Are expensive helmets worth it?

[FazrDan]

Are the expensive helmets like Shoei and Arai worth it? I'm guessing that safety is fairly similar between DOT or Snell approved helmets. Is it the looks or are they significantly more comfortable? Wondering what justifies the huge difference in price compared to a Bell or even a Built. I paid 160 for my modular Bell. Would I like a Shoei a whole lot more?

 

[Yasko]

My Bell RS-1 is every bit as good as my Shoei rf-1000. In fact I would say that my RS-1 is better than my RF-1000. It has better airflow, and it's more stable at high speeds. :rockon:

I'll only put a SNELL lid on my head. I'm worth the extra cash.:rockon:

 

[hsq91]

I've owned Icon, hjc, shoei, and nolan. The biggest difference is the interior material, wind noise, and shield/vent function. Is there a difference? Yes. Worth the immense cost difference? No. But the most important thing is how the helmet fits your head. I've unfortunately never found a helmet that fits me like a Shoei so to me, yes Shoei is totally worth it.

As long as the bell fits you properly and is comfortable I wouldn't yearn for the expensive brands.

 

[Ssky0078]

I've been down twice. Hit my head both times. First time in an HJC CL-Max III and I got a concussion, because the cheaper padding began to break down and the fit got loose on me. Second time in an Arai Vector, I received no injuries, I did hit mostly sand the second time while at a higher speed but the helmet did not shift at all, opposed to the HJC that my head smacked around inside.

I'd say it is totally worth the extra money. Having a concussion and a constant headache for about a month was not cool, plus the future concern for problems as an old person is not exciting either.

 

[airoh69]

Had an accident with more than 150 km/h. my head was scratching the guard rail and then hitting several times on the ground. Walked out unharmed and my head in perfect condition. Was wearing a shark s-900 helmet. I think it was totally worth the money. Now i have a shark vision r. If there is one thing you need to protect on a bike, is your head. Don`t try to get cheap on a helmet. A good helmet will not only protect you from the hit but it will also protect you from breaking your neck from sudden movements inside the helmet.

 

[rsw81]

There are a few things to consider with helmets and pricing:

1. DOT and Snell are minimum requirements. They give no information about how far a helmet has EXCEEDED those requirements. Shoei internally tests their helmets beyond Snell which is part of why I go with this company, not to mention they fit my head well.

2. Quality of internal materials, as previously stated, is better in higher end helmets (read more comfortable) and will last longer.

3. Wind noise and ventilation.

 

[fb40dash5]

I honestly don't think Shoei or Arai are worth their regular price. I have a Scorpion I've been wanting to replace, and have tried on Shoeis, Arais, and Bells. I personally prefer the Bell (RS-1 specifically) over the other I've tried on, even if it were more expensive (which it's not). Shoei are Arai are definitely really well made, but I think the RS-1 is just as well made, and has better features. The fact that I can get the Bell for a few hundred less on sale without settling for a purple tribal graphic in XS or 3XL or something is just a bonus.

 

[Clay350]

My $300 shoei qwest was far better than my cheaper helmets for riding. Far safer to.

 

[major tom]

I'm 72 years old. I'll take a DOT helmet over any Snell, although the latest Snell is better. Now at least they recognize a smaller head weighs less then a large one.Duh!
With a Snell I'd be dead before the lining came close to bottoming out as it's so firm for big hits. The older you are the more fragile you are. If you're 20 years old, fit, with a big head go Snell. Even then remember the helmet is so stiff it is suppose to be able to take two hits at the same place-like a roll-bar. More Expensive= better quality, comfort, noise, etc.

 

[Daniel_Aus]

I have a Shoei TZ-X which I paid $630 AUD for. I have also owned cheap helmets, but can say that the ventilation and comfort of the Shoei is far superior and worth the extra (to me).

 

[iSteve]

How much is your head worth?
Snell Foundation - Motorcycle Standards Comparison Snell vs DOT

 

[mayassa]

Snell makes a big difference on a larger head, the XL fits me better (Big Brain). I look at it this way I make a living using my brains so why not protect it. Would you pay $1000 to keep your head in tact? Or food on the table or roof over your head?

I bet you would if you ever got up off the ground pulled your helmet off and looked at the gouge on your helmet and realize your brain would be street pizza if not for that helmet.

Buy the most you can afford for gear.

 

[SweaterDude]

My helmets have to be Snell Approved, period. also a more expensive helmet will usually have a more specific fit, better venting, lighter weight, and will be quieter. Recently Bell has started making much higher quality helmets than previous years (they had a slump for a while). Arai and Shoei are two completely different fits and thats the most important part. i feel that the quality of the materials in the Arais are slightly better than the Shoeis, but the Bell RS-1 i tried on was also very nice, and for me was the best fit of all the helmets ive tried on.

 

[rsw81]

I'm 72 years old. I'll take a DOT helmet over any Snell, although the latest Snell is better. Now at least they recognize a smaller head weighs less then a large one.Duh!
With a Snell I'd be dead before the lining came close to bottoming out as it's so firm for big hits. The older you are the more fragile you are. If you're 20 years old, fit, with a big head go Snell. Even then remember the helmet is so stiff it is suppose to be able to take two hits at the same place-like a roll-bar. More Expensive= better quality, comfort, noise, etc.

