Joe, I agree wholeheartedly with your welcome to Joseph and about not trusting a twenty year old helmet. However, I do NOT agree that your brain is teeny weeny!
I got this one with a dark tint visor https://www.motolegends.com/helmets/arai-rapide-ha-helmet-in-blue.html
I always buy the best helmet possible. And I must say, my Arai did me proud when needed. Always such an emotive subject this and the way I always work things out is by cost per day or ride. You probably spend 10 times more on your dinner than the daily cost of a helmet. A £500 helmet is 27p a day over 5 years.
That's the thing though isn't it ? How do you know you are buying the best helmet possible ? Is a £400, £500 or £600 helmet better than a £175 helmet with a 5* Sharp rating ? Probably quieter but not better.
If it’s quieter, then it is better is it not? But then from what you’ve written it boils down to what you define as better. If a £175 helmet has a 5 star sharp rating and so does the £400, £500 or £600 helmet but is quieter, lighter, has removable lining, can accommodate intercoms etc, then to me it’s a better helmet. You have to factor in what’s important to you when you make the purchase. The sharp rating is an impact rating only and if that is all that matters, then take the £175 helmet and you’re good to go. But if your criteria extends beyond that, then you have to buy what fits your criteria or compromise dependant on budget. The helmet I last had an off in was a £350 Arai Chaser V. I replaced it with a RX7 as it has a better Sharp rating than the Chaser and my trust in the brand had increased further due to the way it looked after me when my head piled into the tarmac. It cost me £780 which I didn’t like paying but if I wanted it, that was the price. But my main point was about being hung up on price for something that protects your nogging. And there’s numbers of ways to look at it. You can spend £500 for a week away in Spain, which lasts a week or £500 on a helmet you can use everyday for 5 years.
On an earlier post, I mentioned that I was looking for a new helmet. The Caberg Duke II had a Sharp rating of 5 while other helmets that I was looking at which were £325 dearer had ratings of 2 or 3. So, while I would like a nice quiet helmet etc, I wonder if I should be buying the cheaper helmet with the best resistance to impact.
It’s down to criteria in order of importance. Impact resistance being the most important, to me certainly and to you from what you’ve put. What I put was if both helmets have the ‘same’ impact resistance but then the more expensive helmets offer other factors which are part of your purchase criteria, then they’re better helmets in my opinion.
As has already been said many times in many ways, we all measure "better" and "worth" in different ways. A little late in the discussion, but this is my recent experience for what it's worth. First of all, I'll confess my Shoei 800 was waaay overdue for replacement...I was surprised at how old it was (yikes!); guess time has a way of getting away from us sometimes. I at first thought I could replace the lining but the helmet was too old to get replacement parts (which was a good thing). I assumed I'd just get the new Shoei 1400 but decided to also look at Arais and am so glad I did. My new Arai Regent X transformed my riding experience...truly. Of course, the Regent X fits me well but it is the aerodynamics of it that are transformative; turning my head is so much easier with no wind drag or catching. I more easily enjoy the scenery and feel much more comfortable at intersections, etc. The fit can be fine-tuned with larger or smaller cheek pads and linings...Shoei might offer this, too; I don't know. I enjoy wearing this helmet...seriously, I LIKE putting on this helmet. This isn't to sell the Regent X because its specific fit won't be for everyone; but the point is that the right helmet can change your whole riding experience. There are so many helmets out there and so few available in stores to try on (models and sizes), I found it incredibly helpful to take the seemingly silly recommendation to take a picture of yourself from directly overhead (obviously you'll need help to do this well). The pic should show the top of your head and shoulders (make sure your hair is squished down) so you can see the basic shape of your noggin. This knowledge guided me to which helmet models to try (e.g., long oval, intermediate oval, round oval) so I could narrow my choices. I tried the new Shoei and a few different Arai models (and a couple of other brands just for fun) and when I pulled on the Regent X I was hooked by the fit. Then when I rode with it I wanted to cheer. Did I mention how much I love this new helmet? P.S.: Regarding color, I go for visibility so white it is...we ditched black helmets long ago when I realized the difference in visibility it makes. P.P.S.: That overhead picture trick correctly guided us to correct fits for two of our kids and confirmed HH's helmet choice.
Happily no sentimental attachments to helmets here. Just asked HH if he remembers which helmets we were wearing when he proposed to me...NOPE, and neither do I. But we surely remember which bike we were on! I like the idea of commemorating the memories of a helmet though (if you can remember!). And I like @Samsgrandad idea of donating it for training. I also considered using the old helmet to do some "experiments" of our own...dropping from a height, impaling it, skidding it, etc. You clearly are a good friend to her; she's fortunate to have you. Ride safe.
Buy a new one ! .... I believe it was good fortune to have just bought a new helmet shortly before spectacularly coming off my bike and landing on the back of my head 35 years ago. The new AGV full face was split right open but my head was ok apart from straw coloured fluid drawing from my nose... I figured it wasn’t cerebrospinal fluid as I could stand up so guess the bang just gave my sinuses a good clear out ! ...I’d spent a lot of money on the helmet but boy, was I glad, as the very old helmet it replaced probably would have disintegrated upon impact. As far as I know I’m still here to tell the tale
I am really surprised that we are on page 3, post #54 and no-one yet has made any puerile comments about helmets. WTF is going on?!?
Before lockdown I was in a dealers clothing dept buying some kit, a guy was next to me chatting to the owners wife (they also run a very successful BSB team), the gentleman was looking to buy his wife a helmet (he was alone by the way), he asked, what is the cheapest helmet you have, he stated "my wife only comes on the back occasionally, so I don't want to spend much", OMG was my thoughts, he asked me my opinion, well for one thing his wife should have been there to try it for fit and comfort, that aside though, I asked what bike he had, he proudly said an MT10, he was wearing quality leathers, helmet and gloves, so he spent over 12K, and wanted to skimp on kit for his wife, my reply was, how much do you care for your wife, and went on to explain a scenario of 'on the occasion your wife is on the back', and heaven forbid you got wiped out through no fault of your own, would you want her to have the best protection possible, he brought his wife in later I believe and bought her an arai helmet and quality kit. We all know helmets are complex and a new rating system is due soon. Personally I only buy either arai or shoei helmets as they fit me comfortably and offer maximum protection should the worst happen, It's an emotive subject I get that, they do degrade over time though, and they loosen up as the lining etc wears through continual taking them on/off. At the end of the day you pay your money and take your chance so to speak
Thank goodness you were in the store and gave him, (and his poor absent wife), the best advice anyone could offer... and glad the chap was sensible enough to take it !...
