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-   -   Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-safe/19699-helmet-tips-buying-good-helmet-223.html)

Thank you Neil for the recommendations.

The Airoh GP550s has been the first on my list.
HNP has one option in my size (M) and i didn't quite take to it :(



All the Scopion Exo 1400 Carbons are sold out at Letsgearup.
The Bangalore store did have one last piece of the Scorpion 520

I have however seen a couple of Caberg Drift Evos online & in Motonation, Bangalore.

After some 4000 kms with my Scorpion Exo 1400 Carbon, I can't say I'm super happy with it. I had planned to wait a bit longer for a more detailed review, but I guess now is as good a time as any.

The weight difference between it and a "normal" helmet is quite staggering, I mean in the feel and comfort, can't take that away from it at all. The internal sunvisor still works like a charm, the fit is still awesome. But there are a couple of weird little niggles that have polluted my experience with it:

1. Pinlock fouling: With rains here, I decided to try the pinlock again, because otherwise the visor got quite foggy. Ran into the same issue I'd mentioned previously: once the pinlock insert is installed, the visor gets too fat, and the pinlock fouls against the helmet eye port rubber seal. This time I'd already gone on a ride with it, and the dust etc. scratched up the pinlock good when I opened and closed the visor a few times. That pinlock is dead. I don't know if this is a manufacturing issue or something else, I've been planning to contact Scorpion to figure that out, but I'm too lazy.

2. Visor opening mechanism: After a while I found out why the visor opening mechanism was such a pain. What looks like an opening tab on the visor does nothing at all, there's no mechanical bit that moves and lets you move the visor up. When you pull on that tab, it physically changes the shape of the visor, I mean it literally pulls and distorts the visor at the point you're pulling, which then lets the catch move over and the visor to open. I'm sure this is a very secure design, but it's quite annoying. I have got used to it, but it's not something I'd recommend others experience. Only good thing is that even if the visor is just closed, and not latched, no air gets through.

Overall, it's still a good helmet, but the problem is that when you're paying close to 40k for something, you expect it to be better than good. It's part of the mindset as well, I didn't even dare use the helmet for about a month after I got it, I was so scared of damaging it. I'm planning to now buy something more reasonable in the future, something I'm not scared of abusing, and something that doesn't cause severe heartburn everytime I find a slight imperfection with it. I don't plan to spend more than 20k.

I always suggest that riders try and buy, before spending money on a helmet and riding gear. If you can find a Motonation store in Bangalore with stocks of the Caberg Drift Evo Carbon, then do check it out in person and see how it fits you. If its not a good fit and you like the Airoh GP550, I will say go for the Airoh.

Once these stocks get over, we will be left with the ISI rated helmets only, which are not bad at all, considering that they are now up to ECE specifications. But for those who want something class leading, you will have to hand carry them when someone comes into India or pay the 40% customs duty and get them delivered to your doorstep.

Thanks for sharing your feedback on this RiderZone. The pinlock issue is most baffling. I dont recall facing this on any of my helmets. Do let us know what Scorpion says.

The visor opening mechanism is the small ridge / tab at the front, near the bottom of the visor? This was highlighted in a Revzilla video as being a bit of an inconvenience IIRC.

I fully agree with this. When you pay big bucks, you shouldnt have to deal with small things that potentially spoil the ownership experience. I have had a great few years with my Shark Race R Pro and the only issue that I face with it, is when I switch visors once a year. At that time, I find the visor mechanism to be a bit fiddly but everything else is perfect. If Shark had perfected the visor mechanism, I would have given it a 10/10 rating, instead of a 9.9 rating. That said, I plan to replace it with another one early next year.

Correct. I had thought that if you moved that ridge upwards, it sort of moved some clamp that let go of the helmet side of the mechanism. That's not the case. It's just a place to put your finger under and push/pull like an animal until the lid pops, always explosively. It must be a great system for the track, but weird choice to put it in what's ostensibly a street helmet.

I will drop by motonation and test out the Caberg Evo drift.
However I have no idea where I could try an Airoh gp550s.
You had noted a store in Kochi that was selling them, do they ship to Bangalore? I'd be grateful for some contact details.

If the skies do open up AND Covaxin gets approved, I may travel to the US in the next two weeks. Same situation in January
That just complicates things even more, as these things are completely out of control, but just the thought of having access to more choices can be a bad thing. Lol.
I do have about 5 months to get my bike though!

