Helmets...

[dcBear78]

I've got an OGK FF-5 helmet. This is the first helmet I have owned so I don't have a lot to compare to, while riding at least. I tried on many helmets. I must have a genericly shaped head as most felt comfortable.

To me this helmet felt very much like the Shoes and Arais I tried on, but a fair bit cheaper. Much better quality than the HJC's. Probably the lightest helmet I tried.

On the road the helmet does not have any of the issues the OP mentioned ie being buffeted or pulled around. At 100km/h the wind kinda holds your head straight. To shoulder check requires a little effort to turn your head. Raod noise is very good. I sometimes get a slight whistle at speed. Nothing some earplugs/earphones wouldn't fix. The air ventilation is almost too good. My lips dry out, even with the vents closed. The visor does not fog up at all, although I haven't riden in very cold weather yet.

This webBikeWorld.com sold it for me. They rated it as the "helmet of the Year for 2008" yet we have only just received it here in Australia. Well it was the first FF-5 my shop got in.

 

[ajkewler]

I've got an OGK FF-5 helmet. This is the first helmet I have owned so I don't have a lot to compare to, while riding at least. I tried on many helmets. I must have a genericly shaped head as most felt comfortable.

To me this helmet felt very much like the Shoes and Arais I tried on, but a fair bit cheaper. Much better quality than the HJC's. Probably the lightest helmet I tried.

On the road the helmet does not have any of the issues the OP mentioned ie being buffeted or pulled around. At 100km/h the wind kinda holds your head straight. To shoulder check requires a little effort to turn your head. Raod noise is very good. I sometimes get a slight whistle at speed. Nothing some earplugs/earphones wouldn't fix. The air ventilation is almost too good. My lips dry out, even with the vents closed. The visor does not fog up at all, although I haven't riden in very cold weather yet.

This webBikeWorld.com sold it for me. They rated it as the "helmet of the Year for 2008" yet we have only just received it here in Australia. Well it was the first FF-5 my shop got in.

Nice looking helmet, I've never even seen or heard of that brand before. Does it also have that cheek pad system thats avail on the arai corsair and the shoei x-twelve where you pull an clip and the cheek pad comes out making it easier to remove the helmet in the event of emergencies?

 

[pyrocpu]

I had looked at the OGK as well, reading the webbikeworld review. However, if your standard Barney Fife of a cop looks at my helmet, and doesn't see "DOT" on it, I know it'll just be my luck to get a ticket!

 

[dcBear78]

Nice looking helmet, I've never even seen or heard of that brand before. Does it also have that cheek pad system thats avail on the arai corsair and the shoei x-twelve where you pull an clip and the cheek pad comes out making it easier to remove the helmet in the event of emergencies?

Don't think so. Really only just stuck it on me melon and went. never really looked int the details. This helmets is about 2/3 the price of Arai/Shoei locally so maybe not. You pay for these kind of features I guess.

I had looked at the OGK as well, reading the webbikeworld review. However, if your standard Barney Fife of a cop looks at my helmet, and doesn't see "DOT" on it, I know it'll just be my luck to get a ticket!

Explains why there has never been a mention of OGK helmets. I think they are from Japan. Obviously not availalble stateside? Passes Standards Australia regime which I beleive is equivilent or more stringent than DOT requirements.

 

[Halon]

I just replaced my hjc cl15 with a brand new arai profile. It's amazing how much Of a difference it is. The arai is so much smoother to ride in. The hjc had all sorts of wind turbulance, it felt like a bobblehead doll compared to the arai. My only complaint with the arai is the mouth and nose shield runs into the tip of my nose. I'm thinking of using a hair dryer to remold the rubber and fit that a little better. Otherwise it fits perfect and is miles quieter with better ventaliation.

 

[Detrich]

wow, that's a nice helmet Bear! love the graphics and the aero hump at the back...

that said, i'm still having difficulty finding the right size helmet for my noggen... i measure my head over and over (an inch above the eye brow), and it seems to fall within the 21.5" to 22" range- ie right between Small and X-Small size- depending how tight i pull the tape and if i've had my hair cut recently... <lol>

but, with the Scorpion EXO-1000 Small I tried recently, my head can still wiggle slightly- even though my cheeks are already noticeably pushing up towards my eyes and it feels like my ears are pealing off just to put it on... :sigh: =( maybe my head shape doesn't work well with Scorpion? this has been very frustrating to say the least.

i'm going to switch back to HJC IS-16 Small and see if that fits better... I read on the web site that ppl said it's a bit snug, so hopefully i won't need an XS size for that one.

detrich is getting frustrated... =\

PS unrelated, but interesting story...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-vietnam-helmets-20100526,0,3010201.story

 

[JonKerr]

