Thinking about getting a new helmet soon

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KDXrider1989
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Thinking about getting a new helmet soon

Post by KDXrider1989 »

Looking at a fox helmet, V1, V2, or hopefully V3. tried a V1 and V2 on at a local cycle gear and like the look, fit and comfort, the padding is pretty tight around my face but I know it will loosen after a few rides. Do you guys have any experience with these helmets? Or what helmets do you guys wear and what are your opinions on it?
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Post by MadMax »

I got a great Ebay deal on a Troy Lee year before last and love it. Otherwise, as far as I know, HJC is the best bang for the buck helmet out there.
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Post by SS109 »

Sorry, I have no experience with the Fox helmets. I have three that I use.

My summer helmet is a Klim F4. Bar none the best helmet I have ever owned. You can just tell it is quality from the get go with aluminum, not plastic, visor screws, how the liner is made, etc. It also has the best ventilation you can find. Air flow is very important to me out here in the desert. I overheat easily to begin with, and then add in the desert heat, so I couldn't ride as much in the summer without it! It came with a high quality bag, extra visor, extra visor screws, cold weather liner, and cold weather face guard. I actually have been using this helmet recently in the cold weather and have been pleasantly surprised that it works great in temps down to about 40f. Maybe will do fine at even lower temps but haven't had temps lower than that yet. It is slowly becoming my year round helmet. The only negatives are the price ($400 unless you find one on clearance like I did) and that the top vents can possibly catch on tree branches and therefore pulling your head back. I haven't had that problem other than one time and it wasn't a problem. I have heard others say they have had it worse than me and it is a deal breaker for them. So, YMMV.

I also have a 5 Series Oneal and a Rockhard Slayer (same as Oneal Monster helmet). The Rockhard is a great fitting helmet and comfortable. It is my cold weather (under 40f) helmet. The 5 Series I just kind of ended up with. The fit is awful for me due to my head shape. The finish is almost as nice as the Rockhard but no where even close to the Klim. I don't wear it anymore.

BTW, I bought Klim through http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com for $149.99. You just can't beat that price! They have quite a few Fox V1, V2, and V3 helmets at great prices. Just make sure you know for sure what size you need (try them at your local dealer) when ordering as getting them to take it back is next to impossible from what I have heard.
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Post by KDXrider1989 »

>|<>QBB<
MadMax wrote:I got a great Ebay deal on a Troy Lee year before last and love it. Otherwise, as far as I know, HJC is the best bang for the buck helmet out there.
I have an HJC right now, have worn it for almost 7 years now haha and finally realized that it's time for a new helmet. I definitely agree with you, I liked my helmet since day 1
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Post by KDXrider1989 »

>|<>QBB<
SS109 wrote:Sorry, I have no experience with the Fox helmets. I have three that I use.

My summer helmet is a Klim F4. Bar none the best helmet I have ever owned. You can just tell it is quality from the get go with aluminum, not plastic, visor screws, how the liner is made, etc. It also has the best ventilation you can find. Air flow is very important to me out here in the desert. I overheat easily to begin with, and then add in the desert heat, so I couldn't ride as much in the summer without it! It came with a high quality bag, extra visor, extra visor screws, cold weather liner, and cold weather face guard. I actually have been using this helmet recently in the cold weather and have been pleasantly surprised that it works great in temps down to about 40f. Maybe will do fine at even lower temps but haven't had temps lower than that yet. It is slowly becoming my year round helmet. The only negatives are the price ($400 unless you find one on clearance like I did) and that the top vents can possibly catch on tree branches and therefore pulling your head back. I haven't had that problem other than one time and it wasn't a problem. I have heard others say they have had it worse than me and it is a deal breaker for them. So, YMMV.

I also have a 5 Series Oneal and a Rockhard Slayer (same as Oneal Monster helmet). The Rockhard is a great fitting helmet and comfortable. It is my cold weather (under 40f) helmet. The 5 Series I just kind of ended up with. The fit is awful for me due to my head shape. The finish is almost as nice as the Rockhard but no where even close to the Klim. I don't wear it anymore.

BTW, I bought Klim through http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com for $149.99. You just can't beat that price! They have quite a few Fox V1, V2, and V3 helmets at great prices. Just make sure you know for sure what size you need (try them at your local dealer) when ordering as getting them to take it back is next to impossible from what I have heard.
good info here, thanks man! is the Klim helmet heavy? I'll go ahead and do more research on this
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Post by dfeckel »

I think SS109 is right on the money with the Klim, butd I have to chime in as one of the "deal breakers." The quality is top notch, the bag it comes with is super nice, and I loved that it came with a summer liner to take advantage of the venting and a winter liner that blocked the venting to keep your hair warm.

However, I ride 99% in tight woods with lots of face slappers and having to duck under low branches. This helmet does not play well with face slappers, especially of the evergreen variety. The pine needles engage the screen in the top vents like bristle blocks, and I had nearly been pulled off the bike several times before I just taped over the top vents. At that point, the venting was worthless, but I wasn't getting my neck stretched any more. Oh, and big swaths of duct tape over the top of your helmet looks pretty ugly.

I'll second the notion that HJC is the best value out there. Removable liners, good construction, good price.

