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Arai vs Shoei vs ?

19K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  Rainman 
#1 ·
I wasn’t sure where to put this so I just stuck it here.

I have been told that there are far more stringent helmet requirements in Europe and here in the U.S.
Would that happen to be SNELL? I’m familiar with DOT of course, but unfamiliar with anything above and beyond what we have here in the U.S.
Someone told me that at DOT approved helmet would not meet the requirements for Europe.

So the question is “who wears what when they ride”? And who and/or what is Shoei and Arai?



Coppertone John
Phuket, Thailand
 
#2 ·
SNELL is also a US based organization. They are a private institution though, not part of any government's agency.

It is possible for a helmet to only meet USA DOT standards, but fail to meet EU and SNELL standards. Like those little plastic beanie helmets some Harley folks wear.
 
#3 ·
#4 ·
jmkiser said:
I wasn’t sure where to put this so I just stuck it here.

I have been told that there are far more stringent helmet requirements in Europe and here in the U.S.
Would that happen to be SNELL? I’m familiar with DOT of course, but unfamiliar with anything above and beyond what we have here in the U.S.
Someone told me that at DOT approved helmet would not meet the requirements for Europe.

So the question is “who wears what when they ride”? And who and/or what is Shoei and Arai?



Coppertone John
Phuket, Thailand
I'm the helmet king in here. As many of the earliest Duc-MS members can attest to.

All the high end helmets are excellent, albeit any helmet about $200 US or more are generally good at protecting the head.

E.g., I bought one of the new Scorpion EXO helmets to try it out [I know, what a dumb idea]. It was $150 on ebay and I have to say it is a very good helmet in terms of quality, fit, finish and features. But it weighs a ton. At the time they were a new company [about 2 years ago?] and they got good reviews. Not sure how they are doing now.

Of my 40 helmets, I like the Arai best. They are noisier than others, but the trade off is that they are light. Plus, I can put on any Arai large and I know it will fit.

I buy all my helmets on eBay, for not more than $400 for the $600-700 Arai.

I have some Shoei helmets, but they tend to be on the heavier side and I cannot get the fit right. Close, but not as perfect as Arai for me.

IMHO no helmet sold by the major brands is going to be deficient in terms of protection. So you only need to be concerned about what pleases YOU, not us.

I would recommend that you try them on at your local dealers, then go buy one on eBay. Or you can go the way I did. Just buy 40 to 50 of them, and the ones you don't like, sell on eBay.

Also, BEWARE of copycat, counterfeit or knockoff helmets. Lots of those being sold in Asia.
 
#5 ·
Different counties have different certification requirements and provide different stickers... As an example: A helmet sold in England will NOT have a DOT/SNELL sticker - that's for the US market. It WILL have the BSE certification sticker.

Also, to continue with this example, BSE certification performs some different tests and also tests a higher percentage of helmets than DOT/SNELL. This is one reason why identical helmets cost more in England than in the US. Also, why some people tried to buy helmets in the US and bring them back to England. Unfortunately, if a cop in England checks your helmet and it has a DOT/SNELL sticker and NOT a BSE sticker - you're in trouble... On the other hand, you'll probably NEVER have a US cop check your helmet, but that's a different topic.

Make sure the helmet you buy meets the legal requirements and carries the certification sticker of the country you live & ride in. Go to an authorized dealer, get it fitted properly and be safe AND legal. If you want to save some money, get a solid color helmet as opposed to a race rep paint scheme.
 
#6 ·
There was a great write-up regarding helmets in Motorcyclist Magazine a few months back.

On the basis of information contained in that article, largely the specs for low weight and high amount of shock absorbtion provided, I bought a Schuberth. They fit me very well - another critical consideration - and they are also very, very quiet. The built-in flip-down sun visor is great for canyon riding where you're in and out of sun. I'm also confident Schuberth's quality control is very good, so no fear of them testing one spec helmet while another is sold to the public.

Here's a link. Draw your own conclusions.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/hatz/index.html
 
#8 ·
Most people report that the shape of one's head determines whether a Shoei or Arai will fit better. As for me, I started to try on an Arai and the front of the helmet came straight down on the bridge of my nose. More cautious, I tried on a Shoei and it was a perfect fit.
 
