Helmet & tires

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I went into all this knowing I'd have to buy a helmet, & though it pain$ me to admit it, learning to ride on good looking 15-yr-old tires is just asking for it. Hence my recent research on helmets and tires.

Someone posted very good advice on helmet selection & fit, I'm sure, in the other thread- Thanks. The problem is I live 30+ miles away from MC dealerships & can't make it down there that often just to look & window shop. Plus, I suspect I really need more experience to properly apply all that good advice. Therefore my first helmet will probably have to come from the internet & fall into the "good enough" category.

Looking hard at HJC CL-Max/Max II models, I'd prefer white for heat reflection & visibility. Good prices shipped at Motorcyclegear dot com(formerly NewEnough)- especially if I'll settle for a Black closeout modular at $65 & add another $25 of stuff to get free shipping! Or they have the Max II in white, my size(Lg), for $115 shipped. A couple of possibilities on Jafrum, but their best is for a Vega open-face- might make a good 2nd helmet though. I would strongly prefer a modular/flip-up type(1st choice) or full face(2nd choice), with plenty of vents & removeable washable liner(s).

If you know of any great helmet deals, including shipping, on helmets elsewhere, please let me know.

Tires: maybe I should just call the dealerships & have them do it. Since they're all 15 yrs old, will need tires, tubes, & protecton bands for both spoked wheels. Bet it's gonna be expen$ive though. Front: original is 3.00-18 47P (or, according to a chart I found, metric size 90/90-18 is equivalent). Rear: 130/90-15 M/c 66P.

If you know of any great deals online, or even better, of a good seller/installer here in NE Texas, please let me know.

On the upside- got the bike off the trailer & in the carport- working *alone*- without incident. From what I've learned I now believe I can put it back on the trailer alone too.

Any info & help appreciated.
 
Hi.

I would highly recommend a full-face helmet that is not flip up. I personally don't believe that a flip up helmet can compare to a traditional full face helmet (flip up shield) when it comes to safety. Structural integrity of the flip up helmet is not as good in relation to a full face helmet. No matter what the certifications say, I highly recommend investing in a traditional full face helmet that carries safety certifications. I test/race my motorcycle on the track and I believe that although no helmet can save you in every single type of crash, it is nice to know that an extra margin of safety lies in a one piece shell construction.

I don't know what kind of bike you have or what kind of riding you do, but the safety rules still apply.

Tires are important, but yes, largely based on style of riding. Only if you are taking turns at 120+ mph will you notice the difference between tires. And even then they are subtle. But still, many people are biased towards their favorite brands which is ok. My street and race tire of choice are Michelin Pilot Powers. For my style of riding and technique, I feel that the transition from center tread to lean is smooth and confident. It could also be a butt-feeling but meh I don't care. I have tried Bridgestone BT-016 which are also quite nice and many people like them. I have also tried the Qualifiers and Sportmax from Dunlop and those are also excellent.

If you ride a sportbike, feel free to try around. Many others like Pirell, Continental, Avon, Shinko. Try em all! haha and have fun!
 
Originally Posted By: Stuart Hughes
Therefore my first helmet will probably have to come from the internet & fall into the "good enough" category.

How will you know what size to get? The sad part is that a Medium in one particular model may not be the same size as Medium in another model. The chances of you buying one that just fits are very slim, close to none, IMO. So, be ready to have to ship it back and keep trying until they ship you the right size.

There are many things I buy on line. Helmet is just not one of them, unless I first find the exact same one at a local store and figure out which size exactly will fit me.
 
http://www.helmetharbor.com/

These guys are great.

As for the helmet, I suggest full-face non-flip up. Safest by a longshot. Remember that the helmet is there to protect your head. Comfort should come second.

That being said, the Shoei and Bell helmets are pretty nice. Most of theirs seemed to fit my head well. The Arais are awesome if you don't mind spending the cash. Helmet Harbor's guys said the Scorpion helmets were great too for the price. I had one for a year (for autocrossing my car) and was satisfied. When I got serious, I bought a more expensive Bell.

The only real difference among helmets is the weight and comfort. As long as they meet/beat the safety codes, they'll provide the same protection. More expensive helmets are typically lighter, better vented, or more comfortable (or some combination of those). My Bell was noticeably lighter than the Scorpion, though it cost twice as much.

BTW I advise against flat paint finishes. They get oily and dirty and are impossible to touchup/clean.
 
For some amazing deals, try Motorcycle Closeouts. I've bought a number of things from them and have always been very satisfied.

You might find the webBikeWorld - Motorcycle Helmet FAQ helpful. Then take a look at their resources listed down the right side of the page. There's enough there to keep you occupied for a while...

As for brands of helmet, I'm one of those guys who've had no problem laying out the cash for an Arai, in the past. I've since become a devotee of Shark. Their upper-tier products are at least the equal of Arai, but less expensive and incredibly light. In fact, Shark produces the lightest line-up of helmets in the industry. For the best "bang for your buck", take a look at SparX. Their helmets are truly impressive, even without considering the value price.
 
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I have a red HJC CL Max that I paid more for than I should have, about $200 at a local cycle shop. It's a nice helmet and I like the flip up feature.