Does motonation have your size, online they only have L left. Also remember it is a bit noisy, I have around 500+ kms on it now, and I think it's just a bit more noisier then HJC. The visor changing mechanism is a pain. Other then that the helmet is doing well, slowly turning out to be my first choice helmet. Also maybe it was just me, but I had a hard time installing Sena 30K clamp on this compared to HJC.

If you do pick this, remember to buy a pair of nonoise ear buds, they will be really helpful.

I had picked up an MT Revenge Binomy Matt Helmet (Black & Grey) helmet about 2 years back after reading about it here as the cheapest 5 star SHARP rated helmet available. You can see the details of the rating here.

The following are some pictures of the same helmet from the intranet.

Front View


Rear quarter View


Side View

I bought this from Openroad, Pune since I did not want to buy a helmet without trying it out. This was going to be my first proper fitting helmet. As per my head measurement, I had to get a size Small helmet. It is not that easy to find size Small helmets in shops.

I have used the above helmet mostly within city limits. The helmet is no longer available at www.spartanprogear.com. The helmet looked premium and it was a very tight fit. It does feel a bit heavy, may be because it a very tight fit on my head. At speeds above 60 kmph, there is a constant whistling sound. It goes away when you try keeping your head slightly sideways. I have now got used to the sound and it does not annoy me. Even after using it for nearly two years, the foam padding is still in good shape. I also got an anti-fog insert for the visor which works very well. It was also my introduction to double D-ring helmet strap. After using it a few times, I was in love with the mechanism. No more fiddling to adjust the length of the strap when needed.

When my son got his bike, I had to get another helmet for myself since he started using the MT helmet. I did have two other helmets bought many years back (one Studds and one SAFE brand) and it was time to dump them.

Looked at various options (again mostly for city use) and while at Openroad recently came across Shaft Pro helmets. I had read about them at first here, on this forum.

So we picked up a Shaft Pro 610d Animatto helmet, ECE certified, from Openroad, again size Small. These are imported by Rynox Gears and is originally from Colombia. You can find the company web site here. It cost me Rs. 6450 and got the anti-fog insert for Rs. 550.

Because of the COVID-19 situation have not been able to use it much except for a couple of short rides. Initial impressions are below.

• It is not so tight fitting as the MT revenge but it is not loose either.
• It is not SHARP rated
• The build quality of plastics etc. feels more premium than MT
• There is an inbuilt sun visor
• Comes with a pinlock ready visor
• Comes with Double D-ring strap system
• There are air vents that can be closed/opened (chin, top of the head and the back of the head)
• There is no whistling sound at all (at least for speeds upto 120 kmph)
• I felt there was some distortion of vision when the sun visor is used. Not sure if this is a common issue since I have heard about this issue from an SMK helmet owner as well.

Front


Side View


Rear view


Top view


Bottom Padding


Interior Pads


Interior Chin Area


Wind Deflector


Wind deflector removed


Double D-ring Strap


Front Vent


Rear vent


Top Vent


Sun Visor


Sliding control to open/close sun visor


Visor Closure Tab Seating


Visor Tab for Closure


Visor Quick Removal Mechanism


Helmet Bag


Helmet Bag


The weight of the helmet


Label


Label

Thanks for sharing the detailed initial impressions. Helmet bag is a nice touch! In addition, the top padding has a mesh liner (red) it seems from the pictures. Other helmets just have the EPS layer exposed here. :thumbs up

Recently I saw online that MotoCentral is keeping KYT helmets in Pune. But I found they're slightly overpriced than LRL Motors. Same products should have the similar MRPs unless LRL is selling old stock!

NF-R is a sport touring helmet and couldn't find any relevant reviews. Not sure if it's just a batch import.

Ride Safe,
surjaonwheelz

Here are a few pictures comparing the MT and the Shaft Pro helmets


Side by Side


Side by Side - Front View


Side by Side - Back view. The two red lines and the white circle on the MT are 3M reflective conspicuity tape that I added to the helmet.


Side by Side - Top view. Again I have added two small white circles with 3M tape on the MT helmet.


Side by Side - Face off. The three white circles on the MT are 3M reflective tape that I added.


MT weighs 1540 grams, which is 17 grams less than the Shaft Pro.

MT has a matt finish and the Shaft Pro has a glossy finish. I wished for the helmets to have some reflective material on it. There is a white patch on the padding behind the neck of both the helmets that has a reflective material but nothing on the helmet itself.

Is it just me, or is the Shaft shell significantly larger than the MT one? Or are they different sizes?

