So many helmets... which one to pick?

OK. I am not following. So Arai, Shoei and Bell are probably the three top helmet makers in the world. Your telling me that a helmet that can with stand an impact at 180 mph on pavement, is not going to protect my 15 mph crash onto dirt that has some give to it to help absorb the impact? Not buying it.

We will probably figure out in a few years 6D goes the way of neck braces. I am not buying that Arai and Shoei are late to the game. Perhaps they have did the evaluations and determined they are already making the safest helmets made. Just a thought.
 
I can't believe that 6D helmet talk has turned into that they are like Neck Braces and probably not needed. With all of the concussion talk across youth sports, you would think that we would be happy to have a company addressing it in our helmets. MIPS works a little differently than the 6D system does, but has some additional help to reduce force to your head than just the collapsing of the liner.

How many of us actually do what we are supposed to when we hit the ground hard on our head and the helmet outer shell looks fine? Do you replace your helmet because the liner is no longer good in the area of the impact due to it's a one crush system, and if you fall on that part of your helmet again, it won't work as well? I certainly haven't done that. What I do know is that if you read up on the system that 6D has employed in the helmets, it's the most advanced system to try to reduce concussions in our sport. If I were in the market for a helmet, not sure that I would buy anything else at this point.

I consider myself lucky that over the 44 years of riding and racing, I've only been knocked silly 2 times in my life, and don't have any lasting effects from those crashes. If you can protect your brain more than what we already do, why wouldn't you?
 
I agree, protect it for sure. That is why I wear an Arai for some of those very reasons. I've only been knocked out cold once in my life, a couple years ago in a high speed high side off the bike. I guess what I was saying, is that I believe that Arai has probably done testing and think that their helmets are already some of the safest on the market today.

http://www.motorcyclelegalfoundation.com/the-safest-motorcycle-helmet-you-can-buy/
List is dominated by Arai and Shoei, with bell and others mixed in.

Arai helmets are SHARP rated, which most are not because they do not meet ECE ratings.

https://www.araiamericas.com/the-arai-difference/pb-tech
 
Thanks for the input guys. I know 6D and bell carbon fiber flex 8+ with optional blinker systems are the best but finances won't allow it. I'd love to have a BMW for safety reasons but I will continue to drive my Tacoma. So with that said I'll have to head down to Kames and try some on to see how they feel. TLD and Fly will prob be where I'm at but if the price is right and the fit I'll buy the best I can afford. My days of racing and going big are past me. With a family and job all I really want to do is hit some good turns and fire up the pit bike.
 
There are many reasons of thought on helmet technology today. 6D did a good job, but others have taken what they did and improved upon it in smaller diameter and lighter weight shells. Smaller diameter shells put less rotational torque on the head and neck and lighter composite shells are easier on the head to slow down angular momentum and less torque on the necks. But then again 6D says their helmet slows down angular momentum better and they are a big shell and heavy ( compared to something like an Airoh)

Basically, whoever pays for the study has the data written in their favor. So read up on helmet technology as it is changing all the time. And choose what YOU think is important.

Right now we are switching from Leatt to the new Shoei VFX Evo's. They came to the table last, but their technology seems at the forefront.

Like anything, things always improve and get better( well, not local motocross. Sorry).
 
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