Good street helmet under $300

[Stromper]

Soon I will be wanting to replace my

Shoei rf1100

Shoei basically wants 450 to 700 for the hat,

I understand the mainline companies
have poisoned the well so they all have comparable high prices

Sport touring application well vented

So anyone with a recommendation for a helmet they like that costs 300 or less

[Chippertheripper]

Hjc fg17.

[TwelveGaugeSage]

I've got an Icon Airmada and a Bell MX-9 Adventure, both of which get pretty good airflow and I find pretty comfortable.

[HRCfan1]

Definitely look into HJC.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nhbubba]

My current daily lid is a Shoei Qwest. >$300. SNELL rated. Composite shell. Quiet and really well made. Probably what I'd go for next time for a daily lid.

Bell has a MIPS lid for >$300 now. ECE rated too. But it's poly (plastic).

[adouglas]

I had a Scorpion EXO-R700 some years ago. Great value, Snell rated. The current iteration is called the EXO-R710. If I were on a budget it'd be at the top of the short list. I'd even look at the model below it, the EXO-R420.

The EXO-R710 is under $200. The EXO-R420 is under $150. Even the top-line EXO-R2000 is under $300.

But the usual caveat applies: The helmet that fits best is the best helmet for you.

[dankatz]

It's hard to comment not knowing your head shape. Fit should be a major factor in getting a helmet. Some are rounder - others more oval. Until I spent 45 minutes at Seacoast a few years ago I did not realize I was a long oval head shape which somewhat limits what I can get. Do you want a drop down visor? I really like that feature now that I have experienced it for the first time.

Bell Qualifier Dlx with the Transitions shield is one helmet I am very impressed with for the price. Decide what you want in a helmet and the good guys at Revzilla can help as well.

[TIMMYDUCK]

Forgot to pack a helmet for bike week .

Picked this up at Freedom Cycle for 120 .

Fly Racing Dirt Trekker Helmet - Cycle Gear

All my others are Shoei's and this one has really impressed me for the money ��

[Stromper]

I have always had shoei large believe head like pumpkin

There seems to be a trend toward HJC

My brother has cheezy helmets and they seem fine , there is no reason that good quality cant be had for sub 300

I do like that fly I have been taking my son riding and that would be good for him as I drive like granny 2 up

[csmutty]

I have always had shoei large believe head like pumpkin

There seems to be a trend toward HJC

My brother has cheezy helmets and they seem fine , there is no reason that good quality cant be had for sub 300

I do like that fly I have been taking my son riding and that would be good for him as I drive like granny 2 up

Seem fine? Has he tested them with his melon?

Or does he have a helmet test lab in his basement?

[Garandman]

I have always had shoei large believe head like pumpkin

There seems to be a trend toward HJC

The more expensive helmets have more shells for better fit, better interior materials. And only a few have the long oval shape that is more common in the US.

But there have been many studies of helmets, including a war on Snell about their M2005 standard. The bottom line is that no one safety standard has been proven to be safer than any other. According to available data, DOT spec helmets (usually much cheaper than those that meet Snell Standards) aren’t any less safe. That includes Polycarbonate shell helmets.

Many articles.

Helmet Safety Ratings 101

[adouglas]

Forgot to mention... because of the overwhelming importance of fit (IMHO the only really important decision factor assuming you go with a name-brand helmet and not some sketchy eBay-Chinese thing)....

I have a Shoei-shaped head and the Scorpions fit similarly. If you liked your RF1100 you'll probably do well with one of those brands.

FWIW, I have yet to try on a Bell that felt good to me... simply the wrong shape. Which is a shame, because as noted the Transitions shield rocks.

My current street helmet is an RF1200 with a Transitions shield.

[dankatz]

Forgot to mention... because of the overwhelming importance of fit (IMHO the only really important decision factor assuming you go with a name-brand helmet and not some sketchy eBay-Chinese thing)....

I have a Shoei-shaped head and the Scorpions (and by extension HJCs) fit similarly. If you liked your RF1100 you'll probably do well with one of those brands.

FWIW, I have yet to try on a Bell that felt good to me... simply the wrong shape. Which is a shame, because as noted the Transitions shield rocks.

My current street helmet is an RF1200 with a Transitions shield.

Agree with above wholeheartedly. Keep in mind though that shape is not brand, but model dependent. For example, the Shoei Quest is slightly more round than oval. Most helmets are intermediate oval (RF1200, HJC and Scorpions) which fit most Americans. The only Shoei which fits me very well is the GT-air which is their most oval helmet. Arai has a helmet for every head shape, round to long oval. So, if an RF1100 fits you well than most likely you have an intermediate oval head shape.