No offense, Tom, but I'm not sure your information is accurate. In order to qualify as Snell, a helmet must first qualify as a DOT helmet. So by buying a Snell helmet, you are also buying a DOT approved helmet. However, the reverse is not necessarily true.

I work in medicine covering traumatic brain injury and work directly with sports helmet manufacturing research (mostly football and hockey) developing better helmets. I have no involvement with motorcycle helmets and am thus unbiased in regards to which company I recommend and/or use. What I will say in the construction of these helmets is that the lining you feel against your head has NOTHING to do with the safety of the helmet. That is there for your comfort. The safety aspect of the helmet has to do with the materials between the inner and outer shell of the helmet and how they compress during an impact. And just by being older does not make your head/brain more fragile. There is no medical evidence to support that statement. Your weight bearing bones may become more weak due to osteopenia/osteoporosis, but that's a whole different discussion.

Additionally, helmets are not designed to take more than one big hit. This is why even if you drop a helmet from a few feet up, you are supposed to replace it or send it in for inspection by the manufacturer. They are designed to be disposable one-time use items in sacrifice for your noggin.

 

[Ssky0078]

+1 to all Rob (rsw) said.

However, what is your take on neuroplasticity and age?

I'm no expert but from what I understand with age and activity level, neuroplasticity can decline. I don't know how much is true, but I'll take my phosphatidyl serine and DHA just for good measure and really expensive poops.

 

[rsw81]

+1 to all Rob (rsw) said.

However, what is your take on neuroplasticity and age?

I'm no expert but from what I understand with age and activity level, neuroplasticity can decline. I don't know how much is true, but I'll take my phosphatidyl serine and DHA just for good measure and really expensive poops.

The degree of neuroplasticity and age is currently being studied and not fully understood. We do know that at a very young age, the brain is capable of some serious remodeling to circumvent injured areas. The question is at what age does this begin to decline and how can we take advantage of this phenomenon in non-pediatric patient populations. From what we are seeing currently, there isn't much difference in a 30 year old versus a 50 year old. What does happen is that the likelihood of vascular secondary injury increases with age as the brain shrinks inside the cranial vault, thus leading to more shearing injury to vasculature in the areas between the brain and the three layers of mater (dura, arachnoid, pia) and the skull. This isn't a direct neurologic injury from the impact, which the helmet would have absorbed. It is caused by the brain slushing around inside the cranial vault excessively in an otherwise non-life-threatening G load to the skull.

Disclaimer: I have a two week old baby right now and am totally sleep deprived. Not sure if any of this is making sense.

 

[Gelvatron]

There are a few things to consider with helmets and pricing:

1. DOT and Snell are minimum requirements. They give no information about how far a helmet has EXCEEDED those requirements. Shoei internally tests their helmets beyond Snell which is part of why I go with this company, not to mention they fit my head well.

2. Quality of internal materials, as previously stated, is better in higher end helmets (read more comfortable) and will last longer.

3. Wind noise and ventilation.

i had a exo 1100 Felt great but again its the quality of the brand i bought a Qwest from shoei its 3 times better easy, but it comes down to the company and what individual testing they do more than needed why? because they care about their product which means they want you to live to buy another helmet

 

[Ssky0078]

The degree of neuroplasticity and age is currently being studied and not fully understood. We do know that at a very young age, the brain is capable of some serious remodeling to circumvent injured areas. The question is at what age does this begin to decline and how can we take advantage of this phenomenon in non-pediatric patient populations. From what we are seeing currently, there isn't much difference in a 30 year old versus a 50 year old. What does happen is that the likelihood of vascular secondary injury increases with age as the brain shrinks inside the cranial vault, thus leading to more shearing injury to vasculature in the areas between the brain and the three layers of mater (dura, arachnoid, pia) and the skull. This isn't a direct neurologic injury from the impact, which the helmet would have absorbed. It is caused by the brain slushing around inside the cranial vault excessively in an otherwise non-life-threatening G load to the skull.

Disclaimer: I have a two week old baby right now and am totally sleep deprived. Not sure if any of this is making sense.

Congrats on the baby and enjoy. The time you get when they are young is amazing.

My guess as to when the time neuroplasticity begins to decline is the same as everything else. Peak growth is achieved between 21-25. After that we get about 10 years of maintenance and then after 35 we begin the downward slide of age related decline. At least this is true for hormone regulation and general markers of physical health.

With my head injury I felt like it was the coup contrecoup in nature. The majority of my headache was in the back of my head (left lateral border of the occipital ridge) where I hit the ground and my forehead. I felt my head shift inside the helmet as it smacked down. If I had better padding and fit, I don't think I would have been in such bad shape.

 

[Kazza]

Vents vents and more vents.


It's not the pretty graphics you need, it's the ventilation. The more you spend the better the vents



Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

 

[Bram]

Apart from the ergonomics and quality material, there is also the factory testing to concider.

I've been told that a "cheaper" helmet is only factory tested on 2 sides (side impact and top impact). Where a more expensive one is tested on multiple sides (side, top, back, front)


I have the shoei rf-1100 for 3 years now. Stil loving it.