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Avoid LS2 Helmets - unreliable, and no warranty support


Scott9999

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When I went helmet shopping last fall, I had no reference as to a modern helmet.  I had not purchased a new one in over a decade, and well, you know how technology changes.  So do prices, as the helmets I was familiar with were upwards of $600, and honestly, for that price, I didn't know one from another.  

 

Well, doing my online due diligence (reading reviews, likely compensated 🙄), I became enamored with LS2's "Valiant" modular helmet line.  It retracts from front to 180 degrees back, so the helmet can be ridden as either a full face, or open face helmet.  I don't ride with an open face helmet, but the option was attractive for those very-hot-weather riding days.   Overall, as far as the features I was interested in, it had 'em all.   They were in the $350 to $400 range.  I found a close out from a larger European online retailer, Motocard.com, with generous return policies, and took a shot.  I liked it quite a bit.  It's probably the best helmet I've had in my hands since my circa 2010 era Nolan.  In fact, after I had it, I liked it so much, I bought my wife one off Amazon.

 

I haven't ridden much this year, and for most of those rides, I was still using my old helmet.  So, perhaps the third time I had it out, I was just riding down the road to my rural mailbox to pick up mail, and as I launched, I flipped the visor down (out of habit, mostly, didn't really need it), and it only came down 1/3 of the way.  It started raining pretty hard right at that moment, so I'm suddenly cursing down hill trying to get the visor out of my line of sight, while navigating the wet road, and I finally just jammed it all the way back, hearing "snaps" and other nasty stuff as I did it.   

 

When I got back home, and removed the helmet, the visor was stuck between straight back and 12 o'clock, it wouldn't move forward.  I tried forcing it past whatever obstruction in the gears might be hanging it up, to the point where the front flip-up bar was bending.   At that point, I stopped.  I needed some technical support, to figure out how to fix this without breaking it.  

 

So, I wrote to LS2 USA for technical support assistance, e.g. directions on how to disassemble and "unjam" a jammed flip bar.  They replied with a library link with marketing video's.   I replied to them that I'd already bought the helmet, I didn't need more advertising, or a video on how to replace the pinlock visor, I needed technical support.  They replied, "no can do; send in for warranty support."  I wasn't happy, but decided I'd play their game and send it in, if that's what they wanted.   Only three days later, they replied "Sorry, we're LS2 USA, and we distribute and provide warranty support for helmets purchased in the USA only.  You bought yours in Europe, go ask your retailer for help."   Which, I have.  (In fact, I've asked Motocard if they have any relationship with LS2, or if their products are unsupported "black market", or "gray market" products.  It's one or the other.)

 

If I buy a BMW motorcycle in the USA, as an example, USA dealers will provide warranty service.  If I buy one direct from Germany, and I take it to a USA dealer, they'll honor BMW's warranty, because the warranty is by BMW, not Amazon, or the motorcycle dealer I bought it from.  That's how warranties work.

 

I had some crazy idea that LS2 helmets were manufactured in Europe, Spain to be precise, and I'm not usually lazy in doing that research.  Low and behold, what I fool I was.  This is a Chinese outfit, selling their product via international distributors, and they apparently provide warranty service ONLY through the distributor from which you purchased their products. 

https://blog.kimpex.com/ls2-helmets-the-history

 

Moral of the story:  You have a large number of helmet manufacturers to purchase your helmet from.  By all means, avoid fly-by-night LS2.  Their helmets are potentially dangerous, unsupported technically, and without warranty support (regardless of what their promotional literature may state).  Most other manufacturers would WANT to offer technical support, to figure out WHY their helmet failed, if it's a unique problem or systemic problem, and if it requires a design change to prevent similar problems in the future.  Particularly so, when the problem causes a dangerous, safety related event.  Not so, evidently, with LS2.

 

This is what a stuck LS2 helmet looks like:

 

image.thumb.jpeg.2752f7ee01bc11bf7163930dd01c55e5.jpeg

 

Here's your comic relief for the day.  (LS2's marketing people must STILL be laughing at this one, for anyone who believes their crap.)