I'll tell you right now the next hemet I'm going to buy is a Bell Star. Never thought I'd say I'd buy a Bell helmet but they've headed back into the high end helmet market with guns blazing. Those things are so bad ass looking. A friend of mine just got one and he let me try it on this morning. Ohhhhh :bow: I didn't think I'd ever find a helmet that fit as well as my Shoei but I did. I use a Large Shoei and his Medium was a PERFECT fit. It has memory foam padding in it like those super expensive mattresses. Even lighter than the RF1000. It's designed to be used with a chatterbox so it has deep ear pockets for the speakers. All kinds of different high end features. I couldn't fog this thing sitting still in the parking lot at 9:00AM when it was about 55º out and I blew hot air on the visor. My Shoei fogs in 80º weather at a stop light. He had the flat black one. Pretty bad ass looking. But they have all kinds of graphics. I just wish I didn't have 2 perfectly fine helmets sitting here already.

Here's the one he had.

 

[arkkornkid]

come on Jon, I know plenty of helmet-whores, go for it . I see guys that collect them and have like 20 or so. Too damn $$$$ for me, but I can understand it. There are some amazing lids out there.


HOLY HELL!!! That thing is $550

 

[JonKerr]

Hahaha. I need an TBR exhaust before I need that thing. But is that not the sexiest damn lid?

 

[arkkornkid]

'tis pretty awesome, just checked out the other graphics on motorcycle superstore.... they do look nice. But it's funny that their other model is like $160 then a huge jump for the Star. Guess they don't get any discount from their kevlar supplier.

 

[Detrich]

go go POWER RANGERS!

hahahaha... xP

j/k

 

[porky45]

I'll tell you right now the next hemet I'm going to buy is a Bell Star. Never thought I'd say I'd buy a Bell helmet but they've headed back into the high end helmet market with guns blazing. Those things are so bad ass looking. A friend of mine just got one and he let me try it on this morning. Ohhhhh :bow: I didn't think I'd ever find a helmet that fit as well as my Shoei but I did. I use a Large Shoei and his Medium was a PERFECT fit. It has memory foam padding in it like those super expensive mattresses. Even lighter than the RF1000. It's designed to be used with a chatterbox so it has deep ear pockets for the speakers. All kinds of different high end features. I couldn't fog this thing sitting still in the parking lot at 9:00AM when it was about 55º out and I blew hot air on the visor. My Shoei fogs in 80º weather at a stop light. He had the flat black one. Pretty bad ass looking. But they have all kinds of graphics. I just wish I didn't have 2 perfectly fine helmets sitting here already.

My boss had this helmet before it was released (met the bell guys through the hockey industry Easton-Bell).

He tracks it pretty often and has been riding for a loooong time. He high-sided and it protected him beautifully. He speaks very highly of it!

He said he would choose it over his Arai Corsair V, but instead he keeps the Arai for Street and Bell for track (Bell sent him a new one and used his crashed one for research).

 

[Blue-Sun]

I'm looking at this helmet... I like ICON, but my present helmet is black & silver which matched my old bike. My new FZ6R is blue, so I am trying to justify a new helmet. I welcome any opinions...

 

[porky45]

I'm looking at this helmet... I like ICON, but my present helmet is black & silver which matched my old bike. My new FZ6R is blue, so I am trying to justify a new helmet. I welcome any opinions...

have you tried it on? does it fit the shape of your head properly? that's the most important question...then you can move onto wind noise, ventilation and graphics next...

 

[Blue-Sun]

have you tried it on? does it fit the shape of your head properly? that's the most important question...then you can move onto wind noise, ventilation and graphics next...

Oh, its the same as my present ICON, just a different color. My present ICON fits my head and doesn't give me headaches. I had an HJC, but it gave me a headache after riding about an hour, my ICON doesn't. I'm OK with the wind noise. As for ventilation, in Arizona, all helmets become "Crock Pots" in the summer!!

 

[MikeN02]

I'm looking at this helmet... I like ICON, but my present helmet is black & silver which matched my old bike. My new FZ6R is blue, so I am trying to justify a new helmet. I welcome any opinions...

Thing looks beast! I would try different helmets on at a store. Or you can use helmet collecting as your hobby as well as an excuse or in "case" you have a passenger.

 

[hattrickhero]

You get what you pay for. Arai Profile. Lightest, most comfortable IMO.

 

[JonKerr]

I completely agree. I'll never cheap out on a helmet again. I wish I could wear an Arai. I have yet to try on an Arai model that fit well. That's why I was so excited that the new Bell fit so perfectly in a smaller size than I'm wearing now. At $600 it's hardly going cheap. Unfortunately with two $400 helmets sitting on the shelf, I can't really justify another $600 for another one.

 

[kevcoop]

New bike, new helmet.

Isnt that a law somewhere? If its not, it should be.