What helmet are you wearing lately?

[DT675]

On 10/13/2022 at 5:01 AM, Hlshew said:

Been pretty impressed with my LS2 Explorer Carbon! 

It's noisy on the highway and the front piece is high which makes it a little awkward to put goggles on. But neither of those things out weigh the amazing weight, features and sexy looks!

 

I should say the reason I bought it was it that its the only thing my lbs had in stock that fit my head shape, but no regrets 

I have the LS2 Explorer (non carbon) and love it. It was going to be my “step up” helmet to an Arai or something like that but I think I’m just going to get  the carbon version some day. It’s not perfect, none are, but it’s the best I’ve had. Better in the heat and much better in the cold than my previous Bell MX-9.  I love the built in visor too. 

Edited November 13, 2022 by DT675

[Revy]

wow the LS2 looks great IMO. This might be my next helmet

[Toymaster]

Klim Krios Pro, the best helmet I've had.  I have one lighter but its for sport riding.  For any ADV style riding I would easily recommend the KKP.

 

[gerbuuu]

What is the reason of the big flap above the visor?

[Lewie]

It’s a peak isn’t it

ive the LS2 Evo - only about £50 need to get a pin lock for it though

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by Lewie

[john_aero]

I have been using Nexx Adv helmet for a while and a cheap Scorpion as a first flip up for using glasses. For road bikes I find the HJC helmets fit me very well.

 

After a knock or bang I always replace my lids and never keep them over 5 years.

 

Had 3 LS2 lids before that and have decided not to use them anymore.  I do fall off a lot when offroad and what I found is with the LS2 I always felt dizzy (once had concussion) after small falls. Other lids have not had that affect on me offroad.

 

AGV was a lovely lid but peak buzzed like mad on my ktm 950 adv.

 

I plan either get another new lid soon be wither Nexx or a Touratech Carbon lid.

 

 

To date I found the HJC and Nexx were best fit for my head. also found them very good for long hours in the saddle.

Edited March 16, 2023 by john_aero

[RoyFrance]

Another vote for the LS2 explorer carbon, have been using it for the last 3 months (over winter) for my daily commute.

 

It is light, fairly quiet considering the peak and with pinlock is fairly mist free.

 

Not used it on the trails yet  but has wide vision and light weight so should be good.

 

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by RoyFrance

[Wintersdark]

On 3/30/2022 at 12:17 PM, Ray Ride4life said:

Totally agreed.
That's for all gear, not only the helmet.

If it was possible for me, I'd absolutely only try on gear first.  Sadly, it's not.  Bike shops never carry gear or helmets that will fit me - absolutely never.  6'4", 300lbs, with a gargantuan melon.  

 

Fortunately, online shopping these days is 100% safe for this stuff.  Fortnine in Canada, Revzilla in the US both offer full free returns/replacements if something doesn't fit so at worse its mildly inconvenient - and typically massively better pricing than brick and mortar stores anyways.  

 

I've been riding with a GMax MD01S, which has been a fine ECE rated modular helmet, and have dual pane and heated visors for it.  Heated visors are a must for me; when you're riding in well below freezing temps it's really nice to have what feels like a sunbeam on your face and NOT have your breath literally icing up in the inside of the helmet.  It's a little rounder than my head is, though, which for some time led to a hotspot on the center of my forehead.  It adapted over the years, though. 

 

But, on that note, it's been 5 years with it now and while it's in good condition, it's time for a new lid, so on the way is a new Scorpion AT960 (ADX2 in the EU?)  The previous version (the 950) got heated visors, and after a talk with Scorpion they said that while the 960 uses different visors and does not yet have a heated visor, one is in development and should be available for the 2023 winter season, so that'll do for me.  The 950/960 have great reviews, are modular, and the 960 is not only ECE rated but the newer 22.06 certification.  

[Windblown]

Question for the Klim Krios Pro helmet users out there: What do you not like about the helmet? I find it often more helpful to learn what bugs people about gear rather than read about what they like.  It's what annoys us that stands out at the end of a long day while what we like largely gets taken for granted after awhile.   

 

My (2nd) Arai XD4 is getting pretty long in the tooth and has me shopping for a new main lid.  I really hate spending big money on helmets that I end up beating up but am spoiled by the comfort of a quality lid for long days in the saddle.  That said, there have been two things I disliked about both my  XD4's.   

 

1) They fogged up fairly easy in heavy rain, high humidity no matter how I arranged the vents so I always ended up spending the extra money on their rain face shield because Pinlocks don't work well with them.

2) The vent switches on top of the helmet failed on both  with no damage to them, they just gave up the ghost.  

 

I've owned Shoei street helmets and like them, don't like any of their DS/ADV helmets.  Had a Bell MX-9 which was ok but it wouldn't be my first pick for long multi-day rides. 

