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Captainplanet
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 03:32 pm: | 
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I have the Shoei TZ-1. I have had it for about 3 years. It is very quiet and comfortable. The vents work reasonably well. The best feature is the sheild that allows you to either seal it completely or allow it to be open just a bit for air flow. I will likely buy a new TZ-1 one to replace it this year. |
420at145mph
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 03:40 pm: |
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420at145mph
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 03:55 pm: |
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how much are those schuberth lids?
edited by 420at145mph on June 22, 2004 |
Wyckedflesh
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 04:02 pm: |
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I have a KBC Wolf. Noisy lttle sucker but the fit and weght are phenominal and for hot weather riding its perfect. |
Buellish
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 04:53 pm: |
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"how much are those schuberth lids?"
Retail $399,but you should look on http://ibmwr.org/ for deals.
I found mine for $300 as new in the box.
Just go try them on at a dealer as they don't fit everyone.
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Gaz
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 05:46 pm: |
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Remember the fit is everything!!!!!!
A resonably well built helmet that fits to a tee will protect you much better than a top of the range fully approved helmet that is loose.
10 yrs is way too long to keep a helmet. 5 yrs max.
I have a Shoei RF800 and a Suomi Gunwind but the Suomi is a bit on the short side, or maybe I got an egg head. Shoei is quieter though. |
420at145mph
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 09:13 pm: |
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they got a size chart on the site that goes by the diameter of your melon
figure thatd probly work pretty good for online shopping |
Bads1
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 09:23 pm: |
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Custom painted HJC.
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Henrik
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 09:52 pm: |
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size chart on the site that goes by the diameter of your melon
That, unfortunately, will not ensure a good fit. I like Shoei helmets, but their shape makes it feel like it's bolted to the front and back of my head - not a good feeling at all 
The Arai helmets are a bit rounder in shape (I think) which makes a world of difference for me. Although I can only wear the Signet GT (used to be E). Their high end helmet is more Shoei shaped and doesn't fit me.
In other words, head circumference is not enough info to ensure a good fit. Trying it on is the only way.
Henrik |
Wyckedflesh
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 - 02:03 am: |
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The size chart doesn't take into account the cheekpads or as Henrik says the actual shape of your hear, just what general size you need. Getting headaches while you ride cause your high dollar helmet puts too much pressure in one spot is not worth the price. Its better to walk into a retailer and try on the model and find one that fits correctly, then go online and get the better price. |
Socoken
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 - 02:07 am: |
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Wycked said it
make sure you try them on! the way they fit and feel is much more important than the name on the front.
for my two cents, i like SHOEI, but they fit me right, ive owned two different ones, and i like the quality and quiet.
Ken |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 - 02:13 pm: |
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Arai for me, thanks. You must find the right fit, I tried many brands and types, the Arai quantum-f is what worked best for me, it's been 3 years of appreciation since... But you really need the perfect fit, or as close as possible to be as happy as I am with my helmet. |
Jwz7
| | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 03:33 am: |
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stainlessmag,here is the post on helmets.i hope these posts help you.
jim |
Curtyd
| | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 08:48 am: |
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I wear eyeglasses for all my life. Just switched to a flip-front. Doesn't pass SNELL, but it is a lot easier to put on and off. Nolan N-100, I probably won't go back to a fixed front, because I don't end up tearing up on my glasses putting them on after the helmet throughout the day. I may check out the Shubert, but my philosophy is you have to get a new helmet about every 2 years, because the interior goes hard on you, so I never buy top of the line, it's not cost effective for me. |
Stainlessmag
| | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 09:09 am: |
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Thanks Jwz, I went out all day yesturday trying on helmets and found that arais dont fit my head right they leave alot of room in the forehead region. Then i tried a Shoei RF1000 and it fit really well, but i was really looking for a an X-11, does anybody know if the x11 and rf1000 have the same general shell shape. |
R1DynaSquid
| | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 09:10 am: |
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The Nolans are a fine helmet, have several of them myself. Been looking into the N-100 & I like it. My 3 month old HJC just isnt cutting it for me. Nice helmet, but the more I wear it the sloppier the fit is & it actually seems like the wind noise is getting worse. |
Curtyd
| | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 09:16 am: |
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The "roll" of the padding in the back of my neck on the N-100 initially felt different, but as I thought, when I continued wearing it I got used to it |
Outrider
| | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 01:01 pm: |
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I swear by the Shoei RF Series dating back to the 200 though the 1000. Saved my life twice, but just as important they fit my face (read: big beak and strong chin).
Not much else that fits as well without causing damage in those areas in the event of a get-off and still offers the quality, protection, venting and other nice features.
