let's talk helmet

[tomsp]

Ok, time to get a new lid. My Suomy is fading and scratched up. Looking alternatively here, anyone try a Z1R flip-up or a Shoei flip-up, or an AGV ti-tech?

[DeBenGuzzi]

Nolans are top notch give'em a look over, maybe not as flashy but well built for sure.

[tomsp]

DeBenGuzzi - ok, from the forum I respect you- you're a solid biker would you wear a nolan to protect your grey matter? I've been reading in Cycle World and others about helmets and maybe all the super hard stuff isn't the best after all....... what do you wear?

[dlaing]

DeBenGuzzi - ok, from the forum I respect you- you're a solid biker would you wear a nolan to protect your grey matter? I've been reading in Cycle World and others about helmets and maybe all the super hard stuff isn't the best after all....... what do you wear?

This is what I wear, but the damn LEOs keep giving me sobriety tests

[tomsp]

hhmmm... maybe the hard stuff is beter than beer after all. I bought the nolan flip up.

[DeBenGuzzi]

Well nolan was my first street helmet I have a huge melon and push on types are a real pain for me to get on, I never ride with the face sheild up and it has its advantages my current helmet and maybe one of a handful in the USA is this one made by suomy.

except I already lost that stupid nose guard thingy

my hot hot weather helmet and all around backup is a nolan, I still have the original nolan in the closet I bring it out when I go somewhere I don't want to carry my helmet around and don't care if someone steals it.

[Skeeve]

Nolans are top notch give'em a look over, maybe not as flashy but well built for sure.

 

I have the Nolan N100E (unfortunately, purchased about 30 days before they came out with the added solar shield thingy, seen in the foto above; at 1/3 the cost of a replacement helmet to retrofit it, I figured I could get by until it was time to replace the helmet...)

 

If you're going to buy a Nolan modular, I strongly advise you to buy the new N102! The N100 suffers from several design flaws, such that I prefer the $90 Zeus modular I got prior to the Nolan [to test if a modular was right for my needs; it was, & furthermore, I ain't never goin' back! ]

 

Among the improvements to the N102 are a revised latch system, so a single central release button does the job [instead of being forced to use the left-side release on the N100 [Nolan provides a rt-side button, but it only functions in a "helper" mode, to relieve some of the force required to undo the left-side latch... ], and from the appearance, it seems Nolan may have also changed the airflow to the inside faceshield [the N100, with the "fog-free" additional inner shield, fogs about as badly as the Zeus did w/o any special treatments, yet is a noisier helmet besides!]

 

If I sound unhappy w/ the Nolan N100, please be advised that I'm mostly displeased with the unjustified superlative reviews it rec'd. in the moto press that led me to its purchase, rather than the helmet itself. It's an O.K. helmet for the price, but nothing to get particularly excited about. I *really* dislike the ski-boot buckle chin-strap fastening system, since it's both uncomfortable & precludes the use of the helmet with almost all helmet locks, unless you spend additional money for a special piece of hardware [a piece of stamped stainless plate that costs the maker about 5cents ea. in large lots, which Nolan wants another $10 for in addition to the helmet, instead of including it with the helmet as they should do due to their lack of foresight in not using the nearly universal D-ring style of chin strap...]

 

All that said, I'm very interested in upgrading to the new N102, as soon as I can afford it. Nolan does build a quality product; I'm very happy with the fit & finish & durability the N100 had demonstrated in use, it's just some of the details of implementation that have left me less than completely satisfied.

 

Overall, I give the N100 a grade of B, so it's clearly better than average, just not an A or A- helmet. But I clearly expect the new N102 to get a B+ at least, & maybe higher.

 

Ride on!

[Josh]

I have the AGV titech and warning about this helmet, it has a "race fit". Order one size larger than you would normally wear. I normally would wear a large but wear an XL in the titech. Its a little loud (wind noise) with all its venting but I do like it. I would never pay retail price for it and got mine for about $350 (demo model) from AGV.com.