 

So before I pop for another XD-4 I figured I'd explore the possibility (as much as it pains me on some levels to do so)  of giving the Klim a shot.

 

So talk me out of a Klim with your nitpicks about it!

[jdub53]

13 hours ago, Windblown said:

Question for the Klim Krios Pro helmet users out there: What do you not like about the helmet? I find it often more helpful to learn what bugs people about gear rather than read about what they like.  It's what annoys us that stands out at the end of a long day while what we like largely gets taken for granted after awhile.   

 

My (2nd) Arai XD4 is getting pretty long in the tooth and has me shopping for a new main lid.  I really hate spending big money on helmets that I end up beating up but am spoiled by the comfort of a quality lid for long days in the saddle.  That said, there have been two things I disliked about both my  XD4's.   

 

1) They fogged up fairly easy in heavy rain, high humidity no matter how I arranged the vents so I always ended up spending the extra money on their rain face shield because Pinlocks don't work well with them.

2) The vent switches on top of the helmet failed on both  with no damage to them, they just gave up the ghost.  

 

I've owned Shoei street helmets and like them, don't like any of their DS/ADV helmets.  Had a Bell MX-9 which was ok but it wouldn't be my first pick for long multi-day rides. 

 

So before I pop for another XD-4 I figured I'd explore the possibility (as much as it pains me on some levels to do so)  of giving the Klim a shot.

 

So talk me out of a Klim with your nitpicks about it!

 

No help here with your Krios question, but after two successive XD-4s I moved away from them for the exact reasons you stated about fogging. I was also a beta tester for Arai on their pre-production anti-fog coated shields; the one I was sent still fogged up and the fragile coating scratched by just looking at (through?) it too long. I happily threw that shield away at the end of the several month test period as by then it was unusable, but it sounds from your experience maybe Arai got it right after more development.

 

I replaced the last XD-4 with a carbon fiber Touratech Adventuro (manufactured by Nexx), which had almost exactly the same fit but no more fogging issues and the lightness of the CF is amazing. It's about ready for replacement, and seriously considering going modular this time around and looking hard at Schuberth C5 (awaiting their E2 release also) due to its great fit to my head.

[Windblown]

4 hours ago, jdub53 said:

 

No help here with your Krios question, but after two successive XD-4s I moved away from them for the exact reasons you stated about fogging. I was also a beta tester for Arai on their pre-production anti-fog coated shields; the one I was sent still fogged up and the fragile coating scratched by just looking at (through?) it too long. I happily threw that shield away at the end of the several month test period as by then it was unusable, but it sounds from your experience maybe Arai got it right after more development.

 

I replaced the last XD-4 with a carbon fiber Touratech Adventuro (manufactured by Nexx), which had almost exactly the same fit but no more fogging issues and the lightness of the CF is amazing. It's about ready for replacement, and seriously considering going modular this time around and looking hard at Schuberth C5 (awaiting their E2 release also) due to its great fit to my head.

 

Thanks for that! I checked out Nexx helmets and liked what I saw. Knew that name but had never really looked into them. I found a good deal on a Nexx X.Wed 2 Vaal Carbon from FC-Moto in Europe. Cost ends up being a good deal less than the  XD-4 or Krios Pro.    Hopefully it doesn't suffer the same fate as most of my new ADV helmets and will still look new for awhile...

Edited March 19, 2023 by Windblown

[AZJW]

2 hours ago, Windblown said:

 

Thanks for that! I checked out Nexx helmets and liked what I saw. Knew that name but had never really looked into them. I found a good deal on a Nexx X.Wed 2 Vaal Carbon from FC-Moto in Europe. Cost ends up being a good deal less than the  XD-4 or Krios Pro.    Hopefully it doesn't suffer the same fate as most of my new ADV helmets and will still look new for awhile...

My son uses a Nexx X Wed 2 ( non CF) on his T7 and really likes it. Quieter than the AFX-41S it replaced and has a quality feel to it, especially the liner.  The only drawback is he added the included peak extension and it now just barely fits in his Ogio Head Case helmet bag. Other than that,  it's provided good service over the 8 months and 4,000 miles thus far.

[Toymaster]

On 3/16/2023 at 6:19 AM, gerbuuu said:

What is the reason of the big flap above the visor?

 

Why do dirt bike helmets have peaks?  Why are street bikes smooth? 

 

Adventure or dual purpose bikes go on dirt/rock and the road, so they need a compromise between both.  The visor is so you can block the sun with a tilt of your head and possibly deflect rocks/mud from the person in front of your.   However, a dirt bike peak acts as a sail at high speed, therefore, an adventure helmet gets slots and usually has some adjustment for user preference. 

