[alphadog]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Doc, didnt know about this option from Caberg. It looks very good for the price. Do share some pictures when you get the opportunity to do so. Though Im not a fan of flip up helmets, they are super convenient when you are in a group ride and need to stop to have a quick conversation etc. I will definitely keep this in mind next time that I am helmet shopping.

Hey, Neil. I wanted a touring helmet, with a drop down sun- visor and good safety rating. As you've mentioned, the flip up style does have its advantages when one has to make a quick stop like when asking for directions, chatting with co riders , at the pump when fueling , or to catch a quick sip of drink . The flip side (pun intended) , is that it's slightly noisier and there is a worry of the helmet chin guard flipping up in the event of a crash. However, with the Caberg Tourmax, on both these points I've found it good. It's reasonable quiet with plush lining and it has a sharp 5 star rating. Not many flip helmets around with that. Another point is that it's made in Italy, as opposed to some made in China lids I have come across. Don't know if that matters.
Here are some pictures. The helmet looks superb in person. It has a Matt finish , with a stylish paint scheme.











Cheerio.

[Vasuki]

Originally Posted by alphadog

It's reasonable quiet with plush lining and it has a sharp 5 star rating. Not many flip helmets around with that. Another point is that it's made in Italy, as opposed to some made in China lids I have come across. Don't know if that matters.
Here are some pictures. The helmet looks superb in person. It has a Matt finish , with a stylish paint scheme.

Cheerio.

Seems & looks very good helmet. Liked the colour combination. It matches with your Sena too.

Please tell me about the noise quotient at high speeds. You've mentioned reasonably quiet, with which helmet you're comparing with? Also how is the wind buffeting at high speeds. Any fatigue or neck pain?

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by philipmathen

Thanks Neil. Will check with autoqueen and spartan, did speak to DJ helmets, but they are awaiting new stock and don’t expect it for another couple of months, and the HJC they have is apparently an old model that’s out of warranty apparently. Did consider the Caberg early on, but not a fan of the flip-up type. Nevertheless will try them and see if I like it.

What I have heard is that new HJC stock is hard to come by everywhere, this points to no imports happening into the country. What I have also heard from a little birdie is that HJC is changing importers / distributors, it will no longer be Performance Racing Store (PRS), who has been their official partner since day 1 in India. If what I hear is true, we should be seeing a lot more of HJC helmets thanks to their new Indian importer, let's see if the little birdie is correct.

[alphadog]

Originally Posted by Vasuki

Seems & looks very good helmet. Liked the colour combination. It matches with your Sena too.

Please tell me about the noise quotient at high speeds. You've mentioned reasonably quiet, with which helmet you're comparing with? Also how is the wind buffeting at high speeds. Any fatigue or neck pain?

Thank you. It does look good and yes, the SENA kind of blends in. My other helmets are Nitro F341 flip up and a MT Rapide. The former is noisy and heavy, the MT is quieter, but then it is full face and built well. I kind of like the MT as it is very light ,only 1250 gms or thereabouts. I use the MT Rapide when riding my Z900. Compared to these two, the Caberg is quieter and more plush. The Caberg weighs in at around 1600 gms.

With regards the wind buffeting, I had a bit of it initially when riding my AT, however on installing the fork shields, this has all but disappeared. So it was more of a bike thing than a helmet thing. Now having done a couple of kochi to calicut trips and a few runs between thrissur and kochi, I do not find much of an issue with buffeting, or neck fatigue. There is a bit of wind noise, but thats taken care of by using ear-plugs. In short, I would definitely recommend the Caberg Tourmax. I bought it online through SPG website and was delivered home in 5 days.

Hope that answers your question.

Cheerio!

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by alphadog

With regards the wind buffeting, I had a bit of it initially when riding my AT, however on installing the fork shields, this has all but disappeared. So it was more of a bike thing than a helmet thing. Now having done a couple of kochi to calicut trips and a few runs between thrissur and kochi, I do not find much of an issue with buffeting, or neck fatigue. There is a bit of wind noise, but thats taken care of by using ear-plugs. In short, I would definitely recommend the Caberg Tourmax. I bought it online through SPG website and was delivered home in 5 days.

Thanks for the real world feedback Doc. Spartan Pro Gear has the Duke II also listed as an option for Rs 18,500 and from the SHARP webpage it appears as though the Duke (the first version and not the updated Duke II) and the Tourmax are the same helmet. Even a side by side glance of the respective pages of the two helmets make it appear as though they are the same, just that the Tourmax has the peak on top. Any reason that you picked the Tourmax over the Duke II?

Confusingly the Spartan Pro Gear page for the Duke II lists the helmet as having a 5* SHARP raing on the top of the page but when you scroll down it shows a 4* rating! Caberg's home listing of the Duke II though confirms that it is a 5* helmet.