Definitely worth the bucks and you can find some great deals online. |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 05:27 pm: |
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I've been out today looking for a replacement for my Shark which is comfortable but noisy, & moves my glasses about, after reading this thread I had a much better idea what to look for & what's rated & what isn't.
First stop the local BMW dealer who sells Schuberth, I tried the Concept but the sizing doesn't work for me, one's painfully tight & the next one up floats, plus I found it a bit on the heavy side.
Next up a big independent shop, who are Ducati dealers also, they are always helpful and I spent an hour trying on Arai's & Nolan's & Shark's but went away with a Shoei Raid, which fits like a glove is MUCH quieter than the Shark & doesn't move my glasses about, & they gave me 30% off too!
A real result, thank you all. |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 01:20 am: |
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Lots of manufacturers make two size shells. I believe the smaller shells, with most manufacturers, go to medium fit. Any size larger uses the larger shell. For this reason you might find a perfect head fit medium but your face, and particularly your chin, might be to close to the front of the helmet. A good rule of thumb for nice fit is to be able to put all your fingers of one hand up inside the helmet in front of your chin. Also note that many manufacturers make different size cheek pads which can be interchanged to suit your ideal size, which is worth remembering if your mouth becomes pinched open because your cheeks are squashed in. One other test when establishing a good fit is to fit the helmet and fasten the strap then bend your head forward and down. In this position raise your hands up behind the helmet and see if you can move it up your neck. If you can move it at all it is not a good fit. Under no circumstance should the helmet tilt forward and raise up on to your head.
Another thing I believe important and worth making the only choice is a 'D' ring fastening. This is the only way to perfect a proper strap tightness every time you put the lid on. It's further worth remembering that a 'D' ring is the only fastening system that cannot break. The 'D' ring fastener is the only fastening system allowed in motor sport the world over.
Don't get me started on gloves. I'm in the process of searching a new pair. So far, I'm down to three pairs. Alpinestar GP Pro, Frank Thomas Spectre and Texport's kangaroo skin race glove.
Alpinestar and Texport come out tops in burst, abrasion and quality tests in both 'Bike' and 'Rider' magazines. Texport's kangaroo skin is stronger than cowhide. The Alpinestar's feature kangaroo skin across the palm and down the side of the hand. Both feature extensive use of kevlar and similar materials, the Alpinestar's now preferring impact resistant plastics on the knuckles and finger joints, replacing the carbon fiber protectors on their previous (and very similar) top spec glove the GP Plus. I have no info thus far on the FT Spectre but it smacks of quality when you look at it. Glove thread anyone?
Rocket |
Barkandbite
| | Posted on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 01:55 am: |
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Rocket:
The Alpinestar GP's are nice gauntlets -- they break in reasonably well. I have noticed a couple of things:
(1) I have a funky callous on my left thumb knucked
(2) Not much padding in the palms
(3) The wrist armor can cause some limitation in the flexibility.
(4) The knuckle material works wonders when someone cuts you off illegally at 70 MPH by crossing TWO pairs of yellow lines in the carpool lane without looking.
Let me just say that the idiot in the F350 no longer has a driver's side mirror. Scuffed the knuckle pad but I scored a knock-out.
Not the best behavior but I got his attention!
Helmet-wise, I love my Arai RX-7 Corsair. A little noisy but the ventilation is great in Cali.
Chris |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 08:48 am: |
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Thanks Chris. I'd heard that the Alpinestar's don't vent that well. Perhaps that's why the latest GP Pro has exhausted vents through the knuckle protection. I'd read a couple of owner reviews both claiming sweaty palms and die colouring their palms.
I've tried a pair on that fits well, but not whilst wearing my leathers. I thought the wrist area looked well spacious, and longer than most other pro race gloves, thus assuming they'd fit well with my leathers. That's one are the Alpinestar's beat the Texport's with the longer glove.
Rocket |
Barkandbite
| | Posted on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 01:39 pm: |
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No discoloration, but sweaty, yes. They also ride up a little on my palms if that makes sense.
They are spacious and fit around my leathers (Alpinestars also) quite nicely.
Chris
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Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 04:32 pm: |
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I tried a large size Chris, and it was a tiny bit tighter than snug, which is the way to buy new leather race gloves as they will give a little. Did you find that to be the case?
Do you have the Pro's (plastic protectors) or the Plus (carbon protectors) and what did you pay for them Stateside? They're £119 retail at Hein Gerike.
One last thing. Are you really a soldier of fortune Chris? \clipart(biggrin)
Rocket |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 02:32 am: |
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I have a pair of Held racing gloves, been riding with them over 3 years now, and I love those gloves.
