Quiet Flip-up helmet recommendations
 

Hey Folks,
I am looking for a new flip-up helmet to replace my current HJC SyMax.

Specifically, I'm looking for the quietest helmet that's available out there, but I'd really prefer to stick with a flip-up, as I just find them too darn convenient when travelling.

Looks like the alternative coices in the US are the Shoei Syncrotec, Schuberth Concept (which is specifically marketed as being 'quiet'), and the Nolan N100 series.

Has anyone tried several of these and know specifically which is quietest?

I use earplugs for longer trips, but putting them in and taking them out repeatedly when you're starting and stopping and gets annoying.

The Schuberth sun visor design looks neat - it may circumvent the need to carry sunglasses, which I seem to have a real knack for losing!

Thanks!
Wright

Hi Wright

I have the schubert and it is super quiet. Sometime's I even think it's to quiet since I love the sound of my twin picking up at 2000 rpm after a corner http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif With the schubert all I hear is some wind from about 40 Km.
Earplugs are not nececary. The sun-visor is really fantastic. An extra feature about it: when you drive "fliped up" with the sun-visor down, your eye's are protected again's bug's and stuff.
But... it is a bit heavy (I had a Laser before).

Maarten

Wright,

I wouldn't go for a Nolan. When they take shower in heaven and stuff gets really wet downhere your head will get soaked!

The problem is located in the vent-opening on top of the helmet. The closing part is sitting higher then the rest of the helmet and so creating an edge were the water being pushed in by the wind.

Nolan knows about this problem and they have provided new more softer rubbers to put in the vent-openings, but it didn't make a difference.
Eventually I solved the problem by closing te vent-openings with ducktape. It's ugly, but at least my head stays dry.

I have ridden 35000km in one year with this helmet and I will not buy a new Nolan unless the desing is changed.
A friend of mine is also looking at the Schubert. He is very enthousiastic.

I have a Nolan flip. It's is somewhat noisy in the windstream. I rode in some pretty hard rain and didn't get any leaks, But, i'm on a wing w/ fill coverage. I'm happy with the Nolan,the price is also hard to beat. Also, with a little practice you can master openeing it with one hand.

So I have an update here -
There's a little more to this story than the helmet, it appears.

I have been riding an XR650L for the last couple of years, wearing a motocross helmet. That helmet (MSR World Tour) had poor aerodynamics was horribly loud so for road trips, I bought the HJC in hopes that the deafeningly loud turbulance in the helmet would go away. It got much better and I was happy.

Less than a week ago I finally broke down and got an R1150GS because the XR was just too painful for long road trips - I'm now using both bikes.

The stock R1150GS windscreen is absolutely dismal. It seems to direct the worst air turbulence directly at your head. I was hoping that having a nice windscreen would solve one problem I had with the XR - neck fatigue and wind buffeting, along with the noise of the wind turbulence. In fact, the noise from the air turbulence on my GS was so loud that even earplugs couldn't make it bearable. Standing up at highway speeds was far more pleasant than sitting down, since at least when you're standing, you just get a soft whoosh of air, not the thunderous deafening turbulence! So I thought that I should go for a better helmet that might reduce all this noise.

I went to the shop and test rode another guy's GS with a Wunderlich split windscreen. It was MUCH better than the stock one, so I bought one and put it on. But today I rode another 200 miles and still found that the wind noise was unbearable at high speeds.

So at the end of the day, I dropped the bike off at the dealer for my 600 mile service and was given an R1100R as a loaner. I was shocked to discover that on that bike, which has no fairings or windscreen, there was very little wind noise at all and no noise of turbulence, although there was significant lift on my helmet.

So it appears that my problem is not so much the helmet, but an ineffective windscreen. I'm quit surprised that with all the talk of GS'es around, I've never really heard people complain about this. So I'll take this over to the BMW forum.

Thanks for your help guys! I will probably still go try to hunt down a Schuberth I can borrow for an extended test to see how I like it.

Wright

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Wright Bagwell
http://www.geocities.com/wwbagwell/

Hi Wright

I bought a Schuberth Concept which I found to be absolutely deafening with the standard screen on my 94 paralever. A combination of the screen and my height caused air to whistle passed the release catch.

I fitted a taller screen which has helped somewhat, but I'm still not sure I can live with the noise.

Otherwise, the helmet is great and sun visor a brilliant idea!

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Sean

I like my Caberg Just One Plus lid. It's cheap, good quality and I can easily ride without plugs (however I haven't installed a screen yet - so things might change). There's a good review on other flip tops at webbikeworld - but not much about noise levels.

