Helmets

[barbagris]

Purely from a SAFETY REFERENCE it's always worth checking the SHARP page in the UK. http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/
I know some top marques have really had sales issues when cheaper lids out rate theirs for safety.
But if you're not fashion concious - it helps narrow the field down a bit.
It of course has to be comfy. And then there are things that you may want than mean you have to compromise.

I was LUCKY. At my last "change" I decided to try a "flip-front".

SHARP came up with the Caberg Duke having 5 stars.
It fits well - it's at the cheaper end of market.
Has a flip down sun visor (a must for me since the mid '90's) .
Comes with a pinlock visor (something I wanted to try and now also a "must".)

I did think about the TourMax (same lid but with an external sun visor as well) but could not find one locally in my size that was not MATT BLACK.
I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MATT FINISH helmet.

My attitude towards lids has changed a bit.
I don't buy one expecting it to last YEARS.
I but it with the express objective of being safe and treat it as a service item.
Happy to swap them ever two years.

I had a Schuberth for a while but really - overall - They're overpriced for what they are.
And 'bul, mate - NOTHING will get me back into a lid without mandibular protection.
I wore them for years too. But about 15-20 years ago saw a mate go down and his face got well screwed up.
I cannot put my wife though that.

 

[cr0ft]

I was going to order the Nolan N104, but luckily got a chance to try them on. My head is like Charlie Brown's, kind of a massive round thing, and the N104 was uncomfortably narrow for me while the N90 was a good fit. So even helmets in the same product line can fit significantly differently.

Answering an older comment, but just wanted to say that Nolan's earlier helmets were all quite round, and the same goes for X-lite which is also their brand. The N104 and the current N104 Evo are more oval; as it happens, that fits my head perfectly, and I have the N104.

Best ****ed helmet I've ever experienced, pin-lock, sun visor, fully removable lining for washing... it even has an elliptical front guard opening so it slides forward as you slide it up and then slides back in. This leaves it much lower than the rest of the modulars when open, and you can lock the entire front in the top position and you don't have a massive sail of a chin piece up there since it doesn't stick straight up like Schuberts for instance do. So will use mine another season, next year I'm getting another, no question.

Also gets 4 stars in the SHARP ratings, and - worth nothing - no modular manufacturer besides Nolan has a 100% "front stayed closed" rating including Schubert, all the Nolan modulars do, thanks to metal hinges and locking mechanisms.

 

[cr0ft]

NOTHING will get me back into a lid without mandibular protection.
I wore them for years too. But about 15-20 years ago saw a mate go down and his face got well screwed up.
I cannot put my wife though that.

Yeah, the jaw is only attached with some tendons and skin. You impact there hard enough and you have a hole where your face used to be. And 20+% of all helmet impacts are on the chin area. The math's not hard.

 

[1olbull]

@barbagris
Thanks for the input, Amigo.
Looks as though that Sharp outfit doesn't even rate open face helmets.
Being a British company, Sharp likely tests helmets designed for riding on the left side only!
I've tried on a number of full face helmets and for unknown reasons, since age 60, I have had issues with my head being closed into a box.

 

[cr0ft]

Another great thing about the Nolan N104 - it has a massive viewport, visibility is outstanding.

 

[cardinal93]

Love my shark Evoline III. Will definitely buy another when it needs replaced.

 

[TRath]

I'll second that. I have a Shark Evoline 2 Lumi and it will definitely be another Evoline when it's time to replace it. I haven't tried hooking up bluetooth but there is a proprietary one for the helmet (Sharktooth) that I have heard is fantastic.

 

[barbagris]

@barbagris
Thanks for the input, Amigo.
Looks as though that Sharp outfit doesn't even rate open face helmets.
Being a British company, Sharp likely tests helmets designed for riding on the left side only!
I've tried on a number of full face helmets and for unknown reasons, since age 60, I have had issues with my head being closed into a box.

It's not a company - it's a GOVERNMENT OFFICE.
No they don't test open lids - because - simply - they ain't safe.
And you lagh about left/right - there are one or two lids that sow a disparity (alarming) for left or right impacts.

There are some lids that provide jaw protection but are more like an open lid. I've not seen them all first hand

Schuberth did the J1 (maybe still do) - Shark has one called the VANTIME

I always kept an open lid fan UNTIL I rode in blazing hot sun here. Sun burn.

 

[Camptc]

I used to ride in an HJC FF and liked the fit for an economy helmet. I switched to a Vega stealth Phantom, which is a convertible FF that's DOT and ECE rated, and it's got a gigantic shield and view. The liner and trim items just didn't hold up, though, so I switched to a Lazer Falcon All carbon FF. it's not ported for helmet speakers, but I use in-ears on long trips with a Sena SMH-10R (skinny one) and love the result. The helmet is outstanding for weight, ventilation, and fit and finish. I have a solidly round (Shoei) head, so I sized up for Lazer, which seems to make the Arai oval helmet. I've been soaked in this helmet and my head stayed dry. I've ridden in sub-freezing temperatures and the pinlock shield didn't fog (seriously, check out pinlock shields if you haven't switched to one. They are life-changing for variable weather conditions). I also use a Transitions Photochromic shield that eliminates any need for sunglasses, and that thing is incredible. Good luck with the search.

 

[1olbull]

It's not a company - it's a GOVERNMENT OFFICE.
No they don't test open lids - because - simply - they ain't safe.
And you lagh about left/right - there are one or two lids that sow a disparity (alarming) for left or right impacts.
There are some lids that provide jaw protection but are more like an open lid. I've not seen them all first hand
Schuberth did the J1 (maybe still do) - Shark has one called the VANTIME
I always kept an open lid fan UNTIL I rode in blazing hot sun here. Sun burn.

Thanks, I'm checking out that Shark Vantime - need to try one on to see if it yields enough room for my face.
Sunburn? My own "barbagris" prevents that on my lower face!