable with very adequate ventilation.

 

[Kubalj]

While it may be tough to spend the extra bucks. The Shoie Quest is the way to go. Quiet and comfortable with very adequate ventilation.

Totally agree -- I ride with the Shoei Qwest and it's the best helmet I've had. Works great in different weather and temps. A bit more than $200, but it's an excellent helmet IMHO.

 

[jproos]

I also use the Qwest and agree that the ventilation is very good. My head is never the part of me that's overheating. I just got a tinted shield and it made it even better. Im really happy I picked it. I have the matte black finish. If you can manage to get it to fit in the budget, I'm sure you'd be very happy with it.

Full disclosure: I don't work for Shoie and I have no experience with the other options you mentioned.

 

[Kubalj]

My head is never the part of me that's overheating. I just got a tinted shield and it made it even better.

Couldn't have said it better. Just ordered the smoke shield yesterday LOL!

 

[schimbo stryker]

I've got a shoei rf 1100 and I love it. Very light so there's no neck fatigue

 

[Kubalj]

A side shot of the Shoei Qwest -- no buffeting or lift when on the Stryker.

 

[StrykerLover]

WOW! Those shoei's are really nice, but I'm afraid that they are all out of my price range. Thanks for the input though. Prices start at $300 and for the riding that I do a regular helmet will be fine. If I had the money I would definately consider the shoei quest. Here in Northern Maine I frequently have the street to myself. Very little traffic, mostly worried about moose in the road. LOL! Any other suggestions?

 

[Kubalj]

My apologies for the grainy picture, but you get the idea. This is the first helmet I've owned that has become an afterthought rather than a nuisance. Personally, I would spend the money on a quality shield for the noggin before mods, but that's just me.

 

[Kubalj]

WOW! Those shoei's are really nice, but I'm afraid that they are all out of my price range. Thanks for the input though. Prices start at $300 and for the riding that I do a regular helmet will be fine. If I had the money I would definately consider the shoei quest. Here in Northern Maine I frequently have the street to myself. Very little traffic, mostly worried about moose in the road. LOL! Any other suggestions?

Well for me it was the fit, finish, and style -- but mostly the fit. And the ventilation (which is awesome). I tried a LOT of helmets, and for me the Shoei was the best. Tried Scorpion, Arai, Bell, etc. Just didn't do it for me. Anymore, all helmets are going to be DOT certified for safety -- but make sure it fits and is comfortable. I say comfortable so that you'll actually wear it, rather than just wish for something else. You don't need to spend $400. A good fitting helmet that you wear is better than something cool (or uncomfortable) that you don't wear. You will know when you find "the one". Shoei is just one example, but there are a lot of fantastic helmets on the market that you should try. You'll find your fit and price, and when you do you'll be glad you shopped around. Don't buy a name. Buy protection, and make sure it fits. If you try something on that feels really good but is $50 more than your budget, then I say spend the extra $50...cause if you go cheap and get something "OK" then you'll just regret it.

 

[immortal13]

Strykerlover, I'm a big fan of Scorpion(exo700 or higher) helmets. I've got 4 of them and they are as good as Shoei in my opinion and a little less. Lots of cool graphics or solid gloss or matte finishes to choose from. Ebay is a good place to shop for helmets if you haven't tried.

fav one I have...

 

[jproos]

WOW! Those shoei's are really nice, but I'm afraid that they are all out of my price range. Thanks for the input though. Prices start at $300 and for the riding that I do a regular helmet will be fine. If I had the money I would definately consider the shoei quest. Here in Northern Maine I frequently have the street to myself. Very little traffic, mostly worried about moose in the road. LOL! Any other suggestions?

Well for me it was the fit, finish, and style -- but mostly the fit. And the ventilation (which is awesome). I tried a LOT of helmets, and for me the Shoei was the best. Tried Scorpion, Arai, Bell, etc. Just didn't do it for me. Anymore, all helmets are going to be DOT certified for safety -- but make sure it fits and is comfortable. I say comfortable so that you'll actually wear it, rather than just wish for something else. You don't need to spend $400. A good fitting helmet that you wear is better than something cool (or uncomfortable) that you don't wear. You will know when you find "the one". Shoei is just one example, but there are a lot of fantastic helmets on the market that you should try. You'll find your fit and price, and when you do you'll be glad you shopped around. Don't buy a name. Buy protection, and make sure it fits. If you try something on that feels really good but is $50 more than your budget, then I say spend the extra $50...cause if you go cheap and get something "OK" then you'll just regret it.

I totally agree. Wear it before you buy it. I did that at the dealer and of what they had I liked the one I got the best.

As I recall, it was actually an HJC rep who helped me out. He was clearly more interested in getting me the right helmet than selling me his helmet. The world owes that guy some good karma. He was awesome at getting the right fit.

If you're not sure of what to look for regarding fit, look for a salesman/woman who asks you specific questions about the fit. They should be asking more than "how does that feel?" Also, I believe a poorly fitting expensive helmet is much less effective than a well fitting cheaper helmet. Remember that's your brain were talking about. It pays to get it right.

