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so i was at my local shop the other day (pete's cycles) and was taking a look at helmets.

saw saw hjc and the like for around 150 - 300 etc.
then saw shoeis for up to i think 650 was the most.

can someone explain how such a huge range can exist?

lighter materials, better vents, graphics, brand name etc.

but as long as it's DOT approved, it should be fine.

VermilionX wrote:lighter materials, better vents, graphics, brand name etc.

but as long as it's DOT approved, it should be fine.

+1 on what verm said.

Some of the higher cost is name, but those $$$ names mean higher technology: Usually an assortment of things... lighter materials, better venting, more comfortable padding inside, removable inside padding, a quiter profile, etc. etc.

Oh, and you also get different size OUTER shells with the higher priced helmets. Some use ONE or TWO outer shell sizes and add lots of additional interior padding to make the XS or less padding to make the XXL size helmets.

Thats why I recommend that you go helmet shopping first, and focus on fit. It might be the single most expensive item you purchase. It might not be. (You did take the helmet fit guidelines with you, didn't you?)

Trust me, the fit is critical. It really sucks to realize 30 minutes into a half day ride that your helmet is crushing your ears or making your forehead feel like someone is holding a lit cigarette to it.

P

100 % what Lion_Lady said . You wont got wrong with DOT approved and a great fit. Everything else is just minor preferences.

Keeping your head in one function piece is the the most important point of all. Having a acceptable measure of quality (DOT) and a very good fit make this all happen.

If your skull and brain were made of steel, then I may suggest SNELL but then the DOT standard would also change as well.

Just my opinion

I have an HJC CL-15 and im very happy with it. Ran me about $150. Vents work well, wind noise isnt bad, fits me well. You dont need to shell out $600 to get a good quality helmet. But I would avoid buying those $50 no-name helmets.

If you go on long rides, your neck will thank you for purchasing lighter helmet. I have two half helmets. One is a cheapie AFX and the other is a Harley branded AGV helmet. I refuse to wear the cheaper AFX due to its slightly heavier weight. Both are DOT approved.

Yes Lion I did!

But I was in a rush so I pretty much was just stopping by to look at what they had in the store + trying to finalize my budget.

sir wrote:so i was at my local shop the other day (pete's cycles) and was taking a look at helmets.

saw saw hjc and the like for around 150 - 300 etc.
then saw shoeis for up to i think 650 was the most.

can someone explain how such a huge range can exist?

$650 bucks for a helmet? You have to be out of your "F"n mind!

Shop around and on the net. You can get a better deal than that place.

Bachstrad37 wrote:If you go on long rides, your neck will thank you for purchasing lighter helmet. I have two half helmets. One is a cheapie AFX and the other is a Harley branded AGV helmet. I refuse to wear the cheaper AFX due to its slightly heavier weight. Both are DOT approved.

Those heavy half helmets!

Yeah, I'm told the more expensive shoei/arai's are all handmade. I haven't decided if that's something good or bad as each one will vary slightly based on the maker, regardless of their quality checks.

Their materials are lighter and have a different kind of physical structure that distributes pressure from a hit throughout the entire outer shell. It's like catching a ball in a net, the net streches a bit and evert part of the net absorbs some of the pressure. I haven't looked into that enough to see if that's marketing or not.

The cheaper helmets (scorpion, hjc, etc) pour an expoxy into the top of the helmet to get it to pass the impact inspection. It's not going to be as effective in absorbing a blow because that epoxy works like a wall, not a net and the force stays localized. That also makes them heavier and top heavy.

That said I've seen alot of hjc helmets in crashes and they seem to hold up pretty well. The shop near me has a wall of donated crashed helmets. You can see what stays and what doesn't. If you do see one have a look inside and see how much that foam does. It's interesting to say the least.

My latest helmet cost me $250. Shoei half. Light and comfortable.
$650?? No "F"n way. I'll buy one of those shells before spending that kind of scratch.