That Reevu is pretty cool! Too bad its not available yet. Of course once its got the DOT rating it should hit the market
 
Although modulars are great for the comfort options offered, they are not as reliable, protection-wise, as a std. full face helmet in a bad get off/impact. Due to their mechanical design, they lack the structural integrity of the std design, however they certainly afford more protection than a half or three-quarter design.

I have seen several modular helmets firsthand that did not save their users in bad accidents. I'm not saying that they are a bad choice, but that potential users should be aware of the greater risks associated with them. Conversely, I have had the sad experience of being in two accidents where both of my bikes were totaled. In the first one, I certainly would have died instantly if it were not for wearing a full faced lid (an Arai). In the second instance, were it not for my Bell Star, I would have incurred a severe head trauma injury. In both cases I sufffered no head injuries whatsoever, no headaches, bruises or even any soreness!;)

Don't disagree with you at all, Phil. A genuine full face is the
best protection overall.

We have to remember that the most important function of a helmet is to protect you in the first impact. Modulars do a good job of that even if they lose their structural integrity. Even a full face plastic helmet is really designed for the first impact.

Carbon fiber is the interesting new kid on the block. It's great that it is so strong and lightweight, however, it is so rigid that it doesn't have much "give" like a fiberglass helmet does. Just my 2c.

If I were riding in a more risky fashion and pushing the envelope more, I would certainly be wearing my fi berglass full face more often (Scorpion EXO 700). It's a compromise.
 
With a full face helmet one of the most important aspects is fit. Every head is different and what works brilliantly for one will not for work for the next. I wear an Arai Profile, a rather unique shaped helmet. The Shoei X-11 is a similar shape. Try on as many as you can. If its not comfortable you won't wear it.
 
TriumphPhil, how did you like the Bell? Did you find the fit size what you're accustomed to? I've been a 7 3/8 forever, reliably, so wonder how Bell Star stacks up fitting as you'd expect. How bout sound wise?
(found a terrific deal online, but hate they're made in China)

saboteur, the Bell star is , hands down, the best helmet I have ever owned and I have been a diehard Arai/Shoie user previously.. It is lightweight and very quiet (as full faced helmets go), cool (great ventilation), feature laden and it comes with one of the nicest helmet bags going. Also, visors come off or go on easier than any other lid I've ever seen. Another interesting characteristic is that this lid seems more stable cutting thru the air or when in a crosswind and truck turbulence out on the superslab. This, I believe, is due to the outer shell design. I cannot recommend it highly enough. My earlier comment about this helmet running one size large (mine was a 2008 model), has, according to the following review, been corrected in the 2010 model. Nonetheless, trying on for size before buying is always recommended for such vital gear!

Bell Star 2010 - webBikeworld

Currently my second lid is of carbon fiber composite construction. It is made by HJC , but sold under the Joe Rocket label. I bought it because it was the only helmet that I could find that nearly matched the Mulberrry Red paint job on my R3 perfectly. It's a decent quality helmet, but I wouldn't buy it again if given the choice. It's noisy - at certain speeds it sets up a harmonic vibration that, without earplugs, can make you lose your mind, and it does not have the best ventilation, so I only wear it when the riding temps are low. The visor locking mechanism is a bit clumsy, IMO and the chinstrap design is a bit off ergonomically, making it harder than most to properly button up. It is, however, quite cool looking (check out the rocket logo on the front of the helmet!)...

Joe Rocket RKT 101 Carbon Helmet - Street Bike - Motorcycle Superstore

 
This is the best full face helmet on the market, IMO (and I'm a dedicated Arai user) and available for a pittance here: 22 in stock at discount prices, including the Bell Star Ace of Clubs Helmet, Star Ace of Hearts Helmet, Star Contra Helmet, Star Gloss Black Helmet - 2009, Star Gloss Silver Helmet - 2009, Star Gobert Replica Helmet, Star Matte Black Helmet - 2009, S

The Bell Star helmet line is Snell and DOT approved, lightweight and feature laden (great ventilation). It may be the quietest full faced lid on the market and, IMO it is a better lid than my Arai. $200 is an outright steal for a helmet of its caliber. As with any helmet, make sure you try one on for size before you buy it. The Bell Star's do run about a full size larger than marked, so in most cases, if you wear a large, a medium will do, etc..

hey, id like to buy one of those bell helmets.... ive always worn an arai and the large fits perfect. are you saying id probably be a medium in the bell?
since you also wear arai, you might have a good idea.
thanks
 
Shoei for ever!

I've had a lot of helmets and always went the cheaper option, thinking "They're all approved - just paying for the name with the expensive ones." How wrong I was. I invested in a Shoei RF-1100 a couple of months ago (wine red - matches my cardinal red rocket perfectly!) Same drag with head turned as facing front, great venitlation, awesome peripheral vision (25% more than most other helmets including older model Shoei) and it it SO LIGHT! You won't be disappointed. Bought from www.morepowerracing.com (no affiliation whatsoever - I'm an Aussie)
 
Thanks, guys, for all the input. Perusing webikeworld-I see head shape is an incredibly important aspect, so I need to get myself to some shops to for fitment. Fit and comfort. Agreed on that score. Back in the day I wore Bell helmets, but I see they lost their way and are now back on track. But what a wide array of choices!

That article I linked a page ago was pretty cool on impact testing.... too spongy vs too stiff, g's of impact vs joules energy from drop height, and considerations of DOT and Snell approved vs just DOT. Interesting read.
 
hey, id like to buy one of those bell helmets.... ive always worn an arai and the large fits perfect. are you saying id probably be a medium in the bell?
since you also wear arai, you might have a good idea.
thanks

See my last post, evo! Seems that from the 2010 model and beyond (Snell 2010 Approved), Bell has corrected the oversize issue I had mentioned earlier. If you buy a 2008-2009 model they run a size large and the medium will prolly work for ya'. Again, it's always recommended to try any helmet on for size before you buy one. I'm pretty sure that Motorcycle Closeouts will let you exchange for size if you guess wrong on an older model. They're a good outfit. if you call or email them with that question before you buy, I'm sure they'll give you a straight answer. Good luck!;)
 
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