Topic: Starting from scratch - helmet recommendations?

[Perseo]

Just getting back into riding, after many years.  I bought a CB400F.

Any suggestions for a comfortable helmet?  My head is on the large side.

[calj737]

Go try on many. There is no particular brand helmet that fits every head. Each manufacturer's product fits differently, and within their line, they often have different shaped shells for different heads.

[seanbarney41]

Be aware also, that weight and noise level will affect comfort.

[MauiK3]

Check Revzilla.com as a start.
I sent them a photo of my head top down and the circumference.. they sent me some suggestions based on this info. I went to their site and looked at the helmets as well as watched their detailed videos. I also read their reviews. My wife and I both did this. We settled on a pair of Scorpions. Mine is full face, hers is open. Both fit perfectly. Bear in mind you will likely have more than one helmet. My full face is Snell and DOT certified, fits great and flows a lot of air. Here on Maui that is important.
Great customer service.

[Tracksnblades1]

Shoei ....Shoei.....Shoei.....Spend what you can for a good one and enjoy, see, and hear your ride. Follow all the good advise above too. Be careful they're TEXTING, FACEBOOKING, etc out there.

[Deltarider]

Be aware also, that weight and noise level will affect comfort.

+1 Try to find test results. BTW, they are all safe. I always choose the one that in tests proved to have the lowest noise level. So the most recent one I bought for this reason was a Schuberth and it happens to be the police corps' favourite too. And... don't order online. Go to shop and wear it for five minutes to be able to decide it is really comfortable.

[robvangulik]

I have testridden 4 helmets before deciding! That is the only way to judge noise and ventilation!

[Deltarider]

Mine has extra ventilation options that I never use (I am sensitive for draughts and catch a cold very easy). What I like is the inbuilt sunvisor that I favor over wearing my sunglasses because it is so easy to operate. On entering a tunnel I can quickly raise my visor, on exiting I lower it again all with a flick at the switch on the left side of the helmet. It goes just far enough down to fully protect against sunlight while leaving the view on the gauges clear. Brilliant. BTW, if you wear prescription glasses, make sure the helmet of your choice can accomadate them without too much hassle. And wear earplugs at all times!!

[evanphi]

FYI:

Go with a helmet that is ECE and/or SNELL rated. Not just DOT. DOT is a joke.

Helmet fit depends on your head shape. Most people are intermediate ovals, and you'll find a lot of helmets in this shape. A lot of half and 3/4 helmets are round, and there are some out there that make long ovals.

FortNine and Revzilla have great helmet reviews on their youtube channels, and you can also check out their websites to browse their fitment guides.

[AwesomeCB]

My head is round and I've always found Shoei fit me best. I've been told Arai is a good fit for people with oval shaped heads. It did not fit me well; nor did HJC even though the ones I've tried seemed more for round heads also.  I only wear full-face helmets. Things I look for are lots of venting and low noise.

[PeWe]

My head does not accept all helmet brands,  box shaped head. Shoei and Schuberth have been OK. Size 61.
Arai has always been a no-no helmet for my head. Completely different shaped helmet. Probably for egg heads 

I use glasses nowadays so a flip-up helmet is perfect. Glasses on all the time when helmet goes on or off my head.
Built in sun screen is a must too.  Tinted visor for sunny days is useless when riding when getting darker. I remember long rides in the dark and heavy rain, visor open to see anything. Not raining but millions of insects not better.

(I used sunglasses in my Jebs Clay Regazzoni helmet back in the 80's. Visor locked with buttons. Entered a tunnel on an Italian highway close to Austria in over 100 mph. I had to stay cool and concentrate of the quick picture of how the road bent inside the tunnel I got just when entering the tunnel, suddenly no sight at all.)

Helmet today is a Schuberth C3 Pro

Test which helmets your head accept before reading tests. My helmet fits perfectly and have the needed options.  Best helmet in test will not help if your head does not like it. Squeezing helmet causing headache or too loose fit will ruin the ride and your safety.

[txtiger]

My head is round and I've always found Shoei fit me best. I've been told Arai is a good fit for people with oval shaped heads. It did not fit me well; nor did HJC even though the ones I've tried seemed more for round heads also.  I only wear full-face helmets. Things I look for are lots of venting and low noise.

