Helmets

[denverrodricks]

Re: Helmets

Hey guys
Which is the best helmet I can get within 2,000 INR
and where can I get it in mumbai?

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[nadz11.ns]

Re: Helmets

Hey guys
Which is the best helmet I can get within 2,000 INR
and where can I get it in mumbai?

Sent from my GT-I9082 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Studds Shifter. Retails for some ₹1600/- and studds are kept by almost every helmet shop.

[Sunnyside_up!]

Re: Helmets

The Helmets that are sold in the RE Merchandise , Are they really AGV helmets ?? I don't know the model name, But I have seen it in the showroom...

Not exactly - at least I don't think so. I have heard an interesting story many times about this. Personally I cannot authenticate completely but tend to believe it because of many corroborating factors.

It goes like this - a few years ago, AGV took control/stake of Sabre Helmets in Vadodara to manufacture some of their own product line with cheap Indian labour. This factory was converted into a EOU and exports the majority of their production. However as per terms of the EOU, a small percentage of their production has to be sold in India itself. Not wanting to dilute their own prestigious brand models, they began selling the old Sabre shells (then known as MPA ) with AGV livery. These helmets were pretty popular about 4-5 years ago.

However with the arrival of cheaper and better imported helmets, these rebadged MPA helmets started losing market share and could not meet their targeted sales volumes. So the factory started offering OEM services to other companies. Fasttrack and RE are just two that they now manufacture for. Basically the old MPA shells making a reappearance under new livery. If you examine a Fasttrack helmet label, you will see the product is manufactured by Sabre Helmets Vadodara but marketed by Fasttrack/Titan Industries. In essence, Fasttrack is merely selling a rebadged Sabre/MPA helmet at a much higher price than what Sabre themselves could because of the better brand equity.. Ditto for RE. The marketing companies in this case prefer to announce a "technical collaboration" with AGV rather than talk about MPA/Sabre for obvious reasons.

To help corroborate this story, please do some research and you will find some startling similarities in the RE and Fasttrack products with the MPA/Sabre helmets.

Cheers!

[niaz_be]

Re: Helmets

I am living in Bangalore. Today came across a shop who had a HJC CS-R2 helmet(M and L sizes), both carried different shell sizes. My friend told me to be careful because the CS-R2 in US retails for $90. The shop keeper was asking for 6K for the helmet

A few things I noticed suspicious was :

- The color scheme is found no where on net
- The DOT in other helmets were painted and protected by some plastic transparent coating so that you cannot peel the label. But this helmet had a sticker for DOT Certification and carried some reference number. You could easily peel the label off it carried no transparent polymer coating for protecting the label
- The price is way lesser than US retail of $80-$100 ( HJC website shows $100-$110)

Pros :
- I liked the helmet because it was a snug fit for me.
- I check all vents and sliders they were operating smoothly without glitch with nice click sound.
- The shape is exactly as shown in HJC official website.
- Cheekpads are removable and washable


""Can experts here advice me whether to go for the HJC CS-R2 helmet or try for other brands? My hearts says to go for the helmet, but my friend says its a Chinese copy of CS-R2...""

PS : We scanned the bar code using iphone app and found the price to be $39.00, thats what made us suspicious. The helmet was imported by Performance Racing India (Mumbai based)

[TeeJayy]

Re: Helmets

I am living in Bangalore. Today came across a shop who had a HJC CS-R2 helmet(M and L sizes), both carried different shell sizes. My friend told me to be careful because the CS-R2 in US retails for $90. The shop keeper was asking for 6K for the helmet

A few things I noticed suspicious was :

- The color scheme is found no where on net
- The DOT in other helmets were painted and protected by some plastic label. But this helmet had a sticker for DOT Certification and carried some reference number
- The price is way lesser than US retail of $80-$100 ( HJC website shows $100-$110)

Pros :
- I liked the helmet because it was a snug fit for me.
- I check all vents and sliders they were operating smoothly without glitch with nice click sound.
- The shape is exactly as shown in HJC official website.
- Cheekpads are removable and washable


""Can experts here advice me whether to go for the HJC CS-R2 helmet or try for other brands? My hearts says to go for the helmet, but my friend says its a Chinese copy of CS-R2...""

PS : We scanned the bar code using iphone app and found the price to be $39.00, thats what made us suspicious.

Best way to ensure you are getting genuine stuff is to buy from authorised resellers. Which shop in Bangalore are u referring to? Did the shield have a Imported by Performance RAcing Store sticker?