🤣🤣🤣🙄😭😡

 

image.thumb.png.3f3844bdb85f7f511d9fad91246da434.png

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Scott, sorry for your troubles, I too looked at them but the helmet didn't fit my long oval head and I felt the quality wasn't up to the level of my Arai.  I was looking to move to a modular helmet but couldn't find one to fit.  I found it in the new Schuberth C5, their site is very specific about their warranty in the USA is only on USA helmets with the DOT certification.  I also got the SC2 communication, it is made by Sena.  The Schubert site pointed me to the Sena site for questions, Sena let me know the SC2 is a Schuberth and I need to work with them, Sena was no help!  A riding buddy just got a Nolan modular from overseas he knows he bought a helmet without a warranty or DOT certification, the price to him was worth the risk.  

 

Hope you can figure it out. 

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9 hours ago, strataj said:

Scott, sorry for your troubles, I too looked at them but the helmet didn't fit my long oval head and I felt the quality wasn't up to the level of my Arai.  I was looking to move to a modular helmet but couldn't find one to fit.  I found it in the new Schuberth C5, their site is very specific about their warranty in the USA is only on USA helmets with the DOT certification.  I also got the SC2 communication, it is made by Sena.  The Schubert site pointed me to the Sena site for questions, Sena let me know the SC2 is a Schuberth and I need to work with them, Sena was no help!  A riding buddy just got a Nolan modular from overseas he knows he bought a helmet without a warranty or DOT certification, the price to him was worth the risk.  

 

Hope you can figure it out. 

I've got a backup helmet, and the riding season in Idaho is nearing an end, so I'm in no hurry with this.   I will pursue warranty support, i.e. piss off enough people until someone gets tired of trying to save a buck, and just fixes it.  If not, I'll take it apart this winter, and try to fix it myself.  I just hate to start trying to open up a new helmet where there are no screws, or other obvious access points to get to the gear mechanism.  If I find the gears are irrevocably compromised, I'll just trash it and call it a $250 lesson learned.   My last helmet was a Nolan, so I may go back to that.  I've got all winter to look for a replacement, if need be.  Again, look at LS2's little logo, "The most stable mechanism in the world."  Why?  Because either the Chinese, or their guys in US marketing said so, and slapped that decal on the helmet.  

 

What really turns me off is their total disinterest in a potentially serious problem with their helmet.  If it's never happened before (does anyone believe I'm the first LS2 victim?), wouldn't they want to PAY me to get the helmet back to figure out what went wrong?   If they're a quality helmet manufacturer, you bet. 

 

Aside/off topic:  If they are a Chinese trash manufacturer, well, no, 'cause that's how they roll.  That's their business plan.  Take Logitech, for example.  I bought three used, surplus, "marble mouse" track balls for my kids computers, maybe somewhere in the late 90's, early 2000.   They worked great.  The kids beat on them from junior high school thru college, and I also used them every day, everywhere I want on business while consulting.   We beat them to death, these USED computer mouse devices, for a decade.  I finally bought new one's off Amazon, maybe around 2010.  They were different colored.  Logitech had turned their operation over to a company in China.  They seemed to work just fine, for about six months.  Then the most used "left clicker" malfunctioned.  I just tossed it in the trash, and bought another (business expense, ya know?).  Five months later, same thing.  After about the third replacement, I got ticked, and took one of the old and new ones apart, to figure out what was going on.  The old one had copper contact points, the new one replace all of those with plastic and tin parts, which of course, were the parts wearing out.   It was a simple, effective product, with over two decades of loyal customers, but when the Chinese started making it, it LOOKED the same, but wasn't made the same.  I see this across a range of products from China.   For example, I'll buy a product from Costco, which is a great deal, good functionality for the money.  It's so popular, that it becomes a staple.  After a couple of years, that "same" product, doesn't work the same, because while it looks the same, the product that the Chinese originally sold the Costco purchaser, has changed, and not for the better.   The Chinese are kind of like the NY Mafia, i.e. they would take over a business through some sort of graft (i.e. gambling debt by the owner, etc.), and become a "partner".  Then they would run up bills to vendors, unpaid, and gut the business of any business or merchandise, and the owner would go bankrupt.  The Chinese take over a company, buy a company "name", start pumping out the same wares, but then gradually start pumping out cheaper, lower cost, lower quality merchandise under that same original name, as long as that name has any value.  Then they shut down that company, and start doing business - same factories, same entity, under some other name.

