Nov. 11, 2006 - Motorcycle Helmets
Since most of us here own a helmet for either auto racing or motorcycle riding (or both), I thought I would give a quick review of my old and new motorcycle helmets. My first full face helmet was purchased last year, it was a KBC VR-2 Legend. I got it on sale for about $160, and its not bad for the price. The good things were that it was fairly cheap, it had decent aerodynamics, and it was Snell rated. However the drawbacks were that it was fairly heavy, it did not fit all that well, a lack of shell sizes made me look and feel like I had a huge head, if I turned my head while riding (say to check a blind spot) the wind would catch the helmet and pull hard on my neck, and the wind would blow from underneath the front of the helmet across my chin and face which was very cold in the fall and spring. Now I know that is a lot of negatives toward the KBC, but please remember that this is a lower model helmet that I didn't pay a lot for, and, well, it got the job done.
My recent pickup was a Suomy Spec-1R Extreme. This is Suomy's top of the line racing model with race replica graphics, and it also happens to be one of the top (and most pricey) helmets in the world which competes with Arai's RX-7 model. However I only paid $350 instead of the $650 retail price because mine was slightly used. I actually planned on buying a Shoei RF-1000 but when I came across this deal, I could not pass it up. Mainly because of all the helmets I have tried on in the past year (which is a lot) the Suomy was hands down the best fitting and most comfortable. This is because not only is the liner soft yet firm, it also cradles my head and face more completely than any other I have tried. But my love does not stop there. It is also claimed to be the lightest helmet of its kind in the world, and it sure feels that way. It's venting is great, with air entering the helmet via the vents and ducts only (not throught the bottom like the KBC). The visor does not ratchet up and down like most of the helmets on the market, but rather it simply locks in the up and down positions making operation smooth and easy. The aerodynamics are not as good dead on as the KBC, but where the KBC fails when I turn my head, the Suomy does not. In fact it is just as good in any direction as it is straight on. Now this Helmet is not perfect and there are a few drawbacks. One being the wind noise, but this is to be expected with all of the vening it has. And there are a couple of vents that are "always open," which makes things a little more wet when it rains. One last thing about the Soumy that can be considered a drawback is that it is not Snell certified, rather it is BSI certified. After some research into the certification process and standards I feel safer in a BSI helmet than a Snell helmet. However due to SCCA and other sanctioning bodies' rules, Snell certified helmets are required, therefore I cannot use the Suomy for my autocrossing or driving schools (but several motorcycle track events allow them).
The old (left) and the new (right)
I must say that I think the Suomy looks much better than the KBC, and I love the visor on the Suomy.
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A place to show off my futile attempt at autocross and the like. Lets just hope the car holds together.
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