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A helmet is a very individual thing. If for no other reason, people's head shapes are different and some helmets that fit one person well will be not so much with someone else. When I got back into riding in 2014 I decided that I wanted a lot of protection.
My first helmet was the HJC modular helmet. It was OK, but very noisy and the fit-and-finish were not quite what I was looking for.
After some research I went with the Bell RS-1 full-face helmet. It is very well made and very quiet compared to the HJC. It takes the Sena SM-10 bluetooth unit very well also. All the padding comes out for cleaning. I think that the RS-1 by Bell is a great choice for people with the kind of head that fits the RS-1.
You'll get a wide range of opinions on helmets. So here's mine
Everyone defaults to Shoei or Arai as a must have. I have a Shoei Qwest and it's not noticeably better than any other helmet I have owned including HJC, Bell, Scorpion, etc, etc.
I bought Cheryl a Speed and Strength ff helmet and if you took the graphics off, I wouldn't be able to discern the quality difference from my Shoei, which is their lowest level helmet admittedly. She hates wearing it, but she hates wearing any kind of helmet. Anyway, it's made well. I wouldn't mind having one.
All DOT or Snell helmets (apples to apples - not ff vs shorty) will protect you, more or less, equally. The big difference is comfort and features. The variables are removable liner, venting, built in sun visor, light weight construction, bluetooth capable, etc. So that said, if the Speed and Strength fits you comfortably and has the features you want, it's a good choice. Unfortunately, once you get rolling it's when you find out if it's a "loud" helmet or not. Read reviews on the helmet you are considering and try to get insights on noise levels. Some are notoriously loud while others are supposedly quiet. Even at that there are so many variables that it's a crap shoot.
Last word - helmets are a great way to display superiority. It's funny to hang out with a riding group, lets say a BMW ride, and see the peacocks placing their helmets like a trophy on the table top at a stop. But half the time when I'm on the road with them it's plain to see that they are better at spending money than riding. The point being is an expensive helmet does not necessarily indicate a rider's experience levels as so many would have you believe.
I have a Schuberth C3 Pro. It will not accept an HD headset if you use one. Sena has a nice piece, the 10U is built in bluetooth. J&M Audio will modify the helmet for din 7 pin to work perfectly if you use it.
Whichever you choose, the fit is most important as others have pointed out. There is no way I would would buy a full face helmet without trying it on.
For example, I really wanted a shoei, but it had my jaw clamped to tight I couldn't close my jaw once I opened it. I couldn't even get an Icon over my head. I was about to give up on the idea of a full face, and then I found an Arai Vector at a metric bike dealer. Fit perfect. This is the one I use for long road trips, and my Sena 10C works perfectly with it. I use a low end modular around town.
I don't give a dang of what anyone thinks of what I wear. I don't do the chaps and vest thing. I wanna keep my skin intact.
But I also don't care what anyone else wears either. It's their skin, not mine.
Just get what you feel is appropriate and what you're comfortable with.
Whichever you choose, the fit is most important as others have pointed out. There is no way I would would buy a full face helmet without trying it on.
For example, I really wanted a shoei, but it had my jaw clamped to tight I couldn't close my jaw once I opened it. I couldn't even get an Icon over my head. I was about to give up on the idea of a full face, and then I found an Arai Vector at a metric bike dealer. Fit perfect. This is the one I use for long road trips, and my Sena 10C works perfectly with it. I use a low end modular around town.
That's another bonus to the higher end helmets - different cheek pad sizes. My Qwest was really tight on the jaw. I got the XL cheek pads and that made it much more comfortable.
But I have heard there are Shoei people and there are Arai people. One is more oval shaped and the other more round. Or so I'm told.
I had a Shoei RF1100 that I sold on this forum... I went with a modular. That said - I LOVE my scorpion which is extremely comfy and has a HUGE field of vision. Any helmet will work well with any bike.. Just depends what youre looking for.. I always used an open face helmet on my HD then I went FF/modular.. It all works.. Let us know how you make out..
Frankly, I got it for 2 reasons:
1) because of all the glowing reviews it has gotten, and
2) because I expected it to be significantly quieter than all my other helmets.
IMHO, the glowing reviews are justified [it is a very well built helmet]. Regarding noise reduction, perhaps I had unreasonable expectations. I don't notice an appreciable difference between the Shoei and another no-name FF I already had. Indeed, I don't even notice an appreciable noise reduction from a Hawk modular and the Shoei. However, the Hawk does have an annoying whistle if I close the top air vent [which I rarely do]. I'm so confident in Shoei's quality that no helmet would display a similar whistle. Bottom line: my Hawk modular is still my favorite and most often 'go-to' for cold and/or primarily highway rides. BUT, I am loving the PinlockŽ Fog-Resistant System on the Shoei and will forever look for this feature in my foul-weather helmets.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
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Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
