MeltDownZ
Registered
After an extensive eval, I just walked away with the above Arai RX-7 Corsair helmet.
I looked very closely at the Shoei RF1000, Shoei X-Eleven, Arai Quantum/f, and the Arai Corsair. Here's some reference info for others looking to buy a helmet:
Corsair vs.Quantum/f - Corsair has a lot more vents and a removable lining (Quantum II has removable lining as well). The fit is nearly identical to me except that the Quatum is a little shorter in the chin area. It was a little too tight for me against my mouth, the Corsair was perfect. The Corsair is also a tad bit larger in the top of head fitting. If it's too big for you, you can get a liner that is 1 or 2 sizes tighter. Both helmets cool well but the Corsair cools more. The Corsair has different sized padding available allowing you to customize the fit. The Quantum has customizable cheek pads only. The Corsair had a nicer liner materail and since it's removeable, it can be washed.
Both very quiet helmets when properly fit. The plush foam and the design of the earpads seal out most of the noise. I was worried because I heard Arai helmets were noisy. Both of these were some of the quietest helmets I've ever tried. Only when turning my head did I notice some mild vent noise. The noise was minimal and nothing compared to the whistling you often get from cheap helmet seams and vents.
X-Eleven vs. RF1000 - X-Eleven has significantly more venting as well as a removable liner. The RF1000 has removable cheek pads. I think, but you'd want to verify, that the pads are available in different sizes to customize the fit. The X-Eleven is noticably cooler than the RF1000. Neither will adapt well to speaker installation. Even with it's extra venting, the X-Eleven was still a nice and quiet helmet. I would say it was about as quiet as the RF1000.
Aria Corsair vs. Shoei X-Eleven - The Arai's have those killer visor scoop vents that work great. I've read a small issue of the vents blocking the view but it wasn't an issue for me. The X-Eleven has got great ventalation also but maybe just a bit less effective than the Arai. Both are very light helmets. After hours of wearing them both, the Aria seems to mold to your head better. The inside is just so plush. The Aria's are great for earplugs, earphones, or or speaker installs. Speakers go right into the Aria in 2 minutes - no mods required. The Shoei's would require some signifacant foam cutting. Not impossible, but, I wouldn't make your Shoei the first recessed speaker install you've ever done - it's going to be tricky - but doable I would think. For some reason, the Shoei's seem to suck the Bass right out of the earphone sound. Arai's nicely amplify it. The Shoei has a nice visor lock and 'crack open' feature. The Arai has closed, locked-closed, and open. I was able to just leave the visor cracked and it stayed for the most part - even at high speed and doing glances over my shoulder. Both visor mechanisms take a bit getting used to. Both visors stayed where I wanted them to and there were no surprise flip ups or closes. Both the X-Eleven and Corsair fit well. The Shoei's a bit cheaper depending on the paint job. The Aria's have a more expensive visor ($90) than the Shoei. I've read that the Arai makes a better race helmet and the Shoei a better street helmet. I'd have to disagree. I think the Arai needs a little bit more upfront attention to size selection and pad size selection. Then, it's the most comfortable helmet out there. If there's one feature that stands out the most, it's the comforts of the Arai.
For me, all the helmets are fantastic. Anyone of them would be a good choice. They all seem to be top of the line with regards to safety. If I had to rate them it would be in this order:
1st) Corsair - A+ vents, removable and nicer liners, best fit
2nd) X-Eleven - A vents, removable and nicer liners, great fit
3rd) Quantum/f - A vents, great fit
4th) RF1000 - B+ vents, good fit
If I'm not mistaken, that's the same order in which they are priced.
MeltDownZ
<!--EDIT|MeltDownZ
Reason for Edit: None given...|1088406036 -->
I looked very closely at the Shoei RF1000, Shoei X-Eleven, Arai Quantum/f, and the Arai Corsair. Here's some reference info for others looking to buy a helmet:
Corsair vs.Quantum/f - Corsair has a lot more vents and a removable lining (Quantum II has removable lining as well). The fit is nearly identical to me except that the Quatum is a little shorter in the chin area. It was a little too tight for me against my mouth, the Corsair was perfect. The Corsair is also a tad bit larger in the top of head fitting. If it's too big for you, you can get a liner that is 1 or 2 sizes tighter. Both helmets cool well but the Corsair cools more. The Corsair has different sized padding available allowing you to customize the fit. The Quantum has customizable cheek pads only. The Corsair had a nicer liner materail and since it's removeable, it can be washed.
Both very quiet helmets when properly fit. The plush foam and the design of the earpads seal out most of the noise. I was worried because I heard Arai helmets were noisy. Both of these were some of the quietest helmets I've ever tried. Only when turning my head did I notice some mild vent noise. The noise was minimal and nothing compared to the whistling you often get from cheap helmet seams and vents.
X-Eleven vs. RF1000 - X-Eleven has significantly more venting as well as a removable liner. The RF1000 has removable cheek pads. I think, but you'd want to verify, that the pads are available in different sizes to customize the fit. The X-Eleven is noticably cooler than the RF1000. Neither will adapt well to speaker installation. Even with it's extra venting, the X-Eleven was still a nice and quiet helmet. I would say it was about as quiet as the RF1000.
Aria Corsair vs. Shoei X-Eleven - The Arai's have those killer visor scoop vents that work great. I've read a small issue of the vents blocking the view but it wasn't an issue for me. The X-Eleven has got great ventalation also but maybe just a bit less effective than the Arai. Both are very light helmets. After hours of wearing them both, the Aria seems to mold to your head better. The inside is just so plush. The Aria's are great for earplugs, earphones, or or speaker installs. Speakers go right into the Aria in 2 minutes - no mods required. The Shoei's would require some signifacant foam cutting. Not impossible, but, I wouldn't make your Shoei the first recessed speaker install you've ever done - it's going to be tricky - but doable I would think. For some reason, the Shoei's seem to suck the Bass right out of the earphone sound. Arai's nicely amplify it. The Shoei has a nice visor lock and 'crack open' feature. The Arai has closed, locked-closed, and open. I was able to just leave the visor cracked and it stayed for the most part - even at high speed and doing glances over my shoulder. Both visor mechanisms take a bit getting used to. Both visors stayed where I wanted them to and there were no surprise flip ups or closes. Both the X-Eleven and Corsair fit well. The Shoei's a bit cheaper depending on the paint job. The Aria's have a more expensive visor ($90) than the Shoei. I've read that the Arai makes a better race helmet and the Shoei a better street helmet. I'd have to disagree. I think the Arai needs a little bit more upfront attention to size selection and pad size selection. Then, it's the most comfortable helmet out there. If there's one feature that stands out the most, it's the comforts of the Arai.
For me, all the helmets are fantastic. Anyone of them would be a good choice. They all seem to be top of the line with regards to safety. If I had to rate them it would be in this order:
1st) Corsair - A+ vents, removable and nicer liners, best fit
2nd) X-Eleven - A vents, removable and nicer liners, great fit
3rd) Quantum/f - A vents, great fit
4th) RF1000 - B+ vents, good fit
If I'm not mistaken, that's the same order in which they are priced.
MeltDownZ
<!--EDIT|MeltDownZ
Reason for Edit: None given...|1088406036 -->
