Helmets

[Ram Shankar Ramasamy]

Re: Helmets

[QUOTE=Ajeet Padhi;1277747]This could be a great solution, if it does not affect the clarity and visibility, which it probably should not.

I upvote this and waiting for inputs from other members.

Cheers and regards,
Safe riding!





Hi there,
I just tried sticking paint protection film(test patch) on my MT Blade visor myself . as I'm using my year old PPF sticker so there are some minor scratches on film which affects the view slightly.
I'm going to let the test patch overnight to check its adhesion .If it sticks well i I'll get a quality 3m PPF sticker and get it done at local sticker shop.

Hope it works. [emoji106] [emoji6] [emoji4]

[Ajeet Padhi]

Re: Helmets

New helmet day Sunday! [emoji7]

Got the SMK Twister Skull in Gloss white from Karol Bagh. Not sure about which shop as my brother bought it. He checked out some other brands of helmets and went ahead with this one. I was leaning towards the MT revenge, but after inspecting it up close, I say this is a pretty good helmet. It has a speaker pocket for intercom devices, inner sun visor, ECE certification and pinlock ready visor. Came with the pinlock 30 antifog insert lens and a soft cover for the helmet.

Also got these Scoyco MC 10 gloves, but frankly, who gives a damn about them? [emoji23] They are just for the time being and to get a feel of riding while wearing gloves. For the price, they are pretty decent, so yeah, something is better than nothing. [emoji4]

Here are some eye candy.



Riding back from Karol bagh gave us an idea about the effectiveness of the pinlock insert lens, notice the moisture outside the insert lens.

That is just a smudge, probably from an oily finger used for shoving gujiyas into the mouth due to holi. [emoji12]

Notice the slot for bluetooth intercom/communicator devices.




EDIT: Here is a short review on the SMK Twister after riding it in the city and on the expressway. I have been using it for the past 2 days and took it on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway on Monday to get a feel of the wind noise factor and stability at high speeds. The helmet weighs 1450 gms which feels alright. Very comfortable and easy to carry around.

#1: Fit

I was kind of skeptical of the fit earlier on as the helmet moves or you can say jiggles around when I shake my head sideways vigorously. I'm a metalhead and I'm good with my headbanging skills. I tried some really weird movements(weird for non-metalheads) to see if they helmet can slide or tilt, but it stays firm. It just jiggles round. but doesn't actually move left or right. The cheek pads press firmly on the cheeks, making you pout like a fish. Felt a little weird, since I have been using open face or half face helmets for a long time. but I'm quite sure that it is the right size. A size lower would have been tough if not impossible to put my head into and might be abrasive on the facial skin.

Another key point to note is that I can wear my spectacles inside the helmet. And the best part is that the inner sun visor does not interfere with my glasses. I have 3 layers, 4 if you count the pinlock visor as well between my eyes and the road, during the day, when it's sunny obviously. The inner sun visor is smoky in color and not jet black, which is very nice as it does not reduce visibility.

#2: Stability

With a good fit, it is assured that the helmet is going to be stable at high speeds or any speed. This is the case with this helmet and my head. The helmet feels very secure and locked in on the head, even at speeds like 120kph. Doing side and rear checks for any traffic in the blind spots is comfortable and it never wobbled on the expressway. It gives you good amounts of confidence and security while riding.

#3: Wind Noise

There is some wind noise in this helmet. It has two main vents that can be closed, one on the chin and the other on the forehead. During my ride I had them closed, because who wants to eat dust, right? The wind noise starts with a whistling on the forehead kind of sound from the 60-80kph mark and then builds up to a distant sounding howl above the 100kph mark. Frankly, it is not loud at all, but it sure is windy. The kind you can hear, but not feel. I think it is the right amount, otherwise it would be difficult hearing the horns of other vehicles and/or the sound your own vehicle is making. I always prefer being able to hear what the engine is doing.

