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Ducati. Big Hill. Crazy Dude

Now, we all know Pikes Peak is not for the feint-hearted. But check out 10 minutes of this entirely crazy guy (Greg Tracey) with his Multistrada going for a nice relaxing pootle up it earlier this year. Completely barking, but very entertaining!

Visit our Fun Motorbike Stuff section for more videos.

For motorcycle crash helmet reviews, please visit our All Crash Helmet Reviews section or our Only SHARP 4 or 5 Star Helmet Reviews section. Hope you find them useful!

Real Hoverbike Developed by Aerofex: Video

Californian Company Aerofex have released video of their scary real-world hoverbike. Check out the video below.

It’s apparently filmed in the Mojave desert and shows the hoverbike being tentatively driven/ridden/flown/whatever in a fairly steady manner by a test pilot who seems more concerned with keeping his toes intact than putting the hoverbike through its paces!

It looks pretty cool though. Initial thoughts are that it’s probably an early version of what may come in the not too distant future and with further development, they might actually make something that’s reasonably user-friendly. They say they’re trying to make something that uses simple rider inputs to do the steering, rather than complex controls.

The version on the video looks pretty difficult to handle though which, considering it’s essentially a seat strapped to a couple of giant rotor blades, ain’t particularly surprising! A spare several hundred thousand dollars, a desire to get from A to B at walking pace and plums the size of boulders are a prerequisite to ownership.

Check out the fun stuff section for more videos.

For motorcycle crash helmet reviews, please visit our All Crash Helmet Reviews section or our Only SHARP 4 or 5 Star Helmet Reviews section. Hope you find them useful!

Nolan N85 full face helmet review

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Summary: A good quality, medium priced full faced helmet that features an integral sun visor. It’s also SHARP 4 star safety rated (which is very good!)

  • Note: the N64 is no longer produced. Take a look at our Top 10 Full Face Helmets page to find a quality alternative.
  • SHARP 4 Star safety rated (out of 5)
  • In-built sun visor
  • Polycarbonate shell
  • 3.3lbs/1.5Kg
  • Prices typically range from $220-$270 

The Nolan N85 is in a competitive sector in the crash helmets market. It’s a full face helmet with integral sun visor that scores well in the crash helmet safety tests – but it’s the price point that’s particularly exciting. It’s not the cheapest by any stretch but it is well featured for this price point- which is undoubtedly where many of us live.

The N85 has a polycarbonate shell which will put off quite a few people I reckon. Polycarbonate shells offer perfectly good protection but they are a little less durable than fiberglass or composite helmets and prone to weaken if you don’t look after them. This helmet has passed the EC 22.05 regulation 22 test but it’s also scored highly on the SHARP test (like many 4 star helmets showing only a slight weakness on the side-impact tests).

nolan n85 crash helmet 2
In silver with the N-Com flap visible.

One of the key selling points of the N85 is the integral sun visor. It’s operated by a little lever on the left hand side of the helmet. There are a couple of reports that it’s a bit fiddly and that the smoked visor can catch on the lining so it’s worth checking out on the one you buy to make sure it operates correctly. The sun visor is anti scratch too.

The main shield can be removed without tools (it has a button to press to remove the shield) and users report it has a nice solid movement and feel to it. It’s also labelled as giving UV 400 protection.

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Onto ventilation. The N85 has a couple of vents on the forehead which are closeable individually and are fiddly with gloved hands. It also has a single central chin vent. It has a large rear exhaust vent along the rear of the helmet. The idea of this is that the helmet produces a little vacuum behind it on the move which actively pulls air from the helmet, drawing it in towards the front. It works effectively, even in hot weather, and there’s a couple of vents that exit directly onto the scalp inside the helmet to keep the head cool.

It’s widely reported that the N85 is pretty comfortable. The lining is anti-bac/fungal treated and fully removable and washable, including the cheek pads. The chin strap is the usual microlock system, which is good. A couple of buyers said the helmet was a little noisy compared to other helmets they’d used – the overall opinion seems to be that it’s about average.

