Helmets - BMW v Caberg Flip Fronts?

[Mark Hooton]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had some opinions on flip front helmets based on experience?

I need to renew mine and the airoh I use I am not best pleased with.

I fancy a Caberg or a BMW flip front.

Could any one help with some opinions please?

ta.

 

[thomo57]

Hi Mark
I've been using a BMW System 6 for about 7 months and I'm happy with it.
It's relatively quiet, comfortable and I've had no quality issues.
The helmet has decent ventilation, I've had no problems with visor misting & flip down sun visor is useful

 

[chipsonfriday]

Had a System5 for three years with no issues (and its still going strong). Now got a System6 which is lighter and has the benefit of pinlock visor and a sun visor.

I did look at the Caberg range but didn't think they would last the test of time.

 

[Blind Lemon Ade]

Not a Shoei Multitec, then?

In one word, loud. Even with the "whisper kit" fitted...

 

[MikeP]

I've used BMW System helmets since the System 2 and have recently moved on to a System 6.

System 6 is a step-forward from the 4 & 5 (between which there wasn't much real-world difference).

The 6 is noticeably lighter than the others, the integral sun-visor not only is a nice way to avoid sun glasses or the problem of using a tinted visor when the light fails but it's a better shape than the alternatives.

The sun visor shape means that when you glance down you do not end-up looking under it.

Having a double-skinned, anti-fog visor as standard is good (and given that the same visor adds about £70 to a 4 or 5, makes the initial price a bit more realistic).

I like the new strap buckle. Automatic adjustment on a ratchet means that wearing a Buff doesn't mean you have to alter the strap or choke.

The only downside I have found is being a speccie-twat.

All the old System helmets actually made it easier to be so afflicted. All allowed you to keep your specs on when donning or doffing your lid.

The padding at the temple of the 6 is much closer fitting and it seems a bit more dense (possibly how they've managed to reduce the noise level so dramatically).

There's no way that I can put the 6 on or take it off with my specs on. I've tried every possible permutation of holding the helmet and pressing the padding down.

It's also impossible to feed the arms of my glasses over my ears when the helmet is on. This is partly my fault. I have thin, titanium armed glasses and they are too flexible to permit them to be pushed between the padding at the temples and my head.

Over time, the padding may give a little but I'm in a Catch-22. I cannot use the helmet with my current glasses for the padding to become a little more 'used'.

My Addidas sun glasses have a prescription insert. They have thick, straight, plastic arms and I have no problem putting these on after the helmet is on. So I've had to fork-out on some new specs of a similar design just so that I can use the System 6. In the meantime, I'm only using the helmet when the sun is out!

 

[Mark Hooton]

Great response - thank you.

Thanks to all, I only put this post on a few minutes ago and I have several qualified opinions!



Thats great - I`ll await other geezers and their kind thoughts but it sounds like the BMW option might have the `drop` on the caberg.

Anyone got any advice on price range for the 6? I wouldn`t like to get ripped off!

ta again.

Mark Hooton
www.cymarcbikeparts.co.uk

 

[MikeP]

Thanks to all, I only put this post on a few minutes ago and I have several qualified opinions!



Thats great - I`ll await other geezers and their kind thoughts but it sounds like the BMW option might have the `drop` on the caberg.

Anyone got any advice on price range for the 6? I wouldn`t like to get ripped off!

ta again.

Mark Hooton
www.cymarcbikeparts.co.uk

I paid £308.

 

[Mark Hooton]

Mike P - intercom speaker friendly?

Mike, ta for that, very comprehensive.

Sounds like the 6 is the one to get, any idea on what I should be paying?

Also, in your opinion, is there room around the lugs for those flat little intercom/satnav speakers to sit without turning the helmet into a Japanese war object of torture?

My current helmet hurts like hell when I fit the flat speakers as it pushes into my ears due to the lack of room.

 

[Mark Hooton]

Not cheap then!

Bugger me, though I am not too surprised - I presume you get what you pay for?

 

[SilverFish]

The System 6 is my fourth (I think) flip up helmet, and by far the best.

I got mine for about £300 from Bahnstormer after a little bit of friendly banter and haggling.

Ditto all the comments above about how it works and all its good features. In particular, I think the vents work particularly well - especially the chin demist vent. For me, there's a pronounced 'air stream' coming in from the vent, up the visor and out the top. First time I've ever felt that.

Price wise, its a lot more than a Caberg - which are rated by quite a few people mind. I've not had a Caberg myself, but I have had a Lazer Revolution which is a flip up helmet at a similar price point. It was great in the Winter but it fell to pieces (literally) within a year.

I would say though that the System 6 compares very favourably to the Schuberth C3 which is a lot more money.

Mike

 

[MikeP]

I have been using UE monitors for a while and so don't need to fit the speakers.

I have however fitted them to a mate's System 6 and the helmet is designed with suitable recesses to easily accommodate them. It's certainly less problematic fitting them than the 5 and a lot easier than the 4.