#9 ·
I've had an HJC for several years and it broke in and got looser than I like it, so I started shopping. I shopped (literally) for 11 months. I tried on every single helmet I could find in a store. People would laugh at me cause I would put on a helmet and then shop around the store for 15+ minutes. Did I mention I tried on everything?? Then...one day it happened. I tried on a Scorpion. I was floored and couldn't believe it. That thing fit me like it was made for my head and my head only. Not only did it fit good and proper, but it was sooooo comfortable I didn't want to take it off. Long story short, I was done shopping. Finally got one for Christmas and been happily wearing it for almost three months now. It's a tad bit heavier than my HJC but I feel safer in it. But, it's not heavy enough to ever pay it any attention riding. I've done 350+ days with no noticable fatigue from it. FWIW, I got the EXO-700 for three reasons...1. Favorite graphics 2. Advertised lighter weight (different construction material) and 3. Advertised better vents, in that order. 2 & 3 are "as compared to the EXO-400" Both the 400 and 700 are sub-$200 helmets but the quality would never make you think such a thing. If you think you have to pay $400+ or you're not getting a safe, top quality lid, you're mistaken. My close second place favorite was a Shoei X-11. Lighter than the Scorpion but no where near the comfort and didn't like any graphics. Plus, it just down right wasn't as comfortable. No way. You are selling yourself short if you don't at least consider them and give them a fair shot. They are D.O.T. and Snell approved...not that that means anything from some of the articles I've read in the past. (Seems quite a few cheaper, D.O.T. only helmets fair alot better in some tests) Oh yea...comfort and fit wise...the 400 and the 700 are identical on the inside. You'll never know which one was on your head if you weren't looking. Another cool thing about the company. Sorry for the rant, but this is IMO, the single best 'product' I have been exposed to in my riding days. Other than the bike itself of course!!

And as someone already mentioned...this may all be moot as everyone's head is different. We may as well start a tire or oil thread. Priority...get what's comfortable and fits properly and BE HAPPY WITH IT. Any new, reputable, name brand helmet is going to be safe.
 
#10 ·
jmkiser said:
I wasn’t sure where to put this so I just stuck it here.

I have been told that there are far more stringent helmet requirements in Europe and here in the U.S.
Would that happen to be SNELL? I’m familiar with DOT of course, but unfamiliar with anything above and beyond what we have here in the U.S.
Someone told me that at DOT approved helmet would not meet the requirements for Europe.

So the question is “who wears what when they ride”? And who and/or what is Shoei and Arai?



Coppertone John
Phuket, Thailand
Wear what fits you the Arai is for oval shaped heads and Shoei and Suomy are for more round heads. I have no experience with other manufacturers to categorize them. That sure was a great article wasnt it? Shook up a lot of people.

Dave Harhay
 
#11 ·
Doc said:
European standard for helmets is the ECE-22.05

Doc
And, this is the standard for the Vemar VSR helmets I wear. Made in Italy and "approved for international racing" according to the sticker. In my 30+ yrs. of riding I've owned Shoei's, Arai's, Bell's, Simpson's, et. al. This Vemar is the best helmet I've owned. As always fit is a personal thing, but this helmet does not fog with the visor down. The down side is that, unless you wear earplugs, it is pretty noisy. With ear plugs it's non-issue.

bruce19
 
#12 ·
Would I be Prince?

Okay if Roto is King, then I am the Prince of Helmets.
I have 25, at last count, and have multiple use helmets.
For Open wheel, Bieffe or Schuberth are my favs.
For in cage, Simpson or Bell.
For two wheels, it becomes MUCH more opinionated and passionate.
I find AGV, Shoei, Arai, Bieffe, and Schuberth are all top notch, kevlar composite, noggin protectors.
They all fit differently, as my head is oval shaped, and large.

The best thing that would do it, as far as a decision, is to try them on.
Example, I have a Suomy. I wore it for 5 minutes and bought it.
I wore it for an hour, and it killed my forehead sending me into a massive headache.

Each person here will have a different experience with helmets, as eah individual has a different shaped head.

For me AGV is the best shape and quality. And how can you go wrong with a Rossi replica?

Arai quality is great, although expensive, but fit is not as good.

Shoei is my second choice and the Du Hamel Dragon fits my personality best.

Schuberth fits great, expensive, but the graphics suck. I had it custom painted for my tastes.

Really, the best thing is to let your head decide.
And wear it for more than 5 minutes....
 
#14 ·
I have a few Arai helmets that I wear street and track. I've bought them for reasons already stated, light, high quality, good fit, plus my local dealer would give me great deals. I also have a Suomy, and may replace the Arai with another Suomy, since I can get goods deals on them now. In the past I've used Shoei and AGV, great hemets too.

My one knock (maybe two or three) on Arais the faceshield system. I've had one come off in track crash ~30 MPH highside. The other issues are cost, and complicated install (not bad once you get the hang, but it's still easy to pop off the side plates). IMHO Shoei has the best faceshield attachment design.
 
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