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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-290.html)

It should come back as per this video review

Why do you want spares? If you are preferring a dual visor helmet then you don't need a tinted visor. By the time you wear out the cheek pads, it'll time to get a new lid. In Maharashtra, NHK is only available online as of now.

KYT helmets have some presence in the cities like Mumbai & Pune. Get the LS2 but I fail to understand why on Earth would you leave your new helmet to get stolen?

Ride safe,
surjaonwheelz

A little birdie tells me that MT Helmets is going to re-re-enter the India market on its own and will no longer be proceeding with its current partner. That probably explains why the new launches on the Powersports website are all from SMK and NHK while a lot of the MT models are displayed with a Sold Out status.

I have been using my Shark Spartan RS Carbon helmet now for almost 9 months now. I had picked it up in Singapore last year. I have used it for close to 3.5K kms so far. I did a 510kms ride today to Chikkamangaluru and back.

One thing that has been bothering me for quite some time is the pain in the ears while wearing this helmet for long duration, say 2 hours+ onwards. The first few hours of the ride are fine. But especially during second part part of the ride, while returning home, the pain become really high. Removing the helmet is excruciatingly painful.
There is also a throbbing head pain while riding back. The ear pain will be there for many hours after the ride has ended and my ears are bright red for quite some time!

What would be the issue? I don't have any other discomfort other than ear pain, especially the right ear. I read online that the inner lining can be modified to suite the ear since the shell is what protects from impact. Is that possible? The Spartan has a removable inner liner but not sure how to modify it.

How long does the inner take to expand and take the shape of my head?

I have been taking the pain on the chin (no pun intended) so far like a man, but today's 500kms ride has taken a lot out of me. Is it better to replace the helmet and look for a better one that suits me head? I had worn this helmet at the shop for almost 30 mins and didn't feel any pain. Or it could be that I was too excited to notice!

Any points on how to alleviate this would be helpful.

I know it's probably a fit issue but does using a balaclava help? Have you tried it?

By now it should have been OK. But then I haven't changed my helmets that often. If you are comfortable for the first two hours or so, why not do more shorter rides for a while and see if that helps?

In my case, the balaclava only makes it snugger and sometimes I get pain using it for a longer time. So, I only use it when I ride in really cold conditions.

Your helmet is too small for you, especially in the cheek pad area. Best if you change the helmet or change the head liner and cheek pads.

Please change the interiors of the helmet or get a new helmet. It’s been too long for the helmet to break in any further.

The kind of pain/discomfort you are talking about is dangerous too because it could distract you from riding with full focus. Don’t torture yourself any further.

Cheers

I always use balaclava. Never ridden without one.

I think the cheek pads are fine. I feel no discomfort on my cheeks. The problem is only my ears. So the head liner might be the issue.

Agreed. I was distracted towards the end of the ride. Need to see where I can procure the inners for this Shark helmet. Does anybody know if I need the exact brand inners or any other will do? Since Shark is not sold in India, not sure how to proceed.
Also, whats to say the new headliner is also very tights and causes the same discomfort?

I also read that the inners might not have been fully broken in. So the options i read was to either remove the inners and place some weights on them to make them a bit softer or place some weights inside the helmet itself. I am trying the latter. Lets see.
BTW, my ears still hurt a little bit even after more than 12 hours after the ride has ended. I guess this is more serious than I thought. Might be that i need to bite the bullet and get a new helmet.

After ~3500 kilometres nothing is going to break in any further as I mentioned earlier. You are trying to postpone the inevitable, no point.

If your ears are hurting even after 12 hours I would suggest you just replace the helmet. I wouldn’t wear this helmet anymore.

Cheers

Dear friends, my Scorpion ADX-1 is about to be 5 years old and will thus soon be demoted to "haircut helmet" (self explanatory and I am sure we all have one).

ADX-1 is an adventure style modular helmet with all bells and whistles - sun visor, peak, modular chin bar, factory fitted pin lock, etc.

It is quite nice but feels heavy, although rated at a normal 1550±50 grams. Also found it much noisier than cheaper helmets (e.g.: current haircut helmet, MT Mugello).

I think I would rather have fewer features (e.g. no sun visor, non-modular, need not be ADV-style), and get something light. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Would prefer to spend less than 20k, the lighter options I am seeing are all over 35k

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have decided to sell my Shark helmet and look for options in Bangalore. Will pick up LS2 or KYT carbon fiber helmet next weekend when i come back Bangalore.

Anyone in Bangalore interested in buying my Shark Spartan RS Carbon in S can DM me. Will be posting it on classified and OLX later next week.

Look at LS2 carbon fibre models. I use the FF805. They have advised model too. Mine feels very comfortable (low weight) and I like the visor changing mechanism.

What is the expert opinion about Modular helmets? Are they safe when compared to full face ones?
I have MT helmet which is not modular and hence planning to go for a new modular one. Please share your thoughts.

Compared to a full face helmet, obviously it is not. But it's better than an open face helmet. P/J certification is the standard for modular helmets. Most Indian brands do not have this. SMK has the same for one of its models, but it's obscenely front heavy. 1.8kg for helmet is too heavy on its own.

I can provide Aam aadmi opinion & you may completely ignore what follows :)

I believe based on my reading & riding for a few years now that this is the hierarchy of helmet usage -
No helmet -> topi -> half faced -> modular -> full faced.
There maybe variations in this order, based on ratings etc but starting from half faced helmets, let's assume they're all minimum ECE and DOT certified or at minimum, the same level of certification.

It's my understanding that 90% injuries are jaw and facial related. This would mean that open faced helmets can only be rated for head impact. As obvious as it sounds, there are many who may misinterpret an ECE rated half faced helmet as a life saver instead of understanding what that rating actually means.

Coming to modular helmets, they're also rated with & without being fully shut. So essentially, it's incorrect & futile to think of them as being equally safe with them being open & shut. And even when shut, there is a "stays shut on impact" percentage that determines their level of safety.

All that aside, I have owned a Studds modular helmet for about 2 years. And I can tell you, given our climate, I was very happy to keep it flipped up frequently. Zero discipline or understanding. And it is because of this very reason that I decided to never buy a modular helmet again. I will have the urge to flip it open on a hot & humid day. I decided that I'd rather get comfortable being uncomfortable.

The simple argument that ends all this is to drive rather than ride. Which when extended, can take the extreme form of "why not just sit at home instead of stepping out ever" lol:

Is there a thrill & inherent threat when motorcycling? Yes! We have all signed the consent waiver form in our head. But we can still do it with maximum protection when we choose to.