Funny you mention that as i was thinking the same thing and got an Email in about this one. I can't see spending a whole lot on one as i trash helmets quick. http://www.atomic-moto.com/servlet/the-544/AFX-FX-39-Helmet/Detail
I have the Afx , no Arai but good for the money. It is good for faster pace/ asphalt stuff, but I like gogles and a mx helmet better for everything else.
Welp, after about an hour of internet research I just ordered one of these in white: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/icon-variant-helmet
I wear glasses too which is one of the reasons for trying the Dual Sport helmet. I looked at the Shoei DS at the local BMW dealer and it just didn't fit my fat, odd shaped head as well as the Icon... or I would have bought the Shoei as it appears to have better build quality although a lot more expensive.
I also wear glasses and find the Vemar VRX7 helmet a good choice. It has an optional visor that does not fully close/seal the helmet, allowing plenty of air flow and less fogging. The visor is easily removed if you wish to wear goggles Although a quality European Helmet I am disappointed with the fact that the hardware (screws) for the peak and visor are aluminium and the internal thread inserts in the helmet are a brass material. This is a deadly combination if exposed to water. In dusty conditions it does allow some dust to enter, but this doesn't seem to get as far as your eyes. The gap between the visor and mouth guard also allows the odd branch to enter when riding in heavily wooded areas...
I like my helmet and my new Husqvarna safety glasses. I would wear one of those DS helmets if I had a SM though.
I've been using an Arai XD3 and really feel it was worth the extra cost. I like the fit, ventilation and how dry and warm I stay when the weather is not cooperating. I've also had no problems running 60+ mph for hours at a time without too much neck stain. Cosmetics aren't bad either..
I have the Shoei, with a pinlock visor. I tried the Previous version AFX before this and man the build quality was pretty bad. I broke my Shoei visor right before a trip to Baja Last year, and they were local to me in Socal so I just drove over and picked up some parts. That really impressed me. You can call them in CA and have replacement parts fedexed next day, so that's definitely a plus. OTOH You could buy four of the AFX's for the same price, (If you live through the first crash)
I have a Hornet, but the shields are expensive and are a magnet for branches and rocks from the front tire or your buddys rear. The helmet is really great though on the road, especially when it rains. I wear a regular dirt helmet and goggles most of the time.
I have an Arai XD and I love it. I usually only wear it on the street and when dualsporting. It lets in too much dust and stuff on the trails. Its time to replace it and I've been looking at all the helmets mentioned in this thread but I keep coming back to the Arai. I'd really like to get something a little less expensive as I should replace my helmets rather frequently due to a previous head injury but it's hard to give up what the Arai offers. I got my Arai Quantum Haga Replica street helmet stolen at a Giants game and started wearing my XD on my commute til I could find a replacement. It took me almost a year to get around to it because I really like the XD. I ended up with a really sweet Suomy ("Pin-up" paint scheme ) but I still find myself looking for excuses to wear the XD on the street. On the subject of the Shoei Hornet, I was talking to XLEnduroMan at Stonyford a few weeks ago and he said he wasn't too thrilled with the visor as it was too short to really block the sun. I never realized it looking at it online and stuff, but next to HairlessKitty's Arai it really was short. That has kind of kept me from looking too closely at the Hornet. Another helmet to check out is the Zox Roost RX http://www.atomic-moto.com/servlet/the-256/Zox-Roost-RX-Helmet/Detail I really liked this helmet. I was shocked that a helmet so inexpensive could be such high quality. It was a great helmet -comfortable, quiet, nice-looking, very functional, light, plush- but having had some traumatic head injury in my not-so-distant past has really made me leery of non-Snell and/or non-CE-approved helmets. It is DOT approved, but that's not really enough for me given my medical history, unfortunately.
