[astrik.treks]

Originally Posted by Kami

Any good helmets with decent ratings under 5,000?

Recently I've gotten into motorcycling, and I didn't expect to spend much on a helmet, but after reading a couple of forum posts and looking at different ratings and tests, I've gathered that standard ISI-certified helmets from brands such as Vega are lacking in terms of protection, and different ratings (such as SNELL or SHARP) are preferred.

This is not completely true, the new BIS standard for helmets infact includes the penetration test which is not a part of ECE but was a part of DOT. Essentially seems like the guys at BIS, did put some time to adopt the best of both ECE and DOT.

The planning seems quite good, but coming to the deployment side of the story. ISI labs are not independent labs infact the manufacturer needs to have an in-house lab to even qualify to get an ISI license number under which he further applies for ISI of various shells they make. So it is all just passing of papers (read: lab reports) from the manufacturer's own lab to the BIS office. This can be easily tampered.

However, for the ECE certifications it is done by independent labs and hence more trustworthy.

SNELL (USA)and SHARP (UK) are all additional but non mandatory ratings where a brand may not choose to opt for these as they do not sell in those markets. Eg: SMK may not want to spend to get ratings from Sharp and Snell as they may not be selling (in huge volumes) in these markets.

Hope this helps, ideally just try to get a a helmet with ISI+ECE, focus more on the fit, weight and the comfort that you feel than having an additional rating of SHARP or SNELL (though if you find one which has it, its good to have) but prioritize your comfort first.

Hope this helps you to make the right choice

[trailsndirt]

trailsndirt, you shouldnt have space to slide in three fingers after tightening the straps to the maximum extent possible. That is really unsafe. I would suggest that you sell this MT helmet and get yourself another one that fits you well.

The MT Blade2 is a stop-gap purchase for now sadly, till a better shell is sought.
I am thinking of LS2s which now, have the ISI certification but there has been some push back that many helmets of that brand sold locally were fakes. That got me worried to wait a bit and ask around.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by trailsndirt

The MT Blade2 is a stop-gap purchase for now sadly, till a better shell is sought.
I am thinking of LS2s which now, have the ISI certification but there has been some push back that many helmets of that brand sold locally were fakes. That got me worried to wait a bit and ask around.

The days of fake LS2 helmets in the market, are long gone. If you choose from a reputed helmet store, you can safely buy an LS2 helmet in India in 2022. To be doubly safe, check the LS2 India site and see whether the same helmet that you find in the store, is being officially sold in India by its importer.

[hiren.mistry]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Thanks to everyone who chipped in with their thoughts and feedback. Im happy to share that my search has ended after I picked up a brand new LS2 Storm from Autoqueen in Cochin. The MRP is Rs 10,700. This past week saw the arrival of fresh new stocks at both Autoqueen and DJ Helmets. The best part is that the latest stock comes with a pinlock visor, so that is an additional expense that has been done away with. I have placed an order for a spare visor and should get it in the coming week. I will need a few days to break the helmet in and once I complete a few rides with it, Ill post some feedback.

The helmets looks brilliant, congratulations on acquiring it. I am very eager to read your feedback on how it performs. I am looking to get another helmet soon, and the LS2 Storm is on top of the list.

Cheers

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

The helmets looks brilliant, congratulations on acquiring it. I am very eager to read your feedback on how it performs. I am looking to get another helmet soon, and the LS2 Storm is on top of the list.

Cheers

Thanks hiren.mistry! I have only ridden for around 200 kilometers with the helmet. Let me do another breakfast ride over the weekend, to firm up my opinions on the LS2 Storm. Then Ill post a short review next week. As things stand, I really like the helmet.

Picture courtesy : The Silent Lensman

[Born 2 Be Wild]

Originally Posted by P72NX

The helmet is super comfortable. Weights about 1.6 kilos.
Very wide viewing angle, as I had been using the Axor temporarily after picking up my bike. The guys at the store fixed the Pinlock and it works great.

Noise levels are extremely low. The visor locks in place and that makes a difference.
Very airy, even with the front and top adjustable vents closed.

My superbike journey started with the MT revenge helmet after a lot of online reviews and ratings etc, eventualy after that moving on to the shoei rf1200 then the shoei X14 and the Arai corsair x i have found the perfect lid. Nothing beats them in my opinion , you can only feel the diff when one is in semi tuck, full tuck on the bike.

