So I'm buying new helmets. Me and my pops have the same size heads and my girlfriend and his wife as well. We all wear medium. With that being said...we will be riding in Miami, but mainly weekend riding. Casual riding. Traffic and road conditions are horrible and the drivers here are oblivious to riders. We were going to get Suomy helmets (250.00) but most helmet dealers bad mouth them. So I heard that HJC RPHA (~300) is a great helmet for a few bucks more than the Suomy. But at 300 for the HJC in black I figured I might as well look into an all black Shoei Quest which is around the same price. Basically for the riding ill be doing...does it really matter...or is it a comfort preference at this point? Is the construction btwn these helmets much different? Also should I go matte black or gloss black?

 

If I buy online...what websites do you guys recommend?

 

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

 

suomy helmets are made to fit the head a little tighter so they are generally only purchased for track riding and you have to spend $500+ to get a good quality model so for the type of riding you are doing i wouldnt recommend a suomy

shoei helmets are great all around helmets and well worth any price you are willing to pay for it due to the quality of every model. they are much more comfortable than the high end suomy(spec 1r) so this is the brand i would recommend. however i would go to a certified shoei dealer(your local suzuki/honda/kawasaki/ducati dealer) to do a test fit before purchasing online. when fully chin straped the helmet should not put any uncomfortable pressure on your head and fit snug against the jaw.

and just because you are only doing street riding doesnt mean you should cut corners on quality, any type of motorcycle riding is dangerous so you should look at your helmet purchase with that in mind. IMO paying a little more for a good quality helmet is the best thing you can do for yourself when it comes to safety and the helmet manufacturers know this so they will require a high premium for a higher quality helmet. but be rest assured if you do pay that higher premium you will not be disappointed.

matte black looks better but this should not be a deciding factor, if the gloss black seems to fit better then go with that. good luck

i recommend http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/

 

I have a shitty HJC. I might get a new helmet next year, I'll see what my situation looks like employment wise.

As for your issue, I think that the level of protection offered is pretty much standard as fair as I know (Snell 95, DOT etc)

The differences lie in fitment, wind etc.

 

Find a store that carries a lot of brands. Test fit different models/brands. Pull down on the chin straps to mimick(sp?) being strapped on. Shoei, Arai, Bell, Soumy, Scorpion, and others make quality helmets. Get one that has a current SNELL rating and remember, these only last 5 years. Different helmets work with different head shapes, for my fat head, Arai has always fit the best (budget has reduced me to Icon...damn thing is noisy as hell). Expect to pay upwards of $300 for a quality helmet, like the 70s Bell advertisement, "If you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet". Once you have decided what fits best (budget and physical fitment), then you can buy online. Check with the vendor to make sure they have a workable return policy and will honor the mfg warranty. Good hunting

 

I've had all three brands. One model of one brand does not equal a different model within that same brand. They also all have different fits, which is why you should test fit first, or at least check out webbikeworld and see what they say about the fit.

I've had a handful of Suomy Spec1R Extremes in XL, which fit differently than my X11 and X12. X12 runs large. The HJC I had ran huge (CL-SP). Snell and/or ECE at the very least. I don't have the facts, but they seem to slap DOT stamps on anything, but digest that however you want.