Helmet dilemma

[Badger18]

So I have a bike test coming up, and not having my own bike I arranged to borrow one. The (Thai sized) owner asked me if I wanted to borrow her helmet as well. I assumed she was kidding but tried it on for a laugh and it was loose on me. The plastic was like a kids' toy and it weighed about the same as a cycling helmet. I wasn't expecting it to be the highest quality but I wasn't prepared for that. The bike is only a 125 scooter type thing but even so this crash hat is obviously not giving her anywhere near enough protection.

 

Now I could go and buy her a proper helmet, but it'd be so much hotter and heavier and generally more hassle than her current one that I can see her leaving it at home. Also, I guess an expensive helmet hanging on a parked bike might easily get nicked, and there's nowhere else to put it.

 

Is there a compromise choice out there that's a step up in protection but still something a Thai might actually use? Is there an online retailer that's recommended?

 

Thanks

[dodgybros]

$2 head wear a $2 helmet, if you value your head higher than that buy an appropriate helmet ????

[papa al]

Go to a local shop and buy her a B1500 helmet.

Throw the old one away.

[Moonlover]

Any helmet is better than no helmet, but I understand the point you're making. Cheaper helmets here seem to be 'one size fits all' and unfortunately, for many Thais cheap is all they can afford.

 

A better helmet will not necessarily be too heavy or too hot. I have a good quality LS2 helmet which is neither. My wife uses a V-Tech which is she says is also comfortable.

 

Don't shop on-line. The fit has to be right. Better to go to one of the many accessory shops and have her try them on until she finds the right one. Most motorcycles have a securing peg under the seat so the helmet can be left safely with the bike.

 

Dump the negative thinking along with old helmet and go for it.

[scubascuba3]

Unless she buys in to the idea of a new helmet she won't wear it, if she isn't a gf I wouldn't bother. A lesson there, when you buy a bike make sure it has sufficient under seat storage. I have a Click which has enough room for 1 good helmet, if I have a bird on the back then I bring out the freebie helmet provided by Mityon, anything more expensive would have been stolen by now. I hang it on the front hook

[MikeyIdea]

Most Thai motorcycle shops won't have anything smaller than size M 58 in stock (well, except the big expensive looking ones). You'll find size S 56 if you drive around a while. You'll have to drive around for a month before you find one which has size XS 54 = the most common Thai female size. To avoid that, search on Lazada first, you can filter on size, there are max 10 shops in Thailand (on Lazada) that has size XS in stock, most are Vintage 1 or cheap imports from China, I'd avoid the Chinese imports. Now go to the shop ????

 

I'd buy a half face helmet or she will never use it. 

 

And don't forget to throw away the old one or she will continue to use that one ????

 

 

[jackdd]

3 hours ago, MikeyIdea said:

Most Thai motorcycle shops won't have anything smaller than size M 58 in stock

Nearly all Thai helmets are in the S to M size range with Asian head shape. The size which is written on the helmet often doesn't make much sense though (it could say L, but actually it's S), it has to be figured out by trying it on.

Index has a few select models which come in bigger sizes or European head shape, and I think Bilmola is the only Thai brand which offers various models in bigger sizes and European head shape.

3 hours ago, MikeyIdea said:

You'll have to drive around for a month before you find one which has size XS 54 = the most common Thai female size.

The most common Thai female size is S, and that makes up at least on third of the helmets in any random helmet shop here in Thailand.

[MikeyIdea]

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

 

The most common Thai female size is S, and that makes up at least on third of the helmets in any random helmet shop here in Thailand.

 

 

I don't agree. I've only been buying helmets in Thailand for 30 years so what do I know? Actually a lot. I used to race bikes when I was young and stupid and also worked selling helmets. Good luck finding the correct size for a Thai female in Thailand, it's difficult so I mean it ????

 

[Moonlover]

On 2/22/2021 at 9:00 AM, MikeyIdea said:

I'd buy a half face helmet or she will never use it. 

 

And don't forget to throw away the old one or she will continue to use that one ????

 

Agree with these two tips. Few Thais seem to favour the full face variety. In fact, I don't like them. I find them claustrophobic.

 

When we bought our first motorcycle here, the Honda dealer gave us 2 'pudding basin' helmets. We already had our own so they went unused. I pointed out to Madam Moon what a load of rubbish they were, but that didn't deter her from wanting to give them to family members!

 

I put a stop to that idea by cutting off the chin straps and binning them. Have to admit she was a bit miffed at first.

[KarenBravo]

21 hours ago, MikeyIdea said:

 

I don't agree. I've only been buying helmets in Thailand for 30 years so what do I know? Actually a lot. I used to race bikes when I was young and stupid and also worked selling helmets. Good luck finding the correct size for a Thai female in Thailand, it's difficult so I mean it ????

 

 

I agree. I need Small size and they are very difficult to find. Most helmets in most shops are M and L size.

I have found that M size does vary between manufacturers, so, sometimes I can find an M size that is close to S.

[VocalNeal]

On 2/21/2021 at 8:30 PM, Badger18 said:

So I have a bike test coming up, and not having my own bike I arranged to borrow one.

 

"Borrow" it from the Test Centre ????

[VocalNeal]

21 hours ago, MikeyIdea said:

 

I don't agree. I've only been buying helmets in Thailand for 30 years so what do I know? Actually a lot. I used to race bikes when I was young and stupid and also worked selling helmets. Good luck finding the correct size for a Thai female in Thailand, it's difficult so I mean it ????

 

I went to a Shark helmet dealer. The helmet was too big for me I could swivel it quite a lot. They removed the liner and put a smaller liner in.

 

Is there a moral?  Probably not, but they can change the liner.

 

I think the Vietnamese helmets for women should be available in small sizes. The ones with a cut out for a ponytail.

[MikeyIdea]

2 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

I went to a Shark helmet dealer. The helmet was too big for me I could swivel it quite a lot. They removed the liner and put a smaller liner in.

 

Is there a moral?  Probably not, but they can change the liner.

 

I think the Vietnamese helmets for women should be available in small sizes. The ones with a cut out for a ponytail.

 

It's not unusual to change liner. Helmet manufacturers often only have 2 or 3 outer shells, each shell normally cover 2 sizes depending on the interior, can be more too.

 

Really expensive helmet manufaturers do the same. I bought a Shoei J-Cruise II to my daughter here in Bangkok, she needed XXS (52) but they only had XS. No problem, the shop just ordered the XXS interior and swapped, the shell is exactly the same anyway.

 

[richard_smith237]

Avoiding the debate of should you shouldn’t you buy her a helmet & whether or not your ‘friend’ would get on board with wearing it....

 

Some say index helmets are ok for reasonably priced options.

 

Scooters - under seat storage. 
 

I don’t have underwear storage & mostly carry my (20k baht) helmet, but on occasion I lock the helmet to my motorcycle with a bike lock (it could get stollen, but it would take a lot of work). 
 

My latest helmet was professionally fit (Paddock).