Who's got a quiet crash helmet?

[Simon Davey]

I have a Shark Ridill which fits perfectly but is so noisy, and has a terrible view.

I also have a HJC i90 which is fairly quiet, but doesn't fit that well.

So, I'm thinking of an addition. I'm not a cheapskate, but I'm not loaded either. I have some Christmas money that I could add to.

Although I use a flip front, and I do like to flip now and then, I also quite like a full face, they're lighter and less faff to get on and off.

 

Do you guys and gals have quiet helmets?

[Pie man]

I had a Schuberth C3 Pro, quietest Helmet I've ever owned, until it got damaged. Not sure what the new Schuberth variant is today. I have Shark/HJC and Scorpion and the Shark is the quietest of the 3, although not a patch on the Schuberth. 

[V650]

45 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

I have a Shark Ridill which fits perfectly but is so noisy, and has a terrible view.

I also have a HJC i90 which is fairly quiet, but doesn't fit that well.

So, I'm thinking of an addition. I'm not a cheapskate, but I'm not loaded either. I have some Christmas money that I could add to.

Although I use a flip front, and I do like to flip now and then, I also quite like a full face, they're lighter and less faff to get on and off.

 

Do you guys and gals have quiet helmets?

I have the HJC I 70 not quiet and I'm half deaf also the Visor is quite Narrow 

I had done quite a bit of googling recently and as already suggested By Pie Man the Schuberth is prob your best bet for a quiet helmet 

[Simon Davey]

Many thanks @Pie man & @V650, much appreciated.

[Fiddlesticks]

Have the Nolan N100-5. No complaints, but then nothing else fit, so beggars can't be choosers.

[S-Westerly]

I had a Schuberth C3 Pro and it was pretty quiet. When it got to the end of its service life I was keen to get a C5 Pro but the Shoei Neotec fit better. It too is quiet. For both the Schuberth and the Shoei  avoid the fancy graphics and you can save £100 -£150.

[JohnJive650]

Had a hearing test last week and the audiologist said you need to protect your ears from the wind noise 

Helmet has to fit and block as much wind noise as possible. No point keeping helmets that don't meet that criteria 

[husoi]

I have a Nolan flip up and find it really good.

Normally flip ups aren't the quietest.

It is much better than the shark I had.

That one was like wearing a bagpipes

[Simon Davey]

The Nolan N100-5 that @Fiddlesticks has, is rated as quiet,and is good value. 

[Simon Davey]

Thanks for the feedback @Angela Collen, much appreciated. 

[Mickly]

14 hours ago, Fiddlesticks said:

Have the Nolan N100-5. No complaints, but then nothing else fit, so beggars can't be choosers.

+1 for the Nolan, I’ve got the same model & find its really good in all respects (although thankfully haven’t tried the crash protection)

Also managed to fit my Cardo Freecom and speakers without much faffing, although the unit does have to sit quite far back due to the flip front.

[Capt Sisko]

I always wear earplugs regardless of which of the helmets I got I'm wearing. I use reusable 'Quiet Loop' for local trips and Earsoft FX for longer ones. Sure a wind tunnel tested and an intrinsically quieter helmet is beneficial, but fit & comfort are more important to me and the earplugs will take care of any surplus noise.

[Simon Davey]

Helmet City are selling the Nolan N100-5 for £99 !!!!! Probably because they're now stocking the N100-6.

 

I'm going to take a punt and order the 5.

Thanks all, much appreciated.

