Helmets

[B7ACKTHORN]

The bill from Bachoo Motors says 14/07/12
So why am I reviewing this after more than 2 months? Blame it on procrastination fueled by constant laziness... That and getting some miles on the road with the lid.

A bit of a background first- I’ve been scouting for the right full-face helmet since March. The criteria was the following-
Type- Full-face
Budget- 5k-8k INR
Bike- Pulsar 200 DTSi (Red)

• Internationally recognized brand
• Either ECE or DOT certification
• Fairly lightweight and as comfy as possible
• Contemporary graphics and design

After tryouts, extensive offline and online research, I narrowed down to these-
Sparx, KBC, SOL SF-1 & SL-68S II, RJays and Airoh Speedfire.
What swung it in Airoh’s favour was-

• Build quality
• Manufactured in Italy (and the resulting VFM)
• Comfort and weight
• Wide array of graphics to choose from
• Reputation and brand equity

Price- INR 8,200
Weight 1400 gms +/- 50 (thought this is what the carton says, I feel it’s <1400 gms)
Size- Medium



So after spending considerable time, I’m quite satisfied with the Airoh Speedfire One. The lid is quite comfy and reasonably light for it to disappear once worn it for a few minutes. I didn’t need an acclimatization period to adapt to it…
I’m yet to test it over a stint of touring or long-distance riding, which I expect to do pretty soon. For now, here’s the good and the bad-
Good-
Colour and graphics- Both attractive and pro-safety.
Comfort- Quite high with comfy padding
Quality- Set to International standards

Bad-
Shell design- Narrow viewport/ visor hampers peripheral visibility

So as you can see, the smallish aperture in what’s essentially a old-school shell design is the only real fly in the ointment, but it’s a pretty large and pesky fly. Now if you’ve been wearing a similar lid, it shouldn’t be much of a problem but if you’ve been using one with a nice large visor, (or worse, riding lidless) it can be pretty irritating.
This is exacerbated in city riding and heavy traffic as it feels very disconcerting and you have to turn your head/neck a lot more as moving only your eyes will come across the thick padding left right and down that permeates your vision.
Despite using it for a while now, I still find myself yanking the helmet down and making sure it’s sitting as snug as possible and getting more peripheral vision.
In conclusion, I would say if you have a budget of 10k and can live with the viewport, go for it. For those whom it may be a dealbreaker, consider KBC, Sparx.
A special mention of Colour/ graphics- I was thinking of buying the Joker which is white but then Bachoo Motors ran out of stock and I had to wait an agonizing 2.5 mnths. And when I went, I was confused with all the options that the fresh stock gave me. Curse of choice eh? After trying, closely inspecting each design, making sure I won’t look like a dork and the colour would somehow complement my red Pulsar, I narrowed to One, Joker, Race (okay and Pitbull too). But I couldn’t resist the option of going for a replica helmet that looks special, cost a premium of just 200-300 and was in yellow (which with white were 2 preferred shades as they are most visible in dark). It surely doesn’t complement my red Pulsar but it stands out and turns heads wherever it goes. The current global trend of bright bold helmets that sharply contrast with bike shades sure bodes well for me!

P.S. Appreciate Zulfi keeping the store open (on a phone call) as I almost went back empty –handed all the way from South Bombay thanks to flash rains delaying me.

HEEEELL Yes!! Now that's what we're talking about. Excellent buy there mate. Nicely reviewed. +1 on the weight and the peripheral vision hampering, it acts more or less like a winkers on a horse. But trust me, you'll get used to it. Clean chit from me!!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]86535[/ATTACH]
Guys, Vega Off road.
Please tell me if this is worth buying.
I prefer this kind of 'off road' design rather than those basic design helmets. Is this kind of design available on any other brand?? If yes, then which brands and model please????

Its available for RS.1957 on Snapdeal.com.

This is avlbl in Studds and Vega, though Vega offers cool combo and Studds offer one called Motocross Decor at 1655 something. Go for the one you like

Cheers!
VJ

[Sunnyside_up!]