No hard knuckle guards, tho, if thats what your looking for, just plenty of knuckle padding, excellent fit, feel and great ridability. No vents either. Nice big gauntlet with a wide velcro strap, and a nice belt style- vecro wrist snugger to keep em on ya. Kangaroo palms and finger faces, and leather/ kevlar everything else. Expensive, though, I got lucky and found mine at a close-out sale at a Harley dealer for 50 bucks! If ya want to spend the $ I highly recommend them.} |
Budo
| | Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 05:44 pm: |
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Used a AGV 'Rossi replica' for years. I like AGV but the fit is not that good for me and took quite awhile to break in. Now I am using nolan Flip-face helmet. I like it alot. Good features, good price. I like to flip up the chinbar when getting gas or fooling with my gear. Used to have to take the helmet off for that. A buddy of mine crashed in two different Nolans and they did not come open so I have some confidence in them. |
Henrik
| | Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 11:21 pm: |
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I second Bigblock's Held recommendation. I have a pair of the earlier race gloves that have been "retired" to street duty (after a couple of crashes - ouch), and a pair of the newer version with the carbon knuckles. Both fit me perfectly, and the thin-but-reinforced palms makes for a really comfortable and sensitive grip on the bars.
Henrik |
Barkandbite
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 12:43 am: |
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Rocket:
I purchased the large size and they were, at the initial fitting, as you describe -- slightly tighter than snug. They have broken in perfectly, however.
I have the Plus (Carbon/Kevlar?) and I'll have to track down the receipt to tell you what I paid for them.
And as to your last concern, I am indeed a soldier of fortune...though just not they type most consider "mainstream."
While I don't carry weaponry measured in feet per second or graded for armor piercing capabilities, I carry a very large "electronic stick" while walking quietly amongst the baddies in the land of the wiley hacker...
Let's just suggest that my expertise is not noticed unless something REALLY bad occurs.
Chris |
Wyckedflesh
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 12:49 am: |
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I have the Frank Thomas gloves and though I was real happy with them at the time I bought them, they have stretched alot more then other gloves I have had. They feel as if they have stretched up to the next size, they are that loose on my hand now. |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 01:41 am: |
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I've read some excellent stuff about Lee Parks design gloves, I think he's a racer who decided to make gloves he liked, but I haven't seen or tried them, so I can't give my "official" recommendation. Ray |
Outrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 05:05 pm: |
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Lee Parks...Former racer and editor of Motorcycle Consumer News. Is a real great guy that knows his stuff. Used to ride with our group in So Cal occasionally. I don't have a pair of his gloves but would not hesitate buying them. He is not the snake oil type and if he puts his name on something it would be a quality product. |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 08:30 pm: |
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Well what a day. I went out for a 150 mile blat into the landscape last night on the 916. The wind was up and it was a tough ride. Tough because my new Suomy Gunwind was an absolute pain in the arse. I bought size medium and it was a tight fit so I expect it will give a little. Trouble is, it spent those 150 miles squashed against my nose and chin and it misted up with every breath. The most uncomfortable issue was my right ear. It felt like it was on fire all the bloody time and because the visor kept misting I was trying to exhale through my nose and mouth in such a way that I could direct my breath downwards. It made no difference so I resorted to holding my breath in for longer durations. That and trying to ride with the visor open on the first notch. When I got back to the workshop I was fair whacked.
Took the Gunwind back to the dealer this afternoon. I've realized the medium has a smaller shell and it is to close to my face for comfort even if it does bed in some. The large size is just to big. The pizz off is the Gunwind is the only Suomy in a gloss red. The latest type Spec1R is a much better helmet than the Gunwind, so now I'm looking at spending twice as much money. The medium in the Spec1R is an absolutely perfect fit. The best fit I've ever had, or at least can remember, in any helmet. The problem here is that black, blue and gunmetal grey are the only straight colours sold in the UK. The importers, Frank Thomas, insist they can't get me a red one no matter what, which is bad news when I've seen red ones for sale on Ebay, but they're in California. I can't try it on. I don't know if it will fit the same. It could be the older model Spec1R. There are no returns. It's a nightmare scenario. The only option is to buy a Spec1R replica, but I'm not into replica's. At three hundred quid they ain't exactly a bargain either. I can buy an Arai RX7 for £400 and I can get it in bright shiny gloss red - just like my 916. I'll know more tomorrow when the Arai arrives for my perusal.
Well it's not all doom and gloom. I just won a brand new in the packet, never worn, pair of Alpinestar GP Pro gloves in the size and colour I want. The best bit, they're a tad over half the dealer price. Bargain.
So, a day of mixed fortunes. Maybe I'll sleep better tonight.
Oh by the way, did I mention I won those billet Pro and Joker Machine turn signals on Ebay. That was cool but I didn't win that great one of a kind custom LED tail light. I really wanted it for the back of my S1W but I screwed up my bidding and went off to work. Pissed me off big time letting that one get away.
Anyways dudes, don't do like I do, and buy the wrong size lid!
Rocket |
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