Helmet Questions

[bigreddaddy]

I would like some advice and your opinions on a good brand youth helmet, and the lightest possible adult full face helmet.
The youth helmet will be for my 6 year old son. I want to get him a full face moto style or whatever you call them.
Good brand, quality, and price.
Now for me I just need the lightest full face moto style there is because I have 2 ruptured discs in my neck and have constant pain and don't want to add to it. I might just have to go without one as I have always done.

[russell56443]

Dont know about a youth helmet but I sure know about the neck pain,I had a spinal fusion last year with poor results!!
I dont wear a helmet much either due to the weight of the helmet and the strain of trying to hold it up.(I know,I know,helmets save lives)
Also with arthritis all over my body and espically in my thumbs,hands and wrists it's painfull to ride at all,Getting old sucks!!
Good luck with the neck problems and give it hell while ya can,lifes to short!!!!

[TrikeKid]

Well, light means expensive if you want full face, you're probably going to be looking at 300 plus to get the lightest end of the spectrum. I suggest AFX helmet wise for the kid, I ride with one now (I think it's an X-9 or something like that, with the patriot paint scheme) and I've had it for 2 years, my only gripe is the lack of a removeable liner, and they make them with that now, so when I upgrade, I'll be getting another AFX. Have you thought about perhaps a neck donut to help support the helmet and take some strain off your neck? I wouldn't go helmetless, but then again, I'm also probably charging alot harder riding a bike versus a utility trike.

[Mosh]

O-neal has about the best prices on helmets.Any decent youth helmet is gonna run around 85 bucks.I would suggest getting one that is both D.O.T and Snell approved.If you get into the Bell helmets,those get up there in price.200-300 bucks.I like to go to a store vs,online shopping so you can try them on and make sure they fit you guys.You may pay a little more,but at least you will get the one that fits you well.The thing with youth helmets is the kids grow out of them so darn fast it seems.

[SYKO]

well my 6 year old daughter uses a Z1R helmet, I paid 80 for it at the time, that may sound kinda high for a kids helmet but my daughters safety is worth way more than that, im sure I coul dhave gotten one cheaper, but I needed it THEN! I jsut bought my gf's new hemet for her its an adult medium made by AFX and got it at the honda dealer for only 59! and its nice!! I use an old Answer M-7 helmet adult large, I love this helmet at the time (in 95 or 96) I paid amost 300 for it, bet now you can even get a bell hemet at wall mart for under 100

[GPracer2500]

I just bought an Arai VX-Pro 3. It's like putting a Lexus on your head. IMO, Arai makes the finest helmets available. But they don't come cheap. Not sure of the weight, but it's deffinitely lighter than my O'neal.

Once you go Arai, you'll never go back.

[dgould]

With the child's helmet it is best to try one on for a proper fit. Don't get one too big thinking it will last longer. As a rule make sure the helmet fits tight but just enough room to chew gum without bitting your cheek. We used to have a sign saying if you have a five dollar head we have a five dollar helmet and it pointed to a 2 1/2 gallon bucket.
Ride safe.

[Tri-ZNate]

I would definatly reccomend AFX. About $120 and mine has survived 2 wrecks where my face would have been smeered on pavment and it keeps on tickin

[bigreddaddy]

Thanks for all the good advice fellas. Yeah I'm not going to worry too much about price for my son's helmet. But for me I'll just have to shop around I guess especially on the weight. I never used a helmet for anything I've had before especially when I was a dumb teenager, including the 250r I used to have. BUT now that I'm a daddy I have to think about my boy, so I don't want to end up "dain bramaged":drool:

[BigGreenMachine]

HJC CS-X4. Very light. I've got the pink one.

[p26575r16]

I would recommend going to your local atv dealer and trying on some of the ones on the shelf. If you find one you like, compare prices with the dealer and mail order companies. I bought my helmet from rocky mountain atv for $60 (don't remember the brand, it is out in my truck right now) and I believe it is just as good as my wife's $150 KBC helmet. They both weigh about the same and both have the same safety ratings. I actually broke my back with my helmet and had to ride a dirt bike 3 miles out of the trail in a hole lot of pain (should have called rescue). After about 8 months the doctor cleared me to ride again, so I really looked over my helmet good to make sure it was still OK. There was only a few scratches on it. I was in quite a bit of pain the first couple of rides on my 350x, but I really did not notice the weight of the helmet, the weight of the coat I was wearing actually felt worse.

[TimSr]

I would recommend going to your local atv dealer and trying on some of the ones on the shelf. If you find one you like, compare prices with the dealer and mail order companies.

This is good advice, and I just wanted to add that the dealer is where you are also likely to get the best prices. The dealer???? Yes. Most dealers have a clearance section at greatly reduced prices, and they are usually full of helmets and other apparel. Apparel, including helmets are made to "match" the current bike/atv models in production. Last years colors and designs often sell for half the price of this years models, and i see a lot of $150 helemst selling for $40 or $50.

[TrikeKid]

I would definatly reccomend AFX. About $120 and mine has survived 2 wrecks where my face would have been smeered on pavment and it keeps on tickin
I have abused mine, including the rarely seen brakedancing move "mud hole head spin" I've been beating on mine for a while and it's survived tree hits, over the bars landings, etc... all it's got is some scratches and scuffed paint.