Too flashy for my tastes... I prefer something that doesnt scream look at my head.

 

Which fits your head the best? But I like the Suomy's. A loud helmet, but a understated bike is my taste. If I were you I'd ask a few women what they think, because it all boils down to which will get you laid more.

 

I think fry is onto something here......how much to have this magnet of p*ssy installed?

 

Icons are made by the factory that makes all of the generic/non name brand helmets on the market, if dollar general sold a $5 helmet, it would be made in that factory, 2ft away from the Icons. I've only seen two crashed Icon helmets and both actually split in two, one was in two seperate pieces and the other was just split down the middle in the back. Both were very low-speed, low-impact crashes. On the other hand I've seen dozens of almost every other brand helmet crash tested without ever seeing helmets in as bad a shape as those two icons so crappy manufacturing + pathetic crash protection (at least from what I've seen) = ain't no way in f'in hell I'm wearing one of those helmets for any reason, at any time. I would almost prefer a bicycle helmet to icon...

I buy gear based on what I've seen it do in crashes for other people. I talked to countless people that have crashed in Arai, Shoei, AGV, Scorpion, HJC, etc... and never cameacross a single helmet that split open like the two Icons I saw.

They aren't a serious protective gear company, they make cheap/fashionable (I don't think their stuff looks good but thats their goal) gear for street/stunt and nothing else.

 

I personally didn't care for any of them too much...very involved designs. I'd looks for a design that's busy like you want but with a darker tone to better match your bike. That's just me, anyways...I voted for the middle one because it looks the best of all three and it seems that every time a person goes for a ride of their bike, it's a gamble of trashing something.

 

You should buy my Vermulen Shoei X11

 

well woody...i can't comment on what you saw....however, i would think that what you have seen is not typical...i also don't know what version of helmet they were wearing as well....i can respect that you won't wear one because of what you have seen, as probably would i had i seen such a thing...

that being said...your response got me searching around...and looking to verify the supposed bad reputation Icon seems to enjoy from certain groups (i am not going to point out from where)....i am personally not a stunter and at some point would love to do a few trackdays here and there....

after researching, i found that icon is a division of HJC...or at least the helmets are made by the same company...now i know that doesn't mean a TON seeing as a lot of companies have cheap spin-offs....but that doesn't seem to be why Icon exists...it exists to cater to another market, specifically the street/stunt crowd....some people don't look kindly on the street/stunter crowd and assume that they aren't real riders or that they don't go for real protection, only looks....while that may partly be true...i think the rep that Icon has gotten for making bad gear is based more on a perception of the group they are catering to than fact...

i have read a few articles where icon was tested along side arai, suomy, HJC, KBC, etc....and although they weren't the best....the ratings were near the same....some were better in some types of crashes, some better in others....the bottom line being though that they ALL worked to protect the rider in event of a crash...

I think there are many things to consider in terms of the effectiveness of a helmet one of which being sizing, if the sizing is off, too big or small, the performance will suffer....i cannot speak to those who have crashed and whether or not they were wearing the right size, but that may contribute to the end condition of a helmet...based on the volume and weight inside the helmet during impact....

i have also read many stories on various forums talking about icon (looking and preparing for the bad) only to find few bad things (never a bad crash) and mostly the traditional responses, "i crashed and it held up fine".....also after reading some statistics...high speed crashes are not the norm, low speed are something like 75% of all crashes so high-speed impacts (which it seems all helmets are good at) are low in frequency.....which you would think a street helmet would be good at? (from what i have read, they are)

listen, i don't mean to thread jack and i will leave this alone here....but step back and look at this thread, just this as a sample, and see how some people immediately equate the loud colors or graphics as being squidly....considering all icon stuff (for the most part with a few exceptions) fall somewhere within this category...people immediately assume they are crappy...even if they have no basis for it....i am not saying i don't believe you woody, in fact i believe you wholeheartedly...but for some reason, considering everything i have just researched, i honestly think you may have seen 1) either a bad set of helmets; 2) they were early icon helmets and the economy brand (there is a difference there i have seen); 3) the size was improper leading to an adverse end condition; or 4) and i have no basis for this, the helmet still did it's job even though it looked like it got demolished...meaning....you don't use a helmet again after a crash, at least i wouldn't, so to have a helmet fracture (i don't know if you meant it split DURING the crash, if so, disregard this), long as the helmet protected my head through the duration of the accident, that is the ultimate goal...i am not going to be wearing it after...like i said, i have no support only hypothetical logic to support this...

either way....i like my helmet and jacket...both seem like better quality to me than my old stuff so i am going to stick with it...hopefully i will never have to post real li

 

Your absolutely right, all Icons might not be crap and they may make some very good helmets now but for me, its crucial to have absolute confidence in my gear and seeing those Icons split like that destroys any confidence I could possibly have in their products. There can be no trust there, at least not for me. Considering they are marketed based on "style" and "bling" rather than safety and they are virtually non existent in the track world, why would I trust my head in an Icon?

Its very possible that they are better now and that theyre made to higher standards now but Im certainly not going to assume so

I dont have a problem with the company, I own several Icon ptoducts but I wouldnt even consider wearing anything they make on the track.

 

Well, I had a fullmer helmet and it fit great and did its job in my crash, I have one of those generic helmets that was my backup but Im getting another fullmer ASAP.

 

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...le-helmets.htm

Here you'll get some ojective reviews on a whole bunch of helmets.

I was about to get the new HJC CS-10 but am thinking about it twice after the poor review it got