There’s also a little flap on the side of the helmet which can be removed so you can slot in the Nolan N-Com communicator which is sold separately. That’s pretty cool, if you want to go with the N-com basic version but it can be tricky to fit in any non-N-Com kit (or even retro-fit the N-Com bluetooth) so best to check it’ll fit before you buy.

The Nolan N85 is a medium-priced helmet but for the price you get a reasonable specification and some good features – including the integral sun screen which riders found very useful. It’s a sound buy for the money – especially as it’s being pretty well discounted around the place. It’s a good buy compared to other similarly specced crash helmets for sale. Recommended.

If you want to check out more helmets, check out our Crash Helmets Reviews section or click the brand name in the main menu.

If you’ve used a Nolan 85 – we’d love to hear what you thought of it by using the comments box below. Thanks!

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HJC FS-15 Review: Crash Helmets for Sale

hjc-fs-15-discontinued-featured

Summary: A stylish SHARP 4 star rated full faced crash helmet known for excellent ventilation and good value for money, reviewed in our Crash Helmets for Sale section.

  • Now discontinued – no longer available
  • Snell 2005 certified
  • SHARP 4 Star Rated (out of 5)
  • Average noise
  • Excellent ventilation
  • Weight 3.1Lbs (1.4Kg)
  • Double-D fastener
  • Target Price $140 (now discontinued)

The HJC FS-15 is a full faced helmet, available as the FG-15 in Europe and the FS-15 in the US. It varies widely in price depending on paint and whether you go for the fiberglass or carbon fiber version (the carbon is much more expensive at the time of writing). The SHARP 4 star rating came from the fiberglass version and as it’s not much heavier, is the one to go for unless you love the carbon fiber look.

The visor comes as Pinlock-ready – meaning it has the Pinlock mounting posts on the visor but no Pinlock insert. Still, the visor that comes with the helmet is coated with an anti-fog treatment which is OK, though not as good as a Pinlock. The visor opening mechanism is OK though the ratchet is a bit plasticy feeling in comparison with premium brands, and HJC has decided to put a locking button on the visor which seems slightly bizarre as most other manufacturers seem to manage without one.

The FS-15 also comes with HJCs ‘rapidfire’ visor removal system. It’s similar to Shoei’s and  works really well.

The helmet has a single chin vent, double forehead vents (operated by one sliding toggle) and two rear vents. HJC have put a lot of effort into creating a ventilation system that takes air and blows it over the head without interfering too much with the air flow – or making the helmet noisy. Well, it’s succeeded in making a very effective cooling system as most riders say it’s second to none – though that’s not necessarily a good thing in colder climates.

HJC FG-15 in plain matt black
HJC FG-15 in plain matt black

The chin vent is a little fiddly to operate with a gloved hand but otherwise, the ventilation system does just want HJC intended.

Onto the lining. Both cheek guards and lining is removable and machine washable and the interior is sold as both wicking and anti-bacterial. That ‘wicking’ claim always seems a little odd to me as usually there needs to be somewhere for your sweat to wick-away to and in a crash helmet, there isn’t anywhere! Having said that, it’s the same problem encountered by all helmets and the removable lining is a help in keeping things clean and stink-free. The lining is good quality too and the helmet also comes with a breath guard and chin apron. Riders report that it’s generally fine for people with glasses too with plenty of room to fit the arms. The chin apron reduces noise and draft from around the neck area.

The FG15 is a stylish crash helmet that’s got some great features and is available at a great price. It’s definitely worth considering if you’re on a tight budget or want an alternative to the big brands.

To see reviews on other helmets, click our crash helmets review section. For other four or five star SHARP rated crash helmets, choose the tag from on the right.

If you’ve any experience of the FS-15 I’d love to know what you think in the comments section below. Nice one.

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About HJC Crash Helmets

HJC Crash helmets logo

HJC crash helmets are known for two things. First, they’re widely available with pretty much all stores that sell crash helmets in the US having at least a small selection. Secondly, they’re relatively cheap. They don’t tend to have helmets at the top end of the price range and seem to make reasonably priced helmets which are well featured.

That’s no accident of course. It’s HJCs stated goal to produce helmets that offer great performance at a very competitive price. And talking to dealers, they’ve also got a great reputation among buyers too so it seems like it’s all going to plan for HJC.

