[EJJKC]

Wow, must be a big plant. Are you part of the QC process?

I am not and because I have a confidentiality agreement I’m not allowed to discuss the manufacture (which I know nothing about) and quality process…..

[twocoolgliders]

One of the (few) perks of being a MSF rider Coach is that Arai gives us a program letter, for one helmet per year at 50% off retail.

Arai is my Helmet of choice, even without the discount.

50% of,f they are still not cheap...but it puts them in the $350 to $450 range.....

 Arai is arguably one of the best helmets you can buy for many reasons.

What got me over to Arai is the fit....they are one of the few who offer a "long oval" shaped helmet....which is the best fit for me.

Their design and construction is different and superior to most of the cheap type helmets.


Cookie

[Island Rider]

When I went helmet shopping my minimum requirement was Snell rated and full-face.
I got an HJC I-10 helmet. It was a good thing there is a local shop with a lot of helmets, many of them were very uncomfortable for me. You really need to be able to try them on.
I really like the I-10 so far. In the USA Snell is a better/stricter rating system than DOT, there are many helmets for sale that meet DOT but not Snell, including those awful little skull caps that Harley riders love so they can "fight the man" and still bash their faces in when they crash 

[whippers]

When I went helmet shopping my minimum requirement was Snell rated and full-face.
I got an HJC I-10 helmet. It was a good thing there is a local shop with a lot of helmets, many of them were very uncomfortable for me. You really need to be able to try them on.
I really like the I-10 so far. In the USA Snell is a better/stricter rating system than DOT, there are many helmets for sale that meet DOT but not Snell, including those awful little skull caps that Harley riders love so they can "fight the man" and still bash their faces in when they crash 

I felt the same way but Snell as a rating system has had a lot of shine taken off of it over the last 20 years.  It is likely that Snell encourages too hard helmets that increase head trauma over non snell helmets in the kind of crashes that are most likely to occur.

[EJJKC]

When I went helmet shopping my minimum requirement was Snell rated and full-face.
I got an HJC I-10 helmet. It was a good thing there is a local shop with a lot of helmets, many of them were very uncomfortable for me. You really need to be able to try them on.
I really like the I-10 so far. In the USA Snell is a better/stricter rating system than DOT, there are many helmets for sale that meet DOT but not Snell, including those awful little skull caps that Harley riders love so they can "fight the man" and still bash their faces in when they crash 

When I bought my ILM i bought it right off their website. They walked me through 4 different measurements via email and when it arrived the cheek pads were too tight. I washed them and wore them dry… fits just fine.

[Island Rider]

I felt the same way but Snell as a rating system has had a lot of shine taken off of it over the last 20 years.  It is likely that Snell encourages too hard helmets that increase head trauma over non snell helmets in the kind of crashes that are most likely to occur.

Dang!
I would still buy it, it fit me better than anything else in the store.

[NVDucati]

I felt the same way but Snell as a rating system has had a lot of shine taken off of it over the last 20 years.  It is likely that Snell encourages too hard helmets that increase head trauma over non snell helmets in the kind of crashes that are most likely to occur.

You raise a good point, whippers. Snell labs has changed their standards and testing methods as technologies have come along. Back in the dark ages (1973) there were vigorous debates between advocates for fiberglass and polycarb helmets. The poly helmets were more puncture proof but bounced. The fiberglass units cracked and had a shorter life span in sunlight. Like all shops I sold helmets as well as the motorcycles. At one point we sold Royal Helmets. They had two layered shells. Poly and fiberglass. The poly was the outermost layer. They tested well ahead of any others at that point. Sadly, we could barely sell any. They were expensive and heavy.
The price point of helmets still matter, as we can see in this thread. Beyond the few which blend in some carbon fiber with the standard glass fibers, helmet development has somewhat stalled. New designs are aimed at the linings and internal pads. More than just rider comfort the inside of a helmet protects against the sudden stop of the skull while the brain keeps moving. It seems that the more exciting developments these days is in American school league football. Baffled "consumable" gel pads are an example. In the mean time whear a snug helmet and try not to crash.