The bill from Bachoo Motors says 14/07/12
So why am I reviewing this after more than 2 months? Blame it on procrastination fueled by constant laziness... That and getting some miles on the road with the lid.

A bit of a background first- I’ve been scouting for the right full-face helmet since March. The criteria was the following-
Type- Full-face
Budget- 5k-8k INR
Bike- Pulsar 200 DTSi (Red)

• Internationally recognized brand
• Either ECE or DOT certification
• Fairly lightweight and as comfy as possible
• Contemporary graphics and design

After tryouts, extensive offline and online research, I narrowed down to these-
Sparx, KBC, SOL SF-1 & SL-68S II, RJays and Airoh Speedfire.
What swung it in Airoh’s favour was-

• Build quality
• Manufactured in Italy (and the resulting VFM)
• Comfort and weight
• Wide array of graphics to choose from
• Reputation and brand equity

Price- INR 8,200
Weight 1400 gms +/- 50 (thought this is what the carton says, I feel it’s <1400 gms)
Size- Medium



So after spending considerable time, I’m quite satisfied with the Airoh Speedfire One. The lid is quite comfy and reasonably light for it to disappear once worn it for a few minutes. I didn’t need an acclimatization period to adapt to it…
I’m yet to test it over a stint of touring or long-distance riding, which I expect to do pretty soon. For now, here’s the good and the bad-
Good-
Colour and graphics- Both attractive and pro-safety.
Comfort- Quite high with comfy padding
Quality- Set to International standards

Bad-
Shell design- Narrow viewport/ visor hampers peripheral visibility

So as you can see, the smallish aperture in what’s essentially a old-school shell design is the only real fly in the ointment, but it’s a pretty large and pesky fly. Now if you’ve been wearing a similar lid, it shouldn’t be much of a problem but if you’ve been using one with a nice large visor, (or worse, riding lidless) it can be pretty irritating.
This is exacerbated in city riding and heavy traffic as it feels very disconcerting and you have to turn your head/neck a lot more as moving only your eyes will come across the thick padding left right and down that permeates your vision.
Despite using it for a while now, I still find myself yanking the helmet down and making sure it’s sitting as snug as possible and getting more peripheral vision.
In conclusion, I would say if you have a budget of 10k and can live with the viewport, go for it. For those whom it may be a dealbreaker, consider KBC, Sparx.
A special mention of Colour/ graphics- I was thinking of buying the Joker which is white but then Bachoo Motors ran out of stock and I had to wait an agonizing 2.5 mnths. And when I went, I was confused with all the options that the fresh stock gave me. Curse of choice eh? After trying, closely inspecting each design, making sure I won’t look like a dork and the colour would somehow complement my red Pulsar, I narrowed to One, Joker, Race (okay and Pitbull too). But I couldn’t resist the option of going for a replica helmet that looks special, cost a premium of just 200-300 and was in yellow (which with white were 2 preferred shades as they are most visible in dark). It surely doesn’t complement my red Pulsar but it stands out and turns heads wherever it goes. The current global trend of bright bold helmets that sharply contrast with bike shades sure bodes well for me!

P.S. Appreciate Zulfi keeping the store open (on a phone call) as I almost went back empty –handed all the way from South Bombay thanks to flash rains delaying me.

A well written and frank review buddy - good job! Just one question though, does your helmet have a specific 'Made in Italy' marking anywhere on it? I ask because I have seen one with Chinese labelling on it, and always assumed that they made their lower ranges in China and the more expensive ones in Italy.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]86535[/ATTACH]
Guys, Vega Off road.
Please tell me if this is worth buying.
I prefer this kind of 'off road' design rather than those basic design helmets. Is this kind of design available on any other brand?? If yes, then which brands and model please????

Its available for RS.1957 on Snapdeal.com.

I've said this before - this helmet is nothing more than a good-looking plastic bucket. I have personally broken one with my bare hands; it is that flimsy. The shell is so thin thin that it deforms under pressure from your hands, the lining is a joke and so is the drop down visor which does nothing to protect your face, while the peak will catch wind and jerk your head around at anything over 60kmph. It sells well simply because it looks funky and is cheap.

