Seeking helmet opinions

Been quite a while since I was in a dedicated track helmet.

Never really cared for the flashy lids...I was more of a Shoei RF1200 kinda guy.

Fast forward a dozen years and I'm currently liking the RF1400 but before I pull the trigger on anything I wanted to consult with the Bleep first.

What are some other equivalents to the RF1400 or should I just go with what I know?

 

Crashed in a KYT, it held up. They're light (scary light) , good visibility and look amazing.

 

That RF1400 is a very good helmet for the price.

 

Almost all major brands of helmets are comparable in terms of 'its a fiberglass or carbon shell with some styrofoam' at the heart of the matter. I chose Bell most recently because they use the MIPS or DLX technology that's supposed to give some freedom of movement of your head independent of the shell to reduce the chance of concussion or brain injury.

I'll also say the customer service has also been amazing from them, and they feel the same quality as the AGV stuff I used to wear (GP Tech, Pista etc).

 

Try them all on and get the best fitting helmet. ECE is ECE and SNELL is SNELL, there are no deviations from an inexpensive helmet with respect to the minimum threshold required to pass a certification standard test. That being said, ECE 22.06 is the next thing to arrive and does have notable improvements over ECE 22.05. What do you get with a more expensive helmet? Build quality/materials, some weight reduction, ventilation and true tested aerodynamics which trump weight and perceived weight while wearing a helmet.

 

I have a Shoei shaped head. I have an RF1200 that just became my everyday helmet (4 years old) and I bought a new RF1400 from STG when they had their last sale happening. I took it out of the box and put it on and it was like my old friend. I will say that the RF1400 has better air flow, or I was going faster,,,,must have better air flow!!

 

This is absolutely false info. Those standards set the maximum amount of energy transferred to the head in their tests. But some helmets perform FAR better than the standard.

 

I had my Rf 1200 fitted by someone at a dealership recommended by many. I’m sure I dragged it out but all said and done it took an hour.

The 1200 is for someone who has an intermediate oval head. I assume because the 1400 replaced the 1200 that it is for the same shaped head.

Just my experience.

 

Aria helmets will make your ass look fat.

 

Like me, how many helmets have you guys crashed in? How many times has your helmet been damaged in a accident?
As for Me, every wreck ever...a nice Chunk O' helmet or deep gouges....has been the result
For me , since 1985..common sense said LIGHTWEIGHT..LIGHTWEIGT and LIGHTWEIGHT and that's all I've ever used...less weight in my neck the better.
I'm not too down with the whole impact absorption bandwagons.....I get it there's science behind it as well..but ..usually its hitting that object that not easily moved w your head & body..IMO any impact over 30 mph on your head with a solid object...good chance your fucked... regardless of what the hell it's made of
Every person I know that's died in a motorcycle , has been due to massive body truama..sure in many cases the head as well..but there's no way they would have survived their rapid stop to 0 mph on their body or extremities.
46 yrs of riding, Think I've known? 17 people who've died , most of those in the "sport bike golden yrs " the mid to late 8Os
Young guns in future shock speed machines
I want the least amount of inertia on my neck/ back that's possible.
I started out w old school Bells, Then spent a paycheck on a Arai Merkel replica, Then a AGV Roberts, then a couple Kosinski skid lids, and a few limited Rossi lids as well, I even have a few Icons due to the cool graphics..
Say what ya will..but I'm confident any of them will due it's job, my old Robers screaming eagle and Kosinski lids are in near perfect shape..I don't think twice about slipping one on. There still all in brand new condition. Hell I've had this conversation with friends who have some vintage old 70s sparkly lids they've crashed in and off road with me and tent they're all walking around fine.
In all honesty for me, Some of the lesser priced lids, feel more comfy and lighter than some of the $$ lids.
In the 80s Arai used to have that advertisement.." How much is your head worth ? ".But..IMO again ... relatively speaking for the most part..that was just great advertising.
I think any of the moderately priced helmets all the way up to the top of the lines are pretty damn respectable of what's being offered today , I'd certainly feel safe in any of them as long as... it's light.

I'm still here 46 yrs of riding & 7 accidents all w helmet damage (albeit) NEVER thankfully impacting a solid object only blunt force on the back of the helmet and sliding damage
Knock in Wood

But, I get it for a lot of people try and buy the maximum amount of protection I imagine full top of the line protective gear , Head to toes now is what about five grand?
Gotta do for you, what your comfy with!

 

Choose which name brand one fits your head shape the best. Skip flashy graphics and spend extra money on maybe moving a step up model wise.

 

My son just bought a 1400 for this season and I bought the Arai like I always do. It hurt me to admit, but I like his Shoei better. It seems to have a little better vision than my Arai. Comfort wise is almost a tie, but the Shoei feels pretty damn good.

 

Fit, for sure, is the most important thing. I used to wear Shoei's in large because they gave me a pressure point on my forehead. Had a helmet guy at Pitt one year actually fit me and it turns out an Arai in medium is far better. Now, this is just me, your results WILL be different.

 

6d ats-1r

 

Was there a price difference between his RF1400 and your Arai?

 

Intermediate oval here, and love my RF-1400. The update to the center clasp/lock is great because you can close/lock or open/unlock with either hand. Seems like an insignificant detail, but proves to be rather useful. The fit for intermediate oval is great, so if that’s your head shape you can’t go wrong.

 

5 grand for a helmet? Where are you buying these lids? At Macys?
And just fyi... spending huge money on a protective lid doesnt give you more protection. Fit is the #1 priority then what ever features you desire.
Ive noticed Fly racing has copied 6ds suspension dealio without actually infringing.

 

He meant head to toe, not just a helmet. that's definitely on the high side for most people.

And Fly absolutely did not come close to copying 6D. They have some small soft rubber pucks inside a pretty standard dual density EPS. 6D has a two piece EPS with suspension between them that allow them to move independently of one another and the combination of the system makes the time to peak G's far longer than any other helmet. I'd wager that 6d is the safest helmet on the market. There are definitely other great helmets but they set the bar in my mind. Of course fit is a big part of the equation so if the 6D doesn't fit then its a moot point. Not knocking the fly at all, its a really good helmet but a 6D it is not.

 

I think he's saying "from head to toe" to equipe yourself and the amount. Seems aboot right... $4-5k when your get top of the line stuff.

 

We were lucky and got both on sale for around $500. I believe they were last years model or a clearance. I will say that my Arai was not a top level model, and the 1400 is 2nd from the top of Shoei's line.