Motorcycles BS Thread 2.0

I just might. I'll have to see what model I'd like to "upgrade" to. Would you want both sets or just the one? My buddy has the other, and at the moment, I don't see him all that often.

 

They're not phasing out the Palktalk stuff. Packtalk is the higher end system that can accommodate up to 15 riders and has a mesh system to drop in or join groups. They've got a new Packtalk Neo and came out with the Packtalk Edge a few months ago.

Freecom only supports up to 4 people. I've got a Freecom 4x, mainly got it due to price and the fact that I only really ride with one other person anyways.

 

It can still mesh with others that are not on Cardo

 

I picked up a Cardo Spirit for my new helmet and to replace my old Sena. I have never once linked comms to another rider so the short range and single pairing aspect doesn’t concern me.

 

If he just wants one, I could be interested in the other

 

I'll keep you guys in mind.

 

I meant to say specifically the packtalk bold and packtalk slim. They’ll have newer models to replace both.

 

I just want one. It’s for my spare helmet.

 

Ah gotcha, my bad.

 

Altrider has free shipping, no minimum this week

 

I gotta say, this thread has been a great find for me. Very supportive, lots of info offered, but no overbearing "you gotta do this or you're wrong" stuff.

To that end, I'd like to pick your brains on the helmets I'm looking at. I'd love to know if any of you use, or have used them.

It'll probably be good to list some of the reasons I've come to these.

1. A buddy says "Rule number one: Always look cool." Looks matter, but I am not wanting to go stealth. There are plenty of cool helmets that are cool and not black out there.
2. Has to be ECE rated. DOT rating is a joke.
3. I wear glasses, so goggles are not an option for me and internal sun visors are great.
4. I have stupid good peripheral vision and hate having stuff blocking it. Wide view is important.
5. I have a big head, as discussed previously, and it's longer than it is wide. I thought I had an intermediate oval head, but the Shark S700 I had was supposedly for that shape and it crushed my forehead. Long oval, maybe?
6. I tend to run hot, so ventilation and anti fog are a plus.
7. My rides will likely be short and slow, so weigh and noise are lower priority.

With those factors I would up with 3 different helmets that I'd like to try on to see if they'll fit. I like all three, and want all three for different reasons.

LS2 Valiant 2 is rated for riding in all configurations as a modular, looks ok in the grey, and has bits of silver to catch light for visibility. Priced at $360

• https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/ls2-valiant-ii-helmet?sku_id=1760539

Icon Airflite helmets are a very cool. Different visor design makes it stand out and Icon has tons of customization options, including a kit to add a peak and make it goggle ready if you want. Priced from $265-$330 and that's before any shields or the peak setup.

• https://www.revzilla.com/icon-airflite-helmets?query=icon airflite

Arai XD-4 It is in every top helmet list for adventure riding, looks good, is well ventilated (even the visor has vents), and Itchy Boots has taken it all around the globe. This helmet is handmade in Japan and the quality and $660-$800 price point shows it. There's even an Africa Twin model for you @gixxerphil

• https://www.revzilla.com/search?_utf8=✓&query=arai+xd-4

So, thoughts? Experiences?

 

What bike will you be riding? If you're sticking to asphalt I don't think I'd go with the XD-4. I don't like visors on the highway as they tend to catch the wind easily and gets annoying.

Otherwise I'd just recommend going to a Cycle Gear or similar shop and trying helmets on. I've had to return several helmets I bought online because they didn't fit like I was expecting. Also definitely try out your glasses in the helmet as well. My Bell fits great and is very comfortable but is so tight that I can't get any sort of eyewear on while wearing the helmet.

Also as a reminder (I'm sure you know this already) but helmet pads break in so the helmet should feel very snug/tight (with no pain points) at first. If you get something that's comfortable off the bat you'll likely find that it's too loose as the pads break in.

 

I tried an LS2 helmet. Being used to Icon, it felt cheaper. And on a ride, it was louder too. Returned it and got HJC.

IMO, this is my list in terms of experience/comfort for me/price. I don't have any experience with Arai/Shoei, but hear great things. Would like to try, but then again money conscience comes into play, and I just cant convince myself to drop $700+ on one, when Icon or HJC will do the same. Especially if they have the same shelf life ~5 years..

Arai/Shoei
Icon
HJC

 

Not to cause more confusion, but might look at the Suomy MX Tourer

 

I'm sure other riders will have better/more input than me, but I thought I'd add a couple of my thoughts.

I'm in the camp of visibility is better than looking cool. I tend to go with bright, contrasting colors. Stay away from solid colors. Even the loudest of colors can blend into the background if not contrasted by lines and/or patterns. Also, if you can, look for the highest/most current SNELL rated helmets. SNELL tests the shit out of helmets before they put their stamp on a helmet.

I started with a white and blue HJC FG-17, and after it expired I bought another FG-17 but in black and red. My jacket is white and black with all the white being retroreflective. Hell, even my backpack and gloves have reflective strips. All while riding on a red bike!

*This is all my opinion based on personal experience, not on hard-research facts.

 

It'll be a Honda CB500X. My road is a potholed, washboard, gravel county road and the shortest trip off of it is a mile, so every trip on the bike will be a minimum of 2 miles of that. I'd like to be able to take it onto dirt/gravel and some easy trails as I gain experience as well. Hope to replace the want of a quad/SxS by learning more on the bike. I don't need speed or super carving as I'm still new and not 100% comfortable with that yet. Zero interest in anything over 60 MPH for now, but wouldn't mind taking back roads to get around places. I want to learn the dirt enough for this, but I'm not going to take a dirt bike up crazy hills or through the dunes or anything.

Definitely will have the glasses for the helmet, as I don't wear contacts. If the glasses don't fit, the deals off.

I'm ok with a tight helmet because I know it will break in, but the one I had was the wrong shape. 20 minutes was uncomfortable, 25 was a headache, and at 30 minutes I had to stop and get it off my head. Rode to visit a friend like that, and it made the 3 hour drive into a 4.5 hour ordeal. Bought that helmet online and regretted it, so I will be trying these on before I buy. If I can't try it on first, and for a chunk of time, I won't buy it.

Good to know on the LS2. I've worried about that as I've see one reviewer that had some issues with it. They were warrantied, but that's a hassle. As for the price, I'm ok splurging on the helmet if it's the right one. Same thing I did with the truck. A buddy tells me I'm boujie and I guess he might be a little right.

I'm glad to get more info! I'll have to look it up. Never heard of Suomy before.

The always look cool rule is a joke, but if you can look cool and get the job done, why not? I want to be visible without going for the one color high viz highlighter color. If it's an attention grabbing helmet, that's a good thing! I'm more concerned with ECE than SNELL as I won't track it, and ECE does more with oblique angled impacts so I just have a better feeling about it. Not poopooing SNELL, but I'm not requiring it because there are helmets out there that could possibly pass it but didn't pay the money to get it certified. ECE at a minimum, ECE and SNELL like the Arai is a major bonus.

I'm down for reflective stuff, and I don't care if my "outfit" matches. If it clashes people will notice it, and if they notice it you have been seen.

 

Quick shoutout in this talk of reflection and hi-vis for RydeSafe retro-reflective decals and heat applied decals. I bought a bunch a while back of both strips and larger chunks and cut it down on my cricut for bikes, backpacks, helmets, etc. in whatever shape I want. STUPID visible.

https://rydesafe.com/

 

That's excellent! If I wind up with a solid color helmet, this would be an easy way to add visibility.

 

My first helmet


Current helmet

 

@but why tho I did a little digging to confirm, and you can run the XD-4 without the peak on it.