[Intybe]

I bought a second hand fb marketplace AGV K3 the day I bought my bike. It was cheap, heavy, noisy and I didn't vibe with the go fast graphics, but loved the convenience of the ratchet chin strap fastener. My mate has a clutch of K3s, but he's a brand whore/ Rossi groupie.

I wanted a retro, like the OP's, but after months of practical research, visiting shops, trying on every quality brand and style, I ended up with a Shoei NXR 2 Nocturne TC4. It's light, quiet, comfy, exceeds future safety standards, and it matches my BE colourway and taste in classical music... Lane filtering to Chopin with a 650 rumble is pure ecstacy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bw22wYLtwI

Anyway, +1 try before you buy

Ps, I miss the ratchet fasterner, though - anyone tried this?  https://www.amazon.com.au/Helmet-Release-Ratcheted-Stainless-Adapter/dp/B08PB89Q2P/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

[lavrentyuk]

Fit is first and foremost.

For me that is Shoei (very expensive) or Davida (also fairly expensive).

My choice is open face - dealt with many motorcycle accidents professionally and whilst my good looks are important my breathing and medulla oblongata are more so.  In a winter I do wear full face.

[whippers]

I bought a second hand fb marketplace AGV K3 the day I bought my bike. It was cheap, heavy, noisy and I didn't vibe with the go fast graphics, but loved the convenience of the ratchet chin strap fastener. My mate has a clutch of K3s, but he's a brand whore/ Rossi groupie.

I wanted a retro, like the OP's, but after months of practical research, visiting shops, trying on every quality brand and style, I ended up with a Shoei NXR 2 Nocturne TC4. It's light, quiet, comfy, exceeds future safety standards, and it matches my BE colourway and taste in classical music... Lane filtering to Chopin with a 650 rumble is pure ecstacy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bw22wYLtwI

Anyway, +1 try before you buy

Ps, I miss the ratchet fasterner, though - anyone tried this?  https://www.amazon.com.au/Helmet-Release-Ratcheted-Stainless-Adapter/dp/B08PB89Q2P/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Fits my experience that unless you are totally hung up on what look you are trying to project (and remember we are riding around on a cheap Indian bike) you are much better off with a modern helmet from a premium maker.

As an aside you should never buy a second hand helmet.

[JessHerbst]

 On the subject of helmets, I have been interested in the Schuberth C5 modular.
 Several reviewers claim a carbon fiber layer. Schuberths web site says nothing about carbon fiber but does talk about a ‘basalt layer’
 Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

[NVDucati]

On the subject of helmets, I have been interested in the Schuberth C5 modular.
 Several reviewers claim a carbon fiber layer. Schuberths web site says nothing about carbon fiber but does talk about a ‘basalt layer’
 Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Short answer is mineral fiber.
"Basalt fiber is a material made from extremely fine fibers of basalt, which is composed of the minerals plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine. It is similar to fiberglass, having better physicomechanical properties than fiberglass, but being significantly cheaper than carbon fiber. It is used as a fireproof textile in the aerospace and automotive industries and can also be used as a composite to produce products such as camera tripods."
You can find a lot more info here;
https://basaltreinforcedcomposites.com/facts-performance/

[Jack Straw]

Intybe,  I tried that ratchet buckle you mentioned on a new K6 and found it added too much length to the strap.

It was a nicely made piece and may work well on some helmets, just not on my AGV.

[Intybe]

Intybe,  I tried that ratchet buckle you mentioned on a new K6 and found it added too much length to the strap.

It was a nicely made piece and may work well on some helmets, just not on my AGV.

Thanks Jack. I checked my Shoei and the strap is almost horizontal when fastened, so I think I'd have the same problem. Maybe it's designed for a half-face helmet or, as one amazon reviewer commented, negotiating big beards.

[CPJS]

On the subject of helmets, I have been interested in the Schuberth C5 modular.
 Several reviewers claim a carbon fiber layer. Schuberths web site says nothing about carbon fiber but does talk about a ‘basalt layer’
 Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

In the UK there is an insurance company that runs 'Bennets Bike Social' they do reviews on all sorts biking related items, bikes, kit, ripoffs, safety etc. They are very well respected and unbiased (apart from being pro-British), here is their test, no mention of carbon.
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/products/helmets/schuberth-c5-flip-front-review

Schuberth do make a carbon helmet for car racing.