Got an email from Arai with their 2022 catalog attached. $1000 for a Corsair X now. Love Arai's but damn. I've got a Bell Race Star and it's pretty darn good and several hundred less. Then Scorpion just came out with a new carbon EXO-R1 Air that STG gave a great review on and considering it already comes with a dark visor with tear off posts it is half the cost. Yea, I'm sure many will come on here and say you get what you pay for but really? Is an Arai twice as good as the Scorpion? They all have to pass the same certification criteria. I'm all for buying the best gear possible and am investing in an Alpinestars Tech Air suit to protect my body for the upcoming race season but it really seems like Arai is jacked on their pricing these days.
Arai has been steadily creeping up the prices,and I won't even say slowly.That shit shot up pretty quickly in my opinion.I've had several corsair's and remember many years ago flirting with a lady, and getting my usual solid black one for just over $400 bucks by batting my eyelashes ,but that was a loong time ago. I've spent several months looking for my current one I just bought.Its not a corsair x,I had to step down for a leftover that was a few yrs older,and will pass tech for 3 yrs,provided I don't damage it first. I love Arai,but the prices are ridiculous.I've even gone so far as to order out of country,and wait,if I can get a deal. Here's a picture of my last one from Germany,Crashed it out very early,and gave it to my neice's kids to play with
I got a Scorpion Quattro replica in 2020 and I absolutely love it. Easily as or more comfy than the Arai. And I got it at a hell of a great price from STG. Big shout out to them on that too.
The Scropion EXO's are hard to beat and seem to crash well. I have had three of them currently with a 4th on order when they release the new ones.
I don't believe Arai is twice as good or "x" amount safer than other brands but I do believe the quality and their corporate mindset is what makes them better than most. I may be naive in believing this but I'm a life-long Arai guy. I agree they are at a high price point but I'm satisfied with my purchase every time. Plus Bruce Porter was always very nice.
I agree with the Kev as I've worn Arai (mostly) since 1993 when I bought my '93 VFR and the shop gave me an Adamo replica. Still have it BTW. Sold them for deacdes also, so obviously have had the pricing of all helmets constantly in check. Some can argue the point of lack of progression, advancement, aero, whatever from Arai. But IMO, their protection, fit and finish are benchmark in the helmet market. But if we all look back, helmets have been pushing the $1000 mark for a few years now. Heck, even the new HJC race lid is over $1000. And will say I don't have many folks I call a "hero", but Bruce Porter is one of them and always enjoyed time with him "back in the day" beit trackside or trade shows.
No doubt there expensive..now more than ever too! If I remember I bought this exact Fred Merkel helmet in 85-87 ish...I think it cost me my entire paycheck..close to $400.00 I'd agree with the above comment that they offer a more personalized and dedicated service then many others. However... If these helmets of the 80s and 90s we're good enough then, I don't see how the majority of the helmet manufacturers now manufacturing helmets that are even lighter and stronger materials with modern technology aren't perfectly adequate without spending a god awful Fortune. I have viewed a lot of motorcycle accidents... And a lot of dead people.. All from not wearing a helmet.. But I honestly can say for me I have never heard of anybody getting injured / killed from wearing a "so-called" cheaper helmet. Just never heard it. Im sure examples are out there. just to be clear I'm not talking about cheap Chinese helmets the flex when you squish them or half face cruiser helmets I'm talking about reasonably decent priced helmets like Icon, Bell etc.. For me my personal criteria is a lightweight lid. I want at least amount of weight on my neck as possible and the new helmets are what? a 1/3rd lighter than the old ones maybe 1/2 ? I have a friend who has vintage dirt bikes he also has an extensive collection of vintage dirt bike helmets... A couple years ago he crashed and hit his head on a rock with a vintage early 70s half face gold glitter helmet... Helmet saved his life... He had a concussion..but it did its job 50 years after it's manufacturing date he has that one on display... I have a few old helmets that have never been dropped one is a kosinski replica and other is an agv Kenny Roberts... I have no qualms pulling those over my head and feeling safe.
