Airoh S4 - Arai Tour X Copy. Suprisingly Good

Manny Fagnet said:
My brother,being a cheapskate and always on the look-out for a 'bargain',bought one of these Airoh's.

He had it about 2 weeks before admitting it was utter shite-noisy,very uncomfortable,poor finish-everything you would expect for £120 !!.

He has since bought a Tour X !


I rode out of Brussels in May in an absolute monsoon for about an hour in my Tour X.It didn't leak at all.

It's the best helmet I've ever owned,and I've had loads over the years

Why save a couple of hundred quid when it could be your life at risk ?
Click to expand...

So basically you've said that the helmet is worse at everything. Here goes...

Compared to the System 5 my last helmet it is a little noisier but not drastically so. The finish is excellent, on par with the Sys 5. Very comfortable. Didn't leak in a recent downpour. The visor closes perfectly.

And then to finish you used the "is more expensive so is more safe line."

Bollicks.

Next. :thumb2
 
More bollicks. The only way you can say a helmet will perform better against a penetrative force is if the shell or form is made thicker or of better material. Arai Tour X has neither.

Next. :thumb2


Mutley1150 said:
The safety standards are finite. Agreed, both helmets meet them. One also goes a bit further.

For example one of the tests involves a penetration test where a pointed weight is dropped on the helmet. The test states exactly where the test is to be made. Some manufacturers will strengthen the helmet specifically at that point. Arai ensure that not only will the shell pass the test at any point on it, it will pass the test on repeated attempts in the same place.

Do a search on this forum for more details as I have to follow the rest of my flock now :blast
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So, have any of the peeps on here who can't get their head around (pun intended :eek: ) spending a fair wedge of money on a lid ever been involved in a serious accident where their helmet took the brunt of a collision?

I would guess, probably not :nenau

I have, more than once :(

I don't care if I look like a twat/follow fashion/am a mug/pay for a name/am a Power Ranger/blah blah blah..............somehow I'm still alive and I aint goona take a risk on a lesser lid for the sake of a couple of hundred quid :thumb2

Andres

PS Snoopy, am not dissing your lid in any way what so ever. Having seen one I actually think they look very good value for money. Just can't understand peoples knee jerk reactions against peeps wanting to spend money on PP.
 
snoopy said:
So basically you've said that the helmet is worse at everything. Here goes...
Click to expand...


Er no,I haven't said anything.just commenting on what my brother told me-and he was the one who said it was so great,before he had to use the thing !!!

Compared to the System 5 my last helmet it is a little noisier but not drastically so. The finish is excellent, on par with the Sys 5. Very comfortable. Didn't leak in a recent downpour. The visor closes perfectly.

And then to finish you used the "is more expensive so is more safe line."

Bollicks.

Next. :thumb2
Click to expand...



Whatever,Snoopy !

I seem to recall you trying to convince us that a DRZ 400 is a better all round bike for long distance touring than a GS.

I can see why you would prefer a £120 Airoh,with your ridiculous reasoning
 
Manny Fagnet said:
Er no,I haven't said anything.just commenting on what my brother told me-and he was the one who said it was so great,before he had to use the thing !!!

Whatever,Snoopy !

I seem to recall you trying to convince us that a DRZ 400 is a better all round bike for long distance touring than a GS.

I can see why you would prefer a £120 Airoh,with your ridiculous reasoning
Click to expand...

And you've took that out of context. That was said for when you want to do some good off-roading a long distance away and only if you are prepared to spend and do the DRZ up. Of course it's not as good for long distance touring by itself!

Anyway you have three bikes indicating "too much money" syndrome. Of course you'd get the glitzy expensive one.

This was never a "Airoh is better than.." type thread, it was to tell others that for less than 1/2 the cost you can have much more than 1/2 the helmet.
 
snoopy said:
Anyway you have three bikes indicating "too much money" syndrome. Of course you'd get the glitzy expensive one.
.
Click to expand...

What utter bollox !!

But I don't see the point of spending the best part of £10000 on a motorbike such as a GSA and then saving myself £200 by wearing a helmet that is inferior in every way to one that costs a little more,when judged in the big scheme of things.

Arai are huge,and spend enormous sums on developing their products and testing them to destruction.

Airoh are...............some back street company that hardly anyone has ever heard of who have an annual testing budget of £1.26 !!!
 
Surely the Acid Test is to see what the Race Teams use.A Helmet used in an extreme environment will need to perform at the highest end of the protection spectrum.And don't throw the "Well they get em free" argument,because Mr Rossi and the rest would not be putting their heads in a free helmet from "Fred Farnsbarns" if it fitted like a bucket,had an ill fitting visor and had interior foam like souffle.
Have you seen Top Racers using Budget priced helmets?
 
Mutley1150 said:
Thanks for 'fixing' my quote to say something I neither said nor intimated mate, it wasn't even funny either :(
Click to expand...