The Aria Signet Q is the shell designed for oval head shape. It’s what fits me best. I would also recommend checking out the gear area of the Flea Market on Advrider.com. Some great deals on lightly used gear.

[millla03]

I agree with everyone else, trying them on before purchase is essential. I used a cheaper HJC (~$120.00) for the last 8 years. It was comfortable for me and good quality for the price. Just picked up a Shoei this spring. Nearest store that carried them was 1 1/2 hours away, and it was worth the drive just to test before buying. It also vents air much better than the HJC, which is appreciated on hot days. Arai has a good reputation, but I've never found one that fit my goofy dome. Generally, the more you spend, the lighter and quieter the helmet will be. If you can swing $500 there are a lot of good options.

Consider full face over 3/4 or 1/2 shell. Safer and they keep you out of the elements a lot better on cold and rainy days. Shoei Neotec or similar is cool too, if you want the option of flipping up the face shield and visor. Talked to a guy on vacation this spring using one, and he said he'd never go back to a standard full face.

I don't like the retro-look helmets, like the Bell bubble-shield type. Form over function, and no comparison to a modern full face.

[BomberMann650]

An AGV helmet was the best gift I ever recieved.

Size XXXL

[Henning]

Lots of wind noise on the AGV full face I have, gets very tiring on a long ride, so be aware of this. Otherwise it's comfortable enough and has a flip up front and internal sun visor, both great.

[calj737]

My head does not accept all helmet brands,  box shaped head. Shoei and Schuberth have been OK. Size 61.
Arai has always been a no-no helmet for my head. Completely different shaped helmet. Probably for egg heads 

Helmet today is a Schuberth C3 Pro

The C3 Pro is almost identical in shape and size to certain Arai helmet models. For instance, the previous RQ-X, the current Corsair X, and for some, they can wear both the C3/Corsair-X and Signet-X.

Its all about which model within a manufacture product line might fit the shape of one's head. Hence, no brand fits everyone which is why its imperative to try on many different helmets before you buy one.

[MikeSimon]

Had a new Bell Carbon fibre - original price tag $1199.- - for sale on ebay for 4 weeks. Finally had to give it away for $400.-

[Gordon]

What I like is the inbuilt sunvisor that I favor over wearing my sunglasses because it is so easy to operate.

I second the built-in sun visor, and I also suggest getting a helmet with a pinlock visor.  Pinlock completely eliminates visor fogging (at least in my experience) even on very cold mornings with the visor closed all the way. 

[przjohn]

I agree with trying on the helmets and see what fits you best. Take the day and go shopping a few bike shops and see what you like. That is the way people did it before the internet and  as far as helmets go, it is still the best way. Take the Wife or Girlfriend and make a day of it, chicks love that stuff. Even if they have no idea what they are lookiing for,  shopping is a high for them. My only other input has been stated, SNELL Rated helmets are better than DOT.

[Perseo]

Wow - this forum is great.  Thanks for the advice.

I suppose I should not be surprised that there are $500 and $1,000 helmets.  But Holy #@%$.  I am a New England cheap skate.  (Ask the guy who sold me the Honda.)

Long ago, I threw away my old helmet from the 80s, a round thing given to me with a big burn bump where it must have hung on the exhaust pipe.  After I no longer rode a bike my wife would ask me to wear it some mornings to clamp down on the bed head hair.  A mouse built a nest in it (it was hanging in my barn at the time) and that was the end of it.

Gonna go helmet shopping now, armed with the aggregated knowledge of this great forum.

[calj737]

There are many perfectly good helmets under $500, and even more under $1,000. But, those price ranges normally equate with higher quality helmets providing better ventilation, quieter helmets, better range of vision, and some other cool features like visors, modular chins, Bluetooth compatibility, exotic composites, etc.

A helmet MUST fit. Then find the features and price range suited to your needs. You need to wear a helmet, and a heavy, I’ll-fitting helmet is neither safe, nor fun to wear.

[PeWe]

Some cheap helmets might not have spare parts like a new visor a few years after purchase.
The known good helmet brands are often for sale at the shops. After bike season, up to 50% discount is common here.

[J-Rod10]

motorcyclecloseouts.com has Shoei lids that are previous year model practically all the time for under $300.

[Gordo]

Currently using a shark vision r really comfy and quite.