I wouldn't ride that bike faster than about 5 MPH on those old tires. Don't gamble on your well being.

Good choice of a bike, and great deal!
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
For what it's worth, Arai makes all the Formula 1 helmets.

Sorry, but no...

Schuberth is one of the other suppliers, providing helmets for Schumacher, Heidfeld, Rosberg, Alonso and Massa.

While Bell supplies helmets to Kubica, Petrov, Maldonado, Perez, Buemi, Trulli, Luzzi and D'Ambrosio.
 
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I should have written it here, my mistake!

I'm a brand new learner: the bike is a 1996 Yamaha Virago XV250, 250cc V-Twin engine, cruiser-style, wet weight 324 lbs, 2700 miles, original factory tires.

Re: tires: I sure won't be doing any hard-core corner-carving, & even if I change the sprockets & hop up the engine, doubt it could break 100 mph with a lightweight skinny rider, much less me. So an S speed rating is more than enough.
 
These are the guys wearing Arai on the 2011 F1 grid...

Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Kamui Kobayashi, Rubens Barrichello, Jaime Alguersuari, Adrian Sutil, Paul di Resta, Heikki Kovalainen, Timo Glock and Narain Karthikeyan.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
Okay, my mistake then. They make many of the F1 helmets but not all.

Arai makes an excellent helmet, no doubt. I've just found that they're no longer out in front of the pack, like they once were.

Rereading my earlier post, I realized that it may seem condescending. If it came across that way, I apologize as that wasn't my intention.
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I purchased a cl-max for my first helmet and I love it.I paid about 90 for mine,so that is a great deal.local that helmet sales for over $150.
 
If you like the CL Max modular, I'd say get one. Don't buy a helmet with the intentions of wiping out your bike, because you may never do so, and if you do, the CL Max offers quite a bit of protection. Hopefully you will be able to ride safely and never crash.

The flip up helmets are nice in hot weather at red lights, etc., and nice when you go into stores and don't want to take your helmet off, you can flip it up and talk to people fairly well.
 
Some people have Shoei shaped heads and some people have Arai shaped heads.
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I prefer Shoei. I have a friend who wears the same size helmet that prefers the Arai fit.

FWIW, I was pleased with the overall construction, fit and quality of the HJC, but the liner made my head itch. Real bad. Might have been an allergy on my part or just a one off on theirs.
 
For such a lite and low power bike, cheap tires are adequate if you wish to go that route. By putting them on yourself, you save the labor cost which could be high. Tubes and tires are fairly inexpensive at JC Whitney or Dennis Kirk. The strips can be ordered from anywhere.
Balancing might be a problem though. THAT should be done by spin balancing and a dealer that does that might include that IF you buy the tires and tubes from them.

I'm not cheap, I'm frugal.
 
Helmet choice is very individualized. I suggest you make that trip to the cycle shop (actually I recommend several) and try on different helmets until you find one that suits you. Arai will be expensive, Shoei is probably the most popular, with Bell, Scorpion, and HJC following up. I have a Scorpion. I like it, it was reasonable, and has DOT and Snell certs. Make your choice based on fit first, and price second. There is no advantage to a cheap helmet if it squeezes your ear lobes, gives you a headache, or has too much wind noise. And I hate to recommend this, but after finding a size and brand, I would order on line. The reason I don't like recommending this is because your local dealer is a resource for you. If all we ever do is walk in and use them as a dressing room, eventually, we won't have many dealerships to visit, and the prices will be so outrageous we couldn't shop there anyway. On that note, buy your tires at the dealership, (or cycle store) and have them mounted there. Tires are something I won't even do, and I've built bikes from boxes of parts. Have the tech check all the vitals, like brake pads, cable adjustments, etc. It won't cost much, you are supporting your local dealer, and you will at least know that when you start riding and learning, you are on a mechanically sound machine.
 
I have a HJC helmet (I think, LOL) with the flip up face and love it. Really muffles the exhaust drone. Minor wind noise above 45 MPH. What caught me the first time was rubbernecking at something at 65 caught more frontal area with the side of the helmet and almost snapped my neck, LOL.

I wear glasses and the solid-chin models ripped them off my face every time I stuck one on. If I put them on from the front I can't get the ear things on my ears correctly.

The only thing that bugs me about mine is the "space helmet" click down visor has no click for "slightly there", and interferes with my glasses. Goes down to what this thread is saying about individual fit.

If a cycle shop is too far away you can duck in Walmart, mine carries helmets this time of year. How did you do your MSF course, a borrowed helmet?

You can balance your own tires using the bike axle on a couple car jack stands. MC bearings are real low drag; even 1/4 oz you'll notice by the tire stopping at the same low spot every time. You can get weights that clip to your spokes on ebay and elsewhere.
 
Stuart

You really gott'a get into a good sized city and try on as many helmets as you can. The internal shape is critical. The foam liner is the most important part of the helmet, and it MUST fit the shape of your head, as well as fitting the size. The hard shell just protects the foam. The foam absorbs impacts and protects your head.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmet-shapes.htm
http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/content/get-right-fit

SWmototire.com and motorcycle-superstore.com have great tire prices.
 
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