Buying A Better Than Average Motorcycle Helmet.

[westbounder]

I am looking to buy an open face (not full face) motorcycle helmet here in Cnx.

I want a to buy a quality or semi good quality helmet instead of the plastic junk offered at most places like Tesco, Big C, Carefour, etc...

I want to pay anywhere from 700 to 4,000 baht, depending on the helmet and manufacturer.

Can anyone tell me where I can find a place that sells what I am looking for?

Thank You...

[nattydread]

theres a bike clothing shop in pantip plaza that sells quality helmets but be prepared to pay the top of your budget for one...........alternatively theres a helmet shop i use in changmoi road which is a left turn off the moat road near spicy nightclub that goes to the market....,it has "Real" open face helmets that are supposedly dot approved for the usa.the helmet i am thinking of also has a flip down sun visor in addition to the clear visor making it useful for night and day riding.the shop is about 200 metres down the road on the right hand side next to the TMB bank..the helmet cost is approx 800 baht but i think they only do it in black.....these are the best quality open face helmets i have seen for less than 1000 baht

[CMX]

I recently purchased a Real Helmet at a store here in town. A billboard you see going north from the eastern moat toward Lotus/Tesco (and other advertising and announcements) claim that Real makes helmets to DOT, Euro, or Snell standards. I have not seen this challenged on the bike forum.

I found a shop that seems to have a good collection. From the eastern moat, southbound, turn left at Mike's Burgers onto Chang Moi road (headed east toward Wororat Market). On the right side at a bend left you will see a shop that has helmets displayed. They sell a lot of other things for bikes - tires go out of there almost every minute.

It happened that I wanted full-face, and I got a DOT approved one that fit exactly. They let you try them on. They had (a week ago) a number of sizes and colors, 3/4 helmets too. They run from 2000 baht and up.

Real helmets were discussed on a thread about two months ago so a search might add information for you. You discover there too mail-order methods from Bangkok sellers.

G'luck,

Edited December 9, 2010 by CMX

[jsflynn603]

I recently purchased a Real Helmet at a store here in town. A billboard you see going north from the eastern moat toward Lotus/Tesco (and other advertising and announcements) claim that Real makes helmets to DOT, Euro, or Snell standards. I have not seen this challenged on the bike forum.

I found a shop that seems to have a good collection. From the eastern moat, southbound, turn left at Mike's Burgers onto Chang Moi road (headed east toward Wororat Market). On the right side at a bend left you will see a shop that has helmets displayed. They sell a lot of other things for bikes - tires go out of there almost every minute.

It happened that I wanted full-face, and I got a DOT approved one that fit exactly. They let you try them on. They had (a week ago) a number of sizes and colors, 3/4 helmets too. They run from 2000 baht and up.

Real helmets were discussed on a thread about two months ago so a search might add information for you. You discover there too mail-order methods from Bangkok sellers.

G'luck,

Thanks CMX, "at the bend" is a bit confusing as the road has lots of bends but I found the place, and found a helmet with a drop-down visor that fit well, and appeared to be well constructed. The Visor bore the DOT logo, but I'm not sure if that is for just the plastic visor or the whole thing. Inside I see only "Certified by Thai Industrial Standard 369-2539 so I'm assuming that it's not truly DOT certified. It's made by INDEX / AM helmet and cost me 750 baht. It may not be the best, but it is sure a lot better than what the bike rental place had. Being able to try them on was essential. Only one in 8 "extra large" actually felt good.

[LivinLOS]

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=215865680265028500930.0004624feb401af10e332&ll=18.781532,98.998803&spn=0.002072,0.002441&z=19&iwloc=00046b80ca45a7fbdb4f8

This place stocks 'real' brand helmets in CM.

[CMX]

Certainly Index helmets have a better reputation among Thai riders. Nobody knows what that means in terms of safety for sure, but their helmets are not 200 baht either.

Yes, for the Real helmets I'd check on prices at both places. My full-face DOT approved Real seems to be of good quality. Given their ads, I suppose that they are legitimately claiming approval. However, mine does not use D rings, which I prefer, and is heavy. A ring for securing the helmet to the bike may be difficult for some to lock to their bikes. But the fit is very good.

Edited December 21, 2010 by CMX

[mic6ard]

so which is the better brand for quality, INDEX or REAL. They look pretty much the same for me.

[wjmark]

so which is the better brand for quality, INDEX or REAL. They look pretty much the same for me.

REAL.

Also, Honda is supplying HJC helmets with the CBR250. They are also DOT approved. You could probably get one from Honda...

[CMX]

so which is the better brand for quality, INDEX or REAL. They look pretty much the same for me.

REAL.

Also, Honda is supplying HJC helmets with the CBR250. They are also DOT approved. You could probably get one from Honda...

