welcome, congrats. as for helmet suggestions I have a HD 3/4 w face shield for colder days and an Outlaw 1/2 helmet for the warmer ones.

I found my 1/2 at:
http://www.leatherup.com/l/Motorcycle-Helmets/12.html

 

CONGRATULATIONS on your new scoot, and welcome to the nut house!

 

My advice is just a repeat of everyone else.......All DOT approved helmets are going to give you that mushroom head look. Ride the bike for a while and figure out the direction you want to go with it, as you'll probably change your mind a few times over. Bassani makes a good exhaust, but so do others. The same goes with intakes. I'm running the Ness Big Sucker II and Bassani Pro Streets. Visit a few bike nights or shows, and listen & look over what other people have to find exactly what parts you like.

 

Your brains may be scrambled but hey you will look cool laying there. Its your choice just do not kid yourself into thinking you have protection from anything other than a ticket.


RAL

 

Here's my helmet experience (not advice). I bought a super nice Scorpion EVO 1000 full face helmet right before my motorcycle safety course. It is a fantastic helmet, in which I feel like I'm riding through outer space, totally disconnected from reality, like in a video game. It is comfortable and no doubt extremely safe as far as helmets go. I now only wear it below 40F because it is very helpful in keeping me warm.

I have probably 10 different helmets. Each works as a helmet, but each has its pros and cons. Some I don't wear at all - they don't fit quite right, or I don't like their aerodynamic performance. For example, the german style brain bucket with that horizontal lip catches air and wants to pull my head back with it, it gets tiresome despite it's cool looks.

My black brain bucket is my favorite, but on a hot sunny day, the black color bakes my noggin. I have the same one in chrome that is WAY cooler on a hot day.

On cool spring days there is nothing like a 3/4 helmet with a face shield and they have a great retro look to them - plus on those late spring evenings when the sun goes down - no bugs in the teeth.

If I want to look like a bad *** nothing works like a black brain bucket, a bandana over the mouth/nose, and sunglasses or goggles. Even I'd avoid me in that getup.

I obviously don't subscribe to the "one helmet" train of thought, but I also know you have to through a bunch of helmets to find the ones you reach for most often.

One more thing - if you start to order online - being size large in one brand does not necessarily mean you will fit a large in another - take their sizing recommendations seriously!

 

I have two helmets. One brain bucket in flat black and the other is a Nolan full face. I do not really like wearing the full face unless I am going on a long ride on the highway or it may rain. I can't see or hear near as well with the full face and actually feel less safe at times. On the other hand, on the highway or in bad weather, I am VERY thankful when I have the full face on.

The brain bucket is a little 'mushroom head' like so I got the smallest size I could squeese on my dome. Plus, the bucket will try and pop off in the wind at highway speeds. I have a balaclava for the cold days with the bucket and it works well down to about 40 degrees. HD also has some neat motorcycle glasses that change tint depending on brightness so you can wear them at night or day time. You will need motorcycle specific glasses due to wind and rain to protect your eyes.

I would rather wear a novelty helmet for sure but I value my brain at least a little. Considering I have cracked a helmet in a wreck and would probalby be dead or at least brain dead without one, I wear a DOT all the time, no exceptions.

On another note, I have slid down the road at 35mph on the face of a full face helmet before, so just flip over on your back if you go down when you have a bucket on

The Bassani sweapers are really neat but keep in mind that your passenger pegs will not work with them. You will need to make or find an adapter plate to move them.

Also, you don't have to pay HD to tune the bike after the mods...there are other alternatives that are much cheaper.

 

As far as helmets I got a half shell ZOX dot one for 39.99 shipped from east coast cycles ! I love it its low profile and I was suprised about how high the quality was. As far as the pipes I like the bassani sweepers but the one down side is you need a bracket if you plan on going 2 up as the pipes go over where you would put your rear foot beg on that side ! welcome and good luck with your iron

 

A black Thunderheader would look sick on your Iron.

 

I bought a Vega helmet from my local harley (surprised they had non HD ones) its the best DOT helmet I have ever seen... I bought one of the Daytona helmets online and it didnt fit my head right at all, the inside of it was round shaped and I dont really have a round head like a basket ball so it never sat right on my squash...

I just happened to be in my local shop buying some glasses when I saw the Vega's out on a table... man was I glad I went there that day, the helmet is oval-ish on the inside and sits nice and low on my head... here is a link to the one I bought.

http://www.vegahelmet.com/images_str...naked_flat.jpg

The dayota one is really nice because you can adjust where the strap sits on your chin (closer to your neck or closer to your chin) the vega one you cannot but it fits so perfect that didnt matter to me.

 

+1. And while he's at it he might as well remove the front brake, turn signals and mirrors. As long as we look good, who cares about safety?