HJC crash helmets was established in 1971 and currently make helmets in three manufacturing centres; in Vietnam, Korea and China, which HJC state are designed to satisfy entry-level buyers as well as mid and high end of the markets.

Their facilities include a wind tunnel, which not all manufacturers can boast, and this helps produced aerodynamic helmets with low noise levels. Like many other crash helmet manufacturers, HJC invest heavily in materials and construction technology as well as features such as shield locking technology. And they’re pretty successful at it, producing high performing helmets such as their RPHA range that have been used across racing series from MotoGP down.

One of the features HJC have been working on is producing an aerodynamic helmet which directs the air through, what HJC claim, is the best ‘ventilation channeling system’ on the market.

This is designed to produce a slow air flow from the outside to the inside of the helmet which results in less wind resistance and noise and directs the air around the head to reduce humidity and increase cooling.

HJC produce a wide range of crash helmets covering most motorcycle categories – full face, off road, open faced – and also snowmobile helmets. They distribute their helmets to over 50 countries.

And they must be doing something right. Chatting to a couple of helmet dealers recently, they say that HJCs are their most popular sellers. And in the US, the Motorcycle Industry Magazine (now defunct) called HJC their No.1 helmet maker for many years running.

To read our reviews of HJC helmets, read our HJC section. To see the latest HJC helmet range, click to visit HJC America.

About the Pinlock Face Shield System for Motorcycle Crash Helmets

Pinlock anti-fog visor insert

Crash helmets and fogging shields

All motorcycle crash helmets can suffer from fogging shields – especially when it’s cold, wet or humid. We’ve all been there, sat at the traffic lights or crawling through slow traffic, rain slamming down on your shield and the shield’s like peering through a steamed-up bathroom window. You can see jack shit through the fogging and not only is it incredibly annoying, it’s also incredibly dangerous.

If only there was a way to sort it.

Well, Pinlock shield inserts are widely regarded as the best way to stop your crash helmet shield fogging up. Yes, people talk about all sorts of alternatives – from smearing your shield with spit (like divers do) – to washing up liquid – to dedicated shield sprays. But if you want a more elegant solution, and one that doesn’t involve smearing body waste or household detergents onto your shield, then a Pinlock (or similar shield insert) is undoubtedly the best answer.

I mean, there’s a reason MotoGP teams and AMA riders use Pinlocks after all…

If you want to know more about Pinlocks, not only have we researched and used Pinlocks for many years, but we’ve also spoken to Pinlock themselves to ask the trickier and more indepth questions.

So, read on for all the information you’re going to need about Pinlock antifog inserts… (or click the link to skip to view helmets that are all either

Pinlock-ready or come with Pinlocks in the box)

Pinlock insert for crash helmets visor
Standard, clear Pinlock insert.

What are they?

Pinlock shield inserts are flexible transparent plastic inserts which are placed inside the inner surface of your shield . The main shield itself has to be ‘Pinlock enabled’, meaning it needs to have tiny Pinlock locating posts already on the inside of the shield . These are used by the Pinlock shield insert to locate the Pinlock into the correct position and keep it there.

History of Pinlock

Derek Arnold started importing helmets into the Netherlands in 1979 but didn’t invent the Pinlock shield system until 1994. It was always invented to help motorcyclists see better out of their crash helmet shields and was initially trialled with the Dutch police. Pinlocks have gradually grown in popularity throughout Europe and are now becoming more and more popular in the US and Asia.

In fact many crash helmets come with either Pinlock-ready shields (but the Pinlock’s extra) or with Pinlock-ready shields and the Pinlock insert dropped into the box.

There’s even the occasional helmet that has the Pinlock pre-fitted onto the shield in the box (such as the excellent Nolan N30-3 modular).

How do they work?

The Pinlock has a bead of silicon sealant around it’s edge. This presses tightly against the inside of your crash helmet’s faceshield to make an airtight seal between the shield and Pinlock.

The insert’s pretty easy to put in place. You buy the right Pinlock for your helmet, and it locates onto the pegs on the Pinlock-ready shield.

