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Old 25th January 2016, 13:18   #1876
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

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15 mins on this thread will tell you all you need to know, buddy.
I went through this thread, now confused between MT and SOL. Which one is better in these two, pls suggest.

Last edited by ampere : 4th February 2016 at 13:50. Reason: Fixed quotes
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Old 25th January 2016, 13:42   #1877
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Hello guys. A post after quite some time. Having used my Daijya from last 4 years and Sparx S-07 for last 2.5yrs on a continuous basis came a time where in I wanted a new helmet that I could use for everyday and also for rides of upto 400-500kms that we usually do on weekends.

Light, comfortable, airy and less noisy helmet was a priority. Hence got home a MT Blade SV SPDX after a quite some advice and discussions with fellow owners. As I was confused between SOL and MT.

Initial impression:

Helmet is very well built and the quality is really nice for the price of 5975INR. And comes with an internal sun visor (Im not a fan of the same and never gonna use it too). Have ordered a dark smoke visor and a spare clear visor. Costs 1000INR each.

Used the helmet for 70-80kms of short spin and the helmet is very comfy (compared to Sparx and Daijya) from the time you wear it. Fits snug yet its padding is soft enough to keep you comfortable all day long. Ear are has really nice and big pockets to no pinching action even if helmet is snug and no irritation when wearing spectacles. This also means that accommodating a helmet comm system also will be a good experience due to ample space.

I own a Duke 390 and when riding it at speeds upto 100kph the helmet felt very stable and airy. Though there is a very slight whistle inside the helmet. Its feeble and manageable. It reduces drastically when the top vents are shut off. High speed testing will happen tomorrow as heading to Kolhapur for a ride. Will post a deeper review about the wind noise and airflow once I do that.

The latest MT Blade also comes with pinlock ready visor and you can purchase a fog free pinlock sheet at an additional cost. Hope this initial impression helps. More details about how good is the helmet in my perspective will be posted once I use it regularly. But overall Im happy with my purchase and the investment is really worth it.

Attaching pics of the helmet and the nice looking packaging box. Feel free to ask any doubts

Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet-img20160124wa0012.jpg

Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet-img20160125wa0026.jpg

Quote:
Originally Posted by vijay_k View Post
15 mins on this thread will tell you all you need to know, buddy.


Hey Vijay I'd say got for MT Blade. Superb bang for the buck. Scroll above for my initial impression on the same. I just got my helmet yesterday.

This is my 6th helmet and 3rd for city use. Own a Cross, Daijya, Sparx S-07, Airoh Pit-One XR, AGV K3

Last edited by Zappo : 25th January 2016 at 19:25. Reason: Let's not make these back to back posts. Use the Edit button in the first 20 minutes.
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Old 27th January 2016, 16:30   #1878
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

Coming up with my final review after extensive use of this helmet posted few weeks back. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...ml#post3879490
Tried it in high speeds, cross winds, foggy weather and also hot and dry ones which makes our head sweat like mad. ~1000 kms done with this helmet now.
* The cheek pads have reduced in size (due to compression with face).
* Wind noise gets in post 70 kmph mark. Sometimes even more and makes you not hear the rear vehicles engine
* No wind conditions (eg foggy places), I could hear even slight rattling of the vehicles behind me. That gave me a feeling like there is something like an echo chamber behind the earlobe sections.
* Good ventilation. However hot breath fogs up the visor (like any other I guess). It easily evaporates once the vehicle is in motion or on raising the visor by 5 cms.
* Continuous use gave me lower neck pain (C2/C3 area). Why I say this is that my Studds did not cause this & my driving position hasn't changed.
* most irritating is the rubbery nose guard. It comes out most of the time I strap this onto a helmet lock. Its a press-fit type.

In summary - I felt, this is a decent helmet but definitely over priced for what its got to offer.
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Old 28th January 2016, 09:19   #1879
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Anybody here riding long term with dual sports helmets? What's your take on them? I especially find the large view finder very useful. Field vision seem excellent in these. Though I expect wind noise to be pretty high, and of the beak is not removable, could have trouble lifting when at highway speeds.

Falling in love with the bell mx 9 adventure series.
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Old 28th January 2016, 09:34   #1880
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

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Originally Posted by rahulsnh View Post
Are helmets allowed in cabin baggage?
I recently saw Narain Kartikeyan carrying his Bell Helmet as cabin baggage. So I guess it's allowed. Actually the first thing that caught my eye was the helmet he was carrying. After that I looked to see who the person was.
Sadly no one else at the airport seemed to have any clue who he was. One of the disadvantages of not being a Cricketer or a Bollywood star.
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Old 28th January 2016, 13:47   #1881
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

Do all helmets have thermocol as the shock absorption material or do expensive ones have some other material for the same purpose.
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Old 29th January 2016, 14:09   #1882
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

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Originally Posted by pedrolourenco View Post
I recently saw Narain Kartikeyan carrying his Bell Helmet as cabin baggage. So I guess it's allowed. Actually the first thing that caught my eye was the helmet he was carrying. After that I looked to see who the person was.
Sadly no one else at the airport seemed to have any clue who he was. One of the disadvantages of not being a Cricketer or a Bollywood star.
Both spicejet and indigo call centers had told that helmet is not allowed in cabin baggage, before I posted on the forum here. However, I was able to board two flights on different days - one being republic day when even shoes had to be removed and scanned - with my helmet in cabin baggage. On republic day my cabin baggage was even opened because the scan flagged a false positive suspect. The guy took helmet out of cabin baggage, ran it through the scan again, and then handed it back to me. Clearly, helmet per se is not banned in cabin baggage.

