arai or shoei ??
- Thread starter BehBehaNi
- Start date
JJsBusaRox
Registered
Buy Arai!
Both are good helmets. Just make sure to try them both on and buy the one that fits best.
hard to beat this: Shoei RF-1000 brand new for $200 shipped (US)
NEW SHOEI RF-1000 "GSX-R" HELMET GOLD/BLACK-ASST SIZES - eBay (item 280516804518 end time Sep-02-10 15:10:38 PDT)
AztecKanji
Registered
I bought from a shop here in town called motorcycle closeouts. I paid about 275 bux for a Shoei rf-1000. Great service. They have a website motorcyclecloseouts.com there's another one here in town that I've heard good things about called Cycle Gear. They have good prices and a website. Cyclegear.com both retailers carry both brands. I love my Shoei. Extremely comfy all around.
Posted via Mobile Device
Posted via Mobile Device
Airavata
Registered
So, a couple of things: One, Arai is pretty much the only manufacturer that still uses sideplates on their visors. Keep that in mind, as it complicates visor changes. Second, neither the top Arai nor the top Shoei got the best ratings in the most recent helmet test I could find. Now that EPS liners are common, and well-researched, the polycarbonate helmets are stronger and more durable. The money you pay for a top-level Shoei or Arai (or AGV or X-lite or Suomi etc etc) goes to the exotic shell materials they use to reduce weight. For the average street rider, this is not likely to be a problem.
The most recent helmet test (anvil drops, recreation of the Snell curved-surface test, etc) showed the Z1R to have the best protection out there. It provided easily the best G-force reduction of any helmet out there, and the shell proved much tougher than the more expensive helmets. Many of the top helmets actually did worse, because their exotic shells are much stiffer than the plastic shells of the less expensive helmet brands, so they didn't provide as much G-force dissipation. More of the force was translated directly to the internal liner without being spread out first, so the EPS had to do more of the absorption. Many of the more expensive helmets used stiffer EPS too, which exacerbated the problem. The overall stiffer materials are lighter, but they are slightly less capable at dissipating impact. You can get a very good helmet for under $200 these days. Icon, Z1R, HJC and many other brands are perfectly good helmets.
Now, that all said, keep in mind that a plastic-shell helmet will not show damage nearly as well as the laminate shells, so you have to be more careful about banging it around. Any large impact (even a drop from hand height to a hard floor) will compromise the EPS liner, and it won't be able to protect your head anymore. Helmets should also never be stored in the garage where they can be exposed to volatile fumes from paint, paint thinner, gasoline, cleaners, etc. And, lastly, helmets should be replaced about every three-four years, as the EPS liner hardens over time, especially in the ultra-dry and hot climate you live in. You might be able to get more time from a more expensive helmet, but I wouldn't push it. Remember, no matter what you pay, it'll still be cheaper than a new head.
OK, rant off.
The most recent helmet test (anvil drops, recreation of the Snell curved-surface test, etc) showed the Z1R to have the best protection out there. It provided easily the best G-force reduction of any helmet out there, and the shell proved much tougher than the more expensive helmets. Many of the top helmets actually did worse, because their exotic shells are much stiffer than the plastic shells of the less expensive helmet brands, so they didn't provide as much G-force dissipation. More of the force was translated directly to the internal liner without being spread out first, so the EPS had to do more of the absorption. Many of the more expensive helmets used stiffer EPS too, which exacerbated the problem. The overall stiffer materials are lighter, but they are slightly less capable at dissipating impact. You can get a very good helmet for under $200 these days. Icon, Z1R, HJC and many other brands are perfectly good helmets.
Now, that all said, keep in mind that a plastic-shell helmet will not show damage nearly as well as the laminate shells, so you have to be more careful about banging it around. Any large impact (even a drop from hand height to a hard floor) will compromise the EPS liner, and it won't be able to protect your head anymore. Helmets should also never be stored in the garage where they can be exposed to volatile fumes from paint, paint thinner, gasoline, cleaners, etc. And, lastly, helmets should be replaced about every three-four years, as the EPS liner hardens over time, especially in the ultra-dry and hot climate you live in. You might be able to get more time from a more expensive helmet, but I wouldn't push it. Remember, no matter what you pay, it'll still be cheaper than a new head.
