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-   -   Which Helmet? Tips on buying a good helmet (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-safe/19699-helmet-tips-buying-good-helmet-159.html)

Thanks Avi - I booked it almost immediately after you told me about it. It's a bit loose but with a balaclava it would fit perfect am sure.

Aha I was thinking of the same thing - the amount of red on the front makes me look like a red ant.

I don't know the exact numbers and I don't think there are any, but I can tell you about my two experiences so far.
1. I paid ₹6767 for TCX X-Ville boots and ₹6620 for an AGV K3 SV helmet. Ordered them together so had to pay for the shipping of just one item, that is around ₹1700-1800. So a grand total of roughly ₹15,000. When it landed here, I was slapped ₹7000 as import duty for the package.
But the value of the shipment would not include the shipping cost as it is not included on the invoice. You can see a picture of the invoice in this post-
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4200985
So for a shipment costing ₹13,387 I was charged ₹7,000 +/- 100.

2. Paid ₹4136, excluding shipping, for the Diesel helmet I just posted above and paid ₹2238 import duty.

I am not the best at math, so will leave it to you.

Regarding your query about a '12k helmet plus 1.5k shipping', I would expect to pay around 6k import duty. So the total landing cost should be around 20k.
And in my case the postman (India Post) used to come over to my place empty handed and just inform me that there is a package waiting at the local post office and X amount of import duty is due and I had to go pay the amount at the post office and pick it up myself. Both the times.
Maybe it was the size of the package that doesn't allow them to deliver it at the doorstep as these guys ride around on scooters/cycles. Because I had a $300 watch imported from Sweden and the same postman delivered it at my doorstep. (Paid ₹2700 import duty for it, IIRC)

Hope this helps.

Crisp and clear!. Appreciate the inputs so much Shyn. Just the exact aspects of what I was looking forward to hear from you, right from import duties slapped to delivery.

Cheers!
VJ

A quick comparison picture between the best helmet offering companies today. A good read before buying any of these helmets. :)

Got my first premium helmet a few months back. The Arai Axces III. I must say the comfort is unparalleled. The cheek pads are soft and are hardly noticeable even after extended usage. Offers great ventilation due to the two vents on the visor, one on the chin and a large one above the forehead and under the rear spoiler. Wind noise is only audible above speeds of 100 km/hr and even then is much more damped.

The only close competitor I would say was the Shoei Qwest. However I did not find it as comfortable as the Arai. It does however have a more aerodynamic shape. Arai claims that its round 'R75' shape offers better impact protection from all the sides. Im not sure if this is completely accurate.

AGV's and HJC's simply do not offer the comfort or the protection that Arai and Shoei do. If anyone is therefore looking for a premium helmet, go for an Arai without giving it a second thought.

I am a bit newbie in this. I am surprised to find members paying huge money to import Helmets considering one can only use them for 2 - 3 years because of the dirt, sweat accumulation over the years. I understand there are many helmets with removable liners and are washable.

We really don't have any quality helmets in India ?

Even after paying huge money to import helmets and other gear, we still end up saving a lot compared to what shops sell the same stuff here for!
But ofcourse you need to find something good and authentic on a heavy discount to make up for the 50% import duty you will end up paying.

Riding at high speeds for a while can be fatiguing and also scary if you do not have the best protection. There are no locally manufactured helmets sold in India that offer track certification and premium quality lining, padding and optically sound visors, all of which contribute to your comfort. Small things like being able to see properly through the visor without any optical errors, pinlock visors that allow for good visibility even during rain or cold weather conditions, chin curtains that keep you warm, sweat and moisture wicking and anti microbial material that keeps you clean and dry and your skin itch-free, they might all sound like minor details but they go a long way in letting nothing come between you and your riding experience. :thumbs up

Thank you Shyn and IshaanIan for the information.

Hello all,

I've been gazing through this thread for a while now, but ultimately confused because of too much information stupid:. So looking for a crisp opinion/ advice based on my requirements below (arranged priority wise):

1. Lightweight
2. Price: Around 6k and I can stretch out ~1k if it is really worth it. Added advantage is I know a lot of buddies living in the US and EU, so I am open to bringing it down from these parts of the world.
3. Ample ventilation, at the same time less noisy: I know both are contradictory but I am going to use this helmet for touring so needed good compromise between both.
4. Visor: A good scratch resistant one with built in coolers
5. Good build quality


More importantly, I will be touring on a D390, so looking for a helmet that works well with this posture. And, I will not talk about removable inner lining here, as I see most of the mid-range and premium offerings come with this feature.

I have MT Mugello in my mind, but off-late have been hearing about poor build quality about the whole MT range.

Thank you in advance for your inputs.:)

First off, let me tackle your lightweight conundrum. Given your budget, you will only find helmets with poly-carbonate shells. That means there is simply no lightweight option. That said, if you can find any AGV K5s going for massive discounts in the US or EU, then get one of your friends to buy it ASAP since that uses a fiber construction and could suit your lightweight requirement very well. Also I've seen and heard of a lot of K5 helmets being sold at discounts these days.

If you cannot find a fiber constructed helmet in your budget, but want good build, and solid aerodynamics on an upright naked bike, go for the Nolan N86 (could be sold under the X-Lite name). Very solid touring helmet. It might just squeeze into your budget if you find discounts on the solid colors. Another solid touring helmet that might just squeeze into your budget would be the Shark S700. If scouring the internet for US/EU sites with discounts isn't your thing, then you can safely go in for a HJC or Scorpion helmet. Both american brands that offer great value for money and have several solid products in their line-up which should come in your budget. Something like the HJC CL-17 for example is a great helmet with track certification in the form of a snell2010 rating. :thumbs up

What Ishaan says is true, but only if you have to buy overpriced gear from within Bharat

Check this out - http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/s.../sort-pricelow

You actually have a Bell RS1 going for under $80 (add $10 shipping within US) but in one size only. Just FYI, the same is sold in India at around Rs 35K :Frustrati

Go through the list, read up reviews online or post your query on a specific helmet on this thread and shortlist one. With these prices, you cannot go wrong

The above is assuming that someone will be able to carry it from US for you

Happy hunting :thumbs up

The above is also assuming the insanely discounted otherwise expensive helmets, are available in your size too. Deals like the rs1 bell helmet are usually on extremely large or extremely small sizes like XXL or XS.

Its actually not that difficult. Just spend some time on the site.

From the first 2 pages:

- Snell rated Vortex in size M for $77. For reference, an entry level Bell Qualifier retails here for Rs 10K
- Multiple Scorpions with Internal shade + Airfit cheekpads for under $100 in multiple sizes, not just the weird ones
- Some good LS2's; both street and ADV styles. Awesome value at over 60% off!

So it isn't like there's a dearth of choices, that too well within the OPs budget. But you gotta look hard enough

Hello folks, i am looking at a flip up helmet in the range of 6-8k. Looking at options available online in India only. Any suggested brand and leads on it would be helpful.