This is an excellent website, full of useful links and good stuff. The link above also has links to a survey on the effects of noise and helmets and loads more too.

Hope you find it useful.

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Fuzzy Duck
(I'm quackers about bikes)

[This message has been edited by Fuzzy Duck (edited 11 February 2002).]

I am also in the market for a new flip up helmet and I have been doing alot of reading on the subject latlely. Mostly unfavorable reports about the Nolan N100 (noise and water leakage).
Schubert Concept is said to be a well built helmet... but rewiews i've read vary on fit and comfort... besides it is not available in Canada. The Shoei flip up is not worth the money...noisey and difficult latch system. The HJC Symax... several independant reviews that I have read about it are all positive. Quiet, removable washable liner, good airflow, easy one handed clasp for flipup... this is the helmet I am leaning towards. Why do you not want to replace your HJC Symax with another one?

Hi Maurice,
The HJC is actually a very good helmet.
The reason I wanted to replace it is only becuase I'm trying to figure out how to quiet the ride down as much as possible, but as noted above, the problem isn't the helmet but the windscreen on my bike.

I think the ergonomics of the HJC flip-up are perfect - you just pull up with your thumb on the face pice and it unhooks.

The only thing about the helmet that could be problematic, like the Nolan that Fireboomer noted above, is that there's a vent on top that wil seep in the rain. It's never bothered me but could be a problem if you ride in the rain often.

I would go for it - I'm not unhappy with mine at all. It's also inexpensive but still has a good quality shell.

Cheers,
Wright

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Wright Bagwell
http://www.geocities.com/wwbagwell/

I'm also looking around for a flip-up as I'm riding to India in May and my Arai Quatum F in black sounds kind of hot...

I've tried on the Shoei, HJC, Schuberth, Vemar and Caberg flip-ups in the shop. I'd like a Shoei but at nearly half price the HJC looks more attractive. The HJC makes a loud tinny noise when you close it though. I think the Schuberth is great but I can't live with the styling! The people in the bikeshop told me they know of 2 customers who had falls in flip-ups and the chinbar just flew off! Thats why nearly all are registered as open face helmets in the UK...
Assuming the HJC is good quality (and I'm always a bit paranoid about this) I think thats where I'll go

I have a Nolan and have no real complaints. So far there has been no leakage for me but the 'ol duct tape is ready and waiting. Gotta admit that this helmet is pretty noisy on my machine with the small windscreen....unless... I ride with the front not latched all the way (psst..don't tell anyone).
The Nolan is better IMHO than the old BMW 'system ' helmet.
My bike has a sidecar on it and there is a windblast that comes from it so the noise evaluation is not an accurate one I feel.
The Schubreth is on my wish list but is a pretty high dollar unit compared to the Nolan. I reaally like the little sunshield on the Schubreth..seems to be a great idea.
claude :-)

I saw this, Roof "Boxer" helmet
on Boxerworks.com I have never seen it before. Its dealer are in the UK only.
It is at http://www.t-child.com/
Are there any reports?

I have both a Schburth helmet and a 1150 GS. I have had no problems with wind effects or noise. Certainly the Schuberth helmet is quiet, the sun visor is really great and has been noted, superb when it is too hot for the main visor to be down. The sun visor does keep bugs etc from taking out an eye.
I am wondering whether you are very tall and well above the screen (I am 6 foot) or perhaps we just have gentle zephers in NZ?!
I bought my Schburth from an internet site in Germany (6 months ago) for NZ$530 (US$260). Email me if you want an address.

I feel compelled to say 2 things here :

One ,the Shoei is a good helmet , quiet and with an easy to use one-handed latch system. But hey ,I would say that after having one for a year .

Two,lets remember the main job of a helmet - crash protection. Ratings etc arent worth anything if the helmet doesn´t fit YOUR head properly . So get the one with snuggest fit is my advice to you .

Happy riding,
El P.

Hey Folks,
So I decided to try the Schuberth and much to my dismay, it seems only marginally quieter than my HJC, even after buying the snuggest size that I felt comfortable with.

Perhaps I'm particularly sensitive to wind noise - I do try very hard to keep my hearing safe being a music lover.

Even after installing the Wunderlich windscreen on my 1150 GS, I find that wind noise gets really bad any time there's a bit of crosswind or headwind at highway speeds.

Next, looks like I may try the large Aeroflow Windscreen.

Cheers,
Wright