Arai Helmets

R4R&R · Post by **R4R&R** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:46 pm

I've been in the market for a new helmet (I think for the past three years!!) and am pretty much set on Arai helmets. Since my last helmet purchase Arai had changed their policy to ONLY sell their helmets from a showroom which killed the good online prices. I'm finally getting serious about the helmet now and after calling Helmetharbor today, Arai has rescinded their online policy about two weeks ago. Plus, Helmetharbor is still the cheapest I've found! I should have a new helmet sometime next week! BTW, I did go to my closest dealer today with full intent on buying one but their selection SUCKED (and it was not a BMW dealer).

big papa · Post by **big papa** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:59 pm

I was @ helmet harbor today, they are great. And yes Arai finally allows online sales. Probably due to Scorpion helmets producing a very good, and very cheap clone. Helmet harbor sells so many Scorpion helmets they have to get shipments 2x a week. When I picked mine up, they had 9 others ready to be picked up. I was a Arai guy for life, til they turned me onto the Scorpion EXO 400 and 700. Arai vents a little better and feels a little more comfy, but not $300-400 better... and the Scorpion quick change shield is awesome. Whatever you get, you can't go wrong w/ helmet harbor!!

Post by **12bar1** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:56 pm

+1 on the Scorpion helmets I have both an Arai RX7 and the Scorpion EXO 700. The Arai is a great hat and has better vents but the Scorpion no fog face shield is the best I have come across so far.

Post by **rock712** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 6:17 am

I never got an Arai to fit right.....I had a Scorpion 700 great helmet.... I now have a Vemar Its nice and quiet.......

Post by **mick Hoff** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:52 am

Here's my 2 cents i have an Arai & I have seen several Arai helmets after accidents, they hold up and protect very well.
My question is: has anybody ever crash tested(hope not) or
seen a Scorpion EX0 700 after a get off???
I think this is an area where being frugal could have problems-
Would like some feed back from you'll out there

jon pierce · Post by **jon pierce** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 12:41 pm

I have always have at least one Arai on the go at any one time and tend to use them for riding in cooler weather. Arai have always made superb helmets, they just look and feel good (though I don't have much experience with other brands).

In warmer weather I use my BMW system helmet. I recently wanted to update my BMW helmet but was told that thery are not sold here in the the US (I brought mine with me from Europe). Anyone know why they are not sold here?? Upon close inspetion of mine there is a label inside that does say not for sale or use in the US - how strange - do Americans have different heads or something??

Post by **12bar1** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 2:30 pm

Both the Arai and scorpion are DOT and Snell certified so I would expect their performance to be similar. With that said however if I knew I was going to crash and could choose which helmet would be on my head it would be the Arai.

jon pierce · Post by **jon pierce** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 3:31 pm

What standards are safe though? I recently read an in depth article in one of the US mags about helmet testing - if I recall correctly the evidence / conclusions were frightening. The tests used by DOT & Snell had very little relevence with the type of 'real World' situations that helmets get into. DOT in particular used very crude, basic testing.

I am amazed that the small 'skull cap' type helemets have a safety sticker on them. I know it is possible to buy your own DOT sticker to put on, but the ones I have seen have been on new helemets in the shop. If those helmets that cover only the top of the head, with the minimum of padding are passed by DOT then it is clearly a very low standard.

I was told when taking my US motorcycle test that I had to have a DOT sticker on my helmet - all my 'lids' are from Europe and had EU stickers........what to do?

I spoke with Arai (and Shoei) who told me that all of their helmets manufactured meet every standard applicable throughout the World. I told this to the DMV office when I presented my helmet for inspection on my test day and they spoke with the State Troopers who agreed that they would accept my Arai helmets.

I didn't show them the not for use in the US label on my BMW helmet though!

Post by **Boxer** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 4:04 pm

I just went to the Helmet Harbor site and found no mention of Arai.

R4R&R · Post by **R4R&R** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:53 pm

Boxer wrote:I just went to the Helmet Harbor site and found no mention of Arai.

Give them a call. I talked to a salesman yesterday and he said the Arai policy changed about two weeks ago. I had a way to get them to sell me one anyway but I guess I don't need to do that now.

I seriously considered the Scorpion since it has an anti-fog shield - great idea! But then at my local BMW dealer, they said it wasn't a permanent anti-fog shield and needed regular replacement. I ride in temps sometimes down in the teens (F) and know that fog solutions are pushed to their limits. If it's some kind of coating, I can see it losing it's effectiveness.

