Picked up a new helmet today.Detailed desc.TWIMC

[shinyribs]

The helmet i have been using is one i bought a few years back for use in the drag car.I thought it fit me.When i got to riding the bike i realized how loose it really was on me.The wind at highway speeds would lift it off my noggin and pull it tight up against the chin strap.Oops.It would also bobble around real bad and had A LOT of irritating wind noise.
This is that helmet.NOISY!: http://www.cyclegear.com/eng/product/2010_cl_16_solid_full_face_motorcycle_helmet/web1003074?registry_id=

The one i picked up today is a HJC IS-16.Very comfortable inside.It has the integrated sun visor that slides up and down and is really easy to use with a gloved hand.When relaesed it snaps back pretty hard.Probably best to ease it shut with your hand,which is easy to do while riding.There is a weird little rubber "ramp" that wraps around the front of your nose supposedly to help prevent fogging up the visor.It's called a breath deflector and is easily removed and replaced.It must work because it is noticeably better about fogging than my previous lid.It has a chin screen that fits snug,yet unnoticeable,so no bees can share your helmet with you.It too is easy to remove and replace.It also has PLENTY of air flow.It should be very cool to ride with in the warmer weather.So much airflow that it was actually starting to dry my eyes out some and i had to close it slightly!BUT,the main thing i enjoyed riding home with it was the reduction in wind noise.There is a dramatic decrease in the amount of wind noise on the highway and that made for a very nice,relaxing ride.It has ample chin room too,so no more itchy smushed-up goatee when you take the helmet off.The clear visor has a setting on it where you can just barely crack it open,about 1/16",which i found works good for just enough air in cold weather to prevent fogging without letting too much in and freezing your eyeball liquids solid.A lot of the ones i looked at would want open 1/2-3/4" or more,which would be miserable to ride with.IMO.Both visors are super clear with very little distortion.The clear visor has no distortion whatsoever.The sun visor has just a smidge of distortion at the very bottom edge of it.Does not affect you while riding at all,just a small amount of wierdness when you glance down at the gauges.That is the only complaint i can think of with this helmet.

I had been asking around about quieter helmets around town and would just get blank stares.The salesmen would just stand there and look at me like a cow looking at a new gate...Am i the only person concerned with a noisy helmet?

If anyone is looking for a good breathing,quiet helmet with built in sunglasses,I HIGHLY recommend you consider one of these.Great for us guys that wear prescription eyeglasses,or when twisting through the mountains where you need sun glasses on one turn,but not the next. I got the "anthracite" color which is a good match-all non-flamboyant neutral color,but looks really nice in the sunlight.

I apologize for the bragging,but i hate having to spend $200 on something and no idea if i am buying junk or not.Just thought I'd share.I hate to buy uninformed.CycleGear.com has them on sale right now for $179.99 which was the regular price where i got mine.I bought it at Trends Biker Supplies on Williamson Road in Roanoke VA in case you are in the area.He even threw in a free quick release for the chin strap.Cool

http://www.cyclegear.com/eng/product/is_16_solid_full_face_motorcycle_helmet/web1003114

Oh,and Piute,i found a good home for my decals.Thanks bud!You can really see the metallic in this pic

[Piute]

 KILLER good home fer it,

   My 1st ever Brain bubble I bought was Mur-?something  Nice must of spent an hour looking at the hundred of Coco-nuts they had. But left 200 smacks when I road off. Stopped off grab a quick cold 1 ,locked my new beauty with helmet lock ,Came out Damn peace of $h! got stolen all I had was a strap ring. Would like to get a real nice 1s again since I'm in a Bucket Law state.
                                          LET THOUGHS WHO RIDE DECIDE

[MarkPBG]

Awesome helmet….I had the same problem…my last helmet, which used to fit my fat head tightly, was very loose now. It appears my head shrunk from a large to a medium. LOL

Had to get a new one. Picked up a Shoei RF1100. Old one weighed over 6 lbs and was plastic composites. New one weighs in at a hair over 3 pounds and is fiberglass and "organic fiber" which they claim is so strong it takes a laser to cut it. Whatever. All I know is that it's got all the features yours has, the breath guard, the chin wind screen, tons of vents (i got cold too riding at night!) and the visor cracks open just a hair (1/16").

You are so right about the noise. My last two helmets were so noisy, I just thought that was part of riding and wearing a helmet. This helmet is QUIET! Not only that, but the shape dramatically reduced wind buffeting, my neck will like that on long rides! The only problem is replacement visors are over $40! (they were over $75 when I bought the helmet!)

http://www.shoei-helmets.com/Helmet.aspx?RF-1100&h=18&t=1

This is another I can highly recommend. I may pick up the one you got for passengers. The local shop didn't have any in that price range with all those features at the time. Thanks for the heads up!

[sgtslag]

All helmets have some noise.  If you want a quiet, relaxing ride, wear ear plugs, preferably 32 dB.  You can still hear traffic, sirens, cars beside you, etc.  Wind noise, without a helmet, at 60 MPH, is loud enough to cause permanent hearing loss; helmets tend to amplify the noise by channeling it into your ears.

Foam plugs work for a few hours.  Custom plugs, while expensive, will be comfortable for 8+ hours of riding -- I know this from personal experience.

I had my hearing tested for my pre-employment physical, 21 years ago.  I was told I had lost the upper range of my hearing...  Very few loud concerts, but a fair amount of saddle time.  Biking cost me some of my hearing.  Now I wear ear plugs every ride -- and I am sooo much more comfortable, and relaxed, with them in.  I'll never ride without them again.  Cheers!

[shinyribs]

I have been tempted to wear earplugs SgtSlag.I have noticed where you have mentioned before.It's not that i dont trust you,im just afraid as a new rider that i might miss something and get myself in trouble.Youre right about the hearing loss issue.No helmet at all is a lot of noise.A good snug fitting helmet acts like earmuffs and will block a fair amount of noise.I may cruise with earplugs tomorrow

[Piute]

  May start using them myself ,Got spoiled with bigg windshield on last bike ,never noticed any wind or noise, Theres been a few times when should of had plugs stashed away for later use ,Group rides ?Like when that Gold Wing thought I wonted to listen to Bob N Tom(dumb N dumber)OR that Bone head H.D.in front of me with straight pipes(he don't have them pointing in his face)
 My 3/4 shell has ear-muffs maybe the reason not much noise at all.Was part of riding group(Wednesday night Cruz's) R.O.A.M.that makes those custom plugs ,well he makes the mold and check the fit .

[seestheday]

i wear ear plugs a lot.  i am 33 and have some hearing damage from being in a punk band.  Loads of very loud concerts and jam sessions.  Gotta save what hearing I have left.

I just have foam ones right now, and will get off my ass to have custom ones made soon.

[shinyribs]

A punk band?!?! Wow,didn't see that one coming. Your cherub-like smile hides a lot!LOL

[MarkPBG]

I know, right! I read that and thought "nah, he must've meant MARCHING band. LOL

Just kidding…you really don't have the stereotypical punker look. At least not in that pic.

[shinyribs]

Marching band! HAHA. One of my racing buddies son (big wimp,seriously)plays the tuba in the marching band.We have been trying to get this kid to come around.We bought him this shirt online that is a Guitar Hero spoof,it's a Tube Hero shirt. WE thought it was hilarious...the poor boy almost cried. sigh what're ya gonna do?

[MarkPBG]

Tube Hero! ROFTLMAO!!! LOL

[shinyribs]