my first helmet was a shoei st cruz half helmet. when it got delivered i couldn't stop laughing at myself when i put it on, it was the most absurd looking thing i've ever seen, it was like three times the size of my head, i wish i had a pic i would upload it, that one went right back...

my next helmet was an HD helmet on closeout for $35. it fell apart in literally two months, not the shell but everything else, strap, liner, even the skulls on the side fell off. plus it was quite large king of the mushroom men for sure and a total P.O.S.

the one i wear now is the ACC DOT extended half. i bought it from these guys:

http://carbonfiberbikerhelmets.com/

they were real good folks to deal with, they worked out sizing and sent two helmets out. i measured a large but needed the XL and then fill it in with padding, i had room side to side but front to back the large was tight.

there is like no padding in them at all so sizing can be difficult, there's no give. i still look like a mushroom head but it's half the size of the HD half helmets.

but if the OP finds a DOT helmet as slim as a novelty helmet please send me the link.

 

I wear a Fulmer 81, and it doesn't look too bad on my head. (I do have a fat head though so it may make the helmet look smaller) Anyways, I got mine at the dealership, around $50 and its great. Hope that helps.

Oh yeah.... http://www.fulmerhelmets.com/Product/81.html

 

Good luck with that.The headtripp helmets arent what there made out to be,and at 180 bux a pop,they defintley arent worth it.60-70mph no windsheild=choking hazzard.I finnally went old school 3/4 off ebay.But it has to be from the 60's to remain small.After that they get huge and bulky.The Soa guys are wearing novelties by the way.

 

This may not be what you want to hear but the only helmet that is going to fully protect you is a good quality full face helmet. From what I have read roughly 30% of head impacts are to the face and chin. On the upside a good quality one with GOOD venting will be more comfortable and quieter than anything else in temps below ~75F. Check out www.webbikeworld.com for reviews. Helmets are usually not only made to size but also to fit a specific head shape so you will need to try on a lot to find one that is tight but comfortable. See the head shape guide on webbikeworld.com.

The stuff Leatherup.com sells is really cheap but also crap. They also got an F from the better business bureau
http://www.vegasbbb.org/bbb_rated_ac...2C18%2C19%2C26

I've had good results dealing with www.newenough.com , www.revzilla.com , www.ironpony.com , www.motorcyclesuperstore.com and www.motoliberty.com

 

full face offer the best protection, but i find them unwearable, suffocating, and itchy... plus i can't see well out of them at all.

if i want max protection i'll just drive a car, every time i get on my bike i'm kinda throwing caution to the wind so i'll wear my DOT half helmet, feel the wind in my face, ride comfortably, and hope for the best.

 

i got mine for a bit cheaper than that but i agree they are pretty spartan. i went riding today (strangely awesome december day in upstate NY) with speeds up to 90 with no problem.

i find them very comfortable and with a pretty small footprint. nicest helmet i've owned to date, they could work on a few things to make it better though i agree.

 

I'm not sure what kind of FF helmet you have but the cheap ones don't have good ventilation, the good ones do. My Aria keeps a cool steam of air flowing over the top of my head, and fresh air in my face without buffetting. Also the head liners on most full face helmets are removeable for cleaning/disinfection. I find the vision I have is better than with googles since you have peripheral vision which google frames block. The only thing is I find I need to use an anti fog treatment on the visor to keep in clear in cold weather or rain. Rainex is awesome on the outside of the visor in rain. Swaping out the clear visor for a tinted/mirrored one is great in the bright sun.

 

i have a beard sometimes cropped sometimes a bit longer and the material on the side itches the beard like crazy.

i've briefly tried some top brand FF shoei and arai, and found all of them suffocating, as for vision i've heard people say that FF helmets don't impede your vision, but to me it really does. and perception can greatly influence reality anyway, so if i feel like my vision is impeded then it's impeded.

 

ACC (Head Trip) also offers a 10% discount to forum members. Just ask for it. I had to modify mine a bit so that it stays on my head but now it is perfect.

I agree with the statement about full face. I used to wear Arai full face's as well. Extremely light and comfortable. Pricey but worth it. Had several wrecks with Arai and came out good as new.

I almost forgot to say..."If you have a $5 head, wear a $5 helmet." How much is your head worth? Obviously I live in a helmet state.

 

There seem to be lots of discounts this time of year on motorcycle gear. I just looked at the Revzilla site and they are offering big discounts on some of their helmets. At least with full face helmets the safety is the same in a $150 helmet as it is in a $1000 helmet. What you pay more for is a more accurate fit, better ventilation, better/removeable liner, lack of weight, and the graphics.