 

21 hours ago, Windblown said:

Question for the Klim Krios Pro helmet users out there: What do you not like about the helmet? I find it often more helpful to learn what bugs people about gear rather than read about what they like.  It's what annoys us that stands out at the end of a long day while what we like largely gets taken for granted after awhile.   

 

My (2nd) Arai XD4 is getting pretty long in the tooth and has me shopping for a new main lid.  I really hate spending big money on helmets that I end up beating up but am spoiled by the comfort of a quality lid for long days in the saddle.  That said, there have been two things I disliked about both my  XD4's.   

 

1) They fogged up fairly easy in heavy rain, high humidity no matter how I arranged the vents so I always ended up spending the extra money on their rain face shield because Pinlocks don't work well with them.

2) The vent switches on top of the helmet failed on both  with no damage to them, they just gave up the ghost.  

 

I've owned Shoei street helmets and like them, don't like any of their DS/ADV helmets.  Had a Bell MX-9 which was ok but it wouldn't be my first pick for long multi-day rides. 

 

So before I pop for another XD-4 I figured I'd explore the possibility (as much as it pains me on some levels to do so)  of giving the Klim a shot.

 

So talk me out of a Klim with your nitpicks about it!

 

Ah, first world choices, got to love them.   The XD4 and KKP are the two top helmets in the world for ADV usage.  The XD was the first and so good they have not changed it in 11 years.

 

The choice comes down to if weight or sound are more important to you.  The XD is the quietest while the KPP is the lightest.   

 

You asked for negatives, the worst thing about the Klim is they only have two shipments a year.  Meaning a good price is hard to find and if you do it means it is late in the round and choices are limited.   The other "negative" is they are made in China, Klim is a USA company but that said quality is high.  I've been over mine and can't find any flaws.  Also, need to add a positive, the transition face shield is awesome.   The convenance of only have one shield and sunshade cannot be overstated.  It changes from clear to dark enough really quickly.  It is the only visor I use on it. 

 

 

[Windblown]

9 minutes ago, Toymaster said:

 

The choice comes down to if weight or sound are more important to you.  The XD is the quietest while the KPP is the lightest.   

 

You asked for negatives, the worst thing about the Klim is they only have two shipments a year.  Meaning a good price is hard to find and if you do it means it is late in the round and choices are limited.   The other "negative" is they are made in China, Klim is a USA company but that said quality is high.  I've been over mine and can't find any flaws.  Also, need to add a positive, the transition face shield is awesome.   The convenance of only have one shield and sunshade cannot be overstated.  It changes from clear to dark enough really quickly.  It is the only visor I use on it. 

 

 

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'll see how I get along with the Nexx carbon for now.  The deal from FC-Moto that came in $200+ less than the XD-4 or Krios Pro was the final shove to hit the order button.  Plus I like trying out smaller outfits stuff, now and then I find something I like as good or better.  The transition face shield was not a huge plus for me on the Klim. If I'm riding much I go thru a couple of face shields a year and I'm super used to donning a pair of safety glasses so that I can leave the shield flipped up during the heat of summer on slower tracks.   But the Krios will remain on the possibility list for next time for sure. It intrigues me. My biggest concern without having one to try on was the very common comment about a hot spot/tight spot towards the front which some folks resolved and some didn't apparently. Might be a non-issue for me but did give me some pause.

[qInvention]

@Windblown not a real answer to your question either, but I can't find anything negative about the KKP.

 

I'm on my 2nd KKP, as the first one got damaged in a crash. Cudos to Klim crash replacement program! Got a new one for free.

 

I had 2 Schuberths previously, S1pro and S2, both Street use helmets. While the first one was top notch, I didn't like the second at all. It was less pricy and quality went the same way, only further. 

 

The KKP is a top product and that transitions shield is amazing. I didn't have venting issues so far for that matter. I've installed a Cardo. As for noise, I wear ear protection on trips that are longer than 20min. That's sth this forum made me aware of and I'm grateful for that. 

[Chris1974]

I just bought myself a Caberg Xtrace. Super cheap (110 euro), but a really nice helmet!

 

Installed my Sena Evo in it also. 

 

It has a pinlock, peak and a sunvisor. Enough ventilation to keep cool. Pretty light and small shell.

And it looks great! 

 

[Spelldrummer]

Still a huge fan of my Shoei Hornet ADV - I am lucky to have found a Transitions Visor ( and another for spare.. ) they are discontinued and this is a travesty, they work perfectly, dark enough in Sunshine, clear enough at Night, on need to take One Visor for any trip. 

The helmet is super comfortable for my head shape, I purchased a different pad set from Shoei for a bespoke and 100% perfect fit, Day long comfort and also very good looking in White, to match my T7 !

