Newbie: Helmet Recommedation

[Wyldstyle]

So.....I passed the written part of the MSF 100% last weekend. I guess that means I'm good at reading and comp. anyhow I was sold and ready to purchase a Z1R ZRP-1 helmut after reading the Motorcyclist mag.

I tried on a few Z1Rs, fit was good, but now I'm not so sure. How much wiggle should a helmut have? and.....o.k I'm a noobie for asking this....how do you strap a helmut on? don't laugh....please!:laughing anyhow has anyone purchased and or used a "budget" helmult like a Z1R ZRP-1?

Any recommedations for a newbie like myself whom is trying to do the safe thing.

Thank again BARF members!!


Z1R ZRP-1
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/motostrano_1899_21425560

[Sidewalk]

There should be no wiggle room at all. It should be pretty tight, keeping in mind that it will loosen some after the padding wears in. Even then, there should still not be any wiggle room.

[MackeyStingray]

snug but not constricting

[Lester Green]

just don't do this..

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/166/649/2503850-helmetback.jpg

[Butch]

Originally posted by Beetlejuice
just don't do this..

always secure that chin strap.

and buy from a company that respects safety regulations and copyright law.

SNELL. or that Soumy British Standard.

[Ratters]

Yep, helmet should be snug. Your skin should move with it when it moves. It will break in a bit.

As for putting on the helmet, grab the straps close to the helmet and pull it on over your head. Then run the stap through both rings and then back through one. There should be a way to button down or velcro the end of the strap as you don't want it whipping your neck in the wind.

The Z1r is a fine helmet, just make sure it is comfortable after an extended wearing. I wear Shoei cause it fits my head the best.

[MackeyStingray]

they should have went over how to put on a helmet in MSF

at least they do in mountain view...

[Slowmofo]

:laughing not in the SF corse they didn't. well at least when I went for the 2 days they just said put your helmets on and lets ride.

[tocino]

I bought an hjc cl-max helm in january for my MSF course. It fit my head pretty good and I liked it. but then the guys at starbucks clowned on my helmet which made me sad :( and a female worker at cyclegear asked when I was going to get a "real" helmet when I went in for parts one day :cry So now i own a shiny new rf-1000 picotte (black) and all the dudes at starbucks and the cyclegear chick give me props :thumbup

so make sure you buy the most expensive, flashy helmet you can afford. Don't worry about other gear like leather jackets, pants, gloves and boots. you can sport flip-flops and wife-beaters like the rest of us at starbucks :laughing :laughing :laughing

[Lester Green]

Originally posted by Butch
always secure that chin strap.
yeah, and wearing it backwards is not such a great idea either..:teeth

[shraz]

ECE 22-05 standard =]

[saizai]

If you grab the helmet, you should not be able to move your head. Head moves, helmet moves, the end. Wiggle = wrong helmet.

If you push the back of the helmet forward, with the chinstrap secured, and push up on the chinbar, you should not be able to move it much. If you can, it won't stay on when needed, and again.... wrong helmet.

If it doesn't chipmunk your cheeks when you buy it, it's probably too big. The comfort foam compresses over time.

If it hurts at all anywhere whatsoever after wearing it for 30-60 minutes in the store (= minimum testing), again... wrong helmet. Seriously not something you want to find out on the road. :-P

Test every single helmet available within your driving radius before choosing the one that fits you best and meets highest standards.

[saizai]

BTW, MSF will provide you a helmet for the practice course. Don't worry about having your own just for that part; you'll want to spend more time than you have before then in making sure you get the right one.

[Choppa650]

Yeah I made the mistake of buying a helmet a tad too big a while back. It was fine for like the first month, but then it really broke in, and doing 80 on the freeway and ur helmet feels like it is goin to rip off it it wasnt for your chinstrap is a shitty feeling. If you wear an xl, and want a allriht helmet for a good price for now let me know. My advice is make sure it is chipmunking ur cheeks like what was said above.

[Iszlandsnow]

Just save your money, go to Wal-Mart and get the helmets made by Bell. :teeth

[wingnutthehutt]

I know I'm coming into this late, but here goes. Once you have the helmet strapped onto your head, try and rotate it off of your head. Do this by both moving the helmet forward and backward and also at odd angles that you think would never happen. Also, make sure that there are no "hot spots" on your head. Pressure points that you notice while standing with it on your head for ten minutes will become major headaches after riding for an hour or six. Also, make sure that your head is touching the helmet liner on top, so there's no room for your head to accelerate inside the helmet.
When it comes to cheekpads, they should definately give you the chipmunk cheeks. A good way that I have found to check cheek clearance (haha) is this- if you open your mouth and the tightness makes you bite down slightly on your cheeks when you close it, it fits.
Most helmets will break in about half a size, especially the cheekpads. On all the better quality helmets, the cheekpads are replaceable and come in different thicknesses to custom tailor the fit and to replace them when they get old and worn out. That should give you some insight into what kind of helmet you want on your head.
Also, if you're looking at buying a helmet, Cycle Gear really is a great place to get one. They have the 30 day helmet policy, so you can make sure they fit and you don't end up with something you don't like once you've had it for a week. AND, if you hand the manager your drivers license and your credit card, they might let you take it for a test drive.
I've helped over 1000 people get fitted in the helmet that's right for them, and that didn't always mean a $600 Arai. But it did mean that it fit their head and not just their budget.