Just make sure you remove the protective film on the Pinlock before you do – it’s amazing how many people don’t realise it’s there and start riding with the film still attached!

Pinlock 70 Adventure helmet Pinlock
Pinlock 70 on an Airoh Adventure helmet

It’s the pressure between the pegs that pushes the insert onto the visor and keeps it tightly in place. And that’s it!* It forms a double layer a bit like double glazing which helps reduce the temperature difference between the rear of the shield and outside world. Plus the surface of the Pinlock has an open structure that actually absorbs moisture. Both of these working together stops condensation forming on the rear of the shield and makes you into a much happier bunny riding in the cold/rain/humidity!

*Having said ‘that’s it’ – it’s important to seat the pinlock correctly and to give it ventilation for best performance. Read Why does my Pinlock Visor keep fogging up? below.

Regular or Max Vision Pinlock?

The original Pinlocks tended to be a bit small, so the edges of the Pinlocks could nudge into your line of sight, which wasn’t great. So they launched the Pinlock Max Vision which is a range of larger Pinlocks that cover more or less the entire rear of the visor to stop line of sight issues, and they tend to sit inside a recess on the rear of the shield for easier/better fitting.

Regular vs MaxVision Pinlock
Difference between the coverage of standard (left) and Max Vision (right) Pinlocks

So if you have a helmet with a full size shield and there’s an option of different Pinlocks, it’s always worth going for the Max Vision version.

Pinlock 30, Pinlock 70, Pinlock 120, Pinlock XLT?

In addition to regular or Max Vision Pinlocks, you’ll also find different grades of Pinlock lenses. In essence, the lower the number, the cheaper it’ll be and the lower its ability to keep your vision fog free. Which is not to say a Pinlock 30 doesn’t work very well; but if you ride all year round – or you race – you’ll probably want to push up the scale for more performance.

Having said that, while many helmets will come with a Pinlock 70 in the box (the two I regularly use came with 70s in the box) only more premium helmets will come with a Pinlock 120. And 120s are only available with certain brands and helmet models.

Various-Pinlock-performance-levels
The lower the number, the less effective the Pinlock

Most recently on the market is the Pinlock XLT. That’s uses an improved substrate to give clearer vision and is, at the time of writing, being used only on Pinlock 120s (though I’m sure that’s bound to change over time).

As a final note, Pinlock 70 and Pinlock 120 are available in smoked versions for sunny days and amber versions for improved vision in lower light.

What are Pinlocks made from?

Pinlocks are actually made from a special type of organic plastic.

Even though the Pinlock looks like a regular transparent plastic, it’s actually derived from wood pulp. This bioplastic has an open structure which allows it to absorb moisture, and Pinlock can create inserts with different levels of open matrix, with the different levels dictating how effective it is at stopping condensation.

That in turn also dictates whether it’ll become a Pinlock 30, 70 or 120 with the 120 having the most open structure and therefore absorbing the most water.

Why does my Pinlock visor keep fogging up?

I’ve had it myself – even on a brand new Pinlock with a brand new helmet – ride in the rain and it totally fogged up. It was no better than a Pinlock-less visor and, credit where credit’s due, after I complained, SportsBikeShop got straight on to Simpson Helmets for me and a replacement was in the post mega quickly – and that new one worked perfectly.

But how come it didn’t work and how come sometimes Pinlocks fog up?

Well, I never got to the bottom of the issue with that new one, but speaking with Pinlock at their Netherlands HQ, they had a couple of suggestions…

Sealing & Pins

First off, it’s vital that the Pinlock is well seated onto the shield and that the silicone seal around the Pinlock is fully sealed. So give yours a thorough visual check.

Pinlock 10 LS2 goggles
You can even buy Pinlock inserts for some goggles.

If you find it’s not properly seated, you might want to move it around a bit to seat it, or it might need adjustment. To do this, the pins on Pinlock lenses are actually eccentric adjusters too, meaning they can be rotated to correctly tension it.

It has to be said, some pins are easier to adjust than others. The pins on my Simpson Ghost Bandit for example are really small and need a pair of pliers on the hex-side of the pins to gently rotate them, whereas the tear-off pins on my LS2 are large and easy enough to be rotated by hand.

