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To the OP: Also ask if the helmet you try on has venting made more for sport or cruiser riding. Some helmets have the vent intake positioned for sport riding so you won't get much air through the helmet on your H-D, due to your riding position. I moved to a Shoei RF-1400 to replace my older Arai. The Shoei is way more comfortable (for me) and seems light enough for a full face. As others have posted, you have to try on several brands and models within brands to find what fits best for you.
I'm seriously considering switching to a full face this season, as you get older, you begin to question your mortality, well, lol at 53, I'm at that point, but that's an entirely separate discussion. That being said, a half helmet doesn't quite cut it protection wise.
What do you guys use? weight is a big consideration, hearing my music is another, I need to hear my music lol, sorry, not sorry. I know from my sport bike days, cheaper lids were worse with wind noise, but, I had a couple $$$ AGV lids that were light but still pretty loud. so give some input on what you guys are using, include your thoughts on comfort, weight, wind noise, ability to hear your music, thanks!!
I use an use an HJC modular helmet, with a yellow roll down visor, and a mirror outer face shield.
IF driving at night, I roll down the yellow inner visor, and flip the outer mirror face shield down, and can see pretty good! The yellow visor brightens my view when used together with the mirror shield and I can see at night. It's the best combination that I've ever used while riding!
I use no speakers or anything when I ride, so I can hear the outside world of; sirens, and my Road King Custom's engine.
If I "wanted" to hear music, I'd just drive my car! (but that's no fun)
My new helmet just showed up! The fit is great, even better than I hoped for. Snug all the way around with but not too tight or too loose. Even the cheek pads fit the way I like. No chipmunk effect and I can close my mouth without worrying about biting my inner cheeks. My eye glasses fit in it and are easy to put on. Since it doesn't say it was built for eye glasses, I was a bit worried about this, but all good. Time to go ride!
Update: Just back from a couple hours on the bike with this new helmet. I like it more now than when it showed up. Very comfortable and then venting worked so well, I had to close the uppers on the highway on a ~60 deg day. It does let a little more sound through than my old HJC, so I can see why some have said it's "noisy." However, it wasn't wind noise that was louder than my other helmet, it was the ambient noise such as traffic, the pipes and my speakers. I can actually hear my own stereo on the interstate at 80 without the headset now! Buffeting was basically non existent even at 80 mph which is a bit better than my old helmet. Couldn't be happier with it.
Last edited by Black Ultra; Mar 19, 2023 at 05:56 PM.
I just posted a thread about this but thought I'd share here real quick. The photochromatic visor on my Shoei RF-1400 is a real winner. No more swapping or carrying extra gear.
As far as money, a $100 helmet that is DOT and SNELL certified will save your brain as well as a $1200 helmet with the same certs. With that said, the expensive one will almost definitely be lighter, quieter, more comfortable and better made. As the price goes up, so does quality and creature comforts. Pick what you want to spend.
You know this comment isn't really true. Like saying the airbags in a Dodge Dart will protect you just as well as the safety system in a Maybach. They both received the safety rating approvals to be on the road. However, in a crash, I like my chances of walking away unscathed in the Maybach vs the Dart.
That said, the best helmet is the one you will wear. Some folks can afford the higher end, lighter, better ventilation, better comfort, better features, and better protection. Some folks can't and buy what they can afford. It has to work for each individual. As i put it to one of my kids, he is dropping thousands on upgrades to his bike, but wears a $100 helmet, if you can spend the money on an object to look better, what is keeping your head intact worth?
I just went through looking at new helmets for my sport bike, narrowed down to Arai coarsier X and Shoei x-14. I have worn shoei since i was 18, I loved the Arai, but went with the Shoei, not because it was better, is wasn't, but the visor. Shoei has a transitions and Arai doesn't. Their system for a flip down tinted lense doesn't work for me either, and i ride a lot at night so a smoked out visor doesn't work.
I just posted a thread about this but thought I'd share here real quick. The photochromatic visor on my Shoei RF-1400 is a real winner. No more swapping or carrying extra gear.
Why yes....of course it would. It's great for getting drivers and other riders to keep their distance. They want nothing to do with getting close to me.
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