On a side note: It is quite soundproof from the inside and just opening the vent on the chin won't allow you to talk to people. I don't know how it will fare up in scenarios where you are using a GoPro for Motoblogging as I'm not into that. Primarily because I don't have a GoPro. You will need to raise the visor in order to talk to people or take a phone call, in speaker mode obviously. And don't forget to pull over before you do so.

#4: Visibility

The visibility is very good, especially due to the pinlock 30 visor which cuts down on the fogging. The only thing that gets fogged up is my glasses, but that's only when I'm stationary and the visor is closed all the way. Having the inner sun visor down speeds up that fogging, but then again it goes away the moment you start moving. Currently the visor is a clear one and looks like it is going to be that way, thanks to the inner sun visor. Also that I don't want to carry around another visor and then change them according to the time of the day. There is little to no distortion due to the visor and there aren't any changes in the perception of depth or distance. Spare visors are quite cheap, so that is a good thing. 300 bucks for the mirror finished visor! Who wants a Bell transition shield? Not me!

#5: Ventilation

The ventilation is good, even with the vents closed. The only part sweating was my forehead and the temples. The padding feels nice and does not irritate the facial skin. The padding is removable and washable, obviously. I do however feel a bit suffocated inside the helmet after some time. Maybe it is so because I have been using half face helmets for the past 6 years. Not a big deal and will most likely go away with time as I get used to the helmet.

#6: Quality

I'm quite surprised that SMK turned out to be such a nice investment. Technically it is a Studds helmet as they have the trademark, but it is the only Indian brand(if it is Indian made) that was mentioned on the website of Pinlock. That really narrowed it down. There are so many features that you are getting at the price point, although a D-ring strap retention system would have been a lot better. There is a slot for bluetooth communication devices which you ususally find on helmets beyond the INR 10k mark. The overall finish is pretty good and it fares up well against brands like SOL and MT. The only drawback, if you compare it with MT is that they have more certifications like DOT and Sharp ratings, but at a much higher price.


I hope that I have covered most of the points that should be addressed in a review and I also hope that this review is helpful for anyone who have been wondering about SMK helmets. I have been in that same spot and since no reviews were available, I was not able to make the decision earlier on. But as they say, better late than never.

Eagerly waiting for the review. Especially on two points - The weight of the helmet and the wind noise at higher speeds (>90kmph)
Peace!

The helmet weighs 1450grams. It feels okay to me and I'm not a big guy at all. It is not too heavy neither too light. Some people have commented that it was heavy, but I never felt it to be heavy.


Cheers and regards,
Safe riding! [emoji111]

[addverma]

Re: Helmets

Few quick questions. I heard somewhere on the forum that bike helmets for kids with ISI mark are not available. Apparently helmets are available only for 16 years and above. So a few questions
1) Are good helmets, ISI branded ones, avaliable for kids less than 15 years of age?
2) Are there any good helmets, non-ISI branded ones, for kids less than 15 years of age?

Some kids like going out on two wheelers but I am concerned about taking them out on the bad mean streets of India without helmet protection.

[Hemanz]

Re: Helmets

New helmet day Sunday! [emoji7]

******** Portion for the Pending review ******

Cheers and regards,
Safe riding! [emoji111]

Eagerly waiting for the review. Especially on two points - The weight of the helmet and the wind noise at higher speeds (>90kmph)

Peace!

[cool20bud]

Re: Helmets

Hello Guys, Got my new helmet, AGV k3 SV.

[cool20bud]

Re: Helmets

Color scheme is Guy Martin.

[Ajeet Padhi]

Re: Helmets

Hello Guys, Got my new helmet, AGV k3 SV.

Really nice purchase amigo, looks badass!

Do write a review to share your insight on it.[emoji111]

Cheers and regards,
Safe riding!

[cool20bud]

Re: Helmets

Really nice purchase amigo, looks badass!

Do write a review to share your insight on it.[emoji111]

Cheers and regards,
Safe riding!

Definately I will.

[GOKUL RAJ]

Which is better MT or SOL?

