Good point. But to a large extent I’d imagine that the size of marketing budget has a lot to do with getting your helmets onto racing riders’ heads.
<A class=SmlBoldLinks id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl42_smAuthorName href=“http://londonbikers.com/forums/void(’’);” onmouseout=“window.status=’’;return true;” onmouseover=“window.status = window.location;return true;”>Benelli Boy For actual facts you’ll need to speak to my Rep he knows a number of facts for a number of different lids, if I can get him on the phone in the next couple of days ill make sure to post up whats said.and its The Artist, Mr Artist is my father :hehe:
My recommendation for a great safe road lid is an Arai Viper GT.
Appreciate that, The Artist. I’ve been interested in this for a while and would like to hear what your rep says. Cheers.
[quote]
sincere (29/04/2008)
I have an X-Lite which are manufactured by Nolan. Currently Moto GP rider Jorge Lorenzo is wearing one. I can completely reccommend them. Check out for info:
http://londonbikers.com/articles/6755/the-nolan-x-lite-x801rr-helmet[/quote]I wear a Nolan N102, very quiet, and has all the gee whiz features, the sliding latch (a plastic tab that fits into the catch), and also the smoke colored half visor, and it comes with a Pinlock anti-fog visor. The latch deal mean you can’t lock your helmet on your bike, as trolls could just unlatch it, although it is very quick to remove. The other features are rather nice. Lots of ventilation. Takes two separate moves, to lift up the face shield. (Modular design).
There is a simple test you can do which will demonstrate the difference between something like the Schuberth and say an Arai, and that is to flex the kneck of the helmet (where your bonce goes in). You will find a large amount of ‘flex’ from most brands, and this is due to the relaxed testing for ECE 2205.Arai took one look at the standards and basically threw them in the bin knowing their product would still surpass this. To demonstrate this I used to have an old crashed (by me) Arai shell (lining completely removed) put my head inside, lay on my side, on the floor, and get a collegue of mine to stand on it. would I do that with a Schuberth shell, or a Shoei shell…um nope…not a chance. And thats because Arai still manufacture a helmet that would pass the old British standard (much stricter) which required the kneck to be reinforced, and also a penetration test (footpeg through your head).
Also bear in mind that Arai use upto 5 shell sizes, to guarantee the optimum fit, most companies only use 2 with Shoei using 3 on their top of the range X-Spirit, and Schuberth only use 1.
If you want strong then buy the RX7 Corsair, as that is the ONLY helmet in the world that actually uses 2 outer shells…so if you like a bit of face planting at speed highly recommended.
Arai also use a triple density lining, so during and impact your head is slowed down slowly, some brands only use 1.
And if you ever crash in your Arai and are going to throw it away, then before you do, rip the lining completely out, so just the shell is left and inside you will find the name of the person who made your shell, and maybe saved your life. Its still a familly run company with that personal touch, not a corporate machine.
Yes I use Arai helmets, always will because we only get one chance out there, and as the cheapest Arai is only £199 I think good value considering you can spend more money on a plastic (lexan) helmet by a brand no one has heard of. (Arai are composite helmets)
um…no I dont work for Arai 
I’ve got an AGV, luv it to bits, not too noisy, not too expensive, faily light, looks good, would never pay over 250 for a lid.
I just bought a new Shoei helmet. Price didn’t even enter into the equation, as my head and brain are priceless.
I went on fit, lightweight, and comfort. For me, Shoei wins hands down!
I am 99% sure I’m going to buy a Shoei X-Spirit tomorrw too, vents that move 20 litres of air a minute at 60mph to keep you cool in summer but also close properly for winter use (unlike Arai), wind tunnel tested for no buffetting (unlike my Arai RX7 which shakes over 90mph), outer shell in a AIM/carbon fibre composite material, 4 different outer shells for different size heads, 3 different density inner shell sections for max impact absorbtion, full detachable liner for washing, 3D cheek and centre pads etc etc
Fits really well, very quiet compared to my RX7 and it’s lighter too ! Winner
Maybe they need to use two to get the strength ?
Shoei X-Spirit has survived the highest speed crash in BSB . . . end of the back straight at Snetterton, Shakey Byrne doing 187mph and had no brakes . . . His head hit the ground at 180ish mph and then smashed into the tyre wall. He woke up in hospital but survived. That’s good enough for me ;)
Umm…no. Shinya Nakano, 200 mph and not a crack in the shell. Shakeys helmet was fooked;)
Dont get me wrong I love the X-Spirit, they just dont fit my head, except James Haydons actual helmets which are a perfect fit for me, but thats not quite off the shelf 
Well I like both my Schuberths very comfortable & quiet and as I don’t intend to throw myself down the road at 187mph then I think they’ll do for me.
