Helmets

[jdinaz_imp]

May be a silly question, but have you guys noticed a difference between different brands of helmets when it comes to wind noise and overall quietness? I have a modular helmet and I think the extra seems are cause some pretty loud wind noise. And I wear ear plugs !!

[chync_imp]

Yes. I have a Shoei Qwest and it’s relatively quiet. But a poorly fitting third party shield that doesn’t seal well creates more noise.


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[SportsterDoc]

You may find this of interest:

http://www.quietestmotorcyclehelmet.com/

However, sometimes the bike will affect the helmet and the resultant noise level.

On a personal note, I do not like full face, partly due to loss of peripheral vision and partly not being able to speak or mouth words. However, full face helmets certainly are more comfortable in rain or hail!

My Bell Zephyr full face did not keep my face any warmer than my HJC CS-5N (like the visor when riding into a rising or setting sun), nor did it seem any quieter. It was gifted to a member of the WildGuzzi forum.

I only started using ear plugs recently, especially for long rides and it is much more pleasant.

Circa 1976, my wife and I each had Shoei S-20 full face helmets ($45 each???). Probably not as protective, but seemed much less face mashing and better vision than what I have tried on recently.

Guess I am just being retro all the way!

[LongRanger_imp]

In my experience, some brands have proven to be noisier than others, all else considered equal. I've been disappointed with Arai and Shoei, pleased with HJC and Schuberth. YMMV.

[Nortoon_imp]

I like a Bell open face helmet because I am claustrophobic, and in my first 23 years of riding that is what I wore. So when I returned to motorcycling 5 years ago I bought a Bell MAG-9. It had some nice features, but it was so noisy I could not ride on the highway with it. The visor ends at my chin and there is a large space behind it for the wind noise to enter.

I bought a Shoei RF1200 full face helmet. It tore my ears off putting it on and squashed my cheeks while riding. I hated it, but it was quiet enough to allow highway speeds.

After trying several types of ear plugs that summer, I finally found 3M E-A-Rsoft Yellow Neons. They allowed me to wear my Bell MAG-9 again, so the face crusher was put back in its box.

Fast forward 2 years. I saw thinner cheek pads were available for the Shoei for US$49 (CDN$65). $65 DOLLARS! I have bought helmets for less than that. But rather than letting a $570 dollar helmet sit in the basement, I bought them as a Christmas present.

Problem solved. Now I could don the Shoei without losing my ears, and it did not crush my face. With ear plugs it was also pleasantly quiet. So now I wear it except on hot summer days.

In the fall I found that cold air was coming in under the chin bar of the Shoei. It comes with an accessory mesh chin guard, so I decided to try it. Not only did stop the cold air, the helmet became even quieter.

[Guth_imp]

I have no doubts that some brands tend to be noisier or quieter than others. However, you must find a helmet that matches the shape of your head or all bets are off. Finding a helmet with the correct shape and that is correctly sized to fit your head is the key to helmet happiness.

For more on this subject I've found the best source to be the [url=https://www.webbikeworld.com/category/review/motorcycle-helmet-reviews/]Web Bike World site. Check it out if you haven't already done so — there is plenty of information including a plethora of helmet reviews to dig through. (Disclaimer: it appears that they have changed the layout of their site since the last time I visited, hopefully they have kept their wealth of information intact.)

[LongRanger_imp]

Guth, +1

[4 Paws_imp]

Yep, shape of head matters a LOT.
I promised my mother that I would always wear a full face helmet.
I also wear ear plugs when I ride and they help too; only started forty years too late.
For me, Shoei is quieter than Arai in full face, I switched to modular and discovered HJC SyMax is noisy even with excellent ear plugs.
WebBikeWorld is a good place to start researching.

[Guth_imp]

So then jdinaz, which modular helmet do you currently own?

[SCCBrider_imp]

It helps to have flown on the C-130, for 21 years. You see, I can't hear all that well anyways, so it doesn't affect me as much. Plus, I usually have my ear buds in listening to music.