[sjames22]

make sure u ask for a helmet not helmUt

[zanshin]

These guys can hook you up with Helmut:

http://www.helimot.com/

[bmer97]

Per Harry Hurt:

"Even so, and surprisingly, he says “the plain old DOT helmet
that you can get for 70–80 bucks, is about as good as you can get.
They just don’t bring the raves from your friends, but they are great
protection.” Despite how preconditioned we all are to think that the
more expensive helmet is always the better helmet, he says it’s
merely more features and not more protection that high-end helmets
offer. In fact, cheaper helmets can even be better since they
have softer liners and are made to DOT rather than Snell standards.
“When you make a helmet withstand one or two 10–12' drops [the
Snell standard], you’ve got a pretty stiff, hard helmet. But, falling
from a motorcycle is typically a fall of 5 or 6 feet, so the rider wants
the softest, thickest helmet liner possible.”

[reckless.ninja]

You know, I went into my first helmet search thinking 'economic,' but after trying on every helmet from every price range that I could lay my hands on, I ended up buying an Arai Quantum II.

Basically, even if money is a problem, don't go into a helmet search looking for the cheapest helmet that fits you. Buy the helmet that fits you best, regardless of price, otherwise you'll never wear it or you won't feel safe. This is your head we're talking about here.

If you find a helmet that fits you like a head sock, is cheap, and is DOT (and SNELL if you want) approved, then by all means buy it, b/c it's been proven to be safe. Just don't limit your helmet choice to lower price ranges if there's something you'd feel a lot more confident wearing, and that also happens to cost $100+ more than you planned.

[hayabusafiend]

Originally posted by reckless.ninja
You know, I went into my first helmet search thinking 'economic,' but after trying on every helmet from every price range that I could lay my hands on, I ended up buying an Arai Quantum II.

Basically, even if money is a problem, don't go into a helmet search looking for the cheapest helmet that fits you. Buy the helmet that fits you best, regardless of price, otherwise you'll never wear it or you won't feel safe. This is your head we're talking about here.

If you find a helmet that fits you like a head sock, is cheap, and is DOT (and SNELL if you want) approved, then by all means buy it, b/c it's been proven to be safe. Just don't limit your helmet choice to lower price ranges if there's something you'd feel a lot more confident wearing, and that also happens to cost $100+ more than you planned.
I agree on all counts.

The more expensive helmets tend to be quieter and lighter, which means less fatigue.

I've owned HJC, Shoei, and Arai. My Arai Quantum/f blows them all away. I've worn it for 7 hour rides (8 if you count lunch) and didn't notice the helmet. I can't say that for my HJC or Shoei.

Always buy the helmet that fits your head best: no pressure points, no movement, no squeeze. Pain and discomfort cause mistakes. Don't introduce mistakes by purchasing the wrong helmet.

[MrCrash]

Originally posted by wingnutthehutt
I know I'm coming into this late, but here goes. Once you have the helmet strapped onto your head, try and rotate it off of your head. Do this by both moving the helmet forward and backward and also at odd angles that you think would never happen. Also, make sure that there are no "hot spots" on your head. Pressure points that you notice while standing with it on your head for ten minutes will become major headaches after riding for an hour or six. Also, make sure that your head is touching the helmet liner on top, so there's no room for your head to accelerate inside the helmet.
When it comes to cheekpads, they should definately give you the chipmunk cheeks. A good way that I have found to check cheek clearance (haha) is this- if you open your mouth and the tightness makes you bite down slightly on your cheeks when you close it, it fits.
Most helmets will break in about half a size, especially the cheekpads. On all the better quality helmets, the cheekpads are replaceable and come in different thicknesses to custom tailor the fit and to replace them when they get old and worn out. That should give you some insight into what kind of helmet you want on your head.
Also, if you're looking at buying a helmet, Cycle Gear really is a great place to get one. They have the 30 day helmet policy, so you can make sure they fit and you don't end up with something you don't like once you've had it for a week. AND, if you hand the manager your drivers license and your credit card, they might let you take it for a test drive.
I've helped over 1000 people get fitted in the helmet that's right for them, and that didn't always mean a $600 Arai. But it did mean that it fit their head and not just their budget.

