Helmet poll

Like a lot of you I have way more than one one helmet . . . and with Spring in the air, it's tempting to think about a new lid. So here's the question. What do you wear (that you love) when you go out to crank some serious miles?

Helmet

Mods

What you love

What you don't

Here's my current set up

Helmet: Shoei rf-1000 (red)

Mods: pinlock, breathguard (shoei), aerostich arrows on back, aerostich helmet speakers

What you love: Fit, quality

What you don't: Fogs, even with all the mods

Cheers

Like most folks I have more than one and it depends on what I'm doing or where I'm going as to what I wear.

Mostly the Nolan for convenience. Flip-up convenience when you're long hauling it just can't be beat.

If I'm feeling sporty though it's the X-11.

Love my new Scorpion 700 especially when the online retailer charged me $119 instead of $170. In the last few years I've had a:

Arai Quantum, comfortable but $$$$$ and worst ever shield change mechanism.

Shoei RF1000 comfortable, light but $$$

HJC AC11 good for the $$

currently Scorpion 700 about as comfortable as the Arai, wayyyy less $$$$$ and easy shield change. Very plush liner, quiet good venting.

Steve

I have two.

Arai Vector for the nice days (I agree about the shield change mechanism, it's bad). Proxy but very comfy

HJC 12 for iffy weather and for spring (it's all black so I can take bags and bags of gravel to the face, I won't care much). Good value but not the best fit for my head. I bought it for the classes and now I keep it as secondary helmet.

Arai Profile Carr Freedom

great fit and finish

I have 2 Arai Quantums and the wife has 1.

1 of my helmets has speakers in it that I hook up to the Starcom, the other has no speakers.

Speakers in the wife's helmet.

I use Zooke as an antifog chemical...got it at the Cycle World show. good product, but, their customer service sucks.

Arai Quantum, comfortable but $$$$$ and worst ever shield change mechanism.

Click to expand...

I disagree. I can swap shields in about 10 seconds.

I have the Scorpion 700 as well and find it to be very comfortable. There is a lot of padding on the inside and it seems to squish your face more than the HJC I had, but I feel like that would be a good thing in the event of an impact.

I have the yellow/black/white one and put a yellow tinted visor on it. Combined with my yellow/black/white joe rocket jacket I look like a giant bumble bee coming down the highway on a silver horse!

Scorpion EXO 700. No anti fog needed. It's built in. Just don't use chemicals to clean the inside of the visor.

If it was a real problem, I'd probably use RainX antifog.

Randy said:

I disagree. I can swap shields in about 10 seconds.

Click to expand...

I need your secret. I fight the shield on my Arai every time I remove it. I can usually remove it fairly easy (sometimes) but fight it all the way to reinstall it. I have heard there is a secret, what is it?

Nolan N100-E.

Next year is helmet upgrade year. I've really liked this one, though.

+1 on the scorpion for fit / no fog and ease of shield change

warsw said:

Randy said:

I disagree. I can swap shields in about 10 seconds.

Click to expand...

I need your secret. I fight the shield on my Arai every time I remove it. I can usually remove it fairly easy (sometimes) but fight it all the way to reinstall it. I have heard there is a secret, what is it?

Click to expand...

Don't know if it's a secret or just simply that I've been doing it for over 15 years.

Set the helmet on a table with the shield facing away from you. Open the shield. With the helmet held against you, hold the shield with the thumb and forefinger, applying upward pressure on the shield, lift up on the 2 gray levers with the ring fingers (and release, don't hold up) and lift up off it comes. To put it back in, I put the left side in first, lock it in place, then put the right side in, lock it in place and then put the face shield down to lock it in.

Watch this video. The first part is for the older style ADSIS shields that don't have the gray levers on each side when the shield is raised. Keep watching. The second part is for the newer design that has the gray levers on each side.

https://www.araiamericas.com/Support/video/fullface_small.wmv

here's how you do it with the helmet still on (vintage 'Nicky the hippy' in this one) https://www.araiamericas.com/Support/video/gpracer.wmv

Shoei X-11. A little loud, but MAN does this thing vent! Can swap shields out fast, and most importantly it fits great.