I currently wear a Troy Lee Designs, and it is the shiz. Great fit, high quality, very cool design, and best of all, the visor adjusts to a nice and low setting to help deflect the face slappers. Lots of helmets out there right now seem to position the visors UP at 30 degree angle at their lowest setting, which I suppose is good for back flips, but not much else. In fact, my buddy got the top model Fox helmet, and then proceeded to use a torch to melt and bend his visor to an appropriately low position. Looks like ass (like all his gear, bike included), but it works for him. Plus it gives me more ammunition to make fun of him with. I can do this because he's slightly faster than me, the bastadge.
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Post by MadMax »

Yeah, I also have the Oneal 5 series. Very thick comfy padding but the eye ports could be bigger. There's not a lot of room for my X-Brand goggles. But for the price, you'd expect to give up something. My smaller Scott and Smith goggles fit decently.
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Post by rbates9 »

HJC for me. Good fit, good price and pretty comfy.
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Post by ihatefalling »

>|<>QBB<
SS109 wrote: My summer helmet is a Klim F4. Bar none the best helmet I have ever owned.
+ 1

Never wore it in the winter but thought I would try the liner this winter. So far so good but like you, temps only in the 40s so far.
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Post by tirebiter »

I've used just about every helmet out there over the years, and always stuck to what I could physically slap on my head from local retailers- no purchasing on the internet- never know how it's gonna fit.
Took a chance a few years ago and ordered a Bell moto 8 from motorcycle closeouts. Perfect fit, waaay cheap (Bout 1/3rd) , fit like a dream and is probibly the best helmet I've ever owned.
Light, very breathable, comes with extra pads, visor, screws & bag-
What more do you need!
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Post by SS109 »

>|<>QBB<
KDXrider1989 wrote:>|<>QBB<
SS109 wrote:Sorry, I have no experience with the Fox helmets. I have three that I use.

My summer helmet is a Klim F4. Bar none the best helmet I have ever owned. You can just tell it is quality from the get go with aluminum, not plastic, visor screws, how the liner is made, etc. It also has the best ventilation you can find. Air flow is very important to me out here in the desert. I overheat easily to begin with, and then add in the desert heat, so I couldn't ride as much in the summer without it! It came with a high quality bag, extra visor, extra visor screws, cold weather liner, and cold weather face guard. I actually have been using this helmet recently in the cold weather and have been pleasantly surprised that it works great in temps down to about 40f. Maybe will do fine at even lower temps but haven't had temps lower than that yet. It is slowly becoming my year round helmet. The only negatives are the price ($400 unless you find one on clearance like I did) and that the top vents can possibly catch on tree branches and therefore pulling your head back. I haven't had that problem other than one time and it wasn't a problem. I have heard others say they have had it worse than me and it is a deal breaker for them. So, YMMV.

I also have a 5 Series Oneal and a Rockhard Slayer (same as Oneal Monster helmet). The Rockhard is a great fitting helmet and comfortable. It is my cold weather (under 40f) helmet. The 5 Series I just kind of ended up with. The fit is awful for me due to my head shape. The finish is almost as nice as the Rockhard but no where even close to the Klim. I don't wear it anymore.

BTW, I bought Klim through http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com for $149.99. You just can't beat that price! They have quite a few Fox V1, V2, and V3 helmets at great prices. Just make sure you know for sure what size you need (try them at your local dealer) when ordering as getting them to take it back is next to impossible from what I have heard.
good info here, thanks man! is the Klim helmet heavy? I'll go ahead and do more research on this
It feels fairly lite IMO. I remember measuring it at one time and it was comparable with other high end helmets like Shoei and Arai. The only helmets I remember being lighter where from Airoh.
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Post by mucka »

Last year I needed a new helmet and went from my HJC to a One Industries Kombat. I love it. They can be had for under $100.00.

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Post by kdxquebec »

Airoh are the best Helmets on the market period :wink:

Can you repeat the question? :grin:
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Post by diymirage »

i have just bought an awnser helmet and i love it...its the only helmet ive found that matches my barney bike

and on top of that its comfortable

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Post by Mr. Wibbens »

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kdxquebec wrote:Arai are the best Helmets on the market period :wink:

Can you repeat the question? :grin:


There fixed it for you
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Post by SS109 »

No, he was right the first time! :supz:
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Post by KDXrider1989 »

Those Airoh helmets look sick, looks like it has good ventilation and looks like its compatible to wear with a neck brace, although I never wear one. They're expensive though, and I think I'll have to special order one 'cause I don't know of any stores around town that carry 'em
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Post by KDXrider1989 »

>|<>QBB<
dfeckel wrote: I currently wear a Troy Lee Designs, and it is the shiz. Great fit, high quality, very cool design, and best of all, the visor adjusts to a nice and low setting to help deflect the face slappers. Lots of helmets out there right now seem to position the visors UP at 30 degree angle at their lowest setting, which I suppose is good for back flips, but not much else. In fact, my buddy got the top model Fox helmet, and then proceeded to use a torch to melt and bend his visor to an appropriately low position. Looks like ass (like all his gear, bike included), but it works for him. Plus it gives me more ammunition to make fun of him with. I can do this because he's slightly faster than me, the bastadge.
How heavy is the TLD helmet? I like the designs as well, the helmet itself looks of good quality. And I thought on the fox helmets that you could adjust the visor?
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Post by gsa102 »

I wear a HJC CS-MX because it was the one that fit. I think helmets are a good place to spend a little more, but the local dealers only stock the cheaper ones. And like was said before, I won't buy one off the internet and have it not fit. Same with boots.
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Post by dfeckel »

I just weighed my three helmets on my little food scale.

All are size Medium

Klim 55.2 oz

HJC CL-X3 (from the year 2000) 51.1 oz

TLD Vortek 50.9 oz
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