I 'fixed' it because that particular test is pretty damn near totally irrelevent with regard to a motorcycle crash.
Your helmet can resist an impact with a weighted steel ball and spike..... so fecking what ???
Any thoughts as to its extra weight due to the extra spike resisting material causing spinal cord damage and paralysis or death ??
A motorcycle helmet would actually be better with a deformable,flexible, outer rather than a rigid one...to absorb impact immediately and remove spinal shock......most head impact deaths and severe disabilities result from spinal cord damage or shock transference rather than cranial intrusion.

I also 'fixed' it in the now apparently extinct GSer spirit of humour/cynicism and wit...something you once subscribed to yourself before going all politically correct and nicey nicey.
It won`t appear 'funny either' to someone who today is appearing to have their head so far up their arse they can see the Arai logo tattooed on their forehead.

Mutley1150 said:
Secondly I haven't said either of the sentences above, you have. A poorly fitting helmet is worse than none at all. If you want to get with the thread then we are discussing whether cheap helmets are as good as more expensive ones. My argument is that you may not get better VFM from an Arai but you do get a better helmet - discuss :p
Click to expand...

I know full well what I said and what you didn`t.

I was addressing your implications.
As for 'getting with the thread' I could say that I`m more with it than you.
You were not discussing VFM...you were banging the Arai drum.

There isn`t a helmet on the market that won`t protect you against circumstances that are tested for...conversely,there will always be circumstances that weren`t forseen by any testing authority.

It is churlish to refer to a 'better helmet'........just as churlish as saying 'best bike'...there`s too many variables applied to the application to make that comment valid.
 
tarka said:
I 'fixed' it because that particular test is pretty damn near totally irrelevent with regard to a motorcycle crash.
Your helmet can resist an impact with a weighted steel ball and spike..... so fecking what ???
Any thoughts as to its extra weight due to the extra spike resisting material causing spinal cord damage and paralysis or death ??
A motorcycle helmet would actually be better with a deformable,flexible, outer rather than a rigid one...to absorb impact immediately and remove spinal shock......most head impact deaths and severe disabilities result from spinal cord damage or shock transference rather than cranial intrusion.
Click to expand...

I was aked why I thought an Arai was a better helmet. I gave one example from one test and suggested the reader looked further. It's not the only test and I don't set the test. The nay sayers are suggesting that because the Airoh has the same sticker to say it's passed the test it's as safe. I'm saying that engineering a helmet simply to pass a test is not enough and that should be seen as a minimum standard. I did not say this was the be all and end all of helmet testing, however are you suggesting that one helmet that will survive this test repeatedly in one place or anywhere on it's shell is worse than one that will only survive it once in one place and fail it elsehwere?

tarka said:
I also 'fixed' it in the now apparently extinct GSer spirit of humour/cynicism and wit...something you once subscribed to yourself before going all politically correct and nicey nicey.
It won`t appear 'funny either' to someone who today is appearing to have their head so far up their arse they can see the Arai logo tattooed on their forehead.

I know full well what I said and what you didn`t.

I was addressing your implications.
Click to expand...

Like I said, you misquoted me and you didn't do it in a funny way :(

You also failed to read my posts - pretty funny from a guy that repeatedly tells people to RTFM :augie

If you don't like my politics then can I politely suggest you GDO :p

tarka said:
As for 'getting with the thread' I could say that I`m more with it than you.
You were not discussing VFM...you were banging the Arai drum.

There isn`t a helmet on the market that won`t protect you against circumstances that are tested for...conversely,there will always be circumstances that weren`t forseen by any testing authority.

It is churlish to refer to a 'better helmet'........just as churlish as saying 'best bike'...there`s too many variables applied to the application to make that comment valid.
Click to expand...


Why is it churlish to bang the safety drum? I have no axe to grind about Arai, I'd defend Shoei or any of the other quality helmet manufactureres that spend time and effort on safety and R&D to bring us safer helmets. I also understand that all the quality manufacturers make more vfm offerings that also offer less finite levels of performance.

My concern was that less well informed people may think, from the original post, that the Airoh provided the same level of protection as an Arai Tour-X. It doesn't and the finish isn't as good either.
 
Manny Fagnet said:
What utter bollox !!

But I don't see the point of spending the best part of £10000 on a motorbike such as a GSA and then saving myself £200 by wearing a helmet that is inferior in every way to one that costs a little more,when judged in the big scheme of things.
Click to expand...

Can you quantify how much extra protection for my head the extra £200 will provide.

I have had 2 Offs where my head has come into contact with the road surface, the first over 30 years ago I was wearing a second hand helmet, certainly was not a branded make but my head came away unscathed despite flying over the top of car prior to the landing.
The second time I was wearing a Caberg that cost somewhere around £100 or more again no injury despite the helmet being wrecked.

The single most important aspect is the correct size and fit, the price has F**k all to do with the protection afforded.
 
Novice said:
A I am surprised things like Bike magazine don't make it compulsory for test riders to be used as crash test dummies in real life crash helmet test ... they seem to wreck a press bike every other week :D
Click to expand...