Either way, adjust them little by little on both sides until your Pinlock insert is sealed all the way round.

Ventilation

One other element that’s often forgotten is that, effective though Pinlocks can be, they still need ventilation to work best.

It’s probably the last thing we think about when it’s throwing it down with rain, but if you’re keeping your Pinlock shield closed, you really should keep your helmet vents open to give it a helping hand. Circulating air will really help the Pinlock to do its job by removing moisture-saturated air from the rear of the visor.

Knowing how to operate your vents – including knowing which way’s open and which way’s closed – is often overlooked or easily forgotten. But pushing your chin bar vents open when it’s raining (or shield vents if you’ve got em) can really help your Pinlock keep your shield fog free.

How long does a Pinlock last?

As Pinlocks are actually made from bio-plastic (as opposed to petroleum-based like most plastics) Pinlocks can shrink over time. It’s difficult to give them a predicted lifespan as it’s very dependent on how intensively they’ve been used. However, if a helmet is infrequently used and stored in the usual conditions we store our gear in (cupboard, garage etc.) it should last years and, by the sounds of it, might even last the expected lifespan of a helmet which most manufacturers suggest is around 5 years.

The way to tell if your Pinlock is ready for a change is that over time it’ll shrink slightly and you’ll find it doesn’t seat correctly or moves around inside the Pinlock pins. At that point, you’re ready for a new one.

How do I clean a Pinlock lens?

Pinlocks don’t like many detergents or anything abrasive. They also don’t like hot water. The reason being that some soaps can block the open structure of the Pinlock and stop it working so well – and because it’s an organic plastic, hot water can damage that open matrix too.

So if you need to clean it, use only tepid/warm water. Pinlock suggests lightly cleaning the surface with microfiber cloth first (lightly, to avoid scratching it) then using only luke warm water and mild liquid soap (whatever that is!) and a soft damp cloth, gently clean it before letting it dry naturally. But given I’ve no ideal what mild liquid soap actually is – I tend to think it’s probably best to stick to just the cloth and warm water.

pinlock crash helmets visor insert
Pinlocks are also available in smoked

Drawbacks

Not many really – and none of them are a fraction of the drawback of having your visor fogging up all the time.

Pinlock 120 amber lens on Arai helmet
You can get Pinlocks in a variety of colors – including amber for low light visibility

Unless they come in the box with your new helmet, they’re an extra cost on top of a shield – usually around $25-$45.

They can sometimes slightly impare your vision, with reflections from your face under some riding conditions. They’re pretty good in terms of not distorting the light that comes through, but arguably not as good as not having the Pinlock there in the first place.

The original smaller Pinlocks also don’t cover the entire surface of the visor. I once had an old Shoei with a Pinlock fitted and the top of the Pinlock used to get in the way of my vision when I was going for it.

They’re also not always 100%. A recent ride across the Alps with a Pinlock Max Vision and it started to fog up going over the tops – which was a surprise!

However, I know I’d just slapped the Pinlock insert onto the shield without tensioning it correctly – and my vents might well have been closed to keep out the cold. So it might well have been user error too!

I do quite often read about folks who don’t get on with Pinlocks though. And sometimes it can be because people buy them and don’t realise there’s a yellowish scratch-protective backing that’s on them! They just grab the Pinlock, stick it on their visor and find everything looks blurry.

pinlock-yellow-tint-peeling
Don’t forget to peel off the yellow backing before fitting!

To be honest, it’s not really their fault because it’s not that obvious when you buy one; and the instruction diagrams don’t show there’s a backing that needs removing.

But now you know, peel off the backing first before using your Pinlock – you’ll find it much better that way!

Which helmets?

Pinlocks are available for most popular makes of helmet including:

AGV, Arai, Airoh, BMW, Box, Caberg, Givi, Gmax, Grex, HJC, KBC, Lazer, LS2, Marushin, Nolan, Nitro, Schuberth, Scorpion, Shark, Spada, Shoei, Suomy, Takachi, X-lite. They also produce a range of universal Pinlocks that should fit your more generic, more obscure brands of helmet.

