What helmet are you wearing and why?

[scottzilla]

In my 24 years of riding i've owned 3 Arai Helmets.
My opinion:
Best fitting helmets I ever owned.
Quietest helmets I ever owned.
Most stuffy helmets I ever owned (Venting sucks).
Fit and finish are top notch.

That said...I won't be buying another Arai.  No reason to spend $500.  None.  Go ahead and try to argue with me.
 

[Cablebandit]

Right now a Shoei Multitec, I wear glasses and it is convenient not to remove my glasses.  

Other than Shoei's fitting my head this is the other reason I went with the Multitec.  However, I can't get it on or off my head without removing my glasses so I'll be going back to a full face with the next helmet.  Hopefully by then Shoei will get their head out of their collective asses and put an internal visor on their helmets.  Carrying two visors all the time sucks.  I don't even care if it adds $50.00 to the price of the helmet since I always need to buy a second visor anyway.

[Blunder]

I have worn about every helmet make except Arai.  I have heard that changing the visor is a real PITA, and I ride with a dark smoke shield so I have to change shields occassionally, or take it off to clean it.

Changing shields is pretty easy, it just feels and sounds as if you're breaking something. Other than the wonky Nakano I wrote about my other Arai has never had a problem and I don't know of anyone else having trouble.

[ray916mn]

Suomy Spec-1R. Best fit of any helmet I tried on and I tried every premium helmet from Arai, Shoei, AGV, HJC, KBC, Scorpion, and Icon.

I've owned Arai, Shoei and AGV helmets in the past and really expected to end up with an Arai.

The Scorpion EXO-700 was a very close second, but nothing else came close to fitting my noggin as well.

[fishhuntride]

My last 5 helmets have all been an Arai and my current helmet is an RX7.  Arai makes great helmets.  However, during the last several years a lot of helmet makers have improved the quality of their products and the advantage Arai enjoyed is not what it once was.  Couple that with the cost of an Arai and they start to loose out.  

Next year it will time to replace my RX7 and I'll look hard and a number of other options.  I don't know what new helmets will be available by then but if I were to do it today, the Bell Star is the front runner.

[KLRchickie]

Changing shields is pretty easy, it just feels and sounds as if you're breaking something. Other than the wonky Nakano I wrote about my other Arai has never had a problem and I don't know of anyone else having trouble.

The only problem I had with my Arai Quantum/f was with the shield!  I got so that I cleaned it in place on the helmet whenever possible, as putting it back ON the helmet tended to make the side pods pop OFF.  I recall a ride that was delayed by 30-40 minutes one day while I fought with the shield/pods.  Otherwise it was a great helmet that fit my ovoid melon very well.

When I bonked the Arai on the ground a few years back I shopped around & replaced it with a Suomy Vandal.  It was the only helmet besides the Arai Quantum that fit - and I tried on dozens.

Shoei RF-1100, Shoei Multi-tec, Shoei Hornet.

I find these two helmets being listed as fitting the same person rather odd....  ZED wears an RF-1000 which I can't even pull onto my head, as the helmet isn't "long" enough in the forehead area.  I understood the 1100 to fit the same as the 1000.  I had the opportunity to try on a Hornett-DS last summer and it fit better than *any* helmet I've ever had on my head.  I haven't bought one yet, but I'm sure I will.....  He & I wear almost the same size helmet (mine's just a smidge bigger), and both find that only expensive helmets tend to fit, but we need *very* differently shaped helmets.

As to the original question - the "Best" helmet brand is the one that makes a helmet which fits your head!

[MadOzodi]

Bell Star - Snell 2010 iteration

My first helmet was a Shoei RF1000 - didn't realize I had a size too large until too late.  Tried on an RF1100, RX-Q and Profile prior to purchasing the Bell.  When it came down to it, the price was the deciding factor, as well as just wanting to try out a new brand.

One thing I'm not happy about with my Bell is that the chin curtain didn't fit securely.  While riding, I pushed up a bit on the helmet and it got caught on my glove, which pulled it free of the insert tab slots...bye bye chin curtain.  Also, the glue surrounding the fabric keeping the magnafusion magnet attached to the end of the helmet strap has deteriorated so I'll either have to re-glue it or try to have it sewn back together.  I just don't want to go through the hassle of contacting Bell for a warranty claim.

I haven't heard/read of other people having the same problem with the magnet...just my own personal experience.  Regardless, I still love the helmet.  But I'll probably try another brand the next time I need to purchase one.

[Croak]

Just give Bell a call, they'll likely point you to a local dealer where you can swap on the spot if they agree it's a warranty issue.  They're serious about the 5 year warranty thing.

[MadOzodi]

Just give Bell a call, they'll likely point you to a local dealer where you can swap on the spot if they agree it's a warranty issue.  They're serious about the 5 year warranty thing.

Ok, I'll give 'em a shot.