A friend of mine needs a flip up helmet for many of his rides and he bought a Scorpion Exo Tech which he found a bit noisy. So he ended up buying the Schuberth C3 Pro which is expensive (around 1.8x the cost of the Caberg Tourmax) but its very light, comfortable, comes with a sun visor and is quiet for him.

What ear plugs do you use? I prefer the simple 3M orange ones which work very well for me and they are reusable.

P.S - It took me this post of yours to read your full signature and realize that you have an Africa Twin as well

[Vasuki]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

A friend of mine needs a flip up helmet for many of his rides and he bought a Scorpion Exo Tech which he found a bit noisy. So he ended up buying the Schuberth C3 Pro which is expensive (around 1.8x the cost of the Caberg Tourmax) but its very light, comfortable, comes with a sun visor and is quiet for him.

What ear plugs do you use? I prefer the simple 3M orange ones which work very well for me and they are reusable.

P.S - It took me this post of yours to read your full signature and realize that you have an Africa Twin as well

As of now I'm using Shoei RF1200(4 years) & HJC Rpha ST(3 years). Don't know why, felt Shoei is more noisy than HJC. I'm contemplating for a new one. Mostly I do long rides. My requirement is as follows.

1. Super quiet / silent.
2. Must be light weight.

I was hoping to get it at this years Malaysian GP, but seems all this has gone for a toast.

Any pointers that should be considered?

BTW Schuberth has C4 series too. Is there much difference to C3 Pro? When we look @ Schuberth, it has option for inbuilt communication system. Is it worth it?

I'm using No Noise purchased from bikenbiker Link . I find it pretty good.

[utkarshshukla92]

Hi Guys. I am looking for a low budget helmet to use with my RX 135 which is kept in my home town and has annual usage of less than 300kms. Because of such low usage, I don't want to spend a lot of money but don't want to compromise on safety either. I don't take it beyond the speeds of 45-55 kmph and ride it sanely.

Now the question is are the helmets from Indian manufacturers reliable? I see a lot of half-face helmets between 1000-1200 from Studds/Steelbird/Vega which would good with the RX.

Daily, I use MT revenge helmet with an Alpinestars Viper Air Jacket and SP8 gloves with my Apache 200.

[alphadog]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Thanks for the real world feedback Doc.

P.S - It took me this post of yours to read your full signature and realize that you have an Africa Twin as well

Guilty as charged. I do indeed own the AT as well, although, I have not had many chances to stretch its legs yet. The Z900, I mostly use for commuting on and off to work.

Coming back to the topic of helmets - you are right about the design of the Tourmax and the Duke 2 being the same. I must commend you on your discerning eye for detail and the research you do. I usually do not like to buy helmets without trying them out first, so I tried the Duke 2 at the SPG shop in Kochi and I liked the fit and finish. The reasons I went for the Tourmax was mainly aesthetics, (a bit vain, I know ), I liked the overall colour scheme of the Tourmax better and also wanted an adventure-touring helmet with a removable peak. Thats the reason I got the Tourmax, rather than the Duke 2.

The ear-plugs, I use a brand called Hush-plugs. They are reusable clear silicone plugs with a filter that works well. It filters out the 'bad' noise, while still allowing the ambient noise in. Does a good job of it and it is available on Amazon. The pack has two pairs of plugs of different sizes with interchangeable filter.

The C3 pro and generally most Schuberths have very good reviews all around, they are supposed to be very quiet and great for touring. But for some reason I did not want to spend that much more and also did not want to order online without trying it on. Another good flip adv helmet, I have heard of is the Scorpion AT950, but I believe the successor to that is the ADX1, which is available on one of the Indian webstores - I think its Lazyassbikers or something like that.

Originally Posted by Vasuki

As of now I'm using Shoei RF1200(4 years) & HJC Rpha ST(3 years). Don't know why, felt Shoei is more noisy than HJC. I'm contemplating for a new one. Mostly I do long rides. My requirement is as follows.

1. Super quiet / silent.
2. Must be light weight.

Those are sweet helmets you have there. I have heard only good things about the Schuberth lids and as mentioned, they are supposed to be super quiet. So I don't think you can go wrong with that one. But I am not sure if there are any local dealers for it/ unless you have a friend who might own one, so that you are able to try them on before purchasing.

Originally Posted by utkarshshukla92

Hi Guys. I am looking for a low budget helmet to use with my RX 135 which is kept in my home town and has annual usage of less than 300kms. Because of such low usage, I don't want to spend a lot of money but don't want to compromise on safety either. I don't take it beyond the speeds of 45-55 kmph and ride it sanely.