I want to take a helmet in Rs 6000 - 7000 range. Now I'm confused between MT and SOL. Which one is the better, I heard that MT has problems with its visor getting loose in 6 months. Please some one help me to choose the best one. Thank You.

[Hammerhead02]

Re: Which is better MT or SOL?

I want to take a helmet in Rs 6000 - 7000 range. Now I'm confused between MT and SOL. Which one is the better, I heard that MT has problems with its visor getting loose in 6 months. Please some one help me to choose the best one. Thank You.

I own the SOL SF5 Alpha and have been using it for almost a year now. It doesn't have any padding on the top and starts to really dig in to your head and will give you a really bad headache after about an hour, sooner if the road is bumpy. I bought it after hearing good things about the SOL Metal Man. Also the double d-ring clamp started to rust after 4 months of use, so just based on that I definately would not recommend this one.

I am also in the market for a new helmet and recently tried the MT Blade which was much lighter and actually had quite a bit of padding on the top as well; felt more comfortable than my SOL. Also it was the same price as my SF5 Alpha but some have had issues with the visor like you mentioned. I've heard good things about the MT Thunder though so have been looking for a store that stocks that so I can try it on for size.

[zeeshan300975]

Re: Helmets

Hi fellow riders

Does anyone own SMK helmet ??? Pls advise if it's worth to buy it ...!!!

[Koogly007]

Re: Helmets

Hi fellow riders

Does anyone own SMK helmet ??? Pls advise if it's worth to buy it ...!!!

I own an SMK Twister helmet, Its Great for the price, have been riding with it for about 1000Kms now, it's properly broken in and it's supremely comfortable

Here is a video I made of the same
[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/x7SCE6vEe_k[/YOUTUBE]

Also it is to note that I was riding in a freebe Autogreen Helmet previously so it's a world of difference with the smk

I have tried some of the Ls2 helmets in the same price range along with this one and this one was more comfortable for me.

[GOKUL RAJ]

Re: Which is better MT or SOL?

I own the SOL SF5 Alpha and have been using it for almost a year now. It doesn't have any padding on the top and starts to really dig in to your head and will give you a really bad headache after about an hour, sooner if the road is bumpy. I bought it after hearing good things about the SOL Metal Man. Also the double d-ring clamp started to rust after 4 months of use, so just based on that I definately would not recommend this one.

I am also in the market for a new helmet and recently tried the MT Blade which was much lighter and actually had quite a bit of padding on the top as well; felt more comfortable than my SOL. Also it was the same price as my SF5 Alpha but some have had issues with the visor like you mentioned. I've heard good things about the MT Thunder though so have been looking for a store that stocks that so I can try it on for size.

Thanks for the reply brother. I was going to buy MT Blade and I heard about Sharp ratings. Blade is only having 3 star rating. The only MT helmets that have 5 star rating are revenge and matrix, they are not available anywere. So I'm totally confused what to buy.

[zeeshan300975]

Re: Helmets

I own an SMK Twister helmet, Its Great for the price, have been riding with it for about 1000Kms now, it's properly broken in and it's supremely comfortable

Here is a video I made of the same
[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/x7SCE6vEe_k[/YOUTUBE]

Also it is to note that I was riding in a freebe Autogreen Helmet previously so it's a world of difference with the smk

I have tried some of the Ls2 helmets in the same price range along with this one and this one was more comfortable for me.

Thanks [MENTION=85824]Koogly007[/MENTION]

[reeavees]

Re: Helmets

Few quick questions. I heard somewhere on the forum that bike helmets for kids with ISI mark are not available. Apparently helmets are available only for 16 years and above. So a few questions
1) Are good helmets, ISI branded ones, avaliable for kids less than 15 years of age?
2) Are there any good helmets, non-ISI branded ones, for kids less than 15 years of age?

Some kids like going out on two wheelers but I am concerned about taking them out on the bad mean streets of India without helmet protection.

STUDDS has one but its not full face, I bought for my son(when he's 2yrs old) and still wears it(now 3yrs). Quality is good only problem is the availability of the product, took time of find the product online.