Arai Helmets

My HJC is officially falling a part. I like to ride with my visor up most of the time, and the plastic nut holding the assembly in on the right side snapped off when trying to adjust.

I've been wanting an Arai for a while now.

Just curious if anybody can suggest any good models and where you got them? Amazon and Revzilla seem to have some good deals going, my price range at this time is under $400, if possible. However, some of the cheaper models have hideous graphics, and I'm not one for graphics much, generally like solid colors.

Thanks.

 

I got my Arai through Motorcycle Helmets and Motorcycle Helmet Accessories from The Helmet Shop

They can help you work out which 'head shape' and size to try.

 

Thank you. I looked at Revzilla and they seem to have pretty good prices on them.

 

I've been an Arai owner for the last 20 years. There isn't a helmet made that fits my noggin as good as the Corsair. Having said that, I just purchased a Shoei X11 (brand new close-out for $300) to replace my well worn RX7 Corsair. I haven't even worn it yet since I'm waiting for the thinner cheek pads to arrive. Why on earth would I do that you ask?

Simple, Arai has priced themselves into the stupid zone.

Are their helmets good? Absolutely. Do their helmets have the some of the most comfortable interiors? Absolutely. Are their helmets worn by nearly 50% of the racers all over the world? Absolutely.

I am all for having the best protection money can buy. That being the case, Arai's cost 3 - 6 times more than the average cost of the average helmet. The problem is, they ARE NOT 3 - 6 times better. Are they better? Yes, but not 3 - 6 times better. I've never even considered trying on a HJC, much less owning one. When I was helmet shopping last month, I was completely shocked to find the FS-15 fits EXACTLY the same as a Corsair. HJC even offers different size cheek pads. Am I saying HJC is on par with Arai & Shoei & so on? They are REAL close & will probably achieve equal quality in the near future.

I am speculating here, but I think the market for $850 helmets will simply go away in the next few years. When the economy is down, is simply does not make sense to buy a $850 helmet when there is a $200 that fits exactly the same.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Thank you for that insight.

I figure at some point you're paying for the name more than anything.

I just picked up an Arai Vector off Revzilla for $329, red white and blue to match the RWB

 

i picked up a vector at the beginning of the season, have to say a little disappointed i prefer my old shoei.fit is great wind noise is unbelievably bad visor sucks compared to shoei

 

I would own an Arai today if not for their horrendous visor attachment mechanism. It's a shame because the Arai is the most comfy helmet I've ever tried on. I got a kick out of the salesman trying to demonstrate a visor change on an Arai. I just got a Bell Star.

 

I just got mine in today, and I agree, the wind noise is bad (although for longer ride I wear ear plugs). However, it is WORLDS apart from my HJC, especially in comfort, and with all vents open, you can actually feel air being circulated around, I was shocked.

 

I have only worn Arai street and dirt helmets for the last twenty years and love them but must say the price is about to make me look at other brands. I did get my last for $399 shipped from competition accessories which was less than half.Motorcycle Helmets, buy from the Motorcycle Helmet Super store at Competition Accessories

 

I haven't worn an Arai since the 70s. Was big into Bell for a while and then Shoei for a long time but with Shoei I always had a pressure point on my forehead that burned like the fires of hell. Then dare I say it, I tried an Icon mainframe and I couldn't believe how well it fit my mellon. The visors work well as do the vents and it is pretty quiet. The price is embarrassing! I don't own any other Icon gear as I don't feel safe in it but this helmet is just too perfect for me. I can ride an 800+ mile day in this bad boy with no discomfort at all.

They all have the same safety ratings (DOT / Snell) so it is difficult to say which one meets the minimum standard and which ones exceed the standard and by how much they do so? I think this is what we would all really like to know. Then we could say that an $800 lid is actually safer than a $300 lid or perhaps not.

Forget the paint scheme
Forget who is wearing them on the track (they get them free for the most part)
Nobody cares which one your mother likes (well maybe someone does)

Personally, I would like to know which one is safest and how they determined that fact.

 

My wife used to laugh her ass off when I took my Shoei off because it left a big red rectangle on my forehead for hours.

 

Same here...

 

arai vector

Hey Zoober, was that a Arai Vector Web that you got from Revzilla? That's a good price...I've been looking at the Shoei X-12 glory for my 2007 RWB but still pretty pricey and the X-11 has a weird design on the back that doesn't play into the rest of the helmet!

 

I find it hard to believe that one would purchase an arai helmet for what they cost on cost alone and definately not trying them on. One of the things that set arai apart from other brands is that they offer several helmets to fit various head shapes and sizes. Oval, round and long oval. They are very different. Inhave a corsair and while it is nice, it is not as nice for me as my quantumII which fits me like a dream. I agree that they are pricing themselves out. To me a shoie will not be comfortable and it doesn't matter the cost. The shape doesn't fit and they hurt. I wear my QuantumII for 8 hours or more no trouble no fatigue. I am an arai fan but I am looking at other helmets. Shark, Soumy and AGV. I will have to try them on first as the first rule in helmets is figment.

Good luck with your helmet

 

I bought a Vector, I think it was a closeout model for like $400. I love it--might have some wind noise, but I wear earplugs 99.43551% of the time, so not an issue. Check out Competition Accessories--they usually have pretty good pricing, and free shipping on orders over $100.

BTW, I read somewhere that the decibels produced by riding a motorcycle at 60mph is high enough that you shouldn't expose your ears/hearing for much more than like 12 minutes. I don't know how some people can ride without hearing protection:unsure: I'm just sayin.

 

Is that a Cincy paw print?

 

Me? Nah, that's just a regular wolf/dog/coyote paw print

 

To update this thread, I sold the Shoei X11. It plain & simple DOES NOT fit as good as my Corsair. Since I broke my Arai a few weeks back (I broke it, it didn't fail, it was entirely my fault), I picked up a HJC on closeout as a back up helmet while I waited for the parts for my Arai. Surprisingly enough, the HJC FS-15 fits almost exactly the same as a Corsair.

I'll get this right out in the open. The HJC is an adequate helmet. However, it is in no freaking way anywhere near the quality or comfort of an Arai. Yes, it is an adequate helmet, but it IS NOT as good as Arai. The single biggest complaint I have with the HJC is the visor is not optically neutral. It has noticable distortions to it & it irritates the hell out of me. given how much I paid for it, I'm not worried about it. I only bought it to have a spare helmet.

Since I still haven't found a bucket that fits my head better than the Corsair, I guess I'll just be on the lookout for a closeout when new helmet time comes up this winter.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

okay cools. Me likey.

 

i bought one a chaser and that visor mechanism really pissed me off unfortunatley i never new about it till i got helmet home from bike show so im stuck with it just as well its comfy