[MattR302]

My Shoei GT-Air is looking a little beat. When it's time is up, I'm going to look at the Scorpion EXO-T1200, it has similar features at a ~$300 price point. I've had a few Scorpion EXO-400's in that past that I liked and fit similarly to the Shoei.

[Imbeek]

Shoei Quest here, too. Would/will buy again, IF they are still making them and I can get a fresh date

[k1200s]

The snell HJC helmets are like $130. I use them to race, as do some of my garage mates. I can say, they hold up well in a crash and I honestly can't tell much of a difference between it and my Arai, however I would trust my Arai much more in a serious crash (like cartwheeling or a face full of curb, but a normal crash and I wouldn't think twice) but that's nearly a $1,000 helmet. Fit and finish is good, nothing like some of their cheaper models.

I would disregard anyone saying there is no difference between snell and dot rating. A child bicycle helmet will pass Dot, snell won't sticker anything that isn't pull faced, and most modulars cant pass snell because there is a risk of opening in a crash. Add to that the fact that no race org will let you out in a dot helmet and it's pretty clear there is a difference. No, there may not be a difference in fatality rates, but at least you keep your face after in a snell helmet

I would trust a $150 snell rated hjc over a $1,000-2,000 DoT shoei or arai. Your really only paying for well placed and secured styrofoam, no reason to go all out on $800 worth of carbon fiber and having the arai masters rub their hands all over it

[loudbeard]

This seems like a bit of a stretch. Are you sure your head isn't worth far less than $300?

[k1200s]

This seems like a bit of a stretch. Are you sure your head isn't worth far less than $300?

You clearly haven't tried a sub $300 helmet. Styrofoam is usually free, no reason to go trading your bike for what is otherwise cheap packaging material

[dankatz]

Just to muddy the waters, this is a great site SHARP - THE HELMET SAFETY SCHEME
I am a firm believer in SHARP testing. Can checkout their results as well. Someone mentioned the scorpion T1200. It got an excellent review on WebBikeWorld for best value
Best Full Face Helmets for Maximum Protection & Quiet Rides

[number9]

Shoei Quest here, too. Would/will buy again, IF they are still making them and I can get a fresh date

Another vote for the Shoei Qwest.

[01xj]

Don't forget to look at closeout deals. Thr rf1200 in solid colors can be had at or around 300, might even be less. The qwest and rf1200 are both excellent. And the auto dimming cw-1 shield is an awesome addition.

[Tokyo Drift]

I had a Scorpion EXO-R700 some years ago. Great value, Snell rated. Made by HJC.

Where did you come by this bit of information?

[adouglas]

Where did you come by this bit of information?

Oops. My bad. I was conflating that Scorpion with my prior helmet, a Joe Rocket RKT-101. The Joe Rocket was made by Scorpion. Same exact shield is the giveaway.

[Stromper]

What I meant was my brother cheap spare helmet was comfortable for all day riding

[Garandman]

//I would disregard anyone saying there is no difference between snell and dot rating. A child bicycle helmet will pass Dot, snell won't sticker anything that isn't pull faced, and most modulars cant pass snell because there is a risk of opening in a crash. Add to that the fact that no race org will let you out in a dot helmet and it's pretty clear there is a difference. No, there may not be a difference in fatality rates, but at least you keep your face after in a snell helmet

I would trust a $150 snell rated hjc over a $1,000-2,000 DoT shoei or arai. Your really only paying for well placed and secured styrofoam, no reason to go all out on $800 worth of carbon fiber and having the arai masters rub their hands all over it

The OP specified “street helmet,” so race approval is not pertinent.

My direct personal experience is that only full face helmets are safe.


There was huge debate over the Snell M2005 helmet standard, which was accused of transmitting too much energy to the head.

https://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/im...mets-Paper.pdf

“The overall best performing model was qualified only to the DOT standard. Helmets qualified to the high-energy Snell Standards generally had the highest peak accelerations in these tests.”

Snell countered by attacking DOT test methodology. Moot since they changed in 2010 and again in 2015.

An Effort to Sort Out Differences in Helmet Safety Standards - The New York Times

Just to muddy the waters, this is a great site SHARP - THE HELMET SAFETY SCHEME
I am a firm believer in SHARP testing. Can checkout their results as well. //

SHARP seems to be most comprehensive - but there’s a “gotcha.” Most manufacturers sell different models in the European market (or at least name them differently) so it’s hard to tell if your helmet has been tested. There are riders who feel strongly that the EU and SHARP standards are superior and purchase Euro-spec helmets online.