OK, rant off.
Airavata
Registered
Here's the article I based my response on:
Helmet Performance: Blowing the Lid Off - Motorcyclist magazine
Here's a quote from the article:
"In the high-energy impact, the 3-meter, 150-joule drop—the kind of hit a Snell helmet is, presumably, designed to withstand—the differences became more apparent.
The stiffest helmets in the Big Drop test, the Arai Tracker GTs, hit our hypothetical head with an average of 243 peak Gs. The softest helmets, the Z1R ZRP-1s, bonked the noggin with an average of 176 peak Gs. This is a classic comparison of a stiff, fiberglass, Snell-rated helmet, the Arai, against a softer, polycarbonate-shell, DOT-only helmet, the Z1R. OK. So let's agree that we want to subject our heads to the minimum possible G force. Should we pick an impressive, expensive fiberglass/Kevlar/unobtanium-fiber helmet—or one of those less-expensive plastic-shelled helmets?"
Helmet Performance: Blowing the Lid Off - Motorcyclist magazine
Here's a quote from the article:
"In the high-energy impact, the 3-meter, 150-joule drop—the kind of hit a Snell helmet is, presumably, designed to withstand—the differences became more apparent.
The stiffest helmets in the Big Drop test, the Arai Tracker GTs, hit our hypothetical head with an average of 243 peak Gs. The softest helmets, the Z1R ZRP-1s, bonked the noggin with an average of 176 peak Gs. This is a classic comparison of a stiff, fiberglass, Snell-rated helmet, the Arai, against a softer, polycarbonate-shell, DOT-only helmet, the Z1R. OK. So let's agree that we want to subject our heads to the minimum possible G force. Should we pick an impressive, expensive fiberglass/Kevlar/unobtanium-fiber helmet—or one of those less-expensive plastic-shelled helmets?"
Airavata
Registered
Oh, and for the record, I currently own an Icon Alliance SSR. I have owned Shoei RF-900s, which were ok fifteen years ago; an AGV Q3r, which had really awesome noise reduction; an AGV Ti-Tech (bought on the strength of my experience with the Q3r), which showed that with AGV there's nothing not-broke that can't be fixed, and also that Rudolph Valentino has collapsible ears (he designed the thing, and it has no earcups; I got rid of it without ever wearing it); and the Icon I currently own. The Icon is a bit looser than the Q3r I had, especially around the bottom opening, so there's a bit more noise, but not overwhelming. I'll go to the other extreme next time around and try the Shoei X-12, or maybe the Arai Corsair just to see what all the hoopla is about, but the article convinced me that the new polycarbonate shells are probably the better choice for street riding.
depends on the shape of your head. Arai's don't fit my head as well as Shoei.
jch364
Registered
I have both. an arai rx7 corsair and a shoei x12. I like them both. my problem has always been fit. I would love to have been able to buy a cheaper helmet but none of the other brands would even come close to fitting me. only the arai ever fit me properly until the x12 came out. of the 2 the arai has far better air flow. but as stated i hate those side plates. they are a pain in the butt. ive broken some part of it 3 times now. and it aint cheap to fix and getting replacement parts is extremely hard. It took me 4 months to get one part that cost $10. Arai isn't very good at keeping up with replacement parts in my opinion and the website for them is anything but user friendly. The shoei has a better shield system for sure and the fit is also outstanding.
+1 seems the Arai's are more round and the Shoie's are more of an oval.
I have had several helmets but never have owned an Arai, I just purchased a shoei rf-1000 and I really like. Fits like a glove and visor changes are easy. I dont think you can go wrong with either brand.
What i like about Shoei and Cycle gear in Tulsa, (and probably all the others also) is that you can buy a Shoei and if you are not completely satisfied with it within 7 days you can return it and get your money back. The guy told me, buy it and go do a track day and if you dont like it bring it back and we will give you your money back. That is pretty cool I thought.
Similar threads
