Anyone riding with a Bell RS-1?

[barryd]

If so, what is your experience with it?

 

I'm in the process of replacing my current helmet and trying to compare the Bell RS-1, Shoei Qwest, and HJC RSP10.

The local shops don't stock the RS-1's, so I'm trying to minimize my "shot in the dark". I'm partial to Bell because of their history in helmets, though I realize that Bell helmet co. of years ago is not the same as Bell now.

 

A little reluctantly, a local shop that carries both the Shoei and HJC (and some Bells, just not RS-1) will order one in and make a side by side comparison possible. Before that, however, I'd like to get an idea from folks that are using them of what to expect.

 

The on-line shops are positive about it, but they seem to be upbeat about all of the products they sell.

 

Thanks.

 

[Redbrick]

BarryD......By "experience" you could be referring to a get-off in which the helmet was tested to save your gourd or how comfortable it is, fit, wind noise, ventilation????..

Personally, number one is how it fits; comfort......Second (or maybe first) is does it meet DOT specifications and more importantly to me, SNELL requirements....Protection and comfort, that's why we wear helmets....Price is the last consideration in my decision to buy helmets..Price should be way down on the list when buying a helmet...I prefer Arai and pay for them....

 

I'd suggest you find a helmet seller that really knows how to fit you..There are a great variety of shapes, for instance, within manufacturers....Most inexperienced purchasers (me with first helmet) buy them too large...In my area we have Cycle Gear shops that I've found are helpful in fitting and, at my local one, wouldn't let me buy a helmet that didn't fit.....

 

Not pushing Arai, but here's a site that gives a lot of fitment info...

 

http://www.ducatiomaha.com/Images/How_to_fit_a_helmet.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

[barryd]

Phil

Thanks for the link, and your response.

I was thinking more along the lines of noise, ventilation, convenience factors, how it holds up to use.

Fit sure, but it's too unique a factor for gathering web opinions, I think.

 

As for get off performance, that's good to know about, but the only real choice to trust Snell, DOT, ECE and Sharp. Hopefully, I'll never have the chance to do my own testing. So far, that has worked out.

 

Unfortunately, the shops I've been in that understand fit the best, at least between brands, have about the least selection. The shop I'll likely be buying from has more choices in-stock, but fit knowledge seems to end at handing the helmet to you to try on. I do know the basics of how it should fit, and comfort is why I'm looking to shops that have good selection.

 

For me, price is not the major concern, though it's not the least either. More dollars don't always = more protection anyway.

 

I'm choosing based on fit first, then convienience factors, of those, noise is the biggest consideration for me, as my current helmet seems very noisy, even with ear protection in place. Unfortunately, that's really hard to evaluate in a shop.

[barryd]

If anyone is interested in an RS-1, here is a short review.

 

I decided to special-order the RS-1 with the shop assuring me that if it didn't work out, I could switch to a Shoei or possibly the HJC.

 

It arrived yesterday, and I stopped into the shop at lunch to pick it up, it was an interesting encounter.

Before I even got it out of the box to try on, the counter guy told me it wasn't as good as a Shoei, then said he had never seen the Bell, nor knew anything about it.

 

In trying i on, I found that for me, the fit seemed to be in between the Shoei Qwest, and HJC RSP10. Narrower than a Qwest, but not so much as the HJC.

It fit me comfortably, and as might be expected, seemed to fit closer on the sides of my head than the Qwest, though I found both comfortable.

 

All three of these helmets are Snell 2010 certified, all cost within about $20.00 USD of each other, and have similar features.

 

After about two hours total riding, the ventilation works well, the shield never fogs up (a problem on my old helmet, even in warm weather). There is no difference in sound when the vents are open or closed. Though it's louder than I hoped, I would say the sound is better controlled than than my DOT cheapie.

The sound is about equivalent to sitting in a car with the sunroof open, and is mostly a mid-frequency "whoosh".

 

Some of the on-line reviews say that the helmet is designed for a sport bike stance with your head tilted forward. I find that the sound is slightly reduced if I tiilt my head some, but it's not objectionable to me with my head up. I'm 6'1"" riding a K75s so I get a lot of wind spill from the bike's screen.

 

The finish seems equivalent to the Shoei, everything fits nicely, and the shield release that is praised in the on-line reviews works very well.

The shield lock is easy to manipulate with gloves and the vent controls are easy to find and move with gloves.