Certainly they look alike. That's the idea.

It is like this: Helmets do two things. The outer case generalizes the blow so that a single element will not intrude into the skull.

The lining absorbs the impact - without rebounding, which might scramble the brain - with high tech and somewhat expensive material.

ECE and DOT helmets do this to government standards that have been established based on studies of motorcycle accidents and the nature of their blows - and how best to resist their harm. These efforts are quite sophisticated and impressive - no guessing.

An Index helmet might well be a better built than other Thai helmets, but its ability to protect is unknown, using the standards of the above.

So we get to use our heads, one way or another. Real=tested and approved. Index = the unknown for our heads. One way or another it is a "no brainer."

Edited December 31, 2010 by CMX

[LivinLOS]

so which is the better brand for quality, INDEX or REAL. They look pretty much the same for me.

Real by a wide margin..

Secondly, the index ones seem built for a 'round' head while the real brand are built for a egg shaped elliptical head.. For me the index ones put a major crush on my forehead but my GF says they dont on her.. Made me wonder if it was a asian / farang thing or just not fitting her right ??

I think the HJC good ones (full face) are above the real brand slightly.. Those are about 3500 - 4k and so are still very reasonable compared to the 20k plus for a top end imported one. All depends on if your talking scooter / sub 250 or proper fast bike. I fide a scoot in a half hat but feel naked on a big bike without jacket, ride boots, gloves, full face, etc.

[CMX]

There are other important factors as well, fit being an important one with regard to safety more even than comfort. That's why mail order can be difficult, and trying on a helmet is essential.

Other factors include air-exchange for cooling the head, especially here, and there are consumer reports about those for many helmets. Another is weight. The more expensive helmets made of carbon-fiber doubtless offer strong exteriors that don't weigh down the head. My dot approved Real full face is heavier than others I've used, though it fits me very well and provides a lot of air circulation. Of course, with the 3/4 open face that OP is considering, weight will be less of a concern. I always get an extra visor at the time of purchase as well, though shopping independently for it has paid off sometimes in another country.

To repeat: In one way or another, we'll have to use our heads.

Edited January 2, 2011 by CMX

[LivinLOS]

I always get an extra visor at the time of purchase as well, though shopping independently for it has paid off sometimes in another country.

Very good advice, and double if its a less than common brand.

I actually need a new REAL visor currently..

[keo]

Interesting topic. I'm looking for the same thing.

I am currently using a 500B "Spacecrown", which is a terrible fit and leaves a big red mark on my forehead.

Does anyone know any good suppliers or areas to check out in Bangkok?

cheers

[jsflynn603]

My recently purchased Index had a DOT sticker on the visor, but it lacked any DOT sticker on the inside of the helmet. I suspect that the visor is DOT polycarbonate, but in reality the helmet does not relate to the American DOT standard--still, it fits well and for 850 baht, I'm happy.

I think a helmet has to id standards inside the helmet with a tag or sticker to be legit. The index helmet had a tag but it only related to a Thai standard and I have no idea how this relates to DOT.

[CMX]

My recently purchased Index had a DOT sticker on the visor, but it lacked any DOT sticker on the inside of the helmet. I suspect that the visor is DOT polycarbonate, but in reality the helmet does not relate to the American DOT standard--still, it fits well and for 850 baht, I'm happy.

I think a helmet has to id standards inside the helmet with a tag or sticker to be legit. The index helmet had a tag but it only related to a Thai standard and I have no idea how this relates to DOT.

For me, any "sticker" is suspicious. In the States, the DOT marking is centered exactly behind the head on the back of the helmet, outside (for police to see) at the bottom, and it is under the outer clear surface - not a sticker. It's on the helmet itself. So far as I know (and I've used them) ECE markings are put in the same spot. The Thai markings on yours may comply with the law here, but I've never seen anyone attest to the degree of safety to be found using Index helmets, using a scientific test from the West.

There are very good reasons for using the western standards above in our purchase decisions which I sketched above. Snell 2005 standards, for example, required tough safe helmets for accidents that were less likely to happen among those of us who have most accidents - the general public. This conclusion came from studies about the nature of the accidents' damage. For example, Snells might save me from an accident in which I had been certainly killed by a number of other highly probable injuries. No idea about their new 2010 standards, but racers like the Snell approved types for their ultra-high standards. Expensive, but at least in the case of the older 2005 requirement, not directed optimally at the safety of general riders.

I do not think that any helmet in Thailand is up to western standards that costs less than 2,000, and that's Real, and new, not second hand, because helmets age and their protective linings loose their power to cushion.

Edited January 3, 2011 by CMX

[ricardofel]

Drop me an email. I have quite a few helmets from the US...Harley D, Arai, Shoei, some new.......good [email protected]