Helmets

Hope this is the right place for this question. I need a helmet and was wondering what kzrider users like?

I have signed up for the motorcycle safety course and I will need a helmet. Since, I still have a ways to go on my restoration of my KZ750;I have not purchased one yet. I will be training at a Harley dealership and riding a Buell Blast ;so that's why I will need to start looking and trying a few for good fit.

Anyway, don't really know what I like yet but seem to be more into retro helmets of the same era as my KZ. Like some of the German helmets and saw a few on the Z1 movie that were interesting. Open face seems to be more appealing but open for suggestions.

Here in Louisiana we have to ware a brain bucket but this state changes it's mind often. It was only a few years back that you did not and few years before that you did. Make your mind up!

Thanks
Ray

Ray,
I'm a full-face guy for lots of reasons. Bugs, rocks, rain, cigarette butts, wind, cold, don't try to lift off your head at speed, face protection, etc. They definantly take some getting used to the first time around, but are worth it in my mind. Make sure that the helmet is properly fitted. My .02.

I have dumped once, and without my fullface helmet I would have had no teeth and a wired jaw. I got a Fulmer helmet for my first one, and it works great and as mentioned it saved my face. I will be getting a more expensive helmet next simply because the cheaper ones let in more wind noise at highway speeds.

i use a full face i either buy shoei, arai or hjc i usally change out my helmets after three years or so race with them first then use them on the street for another few years. the noveltiyhelmets like the german ones are a royal pain in the ass always trying to lift off and they have virtually no protection. i'm a firm believer in helmets but i'm also a firm believer in my right to choose up here we have the "L.A.W" and none of us asked for it. as far as i'm concerned it should be up to the individual but the democratic societiy's that we in north america live in have decided that we can't be allowed to make our own decisions. when i ride in certain states it is nice to have the option on 110 degree day. by the way if you have a 10 cent head buy a ten cent helmet.i like to at least think i have done every thing i can to survive in case of a wreck so buying a good quality helmet is my best option.

9am53 wrote:

I have dumped once, and without my fullface helmet I would have had no teeth and a wired jaw. I got a Fulmer helmet for my first one, and it works great and as mentioned it saved my face. I will be getting a more expensive helmet next simply because the cheaper ones let in more wind noise at highway speeds.

Same here. If I didn't have a full-face, I'd have no face.

Currently use a KBC Tk-7. It was cheap but rated pretty high. It happens to fit me really well, while some others didn't. It's all sort of up to the shape of your head to get the right fit.

Cost is not always about the safety. Some helmets are more expensive because they have more features for comfort and convenience. You can get a cheap helmet that's just as safe, but maybe not as well ventilated etc.

So far, lucky in Illinois that there is no helmet law. I wear one pretty much all the time, but I'd be pissed if I HAD to. We do have the seat belt law, though.

Even a $0.10 helmet is better than nothing, but like most things you get what you pay for in a helmet for the most part. There may be exceptions, but generally lower priced helmets don't have scratch resistant shields, fit less than stellar on most ect. Also like most things if you ignore the initial sticker shock and just think of payment as over the life of the helmet a $600 helmet is only $0.33 a day or so if you use it 5 yrs, so why not just buy quality? My last 2 helmets have been the Arai Quantum II and I like them, before that had a Shoie and it was OK, but not on par with Arai.

Forget wearing that novelty stuff; it not only looks immature, but it won't provide the safety factor you need. My wife and I both use Shoei full face. The wife had an Arai (an older model, not a Quantum), but bits of it came unglued even with careful, minimal use. Could have been just 1 bad day on the assembly line. In my early days I wore a "shorty" Bell like the cops wear with a bubble shield. If you turned your head to look back behind you at speed the face shield would sometimes pop off. This was VERY distracting! It felt like someone pulled a toilet plunger off your face, plus it ruined the shield as it slid down the highway. Using that type helmet with no face shield and just glasses can lead to a bumble bee between your helmet and ear as my old riding buddy found out. :laugh: Ed

The bee comment brings back fond memories.:laugh: How many times have we been stung by them little bastards on a motorcycle? I'll bet I've been hit 25 or 30 times now. Usually wedge between your cheek pad and cheek when you open the shield for a second, but had many down the coat, up the sleeves, even in the boots over the years. The pain we must endure to do what we enjoy.

Protection first!

Inevitably you will be directed to an article published by Motorcyclist magazine a few years back that purported to demonstrate that Snell certified helmets were no safer and were in some case worse than DOT listed helmets. Unfortunately, the article betrayed an ax to grind and in the mean time no one else has come forward to corroborate the claims made in the article. Whether one agrees with the article's conclusions or doesn't the fact remains that to display the Snell sticker, the manufacturer must submit representative samples of the helmet model to the Snell Foundation for testing. A helmet with a DOT sticker is "self certified" by the manufacturer and not a third party. Do keep that in mind when helmet shopping.

Like others, I chose a full face helmet and use an HJC that was a nice balance between comfort and price and Snell certification. As I don't have windshields or fairings on my bikes, having a full face helmet has saved me from a facial injury from airborne objects on several occasions.

ive been dealing with the same problem and have been looking online ive found a couple open face helmets i like but they have the full shield on the front but im not sure about ordering them offline. ive looked on www.uhelemts.com but they are only like $35 and im not sure about them. cause like yall have said u get what u pay for.

full face all the way! I have a white one to fool the drivers around me to thinking I'm a copper. Helps them to pay attention while their on their cell phones and what not!!!

Yep, full face all the way. You'll get used to it and soon feel naked without it.

I've gone from wearing Simpson's (Made in USA) to Bell, Arai, KBC, Shoei, HJC and a few others I forgot. I'm now back to wearing a Simpson Outlaw which I love.

As stated above, no matter what helmet brand you choose, make sure it's at least a DOT certified helmet and not simply one with a sticker on it. Secondly, if you find one that is also Snell certified, your that much better off. Snell testing standards are stricter than DOT's.

Here are some links:

www.smf.org/

www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot...etid/pages/page2.htm