My shoei qwest which is a large has a 5 star rating but i always felt it was slightly too big,so a couple of weeks ago i bought the shoei gt air in a medium it's a much better snug fit...but I've just found out it is only a 3 star rating
The kite mark was the highest standard before Sharp ( the kite Mark was the old BSI standard) On the other hand Sharp was critiqued when it first came in as lowering the standards. Also that some of the tests for Sharp were inappropriate and did nothing to improve safety. So make what you will of that. I agree there were too many standards and still are. Such as ACU Gold etc. Helmets are important obviously but as to which standard to base your purchasing on , that's a good one as there is still too many going around.
Just had a look at the Sharp site and they rate my X-lite at 4 out of 5 stars so I'm pleased. However this doesn't stop the noise problem.
..but I've just found out it is only a 3 star rating [/QUOTE] "it was nt me, a big boy did it and ran away ,sorry mister"
"it was nt me, a big boy did it and ran away ,sorry mister"[/QUOTE] Really, I put it in as X-lite 802r and that was what I found. Feeling disappointed now:-(
I wouldn't be to disappointed if i were you. Whilst i agree there are far too many differing standards, each standards 'blurb' will try to convince you their standards are the best. Whilst having them all can give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside that there is plenty going on in the world of helmet safety and development, it can also be confusing to read conflicting reports about our choice of headgear. EC 22-05, Snell, ACU Gold, are the standards i look for when considering a new lid. If the new lid only got 3/5 in the SHARP rating, it wouldn't faze me too much, and more importantly, it doesn't mean you have bought an unsafe helmet. The three standards i mention have been around a long time, (although Snell is North America based) and have put more time and effort into what they do than SHARP have. I'm not saying SHARP should be ignored, but i WOULD question it's relevance in relation to the experience it lacks compared to the other standards, and the type of tests they carry out. Plenty of the motorcycling press have already questioned it, and still do. Do your research (and not just off the helmet sites and safety sites themselves) and buy a helmet that fits properly, not one that looks the smartest. Doing that will give you all the confidence you need when riding. And bear in mind that because something is expensive, doesn't make it the safest - although quality does cost a little more. That sounds conflicting i know, but if you stick to a well established brand at a mid-range price, you will have bought well. ATB Bob
Totally agree with all you have said. It took me ages to find a helmet which felt comfortable and it just happened to be the X-lite for me.
Managed to try the x lite 802r. Pros- Beautiful looking carbon helmet and the fit (m) was very good indeed. Plush removable lining. Venting ok, misted a little at the bottom of the visor but stayed right at the bottom, and anyway, anyone riding without pinlock these days need to give their head a shake. Incredibly light too, hardly felt it whilst wearing it... Cons- noisy. I mean NOISY!!! Spoiled the whole experience for me, and for that reason alone, I'm out. Atb Bob
Yeah agree with everything you have said mate, if I had of known the wind noise was going to be that bad I would have gone for something else. All I can say is thank God for ear plugs.
Went with this in the end... Arai rebel. Shame really as I loved the carbon X lite, but I knew the noise would destroy me. Great fit as per usual for an Arai (I have that shaped head) and decided plain frost black was the way to go. The extra bit of chin bar is supposed to improve the airflow when riding naked bikes. We shall see...
I've been thinking of trying a flip front helmet and was quite surprised at how many top brands didn't stay closed in the sharp tests. Also it seems before you chose your lid you need to know what type of accident you're going to have, as softer poly lids are better for some and ridgid carbon / fiberglass types better fog others. Minefield Andy
I popped into a bike shop last week whilst on holiday and tried on the shark raw and not only is it a great looking lid, the fit for me was perfect and a reasonable price. Think I might write to santa as I've been a relatively good boy.
I bought a HJC IS-Max ll a couple of weeks ago http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_cat/1798 and have to say I am really impressed with it. To wear it well outperforms my old Shark Vision R, but just lacks that bit of quality finish. But that could just be because it is matt finish instead of gloss.
Bought my AGV Flip front from them, very good service, and having had the helmet all summer I like that a lot too. Still not sure if I like that ratchet strap though, still prefer double 'D' rings.
I've got a few lids, bought this Bell full carbon helmet for my daughter and it gets 5stars on the sharp list, one of my better bargains £127.00 from amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00M8JL9U6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The helmet I usually wear myself was a disappointing 3stars which was an expensive Shoei GT air. Think I'll be using my daughters helmet from now on.