You do need to be careful when accessing the recesses to avoid fouling the the drop-down sun visor cables (on the left-hand side).

I've only fitted a boom mic to mine. I'll take some photo's later.

On price. System 5's are still in dealers stores. All the extras for a 5 will be available for a while and the best price I was offered one for was £180.

I was tempted because I had a tinted and an anti-fog for a 5 already. I decided to go for the 6 because I knew that I could sell the System 5 visors that I had (and those for my System 4) to defray the price of the 6 but the real decider was that having anti-fog and sun visor all there means I won't have to carry a clear visor "just in case" any more.

 

[Mark Hooton]

Thanks - thats fantastic

Ta mate, thats great advice. I think I`ll go for a 6 and pay the extra simply for the visor and speaker fitting advantages.

I also believe that the cabergs are good value for money but feel that they could drop to bits!

Thanks to all for the help, I know what I`ll get now!

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Just bought my system 6 last week. Had tried to get one before christmas but they didn't have my size in stock. Price went up £50 at new year but they let me have it at the pre-rise price (£325) as I'd tried to buy it before that.

Fit is fantastic and it's the quietest helmet I've ever owned. My last helmet was an Arai quantum E. The 6 is larger around the chin area which changes your sight picture a bit, but there's really great visibility. I LOVE the sunvisor, but have been having problems with the pinlock insert misting up quite badly while riding to work the past couple of days, I keep having to have the visor cracked open to prevent this.

It's a very quiet helmet, but only when the visor is locked down and the vent closed. Open it and it's not much quieter than any other, but I think that's to be expected.

I fitted my autocom headset and it goes in very neatly as there are recesses in the padding designed to take earphones. There's a pictorial on how to fit to a shuberth helmet on this forum which is very clear and detailed. Took me half an our being careful to get everything neatly fitted and tucked away.

Great helmet, but if I can't sort out the misting issue, otherwise I'm going to ask for a replacement visor as it's much worse than the fog city shield I had on my old Arai.

 

[Mark Hooton]

Thanks

Ta mate, thats helpful - with regards to your issue have you tried some of the anti misting compounds you spray/rub on?

Regards,

Mark
www.cymarcbikeparts.co.uk

 

[Pathologic]

Justino

Hi Mark,

I had a caberg for 3 years and still use it around town. The built in visor is as good as any I have seen. It is quieter that an Airoh (I had one before this helmet). There is virtually no room for speakers and I have resorted to in ear speakers to counteract the noise and discomfort of the standard autocom ones.

I have just upgraded to a Tourx and I miss the flip front. Its been too dark to miss the visor yet. The caberg should be cheaper. I don't know the current price off hand.

Regards,

Path.

 

[MikeMike]

I have a Caberg that I enjoy. Relatively quiet and the sun shield is terrific.
Though you have to check the lever for play from time to time and it will fracture if it gets too loose and mine was loose from the factory.
The liner is easy to remove-clean-replace. The flip front works well, shield is decent quality and I have yet to have experienced the leaking that is often spoken about regarding Caberg. They are not cheap in price, in fact, I likely would have bought a Nolan if I had found one in time that was priced lower.
I found the fit to be better with Caberg for my head than the BMW range.
The ventilation works well with the Caberg, too. I've taken to wearing a "skull cap" type deal lately (made of lycra material) and it has made the Caberg even more comfortable.

 

[Stewart H]

I have been using a Caberg Justissimo GT for over two years now, the initial flexible feel and apparent flimsiness has proved not to be an issue, the helmet still looks like new, this is a great helmet for spectacle wearers and copes well with earpligs/ in ear audio, there being ample room around the lug oles, at least for mine, the downside is that this space means that the helmet is pretty noisy. I bought a Trip model for my wife and found that the design changes were not good, particularly the inner visor operating lever which moved from the left side (easy) to the top (strange)

Stewart

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Ta mate, thats helpful - with regards to your issue have you tried some of the anti misting compounds you spray/rub on?

Regards,

Mark

I think the anti mist pinlock insert is a material that's supposed to absorb moisture and release it gradually, don't think you'd want to actually put any sort of treatment on it, I know you weren't supposed to with the fog city shields.

 

[Packer]

I bought a Caberg Justissimo in November 03. Seemed a reasonable helmet until you try and ride in the rain. The inside of the visor was soon soaked from water leaking past the top seal and more blowing upwards from the chin vent.

IMHO not fit for wet weather riding, actually dangerous due to impaired visibility. Current system 5 a big improvement but not perfect. Still get a little water entry.

Whatever you choose specify a pinlock visor. Brilliant with the only downside being a little more glare and slightly double image at night from oncoming car lights. Still worth it, its good to see where you're going on a cold damp day.

Also +1 on Mr MagicFingers comment about treatments.

 

[Mark Hooton]

Mmmmm

Been offered cheap Cabergs......................

Think I`ll still go with the series 6 and see what I can get at the MCN show, eh?