Which Schuberth?

[Stu]

Saw a Shoei X Spirit on sale for ?200 which got me thinking about a new helmet. But really my main gripe at the mo' (other than fogging & dirt outside the visor. Grr ) is I still get a ringing in my ears despite always using earplugs. So I think I need to get the quiet Schuberth. So which one is it? I've seen S1 at ?360 and R1 at ?280, is it just the S1 that's quiet? I would probably only spend about ?200 so if you see one for that this year at all please let me know.
Thanks

[embee]

I have the S1.

It's quieter than anything else I've had but not so quiet I don't still use earplugs.

I got mine from these , at the time it was ?280.

I really don't know anything about the R1 unfortunately. I understood it was a bit more of a "sports" design, but they don't make much of a claim about noise levels so I guess it doesn't perform as well as the S1 in that respect. The S1 is a large shell, a lot bigger than my last Arai, but not cumbersome in use.

I'm not sure the build quality is quite up to Arai standard, but it's good.

The integral sun visor is brilliant.

The anti-mist coating on the inside of the normal visor on mine was complete junk, it went sparkly first time it got wet and all washed off with plain water and light finger rubbing, total cack, but once cleaned off the visor is fine (but it does mist up!). I should have sent it back but couldn't be bothered.

[Stu]

Thanks, is it very heavy or acceptable?
I heard from a shop that a few people had problems with the anti mist coating on the visor. Schuberth knew about it & weren't proposing to do anything about it (don' know if they just got replacement visors that were luck of the draw if they were any better or not.
So with earplugs is it noticeably much quieter than any other helmet - no ringing?

[Stu]

Not a very complementary review here http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motor...uberth-helmet/
Think I might try a windjammer first

[Mark_h]

Stu,

Have you considered splashing out on a pair of custom-fit earplugs? Cost quite a lot (£40-50) but are fantastic. Comfy fit, nothing sticking out to press against the helmet liner and I can now ride all day on a naked bike without ending up with wooshing, whistling or hissing in my ears when I stop. Never got on with foam plugs but these custom fit ones are brilliant.

http://www.ultimateear.com/motorcycle.htm

Don't know about WVAM, but TVAM get a discount.

[Stu]

yes crap
keep falling out so not as good as disposables

[Mark_h]

Maybe they work better if custom fitted to your ears and not someone elses

If yours are ultimate ones and they fall out, give them a ring and they'll sort it for you.

[Stu]

Yes must get round to that

I've got an S1 and it's very good
Like embee said, the visor coating is crap - works fine when it's not under too much pressure, but eventually soaks up so much moisture that it condenses out and you can't see a thing. I washed mine off under the tap and haven't had any trouble since.
I notice from their website that the S1 Pro has a Pinlock visor as standard

I got mine from www.helmetcity.co.uk - near Biggin Hill, so not too far from you Stu to go and try one out

cheers

S

[embee]

just read the webbikeworld review.

They are a pretty sensible and rational outfit from various reviews I've seen, but I would put a few different opinions forward. Subjective views of things like fit/comfort are very personal and individual.

My S1 is 1525gms not the 1750 odd they quote. It's heavier than my last Arai (1380) but I don't find the weight any issue. Also I don't find the large shell size (which I commented on in my first post) to have any noticeably different effect with wind buffeting to the visibly smaller Arai shell.

I found the S1 to be slightly tight at the forehead, but it has a padding band velcroed inside, and some experimentation with the positioning of this had a very significant effect on reducing the local pressure. The cheek padding is thick and does push in on your lower jaw a bit, but it depends how wide your jaw is as to whether this is a cause of discomfort, fo me it is not an issue (but I don't have a typical "American" jawbone). If it doesn't fit you then so be it, just like any other helmet.

The sunvisor can be positioned wherever you want, not just up or down, and it will stay put. One edge has an "aviator" cutout feature and as supplied this is at the bottom. If you unclip the sunvisor and reverse it you get the straight edge, and I like to position this so it is a sun shade and I look below it, just like a tinted top to a car windcreen. I find this gives plenty of anti-glare shading even in bright Mediterranean sun. Also in English Autumn low sun you can set it so you just tip your head slightly to cover the sun near the horizon and keep the road in the clear section to get the best vision.
If I do have it fully down I don't find any undesirable optical effects (and I wear prescription specs). I suspect it isn't as optically perfect as the main visor though, and it might be luck of the draw what you get. I like the sunvisor.

My S1 has the double D ring strap fixing. Infinity told me that all new S1's coming in would be like this and the seat-belt buckle would no longer be featured, don't know if that's true. I prefer the D rings anyway.

As I said the noise isn't as good as I had first hoped, they may well be right about the exhaust vents being the problem, but it is a relatively quiet helmet. The noise is very sensitive to the bike you're on too, it's worse on my Deauville with the touring screen than on the SVS.

Overall ventilation is marginal I'd say, I would like more in hot weather, but it's OK. You can definitely tell when the top vent is opened, the top of your head gets cooled well. I suspect it's a perception thing, it just doesn't seem to do much but it actually does work reasonably well. In the south of France I didn't get any hotter than in any other helmet I've used (one reason I always have white helmets).

Working the main visor isn't an issue, they seemed to make a meal of it. The one thing they are dead right about is that it's impossible to open it just one click because the closed position detent is very positive, so it jumps up 2 or 3 clicks, but you simply pull it back down. Big deal! And you just raise and lower it by having your hand in the middle not at one side, thumb to lift, fingers to lower, but I always did that anyway. What's the problem?

It is quite a different helmet to most others, and this may be something they simply didn't get on with.

I wouldn't say it's worth any more than similar quality helmets from Arai/Shoei etc, but it's a good helmet and worth considering.