This is a serious bikers forum and I would strongly advise you to prioritise by picking up something that first serves the purpose of protection well and then go by looks. Vega themselves make much better models and so does Studds. If budget can be increased, you have so many other choices too. This forum is brimming with veteran and seasoned riders, none of whom I can assure you would advise this choice which frankly is toy-like in its build.

[Boris]

I've said this before - this helmet is nothing more than a good-looking plastic bucket. I have personally broken one with my bare hands; it is that flimsy. The shell is so thin thin that it deforms under pressure from your hands, the lining is a joke and so is the drop down visor which does nothing to protect your face, while the peak will catch wind and jerk your head around at anything over 60kmph. It sells well simply because it looks funky and is cheap.

This is a serious bikers forum and I would strongly advise you to prioritise by picking up something that first serves the purpose of protection well and then go by looks. Vega themselves make much better models and so does Studds. If budget can be increased, you have so many other choices too. This forum is brimming with veteran and seasoned riders, none of whom I can assure you would advise this choice which frankly is toy-like in its build.

Ok thank you Sir for your comments,
Well I'm new to this so please advice me on this.. I could increase the budget to 4k at most.. Helmets around 2500-4000 would be good..

[Sid85]

Ok thank you Sir for your comments,
Well I'm new to this so please advice me on this.. I could increase the budget to 4k at most.. Helmets around 2500-4000 would be good..

Within 4k budget, you can go for Vega, Studds, LS2 and cross helmets. If you can increase your budget to 6k, you can go for Daijya and Nuvo, for 8k you can get KBC & Sparx and beyond that you have lots of international brands of helmets.

[B7ACKTHORN]

A well written and frank review buddy - good job! Just one question though, does your helmet have a specific 'Made in Italy' marking anywhere on it? I ask because I have seen one with Chinese labelling on it, and always assumed that they made their lower ranges in China and the more expensive ones in Italy.

Cripes! Tell me you're joking, sir. Baffled! You saw an AIROH with a "Made in China" tag, can you be precise of which model it was? Thanks!

Regariding Made in Italy tag, they even in mine, they haven't used Made in Italy, except for outer carton and the inner booklets. But you have E3 mark on the chin strap with a few numbers which designate where they are manufactured and to which standards they are approved.

...this helmet is nothing more than a good-looking plastic bucket. I have personally broken one with my bare hands; it is that flimsy. The shell is so thin thin that it deforms under pressure from your hands, the lining is a joke and so is the drop down visor which does nothing to protect your face, while the peak will catch wind and jerk your head around at anything over 60kmph. It sells well simply because it looks funky and is cheap.

hahaha! I just wonder what would have been the reaction in your face when you crippled that helmet with your bare hands. I AM THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE UNIVERSE!

....you have so many other choices too. This forum is brimming with veteran and seasoned riders, none of whom I can assure you would advise this choice which frankly is toy-like in its build.

Absolutely +1


@Boris, extend your budget to 5 to 6 max and you get real nice helmets, not even 5k, 4k is well enough to get a nice certified helmet, like LS2 and Daijya! It's just a matter of choice!


Cheers!
VJ

[Sunnyside_up!]

Ok thank you Sir for your comments,
Well I'm new to this so please advice me on this.. I could increase the budget to 4k at most.. Helmets around 2500-4000 would be good..

As some others have mentioned, for upto 4k, you can get LS2, and even some models from Indian brands like Cross, Vega and Studds. The Indian ones are pretty decent, while the imported ones are pretty decent build too, compared to what you were contemplating. I cannot say for certain about their certification, but build is far better than the Vega MX!

[Sunnyside_up!]

Cripes! Tell me you're joking, sir. Baffled! You saw an AIROH with a "Made in China" tag, can you be precise of which model it was? Thanks!

