[Sarkastik]

What would you recommend? But something that is not tooooo expensive. Maybe $350-$400 or something. I heard the basic is like the HJC. Then the Shoei and Arai, and the Suomy in between. I was thinking maybe a Shoei helmet. It's probably more ventilated and confortable than a HJC. What do y'all think? Oh and I'm looking to just get a plain black helmet. No need for graphic and stuff right now.

I know I shouldn't put a price on my helmet. But I'm sure all helmets are built to protect your head. Also, something around $350 should be alright, I think. And then it's all about ventilation and comfort and graphics, that jacks up the price. Am I wrong?

 

[CG]

You could probably pick up a nice HJC for that price. They are a great bang for your buck helmet.... Shoei's, well the RF900's run about $650 - $750....

 

[Sarkastik]

I am thinking about upping the ante a little bit though. And spend about 7-8 bills. Just gotta save up more flow. I guess it would be worth it. The better the comfort, the better the ride.

 

[TeeTee]

I got an HJC CL-12 last summer on a whim because the graphics matched my bike ( Now THERE"S a great excuse but at least I'm honest about it ). For a cheaper helmet I am IMPRESSED as hell. The vents work WAY better than the old Shoei RF800. That is they work period. The holes in the RF800 may have well been used to stick flowers into for all the good they did.

And it's DOT and SNELL approved, at least as light as my RF800 was and the shield seals better too. The helmet is still noisy enough that I use ear plugs on longer trips but this is standard with most full face helmets.

If you're trying to keep the cost down so you can get other gear you could do a LOT worse than the CL12. And BK has them on for $230 for solid white or black and $270 for the grahics versions.

Helmets have come a LONG way the last 10 years. From what I've seen the price of the lower models does not mean they are not good enough. The only real factor is the padding is a little better as the price goes up. And the weight goes down after the 400 to 500 mark as the shell materials get more exotic.

But you should replace it every 6 years or so anyway....... And this all assumes that it fits correctly of course. Fit is everything. The best padding in the most expensive helmet is not going to be good enough if the shell does not match your noggin shape.

 

[LimitedEdition]

Dat from Action says that what separates moderately priced helmets $300-$500 and higher priced helmets $800-$1500 is

1. weight due to exotic materials. cheaper helmets use the same sized SHELLS. So if you are sized small, the helmet from the outside looks gigantor on your body =) expensive models have different sized shells to match their head sizes. You can feel every ounce on your neck during a long ride =)

2. padding... pricier means better padding. removable liners that you can clean. more specific pads to help create a better fit. some ppl have chubby cheeks and some skinny.

3. Ventalation .. he says the expensive helmets have more ventalation, but that the rear vents SHOULD NOT NOT NOT be a purchasing determiner. He said that it is proven that the rear vents don't even work as they were designed until you reach speeds of 200km/h!!!


I think the price also has to do with paint schemes a little ..

in general .. Shoei has a wider range of view which is probably better for everyday use? Arai is narrower view. I would get an Arai for my next helmet. They have LONGFACE sizing =)

 

[Ryan R]

I got an HJC helmet too and for the price its a damn good bang for the buck

 

[bl1tz]

suomy gunwind replica.
look at those graphics buddy....:cool
you'll only get arais and shoeis for that price if you order off the 'net for the high end models

 

[Motorcycle Man]

It looks like the supply of unrestricted Arai helmets is drying up. There is a note at www.helmetharbor.com indicating that they can't get all models anymore.

If you were planning to order one, you best not wait.

 

[Guest]

I have an HJC CL-12 myself and am looking into getting an HJC AC-10, which is a little bit under your $350 lower limit for a solid color. The AC-10 is very well built and is very comfortable on my head. IMO it is just not worth the extra $300 dollars for the middle of the road Arai or Shoei when the HJC has almost the same amount of features for half the price and fits as well or better. That's my thoughts on the subject, hope it helps.

 

[vrecksler]

My last helmet was an HJC CL-11 and it worked very well. The fit was snug, although I did feel a pressure point right in the middle of my forehead and another at the back of my head. The vents worked adequately, it was a functional helmet for an inexpensive price. A little noisey though, which I did not like.

Now I own an Arai, and am much happier. Lighter, better fitting with no pressure points. A lot more vents, removable cheek liners, I could not be happier. I wear ear-plugs now so I am not sure about the noise levels, but it would probably be safe to say it produces less noise since it fits better.

The thing is, the one Arai cost twice as much as the HJC. For me it was money well spent, but in terms of head protection, they are both going to work.

 

[Guest]

I think fit should be your deciding factor. different helmet brands fit differently. (go figure) the higher end helmets do have slightly more exotic materials, but your also paying for the name. right now I have an hjc LT-20 which is pretty much the same as a CL-12. hjc makes great quality stuff at a lot better prices than the other major brands.

btw, imperial has a sale on suomy helmets right now, there are some pretty cool looking ones there too. go check em' out, I'm pretty sure there well within your price range.

 

[Hu99]

There's nothing wrong with an HJC, but over a long ride or on the track the weight may become a factor in fatigue and discomfort. When I switched from my old helmet to a Shoei, I was amazed at how I didn't experience the fatigue of carrying a heavy helmet. It isn't many ounces difference, but over the course of a full day's riding, or the G-forces on the track, it adds up to a lot more work for the neck muscles.

 

[Guest]

I've got a Shoei and an XSpeed (from BK) and theres a $450 dollar difference between them but you can't necessarily tell if you're just doing everyday riding and the odd trip. I'm kinda in the market for another helmet and i will more than likely go for an HJC 'cause they're great helmets for less coin. They've also got some sweet graphics too.

 

[Digi168]

I am not a big suomy fan. I have a Troy Bayliss, Phillip Island rep, size large with clear and tinted visor, that I will sell for a very good price.

Anyway, it doesn't really fit me, and like Bruce I bought it on a whim, it is definatly light, but it doesn't like my head. I have since gone to a Schuberth www.schuberth-usa.com helmet and it is quite comfortable and fits me much better.

Price isn't even an issue, just get one that fits your head, fit is more important than anything. As for graphics you can always ad vinyl or paint, advantage to vinyl is that you can always change them. I will post pics of my all black helmet after I finish the graphics tomorrow.

 

[KatRider]

I've got a HJC CL-12 and concur with the positive comments about this lid in the previous posts. You can't beat it for the price. (I think I paid ~$200 + tax for a solid black one at RMS a couple seasons ago.) I was in Western Powersports in Langley a couple of weeks ago and saw that HJC has some newer models that are lighter and or have graphics for about $280 - $450. (I'm thinking of getting one with graphics.) You should check 'em out.

 

[KatRider]

I've got a HJC CL-12 and concur with the positive comments about this lid in the previous posts. You can't beat it for the price. (I think I paid ~$200 + tax for a solid balck one at RMS a couple seasons ago.) I was in Western Powersports in Langley a couple of weeks ago and saw that HJC has some newer models that are lighter and or have graphics for about $280 - $450. (I'm thinking of getting one with graphics.) You should check 'em out.