Edited December 27, 2024 by Simon Davey

[Shepherd]

Wouldn't it be great if the bike shop had a wind tunnel type chamber you could stick your head in to, and try the different lids 

[V650]

20 hours ago, JohnJive650 said:

Had a hearing test last week and the audiologist said you need to protect your ears from the wind noise 

Helmet has to fit and block as much wind noise as possible. No point keeping helmets that don't meet that criteria 

I usually wear ear plugs 

My deafness was caused by working in an engineering works for 20 years and need to protect what little of my hearing is left 

I find the orange foam earplugs to be grand & sometimes I would listen to a pod cast or a little music through the bluetooth in the helmet without issue 

 

Absolutely you need to protect your hearing 

Tinnitus is no fun at all 24 hrs a day 

Edited December 27, 2024 by V650

[RideWithStyles]

To be honest is primarily to do with proper fit….not just how you think is a good fit but how it fits with how you biometric head fits with its design.

really good fitting ear plugs (noise dampening and fit) will have a great impact on what you hear or if it’s sticking out and touching the lining of the helmet.

 

How much wind noise (how direct air flow/pressure your getting hit with) from the bike.

 

Edited December 27, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[JohnJive650]

3 hours ago, V650 said:

I usually wear ear plugs 

My deafness was caused by working in an engineering works for 20 years and need to protect what little of my hearing is left 

I find the orange foam earplugs to be grand & sometimes I would listen to a pod cast or a little music through the bluetooth in the helmet without issue 

 

Absolutely you need to protect your hearing 

Tinnitus is no fun at all 24 hrs a day 

Tinnitus drives me crazy, especially when it goes intense 

 

I use ear buds and listen to easy listening music.  Not sure how effective they are in saving my hearing but it's better than nothing. I sometimes use the yellow foam ear plugs 

[Simon Davey]

The most effective ear plugs I've found, are the Sealey yellow foam ones, I get them from my local agricultural parts shop, about £2 for a pack of 10 pairs. I don't ride that often, so cost is negligible. 

Edited December 28, 2024 by Simon Davey

[Mawsley]

Had a Neotek - it fell apart on me bit by bit. Very unimpressed.

 

Got a Schuberth C4 Pro which I like a lot. Can’t comment on the relative quietness…especially with my exhausts…but field of vision is brilliant.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I have tinnitus so I am very fussy about helmets and earplugs. After many years of experimenting here are my conclusions:

 

Flip fronts are usually quieter than full face since they can have closer fitting neck padding. 

Much of the noise level depends on the bike itself. The noise level between my naked CBF and Bobber is totally different due to the airflow over the front of the bike. 

I have a Schuberth C3 Pro, it is good, much quieter than my Caberg Duke2 - but with the right earplugs and neck clothing the Duke can be just as quiet as the C3 Pro. So the helmet alone is the full story. 

 

Which earplugs work best for you is a very individual choice - you have to try a lot to find out what works for you. Personally I find Eggz work best for me.

The majority of windnoise comes from around the neck which is why flip fronts can be quieter. Due to the fact that the front opens they can have closer fitting neck padding. The C3 Pro is also more aerodynamic than the Duke - but the main difference is less buffeting rather than noise. If I go on a motorway trip I often wear the Duke with a buff and a keffiyeh and find that is even quieter than the C3 Pro. If you focus on reducing wind turbulence around the neck area you will reduce noise dramatically.

 

Try feeling the windflow with your hand to find out how the bike is affecting noise. I found that the oem bubble screen and mirrors on the CBF caused a lot of turbulence. I fitted a different screen which improved things but it's still noisier than my Bobber in terms of wind noise. You may be able to improve things by tweaking things around the front end of the bike.

[Simon Davey]

@Mississippi Bullfrog

That's makes sense, my ill fitting flip front is quieter than my snug fitting full face. 

Mustn't forget, of course, slapping my Cardo on the side is going to create noise. 

Edited December 28, 2024 by Simon Davey

[Capt Sisko]

16 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

Mustn't forget, of course, slapping my Cardo on the side is going to create noise. 

Yeah kind of ironic isn't it. The manufacturers (presumably) do wind tunnel testing to keep things quiet, we then bolt on coms, go-pros and worse, fury helmet covers. As they say, Physician, heal thyself.

[S-Westerly]

I draw the line at furry helmet covers.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

40 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

I draw the line at furry helmet covers.

What about floppy ears?

[S-Westerly]

17 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

What about floppy ears?

Nooooo!