There are 3 critical factors in helmets:
Coverage (full, 3/4, etc.)
Comfort
Fit

For my 2 cents, Arai and Shoei are leaders for a reason. Outstanding protection, good features, and very comfortable. Most folks either have an Arai or Shoei head. Few can comfortably wear both. Find a good dealer and try them on. Good early reviews on the new Bell Star, but I haven't seen one yet.

I always wear a full-face Arai. Glad I was when I was hit head on by a car some years ago.

 

If your going to wear a half helmet, you can get the same one the police use with custome paint.
http://estores.infront.com/superseer...ing.asp?scid=2

 

I have a SEER 1/2 helmet myself (flat black), most comfortable helmet I've ever worn......

~John

 

I've never worn anything but a beanie I've had pleanty of crashes and........huh, what were we talking about?

 

I have a Vega XTS half helmet, DOT approved, lots of padding and comfortable and a great price too !!! I choose not to wear a helmet unless I have to butthe Vega helmet is what I wear.Comes with 3 snap visor and I carry an extra visor with a flip down clear shield for riding in the rain. Here's a link to a shop in Daytona that carries alot of helmets.
http://www.helmetshop.com/

 

I have never ridden with anything other than a full face helmet. Many years ago I was the first person on the scene of a motorcyle accident where the rider landed face down in the gutter. The result wasn't pretty.

I like the full face because when it gets cold I can shut it all down and stay warm. For most of the time I ride with the shield open to get air into it. I use the full face Harley FXRG Kevlar/carbon helmet. It's super light weight and with the shield open I hardly notice the chin guard.

 

I returned my ACC as it's chin strap caused the helmet to slip over my head. Didn't fit me at all. Most of the time I use an Arai full face but have a half I sometimes use,it makes you feel more connected with what's going on around you. It's ajugement call on a ride to ride basisfor me.

 

Great fit/quality, light & thin DOT, many finish/color options ~ $49.99 @ www.thehelmentshop.com

 

One of the most important things about a helmet is it's ability not to come off ina crash. It is one of the things that you check when buyinga full face helmet. You try to pull it off your head at the chin and then in the back, basically making sure that the helmet cant "roll" off your head. This offers the greatest protection. I have never tried but I think that a person could easily "roll" a half helmet off their head. My .02 Ride well.

 

I too like a full face. Old dirt bike rider, which I agree is different from road, but a few times have gone skidding across the trail with a full face on watching the ground going by. Thinking wow I am glad I was wearing a fullface helmet, that could have been my face skidding across the ground. On the road it only takes a split second for someone to ruin your day, my friend likes the half helmet with earflaps. He says a full helmet obscures his vision. I disagree, and just recently picked up 2 new Shoei RF 1000 helmets for us to use. It has good venting, wide vision area and a comfortable fit. Plus it is Snell approved. http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=1021&Page=1 http://www.smf.org/articles/dot.html Try different brands on and decide which fits the best. I found Shoei and Arai fit differently. To each his own though, everyone has a choice, this was just mine. Safe travels to everyone.