Are you volunteering then Novice? :augie ;) :D
 
WARNING - AGREEMENT ALERT

snoopy said:
This was never a "Airoh is better than.." type thread, it was to tell others that for less than 1/2 the cost you can have much more than 1/2 the helmet.
Click to expand...

Well blow me down something we agree on :eek:

As I said before, you pay an element of the cost of an Arai for service / marketing / badge / pretty paint / Ewan & Charlie. Ergo not all of the cost of your Arai (or any other 'quality' helmet ;) ) is in the manufacturing cost. I assume that Airoh spends a much greater percentage of their cost on manufacturing (as I don't see them on the MotoGP grid much :augie ).

QED then, the Airoh is better vfm but the Arai is a better helmet? :nenau :blast

Can we now stop this nonsense before it gets any less gentlemanly? :rob
 
Mutley1150 said:
I think you should have a look at a few websites on what the outer shell of a helmet does :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc>ARAI HELMET SPECIFICATION</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top><TABLE borderColor=#cccccc cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="50%">
arai_penetration.gif
PENETRATION RESISTANT
The penetration test of falling the 3kg cone test striker through a height of 300cm is conducted.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Aside from the aerodynamics aspect very little other than acting as a laminated cover for the devilishly expensive expanded foam.

Arai for example have the 'Penetration' test' , how a weight of 6.6lbs being dropped from a height of just over 3 feet equates to someone like myself ,a lithe 17 1/2 stones person colliding head first with a road or wall or vehicle off a bike is a bit beyond me. :confused:
 
Dickieboy said:
Arai for example have the 'Penetration' test' , how a weight of 6.6lbs being dropped from a height of just over 3 feet equates to someone like myself ,a lithe 17 1/2 stones person colliding head first with a road or wall or vehicle off a bike is a bit beyond me. :confused:
Click to expand...

Arai don't - the EC does. Arai simply took their test and made sure their helmets exceeded it, all over.

If you can design a better test (and this isn't the only test of the helmet) then you should approach the authorities. :thumb2

In addition, as I have said before, I will continue to put my faith in a helmet that has been tested all over it's shell to resist penetration on multiple occasions rather than one which will resist the same test once in a stated location before failing. You put your head in a cheap helmet if you want ;)
 
tarka said:
I 'fixed' it because that particular test is pretty damn near totally irrelevent with regard to a motorcycle crash.
Your helmet can resist an impact with a weighted steel ball and spike..... so fecking what ???
Any thoughts as to its extra weight due to the extra spike resisting material causing spinal cord damage and paralysis or death ??
A motorcycle helmet would actually be better with a deformable,flexible, outer rather than a rigid one...to absorb impact immediately and remove spinal shock......most head impact deaths and severe disabilities result from spinal cord damage or shock transference rather than cranial intrusion.
Click to expand...

What complete bollox :rolleyes:

Do you seriously think that helmets are made thicker to pass the impact test? C'mon Tarka, you're an engineer.
Helmets ARE made to deform for precisely for the reasons you wish they were; to absorb and distribute inpact loads AND to better absorb point (impact test) loads.

As to the suitability of the impact test for helmets I don't know :nenau
In a previous life I was a materials test engineer but still don't feel qualified to comment.
I have, however, fallen onto a rock green laning and put an egg sized hole in a MX lid :eek:

BTW, most deaths in motorcycle accidents attributable to crash helmets occur from 'brain spin'. This can happen when your head slides down the road and the lid grips and slips causing the layers (like an onion) of your brain to become detatched.

And, to sound like a cracked record, I just can not even begin to understand why anybody wants to buy anything other than the best they can personally afford on PP :nenau

Andres
 
I'd be surprised if the Airoh didn't afford the same protection - it is made from exactly the same materials of the same thickness of the same shape.

Just because they don't pump that extra £150 you give them into PR doesn't mean that they don't test them. Airoh are a very large Italian company not some Chinese knock off.

Interestingly we both agree that the Airoh is better value for money as per fact however you (I haven't said either way) have said that the Arai is a better helmet even though you hold no evidence to support such a claim. Like for like you just don't know, therefore the only way you can have made that assumption is by quoting marketing materials found on their website. :nono :augie

PS) What does QED mean?
 
What's wrong with Chinese knock offs? I am a Chinese knock off and I function pretty well :D



btw ... from Airoh's website ... it seems their kit are worn by some Paris Dakar racers. IT MUST BE AS GOOD AS ARAI! :hide
 
snoopy said:
Interestingly we both agree that the Airoh is better value for money as per fact however you (I haven't said either way) have said that the Arai is a better helmet even though you hold no evidence to support such a claim. Like for like you just don't know, therefore the only way you can have made that assumption is by quoting marketing materials found on their website. :nono :augie
Click to expand...


And there, Master Snoopy, you have hit the proverbial nail on the head :thumb2

Yup, I've no problem with the Airoh (actually think it's a better looking lid than the Arai) but I can afford a Tour-X.

I don't want to take the chance for the sake of a couple of hundred quid to find out if the Airoh (or whatever) will protect my bonce as well as a make of helmet with such a good track record as an Arai/Shoei/whatever.

Andres
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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