Topic: Quiet Helmet?

[BenelliSEI]

Today I went for a short ride on my K1. Although I usually wear them, I forgot a pair of ear plugs and headed out, regardless. It was a blustery day, but was really annoyed by the amount of wind and whistling noise in my helmet. It’s a full face, flip up front, style. Clear shield, with a neat tinted portion that I can pull down with a lever........ not an expensive helmet, but I’ve enjoyed the fit and features.

But...... the noise is annoying! What are you guys wearing and who has a quiet, quality helmet to recommend? Thanks for your honest feed back.

[Robbo]

Can’t help you with a quiet helmet...I have yet to find one.

I do wear earplugs when riding.  I keep spares in each jacket (small Altoids Mint tin holds three pairs) in case I remove them during a ride and need a replacement.  The tin is so small and light that I don’t even realize I have them tucked away in an inside pocket.






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[seanbarney41]

Shoei are about the best I have used in regards to wind noise.  Forego the fancy features, just get a simple lightweight model...a little cheaper that way too.

[Alan F.]

+1 on the earplugs.

[calj737]

Arai Corsair X. Lightweight, exceptionally well-vented, and super quiet. Noise reduction has more to do with aerodynamics and shield sealing than shell and liner. That’s one reason more expensive helmets tend to cost more, all things being equal. They’re designed with aero in mind.

[BenelliSEI]

I’m a huge fan of ear plugs. I wear them on the bike, in the race car, and even under my “muffs” when cutting grass with a finishing mower behind our 1963 Massey Ferguson 135 diesel.

Just curious about others experiences. Last Fall I tried a buddies very expensive Nolan, and it was no better than my CL-Max. I’ve tried my full face Bell race helmet (which interestingly is not DOT approved), and it is a LOT quieter. However, it has a very small eye opening and fits extremely tightly around eyes and forehead, so not a riding helmet!

Wonder if PeWe will comment? He has a Schubert......

[bear]

On the subject of earplugs.
We had a bloke that set up a stall at most major road racing events and would make a pair of earplugs molded to your ear cavity while you waited. Very comfortable, very effective.
Does anybody do that sort of thing in your part of the world?

Cheers,
Brian

[BenelliSEI]

Brian...... I have a set, but truthfully, I keep them for race weekends. I race an MR2 Toyota with a bunch of friends, endurance racing. That little two litre turbo makes a very loud drone, and we do 75 minute stints. I’ll try them and maybe get a second set.

[Don R]

  I've used Bell helmets mostly after a pair of Arthur Fulmer metalflake flamed ones a long time ago. Anyway the Bells are loud with wind noise, I had a race helmet with the small eye port too. Not great when watching traffic. 

[dave500]

i use ear plugs,cotton wool is good aswell.

[simon#42]

i use a schuberth c3 on the road . it has been a great helmet and will get another when it needs changing . its pretty quiet on its own but i always wear earplugs these days .  bit late for me as the damage has already been done but please everyone wear earplugs !

[jlh3rd]

when i had my electra glide and then my venture and making my trips out west, I used a nolan helmet which i thought would help with noise. I used earplugs also. Id swear the noise was worse with the helmet on. Helmet off and earplugs was the quietest......but then, no protection.....choices...

[flatlander]

i use a schuberth c3 on the road . it has been a great helmet and will get another when it needs changing . its pretty quiet on its own but i always wear earplugs these days .  bit late for me as the damage has already been done but please everyone wear earplugs !

that's it. use those earplugs!
it's a cheap and safe insurance. apart from that, the more aerodynamic a helmet is the more quiet it will be. usually, that's a simple but well thought out full-face design without too many fancy gadgets.

[Bailgang]

  I've used Bell helmets mostly after a pair of Arthur Fulmer metalflake flamed ones a long time ago. Anyway the Bells are loud with wind noise, I had a race helmet with the small eye port too. Not great when watching traffic.

+1 I've got a Bell, can't recall what model it is but it's full face, both DOT and SNELL certified and has provisions for the Sena blue tooth headset that I use. When riding my 750 I have to use ear plugs because the wind noise in the helmet is loud and being my ears already have tinnitus, my ears will ring bad afterwards if I don't have the ear plugs in. I don't have to have the ear plugs in when riding my 83 GL interstate but that's because it'd fairing blocks most the wind from the start. I should've done more research when buying the helmet because I learned afterwards that wind noise is the helmets biggest complaint.

[bwaller]

i use a schuberth c3 on the road . it has been a great helmet and will get another when it needs changing . its pretty quiet on its own but i always wear earplugs these days .  bit late for me as the damage has already been done but please everyone wear earplugs !

[/b]

This is my issue as well and honestly the tinnitis is worse now with earplugs. Sounds ridiculous, but I have a hard time wearing then now.

[Dido]

I think earplugs are the way to go. I listen to music ( low).

[BenelliSEI]

A shop I visit let me try a new Nolan Helmet today. Very impressive. The price made me gasp. Maybe later.....

[70CB750]

Shoei are about the best I have used in regards to wind noise.  Forego the fancy features, just get a simple lightweight model...a little cheaper that way too.

+1 on Shoei

[BenelliSEI]

Thanks all. Will try a Shoei next.

[70CB750]

My local Honda store had a GT display model on sale, took me few days to justify the purchase but I am very happy with it.

Also Pinlock in winter is an amazing feature.