Recommended or not?

Definitely recommended. They offer some of the best anti-fog protection out there. I’m also a fan of other sticky anti-fog shield inserts too (ones that adhere to the inside of the shield). However, Pinlock offer one of the best solutions on the market.

 

Crash Helmets… as sculpture!?!

Crash Helmets can be pretty sculptural – especially when you get your new un out of the box for the first time. But that’s nothing compared to this helmet.

It was apparently created by the Daishin Seiki Corporation to show off their amazing automatic milling machine. It was programmed to mill a complex 3D motocross helmet out of a single block of aluminium and it’s been watched about 1.5 million times on YouTube.

The crash helmet was created in the 3D cad software and then milled in a single process to cut the helmet. It was done to show of the quality of the software and the milling machine, and to show that milling is still the best option in a world where 3D printing is an increasing threat to traditional methods when creating complex engineered metal parts (as if you didn’t know that!).

If you thought crash helmets aren’t very sculptural – think again (and watch the vid!)

For other cool videos, check out our Fun Stuff section.

For motorcycle crash helmet reviews, please visit our All Crash Helmet Reviews section or our Only SHARP 4 or 5 Star Helmet Reviews section. Hope you find them useful!

Buyers Guide: Cheap Crash Helmets vs Expensive Crash Helmets

Image by Paul https://www.flickr.com/photos/vegaseddie/5700609302/in/photostream/

We’ve all had the same conversation (usually down the pub). Should we buy cheap crash helmets and replace them more often or go for an expensive brand and change less often? There’s vocal proponents on both sides of the argument. So who’s right?

Let’s take a look at some of the arguments and the reality, based on some of the helmets that were/are available in the marketplace.

Here at Billy’s Crash Helmets, we use the UK’s SHARP safety testing rating as an indicator on how well a crash helmet performs in an accident. All crash helmets for sale in the UK (and EU) should be ECE 22.05 rated in the first place,  which means that all crash helmets for sale should achieve at least a minimum level of protection. However, even though they all pass this test, the SHARP test shows there’s quite a variance in safety performance among those. So, we’ll choose to look at helmets that scored the maximum sharp rating of 5 stars (and look to see if any of the cheapies do score 5!).

Argument 1: Cheap crash helmets aren’t as safe as expensive helmets.

Let’s say that a cheap helmet is one that’s under $100, medium priced are $100-250 and expensive helmets are $250 and above (up to around $1000). If we then look at the price ranges of the helmets that have been tested and rated 5 stars for safety, then there’s certainly a handful of sub-$100 helmets that have scored highly. They’re not from the most well known manufacturers and probably not as widely available (in fact some are now discontinued), but they’re rated as being as safe as the big names. They’re mostly full faced helmets too:

  • Caberg Vox
  • MT Revenge
  • Nitro Aikido
  • Caberg V2 407
  • Caberg Trip
  • Marushin 777 Tiger
  • Marushin 777 Samurai

Now, if you buy one of these helmets, you’ll be getting more crash protection than lots of helmets made by some of the best brands. There’s also a stack of 4 Star rated cheap crash helmets too – 35 to be precise – right down from as low as $40. Again, these will offer great protection in most circumstances and will probably outperform more expensive, well known brands in terms of crash safety.

We also reviewed the scores reported by the SHARP helmet safety scheme, looking at the safety of helmets by brand name. We then ranked them in order of safety – those with mostly 5 star rated helmets first – and produced a top 10 safest crash helmet brands list. There are lots of surprises in there – including a couple of budget brands making it into the top 10 – ahead of names like Arai and Schuberth!

How can cheap helmets be as safe as expensive ones?

Well, without getting into the detail of testing regimes and Cost 327 European crash investigation reports, it appears most survivable motorcycle accidents actually require relatively ‘soft’ crash helmet designs. Most survivable accidents involve moderate impact speeds and require the shell of a helmet to flex and absorb some of the impact. This further allows the shock-absorbing EPS (polystyerene) liner within the helmet shell to do it’s work as effectively as possible and absorb further impact – because it’s the shock that’s passed through to the brain that does most of the damage.

