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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watrose.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watrose!rblanders
From: rblanders@watrose.UUCP (Robyn Landers)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: quiet helmets, wind noise, ear plugs.
Message-ID: <7576@watrose.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Sep-85 13:01:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: watrose.7576
Posted: Mon Sep 30 13:01:10 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 2-Oct-85 00:26:33 EDT
Distribution: na
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 35

I've been searching for a quiet helmet ever since I got a Sabre
with Hondaline sport fairing i.e. short windshield.
Unfortunately my head is wierd and few helmets fit me at all.
I had an Arai Challenger 80 which was quietest with the shield open
one step (!) but it wouldn't stay in this position bacause of wind
blast.  Covering the side plates which house the shield pivot and
catch helped immensely. Although better Arai helmets, such as
SuperSport, SuperVent, etc have better padding around ears and
chin line (VERY important for cutting wind noise) they have same
shield pivot assembly so I suspect they might be unnecessarily
noisy. 

Check out Motor Cyclist September (I think Sept) issue. It has
a large section devoted to rating helmets, as well as articles
on what the Snell and DOT tests test for, construction, saftey,
etc etc. Very informative and useful. They recommend the
Marushin VT-910 as near perfect in fit, quality, quiet, price.
It really is a very nice helmet, too bad it didn't fit me.
Also they like the Shoei RF-V5. I ended up buying a Shoei
RF-85 (very similar to RF-V5) which is much quieter than my Arai
Challenger. Better jaw and ear padding, much better seal around
shield, good overall fit.

I've tried some wax earplugs which are soft and mold to your
contours when they get warm, but they work better for rock
concerts than wind noise. They helped a bit, but not enough to
be worth the discomfort (helmet pinches them). I'd say get a
new helmet (Full face of course!!) with tons of padding along 
jawline, cheeks, ears,
and complete seal around shield area. I found that Simpson and
Bell were the pits in this regard. Way too much open space
around the bottom. This, along with a windshield (:-)) should
help avoid the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Robyn


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