 

Post-war Japan used to have a similar reputation.  My uncles used to call their stuff "Japanese crap".  That reputation offended the collective pride of the Japanese, so much so, that they brought in the famed Edward Deming into all of their major corporations to teach his principles of quality management.   The Japanese went from "Japanese crap" to producing some of the finest products in the world.  I doubt that will ever happen with the Chinese, because they led and controlled by people who are rotten to the core.    The average Chinese man or woman works as hard, and as well, as anyone else in the world, of that, I'm confident.   However, the CCP's overall business plan, their way of doing business with the West, is predicated upon fraud.   /end rant

 

(All of this is just one man's opinion, and I hope I don't offend anyone.  Please don't respond pro or con to my comments about Chinese product quality, etc..  Send me a private message, and I'll open a thread on the "Full Throttle" topic, so we don't break any rules.  Thanks.)

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A member of another forum told me that LS2's Valiant was actually a poor knock off of Shark's Evoline series.  So, I was looking at them on Amazon, and the Valiant II popped up on the search (lol, sponsored ad)..  That led me to look at feedback on the LS2, particularly the 1 and 2 star views.  There were numerous complaints regarding the front bar, including the hinge pin separating from the bar, and the bar literally breaking like a piece of plastic (so, how is it going to protect anyone in a crash?!).  Even if I can fix this thing, I'm no longer sure I want to wear it.

 

The negative reviews were instructive.  So was Amazon's "WARNING".

 

?hash=307cdc8f8001731dbed28d7f6642292d
 

 

That's Amazon's little hint that LS2 helmets are guaranteed only as far as the "independent authorized dealers" are willing to honor their warranties.  Apparently, there is NO MANUFACTURERS warranty, or none that's worth spit.

 

I got lucky, i.e. only paid $250 with shipping on a close out Valiant II.  Imagine paying $400+ on that piece of dangerous, Chinese trash. 🙄😣  Those buyers were REALLY ticked off.

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It's a bummer that it's not working, but you do have the option to send it back to your retailer and have them send it in for warranty repair.  This will NOT be inexpensive. If you do ship it back to Spain, I'd suggest using something like DHL; I ordered a couple of Scorpion helmets from Motocard last year and - through my own error - caused a problem with the inner visor mechanism on one. Like you, I could not get the USA distributor or the Euro distributor for the brand, or the company to help (I just needed a tiny part) because of the country I'd purchased in vs the country I was using in. Motocard said they could replace as a warranty issue if I got the helmet to them. I understood all of this as a risk when I bought it, so I shipped it back via USPS/Spanish post. Oh. My. God. Took FOREVER. Including being stuck for a couple of months in Spain on the way there and then several months in US Customs first in NY and then CA on the way back. 

 

So, while I'm sorry you got a defective helmet, I do know several people who have had good experiences with LS2 helmets - and specifically the Valiant - and the issues with ordering a helmet internationally are pretty well documented on the internet (while I still tried getting help from the manufacturer and distributors, I was not at all surprised they declined).  I think this has to go in the "support your local dealer/shop" argument. 

 

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The "moral" of the story here is that when you shop and find a much lower price on the same product than other retailers offer there IS going to be a reason!

Buying a product from a vendor outside of the US and paying less just does not make sense up front. There must be a reason. Often the "reason" is warranty and technical support. There basically isn't any. 

If you buy a BMW in India and import it into the US, you had better check about warranty and even registration status. Often manufacturers warranties are not eligible on vehicles transferred outside a sales zone. Call it gray market, black market, or simply a non conforming emissions or safety equipment issue, that is their reason. 

