Need Help Choosing A Helmet!!!

[Awesome]

There is a lot of controversy out there about ratings and protection. Experts on both sides disagree...
...there is some evidence that some of the less expensive helmets do a BETTER job in absorbing 'G' forces...which, it turns out, are a far greater cause of brain injury than penetration...

...just sayin...

Instead of just sayin and playing devils advocate, site your expert sources.

[Pittenger5]

Ive had good luck with Icon gear, granted only a jacket and boots, but they've held up. That said, I've heard (all second hand) a lot of things about Icon helmets. Though I havent heard any first hand knowledge of how Icon cause or didnt cause a head injury. So take thats for what its worth.
As for Scorpion, thats what I'm running next year. The Squirrels taken a number of bonks wearing Scorpion and came out, wel not normal, but at least normal for them.
Its easy to say Arai and Shoei and all those, but since I made it a total of 1/2 lap on a track before bonking a 700 dollar Arai, price definitely merits some consideration for me.

[DuncanMoto]

I wear an Icon on the street and an Arai on the track.
Never wrecked with the Icon, so i can't say how well it would do, but it's very comfortable and the composite contruction is not plastic.

[marshdrummer]

marshdrummer...THAT is a scarry picture. Ouch...I can only imagines the damage to a face without the helmet...ugh

All I have to say is thank god for gear. Only a quater sized bruise on my knee where my knee pad hit my thigh!

The impact is what makes the difference, anything out there that covers you is going to protect from scrapes.

Well...picture a 300 lbs dude on a 400+ lbs bike going head and shoulder first into the tar at 40mphish, my arm caught under my body and my leg stuck under the bike while I slid.....My noggen bounced off the tarmac like a basketball......It absorbed the impact very well IMHO (the brain damage I have now is genetic!!). I may be one of the lucky ones when it came to their helmets, but it saved me on this day.....

I am only stating MY real world facts, that is why I left my opinion out of it. I would buy another if I had limited funds. But I am lucky enough to be able to afford the Suomy I purchased.

[ZX11D]

I have been down hard so fit and impact integrity are the most important things to me. I still ride on the fast side of things but I value my life more now than ever. If you can find a lid that fits great and will keep you alive in a crash then buy it. If it looks great thats a plus.

[SRTie4k]

Have you ever seen anything icon on a racetrack? If you're going to disagree and discount my advice you should give some kind of evidence that supports your 'just as good' statement? Snell and DOT ratings mean next to nothing, you can get a half shell beany with a snell rating.



The impact is what makes the difference, anything out there that covers you is going to protect from scrapes.

I really can't give you any evidence to the contrary, but can you give evidence to support the fact that the helmets are junk? One person in here has already chimed in saying their head rebounded off the road with an Icon helmet and it held up fine. I don't hear anybody here saying their previous Icon helmet shattered on impact.

And just because it's not used on the track doesn't mean it's worthless. From everything I've ever read about Icon, they do tons of sponsoring in stunting, not racing. I see tons of stunters wearing them, granted they are not travelling near as fast.

[Awesome]

I really can't give you any evidence to the contrary, but can you give evidence to support the fact that the helmets are junk? One person in here has already chimed in saying their head rebounded off the road with an Icon helmet and it held up fine. I don't hear anybody here saying their previous Icon helmet shattered on impact.

And just because it's not used on the track doesn't mean it's worthless. From everything I've ever read about Icon, they do tons of sponsoring in stunting, not racing. I see tons of stunters wearing them, granted they are not travelling near as fast.

From the pictures of the helmet I see scrapes and no major impact areas, it looks to me like the brunt of it is on the windscreen.

I'm not saying Icon can't perform, I'm saying it hasn't proved that it can. My faith is in the products and development that has prove itself. Out of the hundreds of people racing just at loudon I've never seen one in 5 years trust their brain or anything else to an Icon product. It's supposed to be safety equipment, yet many of their tags state 'does not offer protection' or something along those lines.

I've known stunting since before stunting was stunting, here's how it works for the majority doing it. They will accept anything from anyone just to tell people they have a sponsor, they would rather look cool and be dead than look bad and be safe, and any stunt compition that goes on today is at 10-20 mph with the only exception being stoppies.

I really don't care who uses what, I likely won't even be wearing a helmet most of the time on my chopper. Someone asked for advice here and I gave it. The choice is, accept a greater risk with the product or discount the advice so you don't have to admit to the risk.

[Awesome]

Anyone here who doesn't read motorcyclist online is an idiot, is that what you're saying Dave, cause it sure as shit sounds like it. Just like when you say anyone here that believes in god is an idiot, or anyone that smokes cigarettes, or anyone that drinks, or anyone that does anything different from you.


Just so we can put you on record, you're recommending people avoid the helmets that have passed stringent tests, and get the cheapest, DOT approved helmet, that has not been approved by snell?

