Does anybody know of any good motor cycle helmets?

[Ish]

Im getting a motor cycle soon and im looking for a good motorcycle helmet. Any suggestions?

[Live to Ski]

Arai, Shoei, Bell, HJC.  Not necessarily in that order and there are others.

Go to the bike shop and try on a few.  Make sure its snug but not too tight.  The padding will "pack" after a while, you need to account for that.

Under NO circumstances should the helmet be loose in any way.

[Chris R]

any major manufacturer will be decent, but make sure yours FITS right.

too tight is better than too loose.  Arai helmets are some of the best in the world, and offer a number of different shell shapes, and padding options (like 7 different sizes of cheek pads).  they're also really expensive.

my favorite helmet is the Scorpion EXO 400 or 700.  lots of expensive features at a very reasonable price.

watch this, and search for more.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KytJa4i96v4  a well fitting $60 helmet is better than a $700 helmet that's too big for you.

[Dani G]

Do not buy a helmet without trying it first. It needs to fit you right and sizes vary by manufacturer, so you have to try it to make sure it fits you.

1st is safety. The helmet needs to be certified. If you live in North America look for a DOT sticker or, better yet, a SNELL sticker. And again, it needs to fit you.

2nd is comfort. In general the more expensive helmets are more comfortable for long rides. They usually have fewer pressure points, they fit more suggly and most of all they generate a lot less wind noise, which can become very tiresome on a long ride.

There are many good brands out there, but in general it is best to avoid the really cheap Chinese stuff. They simply aren't very good and you will not be happy with them. They have also been known to use ringers to certify helmets that do not actually comply with certification standards...

[DoH]

I agree with Dani.  Don't buy one without trying it on.  Fit varies based on the shape of your head.  Some people have round heads, some have oval heads, there are helmets for each.

Go to a shop where the people selling the helmets know how to fit them.  You can look on line at places like helmet city for a better price once you know which one fits.

[Brandon K]

I gotta go with Chris R.  I'm in the EXO 700.  It's a lot of helmet for the money.  They are both DOT and SNELL approved.  Miguel Duhamell uses one right off the shelf.

[Roberto R]

As long as the helmet is D.O.T Or SNELL approved. Then you just need to decide what kind you want full helmet, three quarters and so on. you take into consideration the type of driving you will be doing and make sure it fits properly

[bryce k]

I have Shoei's and HJC's.  Shoei's are more $$$, but not necessarily better.  My Shoei RF1000 has interchangeable polycarbonite faceshields, and I switch between the dark tinted one and the clear one.  Make sure whatever you get is Snell rated.  -Full face helmet is your best bet for protection, or if you ride a Harley you can get a beanie helmet.  

[Lady Biker]

Shoei and Arai are two of the best helmets, but there are many that are just as good for street purposes (ICON, HJC, etc.).  Your helmet should be DOT and preferably SNELL approved (check the back of the helmet for the sticker.) Don't buy one online unless you have tried it on at a store first.  You want to make sure it fits well.  It needs to be snug to your face, it will loosen a little as it conforms to your head.  Make sure you can see in your peripheral view and you are able to turn your head with ease.

[alivetoridedotcom]

It depends on what is important to you.

In terms of safety, nearly all (full face) DOT / Snell certified helmets will protect you the same.  But safety is not the only thing to look for.

For quality (noise reduction, vents, comfort),

AGV, Shoei, Arai, and Bell offer the best quality helmets.  

If you ever try on an AGV Ti-tech you will notice immediately that useless outside noise is eliminated yet you can still hear horns, etc so your hearing is not hindered.   The helmet is extremely comfortable and the venting system is excellent.

Shoei's RF-1000 helmet is another top quality helmet that is significantly less in price than AGV's Ti-Tech.  We recently reviewed this helmet and I own and wear one myself.  The RF-1000 is also excellent at noise reduction - something that is important to me personally.  

For more details, our review can be found here:  http://www.alivetoride.com/motorcycle_gear_reviews_shoei_rf_1000

For style -

Icon and Arai seem to coming out with the best designs in the past two years.  

We reviewed Icon's Airframe helmet earlier this year which can be found at:  

http://www.alivetoride.com/motorcycle_gear_reviews_icon_airframe_helmet

The designs for this helmet are numerous and are the most vividly artistic helmet designs I've seen in a while.  

For price -

HJC, Scorpion and Vega offer great prices for a helmet that will protect you quite well.  If you have a tight budget, or are looking for a backup / passenger helmet - HJC is definitely the way to go.