Regariding Made in Italy tag, they even in mine, they haven't used Made in Italy, except for outer carton and the inner booklets. But you have E3 mark on the chin strap with a few numbers which designate where they are manufactured and to which standards they are approved.

it was called "Pit One" I think. And it was not a "made in " label but a sticker inside which had Chinese characters. I couldn't read it obviously but because of the lettering, I assumed it was made in China. Maybe the shell or something was made in China and the rest in Italy ?

the E3 classification simply means that the brand is EU registered. LS2's made in China have the Spain registration E9.

hahaha! I just wonder what would have been the reaction in your face when you crippled that helmet with your bare hands. I AM THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE UNIVERSE!

Actually, I was just testing the flex and it cracked! No real effort at all.

[B7ACKTHORN]

it was called "Pit One" I think. And it was not a "made in " label but a sticker inside which had Chinese characters. I couldn't read it obviously but because of the lettering, I assumed it was made in China. Maybe the shell or something was made in China and the rest in Italy ?

the E3 classification simply means that the brand is EU registered. LS2's made in China have the Spain registration E9.

Exactly. Different countries have different classification, and the list goes on and on.

But I don't think the shell to be made in China and assembly in Italy, would it be feasible!! I mean it would cost bonkers if they were to do that, coupled with the "jingalala" it takes to reach our shore, it'd cost a fortune. I think you might have been clearly mistaken.

I don't want this to be a drag, where exactly did you see the Made in China tag on the helmet, inside or outside?

Because if they don't put their Made in Italy tag, why would they include Made in China tag, and sell it as Made in Italy!!! But since it's only more popularized in EU zones, it will take a while for them to outsource to China as the demand evolves, at least that's my ideation, but I think they won't do that at least for the foreseeable future.

Cheers!
VJ

[Sunnyside_up!]

Exactly. Different countries have different classification, and the list goes on and on.

But I don't think the shell to be made in China and assembly in Italy, would it be feasible!! I mean it would cost bonkers if they were to do that, coupled with the "jingalala" it takes to reach our shore, it'd cost a fortune. I think you might have been clearly mistaken.

I'm not in the habit of beating around the bush or playing to the grandstand. I definitely did see the marking inside a helmet but like I said, since I can't read Chinese lettering, I do not know what it said. Having said that, I did a little bit of research myself after your insinuation and came up with some interesting discoveries.

Check this out - best motorcycle helmets,View helmets for motorcycles,airoh Product Details from Wenzhou Xixika Racing Products Co., Ltd. on Alibaba.com

And this - Hc Airoh Helmet - Buy Airoh Helmet,Airoh Helmet,Airoh Helmet Product on Alibaba.com

Looks like they do outsource after all doesn't it?

Just FYI - many EU companies source components in third world countries and assemble them in Europe to give it the made in EU tag. I remember my AlpineStars bionic knee guards coming in a box labelled "Made in the EU", while the inside label on the product itself said " Made in China".

Mind you, in no way am I saying the Chinese manufacturer is in any way inferior. In fact my experience tells me the opposite - that properly run factories in China manufacture to higher standards than the Europeans.

I don't want this to be a drag, where exactly did you see the Made in China tag on the helmet, inside or outside?

Because if they don't put their Made in Italy tag, why would they include Made in China tag, and sell it as Made in Italy!!! But since it's only more popularized in EU zones, it will take a while for them to outsource to China as the demand evolves, at least that's my ideation, but I think they won't do that at least for the foreseeable future.

Looking beyond the fact that I find your tone condescending despite you not having your facts right, ( I've already clarified that I did NOT see a "Made in China" tag) perhaps you need to learn a little about global trade before you run off at the mouth and "ideate". The fact that a brand originates in one country does not mean that they will not outsource from another. Half the members of this forum work as outsourced talent for companies that are headquartered abroad. The same applies to products too. If you can get quality products made abroad at rates that are much lower than your own country, then why would you bother with making it in your own?

The thought that went through my mind at that time was that if Airoh can make and sell a helmet made in Italy for 8k when Sparx, KBC, HJC and everyone else who are much bigger companies can only do a Chinese made helmet at the same price, then Airoh knows something that the rest of the pack doesn't and hats off to them! Don't you think it's amazing?

