Helmet Shopping

[Gromit]

I went helmet shopping a couple of weeks ago, having realised my Nolan N61 was getting decidedly loose after 3 years' regular use.

I found I don't have an Arai-shaped head, and ended up with...a Shoei XR-1000 Cutlass:



The graphics look much better in real life than in that pic, by the way!

Impressions to date - it's much quieter than the Nolan, at legal freeway speeds anyway. And I didn't think the Nolan was all that bad actually. It's proved comfortable and fits perfectly.

The standard visor doesn't come with pinlocks, so I had to get a FogCity insert. This works okay, but is more fiddly to fit than a pinlock-mounted insert.

For some reason known only to Shoei, the tab for lifting the visor is located slightly to the left of centre. My Nolan had a centre-mounted tab, which was much better. Why? Imagine you're stopped at a red light with the bike in gear and your left hand holding the clutch lever in. You decide to crack your visor open to get a bit more fresh air. You either have to use your right hand (the tab's on the left side, remember), or take the bike out of gear and use your left hand. Stupid design...

Otherwise I'm very impressed with the helmet's general air of quality. I'll report back with more detail in 3 years' time!

[Sir Price]

Gromit thats the helmet I had in mind until i found it didnt fit me .

The lefthand side visor thing is common on ALL new helmets mate, well all the ones I have seen from shitty cheap NEX, KBC thro to Shoei and Arai, prolly summin to do with right hand throttles.

The Shoei does have the one push up on the visor lock that opens the visor about 2mm to help clear the fog tho against Arai's vented visor .
As I said in my earleir post a full report should follow . This weekends ride riding TEC in damp conditions will tell about the fogging . I may have to swap duties with a corner marker tho to check out the higher speed features.

[Sir Price]

As promised a review of the new head gear.

Arai Vector , what a great piece of gear , Riding in the cold air Sunday morning around 8am with all the vents closed except for the 2 visor vents and it didnt fog up which is a major + .

There was a slight fogging when I rode along Willow Grove Road ( for the uninitiated , it runs from Noojee South towards Hillend and is an ace stretch of twisties) even the mirrors fogged up yesterday, the helmet fog was easily cured by opening the chin vent for a few minutes.

There is no buffeting at legal + speed nor any amount of wind noise . All the vents are easy to operate with winter gloves on without fumbling .

With ear plugs there is almost no noise , there is however a slight wind noise with the visor down at higher speeds unless one visor vent is open , cant explain why but it is so.
On the noise level I rode today with the 'bung' out on the VFR and without earplugs for part of the ride and its very do-able , anyone who has ridden near the VFR Staintune sans bung knows how harsh it is.

I find the visor change a little odd ATM but everyone tells me just rip it off and shove the new one in , you wont hurt it. The only other negative for some folks would be the limited choice of graphics copmpared to Shoei.

All up a very comfortable helmet for those of us with Arai heads .

PS I must remind myself to take a clear visor , drizzle on dead bugs at or after dark is not a great way to ride home.