[Hollybrook]

I just bought a Shoei Hornet X2 after crash testing my Bell MX-9 Adventure.  The Bell was OK, but very noisy on the road. I did get a concussion from the crash, though it would be hard to say that another helmet would have done any better. 

 

I thought about the XD4 and Krios Pro, but went for the Shoei based on how well the RF-1400 that I wear on the street feels. My only doubt is in buying such an expensive helmet to wear in the dirt, but I often ride long distances to get there. 

[Tenerider]

1 minute ago, Hollybrook said:

I just bought a Shoei Hornet X2 after crash testing my Bell MX-9 Adventure.  The Bell was OK, but very noisy on the road. I did get a concussion from the crash, though it would be hard to say that another helmet would have done any better. 

 

I thought about the XD4 and Krios Pro, but went for the Shoei based on how well the RF-1400 that I wear on the street feels. My only doubt is in buying such an expensive helmet to wear in the dirt, but I often ride long distances to get there. 

Glad it was only a concussion.

IMHO, money spent on crucial parts like a perfect-fitting helmet is well spent. The benefits of comfort can't be overstated, especially towards the end of a long ride.

[AZJW]

1 hour ago, Hollybrook said:

I just bought a Shoei Hornet X2 after crash testing my Bell MX-9 Adventure.  The Bell was OK, but very noisy on the road. I did get a concussion from the crash, though it would be hard to say that another helmet would have done any better. 

 

I thought about the XD4 and Krios Pro, but went for the Shoei based on how well the RF-1400 that I wear on the street feels. My only doubt is in buying such an expensive helmet to wear in the dirt, but I often ride long distances to get there. 

Sorry to hear about the concussion,  hopefully no other injuries or lasting effects.  I'd read elsewhere here that you had a high side and needed plastics repairs, but didn't know you had rung your bell until reading this. I should know this, but am too lazy to look it up, did your model of Bell have the MIPS system?

[Hollybrook]

Yes, the MX-9 does have MIPS, but I don't think it played a part in this situation. I wasn't going very fast (15-20 mph?) but it was the most abrupt high side I have ever had in 50+ years of riding that includes thousands of hours of enduro and MX riding.  The first part of me that hit was the side of my helmet just above and behind my left eye. I have some bruising of my chest and hip, but nothing to worry about other than the head. Luckily, I cleared the bike because I was wearing ADV boots instead of MX ones, and they would not have protected me well if my legs were under the bike. 

 

I think my tires contributed to the incident and will post something about it in the wheels and tires sub-forum.  

[Windblown]

45 minutes ago, Hollybrook said:

Yes, the MX-9 does have MIPS, but I don't think it played a part in this situation. I wasn't going very fast (15-20 mph?) but it was the most abrupt high side I have ever had in 50+ years of riding that includes thousands of hours of enduro and MX riding.  The first part of me that hit was the side of my helmet just above and behind my left eye. I have some bruising of my chest and hip, but nothing to worry about other than the head. Luckily, I cleared the bike because I was wearing ADV boots instead of MX ones, and they would not have protected me well if my legs were under the bike. 

 

I think my tires contributed to the incident and will post something about it in the wheels and tires sub-forum.  

 

Sorry to hear about the crash and getting your bell rung.  I really dislike hitting the ground while wearing an expensive helmet but I have to say that in my limited experience of smacking my noggin hard that it seems I am much more likely to feel the effects when wearing an inexpensive Lid.  Though that's not to say an expensive Lid is any guarantee.  I got my bell rung good while wearing an Arai XD-4 a couple of years ago and it too was not a high speed crash but was over the bars and head first at about 30mph into a jumble of rocks.  Didn't realize how out of it I was until realized I had no idea which way I had been traveling on the trail.  Took a breather until things started to make sense again, LOL.  

[r1superstar]

So is it the MX-9 or the windscreen or side deflectors that are causing me A LOT of buffeting?  And if there is a slight side wind, my lid wants to turn my neck.  

[Tenerider]

1 hour ago, r1superstar said:

So is it the MX-9 or the windscreen or side deflectors that are causing me A LOT of buffeting?  And if there is a slight side wind, my lid wants to turn my neck.  

Don't know the MX-9, but regarding the buffeting I blame the windscreen: Check if buffeting disappears when you stand up. If so, get a lower windscreen OR one of these windscreen clip-ons OR a really tall (and imho ugly) screen.

 

Check this extensive thread for details:

 

[EstRider]

Just pulled the trigger on a new Arai X-4 Tour to replace my aging Icon Airmada. Tried the Krios Klim, Shoei Hornet Adv, but the Arai just fit the best.

 

Now to find a sound system to put in it! Should be easy with how popular it is.