[sam_machine]

Today we bought this helmet Axor Apex special X bhp edition from JC road Bangalore. Quality of padding was good at this price bracket. Hopefully it will be good for city rides and occasional highway rides.
Cheers !

[neil.jericho]

As promised, here are my first impressions of the LS2 Storm helmet, that I picked up recently from Autoqueen (Cochin). Ive ridden for around 350 - 400 kilometers, with the helmet. This was over the course of a few Sunday morning rides, and some commuting through the mean streets of Cochin.

I will be covering another 1200+ kilometers, over the next couple of weeks. At the end of that, I will be able to provide more thoughts on this impressive helmet from LS2.

For reference, I picked up the FF800 Racer Blue Red Gloss model (quite a mouthful!). The link has the product specifications in it.

What I like
+ For the price point, the visor is really good! LS2 claims that the visor is made of " 3D Optically Correct "A Class" Polycarbonate". Technically, I dont know what that means. In the real world, you will quickly notice that it is of good quality. I say this from having used premium race helmets with excellent visors. A high quality visor, does make a big difference!
+ The field of view is unexpectedly large. If you are in a race tuck / sporty riding position, the helmet offers you an excellent view out of the top of the helmet. If you are sitting relatively upright, you may not notice it. But if you are riding, say a Yamaha R15 or a KTM RC 390, you will appreciate the enhanced field of view.
+ The padding feels good and lends the helmet a premium touch. It fits snugly on my head. Unlike the MT Blade 2 and Axor Apex, this doesnt squeeze the top of my cheeks. Your mileage may vary.
+ The switch for the drop down sun visor is very conveniently placed on the side of the helmet. You will find it very easy to drop the visor down, or swing it back up. You just need to use your thumb.
+ The sun visor is again of good quality. It isnt too dark, which is what I like. If the drop down sun visor / main visor is too dark, I worry about missing imperfections in the road etc. So, something with a light tint, is exactly what I look for. Your mileage may vary. A friend of mine prefers strong tints for his helmet visor.
+ The ventilation is good. On early morning rides, you can feel cool air being funneled up the top of your cheeks.
+ The sound is well contained. It isnt boomy or overtly loud. I have deliberately not used ear plugs while riding with this helmet. With the vents closed, the helmet is fine. Some wind creeps in from the neck area, but that is only to be expected.
+ The micrometric system is very handy for touring. No fiddly double D ring system here.
+ ISI certified. Hallelujah!
+ The paintjob looks stunning. This looks like a helmet that costs Rs 25K. Most of the other colour options were also quite attractive (refer the 1st picture below).
+ It comes with a pinvisor.
+ It comes with small reflective stickers that can be added on to the helmet.

What I dont like
- No SHARP rating. Ive been one of the biggest proponents of SHARP ratings on this forum. With things being as they are, beggars cant be choosers. The MT Blade 2 SV is the one option that comes with a SHARP rating. My head doesnt get along well with MT helmets. For its 4* SHARP rating, I would say that you should also consider the MT Blade 2 SV, before making a final decision.
- The chin vent on the helmet is a little fiddly. It was the same on every LS2 helmet that was available in Autoqueen, which is where I purchased it from. This is certainly not expected, and is the only bit that drags down the positive experience. While wearing the helmet, it isnt really an issue. But in the showroom, you cant not notice it.

I bought the LS2 FF800 Storm to replace my old AGV K3 SV, which had to be retired. I had a very good experience with the AGV helmet. If I compare the LS2 FF800 Storm to my AGV K3 SV, the LS2 wins when it comes to the padding, visor quality, ease of use of sun visor and sun visor darkness (or lightness, in this case). The AGV K3 SV scores on the SHARP 4* rating and overall quality. If they both had the same SHARP rating, is the AGV K3 SV worth twice the cost of a LS2 FF800? Absolutely not. But the AGV K3 SV isnt ISI certified, so its pointless whatabouttery ....

Overall, the LS2 FF800 Storm is a really good helmet.

Considering the minuscule helmet choices available in India in 2022, that have ISI certification, the LS2 FF800 Storm comes across as a really good helmet that you should very strongly consider. When you throw in the Rs 10.7K price, it starts looking like a real steal!

The different colour options that arrived at the store here.


The box that it comes in.