This is the interesting bit for me. Are you saying that the newer EC tests are not as good as the old UK ones, and that riders are less well protected as a result of that?
If this is true (and it’s a thing that a lot of people say - just look at some of the comments on this thread), then imho that’s a really serious issue. So why’s no one campaigning on it?
Well the simple answer is yes and no. The old british test was a 2 tier system with Type A (composite) and Type B (plastic). This was superceeded by 1 test which sits below Type A, but far above Type B. So in theory this means that if you have a small budget, then your helmet is better now than it used to be. In reallity it means that the bigger brands can make cheaper helmets as they can use less of the really trick expensive materials (carbon,aramid) as the testing is less stringet (no penetration or shell rigidity test in ECE 2205)Its also why when I walked into a main dealer the other day they had a ‘real’ cabon fibre helmet for £199. from a brand i have never heard of let alone been able to pronounce. The flex was so extreeme that you could get the sides to touch at the neck :blink: …thats just not right…its also why the real deal from Schuberth (or BMW) is £800!
This is why the big brands can justify £400-500 for a helmet still…they are selling you a product that they know will blitz ECE 2205, and still pass Type A.
When I was at GPS I only sold Arai, Suomy, Shoei and Scuberth helmets, we stocked many many other brands, but if you wanted one them then you had to talk to someone else.
Only Arai Suomy and Shoei supply their racers with the same product you can buy in the shops.
Rossi’s AGV is a work of art…but its also custom made shell just for him for racingThere was a famous picture (in the industry)a few years ago of a chap going hell for leather at the Isle of Man TT, he was sponsered by KBC, but it was plainly obvious that he was wearing an Arai RX7 with KBC stickers on the front…says it all really
The most important thing is that the helmet is snug an comfortable. Every body talks about quiet helmets, they are pretty much of a muchness on that front.
Earplugs are the answer, it takes a while but you’ll get used to it and they seem to only reduce the wind blast, high and low end noise so you can still hear the traffic around you in town if you fell you need to.
I ride pretty much all day monday - friday and for fun at weekends and always listen to my mp3, I have jvc marshmellow headphones which like earplugs mould into you ear, this reduces external noise so I don’t have to have it flat out and I can still hear other traffic around own but am not bothered by the howl of the wind on the tedious M roads.
I have used AGV, Simpson, Craft, Shoei, Arai, Xlite, HJC and a few others. I really like the Shoei Z one, it proved itself very well built, light and comfortable, I have 2 of them I liked it that much. I also have 2 Arai’s and HJC and an X-Lite at the moment. The Arais do what they say on the tin although I don’t think the finnish is as good as the Shoei and the X-Lite (although I love it) is not built or designed to the highest standard and is showing wear very quickly.
I am suspitious of anything other than the top end race reps where AGV are concerned, the shell is too flexable.
Hope you don’t get too confused by all the opinions. I’m waiting for the Roof Jagger to arrive in November, looks very interesting.
I bought the X-Spirit in black, very comfortable.
The shell is just as strong around the neck opening as the Arai Corsair RX7, got them both here in front of me. They both flex very slightly but I think that’s part of the design, if they didn’t flex they would shatter and also coudn’t transfer an impact to the rest of the shell which is how they help you survive.
The interior of the Shoei is slightly plusher, the skull cap and cheek pads feel more substantial, the internal of the Arai has started to look a bit tired.
I’ll keep the Arai for track days (20 mins at a time) and the odd local trip but the Shoei will be my main helmet, especially when I do any distance which living up here is most of the time.
I LOVE THAT SIGNATURE LINE!!!
Find what suits you - it’s trial and error. I used to own Shoei and loved them but find Arai really uncomfortable. Liked my two Cabergs for the sun visor but they are noisy and draughty. Just bought one of these, hopefully the best of both worlds - fits me really well, nice and quiet with earplugs, has a sun visor and looks, in my humble opinion, the absolute dog’s wotsits…
I hit a stationary bike at 130mph and used my face, head and balls to catapult me 25 feet in the air and landed head first at well over 100mph. I had multiple fractures to my face and skull as well as internal bleeding in my brain but after a spell in hospital and a plate stuck in my face i lived. Everyone including the medics thought i was dead when they put me in the chopper.
So i’ll not be reading the gumph on this thread and i’m sticking with my xr1000 lid.
ay clint great having worked in bike shop all that kit sitting around cheap ay fella