Helmets

[mazeco]

hi can you tell me some good inexpensive helmets ($100/$200). I was looking at the agv ax-7 the hebo hsx -02 the shark mxr. I'm also looking for some boots I was considering the oxtar tcx pro or the tech 6 wich ones do you recommend? Thanks in advance.

 

[mazeco]

What about the vemar helmets? They look good. Plz some feedback on this I know all of you in the begining had the same questions so have some patiente plz :)

 

[Superchief]

It's all personal preference. Go down to a local motorcycle shop and try a few of the helmets on and see what you like the best. Personally my head is worth more than $100-200, so the shoei vfx-r air helmet i have is out of your price range. While no helmet is going to prevent a head injury, i would think these injuries will be less with a better helmet. One of the features you should be looking for is D.O.T. approval and or snell approval. These helmets go through rigorous testing and meet higher standards than helmets without this certification. Good luck and happy shopping.

 

[Okiewan]

Please don't skrimp on the brain bucket!! A broken leg, a rib... you can recover from.

 

[Flying Scot]

mazeco, you may not find DOT approved in Portugal but SNELL is pretty much worldwide and claim a higher more stringent standard than other tests. So if you can at least find a SNELL certified helmet you should be in good shape.

 

[TechKid]

I think those Vemar helmets are pimp, the only problem is I cannot find them in the US.

 

[mazeco]

I think the vemar helmets look great... But the brand isn't very well known over there I think the vemar helmets have both snell and dot I'll check this out. For anyone interested the site is www.vemarhelmets.it they're italian. Just another thing here in portugal I have only found the oxtar and alpinestars boots I don'te have enough money for the tech 8 so I'm considering the oxtar tcx pro vs the tech 6 which one do you consider to be more durable? Thanks everyone

 

[markthomps]

As a beginner, you should be buying the BEST helmet you can afford, not trying to cut any corners or save a few dollars. You're in the learning stage where crashes are going to be more common, which means you need the best protective gear you can afford, just so your riding career doesn't get cut short right at the beginning. Besides, you only have one head, and you don't want it dinged up as spares are hard to come by.

 

[Rcannon]

I recently bought an HJC AC-X1 helmet. I really like it and the cost is around 200.00. The helmet is extremely light. I think this is the feature that made me choose this specific model.

I dont think there is any such thing as a beginner helmet. Beginners generally fall more than advanced folks. Also, the more expensive helmets are usually more comfortable. I feel like this will encourage the new person to wear it. In my less than humble opinion, if you do find a "beginners" helmet, skip it.

No one is a beginner forever. The better helmet may save you having to buy a better one later.

 

[buffmaster]

I got a M2R Revalation X a few weeks ago and I couldn't be happier. And it was right around $200.

 

[Monkey Butt]

I'll vote for the HJC AC-X1 or the newer version HJC AC-X2. I've had two ac-x1 and they've saved me on more than one occassion. The last fall knocked me out, but I hit the ground very hard resulting in a broken scapula. If you look up statistics regarding broken scapula you'll find that 80 - 90% of the time the person will also have life threatening injuries to accompany the broken scapula. Scapulas are very hard to break and usually result from a very hard and violent impact. I just ordered the new version HJC AC-X1 to replace the one that saved my noggin in the last crash. I found an internet sight that is selling them for $151 plus shipping for a total of $160.95. I just ordered it yesterday so I don't want to get carried away recommending this site yet, since it is the first time I have used them. I can give more info if needed. By the way, the new one is a very cool looking helmet.

Neal

 

[jmics19067]

don't skimp on the helmet but it can be relatively inexpensive if you buy a helmet with last years paint job or no paint job.

Don't look at cheap helmets but look for last years top of the line leftovers for savings.

 

[Joepro9]

I have an older HJC clx-3 or something, 3 years old and going strong. Excelent product and confort IMO. HJC makes a great head saver!

 

[tchamberlain]

The snell cert is the most important cert to me because the helmet manufacturers have to send helmets to snell to do the test. Dot allows the helmet maker to do the test themselves.

Most bargain brand helmets only have a dot cert.

Also, its been my experience that helmets under $200 are noticeably heavier. I am using a FLy Lite II now and it was under $200 and very light weight.

 

[maco]

I also have a Fly helmet,It was around 150 and has removable liner to wash.I've seen them Mailorder for around 100 and ther DOT approved.Definitly buy one that you can try on and it fits right.They last a long time and the money thing is secondary.

 

[jackdrinker]

i vote fly or m2r

 

[wibby]

I'm very happy with my $56 Bell Moto 6 SL :thumb:


Anyone have any data, reviews, test results, obituaries, etc... showing how $200-$400+ helmets protect better than lesser $$ helmets?

 

[gxdragon]

The instructor in the MSF course claimed that once you get above the $200 range you are paying for graphics & comfort. A $400 helmet doesn't offer you any more protection then a $200 helmet. Whether there is data to back this up or not I don't know.

I have a HJC CLX-4 it seems to be a well built helmet the lining comes out for cleaning (that thing can get ripe). It's not the most comfortable helmet I've ever had on but I beleive it offers good protection. I look for the snell cert. and the construction of the helmet (how strong is the outer shell). I looked at a bell the shell seemed really flimsy. Also check out the fit (don't want it to come off in a crash) and comfort. The HJC ran about $120 My Shoei RF900 Duhamel replica ran about $400 It had a really cool dragon graphic on it :laugh:.

 

[altagirl]

I've heard that too. The really expensive ones can be more expensive because they're trying to save weight - in fact the most expensive one I looked at had carbon fiber in it and the sales guy admitted it didn't pass as many safety certifications - the carbon fiber doesn't hold up as well, but is comfy because it's so lightweight. So extra $$$ doesn't necessarily equal extra protection - you do pay more for graphics and non-safety features. Look for the certifications and get the one that fits best.

 

[yz250roost]

You may still be able to find some of last years THOR SVR helmets lying around. They are Thor's top of the line helmet retail 269.00 and I bought mine a few months ago for 125.00 alot of them were still out there. It's weird though, I'm used to the solid fiberglass helmets that I always owned, these ones are more flexible on the shell. it's supposed to be a harder material to break but it has some flex in it.