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:13 pm

I seriously considered the Scorpion since it has an anti-fog shield - great idea! But then at my local BMW dealer, they said it wasn't a permanent anti-fog shield and needed regular replacement. I ride in temps sometimes down in the teens (F) and know that fog solutions are pushed to their limits. If it's some kind of coating, I can see it losing it's effectiveness.

My BMW helmet also has that anti-fog coating on the visor..and it doesn't last..after a while you will need to use an anti-fog spray..(btw..BMW make a good one)

..or fit a fog-city type thing to your visor..then it wont fog up.

DJ

Post by **bikermeow** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:43 am

An alternative to the Arai would be Shoei Hornet.

Cheers

Meow

riceburner · Post by **riceburner** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:50 am

I won't use anything else.

leno · Post by **leno** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:17 am

bikermeow wrote:An alternative to the Arai would be Shoei Hornet.

Cheers

Meow

I've found that Arai and Shoei have differant shapes and so either you head will fit one or the other but rarely both. I've head butted the floor in an Arai and would have no other protecting my head.

The fact that two helments have past the same test means nothing in comparing. Everybody in this office is over 5' tall but some are only just over 5' 1" and some are 6' plus. When reaching for top shelf in the suppermarket the just over in never going to compeat.

R4R&R · Post by **R4R&R** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:22 pm

bikermeow wrote:An alternative to the Arai would be Shoei Hornet.

I have an Arai head - the Shoei just doesn't seem right on my head.

Post by **wncbmw** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:57 am

When I replaced my lid last year, I was replacing an Arai Signet in white. It fit great and I was sure it was good protection. After all the hoopla about the Snell vs DOT standards, I decided to check out other brands, including Shoei and the cheaper brands. After a lot of helmet wearing around bike shops, I once again figured out I have an Arai head.

I bought another Arai Signet . . . in white. Not very imagative but I have a very comfortable helmet!

Post by **mcollect** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:27 am

I have tried many helmets in my riding/racing years. I crashed at 125+ at Summit point wearing an AGV and it was trashed, I walked away. I tried an Arai It lasted without any major spills and I retired it after 5 years Got the new version again and again. Last month my Arai was 5 YO and I started looking for something new. Tried on many and ( shock) I bought a Caberg Solo. I love the fit and finish, it's fog free, Has a sun visor, and a QR strap as well as a Dring to lock it to the bike. After only 750 miles I still think It was the right choice.

Kevin Markwell · Post by **Kevin Markwell** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:16 am

I suspect this topic has been covered here in the not too distant past regarding the relative merits of the DOT/Snell ratings controversy as evaluated by Motorcyclist magazine, so I will leave it to interested members to check out the full story. I have to admit that as someone with a Mechanical/Biomedical Engineering degree I was fairly impressed with their analysis and logic -- enough so that I am now the proud owner of an $89.00 Z1R helmet. I like it very much.

I have the round (fat) head shape, so old Arais never fit me well, but I understand they have "expanded" there range of sizes to accomodate most any head now. I have owned Shoei RF900s (great all around helmet - survived a low speed get off that plunked the side directly on the concrete without so much as a daze, and Suomy Spec1z - very nice and light, but very noisy. I think Arai has done a wonderful marketing job and achieved their desired result by correlating the value of your noggin with their helmets, but I think they are taking advantage of our natural drive for self preservation. From the results of the tests though, it is apparant that there is not much necessary stuff going into their helmets worth an extra $400 and possibly what is going into them is too much of the wrong stuff. I could afford those pricier helmets if I really thought they were superior, but I am convinced they are not. Just food for thought.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearb ... index.html

Post by **duke** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:55 pm

ahem - the problem about shoei/arai and head shape ...

I have open face with large visor arai and full size shoei xr1000 - both fit nicely. But whenever I try full face arai - OOUUUCCCHHHHHHH. Hurts like hell.

Anyone for schuberth lid??? http://www.schuberth.de/ I hear the top model is very quiet and has integral dark visor - jet fighter pilot style!!!

On the other hand - both my lids are below 2 years old and crash/drop/bash free ... can't justify the spend just for the sake of it ...

Panzerleder · Post by **Panzerleder** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:54 pm

I couldn't agree more with Kevin. Read the Motorcyclist article before buying another helmet. After reading it, I, too, added a Z1R and Scorpion to my collection (which includes Arai, Shoei, Bell, and Simpson). Both are great helmets -- especially for the price. My favorite, however, is still the Bell open face.