Good quality helmet bag.


A closer look.






The side profile is a little boxy. Those who like little spoilers, wont be amused.


Vents at the top.


Vents at the side.


Fiddly chin vent. This should have been better.


Without the sun visor.


With the sun visor.


Without the sun visor.


With the sun visor.


Smart looking helmet = Extra 50 Instagram likes.

Some pictures are courtesy - The_Silent_Lensman. Special thanks to him.

[Sebring]

Good review there, my friend. Unlike other helmets, K3 innard replacements are available online and I helped a friend restore his to brand new. Yes, if you have a damaged shell then it's a different matter

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

I bought the LS2 FF800 Storm to replace my old AGV K3 SV, which had to be retired. I had a very good experience with the AGV helmet. If I compare the LS2 FF800 Storm to my AGV K3 SV, the LS2 wins when it comes to the padding, visor quality, ease of use of sun visor and sun visor darkness (or lightness, in this case). The AGV K3 SV scores on the SHARP 4* rating and overall quality. If they both had the same SHARP rating, is the AGV K3 SV worth twice the cost of a LS2 FF800? Absolutely not. But the AGV K3 SV isnt ISI certified, so its pointless whatabouttery

[astrik.treks]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

As promised, here are my first impressions of the LS2 Storm helmet, that I picked up recently from Autoqueen (Cochin). Ive ridden for around 350 - 400 kilometers, with the helmet. This was over the course of a few Sunday morning rides, and some commuting through the mean streets of Cochin.

I will be covering another 1200+ kilometers, over the next couple of weeks. At the end of that, I will be able to provide more thoughts on this impressive helmet from LS2.

For reference, I picked up the FF800 Racer Blue Red Gloss model (quite a mouthful!). The link has the product specifications in it.

Good pick Neil. I loved how it looks.
LS2 has really gotten back in the business which was quite dominated by only MT earlier due to the fake LS2 supplies coming into India.

Ls2 seemed to have tightened the supplies and also the distributor in Pune has gotten more vigilant about the malpractice.

Really loved the helmet and I don't think you should really worry about the SHARP rating, i know having it is an added advantage but ECE and ISI are just enough.

Ride safe buddy !

[Zangetsu]

Originally Posted by AJ739

SPG has transformed to PowerSports now. You can visit the below link and checkout the MT gears https://powersports.in/

i found an active page of SPG tho
Are they back in business?
https://spartan-progear.myshopify.com/

[astrik.treks]

Originally Posted by Zangetsu

i found an active page of SPG tho
Are they back in business?
https://spartan-progear.myshopify.com/

No. They are operating through powersport.in

[Zangetsu]

So im in the market for a new helmet at around 5-6k for regular city riding.
Went to LS2 india webpage to see what models are on sale in India and looked them up on the SHARP website.

to my surprise, LS2 website only cites ECE certification whereas SHARP has tested and rated them.

This is also true for 2 other models in their lineup.

So my query is are the helmets made to different standards for our country or is the website slow in updating certifications?

A sub 5K LS2 with 4 SHARP rating brings real competition to MT.

PS: My local dealer stocks LS2 helmets. they dont look fake, you know. They dont have any weird Chinese letters and the certifications are not stickers.
Any other methods to verify its the real deal? I know ls2 have become better lately but how high is the risk of buying a fake?

[thebengalee]

Originally Posted by Zangetsu

PS: My local dealer stocks LS2 helmets. they dont look fake, you know. They dont have any weird Chinese letters and the certifications are not stickers.
Any other methods to verify its the real deal? I know ls2 have become better lately but how high is the risk of buying a fake?

Here's the list for the official dealers of LS2 helmets: click here. If you're buying from a store listed here, you're probably buying a genuine item. Otherwise, just inspect the product closely: any manufacturing or paint defects, unbranded elements, check if all the required paperwork is present, any weird smells (knock-offs will often use substandard glues and resins). See if the dealer is willing to honour a full refund if you bring it back within a week or so (don't know how reasonable this is, considering our sweaty weather conditions).

[Zangetsu]

Thanks! I did indeed find my dealer in the list.
Any insight on the inconsistences of ratings?
I also happened to find MT Targo is 3* SHARP rated on their UK website, but no seller seems to mention that in their own respective sites.

Are our dealers just lazy? or am I missing anything?