At least some of the helmets have choices regarding the size of the cheek pads. Getting that right made a major difference regarding the fit of my helmet. Make sure you're not chewing on your cheeks.

Good luck finding the right helmet for you.

 

[The_Joker]

I went with what fit the best........seems I have an expensively shaped head.....

Pulled down an Arai Profile.......costly but wanted something that was comfortable.....Still have yet to find anything that fits as good.....

Added some reflective stickers on the side and a reflective Joker on the back.....

 

[StrykerLover]

I was going to order my helmet online, but with all of you suggestions I might have to take my bike for a ride and actually shop around for a helmet. Our businesses around here don't really stock up on helmets so they order them for you as well. Don't need a dealer to do that for me. LOL! In Maine we have a few big dealerships that carry lots of helmets in stock but it's 200 miles oneway. Can somebody say ROADTRIP? I might wait until next weekend and take a ride to actually try the helmets. I really love all of these suggestions and immortal, I too like those scorpion helmets.

 

[UrbanRage]

I was looking for a new helmet for a long time and after reading a ton of reviews I decided on the Shoei RF-1100. No stores could match the prices I found online, so I went to a local motorcycle shop to try on different sizes. It wasn't easy dropping the 417 on a helmet... but after wearing it for hours, I am so glad that I did. I honestly forget that I am wearing a helmet. If you are looking for a great helmet seriously look into the Shoei-RF1100.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/38/25134/ITEM/Shoei-RF-1100-Helmet.aspx

I bought the Matte Black and got a dark smoke lens for it. Try and find some discount codes online also, they help.

I just realized you had put a price range... sorry about that. I was the same way until my wife said "considering you wear this helmet everyday you want one that will offer great comfort, reliability and safety so spend the extra money on it" Coming from her that was huge...lol... she is a wicked penny pincher, hopefully she doesn't read this ;D...

Just some added info about the helmet, it doesn't leak in the rain because how they designed the shield, all the padding in removable for washing and/or replacement, and it comes with a chin skirt and nose guard. The ventilation is awesome, light weight and very stable.

 

[klarowe]

I have a Scorpion exo-1000 and I absolutely love it. It has air inflated adjustable cheek pads for a 'custom' fit. The wind noise is very minimal and it does not move very much at all at highway speeds on a windy day (aerodynamics is good). Finally, possibly the best part, is that it has a built in sun visor. Just pull the lever on the side and the inner visor comes down. Works really nice for the back road rides... I can leave the main visor open and just have the sun visor down to protect my eyes.

 

[Minibob]

Here's my 2 helmets. The one I had a custom paint job done of my own design. It's loosely based off a couple of my favorite F1 drivers. It's a KBC wolf. The other I just got last year and am loving it. GMAX GM68. It does come with a clear lens and a tint half lens over that. But, took it off for now. It also has a light on the back. I'm thinking about looking for one with blue tooth and am internal visor.

 

[Frag]

My previous bikes were racers ...so I had that 500$ Shoei that served me well for few years. The problem was that it was too colorful for my today's taste.

So I sanded it, primed it, and painted it mate black. The finish still look perfect. I am happy with the result.

Ok where I was going with this .... ok yeah ... don't be afraid to invest in a good helmet like Shoei or Arai. They hold WAY longer than cheap helmet. They never turn uncomfortable over time. So in the end they are not that expensive...

 

[Kubalj]

I was going to order my helmet online, but with all of you suggestions I might have to take my bike for a ride and actually shop around for a helmet. Our businesses around here don't really stock up on helmets so they order them for you as well. Don't need a dealer to do that for me. LOL! In Maine we have a few big dealerships that carry lots of helmets in stock but it's 200 miles oneway. Can somebody say ROADTRIP? I might wait until next weekend and take a ride to actually try the helmets. I really love all of these suggestions and immortal, I too like those scorpion helmets.

I've ordered helmets online but I've never kept a single one. Even within the same brand there are subtle yet noticeable fit-and-feel differences that will only reveal themselves when you start trying on various helmets, sizes, styles, and brands. Personally, I am not a brand fanatic and there are a LOT of really great helmets at $200. But the only true way to know which is best for you is to try on at LEAST 5 or 6 so you have a minimal baseline for comparison. Some expensive, some less expensive, etc. So, yes, I see a ROADTRIP in your future. look forward to hearing about your final choice!

 

[Strykeback]

If you can swing the extra mula check out Nexx X1R1 and the reviews on revzilla. This is one of the few helmets I can stick my goofy long oval head into comfortable. If you have a more round head there a many more options for you. The X1R1 is very quiet and the padding is in layers so you can strip out and add as needed for a more custom fit. My local dealer said once they started carrying this helmet the sales of their Arai and Shoei fell significantly while the number of helmets sold increased. Many riders cannot afford a $600 plus but this seems to bridge the gap price between the high and low priced helmets. Plus they are very light weight. They offer a carbon version which 1lb lighter but now you back at $600. Only draw back is they do not offer a model with an internal tinted visor.