QUIET Helmets

I had an Sheoi RF-9 that was reasonably quite. I had nothing to compare it to until I upgraded to a X-11 which is the loudest helmet I have ever worn. I wear earlpugs anytime I ride but I would do that now with any helmet I didn't realize how damaging windnoise can be
 
helmets

call me crazy, which i'm sure somebody will, but i can't bring myself to pay upwards of $500 for a helmet. i know it's just about the most important piece of gear involved with riding a motorcycle, and i'd never ride without one (even in a legal state). but i am not sure what you end up paying for when you buy an arai or a shoei as opposed to a $150 kbc or something. maybe you guys that have spent that much for helmets have some input and can enlighten me...
 
As I said above... the Arai helmets I've had were disappointing.... The build quality has been abysmal on the ones I've had... definitely not the quality I'd expect for the premium price they charge.

However, there are several other brands in the same price range that make outstanding helmets... Shoei, Shark, AGV, etc. The premium price isn't for better protection... so, spending more on a helmet doesn't mean you'll protected any better... and I don't think anyone would argue that point. When you pay more for a helmet, you're paying for a reduction in wind noise.. a reduction in weight... etc... Any helmet with a DOT / Snell rating is held to the same safety standards... but all helmets are not created equal past that point.

Several things make the high end helmets carry a higher price:

Shell -
  • Size - Cheaper helmets could be all made with the same size shell. Meaning that the XL has the same sized shell as the XS. To make up for the difference, they use a ton of foam in the helmet's secondary layer. For high-end helmets, several different shell sizes are used.. so a XL shell will actually be larger than a XS shell.
  • Material - Fiberglass, ABS Plastic, Carbon Fiber - Low end helmets use low end shell material and the low end materials are often thicker and heavier to provide the same protection as the high-end shells
Liner -

  • Is it a polyester liner? Cotton Liner? Different liners have different costs.
  • Is the liner replaceable / removable? This is a big issue when you have a helmet on for 8+ hours a day. Anyone who does knows what I'm talking about when I say "stinky head smell". ... You don't want to be trapped in a stinky helmet all day. You want to be able to pull that liner out and toss it in the washer, or at the very least, pull it out and wash it in the sink at a rest stop.
Serviceability -

  • When you break a vent, can you replace it? If you're in a low-end helmet, the odds are not in your favor.
So... there are many different factors that determine the "worth" of a helmet. It's hard to tell the longevity of a helmet unless you've owned one of that brand, so you don't know how long it'll last you... but with cheaper helmets, I was on a 1-2 year replacement cycle. On higher-end helmets, almost a 5 year replacement cycle... so... $100 helmet, that you have to replace every year = $500. A high-end helmet on a 5 year cycle = $500 .... it's about the same.
 
^^^

On my shark, the top vent blew off. They have a 5 year warranty and fixed it.
 
Compare

pjspin0331 said:
call me crazy, which i'm sure somebody will, but i can't bring myself to pay upwards of $500 for a helmet. i know it's just about the most important piece of gear involved with riding a motorcycle, and i'd never ride without one (even in a legal state). but i am not sure what you end up paying for when you buy an arai or a shoei as opposed to a $150 kbc or something. maybe you guys that have spent that much for helmets have some input and can enlighten me...
Click to expand...

Go to a big bike store that has a lot of brands side by side. Look the helmets over carefully and compare. At a glance maybe not too different, but the devil is in the details. Weight is another thing. The lighter the better comfort wise. Shell shape is another, the better it fits the quieter and more comfortable it will be. Removable and washable liner is a huge plus. Better fitting compound curved visors are better for optics and noise levels. If you can find a $150.00 helmet that does everything as good as a $400.00 helmet and is rated the same (Snell 2010) then great. Comes down to what value you place on your head. For me, if I can justify $400.00 for a MIVV slip on, I can justify $449.00 for a Shoei RF-1100. It's all about personal choice.
 
Rf-1100

I have been waiting until I had the cash for my new Helmet, Shoei RF 1100 Warlord. I had been wearing a Shoei RF 900 Elite that was getting long in the tooth. It was fairly quiet and I don't like wearing earplugs even though I know I should. The new helmet fits much tighter in the cheek area as the lower shape is more oval than the RF 900. The RF 1100 is tighter going on than the 900 but fits me beautifully once on. It is much quieter than the 900 that it replaces. The visor fits tighter to the gasket around the visor opening and adds to the quiet. It came with a breath guard and chin curtain which I have yet to install. The liner is designed to accomadate glasses and works better than the 900 in this area as well. The liner is fully removable and washable which will add to the long term comfort and has a nice plush feel to it.
The venting is fantastic. It is still very cool here and so air flow is easy to evaluate as it is bone chilling. The front chin vent when open allows air directly up the inside of the face shield to the forehead when open and adds to the noise level. The forehead and rear vents (when fully open) add huge amounts of air and thus noise. When everything is open it is noisier than the RF 900, but when all but the chin vent is closed, much quieter. I found the forehead vents easy to open with gloved hands while moving and the rears doable if somewhat less intuative. The chin strap is typically well placed, and padded and the clip for the strap end easy to do up with gloves on. I went with the darkest visor as they did not have any Spectra Gold in stock, and will probaly wait for this visor to need replacement before going that route now ( they are $95.00 Can.). The optics on the visor are flawless as always with Shoei and the paint finish is fantastic.
Here are a couple of shots on it's first ride;
IMG_0125.jpg


Warlordrs.jpg


It even looks good in Monchrome!
IMG_0133.jpg


It is a high end helmet with a matching price. If Shoei has been the helmet that has fit you in the past I strongly recomend the RF-1100.
 
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I have been eying the RF-1100 recently. The only helmet I have right now is a Scorpion EXO-700 and while not a bad helmet I think the Shoei will be much nicer. I have owned Shoei helmets in the past and have been very satisfied with the fit and finish. I am thinking something like the attached image might go well with my bike ;)
 
Looks good

NJFZ1 said:
I have been eying the RF-1100 recently. The only helmet I have right now is a Scorpion EXO-700 and while not a bad helmet I think the Shoei will be much nicer. I have owned Shoei helmets in the past and have been very satisfied with the fit and finish. I am thinking something like the attached image might go well with my bike ;)
Click to expand...

The colour looks to be a good match for the bike, and the solids are a deal by comparison to the graphics (usually $100 less or more). The helmet fits so well in part because Shoei has so many shell sizes compared to some other brands. The Med. and Small have the same shell size though and a trial fit is definately in order before purchase. I tried a large on as well as a medium, even though I was coming from another Shoei. The sales guy at the dealer (that I bought my bike from) is a knowledgeable guy and tells me that it (RF-1100) fits nearly the same as the RF-1000s do. He gave me a good deal on the helmet, dark visor and my new Tourmaster rainsuit. Combined they came in well below what I had budgeted so I have the cash for my tank bag which should be here on thursday.
 
i've been experiencing wind noise problems on my '07 fz1 since day 1. i had a scorpian helmet, now i use a shoei rf 1100. great ventilation but i still experienced noise. tried larger windscreens with no success. finally, tore off the wind screens and the ride is bliss. the scorpian helmet is the quietest however the shoei is still very good. hope this helps.
 
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