Daily, I use MT revenge helmet with an Alpinestars Viper Air Jacket and SP8 gloves with my Apache 200.

I would advice strongly against getting an open or half faced helmet. Even if you ride sanely at 44-55 kmph, there are other factors beyond your control on the roads. The highest percent of impact area of the helmets, in a crash, is the chin and jaw area, and that is what you would want protected. Even slow speed crashes can do severe damage in this area.With respect to the protection, I suppose Indian brands with ISI mark may offer some degree of protection. I still have a Vega and a Steelbird lying in my cupboard somewhere, but I seldom use it. Why not continue to use the MT revenge on the RX135 as well?. Since you are using it for commute anyways, I am assuming, it would have moulded well and be well broken in and comfortable for you.

Cheerio!

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by alphadog

Hey, Neil. I wanted a touring helmet, with a drop down sun- visor and good safety rating. As you've mentioned, the flip up style does have its advantages when one has to make a quick stop like when asking for directions, chatting with co riders , at the pump when fueling , or to catch a quick sip of drink . The flip side (pun intended) , is that it's slightly noisier and there is a worry of the helmet chin guard flipping up in the event of a crash. However, with the Caberg Tourmax, on both these points I've found it good.

The helmet looks superb in person. It has a Matt finish , with a stylish paint scheme.


Attachment 2024323

Attachment 2024324

Cheerio.

Hey. I was in the exact same position, looking for an adventure style, modular helmet with that peak. Was not aware of this Caberg option - I was under the impression the only two options with that specific combo modular + adventure were Scorpion and Schuberth (the E1). I tried both and absolutely LOVED the Schuberth. Also, since I had the same pros and cons in my mind, I was more inclined to go for the much better brand etc hoping they would be that much safer. Incidentally the color scheme of my helmet is very similar to yours. It has the same internal flip down dark visor too.

Ironically, the longer your touring journey, while the safety of full face is obviously more relevant, the convenience of modular flip also becomes equally relevant. My other helmet is an HJC IS 17 and I find in small city rides I usually pick that up but any longer ride even 100km or something more and my only choice is the modular for convenience.

I am leaving a few pics of my specific model, picked up from the internet because I'm being lazy to click my own helmet.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

What I have also heard from a little birdie is that HJC is changing importers / distributors, it will no longer be Performance Racing Store (PRS), who has been their official partner since day 1 in India. If what I hear is true, we should be seeing a lot more of HJC helmets thanks to their new Indian importer, let's see if the little birdie is correct.

This is good news. In a perfect world, I want my modular E1 to be accompanied by a top notch lightweight full face with D ring type setup. I have had my eyes on the HJC RPHA Marvel range but they are simply too prohibitively priced in India. I suspect whenever I buy that or any other high end full face it will definitely be overseas only. For now, my IS 17 is serving me well. Coincidentally it matches my red black Tiger also to the tee.


.

[nutcracker]

I am looking for a helmet that can allow me to take calls, plus something that has excellent ventilation.

Budget: 10k but I can push it if worth it. Not by much though.

I ride a KTM 390 Adventure (just purchased last week), and it has Bluetooth connectivity. I am completely new to the biking accessories and helmet world.

Any recommendations for a helmet?

[utkarshshukla92]

@alphadog Sir my RX is at my home town and MT Revenge is at my current location. It is not possible for me to carry it to my hometown every time.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by utkarshshukla92

@alphadog Sir my RX is at my home town and MT Revenge is at my current location. It is not possible for me to carry it to my hometown every time.

Utkarsh, as Alphadog correctly put it, don’t buy a half face or just any helmet for the sake of buying and wearing a helmet.

Falling down from the bike has nothing to do with what bike you are riding or your speed or skill for that matter, bad luck happens sometimes. It for this situation that you have to wear a full face helmet at all times.

Buy a decent full face helmet for your hometown RX rides too.

Cheers

[utkarshshukla92]

Cyborg, I completely understood that a half-face helmet won't provide adequate protection and I will go for a FF helmet but I can't afford another helmet of 6-8k at the moment. I have a budget of 2000Rs and see multiple options from Studds/Vega/Steelbird in that price range. Now the question is are the helmets from these manufacturers any good? or should I wait for a few months and buy another sharp rated helmet.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Vasuki

As of now I'm using Shoei RF1200(4 years) & HJC Rpha ST(3 years). Don't know why, felt Shoei is more noisy than HJC. I'm contemplating for a new one. Mostly I do long rides. My requirement is as follows.

1. Super quiet / silent.
2. Must be light weight.

I was hoping to get it at this years Malaysian GP, but seems all this has gone for a toast.

Any pointers that should be considered?

