F800GS Riders - Comments on Shoei Hornet DS Helmet

[MG57]

Hello one and all.

For those of you out there who own this helmet, are around 6' and have the standard screen, could I have your comments please, good or bad.

I've a chance to go and try one (Good ride out of 180 miles or so this Friday) that's £85 cheaper (selling at £285) than the RRp in a shop and is £5 cheaper that the online price.

Thanks in advance.

Mark

 

[karlp]

Hello one and all.

For those of you out there who own this helmet, are around 6' and have the standard screen, could I have your comments please, good or bad.

I've a chance to go and try one (Good ride out of 180 miles or so this Friday) that's £85 cheaper (selling at £285) than the RRp in a shop and is £5 cheaper that the online price.

Thanks in advance.

Mark

Not sure if i am reading this right but are you stating that you will pay £285

if so then try Infinity motorcycles - I just bought one at £270 which included their £60 discount if I traded in an old helmet (in fact it was a virtual trade to get the deal done and dusted).

karl

 

[MG57]

Thanks Carl,, good price

Your helmet any good etc?

 

[MG57]

Opps dyslexia again

should have said Karl

 

[everywherevirtually]

I've got one and love it but I'm only 5'7". Stevie73 has just swapped his for a UVEX one. He's tall too so it might be worth sending him a PM in case he doesn't see this.

 

[MG57]

Thanks, will do.

M

 

[GS Biker]

I have a grey one, personally think they great helmets. I did like the look of the beemer one but when it came to trying them all on; i found that the shoei fitted/felt the best. I have a powerbronze screen (like a metal mule one) and almost 6 foot. Found the combo to work well for me, although it (the combo) is noisier than my previous 650 single with high wunderlict fly killer!

 

[MG57]

Thank you.

M

 

[snowlife_9999]

good helmet

I have not tried the Aria xd3, but the Shoie is relatively quite, comfortable (for my head shape). There is the obvious extra wind drag (compaired to a street helmet).
I would say to use it for; the off road days; the long on/off (50/50 split or more 30/70off) tours, the trips on road to the off road fun part then back again. BUT get a street helmet for the rest, unless you want to have the neck of an international rugby player.

NB: it is just a little bit quieter than my KBC vx-1 (i think that is corret) $250AUD at highway speed.

 

[MG57]

Thank you

 

[MG57]

Hello again.

Went and got my Hornet DS helmet from Farnborough today, for £269.99. Very impressed, thanks to your guys who answered my post.
Regards

Mark

 

[Greggers]

I have one too ...
But, IMVHO ... it's noisier than my Tour-X, but is more padded, I think the peak needs to be lower as well. In a straight line at speed it's not too draggy (I have a PowerBronze screen too...) but when you turn your head it catches the wind waaay more than the Tour-X.

yeah - I know you've already bought it ...

G

 

[MG57]

Cheers Greggers

)

 

[Greggers]

Actually, this could turn into quite an interesting thread...

After a lot of different brands (I started with a KING helmet which was Barry Sheene's favoured make...) I settled on Shoei about 15 years ago - the shell shape seemed to complement my skull where other brands didn't 'feel' right.My present road helmet is a Z-One in 55cm, which is nicely padded but not overly tight.

So, I was goaded into buying a Tour-X - actually, I thought it was an obligatory piece of kit for Adv riding having watched the Chuckle Brothers on their travels... Anyway, I bought one from the guys at Crescent in Verwood cos Rob was working there at the time and the bloke on the clothing desk really seemed to know his stuff regarding fitting and sizing etc. Now, I'd always bought 57cm in Shoei, so thought that I needed a 57/M in the Arai... "not so" he said after looking properly, "You're a 55/S!" I was eventually persuaded, but needed a 3mm inner cap instead of the supplied 5mm...

The Tour-X was fukken AGONY for the first few weeks of wearing, well, no actually it was quite uncomfortable, but ultimately tolerable and eventually everything settled down. I've worn it almost every day since, for the last 3 years and thought no more about it... until my marathon ride a couple of weeks ago. The helmet and I very nearly had a terminal fall-out after the 15th hour because its lack of padding was turning it into some kind of instrument for torture... Riding into 85mph winds for hour after hour created high pressure zones on my skull which were like chinese torture..! Not at all pleasant trust me. Thankfully I'd also got the Hornet with me, but not having worn it so much the padding hadn't settled to my skull shape, so that too was uncomfortable - especially as it trapped my right earlobe somehow... So, there I was, having to change helmets every 30 mins for the last 3 hours of the trip... Hard to explain just how painful these fukken lids became under the wrong circumstances.... but a good illustration of the importance of making sure your helmet fits properly...

Back on track, I'm pretty sure the Hornet will turn out to be a decent replacement for my Tour-X so I'm not unhappy that I've got it, but it is (for me anyway) interesting to look at the fundamental differences between the two brands... not least that the Shoei is 110g lighter than the Tour-X

G

 

[MG57]

Well Greggers, that's a very frank and honest view of your recent torrid riding life

I have to say in return that my 2.5 hrs back home, vai NOx BMW was how should I say it.. challanging, having never used a Enduro before.

There was I riding on single road at 50mph thinking, God!! this is fantastic, no noise, comfortable and so much vision.

Untill the Motorway (wind speeds, gusting at 30mph,) at 70mph, my neck felt it was going to look at the rear wheel in motion on more than one occassion.

By the time I'd gone on the M4 then A34, I was glad of a cafine in-take and rest.

The pain in my side jaw on the left, where the strap meets was FA.. to say the least.

Anyway I got home and took the top shield off to see how much of a diff it would be, but I was called away to drive to a hotel for a rare meal with my other half.

My road helmet is a Arai Viper GT (Medium 57-58) that I got last year, which is great and had no problems with to Euro land 3 weeks ago (1315 miles in 5 days), so I'm determind to break this Hornet in and show it who's boss, ready for next year.

Maybe I have a slightly different head size for the Hornet

Anyway to late now!!

Mark

 

[C44]

enduro helmet

I am 5'10, have BMW enduro helmet and the standard screen on the F8, at speeds higher than 120 very uncomfortable for the excessive pressure on the helmet, impossible to turn the head sideways, and sore neck the following morning. I tried removing the visor, but didn't make not much difference. I intend to try the TT screen extension at highway speeds, I can report back if that interests somebody.

 

[kalli]

I bought a Hornet DS about a year ago, I then also had a C2.
I ended up selling the Schuberth last spring because it was so noisy compared to my Hornet.
I know this sounds ridiculous, Schuberth supposedly being one of the quietest helmet around, but still it was the case. The booming/buffeting noise wearing the C2 was driving me crazy.

Now I use the Hornet for all conditions, keep in mind that there is not so much motorways around so I hardly ever go above 150km.
I have a low seat, Touratech screen and I am 5'10.

I think there is no way to decide on a helmet without trying it on, and best if the dealer is willing to let you take a short spin using it to see how noisy it is going to be with your bike setup and your height .

 

[MG57]

Thanks.

M