It seems that plastic (polycarbonate or other themoplastics) are good at doing this while some harder materials aren’t. Because some helmets are much more solid, the shells fail to flex on impact, stop the liner doing much of its job and instead transmit more shock through to the rider’s head and brain.

And because cheaper helmets are often made of these plastics, they’re just as able to score very high marks on SHARP tests – and more importantly – are probably just as good, and in many cases better, at saving your bacon as expensive lids. Hurrah (unless you’ve just shelled out $700 on a helmet in which case boo!).

As a slight aside, this is one of the arguments against the Snell testing regime in the US which tends to require helmet shells to be harder and less flexible. Many now argue this leads to helmets that, somewhat counterintuitively, allow more shock to be transmitted through to the brain, causing internal brain injuries due to the rapid deceleration or change of direction that occurs during a crash.

So the argument that cheap crash helmets don’t offer the same protection and expensive ones is not necessarily true. Price doesn’t really come into it, rather it’s the ability of the helmet to limit how much shock is passed through to the skull and the brain. And, surprisingly, many lower priced helmets are just as good at doing this.

Having said that, check out our definitive guide to motorcycle crash helmet safety where we analyse SHARP crash helmet data to answer (once and for all) lots of questions – including whether carbon fiber helmets outperform thermoplastic ones.

 Argument 2 – Cheap crash helmets don’t offer the same quality and features as expensive helmets.

nitro-aikido-crash-helmet
Nitro Aikido – safe, cheap and pretty cool looking

Now this is probably true. Expensive helmets and better brands own patents to mechanisms and features that perform better. They also take the time (and expense) to finish helmets using better quality linings, fastenings, paint finishes and so on. Generally, more expensive helmets are quieter, better ventilated, more aerodynamic and comfortable. Though again, that’s a broad generalisation as many budget helmets have features such as removable linings or micrometric fasteners that more expensive helmets don’t have.

To see reviews on some of the cheaper helmets check out our cheap crash helmets section.

However, using better materials and having good quality control processes to make a well-built helmet doesn’t necessarily translate into safety. It might make a helmet nicer to use and a more comfortable place to put your head, but in terms of safety in an accident, the two things don’t necessarily tie together. For example, my mate swears by his Arai Condor helmet. He bought it because it’s an Arai, it was pretty expensive (for him) at over $200 and he thought, because it’s an Arai, it’d be one of the safest helmets around.  Unfortunately, it only scored 2/5 in SHARP testing making it substantially worse than your average cheapy Grex helmet which, incidentally, score at least 4/5 for every helmet tested by SHARP and took them to 8th in our safest helmet brands top 10. Grex produce some nice helmets too so he’d probably have been better going for one of those, saving some dosh and riding round with a much safer lid into the bargain.

Again, check out our definitive guide where we look at prices versus safety of helmets.

So there you have it. Cheap crash helmets can be just as safe as expensive ones. They probably lack features and finish, but they can look pretty cool too. So next time someone starts off that argument, just point them at this web page and save yourself half an hour and go do something more useful with your time!

Also check out this video showing a graphic representation of how a poor quality helmet performs v a good performer. I couldn’t identify the specific helmet to see what it’s rating is but it shows why it’s worth buying a well rated helmet!

A bit about Caberg Motorbike Helmets

There’s not a huge amount of information to be found online about Caberg to be honest. Not even the Google Streetview car’s been down near the factory for us to take a peek. Caberg helmets was founded in 1974 near Bergamo in Northern Italy and now exports its motorbike helmets throughout Europe, with a particular focus on Germany and the UK (as well as Italy). To date, there doesn’t seem to be distribution in the US though that may change.

Caberg’s helmets tend to be at the lower end of the pricing spectrum. That’s not to say there’s much budget about their construction with, out of seven helmets tested, six score four or above (out of five) in the SHARP crash helmet safety testing scheme.

They’re a fairly small manufacturer but they’ve recently expanded their operation to increase production and testing areas. Their testing and QA ensures their helmets meet the required European ECE 22.05 safety standard (a batch testing standard which ensures manufacturers of motorbike crash helmets produce a consistent product which offers high levels of safety protection. More on this standard on the link).

