Arai helmet purchase: Is the RX-Q worth $60 over the Vector-2 ?

[TT C6]

I am looking to to replace my 7 year old Arai RX-7 Corsair.

I was gonna purchase a "budget" helmet and was set on the new fiberglass AGV K-4 for $220.

Although Arai's pricing seems ridiculously high, I keep getting pulled back to them.
So, I've narrowed it down to the RX-Q and the Vector-2.

So, is the RX-8 worth an extra $60 over the Vector-2? Why?

Thanks.

[yup]

vector's made to have a little more forehead room if i'm not mistaken.

[oldfart01]

Do your best to go try them on. Both those helmets are intermediate ovals. I have a Quantum II I'm getting ready to replace. I was just at a dealer trying them on, the new Signet Q fits me like it was custom molded on my head. The Signet is a long oval. I was going to get the RX-Q, but when trying them on found the Signet fits much better for my big ol head.

[Voodoochile]

i can't speak for the Vector-2 but i have an RX-Q and i love it...it fits me like a glove

[MacBayne]

how much is your head worth?

[oldgixxer]

I also had an RX7-RR&bought a new RXQ last year&love it...a little bit more wind noise then the RX7 but still very nice helmet

[Will_1000]

Originally Posted by MacBayne

how much is your head worth?

see your point which is true, but dammmmnnnnn those Arai's are Cosairs V are expensive ! that's a mortgage payment

But honestly, I've had arai and hands down one of the best of not the best on the market.

In recent years I've opted for Suomy and for me second best especially in terms of pricing..pretty decent and wont break the piggy bank.

[LaxBuddy21]

Originally Posted by MacBayne

how much is your head worth?

And here we go with another line to justify the ridiculous amount of money spent.

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

Read up on the sharp rating system. Arai and Shoei are great helmets but there are plenty under $200 that protect just as well. Find one that protects well and fits well. Other than that, get the best deal IMO.

[Cassidy]

Originally Posted by LaxBuddy21

And here we go with another line to justify the ridiculous amount of money spent.

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

Read up on the sharp rating system. Arai and Shoei are great helmets but there are plenty under $200 that protect just as well. Find one that protects well and fits well. Other than that, get the best deal IMO.

Glad someone else uses sharp. I consistently only buy scorpion helmets because they continue to be half the price of the top name brands and the quality is on par.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Motorcycle.com Free App

[MacBayne]

Originally Posted by LaxBuddy21

And here we go with another line to justify the ridiculous amount of money spent.

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

Read up on the sharp rating system. Arai and Shoei are great helmets but there are plenty under $200 that protect just as well. Find one that protects well and fits well. Other than that, get the best deal IMO.

well for your information, i just had an HJC IS-16 helmet. i crashed almost two weeks ago in it and it did a very good job (i also liked the helmet and would buy another f they weren't discontinued). just went with a corsair-V that was on sale, and the while the corsair-v is very expensive, the features, build quality, and functionality of the helmet are leaps and bounds better than other helmets out there. your "protect just as well" should be rephrased to "meet the same minimum standards." i do not know about you, but if i ever needed a brain surgeon, i will take the one that passed med school with 90s over the one that passed with 60s. the sharp rating system that you posted is a good resource, and so is the snell foundation website, but neither one is definitive in the fact that the helmet has to fit in order to perform its best. the big thing i was trying to communicate, however i now know to be ineffective, was that $60 should not be a deciding factor in helmet choice. $700 yes, but $60, no.

[LaxBuddy21]

Originally Posted by Cassidy

Glad someone else uses sharp. I consistently only buy scorpion helmets because they continue to be half the price of the top name brands and the quality is on par.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Motorcycle.com Free App

My last Scorpion helmet kept me from doing any damage to my head or neck after I smacked the pavement. I didnt even have a headache.

Originally Posted by MacBayne

well for your information, i just had an HJC IS-16 helmet. i crashed almost two weeks ago in it and it did a very good job (i also liked the helmet and would buy another f they weren't discontinued). just went with a corsair-V that was on sale, and the while the corsair-v is very expensive, the features, build quality, and functionality of the helmet are leaps and bounds better than other helmets out there. your "protect just as well" should be rephrased to "meet the same minimum standards." i do not know about you, but if i ever needed a brain surgeon, i will take the one that passed med school with 90s over the one that passed with 60s. the sharp rating system that you posted is a good resource, and so is the snell foundation website, but neither one is definitive in the fact that the helmet has to fit in order to perform its best. the big thing i was trying to communicate, however i now know to be ineffective, was that $60 should not be a deciding factor in helmet choice. $700 yes, but $60, no.