[bomber]

I had to replace my Schuberth as it was getting rather ratty. If I had the money, I would have bought another as it fits me beautifully and really like it. I ended up with a Vemar Jiano Nolan N-103 mostly for price point. But it is a very nice helmet, not quite up to the Schuberth but it will do.

Thanks for saving me all the keyboard work, Bubba!

[lolife]

Hey guys,
I've been working for about a year now at a shop in PA that specializes in selling Arai helmets. I can tell you all about the product and how in my opinion it is the best helmet on the market. As a shop we provide an awesome custom fitting service that you cant find anywhere else. We get you in the right size helmet and shell shape to protect your noggin.

But I'm posting because I want to know what you guys are wearing and why you feel it is the best helmet for you, or why you don't like the helmet you own..

You had posted in another thread that you were Robert from The Service Pavilion.  If so, I thought you owned The Service Pavilion & it had been open for 10 yrs?

as far as the original topic, I wear an Arai RX-Q.  

[Max Wedge]

Arai Profile.    It fit, and vents well. Everything else was a comprimise in comfort for me. I may try an XD3 for commuting work, and I will buy another Profile when this one gets too funky.

[flips21]

+1 on the Arai Profile.  It is the only helmet I can find that fits like it does.  Used to have a Shoei RF, but it gave me hot spots on my forehead.  After a few hours on the bike, it felt like I had an icecream headache.  I had my Ah Ha moment when I put it on in the store.  

[Major 662]

I rode with an Arai Signet for 7 years.  It was the only long-oval helmet shape I could find in town, so I didn't have much choice, but it was well-constructed and relatively quiet.  For awhile, it gave me a painfull hotspot on the forehead, but nobody makes a super-long-oval helmet, so I dealt with it and it eventually worked itself out.  The only downside was Arai's stubborn resistance to improving the shield changing mechanism with opaque side pods that turn the process into something like a tavern puzzle.  I wish I had a nickel for every one of the legions of people that told me they could swap the shields in a few minutes, and then proceeded to wrestle with the helmet, popping off the side pods and tweaking the plastic bits to their breaking points.  Arai tries to help with instructional videos and urges us to watch Nicky Hayden and Kenny Roberts Jr swap shields in seconds without removing their helmets.  I think it's like trying to whistle a perfect middle C -- there are a few people that can do it and don't understand why nobody else can.

Recently, I bought a Shoei Qwest to replace it.  I was willing to buy another Arai, but fortunately I found an alternative that didn't try to overcome shortcomings with help videos and testimonials.  The Shoei has better padding, the Arai was a slightly more precise fit, the Shoei has more room for speakers by the ears (whereas the Arai has padding there -- not sure which I prefer), and both are quiet.  The Shoei seems to get noisier when I turn my head, relative to the Arai.  The Shoei, of course, has the better shield mechanism.  On the Arai, the rubber on the bottom of the helmet completely fell off on the first hot day (glue failure), but I fixed it with electrical tape, and that worked for entire time I've owned it.

I was interested in some of the Scorpion helmets, but tried a EXO-700 and the fit wasn't even close for me.  I would've liked to try a few Sharks (RSI) and Bells, but no local dealers.

[malbojah]

I switched to a Nolan N90 this season. I've been looking for a flip helmet for about 2 years and nothing came close to fitting; most helmets would hit my chin (I've got a small Jay Leno chin thing going). I had a Shoei RF1000 the past several years but I could push my chin out and easily hit the chin bar. Now I have room for a Bluetooth setup (just not the Nolan, they want more for the Bluetooth than the helmet cost)

[ANZAC]

Arai RX7 Doohan Star for 10 years  

Arai RX-Q UK Flag - current helmet  

I have the long narrow oval head that takes an Arai Profile like helmet.  All other helmets don't fit me right although the new Nolan N90 is pretty nice.

Remember - get a helmet that fits right and don't scrimp on saftey  

[fullhouse]

Just bought an Arai profile.  Fits my long oval head well and the accomodates for my glasses nicely.  Replaced my aged Shoei RF.  
The visor replacement procedure is different than Shoei's and the crunching sounds take some getting used to at first.  I want to be able to do this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XEfw9l4iqU

[bikefreak47]

The first Bell Star I purchased about three years ago developed a small (pencil eraser sized) bit of paint lifting on the chinbar by the vent. No stones hitting it and no solvents accidentally sprayed on it. Called Bells' customer service, told 'em the model, and the problem. They told me to pick a current Bell Star from their lineup and sent it out immediately. I sent back the flawed model and have had no problems since. They do back up their five year warranty.

[maddjack]

I am wearing a Shoei ( most of the time.) Why, comfort, venting, ease of changing the face shield, great fit, relatively quiet ( I wear ear plugs no matter) .

[Papa Lazarou]

Shoei Multitec for winter, Bell open face for summer