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7 hours ago, szurszewski said:

It's a bummer that it's not working, but you do have the option to send it back to your retailer and have them send it in for warranty repair.  This will NOT be inexpensive. If you do ship it back to Spain, I'd suggest using something like DHL; I ordered a couple of Scorpion helmets from Motocard last year and - through my own error - caused a problem with the inner visor mechanism on one. Like you, I could not get the USA distributor or the Euro distributor for the brand, or the company to help (I just needed a tiny part) because of the country I'd purchased in vs the country I was using in. Motocard said they could replace as a warranty issue if I got the helmet to them. I understood all of this as a risk when I bought it, so I shipped it back via USPS/Spanish post. Oh. My. God. Took FOREVER. Including being stuck for a couple of months in Spain on the way there and then several months in US Customs first in NY and then CA on the way back. 

 

So, while I'm sorry you got a defective helmet, I do know several people who have had good experiences with LS2 helmets - and specifically the Valiant - and the issues with ordering a helmet internationally are pretty well documented on the internet (while I still tried getting help from the manufacturer and distributors, I was not at all surprised they declined).  I think this has to go in the "support your local dealer/shop" argument. 

 

Thanks for the tip.  I've already written to Motocard, and expect them to get back to me next week.  Shipping was quick when I bought it (maybe UPS, $50).  I use a shipping broker and will check prices for a round trip label(s).   Assuming it'll cost me $100 to $125 for round trip shipping, I may just write it off.   Sure, it's a $350 to $450 helmet, but I paid $250 (including shipping), and paying half the cost again for repair on a helmet that I no longer trust, as far as safety and reliability are concerned, well, it's probably not happening.  As I mentioned, this plus some more serious failures were reported on Amazon, and I'm assuming that's a small subset of the whole problem.   The front bar actually BREAKING because the guy "opened it too quickly"?   What if his face hits the ground even quicker.  Is that bar going to hold up, or shatter?   If I repair it, and try to sell it, I'd be lucky to get $100 out of it selling it on eBay or craigslist.

 

I'm just in a grumpy mood about it.   Also as I said, I'm in no hurry to resolve this, at this point.   I'm angry at myself, because I usually do better research before I buy a new product.  I think I trusted some famous podcast guy's stellar review (probably compensated) about the helmet, a little too much. 

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Well, son of a gun, there's hope.  The actually SELL replacement ratchet gears for this helmet.  Now, I wonder why the manufacturer would be selling these thingys?  Maybe these parts just for helmets out of warranty ....

... like, the day after it was purchased. 🙄😡 

 

(Don't worry, I'll stop being angry soon, it just ... takes time.  Now I just have to figure out how to pry off the side cover to get to these component, without breaking the thermoplastic.)

 

image.thumb.png.0ee4392d0b3f9e52579f7b0a98395b15.png

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So, good news.  It's fixed.  I did it the old fashioned way:  I forced it.

 

I was so ticked off after the last post (and my whole day after church today was a huge zero, wasted time), so I wanted to get something done.  I grabbed the helmet, and started pulling it apart.  Short story long, I got as far as removing the Styrofoam liner from the thermoplastic shell, and I realized (a) that there were screws missing all over, very shoddy workmanship, and (b) the screws holding the gear mechanism (and pivot pin for the chin bar) were accessed from outside the helmet.  (I could see three retaining nuts inside.)  I'd have to start prying plastic pieces off the side of the bar to figure out how to access those components, and I'd likely ruin the helmet, at least cosmetically. 

 

So, I thought "Well, I can't void the warranty, because there is no warranty.  If I force the chin bar back into position, I could break the gears, but I know new gears are available for under ten bucks, so what have I got to lose?   I muscled the jammed side forward until I heard a "snap", and it rotated back into forward position, and worked backwards and forwards normally.

 

I got it back together, good as new, which is exactly how I'll advertise it on Craigslist.   "New LS2 900 Valiant II helmet with two hours riding time on it $379 new on Amazon.  Now only $225 ! Hurry before it's gone!!"  