No, DOT is the minimum standards. DOT approved helmets definitely vary in degree of protection. The sharp rating system puts helmets through vigorous testing simulating actual impacts you are likely to encounter in an accident. The problem with Snell is that their requirements for approval were using impacts that were not realistic. I do believe they have or are working on modifying their standards to be more realistic. If you go with a 4 or 5 star sharp helmet and find the one that fits the best, you are going to be in pretty good shape whether you spend $120 or $800. More money does not necessarily mean better protection and that is ultimately what matters with a helmet. That is why I dislike the "How much is your head worth?" or the "You get what you pay for" arguments. I can afford Shoei and Arai but I am not going to waste my money when other helmets protect just as well or close to as well and fit me properly for much less money. Too many people buy the most expensive thing out there and then want to try and justify it like anyone spending less is stupid. Not saying you were doing that but that tends to be how it goes.

[bahkhok]

Even though they are both described at intermediate oval. The RX-Q is more rounld and fits more like the old Quantum 2. I have both the rxq and vector but like the vector for fit and rxq for venting. The rxq vents a little better than the vector. The one feature difference between the two is the rxq has the chin spoiler that pulls down to help with reducing air getting into the helmet.

The rxq model line seems to to have better graphics than the vector imo.

[TheSwami]

I have a Vector Web that I've had for a few years now. Fits my head great. The venting is OK but the helmet is much quieter than my RF-1100. The old Quantum was too round for me and the RXQ is rounder than the Vector. I've had cheaper helmets, KBC, HJC, Scorpion but the Arai's just fit the best. Been eyeing an Arai Corsair as my next helmet. Probably wait for end of year sales.

[MacBayne]

Originally Posted by LaxBuddy21

My last Scorpion helmet kept me from doing any damage to my head or neck after I smacked the pavement. I didnt even have a headache.



No, DOT is the minimum standards. DOT approved helmets definitely vary in degree of protection. The sharp rating system puts helmets through vigorous testing simulating actual impacts you are likely to encounter in an accident. The problem with Snell is that their requirements for approval were using impacts that were not realistic. I do believe they have or are working on modifying their standards to be more realistic. If you go with a 4 or 5 star sharp helmet and find the one that fits the best, you are going to be in pretty good shape whether you spend $120 or $800. More money does not necessarily mean better protection and that is ultimately what matters with a helmet. That is why I dislike the "How much is your head worth?" or the "You get what you pay for" arguments. I can afford Shoei and Arai but I am not going to waste my money when other helmets protect just as well or close to as well and fit me properly for much less money. Too many people buy the most expensive thing out there and then want to try and justify it like anyone spending less is stupid. Not saying you were doing that but that tends to be how it goes.

DOT is NOT the minimum standard. you are only thinking of requirements by law within many of the united states. the sharp rating tests at speeds at a MAXIMUM of 8.5 m/s, which is 30 km/h, which last time i checked was only a little over half of the MINIMUM speed limit you will see on a public road. each helmet is tested 32 times, which is 31 more times than a helmet is supposed to be impacted. the tests do NOT cover how water affects the foam inside the helmet which is the biggest factor in the "replace your helmet every 5 years of use," as your sweat will harden the foam and reduce effectiveness. the rating system does NOT test the strength/reliability of the chinstrap or face shield. what is the QC of the manufacturer? it may be a fluke that the helmet passes the test so well, so many helmets have to be tested to reduce testing error.

now this doesn't even cover the features of a particular helmet. how does it vent? how is the faceshield mechanism to use? are replacement pads available? are the pads even removable? is the faceshield UV and IR protectant? how much does the helmet weigh?

just looking for a SHARP sticker with 4 or 5 tars is not a general and all-round rating, it is how the helmet performed THEIR particular tests. what is a helmet is assessed as 195g of force in one of their tests, and another is 249g? they both will get a green rating for that portion of the test, even with an acceleration difference of 54 times the force of gravity.

when buying a helmet, you DO have to ask how much your head is worth. i want a good safety rating for sure, but i also like some of the additional safety aspects of my helmet and i find it COMPLETELY worth the extra money for the venting and usability of the extra features compared to the $110 helmet that met SNELL 2010. when i bought my helmet 2 weeks ago i went out looking for safety rating, comfort, value, creature comfort features. i found i got the helmet i wanted after i searched very hard and decided on how much i wanted to spend on head protection. my head is worth the money i spent, THIS helmet, and all of the previous helmets that i have worn.

[Vyk]

I have an RX-Q and it's such an amazingly comfortable and well ventilated helmet.
I absolutely love it.

That being said, all Arai helmets all have equally amazing protective qualities.
Their differences lie in their shape and specificity.

Their least expensive helmet is the least specifically designed, meaning they are more versatile like a Jack of all trades. But not the best for any one particular riding style, like racing, touring, dirt, etc but, again, still extremely protective.

I originally bought my RX-Q for my cruiser, before I bought by 750.
It is still amazing for my 750 for street riding.