I searched through the forums for a section on helmets but didn't find one so I figured posting here would be the next best place since I see a lot of the club style dyna riders rocking these helmets.

I am in the market for a new helmet and I have always liked the look of the Simpson Outlaw Bandit helmets. They have a very distinct look to them and they seem to be a little bit less profile than others out there. They also don't scream crotch rocket which I like. I was looking for opinions and input from those that either wear or have worn this helmet? Also how do they fit? I currently wear a BILT Techno full-face from cycle gear which isnt horrible but I want something new as my helmet is about 3 years old. But I was wondering how the fit is on these helmets as there is no where in my area to try these helmets on. I would have to ride 5 hours just to try one on. I am only interested in full-face helmets as the majority of my riding is done above 70 mph and it is what I prefer.

Thanks in advance...

 

can go wrong with Shoei. I dont have experience with the outlaw. seems like people just get them to look cool? I dont know. Shoei saved my head twice, thats all ill probably ever wear.

 

I had one of the Outlaw Bandit helmets made out of carbon fiber.

Fit and finish sucked. There were no ear pockets, so your ears were smashed into your head, resulting in pain after a while. There was a 1/4 to 1/3 inch gap between the face shield and helmet. The locking system for the face shield is a crude pin that sticks out and grabs a hole.

I've had many Shoei helmets (RF1000, 1100, Qwest, Neotec) and my wife likes Arai. Both brands are light years beyond anything Simpson has to offer.

But the Simpson does look badass. It has that going for it...

 

Agree with the above posts....Shoei is a much better quality helmet. The Simpson Bandit helmets seem to be popular because it's the trendy helmet to buy right now with the dyna-crowd. Just read some of the reviews on the Simpson vs a Shoei or Shuberth for instance. I've seen them in person and the Simpson has lots of flex in the chin area, vs a Shoei FR1200 or Shuberth S2, which has next to none.

I own a Shoei RF-1200 and would choose it any day over a Simpson Bandit.

 

I think you answered your own question in your initial post... What's so great about the helmet is simply that it's unique and looks cool. And the brand name has some motorsport cred, but I've unfortunately never really heard a very positive review of the current batch of helmets. I've read that the company changed quite a bit after Bill Simpson left, but I dunno...

I've had two Bell Star Carbons, and that is an awesome helmet. The Bell Star line was just revamped this year, and there are now three families: Bell Star, Bell Star Race, Bell Star Pro. The standard Bell Star is apparently designed with a shape intended for an upright riding position, as opposed to a sport tuck...

 

I like mine. It is comfortable to me, and I have worn it 8+ hours in a day.

Don't like how this vinyl material has cracked. The gap in the visor and the helmet is annoying. When I purchased mine at the store in Long Beach and they gave me a free visor and they also gave me some 3M foam with adhesive to fill the gap which helps a lot.

 

forgot to add, I have the outlaw bandit. And I wanted a shoei at first, and I will probably get one next year. Or something that is snell approved.

 

It looks cool, that's all. It's loud, heavy, and fit isn't great.

 

I'v got a Ghost Bandit (go figure)

Slices through air like a knife / no buffeting - at speed
Inner and outer shields
Light (referring to the non carbon one)
Comfortable
Ventilation is pretty good
Noise - not excessive w/ the outer shield down
View - plenty

Ghost

 

I tried both and ended up with the Shoei Quest, and I am very happy with it. The Simpson is just for looks, and it was a crotch rocket helmet when it first came out. It's heavy, uncomfortable and loud IMO.