+1

Wingnutt knows his stuff - I used to work with him. To summarize:

- Slightly squishes your cheeks

- Doesn't move when you shake your head up / down or left / right

- Comfortable on top, with no pressure points, and no space between your head and the liner

Also, your head shape will be somewhere between a round oval and a long oval. Whoever is fitting you for a helmet should help you identify what shape you are, and help you choose something that fits accordingly.

Head shape - http://www.araiamericas.com/shell-shape.html

Fitting a helmet - http://www.araiamericas.com/fit_video_sheet.pdf

[masameet]

How do you fit somebody who wears eyeglasses?

I tried on some Shoeis and Arais, with the Arai Quantum fitting my head best. But then I couldn't squeeze my titanium frame eyeglasses on and worried I'd break them the longer I persisted trying to. I found it very frustrating being unable to figure out how to.

[MrCrash]

Originally posted by Fiddlegrrl
How do you fit somebody who wears eyeglasses?

I tried on some Shoeis and Arais, with the Arai Quantum fitting my head best. But then I couldn't squeeze my titanium frame eyeglasses on and worried I'd break them the longer I persisted trying to. I found it very frustrating being unable to figure out how to.

Totally depends on the way the cheekpads are designed. I don't know that there's any particular way to go about fitting them, outside of just trying them on when you're shopping.

My Spy sunglasses fit poorly in some (like my KBC Racer-1 track helmet) but comfortably in others (like my Shoei Z2).

The Shoei Z2 and RF1000 have more of a round oval shape (unlike the TZ-R and earlier Shoeis which seem to fit more of a long oval), and might work for you.

[emarkham]

before purchasing an Arai, be sure to watch this educational video.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1711830595947459071&q=arai+helmet

yes. repost.

if people clown on you for owning a budget helmet that's DOT certified, whack then across the face with your lid and then go out and buy another helmet.

all kidding aside, i've never spent more than $250 on a helmet. and i've only ever owned shoei, because they fit me best. so far. i'd happily wear an economy helmet if one fit right, so long as it's full face and caries a DOT sticker.

[TIMEATELL]

Originally posted by Fiddlegrrl
How do you fit somebody who wears eyeglasses?

I tried on some Shoeis and Arais, with the Arai Quantum fitting my head best. But then I couldn't squeeze my titanium frame eyeglasses on and worried I'd break them the longer I persisted trying to. I found it very frustrating being unable to figure out how to.

Hi Fiddlegrrl,

Sometimes I wear glasses. When you're trying on the helmet, make sure you put the helmet on first, open the visor, and then put your glasses on through the visor opening. My frames are pretty thick, but they fit very well with my KBC VR3. Like you, I tried on Shoei and Arai. Arai fit my head the best (KBC 2nd and Shoei 3rd). I went with the KBC VR3 because of the price (~$240 with tax). Good luck with your search.


TIMEATELL

[masameet]

A friend went along with me today. I tried on a Nolan helmet and managed to get my glasses stuck to my face (but not over my ears). Then I tried on the Arai Quantum. Such a nice helmet, esp. around my cheeks. Mmmm, such soft padding. Then I tried to get my glasses on. But no go. So I whined to him, See? I can't get them on. He said, Here, just wiggle them. And I did. And it worked. So now I know how to fit my glasses on after I put on the Quantum.

Weird about the helmet fitting. With Shoei, I wear a large. With Arai, I wear a medium. With Nolan, I wear a small.

[motoBogey]

yeah tighter is better than looser, like a lot of things in life. grab the chin bar, and shake your head. if your head moves inside the helmet, its too big. z1r is good, budget is ok as long as it is DOT certified, which most of them are. buy a new helmet too, used helmets are not worth it, even an arai or shoei. with the more $$ helmets you are mostly paying for the quality of the vents and comfort, not necessarily the safety of the lid. go with what fits good, ask a salesperson. if they treat you like crap, find something that fits, then order it online for cheaper ;)

[X3Runner]

Originally posted by Beetlejuice
just don't do this..

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/166/649/2503850-helmetback.jpg


LOLOLOLOL:laughing that seems ilke something I would do if given the circumstances WOW IM NOOOOB! BUT NOT THAT NOOBIE~!!! about helmets..I got a signet GT and a RX7RR4, are those ok? or am I posting in wrong thread..Sorry If I am.. =(

[mjj]

I find my Scorpion exo mighty comfy and well ventilated, also like the tinted visor. Easy to swap it with clear for night riding too. Love the price -- $200.