off topic Airoh issue, one thing about my Stelt Senior was that the brow was a little low, which tended to push goggles down for the dreaded nose pinch. I ended up using the smallest frame goggles and always swapped between brands to seek the best space fit. I dont know if the new shell design Aviator has more room across the brow line. The cheaper Thor I have now has plenty of space there with no nose pinch issue. Norm or other Arai VX3 users report on fit (goggle fit), also for the Shoei as well, note also the new Bell (as used by the ZipTy riders is a nice piece as well.
I wear a VX-Pro3 for snowmobiling and wear Scotts Turbo Flow 89Xi's and they fit the eye port well. I still wear a MXC-Pro for dirt and have a brand new one put away, which I grabbed when they discontinued them. I was about to put that one into service, but I'll join the future with my VX-Pro3 Salminen Star.
I got to hold one of those Airoh Aviators brand new earlier this year. Wow! Just the weight difference is amazing (assuming no loss in protection capability with CF). If I got one I'd be paranoid about tearing it up, they are expensive!
I think as long as you spend close to $200 you are probably getting a pretty good helmet. I was able to get my Arai for cost at around 400.00. I was told you can get different size fit pads for them to taylor the fit. Another thing I like about the Arai is the chin bar does not stick out so far so there is less chance of it digging in or grabbing in a crash causing a neck injury. I was talking to a dealer once and he said dirt bikers will spend a fortune on boots and buy the cheapest helmet while street bikers will spend a fortune on a helmet and ride in running shoes! GP
I have been using Arai's for a few years. I love how they fit my cheeks, however me being Italian, my nose is too large for the my 2 Arai's. Does Arai have different offroad shells similar to their street helmets?
The VX-Pro3 is the Intermediate Oval shape. On the last update they tilted the chinbar 11mm foward for more clearence. I pretty sure Arai has three shell sizes to accomodate from the smallest to largest head sizes.
I just got it.... it's sweet! I swapped out the 20mm (standard for large helmet) cheek pads to 12mm for my chubby cheeks and a perfect fit!
I read an article a few yrs back that tested helmets of many types and costs ... It stated that the foam liner that is in all helmets saves your life in hard impacts, not the shell material, not the paint job ... Lower priced helmets will save you but maybe not last as long or be ~quite as comfortable ... Enjoy the paint job but it ain't saving your life ... It also stated the reason to change the helmet after a big crash was the foam liner gets dented ... Once dented it cannot absorb a second hit in the exact same spot ...
Did that article say that all the foam liners from all brands of helmets come from the same manufacture? I seriously do not get people trying to save a few hundred bucks on a helmet that saves your brain. I just don't see the point in scrimping on a helmet to save a few bucks and then go buy a set of radiator guards that cost more. I am not singling you out ray_ray. I for one will do whatever it takes to make it home Sunday night to see my family. I also wear knee braces even though I have never had knee surgery. I want to stay riding as long as I can in life.
I kind of have a different take on that; Years ago I was trail riding in Idaho and suffered a pretty nasty head injury. I was wearing my beloved Shoei at the time. I'd spent a lot of money on the Shoei, as I had on all my other Shoei and Arai street and dirt helmets, and didn't want to let it go, even though I thought it maybe should have been replaced before the season started. Had I not spent so much money on it, it would have been easier to trash it and get a new one. I can't help but think my reluctance to do this contributed to my head injury, and my neurologist agreed. After some good discussions with my neurologist (who was not against riding, oddly enough...) it was determined that buying good quality helmets (Snell, ECE, or whatever the British and European standards are) more often would serve me better than keeping an ultra-expensive one around too long. I miss my Arais (although I wear an XD for dual sporting) but have been very happy with my Scorpions, Sharks, Suomy and my new Shoei I got for only $234. I have no qualms about throwing them away if there is any question as to their safety after falling down. No, they're not as plush and groovy as the Arais, but I feel a lot better about things now, even though I still get "right" and "left" mixed up all the time.
I've read the articles, that inexpensive helmets protect as well as expensive ones, if they meet the standards. No reason to doubt this statement, but I'll still choose an Arai for the comfort and quality. These are the same reasons I wear top of the line boots, instead of inexpensive ones. I've tried more basic lines of both boots and helmets, they don't work for me. They are expendable items and even though I pay more, when their usefulness is done I replace them. My present Arai dirt helmet is at the end of its lifecycle and has never taken a bad hit, but it's done. I may spend less on something else, someone else spends more on. We all make choices.
This is totally off-topic, but I was incredibly angry when my Arai Haga Replica got stolen off my helmet lock on my SV at a Giants game last year...
Pretty low thing to do. I usually carry my helmet, even though it's a pain. I'm sticking with Husky too!
http://www.helmetcity.com/page/HC/CTGY/offroad Arai $500-$600 Shoei $400-$550 Not such a big difference Bell Moto-9. $475.
