Crash - New Lid - Which One?

Motorcycling
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Hey guys,

Had an accident on the way home the other day and landed heavily on my face, thus a new lid is needed!

Im in two minds between the new Shoei XR-1100 and an Arai Viper GT. I had a Shoei raid 2 before and liked how you could adjust the visor closing against the seal, the new XR has an automatic sealing thing which is cool.

Now, does anyone own an Arai and have problems with the visor sealing against the helmet, and know if there is a similar mechanism?

Anyone recommend one over the other?

I welcome any suggestions or opinions, have a good christmas everyone :smiley:

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Cant help there, I have the Shoei XR1000, and find it to be quite noisy, dont know about the XR1100 though.
Was just browsing the topics, and came across your post, glad you’re ok after hitting the ground face first.

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Sorry to hear about your crash - hope you aren’t too sore!

There was an article on LB recently that is worth a read : http://londonbikers.com/articles/12610/a-tale-of-three-lids

I’d also add … go and check out the Scorpion range. Infinity stock them on their website so I’d imagine in store too : http://www.infinitymotorcycles.com/store/manufacturer-scorpion-exo/364

Seriously clever bit of kit. Has got inflatable pads in the cheeks - so once you put it on - give it a quick pump using a button by the chin … and it squishes in on your face. Perfect fit every time. Why has nobody else ever thought about that? :w00t:

I was blown away by them at the NEC show and was seriously considering splashing the cash there and then. They also come in about 4 billion colour schemes if that is important to you :slight_smile:

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Hmmm, inflatable cheek pads? Sounds a bit gimmiky to me… reminds me of the trainers that you pumped to inflate the air in the soles.

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If you get a helmet that fits you properly off the shelf … the cheek pads squish your face … but 10k miles down the line … the foam is less firm … so not quite as snugly fitting as it once was. If you inflate each time you put it on … then it will always be perfectly snug.

Gimmick or not … I’m sold :wink:

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Have you looked at the run of Helmet articles we’ve published lately?

http://londonbikers.com/articles/tags/helmets

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Makes sense I guess :smiley:

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I’ve heard nothing but good things about the Viper GT :smiley:

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Remind me, why do cheek pads need to be that snug in the first place?

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Improved fit. Reduced wind noise. Won’t lift/rotate when you are sliding down the road.

http://scorpionhelmets.co.uk/airfit.htm

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cheers for the responses guys. i had considered an inflatable helmet but do consider them to be a little gimmicky, possibly a stupid opinion, but, i consider Shoei and Arai market leaders, so when and if they ever adopt an inflatable system, i’ll pay them more attention.

i had given those articles a read and was still none the wiser, part of me thinks that a good £50 is for the Arai sticker, but it did feel like wearing a pillow on my head compared to the xr 1100.

i think im thinking way to much about this and just need to get on with it :stuck_out_tongue:

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I bought a random AGV £100 helmet without reading any reviews and love it. I guess it’s only once you get used to nicer things that the others look kinda crummy. I recon whatever you will buy will be great :smiley:

So yes… get on with it is what I’m saying xD

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I tried the scorpion at NEC last month and the feeling of the helmet is really nice. I was impressed on the small details found all around. For the price I think it will be serious contender.

The only thing bothering me is the raised S logo. Imagine how much that is going to slow you down!! :hehe:

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Soles? Reebok pumps were the shoes which you could inflate but not the soles.

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i bought an arai condor recently but havnt used it yet.can any one give me the heads up on what to expect?

buy arai

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thanks for all the advice, opinions etc. ended up with an Arai Viper. compared to the shoei, getting the visors off is an absolute nightmare!!! still dont have the ‘knack’ and it feels like im going to snap something expensive :cool:

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Get the assistant who sold the helmet to you to show you how to change the visor. And make sure you can do it on their demo lid before leaving the shop.

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We’ve a Scorpion review coming soon and initial impressions are good. Inflatable inner lining is NOT a safety feature, not at all. It is purely to cut down on draughts coming back up the helmet causing turbulence and therefore noise. It works only around the lower portion of the helmet, not all over it, and although it may cushion your nappa momentarily in an accident it isn’t designed to work like an airbag.

Scorpion is made by a well established sports clothing manufacturer who produce clothing for many leading brands, and have been going it on their own principally in America. Here’s the company’s website who are behind Scorpion http://www.kido.co.kr/korean/ and look at the Customers section to see who they produce clothing for.

Arai visors are indeed initially a nightmare but apparently lots of practice is what’s needed. And a firm nerve. And possibly spare side pods. Phoenix took issue with me pointing out (in my helmet review) the fact that since only Arai insist on perservering with this visor mechanism which must say something. But I guess they would.