+1

Both are excellent and proven manufacturers!

I'm sure other manufacturers might be good, but for my dollar and my protection, no other will do.

 

You guys ever read the June 05 Motorcyclist article called "Blowing The Lid Off"
It makes you think twice about Snell.

 

ARAI is my choice.

 

+1 to Arai.

I've had cheaper HJC and Scorpions in the past, and my new Signet-Q (the ONLY helmet - as far as I know - built for "long-oval" domes like my alien head) is far and away a higher quality product.

And as to the importance of "fit," let me put it this way... I wore an XL in HJC and Scorpion, just to get them around my noggin. An Arai salesman at the recent international motorcycle show measured my head and was like, "Dude, you're a MEDIUM." Darned if he wasn't right, too. Now I wear a Medium Arai, with much less air blowin' up in there...

 

Ever try on a Simpson Bandit?
I sure hope you have after your response. A little pricey when they start at $400.00 and up, but worth every cent in you are doing a long ride. It'll be the best fitting helmet you ever sank your face in to, light as a feather, and aero up to any speed, period.
The OP also said the "safest", it's usually between three makes, Simpson is the dominant, Bell and Impact. If it's pure safety, it usually ends with those three.

 

I just got the Bell RS-1. Comparable to the Arai RX and Shoei X-?. About $200 less than both of those, though. I love it!

 

Check out www.webbikeworld.com They have a ton of info on helmets. Look for Snell M2010 (not M2005) or ECE 22.05 certified. Also try on lots of different helmets. You want a snug, tight fit, it will loosen up over time. Fit varies with head shape not just size and some helmet brands/models fit different head shapes better than others. For instance Shoei & HJC are excellent if you have a rounder head but not so good if you have a long narrow head. Shark and Scorpion fit narrower heads better. Aria make different models to fit different head shapes. Venting is very important to comfort and also related to price, as a rule of thumb <$200 helmets don't vent well although are just as safe as more expensive helmets.

 

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...id-Helmet.aspx
Dot & Snell. Too bad these went back up in price I got mine for like $65 bucks. Great Helmet. I get no fog, fits well, etc. Hard to beat for the price. Plus you can buy night time visors for it.

 

When they are DOT and Snell Certified, the ratings are then pretty much the same from helmet to Helmet.

What you are then paying for is Comfort, ease of use, colors and graphics, cooling ability, air flow, noise reduction and so on

 

Pick up a bottle of anti fog spray for the visor too if you are going to drive in the rain or cold. There is no such thing as a truly fog free visor unless it is PinLock or similar dual pane design.