Lids

[free2ride]

So, was all set to actually spend some necessary money on the bike [tires] but there is a huge scratch across the face shield on my helmet. I called my favourite store to see how much a replacement shield would be, and they didn't have me in their system. WOT?, I asked! How could that be?

WEll, it could be because I hadn't been paying attention to how old the thing was . . . I hardly ride [at least compared to most of you] so thought the thing was OK. Seems I've been wearing it for nine years. Nine years! Just a little too long.

So I after hemming and hawing I bought myself one of these:



Scorpion 900 EXO Transformer [matte black]. A little heavy but a lot less fighting with glasses!

So . . . what are you  wearing?

[shinyribs]

I'm in my pajamas right now...wait...wrong site...

I looked at the modular helmets for the reason of wearing eyeglasses myself.The cost was a bit much for me at the time. I did get a helmet with an internal sun visor. I love this helmet! Very quiet!
http://www.cyclegear.com/eng/product/is_16_solid_full_face_motorcycle_helmet/web1003114

[LukeM]

HJC CL-16 Hellion, blue swirl, XL, with the Pinlock visor.  I went cheap, not knowing if I'd stick with motorcycles.  Next one will probably be a Shoei (the $400 model fits my head just perfectly). I think safety orange or Day-Glo (tm) yellow.  I'm also leaning toward the flip-up models, due to eyeglasses.

Luke M

[sgtslag]

I went with the inexpensive modular from Mills Fleet Farm, DOT rated, for around $90.  DOT and Snell are virtually the same for testing methods, now, so paying extra for the Snell sticker is not worth the price of admission, IMO.  We plan on upgrading our lids this year, to a modular with the sun visor, as messing with sunglasses (I use clip-on's since my auto-darkening lenses won't darken behind the visor).  I just wish the sun visors were darker, as most seem to be rather lightly tinted.  I just found a posting on how to tint a bike's mirrors, to lessen the blinding brightness of reflected car headlights, at night.  I may attempt to adapt that technique to my helmet's sun visor, if it is too lightly shaded.

If you want a custom lid, try StreetGlo reflective decals.  I bought a burgundy Speed Stripes set from them, to put on my gloss black modular.  It was a bit of a hassle, but the end result is nice.  It really lights up at night, in a headlight, which is just what I want.  Many colors, and styles, available.  Be sure to follow their video instructions, and be patient.  Cheers!

[cdaiscool]

I went with a SNELL sticker as I can use this helmet for auto-racing at the local 1320 strip. That allows me to have 1 helmet for both.

If I weren't going that route, then I agree in that I'd have gotten something that may not have been SNELL-approved. Your mileage may vary.

[lostson]

I got this one

http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/Raider-Motorcycle-Modular-Helmet/2283924/product.html?cid=123620

 I got the blue though it matches my the colors on my bike.

[free2ride]

I was also looking at the HJC CL-MAX Modular, but was told that the Scorpion was sturdier/a safer helmet. I don't know, maybe I got taken [I think the Scorpion was almost twice the price], but after my son-in-law's accident I figured I wasn't going to take chances with my head!

The Scorpion has a more classic look for an old guy like me [though I would have taken the black cherry if they had offered it], the HJC looks more contemporary.

Like the flip down sun glasses and the air flow.

[shinyribs]

Some helmets may be overpriced but that is all in personal taste.If you like the feel and look of a helmet and it is worth it to you,then you got a good deal. I bought what looked like the ''best'' helmet I could afford at the time I needed a helmet. I say-if you gotta $20 head...wear a $20 helmet.

[Re-run]

I am running an AFX fx-90 lid right now. I like going to webbikeworld.com and reading their reviews. They are more "common man" than a lot of other review sites. Scorpion rates good, same with afx.
As for ratings of DOT or snell, I choose to find lids rated in europe's ECE that get sold here in the US.

[MarkPBG]

I got this one....Shoei RF-1100 matte black

I've had so many less expensive helmets over the years and all of them were not well ventilated, heavy, and had easily scratched visors.
This one is VERY well ventilated, Snell M2010 approved,  there's almost negligible buffeting up to around 110 MPH, the clear visor blocks 99% of UVA and UVB, all the interior linings come out for washing,  and it's LIGHT!

[rrgunslinger]

This is one of four I have,

[Piute]

                                 Going to leave this on the bike for extra,
                          my old coconut is just painted to match my bike ,
                 friend bought me long ago,needing a full face maybe.

[sgtslag]

Dr. Hurt addressed the issue of helmet protection in accidents, in his infamous study.  His comments stated that the DOT rated helmets (from the mid-80's) offered great protection in an accident, he even commented in a 2005 interview with Motorcycle Consumer News Magazine (PDF link to interview), that the $80 Pep Boy's helmets offered fantastic protection (DOT rated).

Helmets manufactured for Europe's ECE standards, are not marketed in the USA, as the ECE standard is somewhat different than the DOT, so they sell DOT/Snell versions of their helmets here.  If you want an ECE rated helmet, you will need to order it from a European vendor, and have it shipped here.  I would recommend you review the standards of the US DOT, and the European ECE ratings, and test methods.  They are very similar.

The bottom line is G-forces transmitted to the head/skull, in a crash.  The old Snell standards allowed many, many more G's to be transmitted to the head, due to the sharp anvil test (shell had to be hard enough to withstand this impact, which meant more G's to the skull), which is no longer part of their current testing standards protocol.  The current Snell testing methods, and G-force requirements, are quite similar to the DOT requirements.

Dr. Hurt's study demonstrated that G-force transmitted to the skull kills, by scrambling the jello-like brain tissue, and by tearing the blood vessels that supply the brain.  The challenge is to soften the G-forces, on impact, without creating a helmet so large, and heavy, that just wearing it will injure you.

After the DOT/Snell/ECE ratings, it's all about comfort, and style.  The protection factor is taken care of, so long as the DOT/Snell/ECE rating is legitimate.  Cheers!

[Piute]

   Aaaaa d.o.t. / s.n.e.l.l. also in short form you drop your brain bubble (helmet)it's no longer rated as being as 1st bought witch was d.o.t. / s.n.e.l.l. approved ........$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ with company's
    Like are government is it really SAFETY or is it MONEY

 Ever were ankle weights light one's 1.5-2 lbs,notice how your leg kicks out for the 1st few days till you calve muscles get used to it (then there sore).Well your putting something on your head that is not used to the same .
 you get an impact your neck muscles are not used to it
                                               ask your doctor this simple ?
          ask for a straight answer to it ,not the beat around the government bull and you'll be recognized by family even though you have a broken neck.

   I wear A coconut (by choice out solo flying country roads)because it's the law in Mo., but my freedom of choice has been taken from me,by insurance company's that get there info from non used related incident's,check deaths by neck injury's with helmets compared to without.
   Are worst enemy is alcohol N drugs as far as reason accident happened "on A motorcycle"

[free2ride]

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that stupidity is the main cause of accidents -- either on the rider's part or on a cager's part.

If it's the cager's fault it's the rider's fault for not remembering that cager's are blind to two wheels [and I won't even say "except for me"].

If it's the rider's fault alcohol and drugs are part of it, but speed and thoughts of invincibility are a larger part.

And me . . . I'll take the extra protection.

[Re-run]

ECE is not sold in the US, that is true, however the same models are sold here just labeled as DOT. I prefer ECE as to pass DOT/SNell, they only need to have 1 lid from the model tested. ECE requires A lid tested per batch, keeping quality control tighter.
Plus the ece standards, on average, are every bit as stringent, if not more so than DOT.
This is one of the reasons why I like webbikeworld as they list if a lid is ece or not.