Shark A-500. Good fit, a little noisy and fogs below 35F. I'm going to replace it when I pick up the FJR. Haven't decided with what yet. Looking at Icon. I've noticed that no one here mentions them. Have I missed something?

-GSE-

Schuberth C2 (XXL) in black, with Autocom advanced headset (ear speakers, mic, noise-cancelling mic at rear).

In 20 years, I've never found such a quiet helmet. I used to be a big Shoei fan because they usually fit my melon well, but the latest version of the RF series is ridiculously loud.

This was the first flip-up I've had, and I love it. I can't believe I found a flip-up that is quieter than any full face I've ever had. I think the biggest reason is just that the helmet seems to truly wrap around my head down further. Where most helmets stop somewhat open-ended at the jawline or so, this thing rounds down further and seems to "encase" my head more completely, reducing bottom-opening wind noise, and the joints fit tighter than on the Shoei (like around the shield) so there is less whistle there as well. Whenever I use the RF that I usually pawn off on my passenger (if I'm on a date), I am instantly reminded of the difference.

The other thing I love and have never seen on another helmet is the built-in, lever-controlled sun-shade minishield inside. No more screwing with sunglasses or changing out shields at sundown/sunrise if I ride all day. As easy as some have made them to change, the very carrying of extra shield(s) is a pain, as is having to stop and think which shield I currently have on the helmet before stepping out for a ride if I don't carry the extra in one of the side cases. One main shield, clear. Period. One mini shield inside (extends down to about nose level), medium smoked. Simple and wonderfully flexible with zero manipulation (past flicking the slide up or down on the side of my helmet).

I had to go a long way to find a dealer that carried them to try them on. Just as I was about to plunk down the $500+ for one, someone on FJROwners.com put one up for sale, in new condition, just my size, for half that. Sold. I love it so much, I have plans this summer to buy a second one, transfer my stuff over, and give this one to passengers, retiring the Shoei altogether (probably give it to my parents for their "guest snowmobile riders" collection in the barn.

Randy said:

warsw said:

Randy said:

I disagree. I can swap shields in about 10 seconds.

Click to expand...

I need your secret. I fight the shield on my Arai every time I remove it. I can usually remove it fairly easy (sometimes) but fight it all the way to reinstall it. I have heard there is a secret, what is it?

Click to expand...

Don't know if it's a secret or just simply that I've been doing it for over 15 years.

Set the helmet on a table with the shield facing away from you. Open the shield. With the helmet held against you, hold the shield with the thumb and forefinger, applying upward pressure on the shield, lift up on the 2 gray levers with the ring fingers (and release, don't hold up) and lift up off it comes. To put it back in, I put the left side in first, lock it in place, then put the right side in, lock it in place and then put the face shield down to lock it in.

Watch this video. The first part is for the older style ADSIS shields that don't have the gray levers on each side when the shield is raised. Keep watching. The second part is for the newer design that has the gray levers on each side.

https://www.araiamericas.com/Support/video/fullface_small.wmv

here's how you do it with the helmet still on (vintage 'Nicky the hippy' in this one) https://www.araiamericas.com/Support/video/gpracer.wmv

Click to expand...

Yep, I had a hell of a time until I watched this video a couple of years ago. Now it's a piece of cake. Takes seconds for me to change an Arai shield.

TriggerT said:

Shoei X-11. A little loud, but MAN does this thing vent! Can swap shields out fast, and most importantly it fits great.

Click to expand...

+1. I have a 2005 Diablo and a new, just in the states, 2007 Vermulen 3 in yellow and blue. Thanks to a fellow forum buddy who help me get this at a 30% discount, even though these are never discounted for new models.

shoie rf-1000 with fog city insert and chin strap modification.

RF-1000 also. Seems that Shoei garners a large % here. I also have a KBC TK-7 which I wear now and then (it's my clear visor go to helmet if I go out at night, the RF usualy wears a spectra blue shield)

No real probs with fogging, I crack the visor when its cold. The only thing I do not like about the RF is the hit and miss chin strap end retension "clip" I'd be happier with just an elastic loop or velcro...

KM