[dmoon64]

Here's a link to the Motorcyclist magazine helmet article.

 

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/..._helmet_review/

 

Very interesting take on some of the tests. FWIW those flip up helmets just give me the heebie jeebies. Hinge points and latching mechanisms that close to my noggin. Course I'm breaking in my wifes Harley and wore my old half-helmet this weekend.

[tomsp]

well I got the N102 Target Helmet...... black/grey.... I wanted a flip up but also wanted quality.. I was worried/am worried... I've never paid that less for a helmet ($340). So fit and wind noise and time will tell. My Suomy was great but had tons of wind noise. My Arai and Shoei (which I don't wear anymore) have little wind noise and are comfy too! Just wanted different...

[Skeeve]

well I got the N102 Target Helmet...... black/grey.... I wanted a flip up but also wanted quality.. I was worried/am worried... I've never paid that less for a helmet ($340). So fit and wind noise and time will tell. My Suomy was great but had tons of wind noise. My Arai and Shoei (which I don't wear anymore) have little wind noise and are comfy too! Just wanted different...

 

Well, all modulars (flip front, whatever you wanna call'em) helmets are noisier than integral full-face helmets: there's just more edges to create turbulence, gaps for noise to get in, etc. etc. Since I never ride w/o earplugs anyway, it's not *that* much of an issue, altho' it's always less fatiguing to ride in a quieter helmet, so on long road trips you might want to continue using your older full-face helmets. But for the day to day commute, modulars get the big from me!

 

Ride on!

[Duecavalli]

I'm using the AGV modular helmet, which is identical to the Grigio helmet on the MG website. It's very quiet and comfortable.

[GuzzTim]

greetings from the land of aprilia.. !

 

thought I'd check in again... nice hooters section btw.. good to see you're all maintaining a perky cylinder attitude.

 

I bought the Arai SZ as an alternate to my full face Arai. As a visually challenged (must have been the long hours in the hooters thread) person I find taking off and replacing my glasses a pain.. and the Arai SZ works wonderfully..

 

Noisy? not too bad.. but then again I'm going deaf..

 

Field of vision? Fabulous... I can see things out of the corner of my eye that were impossible with the full face ... ie. cell phone toting mama's in Nissan Armadas...

 

oh.. spent 3 wks in London/Kent.. Paris.. Florence.. 20th anniversary and all that.. wonderful. each place was great. .. UK and Europe are fabulous.. warm people.. great food .. really really good wine !!!!!! but I had to wait until Florence to hear and see a Tuono blasting down a side street with the exhaust reverberating off the buildings.. ah. italy...

 

everywhere else it was MEGA SCOOTERS !!!! ;-)

 

cheers, Tim

[Zoom Zoom]

I too have the Nolan N100E. I purchased it 2 years ago at the Cleveland cycle show. I spent the 60 bucks for the sun shield too. Based on the modular helmet reviews that I located on MCN (I think), modulars, when used as directed, protect as well as a conventional full face. The Nolan even passed an impact test after it had already been damaged by the first test. The side deflection of the chin bar was also less that a regular full face.

 

Now, what I mean by "used properly" means they don't want you riding with the helmet hinged open.

 

As to noise, yes, it's noisy. As others here, I'll use ear plugs for the long trips. I did end up removing the sun shield as an experiment. I discovered that it disrupted the air flow to the point that the vents didn't work. With the face shield down and the sun shield removed, the air flow is decent even on a very hot day.

 

Also FWIW: At the time of the review, the Nolan was the only modular that used a metal latch system to lock the helmet closed. The HJC Symax does not use a metal latch, but they could not get it to open up on impact.

 

All in all, I have been very happy with the Nolan. It fits my head shape perfectly and has a removable interior that can be washed. I would recomend it. (I too would opt for the newer N102 because of the improvements.) YMMV

 

Zoom Zoom,

John Henry

[kanoa]

i have the Nolan N100E as well. aside from wind noise, and associated neck pain after several hours in the saddle, it's a great helmet for around town. my only complaint is that it's starting to smell bad.