I packed helmet with clothes inside to protect it from any damage. The helmet strap helped to keep that packing in place. All of it was worth the effort because the rented helmets used by others had merely retained its shape - even a small knock can crack such helmets. It is surprising to see bike rentals pay such a minimal value to helmet's role in a ride. So my effort was worth it.
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Old 31st January 2016, 22:30   #1883
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

I don't know if it's due to the liner wearing in, but my MT Blade isn't fitting as nicely as before and seems noisier too. For the noise, I got ear plugs ordered online, but the slight play is still a bother. Top of that, I think new eyeglasses or contact lenses might help vision in a crouch as well.

Still going to have to wait a couple of months for a new helmet. I tried the Scorpion EXO1200, the fit seems perfect, but there will be new stock coming including Shark, so holding out for a while.

Any recommendation for a helmet with a good eyeport and quiet, under 20k ? I'm not sure I should shell out for Shoei/Arai - I guess I'm not as well paid as auto-journalists who can't seem to think beyond these two !
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Old 1st February 2016, 07:11   #1884
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricci View Post

Any recommendation for a helmet with a good eyeport and quiet, under 20k ? I'm not sure I should shell out for Shoei/Arai - I guess I'm not as well paid as auto-journalists who can't seem to think beyond these two !
You could look at the nolan lids, a nice mid range toss up between them and the agv's, from what I have read online.
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Old 1st February 2016, 08:23   #1885
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

Between LS2 ( assuming it's genuine, of course) and MT, which is a better helmet and why?
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Old 1st February 2016, 08:42   #1886
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

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Originally Posted by Ricci View Post
Any recommendation for a helmet with a good eyeport and quiet, under 20k ?
Will you be buying locally or getting it from phoren?

Also, how long have you had the MT for?
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Old 1st February 2016, 09:34   #1887
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Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad View Post
Will you be buying locally or getting it from phoren?

Also, how long have you had the MT for?
How do you buy a lid online from abroad without trying it on first? I know measurements and all, but has anyone here done it successfully?
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Old 1st February 2016, 10:58   #1888
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricci View Post
Any recommendation for a helmet with a good eyeport and quiet, under 20k ? I'm not sure I should shell out for Shoei/Arai - I guess I'm not as well paid as auto-journalists who can't seem to think beyond these two !
Since you mention the quietness factor, I would suggest you pick from the HJC range which comfortably fall within your budget. The CL17 which I used was definitely quiet though it is heavier than some of the other options. The IS series is similar but adds an inner sun visor.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Liner View Post
You could look at the nolan lids, a nice mid range toss up between them and the agv's, from what I have read online.
I am using the Nolan N86 which retails for 20K in India. It is loud when compared to the HJC CL17, even with the vents closed. Again, loudness is subjective and it isnt unbearable but I would suggest using earplugs for long distance highway rides. For usage within the city, the loudness isnt an issue per se. On the plus side, it is quite light.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mobike008 View Post
Between LS2 ( assuming it's genuine, of course) and MT, which is a better helmet and why?
There is a thread on xbhp which shows that a lot (as in a LOT) of LS2s currently being sold in India are likely to be fake. No such worries with the MTs. The MT's offer great bang for your buck but some users have complained that it takes time to set in.
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Old 1st February 2016, 11:11   #1889
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Re: Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricci View Post

Any recommendation for a helmet with a good eyeport and quiet, under 20k ? I'm not sure I should shell out for Shoei/Arai - I guess I'm not as well paid as auto-journalists who can't seem to think beyond these two !
Ricci bhai -- You should try the AGV K3 - K5 series. all in and around the 20K range. or Shark S series -- good vision range.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mobike008 View Post
Between LS2 ( assuming it's genuine, of course) and MT, which is a better helmet and why?
There is nothing much to differentiate between the two. Both are of the same quality. LS2 Origin etc being more of a suspect

Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Liner View Post
How do you buy a lid online from abroad without trying it on first? I know measurements and all, but has anyone here done it successfully?
Dont even think about it! My sincere recommendation -- Helmet -- TRY n BUY!!! Not all shells are built the same shape (am talking between brands) Unless you have tried a particular brand in the past - don't make the mistake of buying it based just on measurements of head etc. P.L.E.A.S.E!!
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Old 1st February 2016, 11:17   #1890
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Quote:
Originally Posted by neil.jericho View Post
Since you mention the quietness factor, I would suggest you pick from the HJC range which comfortably fall within your budget. The CL17 which I used was definitely quiet though it is heavier than some of the other options. The IS series is similar but adds an inner sun visor.



I am using the Nolan N86 which retails for 20K in India. It is loud when compared to the HJC CL17, even with the vents closed. Again, loudness is subjective and it isnt unbearable but I would suggest using earplugs for long distance highway rides. For usage within the city, the loudness isnt an issue per se. On the plus side, it is quite light.
I was looking into the following lids for myself...

MT matrix track spirit
HJC IS/CL 17
Nolan 44

The MT was the lightest of the lot but had absolutely no reviews internationally.

The Hjc had great reviews expecially at webbikeworld and I also liked your real world observation on wind noise at high speeds. Goandude says no wind noise at 170 kmph and Web bike world confirms this observation rating it quieter. That's one level below the best very quiet rating.

The nolan 44 looks amazing but doesn't have the best reviews internationally.

I wonder, does the weight of the hjc trouble you long distance as a touring helmet?

Shubz, yeah I hear you. I read so many reviews of people ordering multiple sizes online and sending them back et all. We don't have that leeway sadly.

I am considering these kids as a stop gap arrangement until I end up traveling abroad and get myself better gear. The hjc is definitely on top, but it's now 2 years since an update on this lid...

Last edited by Red Liner : 1st February 2016 at 11:23.
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