[Kurlon]

Anyone here who doesn't read motorcyclist online is an idiot, is that what you're saying Dave, cause it sure as shit sounds like it. Just like when you say anyone here that believes in god is an idiot, or anyone that smokes cigarettes, or anyone that drinks, or anyone that does anything different from you.


Just so we can put you on record, you're recommending people avoid the helmets that have passed stringent tests, and get the cheapest, DOT approved helmet, that has not been approved by snell?

I think he was just pointing to reading material on the topic at hand, not questioning your manhood.

[akira700]

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/ge...iew/index.html

Impact Key: LF: Left Front, 7-foot drop, Flat Pavement. RF: Right Front, 10-foot drop, Flat Pavement. LR: Left Rear, 7-foot drop, Flat Pavement. RR: Right Rear, 7-foot drop, Edge Anvil. Shell Key: (P): Polycarbonate (F): Fiberglass

Yeah I read this article and the follow up to it. Its a well done test I think.
Seems to me that the Euro standards have more scientific/medical
research built in to them. Motorcyclist took alot of flak from SNELL and ARAI on this and they stood by their claims. Good to see a trade mag do a test and really try to get at some real test results not just cow tow to their sponsors.

[Pittenger5]

Just so we can put you on record, you're recommending people avoid the helmets that have passed stringent tests, and get the cheapest, DOT approved helmet, that has not been approved by snell?

So whats wrong with getting a cheaper helmet that HAS passed stringent testing? Obviously we as a whole would like to see people wear proper gear (for the most part) but asking someone to pay 700 bucks for an Arai is often a little much.
To go back on your Icon points, we now have 1 person who vouches for their crashability, yet no one has come forth and said the helmet failed. I think their helmets have come a long way in the short term, and they're not a bad helmet. And I have seen some novices wear they on the track, but experts and such, they for the most part dont. But I think its mainly due to the stunt / racing divide that whether you want to admit it or not, DOES exist.

[Awesome]

So whats wrong with getting a cheaper helmet that HAS passed stringent testing? Obviously we as a whole would like to see people wear proper gear (for the most part) but asking someone to pay 700 bucks for an Arai is often a little much.
To go back on your Icon points, we now have 1 person who vouches for their crashability, yet no one has come forth and said the helmet failed. I think their helmets have come a long way in the short term, and they're not a bad helmet. And I have seen some novices wear they on the track, but experts and such, they for the most part dont. But I think its mainly due to the stunt / racing divide that whether you want to admit it or not, DOES exist.

And again I never said anyone has to pay 700 for a helmet to make it good. I gave my opinion of the two brands that were asked about. I didn't feel I had to point out exactly what I said because I assumed that anyone with extremely large genitalia would have read my first post in this thread and remembered what was written.

[Pittenger5]

I didn't feel I had to point out exactly what I said because I assumed that anyone with extremely large genitalia would have read my first post in this thread and remembered what was written.

Douchebagsayswhat?

[Awesome]

Douchebagsayswhat?

What!

[Pittenger5]

What!

HAHAHAHAH I got you.
And I didnt actually read most of the thread anyway.

[SRTie4k]

Like I said, I still think a lot of the "Icon is garbage" mentality is very prevalent due to history or "appeal", if you will, to a different crowd in the motorcycle industry. I can agree that well tested equipment and proved equipment has somewhat of a guarantee over lesser brands, but that doesn't mean that lesser brand should be steered clear of by any means.

Fact remains, when you buy a bike for $7000, a lot of people don't want to turn around and spend 10% of that on a helmet alone, especially if you're like me and only ride casually. And I refuse to buy a used helmet, so the only thing that is left is something like an Icon or a cheap Shoei (which is still expensive).

[GixerJockey]

And I refuse to buy a used helmet, so the only thing that is left is something like an Icon or a cheap Shoei (which is still expensive).

Not true. You can buy a great helmet from Shark for under $400...

[Pittenger5]

Not true. You can buy a great helmet from Shark for under $400...

Or Scorpion

[GixerJockey]

Or Scorpion

Junk...

[Sheppo]

Junk...

proof? or just another Arai Snob?

[SRTie4k]

Not true. You can buy a great helmet from Shark for under $400...

When I say "something like an Icon" I mean the cheaper helmets like Icon, Shark, Scorpion etc...

I already have a helmet though.

[Pittenger5]

Junk...

Shut up pre-novice!

[ccwrx]

i have a arai and i hate it!! The helmet it self is quite comfortable, but its only a year old and its falling apart on me, called arai and basically they told me tough shit!!!

[GixerJockey]

When I say "something like an Icon" I mean the cheaper helmets like Icon, Shark, Scorpion etc...

You have alot to learn about helmets my friend...

One of those three brands does not fit in your sentence.

Shut up pre-novice!

I hate you!

i have a arai and i hate it!! The helmet it self is quite comfortable, but its only a year old and its falling apart on me, called arai and basically they told me tough shit!!!

Did you go back to the dealer where you bought it? If it was defective, I would have exhanged it. No questions.

[GixerJockey]

proof? or just another Arai Snob?

Yes...