I have been looking at helmets all day. Talked with a friend he said Shoei was rated at the top. I think I am going with a full face for now. I want it to have a clear shield with ability to wear sun glasses under. Is Shoei worth the price? I want the best ventelation and best chance of walking away alive...

I like this one...
http://www.shoei-helmets.com/Helmet....-1100&h=18&t=1

 

I'd do a comprehensive search on the internet for helmet ratings. A few years back, Motorcycle Consumer News did a comprehensive study and testing on all of the major helmet manufacturers. They found that many of the mid range priced helmets performed very well, and were just as comfortable as the high $$$ ones were. At the time they rated the Scorpion EXO-700 as the "best buy", so that's what I went with. Haven't been disappointed at all.

 

You will pay extra for the name. The important thing is to get one that fits properly. I wouldnt order a helmet online without trying it on somewhere first. I have a carbon fiber FF and still grab my 16 yrs old KBC most of the time. Both of my KBC's are very quiet helmets. Safety wise the Snell rating exceeds the DOT.

 

I'm in the market for replaing my helmest that are 4 & 5 years old, but I just can't et myself to ride with anything more than a 1/2 or 3/4 helmet, mostly 1/2, just spoils the freedom of the ride for me.

 

Exactly what I need. Quick question. I have my old helmet it's an HJC with a SNELL rating. Dirt bike style. Does this qualify for street use or dirt only?

 

Give the Shark Evoline a look, I got one and like the chin bar that rotates clear back so you can wear it as a 3/4 if you want.

Mark

 

SNELL rating is universal no matter if the helmet is designed for street or dirt. I wear a Klim helmet when dirt bike riding, and my Scorpion for street. Both are Snell and DOT rated.

 

No guarantees on even the most expensive- they're only warranteed to 13 mph...

Buy what fits and feels right- the price doesn't guarantee anything.

http://www.leatherup.com/p/Hawk-Helm...th/336165.html

 

I have a shoei full face from my sport bike days and I would recommend them. They are lighter, have better ventilation, the openings on shoei helmets are bigger than others which gives you better field of vision, and the thing that sold me was the ability to change cheek pieces. Shoei offers about 25 different cheek piece sets, its not just small medium or large. This is perfect for me because my head is a medium but cheeks are a large on most so I always had an improperly fitting helmet.

You can negate the cost by buying a previous year helmet.

A lot of the manufacturers are cheaper helmets and you are paying for sweet graphics; icon is the worst for this in my opinion.

Another good option is agv, they make a lot that are marketed towards bmw riders.

If you want cheaper but still good I would recommend HJC. I rode one for two years and crashed it. It was a good helmet, everything was above average at an average price. When I crashed it I landed face first on a parking curb. The chin piece hit first, the weakest part of the helmet, I got up immediately and was fine. It cracked slightly around one of the vents but I still have a face thanks to it.

 

A full face helmet isn't necessarily the safest. There have been studies that have shown that the FF helmet increases the chance for cervical spine injury. I have worn a police half helmet for 14 years, year 'round. I have had two crashes while wearing it, and were it not for the helmet I would be drawaing with crayons or worse today. The second crash I T-boned a car while pursuing another. Got launched clean over the windshield and landed face first approxiamtely 20 yards down the road. My jaw was sore and I had cuts and abrasions on my face, but not as bad as you might think. I wouldn't trade the half helmet for any other style. The drawbacks with the 3/4 and the FF are just too great.

I wear a Nolan Supercruise half helmet on my personal bike. It's light but has superior impact resistance, and has a lot of great features. It's reasonably priced at about $179.

FF helmets are more appropriate for a sport bike and high speed riding, with the posture and lack of protection inherent with those bikes. On a HD touring bike, however, the half or 3/4 helmets make more sense.