The store is AutoQueen in Cochin and they do have M sized Airoh GP550s. I might drop in there tomorrow or day after for some other stuff, I will check the colour schemes that are available and update this thread. Yes, they do ship to Bangalore. Other TBHPians in Bangalore have ordered stuff from AutoQueen, which was couriered to their homes. Let me know if you decide on the GP550 and I can help you out.

If you dont mind me asking, what bike?

Thanks for sharing, it does look well built. I agree with surjaonwheelz, the helmet bag is a really nice touch! I believe this isnt ISI approved, is there an ISI sticker on the back?

I have heard good feedback on KYT helmets from the guy at the store in Cochin that sells them (Corsagram) but I havent heard first hand feedback from owners. I had looked up their products but didnt find too many reviews online.

Thank you very much!

I have booked the Triumph Street Triple R

Thanks! I will head down there this weekend & see if they have an M in the Evo Drift

I've used the following helmets:

- Rs. 9 Droom branded helmet
- Aerostar K171
- Studds Shifter Neon Green
- Royal Enfield Denim half face
- Scorpion R410 (Snell)
- Bell Qualifier DLX (Sena mount + photochromic face shield)

Based on my experience using helmets from a wide price range, here's a list of things to look for in a helmet:
- Ventilation - It should have decent ventilation and the vents should be closable. Moreover, the face shield should have an option to crack open just a bit for riding in tight traffic.
- Double D Ring - I prefer this as it's pretty easy to buckle and unbuckle. However, for very short rides I pick the RE/Studds, which have a rachet.
- NO Ventilation - When you don't want it. The chin curtain goes a long way in keeping unnecessary airflow from entering during winters. The face shield should have a rubber gasket and snap shut tight.
- Waterproof - I have ridden in the rain and it's not fun to ride with a wet and heavy helmet. Drying it out is another headache.
- Wind Noise - The helmet should be quiet at desired speeds and desired riding position (upright/partial tuck/full tuck). If it can't cut down the ambient noise, at least it should not add to it. The Bell Qualifier is notorious in this area while my Scorpion 410 was way quieter.
- Day/Night Flexibility - A drop-down visor like the Studdds Shifter, or a photochromic face shield make sure that you don't have to carry a pair of sunglasses. It's even more important for people with prescription glasses.
- Speaker Pocket - This is moderately important to me but maybe very important to you.
- Fit - This is very important to me. Find a balance between snug and comfortable. But, give it time to break in.

About Safety Rating
A decent level of safety is obviously important for me but I'm not fanatic about safety anymore. You will have some crashes in life, where you'll barely scratch your precious helmet. In these situations, even the 9 rupee helmet will save you from an injury. On the other side, there will be crashes where even a roll cage around you can't keep you alive.

Imagine, we have a lot of green area on the left, where any helmet will keep you safe. On the right, we have a big red area, where nothing is good enough. Then, there's a narrow strip in between where a Snell outperforms a DOT or an ECE outperforms an ISI.

Simple probability logic makes it very unlikely for us to end up in that strip, let alone towards the right of that strip where we can say that the Snell saved us while the DOT wouldn't have. So, I've grown to appreciate the comfort and convenience of well-made helmets rather than just their safety rating.

Instead, I focus on keeping my skin and joints safer. Even in parking lot falls, it's very easy to twist your ankle. Hitting the asphalt at 40kmph is not even close to life-threatening, but a low-side will hurt for many days more days. So, I value a comfortable pair of riding pants, boots, gloves, and jacket more than a fancy helmet. With the greatest emphasis on boots followed by pants. That's why I happily spent more on 1 pair of Dainese boots than Scorpion and Bell helmets combined. And the boots have done a fantastic job so far and held up well with the abuse. Total paisa vasool!

While I respect its your opinion, that is a very dangerous way to promote motorcycle safety especially in a thread where riders new and old are coming to look for advise and pointers. Broken bones and scrapped skin will heal with time, recovery from head injuries are not that straightforward. Case in point, a highly decorated F1 driver was rendered comatose in a less than 5km/hr tumble. I am not saying a head injury is the most likely outcome of a motorcycle accident but I would rather have my head kept the safest and then focus on other safety gear. Protective gear can be broadly classified into
1) Gear that can keep you alive
2) Gear that can protect your inside organs, bones and joints.
3) Gear that can ensure you can walk/ride yourself home after a crash

A helmet falls in 1) and 2). Boots, gloves etc fit in 3.