Arai Helmets

[scrumpster]

I was very disappointed today when I went to swap my dark visor over, as I fitted my clear one a piece of plastic sheared off the side plate that covers the mechanism. I wasn't being heavy handed at all, but am surprised that a £400 two year old helmet broke so easily, anyone else experienced similar problems. I have to phone the Phoenix Technical Department tomorrow and see what they say.

[Pedro]

Never had a issue with my Arai, in fact I wouldn't wear anything else. Quality is excellent as is their afterservice - they should replace the damaged part

[Zimbo]

I've seen that happen a number of times. You can buy the side plates seperately.

[sadbiker]

i agree.

having crash tested a few i would never wear any other.

[scrumpster]

Thats what I'm hoping Ped, and I have to say I would never wear another helmet!

[Stafford]

No good for me, I've got Shoei shaped head :freak:
Q

[Albie]

I think it one of those issues that once you buy a good lid you will never change but they are very dear to most. I have heard stories about Arai that they do replace bits for free. I personally have a AGV gp pro and very happy with it but it is with all things plastic. It breaks and is never a guarentee not to.

[Pedro]

Scrumpster

where did you buy it? I'd take it back to the dealer and have a little word with them. Chances are if you're pleasent about it, they'll sort something for you if they're a decent dealer

Ped

[scrumpster]

Scrumpster

where did you buy it? I'd take it back to the dealer and have a little word with them. Chances are if you're pleasent about it, they'll sort something for you if they're a decent dealer

Ped


I bought it at the NEC and through Phoenix the distributors, so i emailed them this morning. They should be able to sort it for me

[singletrack]

This happened a couple of weeks ago to my 18 month old Arai. I think I was being a little heavy handed when changing the visor.

I ordered new side holdersfrom Infinity in Farnborough - they cost me £20 but I think plain ones are £14.
They took a couple of weeks to arrive but at least they match the replica helmet exactly, and Infinity lent me some non-matching old holders until the new ones arrived.

[SazzaG]

Same thing happened to mine 2 years ago - I went to Infinity in Guildford to order new ones, they gave me a spare in the meantime, but never called me to say the new ones were in.

The spare one almost matches, and I've kind of got used to it now!

[scrumpster]

Well what can I say, I'm a very lucky lady, cos Phoenix have one in their warranty box and are sending it to me for free!!! Nice or what and I'd definitely buy from them again - not sure what their warranty box is though :scratch: I was quizzed about the visor cleaner I use, which in fact I don't, I use soap and water. One of the brands eats away at the plastic I believe and makes the plastic brittle - or something like that, so all you people out there, go easy on your Arai's!!!!

[singletrack]

Great news Scrumpster. What nice guys they are at Phoenix. :hail:

I only use water on my helmet too - so it can't be visor cleaner that broke mine. Just incompetence I think!

[scrumpster]

Great news Scrumpster. What nice guys they are at Phoenix. :hail:

I only use water on my helmet too - so it can't be visor cleaner that broke mine. Just incompetence I think!


Personally I don't think the visor is the easiest thing to get on and off!!

[fatbloke]

Personally I don't think the visor is the easiest thing to get on and off!!
I agree i think its way to fiddly
but Arai's fit my head so i'll stick with them

[singletrack]

I took the opportunity to get a lesson in "visor removal/fitting" from the kind guy at Infinity when I got the new holders. It is easier now, but still a lot more awkward than the visor on my Shoei.

[scrumpster]

Maybe I should go for one of them!!! My nitro helmet is a lot easier to change the visor on too!!

[Gilps]

I went to the Bike Show at the NEC last year and collared one of the reps on the Arai stand. I told him how difficult it was to get my visor off so he took a few minutes to give me a lesson. It's easier now but still fiddly.
They were running a competition to see how quickly someone could remove a visor and refit it, three times. The fastest time was under five seconds and that was on the first day of the show. It still takes me a bout a minute to get it off then about a minute to get it back on, and thats if I don't manage to pull the plastic lugs out of the insides and spend ages putting the mechanism back together.

[Chaos Inc.]

Maybe I should go for one of them!!! My nitro helmet is a lot easier to change the visor on too!!

scooter is a lot easier to ride than a gear change full bike. Does that mean one should must change a monster in for a scooter?

Serious note for day: I am one of the Arai/Shoei technician for my company [have funny wall hangy things to prove it] and all in all I have not broken a sidepod while changing a visor after 4 years of constant working on helmets. Hving said that, they are plastic sidepods and are designed as non permanent because when you go down the rode and the visor opens, you DO WANT THE VISOR TO SNAP OFF ANYWAY IT CAN AND NOT STAY ON THE HELMET AND RIP YOUR HEAD OFF.

Next, shoei has a far better means of visor removal but they have pattened the SLR visor system ie. no-one else gets to use it. Others make copies but they are not as good. The down side of Shoie side pods is their plastic screws need to be checked constantly as they tend to unscrew themselves.

After all that, I would always buy either an Arai or Shoei for myself and just go on fit, model and design I am looking at but stick with those two.

Regards ;-)

[Bodybag]

The down side of Shoei side pods is their plastic screws need to be checked constantly as they tend to unscrew themselves.
Obviously designed for a technical pairing with Ducati then!!

[SazzaG]

My sidepod broke because I didn't know how to take it off. Brute force isn't a good idea!

Once Infinity showed me how to change the visor or remove the sidepods, it was easy (although it is a bit annoying that you need a pokey device of somesort for the pods). I remove the visor frequently to clean the fog insert, and have got quite good at it. Have to agree with Gilps that it is irritating when the grey plastics doofers either fall inside the pod, or come off completely.... - again, having a suitable tool is very useful!

I think the lesson here is, if you don't know quite how to do it, get someone to show you!

[DesmoDom]

So are the one's they use at the IOM TT different ?, coz when the bikes come into the pits for fuel etc, they just rip them off and slap a new one on, or is it all in the technique :D

Baz

[benson]

I love my Arai (astro J I think it is ) and have broken the side pods as did the guy in the shop putting the replacements on! It's why my old (now 4 years - hell - an excuse to shop!) Taddy rep has plain silver side pods!!!

I have a Suomy spec 1R too, the gold flowery & generally loud one, but I only use it for the summer - I find it too cold and windy for winter as well as downright uncomforatble with a buff over my head (no comment...) and the arai anti mist doodah fog city thingummyjigg has to be the best one yet.

I tried an RX7 - is that the really expensive one - on at a shop the other week and have no doubt that when I finally go for a new lid it'll be Arai once again..

[scrumpster]

Have to agree with Gilps that it is irritating when the grey plastics doofers either fall inside the pod, or come off completely.... - again, having a suitable tool is very useful!

I think the lesson here is, if you don't know quite how to do it, get someone to show you!

Well new side panel arrived, I found booklet in helmet box so read from cover to cover, used a teaspoon to remove other side pod, cleaned and siliconed both mechanisms, the managed to get side pods back on, one kept flying off, but read book again, pressed a bit harder and heard the click........next the visor, I am worried I will break the plastic again, but the instructions in the book are useless, so I gently 'go for it' and managed to get one side attached quite nicely after about 5 minutes followed shortly by the other. I can remove the visor in seconds, just wish I could get it back on as quick :rolleyes: Saying all this, I would go for an Arai everytime, the after sales service is second to none. The kind service guys at Thruxton padded my cheeks out a bit more for me (no I don't now look like a hamster) as apparently helmets are designed for male shaped heads, not for women's delicate cheek bones...........bet you didn't know that useless fact :rolleyes: