What Helmet(s) do you guys wear?

[stevelenti]

What you guys think of the Shoei Neotec ? http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shoei-neotec-helmet I've been researching for weeks now. Expensive but you get what you pay for. Any thoughts ?

This is what I use and I love it.  I always end up coming back to Shoei's because they just seem to fit my head perfectly.  No hot spots and hardly any break in time.  Pretty comfortable out of the box.  It isn't the quietest helmet (and very loud on the FJ with the stock windshield) but I come from the Harley world and always wear ear plugs so this isn't an issue for me.  The pinlock is terrific as I ride most of the year so not fogging up on the cold mornings is a definite plus.  I don't think I will ever own another helmet that doesn't offer pinlock.  The drop down sun visor comes down far enough and is extremely effective.  I have had other helmets where they wouldn't drop down far enough and the bottom edge of the visor would be right in my line of sight which drives me crazy.  Mostly I would just opt for sunglasses at that point.  With the Neotech I use the sun visor all the time and keep my sunglasses in my tank bag.  I have the Sena 20s communicator fitted to the Neotech and it's a great combination.  Even with earplugs in I can hear the music and talk on the intercom even at highway speeds.
 
Hands down great helmet IMO.
 
-Steve

[bgigharbor]

I have a neotec because of all the modulars it was the only one to fit me. Really wanted the c3 pro but there was no room for my jaw (not even close).
 
The neotec has some good features but I have to say the front lower vent is really noisy/rattly when open. I can live with it as I usually close it after a while but I have friends that the rattle/noise drove them mad.
 
The internal sun visor is great, and much better than say the nolan esp in terms of optics.
 
To replace the visor and pinlock insert is over $80 though.

[likebutta]

I have a bigger, rounder head. So that pretty much counts me out of 90% of helmets, predominantly made for intermediate ovals. My first helmet was a Bell Vortex. Seemed fine at first but anything more than an hour caused severe pains on the sides of my temples. I then managed to find the Nexx XR1R Carbon at the bike show and it fit the part. I still have it as a backup but it's not the quietest of helmets. My next helmet was supposed to be the Shoei X-12 Kagiyama (awesome looking helmet; quality features by Shoei) but this was a blind buy online. I did a lot of online research and seemed to find the general con census being that it was neutral. It was not. I had to return it as it was too tight around my head.
 
I eventually ended up with the Arai RX-Q. It's rounder though some internet reviews dispute that. It's not what I would call the most attractive helmet but in the end, the helmet has to fit because it's protecting the most rare equipment we have. It's not very quiet but significantly more so than my Nexx. So that's where I am right now.
 
Really wished us round heads had more choice.

[panooch]

For me, Arai Quantum with round oval head. Still use my last Quantum II every now and then, but their NLA. I've got six retired Arais on my shelf. I tried on many helmets as replacements and could not find the comfort of Arai. Defiant was close though. I ended up with Shoei Quest but the next size up from Arai's medium. Shoei's are narrower at the opening and I couldn't get my 58.5 cm head back out without ripping my ears off. After purchase, I exchanged the std sized cheek pads with Shoei. They will do this one time as a courtesy free of charge.

[mardak]

Best helmet ever:
 
 

 
 
Mark.
 
 

[fitrider82]

Shoei GT-Air Journey

[drummer]

Because of my problems of cervical I bought A X-Lite X-802r. happy with it.
 

[eeetea]

I've read and heard good things about the neotec. 
I am currently running around in the Shoei GT Air.  It is a good helmet.  Relatively quiet and quite comfortable for my head shape.
 
Only gripe i have with it is that the pin-lock is poorly designed so that it shifts around after a while causing the lip of the pin-lock to interfere with the smooth operation of the shield.  This was fixed with some scotch tape strips at the top of the pin lock to keep it in place and remove the edge at the top that was catching on the helmet.

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Neotec...... Man thats alot to spend on a helmet

 
 
How are you finding it? I bought one five months ago, but have reverted back to my Arai Tour X3 - Neotec cost £450, worth about £60 on eBay. :¬(
 
I couldn't get on with the ventilation, (steams up in the cold) no slight open position on the visor. I missed the peak on the TourX with low winter sun, (we're suprisingly North here in the UK - level with Hudson Bay) any slight scratches makes seeing out difficult with the sun on it
 
 
(yes the visor scratched very easily, when you consider the Arai is seven years old is in a similar condition, and I'm very fussy with optics (DSLR camera, scopes, glasses and visors all get royal treatment).
 
Just me, how are you finding it?

[santacruz]

I have the shoei neotec,never had any problems with it,fits great,in low sun i just flip down the internal sun visor,l had a shoei hornet before this one.

[jpdx]

I've been wearing a Shoei Neotec for ~3.5 years. I had a '08 R1200GS but now I have an FJ-09 (both with a stock windshield). I like the Neotec in every other way but on the FJ it has noticeably more wind noise behind the FJ's stock windshield. If I had to do over again I would probably get the Shoei GT Air (saving a little $). At some point I'll upgrade the FJ's windshield though.  My $0.02.
The pinlock visor is great but I will never get a solid color again....the scratches are too noticeable if it gets dropped.

[spicymayo]

Last year I picked up a Nolan N86. I wanted a high quality white helmet, with a drop down sun visor (I didn't want to carry a tinted visor, and having glasses, carrying around a second set of prescription glasses is annoying) and I have a round head. I'm a big fan of this helmet, It's a bit on the heavy side, other that I love it.
 
 
https://www.thehelmetwarehouse.com.au/sc_images/products/4951_image.jpg
 

[johan]

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Neotec...... Man thats alot to spend on a helmet

How are you finding it? I bought one five months ago, but have reverted back to my Arai Tour X3 - Neotec cost £450, worth about £60 on eBay. :¬(
 
I couldn't get on with the ventilation, (steams up in the cold) no slight open position on the visor. I missed the peak on the TourX with low winter sun, (we're suprisingly North here in the UK - level with Hudson Bay) any slight scratches makes seeing out difficult with the sun on it
 
 
(yes the visor scratched very easily, when you consider the Arai is seven years old is in a similar condition, and I'm very fussy with optics (DSLR camera, scopes, glasses and visors all get royal treatment).
 
Just me, how are you finding it?

eeetea, this is interesting, I have a Shoei NXR, which I like - the fit is good, it is light and the visor and pin lock works well. I could do with more ventilation at low speeds and at standstill and was consider amongst other the Neotec. I like the idea of keep the helmet on and open during fuel stops etc - I always feel I need to get my full face off the moment I stop. Your experience seems to suggest ventilation is not good?

[eeetea]

Not good in winter with the anti draft chin piece in place...its okay when you're moving, but not at low speed, so for most helmets you can leave the visor a smidge open..but the shoei's first click is too wide and cold.
 
I'm talking humid cold uk winter weather.
 
The chin vent on the helmet can be opened, but that's all or nothing. So cold for head and nose...but lots of air...when moving, but its that compromise little bit of air where it fails imho.

[eeetea]

I have the shoei neotec,never had any problems with it,fits great,in low sun i just flip down the internal sun visor,l had a shoei hornet before this one.

 
 
I agree flip down visors are a real boon, especially if you wear glasses too. But its not particularly dark, even wearing my Maui Jim sunglasses sometimes especially on wet roads its still too bright. This is where a peaked helmet wins.
 
I live where one minute you'll be under tree canopies next open road, round the next nend straight into the sun, through a left turn and quite dark. Even a flip up would have to go up n down several times a minute, and none of that with peak.
 
you don't know what ya got til its gone, I gave up my peak and wore flip down instead, gave up a peak and wore a flip down instead. Oooh oooh..etc..etc..
 
 
 
 
 

[kiwicanuck]

Shoei gt air. Having a sun visor is a must for me. Pricey but well worth the money.