Well apparently a couple issues ago, Quad Magazine called the Tucker Rocky SparX helmet a POS helmet because they crushed the chinbar with their bare hands! SparX when balistic when they saw the review and the perverbial chit hit the fan. So in this months (May 08) issue, there is a HUGE helmet discussion where they go over all the ratings, DOT, ECE and Snell, and a whole bunch of other factors as well. There are quotes and interviews from helmet makers to safety standard makers. It's a huge souce of great info on helmets.

It is a MUST read for sure!!!

When i got my new Thor Carbon Fiber helmet last year, I called John Gregory at Goldew West to brag about it! He tells me...

"I dont like those helmets. They are TOO hard and don't absorb enought impact to work properly"

I'm crushed! But I don't worry too much because the helmet fits better than some of the Shoei's I've owned and no matter how expensive a helmet you have, it won't protect you at all if it does not fit right! I ended up with that paticular helmet because I bought my Oakley Sand Goggles first, and THEN tried on hemets that fit nicely with them. I ended up with a combo that not only protects me, but feels like it's not even there.

So............

If you have'nt seen the new Quad Magazine, go out and get it! If you have, would you trust a $100 helmet?

Quad Magazine a huge souce of great info on helmets for sure

Go with Bell. Original owners bought back the company and put them back on track wit the new helmets coming out. They are the only manufacture that tests their standards on a regular basis to make sure they still meet DOT and Snell approval. After doing my research I'm sold on the new Bell's again.

That was a REAL interesting point in the magazine article, the manufactures are SELF REGULATED!!! They are spot checked every so often, and thats it! Bell and the other top brands make sure they exceed all of the tests.

They consider the tests a minimum standard. The cheap helmets consider the tests to be a goal.

Arai or Shoei are the only things going on my head.

Arai and Shoei are excellent helmets, howwver the new Bell Star helmet exceeds their standards as of today. Tommorrow they may come out with a better one, but right now for street Bell is the contender to beat. As for the dirt the Moto 8 is pretty even with the Arai and Shoei. Except the Moto 8 has better air flow then the others and extremely light weight. Keep in mind Bell has the only testing facility in the US all others are in China. Because of their facility they are able to randomly tests 3% of their helmets continually, whereas the others are tested in China and then issued their stickers. I'm just more into the bell I guess. This is a good informative forum on the article though. Especially when they talk about the $100 helmets that are blown out at the shows. Pay an extra few bucks and it may save your life, whether its an Arai, Shoei, or Bell. Everybody has there preferrence and I wouldn't turn down either one of the three.

AMEN.

Well the only helmet I will wear on my head has to say Arai on it. They have saved my life once.

Read here if you like>>>>> full crash story

Having slung Helmets like hash browns....



Most folks don't care about the ratings.
Its the $$$ or Pretty colors that sell a lid.

Funny....Bell (I Loved my Moto3 and 4) was pyre junk for the last decade.
Interesting to see they bought it back.
Hell, I can run down to Walmart right now and buy a Bell Molded Plastic shell foam lid right now...




FYI....ALLOT of the "Designer" Brands like Fox, Shift and others alll use the same Helmet Mfg.
They just stick on their graphics.



Pay attention to the rattings and you'll be ok.

Fit is everything.

I'll never bash arai or shoei, their both excellent helmets. i just have my preference from the research I've done. And you guys are right the price and color is what sells most helmets unfortunately. it's to bad most people are miss informed thinking a low priced helmet will save their head. Although most don't care about the quality since they really don't think they need one to begin with. More good news is that motorcycle helmets are not being sold after inventory runs out in the Walmart stores, that was part of the previous owner. Ride safe...........

Walmart never sold the same helmets that your local motocycle dealer did. This was a test idea due to the fact that Walmart sells over $ 50 million a year in Bell Bicycle helmets.

As to ownership, that is a much more complex story than necessary to discuss here. But suffice it to say, it depends on what part of Bell (in the day) that you were speaking to. They have many different helmet divisions.

The company is now known as Easton Bell Sports. The also own Riddell - the football helmet folks.

Bell is by far the largest helmet manufacture today. They employ more US citizens than any other helmet manufacture in the US.

As to the Moto 8, may I suggest before you purchase a professional level off-road helmet, check this site out.

Clicky Here