JSM Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) Looking at the new Shoei Qwest. Curious to what others who may have purchased thought. It was so comfortable! I should have invested the $80 from the On-sale Vega I got and stepped up. Also curious to buying a used helmet. This one is owned by a women. Thoughts on the TZ-R. I know it is a discontinued model. http://orlando.craigslist.org/mcy/2376172213.html Edited May 17, 2011 by JSM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I'll sell you my old helmet. $220 shipped to you. I don't know what size your head is though. My helmet is practically new, only worn a few times when practicing on my roommates bike. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/pts/2375777939.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
310z Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Helmets have expiration dates and or build dates and supposedly they are only safe for 5 years from build date. So if that interests you then there are different models made to fit different shaped heads. I use off road moto helmets and tried on a Shoei and thought it was great. Then I tried on an Arai and it fit perfect and that is what I use. I have tried a Bell that also fit great but the face protection /chin gard is very close to your face. It is a personal preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihavearustedz Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Like 310 said helmets expire. My spec-1r expired. When i was looking for a new helmet i saw that suomy had their new apex line out. There was no reviews out So i decided to try it. It's a great helmet but one thing is it's way more noisy than my Suomy spec-1r. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutantZ Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 All DOT helmets have to meet the same specs so supposedly they should all protect your head the same. Personally I like Arai mostly because they are the most comfortable for my noggin, but like 310z said it's all personal pref. Dunno about a used helmet though, have you taken a whiff of your own helmet after a day of riding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Personally I would NEVER buy, own, or recommend ANY helmet that was DOT Approved only. And I have seen them out there! If they aren't submitting samples for SNELL certification, they aren't worth putting on your head! DOT/SNELL-M-XXXX (whatever the latest rating is, I believe it's SNELL-M-2010) approval or it isn't going on my bean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Helmets don't expire. Some helmet manufacturers recommend replacing a helmet after a set period of time but there's no expiration date. Track organizations generally only allow the current and the previous generation Snell approval for any helmet used on a race track. That would be Snell M2010 and M2005 for motorcycle helmets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Most reputable helmet manufacturers will reinspect their helmets and in some cases upgrade the SNELL rating for the reasons John mentions above: keep a serviceable helmet in service rather than being discarded due to simple rules requirements. For years I had a Nolan Helmet I wore. DOT only. Then one day I realized I'd bought it in 1979 and probably shouldn't be using it any longer (this was about 1997...) Damn it was comfortable, still tight but not overbearing. My replacement was undoubtedly safer and for SURE was lighter! But after a half hour or hour wearing it I get a slight headache. Not like that old Nolan. Time flies, and if you keep it in a nice bag with fleece lining and don't hit anybody or anything...they do look nice for a long time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Just bought one about two months ago... I LOVE My QUEST... Replaced a slightly heavier and noisy EXO-700 scorpian. The Quest loves being in dirty air. I had to replace the Vstream windscreen on my FJR with the stock unit in order to quiet the helmet/ buffeting. Best Helmet I've ever bought... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted May 18, 2011 Author Share Posted May 18, 2011 Just bought one about two months ago... I LOVE My QUEST... Replaced a slightly heavier and noisy EXO-700 scorpian. The Quest loves being in dirty air. I had to replace the Vstream windscreen on my FJR with the stock unit in order to quiet the helmet/ buffeting. Best Helmet I've ever bought... Mike Oh cool! First hand experience. I checked it out before I read the reviews. I was that much more impressed after reading the reviews. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nizm0Zed Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 I guess its different attitudes, but personally i would NEVER buy a second hand helmet. You can never know 100% for sure if its ever been dropped, involved in an accident, neglected, repaired ect ect. I personally know of every bump that my helmet has been involved in. When the unfortunate happens and you come off, the one time you need that piece of saftey equipment to save your life, are you truly prepared to take the chance that its not upto the task? you guys are also a bit luckier with the Snell ratings. Down here in oz, we can have a helmet that meets Snell ratings, but not DOT/ADR ratings (Snell meets and exceeds requirements) and its not legal to use on the road. Stupid i know. all because someone hasn't paid the money to test it to our local standards, even if its been tested to US DOT or Euro standards. That's bureaucracy for you... I would say that you should try to get a helmet that meets the Snell ratings, that in a nutshell is tested for multiple impacts, as opposed to basic DOT testing for single and sometimes secondary impacting only. At least if you have a Snell helmet, its safer for use during track events too. Some CAMS events require a Snell rating of the helmet. But i guess if your at that level, you'd have dedicated gear anyway. Either way, from personal experience, look for a helmet that suits your expected riding experience. does it have a sun glare visor? (as a bandaid fix for some helmets, a strip of electrical tape along the inside top edge of the visor is awesome!) can you get a tinted shield for it? what is the ventilation like? Will it fog in cold weather? how heavy is it? How does it sit on your head when riding? (very important between riding a cruiser or a crotch rocket) Is it easy to control the ventilation switches with gloves on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 There is starting to be some misleading information. SNELL ratings change with the technology MUCH faster than most governmental requirements. If there is a considerable advance in helmet technology chances are it will be adopted by SNELL much faster than any governmental agency. It's a moving, continually stricter requirement... And I feel that is a good thing. But the specifics of the testing we should probably not comment upon---they are listed at the SNELL foundation site and the changes per standard are logged. "Multiple Impacts" is generally an "SA" requirement (for cars) whereas Motorcycles "M" are generally "Single Impact"---but SNELL is still the worldwide gold standard. As for SNELL not meeting AU standards because they are AU standards...it's not just helmets! Pressure Vessels and all sorts of other things can be constructed to VERY high standards exceeding Australian Specification, but because (as you stated) the way the Australian Trade-Union and OH&S Standards work, they must be individually accredited. This is similar to JIS "Type Certification" for automobiles. All the local guys do it, but importers have a hell of a time. We went through this with of all things OIL COOLERS (!!!) and ended up hiring a consultant firm to run our coolers through South Australia (since they have no industry and can push your inspection / engineering review through faster...) to get our certification numbers for our 'pressure vessels'. Long and short of it, even if the local standards are met---I would STILL buy one with SNELL / Local approval over one which has only had LOCAL approval. The SNELL is a moving target, and exceeds any local standards. You still have to have something legal for the road if you are on public roads...but there is a reason race sanctioning bodies usually require SNELL or FIA certification of Brain Buckets. Local governments aren't really up on technology, and NO government PROACTIVELY works for HIGHER standards. SNELL Foundation DOES. I second the thought on a 'used helmet'---for the cost of a helmet new...I put at least that much on my noggin's worth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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