Best Helmet?

[HouseTiger]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Hey someone said a while back that if you show their helmet that saved your bacon and provide copy of the accident report that some helmet companies will give you a free replacement if you send it in?

Anyone else heard that?

Wonder if I could get a freebie replacement from Nolan? Another N104, but in silver this time. Hummm.....



Don't know about the helmets, but Firstgear replaced my Gen 5 Kilomanjaro jacket that US 1 in Florida pretty much shredded up in '08. It was a new jacket that went through about 200 miles of rain going to my end point in Florida, and kept me dry, and got tore to pieces on pavement, but I didn't get a scratch. HJC probably would have done the same, but the EMS crew took my helmet ( I was out for the count ) and the ER doc said there wasn't much left of it worth saving.

 

[David_g]

Originally Posted By: HouseTiger
[color:#000099]There are only two full face helmets that fit my ugly head - the HJC and the Shoei, with the HJC being the most comfortable.

But Shoei can use the awesome Transitions faceshield. I'm only aware of Bell and Shoei using those.

The only full face helmet on the market that I'm aware of fitting me right is the Bell Star Carbon custom fit--and those will fit just about anybody, since they shape the EPS to your head. After I got it, the main reason I stopped wearing my Arai (a model they discontinued, perhaps because it fit me), was the Transitions faceshield on the Bell. It's OK for all conditions, utterly awesome in most.

Being carbon fiber the Bell isn't too heavy, but being Snell rated, it could be lighter. All things being equal, I'd rather have a lighter and arguably safer ECE lid than a heavier Snell rated lid. Bonus if it got a good Sharp score.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Hey someone said a while back that if you show their helmet that saved your bacon and provide copy of the accident report that some helmet companies will give you a free replacement if you send it in?

Anyone else heard that?

Wonder if I could get a freebie replacement from Nolan? Another N104, but in silver this time. Hummm.....



You could always contact Nolan and ask.

A guy I've known for years from Bonneville and Motorcycle websites, crashed at approx. 245 mph, and lived to tell the tale. I don't know the specifics of his compensation for making the product endorsement video, but I'm sure it was more than just the cost of a helmet.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: David_g

But Shoei can use the awesome Transitions faceshield. I'm only aware of Bell and Shoei using those.




And Klim.

 

[LoneRanger]

Called Nolan. They do not replace accident-damaged helmets for free. Offered a 10% discount off their own pricing, but that was still above price of a new 104 that was on closeout at an online riding gear retailer.

 

[bulwnkl]

Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Originally Posted By: bulwnkl

The MIPS approach is not available in m/c helmets that I know of, but Bell's "Flex impact liner" system is their approach to the same idea. I've spoken with Snell about those various approaches, and at least one person there seems most interested in the approach whose name I can't recall, but it's basically an exterior covering that relatively easily slips away from the shell.

In all cases, my last conversation with Snell indicated that no one has yet come up with repeatable testing methods to see how well the rotational protection idea works. Too, one wants to make sure that such protection efforts do not compromise straight-on impact protection.


MIPS is available in the Bell Qualifier DLX version. A similar approach is used in the Bell Race and Pro a star helmets as well.


I said that: MIPS is not available in Bell motorcycle helmets (at least not their on-road helmets). Their FLEX liner is a bit like it, but as far as I can see it is not what MIPS claims to be. I also mentioned issues surrounding demonstrated ability to repeatably test, not to mention the issues surrounding getting agreed-upon criteria _to_ test.

 

[bulwnkl]

Originally Posted By: David_g
I've read that it's not possible for the same model to pass both Snell and ECE testing.


This is false. The ECE and Snell standards can be met simultaneously. Snell made a change to M2010 to accommodate helmet makers who wanted this ability. So, they reduced energy absorption or dispersion (management) capacity in the largest sizes, which was all that prevented cross-certification at any time.

Here's a good comparison chart:
http://www.smf.org/M2010/morePeakAcceleration.html

Here's a basic one, too:
http://www.smf.org/docs/articles/mcycle_helmet_comp_2015.php

Be sure to read the text, too, and remember: Any Snell-certified helmet ALSO must be either DOT or ECE (depending upon market) certified. Basically, Snell helmets are most protective, then DOT, and lastly ECE.

Someone made a comment about what helmets get tested. Snell takes random production samples for testing, both initially and later on during the product's life.

 

[LoneRanger]

Ordered a Nolan N104 EVO in silver, found it on closeout with an MCS II headset included.

 

[Mik]

Here is a good read: https://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/MotorcyclistHelmets.html

Sheds some light on helmet standards. FWIW, the author of this article was eventually fired from Motorcyclist magazine further to fallout from it.

BTW, kudos on thinking safety; I can't believe some morons still ride without one... Darwinism at work I guess

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: Mik
Here is a good read: https://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/MotorcyclistHelmets.html

Sheds some light on helmet standards. FWIW, the author of this article was eventually fired from Motorcyclist magazine further to fallout from it.

BTW, kudos on thinking safety; I can't believe some morons still ride without one... Darwinism at work I guess


It was great info at the time, but it is now old news and no longer applies, as Helmet design has changed since (and largely due to) that article.