@@Championhelmets It wasn't clear regarding impact. You said, the fiberglass does not disperse impact as well as poly-carbonate which is flexible, but the fiberglass does not have as much high impact protection as carbon fiber which is rigid. So what is it? Flexible impact is better, or rigid impact is better?
Something to remember is all helmets are use once, throw away as that's how the EPS liner works, so the shell material in terms of impact durability is immaterial, (sorry lol) because the helmet is getting tossed anyway. Where the shell could matter in terms of crash protetion, is in abrasion resistance. Snell was created to measure abrasion resistance, not impact resistance. I didn't see an abrasion cataegory/comparo, but otherwise good information. Thanks.
There's the camp that says very high rigidity can cause more brain damage. LS2 is playing to this with their KPA Aramid and polymer material. This is also the key difference between SNELL standards and ECE which prefers more flexibility to pass. There's merit in my mind, carbon fiber is so rigid you have to ask yourself if a soft brain is going to be more jolted by that.
I think its like a car....the outer should be very rigid like a volvo body..but inside there is airbag like polysterene and padding which absorb the energy...energy is transferred no matter what... Those polysterene are the material to absorb those energy...the outer shell is just first surface to avoid direct contact to touch passeger head on bike or body if its a car passenger
@@absolutereazon Yeah, but.. Mercedes Benz pioneered the break away body pieces, when each breaks away the rest of the vehicle slows down a bit more. So today, unlike a 1955 MBZ plastic bumpers, pop out windsheilds, thin fenders, they're actually a safety feature. Used to be cars were barely dented where today's cars fall to pieces.
I'm so overwhelmed with information. I see lots of dislike toward polycarbonate helmets, yet there's a few cheap ones like the HJC C70 that have 5 star SHARP rating.
We have no ill will towards polycarbonate helmets, especially since there area lot of great ones currently on the market. The only reason they may not rank as high as fiberglass or carbon fiber helmets on our road test is that they often come in at the entry end of the market and may not include quite so many features. Nonetheless, there are plenty of safe polycarbonate helmets including (as you mentioned) the C70, HCJ i70, and the Nolan N87. Thanks for the comment!
@@Championhelmets Thanks buddy. I was online shopping for 2 days, ended up with a Shark Spartan Carbon that was on sale. Hopefully it stands up to the tests.
@@ohmylanta4558 The Spartan Carbon has also performed well in SHARP testing, earning it 4/5 stars. It is also a well respected helmet overall that brings plenty of features. Thanks for the reply! If you find you have any further questions, we're always happy to help
3:15 you included shoei and Arai under fiberglass even though they’re composite. Composite of what? Plastic and fiberglass? Basically ? And isn’t the AGV K6 a composite not pure carbon fiber? I think it’s like CFRP or something ?
when i compare the HJC CS-15 and Rpha 11 Sharp Test, the CS-15 has a better test result. should i get the much cheaper CS-15 because its safer based on the result?
Thanks for the comment! The relationship between shell material and weight is more of a general rule to keep in mind and it will vary between individual hlemets. So, it is still possible to have a heavy carbon fiber helmet or a lighter polycarbonate helmet, especially since Lexan is a higher grade of polycarbonate. We've also found that when we tested some of Nolan's other helmets like the N87 that they are also fairly lightweight
I don't know about y'all, but for me high-speed impact safety is paramount, unless you'll never ride over 50 mph. Unfortunately, carbon fiber helmets are expensive!
Though carbon fiber helmets still dominate the upper ranges of the market, we've slowly started seeing them creeping down towards the middle. For example, Scorpion and Icon have begun adding carbon fiber variants of their top helmets while HJC have also rolled out carbon fiber versions of their premium and mid-segment lines with the introduction of the RPHA Carbons and F70 Carbon. Thanks for the comment! If you find you have any questions, we're always happy to help
The data suggests that the average motorcycle crash on the street is 21mph with the highways being much safer than city intersections. So I’d argue that low speed impact is more important for the street in which case carbon really isn’t that useful. Of course it’s a completely different story if you’re doing track days…
More than likely because Arai want all of their helmets to achieve all possible racing level certifications (SNELL, ACU, Etc), so they have to maximise the shell thickness and number of EPS layers
I thought I would ask here as your reviews seem to be the clearest out there. Is there such a holy grail of a helmet that rates well on both low noise and good ventilation? There seems to be a negative correlation between the two features. Is there even one helmet that you feel gives a fair compromise between these features? Finding is hard to commit such a large amount of money (which is worth it when it comes to safety), when everything I have seen reviewed fails to revel a helmet that gives both sound and ventilation comfort. Am I expecting too much perhaps? Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the feedback! That's right, there is a relationship between the ventilation and the noise of a helmet. Since with more ventilation openings, that means more sound can enter the helmet. The two best full-face helmets we've found that balance noise with ventilation are the Shoei GT Air 2 and the AGV K6. Both helmets ventilate very well and though the K6 is slightly louder it does come at a lower price. You can see how they compare here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5j1wOUIB-c8.html
Thanks for the question! The answer would mainly depend on what you count as part of comfort. So, while shell material will have an impact on weight and to some extent noise as well, it won't affect the comfort of the interior liner. This is up to the manufacturer and often is more closely related to the price of the helmet
@Champion Helmets Thanks for the review. And your article on the same helps a lot in decision making. But still I am confused. Which helmet would you suggest between polycarbonate (sharp 5*, MT Revenge) and fibreglass shell (sharp 5*, MT Matrix) for max speed 120 kmph. Usually I ride around 90-100kms per hour speed while touring long distances.
