Dispelling the Myth...
A huge part of what we do on social media is about helping people find affordable motorcycle riding gear so that they can get out and play no matter the budget challenge at hand. In the process of getting to where we are today on the matter we've learned a great deal, taught a good bit, pissed some people off, and made some people very happy.
The overwhelming naysayer position is that expensive motorcycle riding gear is safe and that inexpensive gear is unsafe. This just isn't true. Higher priced motorcycle riding gear is often more comfortable, often more durable and lasting, and often has more bells and whistles. These traits however do not often contribute to any assurance of added motorcycle rider safety. That said, a rider who is not in a position to buy the 'best of the best' riding gear is simply NOT necessarily welcoming added danger into their riding experience. Here is proof of this position as it pertains to motorcycle helmets. An added note: Please do not shoot the messenger. lol.
About The Data You Are About to See...
We took the SHARP test results—a world renowned and accepted, awarded organization purposed to increase the percentage of survival and lower the percentage of head traumas as it relates to riding motorcycles by way of testing and reporting their results to the public. I speculate that the intended effect of their reports is not only so that consumers might avoid unsafe motorcycle helmets but also that manufacturers might be influenced to make their products more safe.
Making some fairly insane and unexpected discoveries having dug deeply into the test results we decided to dissect those results and reassemble them side by side for contrast— effectively showing the inexpensive helmets along side the high-end helmets and featuring the good, the bad, and the ugly of it categorized by their results rather than alphabetically by brand as they are in the official results.
The Data...
These results--arrived at through a multitude of state-of-the-art impact experiments and ranked by a 0-5 star system-- are all posted and verifiable on the SHARP website. Following is a series of cross sections of their findings in summary:
• BROAD OVERVIEW:
9 helmets costing under $100 received 4 stars or better
11 helmets costing between $100-$150 received 4 stars or better
and so on and so forth...
8 between $150 - $200
5 between $200 - $250
11 between $250 - $300
5 between $300 - $350
4 between $350 - $400
3 between $400 - $450
3 between $450 - $500
3 between $500 - $550
1 between $550 - $600
1 between $600 - $650
0 between $650 - $700
0 between $700 - $750
1 between $750 - $800
0 between $800 - $850
0 between $900 - $950
1 between $950 - $1000
• INTERESTING DRILL DOWNS...
LEAST EXPENSIVE HELMET WITH HIGH RATING OF 4 STARS:
AGRIUS RAGE SV = $36 4 STARS
A HIGH END COMPARISON TO THE ABOVE AGRIUS:
Schuberth SR2 = $799 3 STARS
MOST EXPENSIVE AND LEAST EXPENSIVE 2 STAR HELMETS:
SHOX AXIS $49
SCHUBERTH S1 PRO $568
WORST OVER-ALL PERFORMANCE OF HIGH-END HELMETS:
The Schuberth line consists of 11 helmets ranging $479 - $799
2 @ 4 STARS
7 @ 3 STARS
2 @ 1 STAR
MOST CONSISTENT HIGH PERFORMANCE (BEST IN SHOW):
The NOLAN line tested 13 helmets all 4 STARS or better
NOLAN N70 = $270
NOLAN N 100-5 = $399
NOLAN N 40S = $198
NOTABLE LOW-END CONTENDER:
MT Mugello at 4 STARS costing $39
The MT line tested consists of 12 helmets $39 - $199
5 @ 4 STARS
2 @ 5 STARS
5 @ 3 STARS
NOTABLE MID-LEVEL CONTENDER:
1. The Bell line tested consists of 12 helmets $165 - $495
9 @ 5 STARS
1 @ 4 STARS
2 @ 3 STARS
Bell Qualifier DLX Blackout = $158
Bell MX-9 MIPS Equipped = $169
2. The AGV line tested consists of 30 helmets $100 - $1000
10 @ 5 STARS
19 @ 4 STARS
1 @ 3 STARS
AGV s4 (5 STARS) = $170
AGV AX9= $629
3. The CABERG line tested consists of 15 helmets $90 - $319
1 @ 2 STAR
2 @ 3 STARS
4 @ 4 STARS
8 @ 5 STARS
Caberg Duke = $249
4. The SHARK line tested consists of 29 helmets $99 - $499
7 @ 5 STARS
22 @ 4 STARS
SHARK EVOLINE 3 - $329 5 STARS
SHARK EVO ONE2 - $466
SHARK Street Drak - $249
SHARK SPARTAN - $369
SHARK SKWAL- $289
Shark RIDDELL $169
5. The SHOEI line tested consists of 13 helmets $302-$749
5 @ 5 STARS
5 @ 4 STARS
3 @ 3 STARS
SHOei Quest $492
SHOEI x 14 $779
SHOEI HORNET - $599
6. The X LITE line tested consists of 11 helmets $199 - $588
2 @ 5 STARS
9 @ 4 STARS
Xlite X03 = $229
Xlite X1004 = $199
X Kite 803 = $544
HELMET BRANDS RECOMMENDED TO AVOID AT ALL COST:
Arashi
CMS
Dainese
KBC
Final Thoughts...
These are just SOME of the data points pulled from the tests. Dig in for yourself to learn more. At length you'll find that cost equals so many things... like comfort, added features and the like... but it does not equal safety. Don't let the naysayers shame you. Get some motorcycle riding gear and go ride. Thats where the REAL stuff is.
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Billy J is co-founder of Story Moto ADV, a dual sport / adventure riding brand with strategic initiatives serving the health of the adventure touring community in order to develop a unified voice for speaking resolution into motorcycle land closures in the U.S. due to overcrowding and other public land use conflicts. He has been a rider for 45 years, an extreme adventurer for 31, and an avid dual sport adventure rider for 20. His first time living on a motorcycle for more than a year was in 1988 and most recently for 16 months living and riding full time with his wife Bonnie J and their kids on a tour that wrapped up in the summer of 2019. The are plugging away at the Story Moto ADV compound for another round set to commence in the Summer of 2020.
CONTACT BILLY J: STORYMOTOADV@GMAIL.COM
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