While i was in the bike store i tried out a few helmets, mainly HJC (whatever it is) & Shoiie. I almost could not tell the difference. I seem to be an XL man not that that matters. The woman that helped me told me about some of the differences and about the weights.

I really want to know what you guys think about helmet weights. I picked up the "heavy" helmet and told the girl this is light as dirt. She then gave me a "light" helmet. Yes I could feel the difference but WILL IT AFFECT MY COMFORT OR RIDE??? The cheaper ones, HJC, looked fine appearance wise, also they had the vents; removeable liners; and chin wind gaurd just like the more expensive Shoiies. So why are you guys buying the $500 shoiis? It cant just be for the cheasy *** 'fog prevention face plates". That thing is a crock of **, i put it on and fogged it up.

anyways if u have some info "about helmets" please post. [:-]

I guess "my final post" wasnt so final.

 

Helmets...buy the best you can afford..if you have a $5 head then buy a $5 helmet.
HJC is a well known brand that has decent helmets for reasonable prices, and the wieghts are differnt by ounces, not pounds.
The price is reflected by a few different things..Safety Rating ( DOT, Snell, BSBI...) and material ( Polycarbonate ( plastic) Kevlar, Fiberglass,ect) and materials in the liner.
Usually the expensive helmets are just more comfortable and quieter which is a BIG deal when you go on a ride for any length. ALot of new helmets ( expensive) have removeable interiors for cleaning and adjusting..
I have a BUNCH of helmets and after wearing my ARAI's and then putting on my ICON, HJC or similiar helmet there is a DISTINCTIVE difference...
I crashed at the track with a SHOEI and it held up wonderfully at 100MPH while doing my rag doll impression a few years back...and I am sure that it saved my life. It is very expensive to replace, since helmets are a 1 time use type of thing, like a condom!! But I also have crashed in my ARAI's...every crash is different and I hope I never find out how a cheap helmet will stand up

 

I have a HJC AC-11 and love it. I have no problems with it at all. It is alittle noisey though. Eventually I want a Shoei when I have the money. They just seem to fit me alittle better and are quiter. It's more of a personal preference then anything. Just make sure whatever helmet you get is Dot & Snell approved and that you get a helmet and wear it. Those are the two main keys.

 

Well i was assuming that the cheap and the expensive both are dot & snell approved. I never thought about materials used. Which materials are the best?

NEON, you say the shoei fit better and are quieter. So wouldnt that just mean because of the snugger fit, the noise level went down. At least from what i've read on the web, when helmets dont fit well they produce more noise.

also, I tried on a HJC that had the sweat lining and removeable pads that cost about $150. I'm dont have a problem with spending $600 for a helmet but i'd like to know why im spending the extra 400 bucks, ya know? I buy the target brand 'listerine' because i know its the same stuff but 2 bucks cheaper than Listerine.

OH YEAH, the chic told me you can buy after market chin thingies. I'm talking about the part on the helmet by the chin, she told me that part keeps the noise level down. Anyone know if the aftermarket ones work well, or should i just be sure to buy a helmet with the chin thing. I havnt seen any of those online, so im not sure if she was correct by saying i could buy it seperately.

 

i got the shoei rf-1000 and i love it. its one of the most comfortable helmets that ive owned. it wasnt cheap but if i fall i want to fall on something good thats gonna help save my life.

 

I had a shoei as my first,now that I have my scorpion I'll never get another brand.It's super light and comfortable,you will never fog the shield(as long as you have the shield vents open),there are so many vents your head will not get hot in warm weather(I live in Florida),and they have awesome prices(I paid $200 after shipping for the exo-700 and it got here in 2 days).There weren't any shops that sold them near me but I heard good things so took a chance and ordered straight from the website.Best decision i ever made.Here's the link if you're interested http://scorpionusa.com/products/street.html

 

Snookay said: I buy the target brand 'listerine' because i know its the same stuff but 2 bucks cheaper than Listerine.

Small anecdote. I was driving through Penn. and stopped for a tour of Anderson's Pretzel Factory, "the world's largest", they said.
At the end of the production line there were big hoppers of pretzels and a bunch people pulling levers to load the pretzels into bags.
Each station had at least 10 brands of bags from Anderson's to Mr. Salty to various supermarket chains to upscale specialty stores.
Different bags, same pretzels.