Ok it was an extreme case but I'm sure Marco Simoncelli 's helmet cost a fair wack and was a perfect fit but did it save his life when it came down to it? No because it was ripped off his head in the crash. Helmets will only save you in 'glancing blow' impacts, hit or be hit literally 'head on' at any real speed and its good night Vienna what ever your wearing

yeah i agree totally centurion on poor marco's case .... and i guess that just goes to show even more you buy what is comfortable and suits you best....   trouble is a lot of the time you dont know what its really like till you ride with it on and   running aorund the shop with it on making brooom broom noises may a) not give the same feel and b) get the men in white coats called   and if i do have a small tumble... coz not all "offs" are head on into a truck thank feck!!!! then i want to knwo my lid will protect me from a pavement edge or somethin stupid like that tooo..... i think its the "glancing" impacts im more worried about coz like you say the "other" ones i have no control and no chance over                                                                                                                                                                              

  Spot on Centurion.....                                                                                                                                                                             

Spot on Centurion.....i love a realist.....yes kwakgirl..i was thinking of a new lining for the Shoei...                                                                                                                                                                             

and if i do have a small tumble... coz not all "offs" are head on into a truck thank feck!!!!   then i want to knwo my lid will protect me from a pavement edge or somethin stupid like that tooo.....   i think its the "glancing" impacts im more worried about coz like you say the "other" ones i have no control and no chance over, so they dont even enter my head                                                                                                                                                                              

My first helmet, which I was wearing in a head on collision with a car was an HD Modular Style helmet.

I went into the side of a car at approximately 33 - 34 MPH (According to the eye witnesses) and I have to say that I walked away... (OK I crawled some of the way!!) when you look at the helmet, you can see that the visor was ripped off and there are three good collision abrasions on the helmet, but it saved me.

The helmet was a VERY comfortable fit, great for long and short journeys, convenience of a flip front etc... The cost of the helmet was about £200, but it's NOT about the cost, it's about the effectiveness and comfort. 

You have to assume that YOU will have an accident and you WILL need your helmet to protect you... mine was donated to the Emergency Services for casualty training after they released me from Hospital .... been on the receiving end of their training  

My latest helmet is very similar to my first... 

http://www.harley-davidson.com/store/incinerator-modular-helmet-with-shield

I trust it and it feels right for me... snug fit, comfortable and plenty of air vents... it suits ME... and I'm the only person who can judge my helmet... so no matter how many helmets you need to try on... do it... find YOUR helmet.

                                                                                                                                                                             

I have always worn Davida helmets, they just fit so well although around the £250 mark they don't come cheap but the silk and leather lining is hand stitched. And of course they're still made in Liverpool England                                                                                                                                                                              

If you're riding at 30mph and have a head on collision with another vehicle , also traveling at 30mph . The force generated is equivalent to jumping head first from a 120 foot building .
Ask the salesman to demonstrate this , before handing over 600 notes for a supersafe lid , lol Dusty x

I tried Dozens of helmets before going into a local shop near me where the owner measured my head and pulled out a rake of different types, makes, colors and prices from as little as £50 up to £500...he spent about 40 mins with me ..explained what I should be looking for ie The Fit and the fact that every inch of your head should feel in contact with the inside of the helmet ...and walked away from there with the shoei that i still have. The fit is the important bit in my book also ..     

Just to touch on the Marco Simoncelli comment (R.I.P.) .... would anyone say that his amazing mop of hair would have hindered the helmet he had FROM fitting properly ? 

no intruder!!! lol coz i too have a lot of curly hair and i have been told by guys when im buying a lid  "oh you will need medium" ive said no im small

they have then commented on all myh hair etc... and have eventually had to eat their words as i walk out with a small or extra small... hair does push flat you know!!! no matter hwo curly it is ..... his helmet was run over... no chance of surviving that no matter how well it fits your head... RIP the great and wonderful marco
                                                                                                                                                                             

As you can see ... It's been a long time since Ive had curly hair Suzi lol it was something that crossed my mind about him at the time of the race ... That's all :-) and curious as to what others might have thought ...                                                                                                                                                                             

i guess only he really knows how well his lid fitted......

others can comment bt only he really knows........

pmsl about how long its been since you had curly hair!! i found a grey hair yesterday on top my head not bad i guess bt i still dont darn like it.... pmsl
                                                                                                                                                                             

As long as its on top of your head Suzi ...... If it was on the bottom you would be in bother lol.

Very true about the lid. Only he would know. !!
                                                                                                                                                                             

pmsl well we seem to have moved this thread from costs of lids to grey hairs on ya bottom............ pmsl  

i gonna try on loads when i get soem cash... i also fancy one with teh flip down dark visor bit now instead of worrying about takign a clear visor out with me incase it gets dark and i aint home yet and i turn into a pumpkin

and i not sure i want to wear sunglasses under me lid either......
                                                                                                                                                                             

The manufacturers(Aria etc) reckon that five years is the absolute maximum lifetime of a ( well looked after) lid . Changing every three years is a safer(and more profitable) option .
Dusty x                                                                                                                                                                              

it`s obvious (I think)
that we all/most folk have, an opinion,
and its probably pretty much dependant on our experience, either personally, or from talking with other fine folk,
I`ve had a bit of professional experience with what happens if your unlucky enough to leave the bike and have a human/ground interface situation.

as far as I can work It out,
your either lucky or your not, but you CAN cut down the odds by trying on as many lids (and gloves. boots n leathers) as poss, and wearing the ones which fit best, and offer the type of protection you 2feel" you need.

for instance I know I`m sometimes going too fast, for too long, and wind noise is far more important to me than safety, but you only find this out by riding, on your bike at your speeds, nobody else can work this out for you!!

ps,
that said,
ask yourself this,, if at the nano second, you part company with your bike and before you hit ANYTHING,
you were magically offered the best helmet money could buy for your shaped head, would you?                                                                                                                                                                             

NO.

Everyone makes their own correct choice .
In order to change at the last second.
Must mean you deliberately and knowingly made the wrong choice to start with .
No retreat , No regrets and No surrender.

Dusty x                                                                                                                                                                              

I spent 400 on a shoei q west and saved my life when I crashed my black cbr a cheap helmet would of smashed to pieces so I went and bought the identical helmet now I know there quality first hand.                                                                                                                                                                             

my current helmet...a shoei raid 2...noisier than some but great fit and quality,before that rf200 shoei so old its innards became outards,,liked these helmets from the word go because i have a shoei shaped head,tried everything after my old griffin clubman wore out,but these fitted best for me,everyone is different....also,not made of money so mine came via internet,in unpopular colour/design,after much double checking on sizes...was ridiculous price for new and non display...shop around and buy best and comfiest for YOU..