On another note, why does your "made in Italy" helmet which has it labels on the box and booklets inside NOT have the label on the helmet? Was only the box and booklets made in Italy?

Frankly I don't know or care.

I am certain that Deville bought a quality product - the depth of his research and analysis before purchase reveals that he did his homework. I even commended his review as being well done. My only comment was one of mere curiosity since I had seen another helmet somewhere with Chinese markings and therefore asked the question.

Hope this clarifies your many confusions.

[neil.jericho]

Wrt the discussion on locking the helmet I think the peace of mind that you get from walking around with your helmet far outweighs the convenience of leaving it locked on your bike where people often make attempts at flicking it and can end up mishandling it especially if it is in a crowded parking lot. I tried a helmet lock (the fixed one) several years ago on my P150 but within a couple of weeks I reverted back to lugging it around and have been doing so ever since.

Actually, I was just testing the flex and it cracked! No real effort at all.

Grossly OT :
(Note to self) - Be careful the next time you shake Sunny's hand ....

[Sunnyside_up!]

(Note to self) - Be careful the next time you shake Sunny's hand ....

Lol! C'mon! Me? I'm just a friendly 6 foot tall 90kilo Grizzly!

[B7ACKTHORN]

.............that I did NOT see a "Made in China" tag) perhaps you need to learn a little about global trade before you run off at the mouth and "ideate". The fact that a brand originates in one country does not mean that they will not outsource from another. Half the members of this forum work as outsourced talent for companies that are headquartered abroad. The same applies to products too. If you can get quality products made abroad at rates that are much lower than your own country, then why would you bother with making it in your own?

The thought that went through my mind at that time was that if Airoh can make and sell a helmet made in Italy for 8k when Sparx, KBC, HJC and everyone else who are much bigger companies can only do a Chinese made helmet at the same price, then Airoh knows something that the rest of the pack doesn't and hats off to them! Don't you think it's amazing?

On another note, why does your "made in Italy" helmet which has it labels on the box and booklets inside NOT have the label on the helmet? Was only the box and booklets made in Italy?

Frankly I don't know or care.

I am certain that Deville bought a quality product - the depth of his research and analysis before purchase reveals that he did his homework. I even commended his review as being well done. My only comment was one of mere curiosity since I had seen another helmet somewhere with Chinese markings and therefore asked the question.

Hope this clarifies your many confusions.

Perhaps I didn't expect such a big answer for such a belittle question. Phew! That said, coming to your point, definitely AIROH knows something. I appreciate that you've acknowledged Deville's helmet, honestly appreciate that.

All I wanted to say is, yes, I do reckon what Chinese manufacture, and the outsourcing, production house, trade related leverage etc etc. But I mentioned, if AIROH wanted their value to be up, they can manufacture it themselves. I mean, to your point back, "he thought that went through my mind at that time was that if Airoh can make and sell a helmet made in Italy for 8k when Sparx, KBC, HJC and everyone else who are much bigger companies can only do a Chinese made helmet at the same price, then Airoh knows something that the rest of the pack doesn't and hats off to them! Don't you think it's amazing" affirms that, you don't need outsourcing to bring quality stuffs to outsource.

But that said, hey, this is a world of trade, anything can happen anytime. It would be lame of me to talk about what's in AIROH's mind. Appreiciate your detailed explanation, thought it points the same outsourcing stuff all over.

Cheers!
VJ

[neil.jericho]

Lol! C'mon! Me? I'm just a friendly 6 foot tall 90kilo Grizzly!

(Updated note to self) - Be careful everytime you shake Sunny's hand .....

On a serious note, it is atrocious that such helmets are available in the market and that unsuspecting people end up buying them.

[B7ACKTHORN]

(Updated note to self) - Be careful everytime you shake Sunny's hand .....

On a serious note, it is atrocious that such helmets are available in the market and that unsuspecting people end up buying them.

Hehe! On a lighter note, Friendly-Grizzly!

Cheers!
VJ

[Horror]

Anybody with some long term reviews on SOL helmets? I have a budget of around 4k to buy a new helmet in december.