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What brand and model helmet do you wear, and why do you like it? I’m new and want the best for my noggin, so what do you use and why?
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I wear a Simpson Super Bandit. It is a comfortable helmet that provides one of the highest levels of protection, possibly the best. It looks great, it has a distinct look that you cant find with other helmets. Remember, a 10$ head is worth a 10$ helmet.. you get what you pay for, I sprung for the best money can buy.Ryan Brewster 57-S -
When we started we were advised to go to a motorcycle shop and try on a few different manufacturers....and we quickly found some manufacturers had designs that fit the shape of the individual head more comfortably. They'll also help you ensure the fit is appropriate and not too loose. Sometimes 'comfortable' is actually one-size too large so you need to go down one size for the correct fit for safety. You want them fitting snugly and they will break-in as you wear them.
Check helmet construction - some of the more expensive helmets are reinforced kevlar and/or fiberglass shells while some of the less expensive models are ABS plastic. While I have never personally seen a helmet failure, I have seen ABS fail in other applications particularly at cooler temperatures... and Ryan's comment about pricing your noggin is absolutely right!
Check the safety certification... current APBA General Safety Rule 3.A (as of 3/8/2019):Helmets shall meet minimum rating specifications (SNELL 2010, SFI, FIA or newer) per list on document “APBA Driver Helmets Accepted for Competition and Vintage”. Document location: APBA Resources webpage.Snell 2015 is the latest certification and I'd advise looking for this to ensure your helmet continues to be in compliance for several years. A list of Snell 2015 approved helmets is available at https://www.smf.org/certlist/std_M2015
1) The upper fifty percent (50%) of the helmet must be a single color of the following: yellow or fluorescent (high visibility) yellow or lime green or orange or international orange or fluorescent red. Competitors may put writing or artwork in an area across the front to the helmet directly above the opening. This area is not to exceed 8” wide x 2” high.
2) Half-shell and 3/4 type helmets are not allowed.Comment
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All very good information here. I bought two new helmets last year and after extensive research found that proper fit for your headshape is every bit as important as the helmet construction of which some combination of fiberglass/composite is preferred by most. For those reasons I chose Shoei for me and my wife.
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I have the same helmet as Matt but in solar yellow, it would be hard to beat!
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Have not raced since the 70's & early 80'S, but I am still here thanks to a full face Bell Helmet.
Still believe that Bell Helmets are the best you can buy.Kegs
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Hi Bob.....i used to love the Bell Star 120. It had 120 degree side vision. Don't think they make it anymore. The ARAI does make it and it is light weight and has a flip shield. -
Hello Matt, hope you and your family are doing well. Sure do miss the boat racing family. Thanks for bring me up t o date on helmets. Side vision very important. Best to all .
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I use the shoei rf-1200 for many reasons. first off is safety. 3 layers of fiberglass and 1 layer of carbon fiber. second is weight. only 3.5 pounds. third is customer service. this thing has a 5 year warranty and a free safety check if ever involved in a crash. just cover shipping. fourth is the anti fog inserts and breath guards. in the past I have had huge problems with fogging up. when its fogged up you cant see. this one comes with a breath guard and then inserts with gaskets that snap into visor to help aliviat this. and finally aerodynamics. this helmet is very aerodynamic and looks great it is offered in yellow. orange is getting hard to find in any helmet. I purchased mine from a motorcycle shop. I went in to just try it on, but after the customer service and expertise I decided that I would purchase directly. they tried a couple different cheek pads to ensure perfect fit. the rf 1200 is also small 2015 approved.Comment
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Yeah orange seems to be an unflattering color. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to be tooling down the road with a big orange ball on their head........I'm going to have to paint mine..............
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I guess I am "old school",but a orange helmet,orange top Kevlar jacket is very easy seen when a driver goes in the water. With all the available colors used in safety equipment its hard for a following driver to focus on a particular color to avoid a driver in the water. If there was one color used in safety equipment,any driver knows to avoid that color in an accident. JMHOComment
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