Not about saving money, it's about spending it wisely. I worked in EMS for many years and saw alot of dead bikers wearing perfectly good helmets. The human body wasn't designed to ride on motorcycles and bounce off cars, utility poles and curbs so there's only so much you can do to protect yourself. When your head bounces off the A pillar of a car or utility pole, it's not going to make any difference what brand of helmet you're wearing.

 

I studied this stuff a lot. I actually read that in average riding speed crashes, as opposed to racing speeds, DOT actually comes out a little better than Snell does.

That being said, there's not a lot anyone can say about styrofoam. The other thing to consider is the amount of leverage that is placed on your neck in an impact crash. Cheaper, heavier helmets will stress the neck vertebrae more than a lighter helmet made of harder material will. By the same token, size also comes into play, and as you go up in price, size tends to decrease with more expensive materials.

As well as being more comfortable, so that it it actually gets worn instead of left on the shelf.

I've actually seen some non DOT lids that are pretty good as well. The best test for a non dot lid is to put your fist inside it then tap on it with the other hand. If you can feel anything, then it's worthless. Some of the better non DOT lids are better than you think. All in all, the choice is, or at least should be, yours.

 

"It's a shame HD dealers are so narrow minded about gear brand and selection."

I might be wrong (and welcome correction), but I wouldn't be surprised that HD dealerships don't carry "non-HD" brands of helmets because of restrictions in their franchises with HD itself….

I have been to at least one Harley dealership (Jim Moroney's in Newburgh NY) that carries "major name" helmets, but this seems to be due to the fact that they sell metric bikes as well as Harleys. Also interesting is that in the Harley area of the dealership, only HD-branded helmets are on the racks -- for the Shoeis and other brands, you have to walk over to the "metric area" of the building….

 

I prefer the modular. Nice to flip it up at gas station or to talk to someone.

 

I think modular is the way I'm going to go. Now to figure out which one.

 

So is what your saying is why even buy a helmet? They don't help anyways if you crash.
If a six hundred dollar helmet only gave me a 1% better chance of living than a two hundred dollar made in China HJC I think it's money spent wisely.

If you spent your money wisely you would never buy a Harley

 

So many factors involved that is it way above my head but anyone who wears a 1/2 helmet and seems concerned about safety puzzles me. I saw a lady go off a bike at low speed (by the time she went off) and from her cheek down was the biggest mess you ever saw. I do not think about it any more since it would be hard for me to ride and think that way. My full face Shoei with DOT and SNELL would have protected her at that speed. At high speed it probably does not matter. Get her a good one but let her pick the color and stencil design. You can probably save a lot by checking fit and then order on line if the shop won't price match. What I did.

 

True but...how many did you see walk away wearing good helmets vs. not so good helmets? Some of those you weren't even called to the scene...

I question the "racing speeds" part. Who is wearing a DOT helmet at "racing speeds"? You can't compare track-only SNELL use to DOT.

Also, what was the age of the SNELL standard(s)? '00, '05, '10 ??

I resell my used SNELLs for $100 - $150+. Try that with a $200 helmet...

"High Speed" is bad if you hit something. If you knocked off the bike at 80mph somehow, the distance to the ground is the problem. But the slide is the other part. Especially if you're face-down.

 

The case I am talking about was probably below 20 by the time she went off. The were in a hard left sweeping interstate ramp and he was inexperienced and slowed to catch it and over corrected and she pitched off and tried to catch herself and of course went on into the ground landing on her cheek and shattering it and her jaw. Only reason she is alive is she went over guard rail but she is still recovering after two years. I really believe a cheep full face would have protected her but who knows. Sure there are going to be people on here that says the weight would have broke her neck but I think that has little to do with it and it's you body weight below helmet that does that.

I personally will never be knocked off doing 80.

 

The helmet is for the wife. I know I'm not doing myself any favors wearing a HH if I go down but I can't wear a FF.