No problem! Between the two MT helmets, we'd stick with the MT Matrix since it showed better impact absorption results during the SHARP test. The fiberglass material should also give you a lighter helmet, which will be more comfortable during longer rides. It's also important to remember that material and SHARP scores aside, it's crucial to check the helmet's fit as that also has a large impact on how well the it can protect you. Thanks for the comment! If you have any further questions, we're always happy to help
@@Championhelmets Thanks for your time and reply. You mean to say for Impact at speeds around 80-100 kmph MT matrix also suffice. You had mentioned that for lower speed impacts polycarbonate is better . Do you mean lower speed is below 100 kmph or 50kmh?
@@JC-nx5xx Our pleasure! Generally lower speed would be something around 50 km/h. And though polycarbonate does handle impacts forces at these speeds differently to fiberglass, manufacturers usually compensate for this in other areas of the helmet such as the EPS, since at the end of the day they do have to pass the certification standard. If you have any further questions we're always happy to help
Hi Champion Helmet. Is that true that Carbon Fiber Helmets is not good for daily used raider because the materials getting weaker because of the weather ? Thanks
Carbon fiber does not get weaker due to weather for daily rides. Manufacturers have increasingly begun using carbon fiber shells in premium touring helmets, which are often used for commuting, and this issue has not come up. Thanks for the question! What did you think of our test?
Sir i want to ask a question if u compare shells like KPA VS HPTT vs policarbonate which will be better option i want a hard shell i mean a shell which is more durable and can easily save my life in a crash actully iam confused in origine strada and ls2 ff800 please help me buying a new helmet thanks
Could you please let me know which is better among MT revenge (Polycorbonate, sharp 4* )and MT matrix (Fibreglass ,sharp 5* )helmet? Few say that Fibreglass helmets are prone to break easily? Is it true? which is more durable here among two shell materials? I cannot afford carbon fibre helmets as they are expensive.
Looking at the SHARP scores, we'd stick with the MT Matrix. Not only did it earn 5/5 stars from SHARP, but it also showed full green for the various impact absorption zones. As far as the different materials, it's always difficult to say which is best as it depends on the impact since each have slightly different properties. Nonetheless, if you take good care of your helmet and have the proper fit, then both should offer the right amount of durability, though fiberglass does give a stronger helmet for less weight. Thanks for the comment! If you have any further questions, we're always happy to help
Hi hope you doing well. I was confused between AGV k1 which is polycarbonate material and HJC fg-17 which is fiberglass material. Which one do you suggest is better amongst both ?
@Kanishk K9, we're fine and we hope you're doing well too. Though we haven't had a chance to road test the FG-17, between the two helmets we'd go with the HJC. The helmet will be a bit more advanced than the K1 in not just its outer shell material, but also the features it comes with. Unlike the K1, the HJC comes with the pinlock anti-fog lens in the box and it also has glasses grooves, and, though the K1 has not been tested yet, the FG-17 earned 4/5 stars from SHARP's safety rating scheme. However, if you're still considering the K1's more sport-focused style, you can also check out our road test of the helmet here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-B52C2Jq3ts8.html Thanks for the question! What are your thoughts on the two helmets?
@@Championhelmets thank you so much for your quick response. Really appreciate your advice and the info you provided. I guess I would have to go to a store and wear both the helmet and see how it is. Mostly will go for HJC as you have given the info about its safety. Cheers 🍻
Hi Roger, though it will depend on the individual helmet, fiberglass, composites, or carbon fiber are your best bet. Carbon fiber will be the toughest, lightest, and most durable, and fiberglass will be a small step down in terms of weight and durability. Composites (generally used by Shoei and Arai) usually stand between carbon fiber and fiberglass, and will offer a range of properties. Nonetheless, it's also a good idea to check out the helmet's individual SHARP score to get a better idea for how helmets with the same shell material compare. What helmets are you currently looking at?
@@Championhelmets Thanks for the review. And your article on the same helps a lot in decision making. But still I am confused. Which helmet would you suggest between polycarbonate (sharp 5*, MT Revenge) and fibreglass shell (sharp 5*, MT Matrix) for max speed 120 kmph. Usually I ride around 90-100kms per hour speed while touring long distances.
Based on the averaged SHARP scores for these various helmets, we found that there was little difference in their overall scores. Afterall, even MotoGP level helmets are a mix of both composite fiberglass (such as the Shoei X-Spirit 3) and carbon fiber helmets (like the AGV Pista GP RR). However, it's also always a good idea to check out the individual SHARP scores for the helmets you're considering. Thanks for the question! What are your thoughts on how these helmets compared?
Thanks for the question! The quietest polycarbonate helmets that we've tested that have also scored well in other categories include the Shark Evo One 2, Nolan N87 Plus, and the Nolan N100 5 Plus. Each earned 3 stars for noise, but if you want the quietest helmet, you may want to take a look at the N87 Plus. It is a full-face Lexan polycarbonate helmet, which did well for noise isolation as you can see here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6AokcjYkMSk.html
I have an icon alliance which is very quiet. Also has good ventilation. I live in Kerala, South India which is very humid and so ventilation is very important.
Thanks for the comment! It's true, graphics are really only a minor point, though some people do include it when trying to decide on a helmet. What helmet do you ride with?
Thanks for the suggestion! Unfortunately, we don't currently sell Nexx helmets, so we haven't had a chance to road test it yet. How do you think it stacks up against helmets of other shell materials?
Unfortunately, we don't currently stock Suomy helmets in our shop, which also means we haven't been able to road test one. To a certain extent, what shell material you choose will also come as a result of what riding you plan on doing. Carbon fiber is most often seen in sports helmets thanks to its strength and weight properties, though we've seen it being introduced into some touring lines as a means of offering a lighter helmet for longer rides. Thanks for the comment! What did you think of the different helmet types we tested out?