BTW HJC CS R2s are officially sold in India for INR 6,000. You can check them out at performaceracing.in

[niaz_be]

Re: Helmets

Best way to ensure you are getting genuine stuff is to buy from authorised resellers. Which shop in Bangalore are u referring to? Did the shield have a Imported by Performance RAcing Store sticker?

BTW HJC CS R2s are officially sold in India for INR 6,000. You can check them out at performaceracing.in

Yeah the helmet carried the bar code with Performance Racing name mentioned on it. The shop was 'Helmet Paradise' in Lal bagh. I found Performance Racing India website mentioning them as Authorised Resellers.

PS : Their rival store nearby which I visited prior had told me repeatedly not to go to that shop as they have fake ones. I dont want to mention their name. So that had my previously suspicious friend become hyper suspicious... Or may be they were tricking us to buy their MT Thunders which was not a great fit for my head.

"I dont want loyal customers of the rival to turn up against me"

[Prateek Sharma]

Re: Helmets

CROSS CRUIZE HELMET .. i have this helmet and unfortunately its visor broke when i met with an accident. can someone tell me where in delhi can i find spare parts for it ? i have tried all the famous importers of helmets, including the guy i bought it from. you can find the pic on the link below ..

http://bikegear.in/image/cache/data/Cross%20Helmets/cross_cruz_red_silver.skleton-600x600.jpg

[jackofsome]

Re: Helmets

just got this. mt axxis geo 3.one word. brilliant!


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[eliksir]

Re: Helmets

Any KYT owners here ?

[Mail2vasant]

Re: Helmets

I am planning to buy an LS2 online. Any clue about their sizes. Sparx XL that i have is tight to me and my HJC in size XL is just a bit loose. I am planning to buy LS2 for daily use.

[B7ACKTHORN]

Re: Helmets

I am planning to buy an LS2 online. Any clue about their sizes. Sparx XL that i have is tight to me and my HJC in size XL is just a bit loose. I am planning to buy LS2 for daily use.

Sparx and LS2 pretty much have the same shell sizing, design, and so are their sizes, and so does Daijya. The level of thickness of the cheekpads does play a role in determining the snugness of a given helmet. So I'd suggest you go for L in LS2, or you can measure your crown, get the measurements and then make your decision upon that.

Cheers!
VJ

[ashwin.terminator]

Re: Helmets

Any KYT owners here ?

Yup! Joined today!

It's been quite a journey actually.

I've been using a Vega Motocross helmet for around 3.5 years now. I realized that it was time for a change.

Asked around and people told me to stay away from LS2.

I walked into Helmet Paradise yesterday and told them I wanted to look at the MT range of helmets. They went on to convince me how MT, SOL etc., have bad lining, bad quality, etc., and how LS2 is much better.

Being the sucker that I am, I fell for it. I gleefully looked around and picked up a LS2 FF351.22 (LS2 Atmos Black/Red) for Rs. 3700 after some bargaining. The helmet came with 2 years' warranty and a mercury coated visor that is hopeless for night riding. The helmet is ECE 22.05 certified and also sported a sticker saying its SHARP rating was 4. So seemed safe enough.

Next day(Today), I wanted to read some reviews about the helmet. Headed straight to the SHARP website and guess what I saw?

The FF351 had a rating of,

Wait for it,

1 hopeless star!

I was shocked. I rubbed my eyes in disbelief but the number of stars wouldn't increase.

I immediately did a few more Google searches and found that there are others who have had similar issues.

Sent out a tweet to LS2 Official saying:

I bought an FF351 from Bangalore, India yesterday. Sticker on visor says it is SHARP 4 rated. SHARP website says 1. What gives?

The response:

FF351 is an evolution from FF350. LS2 is working to solve it as soon as possible.

Apparently the FF350 had a rating of 4, so they expected the same for the FF351 since it was basically the same helmet with (supposed) minor differences in the lining.

So obviously, I decided on an exchange. Called Helmet Paradise to tell them I'll be exchanging it and they said I could, no problem.

I went down again. And I told them that the FF351 wasn't very safe. They asked why. I told them about the SHARP rating. They guy there immediately got cranky. He went on to tell me how I shouldn't take anything on the internet for granted and how his experience tells him which helmet is better. Yet, he leaves the choice of exchange open.

I politely told him that I would like an exchange.

