thanks,,, interesting on the cost difference between Arai models - I want to try the RX-7 becasue of weight and its "suppose" to be the coolest in the airflow area?? I will let you know what I find out on Monday

 

The Helmet Shop is a great place to get a good price on a helment - been dealing with them for years. Measure your head first carefully as returns do cost $$. I have a half helmet for really beastly hot weather and will be using a Nolan Flip Up helmet this season for the first time when the temps are reasonable. Btw, they have a Nolan in black cherry that looks like it matches HD's black cherry very well.

 

I wear a Arai Quantam E now, I have an EXL and the wife a small - we both went to the International M/C show in Ca last Nov - Arai had a booth there - we spent time and talked to the tech there - seems both our helmets were a little too big for us.... So, sizing "should" be OK - Arai now allows one return "on their dime" for size exchange...
http://www.helmetshop.com/arai_fit_return_policy.pdf

 

Helmet shop in Daytona over $110 less than best price!

 

that is the shop we have been talking about http://www.helmetshop.com/contact.asp?url=CT

 

Be very careful with the Arais. They make their helmet in different shapes to fit different heads. Some fit round heads, some fit ovals and others fit what they call long ovals. Make sure you try on what you want somewhere before you order one. Had a Quantum one time that fit well and changed to an rx7rr4 and it kept my head very cool at speed but had pressure points on the frontand rear of my head due to being the wrong shape for my head. Another note, Motorcyclist mag did a test a couple of years ago and found that most of the Snell rated helmets are actually too hard and have too dense eps foam. Yes, they'll take multiple impacts before they break, but the decelleration ofyour brain is much harsher in these and these will cause the shearing and contra injuries to your brain. In other words, the helmet didn't crack when your head hit the ground, but your still drooling on yourself of peeing in public whenever the urge hits you because the foam was too dense to cushion your head and that's what most often saves you from a head injury.

 

check out my post on helmets,akuma ,

 

No thanks,,,

 

i have wanted an arai since i started riding, they were always considered the best. couldnt find any that fit so went with shoei. not a bad choice in my opinion. that helmet shop definitly had better prices than i paid. but no price is too good for my head.

 

I used to wear Arai's exclusively when racing or doing trackdays but recently switched to Suomy for the track and I couldn't be happier with them. The Suomy helmets vent a little better for me and are a little lighter over-all. Trade-off is noise but an Arai RX7rr4 isn't going to be among the quietest out there either. My last Arai was a Kenny RobertsRX7rr4 double eagle replica and I did love it. Arai put themselves in a strange position in the marketplace a few years back by limiting online sales of their products. It may be different now, especially closeout stuff, but Arai used to have a policy that stated that the helmets could only be sold to a rder after it was properly fitted to the rider's head. Something to that effect and it didn't stop most retailers from selling online but it cost them a few customers over-all.