Arai Chaser

[Zen Beetle]

My Arai Condor will soon be 5 years old and as I find the helmet very comfortable I am thinking of replacing it with an Arai Chaser. There is presently a sale of Arai Chasers in George White with Chaser Spike Red selling for £169,99 (thats £200 off the normal price!) My only dilemma is, should I risk buying a helmet before trying it on? My Condor is 59-60 Large and the Chaser is advertised as 60 large. In theory they should be the same size but can the fitting be different? Any advise and opinions on the Chaser helmet will be greatly appreciated as although its a very good offer it can also be wasted money if it doesn't fit properly.

[danf1234]

Not worth it. I have found nearly every helmet fits slightly differently. For instance Shoei Xr1000 is different to an XR1100.

I did the same with a pair of TCX boots recently. Took a gamble, was wrong and had to go through all the hassle of sending them back etc.

[punyXpress]

HG Cardiff open 12 to 4 tomorrow for their New Year Sale - worth a trip over ?

[Zen Beetle]

May visit HG tomorrow. Will be good to try different helmets. As for the George White offer, I'm going to play it safe and not risk buying a helmet without trying it on first. Thanks for the quick response.

[Sir Trev]

There were some special edition Chaser models that did not sell well, hence the discount. I got a plain white one but could have bought one of several highly garish versions of the same for a lot less, but they looked like someone had been sick on them...

ALWAYS try a lid on before you buy it.

[Lozzo]

I have both a Condor and a Chaser, mine are both XS (54). The black Condor is my road only helmet and the Matt Aluminium Chaser only gets used on track.

Each one fits my head well, but in different ways. The Condor feels the tighter of the two despite being the more frequently used, and the Chaser feels plusher and more refined yet still a firm fit. Of the two the Chaser definitely has the better venting, which is why it's my track lid. The general fit is slightly different, as if they were each made to fit a different shape of head, but on my noggin they both fit ok.

I'd say try both back to back to get a good idea of whether or not the Chaser is the helmet for you.

[Zen Beetle]

Thanks Lozzo. Your comparison of the Condor and Chaser is spot on! Tried the Chaser on at Heingerrick and was happy with the fit, feeling as comfortable as the Condor. Strangely enough, I also found that it didn't feel quite as tight as the Condor. You'd think that being a brand new helmet it would be the other way round. Anyway, I ended up buying the Chaser Legend Phil Read which has a more tasteful and classical black and white design than the more garish other designs available. Like Lozzo pointed out, the venting on the Chaser is better and has an intermediate setting. I also like the fact that the knobs are much chunkier and far easier to change with gloves on. Although still expensive at £240 I thought it a good buy bearing in mind that it would normally cost £369. So hopefully, it will be another five years before I change helmet.

[Lozzo]

Good choice, the Chaser is a very nice lid. £240 is cheap for a current model Chaser as they were a lot more than that during summer. When I got mine 3 years back they were just coming up £300 for the plain colour ones. My Condor retailed at £199 when I got mine 4 years ago.

[rictus01]

just as a matter of interest, where (apart from historic plastic helmets) does this 5 year thing come from then :smt102

As far as I'm aware the shells are far more durable these days and it's more to do with wear than age.

Cheers Mark.

[Gordon72]

just as a matter of interest, where (apart from historic plastic helmets) does this 5 year thing come from then :smt102

As far as I'm aware the shells are far more durable these days and it's more to do with wear than age.

Cheers Mark.

I may be wrong but i think it has something to do with sweat/toxins etc reacting with the polystyrene liner inside the lid.As such it is five years from when the helmet is first used8-).

[Lozzo]

I may be wrong but i think it has something to do with sweat/toxins etc reacting with the polystyrene liner inside the lid.As such it is five years from when the helmet is first used8-).

Correct.

Arai recommend you replace at the 5 year mark, and the ACU and FIM will not allow you to race with a helmet that is over 5 years old. Just about every helmet made today has the date of manufacture on a label or embossed into something on the lid. On an Arai it's on the chinstrap coverings.

Even with modern materials 5 years is about the safe lifespan of a helmet, besides, after 5 years of continuous use on my noggin they are ready for the bin anyway.

[rictus01]

I seriously doubt that's the reason, are you trying to say you wear a helmet once and it starts a "clock" that means your helmets insides dissolve in a set time ?

I'm aware of the compression factor through use, but that has nothing to do with age, I think to many have been reading the weekly comic again......;)

[rictus01]

I have a 3 year old, brand new boxed condor upstairs are you seriously saying I should throw it away in two years reguardless of use ? like wise my motocross lid has had very little use and will no doubt last far longer than my day to day lids.

generally my helmets last me 3-4 years, but then I use it almost everyday, and it spends a lot of time on my head, not on a shelf, if I was a 3-4k a year rider I'd be a bit ****ed at only 15k out of it, having done that mileage in about 4 months last year, so should it be changed at 4 months then ?

[Lozzo]

Exposure to UV light, sweat, dirt, cold, heat and all manner of things affect a helmet shell and inner liner and contribute to their lifespan. I'd be happy wearing a helmet that's been stored in a cool dark place for three years, and then using it for a full 5 year term.

With regard to a helmet that's used regularly, 5 years is about all they are good for, and for those people who only do 2 or 3 thousand miles a year, tough... use the bloody bike more and get some use out of it and the kit you bought. It's not a driveway ornament, it's a bloody motorbike that was built to be used.

[rictus01]

Haha... I doubt I'll fall in that category for a few years yet, but I'll be dammed if I'll bin a perfectly good and serviceable helmet, just because the date stamp says so, but then I guess most people are so used to being told what to do with out checking themselves.

Oh and I had a 5 year old Aria Maverick tested by Aria last year after it had taken a knock, it came back with a report of perfectly serviceable, I replaced it anyway, but according to them it was "to standard".

Cheers Mark.

[Lozzo]

Mark - you get your money's worth out of every bike and every bit of kit you've bought - that's to be applauded.

[xXBADGERXx]

I must admit that my Corsair is ready for the bin just from wear and tear , in 4 years I have worn out the bit at the back of the neck , The paint has been hammered to death , the visor has seen better days but in reality it does at least 800 miles a month just going to work and back . It`s been on many rideouts and shopping trips , used practically every day of the year so I have got my moneys worth out of it and would no begrudge buying another .