Caberg carry out three main tests: a shock absorption test, a rigidity test (both fairly self-expanatory) and a retention test (ensuring the safety strap is fit for purpose and keeps the helmet securely fastened during and after an impact).

For further information on Caberg motorbike helmets, see our Caberg helmet section or check out their website.

Caberg V2R-R Chrono crash helmets
The 5-Star Caberg V2R-R in Chrono design scheme

Bell M1 Review: Crash Helmets for Sale

Bell M1 Review: Crash Helmets for Sale. For other motorbike helmet reviews click the links in the menu above.

Summary: Bell’s entry-level motorcycle crash helmet is rated top for safety, has good finish and is light. Noise levels are good and it comes with an anti-fog visor. No major problems reported and it’s good value for money. A recommended buy in our crash helmets for sale section.

  • Now Discontinued
  • Not Snell certified
  • 5 Star SHARP safety rated (maximum score)
  • Weight 1.35Kg (light)
  • Double-D Ring fastening
  • Typical price about $245 (though now discontinued)

Bell helmets seem to have always been around and they’ve been at the cutting-edge of motorcycle crash helmet design for a long time – since 1954 in fact. And most of their crash helmets score the maximum 5 out of 5 SHARP safety rating! So let’s take a look at one of those 5 star rated helmets, the entry-level crash helmet in Bell’s range – the Bell M1.

The Bell M1 comes in two shell sizes which is OK as those two outer shells will cover the 6 available sizes (XS-XXL) reasonably well – meaning internal padding won’t need to be too thick or thin to cover the extremes of sizes (click the link to find out more). The Bell website states it’s constructed of composite fiber which isn’t particularly descriptive as both fiberglass and carbon fiber are composites. However, with a 5 star rating, you can be sure it’ll do its job well. It’s also the lightest full faced helmet we’ve seen on this site weighing in at 1.35 kilos which is exceptional.

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The shell has also been wind tunnel tested to be slippery and reduce buffeting – something users agree is noticeably better than many other helmets – and it’s pretty quiet too. What’s slightly less good is the paint finish. Of course we’re used to exceptional standards in higher priced helmets (and let’s not forget this is Bell’s entry-level helmet) but the lacquer on some patterned helmets have been reported to be a bit ripply.

Bell M1 crash helmet in Matt Black

However, and certainly for the price, build quality and finish (other than the lacquer) is generally reported as good (one user said it was better than the Aria’s and Shoei’s he’d had!).

No complaints about comfort either – though a couple of guys with glasses said they found it difficult to get them to fit. The M1 has both removable cheek pads and liner so keeping things stink free should be pretty easy (if you want to know the best ways to clean the inside or outside of your lid, please click the links). Of course, as with any crash helmet, it’s important to get the right fit – but if you do, the M1 is a nice place to be and well designed for riders – with one rider commenting that it gives great vision looking up when you’re cranked over and driving out of a bend.

Something else that’s commonly agreed is good is ventilation. It’s got the usual chin and forehead vents which do a pretty good job, though the chin vents can be fiddly to operate and a couple of guys mentioned it was difficult to get it to close fully. Having said that, it’s reported the design of the vents and chin guard, coupled with the anti-fog visor, mean it’s hard to get it to fog up, even in low temperatures.

However, there are some negative comments about the face shield. One guy mentioned a problem with getting the shield to shut properly (it still leaked air a little) and another complained that it doesn’t open far enough – when fully open you can barely see below the bottom edge and it didn’t open far enough for him to get his glasses on. However, for others, it was fine.

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Bell M1 Street ST crash helmet

Overall, the Bell M1 is well received. It’s not a mega-budget level helmet by any means, but it’s the entry level Bell helmet and it’s good quality. It’s as safe as they come and finish is good for the price. It has effective Double-D ring fasteners, it’s comfortable, has decent ventilation and quietish. For the price, it’s a well recommended helmet.
If you’ve experience of the Bell M1, we’d love you to add comments on it below. And if you found this review helpful, it’d do us a real favour if you share it using our social sharing buttons at the top of the post. Cheers!
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Star Ratings

bell m1 star ratings