For a company that prides itself on the hand-built motto from start to finish, I feel like they're so moored to that handcrafted tradition that they resist innovation in terms of manufacturing, materials and construction that could improve rider safety. Only a few years ago did Arai begin to offer a carbon fiber shell helmet. Maybe it was a business decision due to expensive production that took them so long? There have to be machines that can do high-quality, repeatable molds for helmets in fiberglass and composites that would keep prices reasonable? Furthermore, what about using Koroyd in the shell instead of that 70s foam? And can we please get a box that keeps all sides of the helmet away from the cardboard??!!! I really like the way Shoei boxes their lids, they're the best in the helmet business even though I've never owned one of their helmets. And don't get me wong (aZzN accent), I own Arais. They're awesome helmets. I just don't get why Thor has a Korord helmet and Alpinestars utilizes a MIPS while Arai still has bags of packing peanuts in their shipping cartons.
Pretty much all big brands have a better helmet now than Arai. Shark, Shoei, Nolan/Xlite, AGV, Bell, LS2, KYT, Scorpion, and now HJC have surpassed them. Aero shells, paint, optional extras, materials, shield options, and price give or take the trim level. Step outside your Arai comfort zone, you'll be happy you did.
I just stepped into the arai zone last year after agv, bell and shoei. Always top end. I love the Corsair.
Quite frankly, I think one of the reasons they feel like they can charge so much for their helmets is for a while they had an almost lock on the market for sponsoring riders in MotoGP and WSBK...almost all the marquis riders seemed to be wearing their helmets. OR maybe it seems that way to me because some of my favs Haydens, Hayes, etc...were wearing them. The Nicky Hayden and $cott Russell replicas being my all time favorites. Getting your hands on a Team Hammer replica is like finding one of the golden tickets to the Wonka chocolate factory. The ONE helmet I finally decided I do not like is AGV. Love all the Rossi replicas, but they just feel like I have a bucket on my head.
I’m sure the Arai is a good helmet. But from a design standpoint, it’s really just a liner, EPS, and a shell. Okay, a round shell. Other manufacturers are at least trying to better deal with rotation and differing speed impacts. Does the 2022 Corsair X meet ECE 22-06?
I remember buying two rx7s from a company advertising in rrw and American road racing at almost a thousand a pop back in the early 90s because Aria didn’t import them to the US because they wouldn’t sell. Stuck another brand’s stickers on them because I got free from them and Porter losing his shit but, still serving them (but on the sly to not kill my deal). Is arai worth it? I’m not dead after a particularly ugly crash so, Yeap.
Dead ass honest I still feel like the OGK FF-5 was the best helmet I've ever put on. I haven't tried many of the new era super aero ones, but that helmet ripped so hard, its aerodynamic profile side to side was amazing, and it was light with amazing airflow. It was also hundreds less than a Corsair. I wish they'd come out with a 6 already, it hasn't been updated in like a decade, but it was the best shit ever. There's a reason the FF-4 and FF-5 got helmet of the year when they came out.
My best helmet ever were Suomys. Fit like they were cast off my head and made for me. Ones direct or off the shelf, perfect and I love ‘em. arai is a close second, pinched my ears until they broke in. bell m2s, loved those even if they weighed more then a bowling ball.
Same here. I’m not into brand loyalty at all but I guess Arai is the exception because I haven’t worn anything else for almost 20 years. I love the look and feel and have never had an issue with crash protection. No reason to change to save a few hundred dollars, but I’ll still look for the close out deals instead of paying retail.
The only reason I’m willing to pay what arai costs is because nothing else fits my head right. I’m very particular and can’t just throw any helmet on and be like yeah this works. If I feel even the slightest pressure points it will bother me. Now what sucks is the signet-Q fit me the absolute best and something changed with the signet-x and it doesn’t feel the same. Now the Corsair-x feels better but at the $1000 price tag.
How do these features improve helmet safety? My understanding is that Arai is sticking to the largely spherical shape because their philosophy is it helps deflect the impact better. Personal choice but I’d rather pay $1k for proven protection than $500+hospital jello. Some info on their “glancing off” theory here: https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/20...ff-theory-explained-motorcycle-helmet-safety/