BTW Schuberth has C4 series too. Is there much difference to C3 Pro? When we look @ Schuberth, it has option for inbuilt communication system. Is it worth it?

I'm using No Noise purchased from bikenbiker Link . I find it pretty good.

Do you have a budget cap? Preference for helmet style (full face / flip up?)? Since you are used to premium helmets, I would say go for a carbon fiber variant of a top quality helmet. Something like the Shark Race R Pro Carbon, maybe? You will likely have to source it from abroad though.

If only Indian options are available, then you do get the Caberg Drift Carbon Pro in India but its a 3 star SHARP helmet. The MT Kre Snake Carbon is also a light helmet but again 3 star SHARP rated.

Im not aware of the Schuberth options since these are only available in Bombay at LAB and I havent been there yet. It is on my list of destinations to go to the next time that I am in Bombay, heaven knows when that will be possible though.

Originally Posted by alphadog

The reasons I went for the Tourmax was mainly aesthetics, (a bit vain, I know ), I liked the overall colour scheme of the Tourmax better and also wanted an adventure-touring helmet with a removable peak. Thats the reason I got the Tourmax, rather than the Duke 2.

Makes sense! The Duke II looks to be more my kind of a helmet, when I need to replace the current AGV K3SV, I will likely go for the Caberg.

Originally Posted by alphadog

I would advice strongly against getting an open or half faced helmet. Even if you ride sanely at 44-55 kmph, there are other factors beyond your control on the roads. The highest percent of impact area of the helmets, in a crash, is the chin and jaw area, and that is what you would want protected. Even slow speed crashes can do severe damage in this area.With respect to the protection, I suppose Indian brands with ISI mark may offer some degree of protection.

Agree!

Originally Posted by Axe77

This is good news. In a perfect world, I want my modular E1 to be accompanied by a top notch lightweight full face with D ring type setup. I have had my eyes on the HJC RPHA Marvel range but they are simply too prohibitively priced in India. I suspect whenever I buy that or any other high end full face it will definitely be overseas only. For now, my IS 17 is serving me well. Coincidentally it matches my red black Tiger also to the tee..

Everyone has been eyeing the new Marvel series since its launch! Im a Marvel fan and a HJC fan, I had the CL17 and crash tested it even

Originally Posted by utkarshshukla92

Cyborg, I completely understood that a half-face helmet won't provide adequate protection and I will go for a FF helmet but I can't afford another helmet of 6-8k at the moment. I have a budget of 2000Rs and see multiple options from Studds/Vega/Steelbird in that price range. Now the question is are the helmets from these manufacturers any good? or should I wait for a few months and buy another sharp rated helmet.

If you can stretch your budget to around Rs 4K, look at the Axor range of helmets. They are getting very good feedback and are of good quality. I know a lot of riders here who use Axor helmets and they recommend it. If that isnt possible, go for a reputed Indian brand like you planned but with full face only.

Whatever happens, in terms of safety, full face >> half face >> no helmet.

Originally Posted by nutcracker

I am looking for a helmet that can allow me to take calls, plus something that has excellent ventilation.

Budget: 10k but I can push it if worth it. Not by much though.

I ride a KTM 390 Adventure (just purchased last week), and it has Bluetooth connectivity. I am completely new to the biking accessories and helmet world.

Any recommendations for a helmet?

There are lots of options available. The only way to decide is try and buy physically, dont buy from an online store without actually trying on the helmet. Just go back a page or two and see philipmathen's list and the subsequent posts. Thats a good starting point.

[Vasuki]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Do you have a budget cap? Preference for helmet style (full face / flip up?)? Since you are used to premium helmets, I would say go for a carbon fiber variant of a top quality helmet. Something like the Shark Race R Pro Carbon, maybe? You will likely have to source it from abroad though.

If only Indian options are available, then you do get the Caberg Drift Carbon Pro in India but its a 3 star SHARP helmet. The MT Kre Snake Carbon is also a light helmet but again 3 star SHARP rated.

Im not aware of the Schuberth options since these are only available in Bombay at LAB and I havent been there yet. It is on my list of destinations to go to the next time that I am in Bombay, heaven knows when that will be possible though.

I would like to go for Full face helmets, not modular. I believe modular carries additional weight.

Budget though not a constraint, but would not like to be extravagant. It would be my primary one so need a good safe, light & less noisy helmet.

That's why inclined towards Schuberth. But under current scenario don't know when & where, it is possible to procure it. Thanks for the information of store @ Andheri, Mumbai.

Vlogger Sriman Kotaru uses a Schuberth and he swears by its accoustics( less noisy). Also Mumbiker Nikhil, he has bought a Schuberth E1 from London. Both are modular, I believe.