He was again pushing for an LS2. I have seen the E-Mail exchanges between LS2 and Prince Sirohi here and I don't want to deal with a company that doesn't want to part with vital information. I told him I don't want LS2. And I would like to see other helmets. He showed me the KYT ones and said they were Rs. 4000. I again asked him for MT helmets. He outright told me they were junk. At this point, I would have walked out had it not been for the money that I had already paid them. But, I also know that their behaviour would be different if I was a potential customer and not a sucker who had his money locked up.

So, I was looking at the KYT helmets. It was an RC7. He said it cost Rs. 4000 as earlier quoted. This is when I picked up my phone to check the SHARP rating. Magically, the price dropped by Rs. 500 without me even saying anything. And it appeared like PlanetDSG had the same lid for Rs. 3,500.

The next problem was the size, the M was a tad too tight while the L seemed a tad loose compared to the earlier LS2. Again the guy started (almost) yelling at me for how the internet will not tell me how the size is and what not. Also, the box with the M size helmet had an MRP of Rs. 3,500. No wonder he quoted Rs. 4,000 outside. No one gets to see the box at all!

So I decided on a KYT RC7 Large size. The cost was Rs. 3,500 and he wasn't going to budge. He needed to refund Rs. 200. I told him I'd like a balaclava. (I had bought one from the same shop around a month ago for Rs. 150 odd. Somehow now, it costed Rs. 280!

I told him I don't need it and walked out with Rs. 200 in hand.

I don't intend to walk back in again!

Some profile pictures. :P



Venting Machine. :P


The "Silver" Lining!



My One Night Stand, er, lid! :P



Notice the FF350 label while the helmet is actually an FF351. Strange.





Now that I have ranted, can someone help me source a KYT Smoked Visor for the RC7? :P

[eliksir]

Re: Helmets

[MENTION=40365]ashwin.terminator[/MENTION] How's the experience especially the wind insulation? Any better than the LS2 ? At least up to 80kmph ?

had been to helmet paradise on saturday. The guy there said all KYT/MT/SOL are sold at box price and it's only the LS2 that they allow people to bargain. Also, he quoted me 3500 for the helmet you bought.
None of them come with a mercury visor ?

[ashwin.terminator]

Re: Helmets

@ashwin.terminator How's the experience especially the wind insulation? Any better than the LS2 ? At least up to 80kmph ?

had been to helmet paradise on saturday. The guy there said all KYT/MT/SOL are sold at box price and it's only the LS2 that they allow people to bargain. Also, he quoted me 3500 for the helmet you bought.
None of them come with a mercury visor ?

I really don't know man. :/

I don't hear much of the winds if that's what you're asking. But I do like the helmet. That said, I did find the LS2 a lot quieter. Partly because it was a much more snug fit.

And please stay away from Helmet Paradise. They're a bunch of cheats who claimed Rs. 4000 for a helmet that had an MRP of Rs. 3500!

Please go to Megha Enterprises. They stock the MT range. These chaps at Helmet Paradise wouldn't even show me the MT range!

And no, no mercury visor for the KYT. Or so they claimed. It is available online for Rs. 600 though.

Although, from the one night ride I had with the Mercury Visor of the LS2, I suggest you stay away from it if you will be riding in the night. I found it hard to believe my head lamps were turned on! I even got off the bike to check if the light was working the first time I used the mercury visor.

I am looking for a Smoked Visor, but can't seem to find it for the KYT.

[eliksir]

Re: Helmets

I really don't know man. :/

I don't hear much of the winds if that's what you're asking. But I do like the helmet. That said, I did find the LS2 a lot quieter. Partly because it was a much more snug fit.

And please stay away from Helmet Paradise. They're a bunch of cheats who claimed Rs. 4000 for a helmet that had an MRP of Rs. 3500!

Please go to Megha Enterprises. They stock the MT range. These chaps at Helmet Paradise wouldn't even show me the MT range!

And no, no mercury visor for the KYT. Or so they claimed. It is available online for Rs. 600 though.

Although, from the one night ride I had with the Mercury Visor of the LS2, I suggest you stay away from it if you will be riding in the night. I found it hard to believe my head lamps were turned on! I even got off the bike to check if the light was working the first time I used the mercury visor.

I am looking for a Smoked Visor, but can't seem to find it for the KYT.

Was it the Big fat uncle who was showing you the helmets? He is a Grade A Asshole. The guy who does all the repair works seemed helpful though. He said they had run out of MT stocks when I was there on saturday.
I've been riding with the mercury visor on the LS2 for 4 years now, with occasional rides at night. Didn't find it to be as bad as you claim it to be. Visibility is a lot less compared to daylight, but I do fine