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So you are knowingly going to sell a possible broken helmet?  What if someone buys it and dies as a result of a head injury?  If they find this thread you could be held liable in todays sue happy world.

 

As far as warranty anytime you buy something grey market usually when you buy a product from a distributor in another country when there is a distributor in your own country you loose any warranty.  There is a huge camera grey market and you can get Nikon and canon cameras a lot cheaper from Europe but they have absolutely no warranty in the US.  Just the price of getting it cheaper from out of country.

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Good points, but you're both missing the fact that this helmet is NOT "broken".  It works the same way as when I received it.  It works like every other one that LS2 ships.  If I thought it was any less safe than the new DOT approved one's that LS2 ships, I'd dump it in the trash.  Saying that I don't want to deal with another possible hang up with the know-to-be-crap front flip up bar, is not the same thing as saying "... I'm not wearing this thing 'cause it might kill me...".  Your moralizing ethics lesson is lost on me.

 

Yeah, my wife has the other LS2. I can't send that one back to Amazon, and I'm not selling it off, either.   I'm just ... ah ... increasing her life insurance (hey, what she doesn't know won't hurt her ...).  🤣    She'll use hers, including the flip visor, 1/300th as much as I'll use mine.  

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I tend to avoid modulars as they are generally heavier, noisier, and less safe.  SHARP rates how well the chin bars stay closed under impact and while there are some that score 100%, others are as low as 20% (eg they come open in 4 out of 5 impacts).  Interestingly, your LS2 Valiant did pretty well at 97%.  On the other hand, while it looks like LS2 are capable of making a chin bar that generally stays closed, they have yet to produce a SHARP 5-star helmet.  Although your Valiant ranks a respectable 4-stars.  4-Stars is my personal minimum.  In any event, I hadn't heard of LS2 before and was surprised to see them well represented in SHARP testing with some solid entries.  

 

As for your problem, I think it is common for products sold in other countries to have different warranty provisions and often those are not applicable in the US.  I certainly wouldn't expect a camera purchased in the EU to offer a US warranty.  I am sorry for your problems, but I see the helmet has solid user reviews on Revzilla and I have to conclude that LS2 is not the problem.  

 

https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets/?manufacturer=Ls-2&model=All&type=3

Edited by Twisties
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2 hours ago, Hosstage said:

I like your thinking on the extra insurance, my wife feels the same about me! I think she has a secret policy on me.

 

Yeah, I know my wife would get very upset if she died, and I didn't have a little something $extra$ to ..uhh... not be too lonely.  (I've never dared ask her, but I'm just sure of it, 'cause that's the kind of great wife I have!) 🙃😁

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1 hour ago, Twisties said:

I tend to avoid modulars as they are generally heavier, noisier, and less safe.  SHARP rates how well the chin bars stay closed under impact and while there are some that score 100%, others are as low as 20% (eg they come open in 4 out of 5 impacts).  Interestingly, your LS2 Valiant did pretty well at 97%.  On the other hand, while it looks like LS2 are capable of making a chin bar that generally stays closed, they have yet to produce a SHARP 5-star helmet.  Although your Valiant ranks a respectable 4-stars.  4-Stars is my personal minimum.  In any event, I hadn't heard of LS2 before and was surprised to see them well represented in SHARP testing with some solid entries.  

 

As for your problem, I think it is common for products sold in other countries to have different warranty provisions and often those are not applicable in the US.  I certainly wouldn't expect a camera purchased in the EU to offer a US warranty.  I am sorry for your problems, but I see the helmet has solid user reviews on Revzilla and I have to conclude that LS2 is not the problem.  

 

https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets/?manufacturer=Ls-2&model=All&type=3

You're probably right.  I'm just wondering how easy it would be to find the gear mechanisms for the flip up bar, sold as spare parts for other modular helmets.   It just seemed kind of odd to me.  Who thought that there's be a market for such a thing (particularly so, since I couldn't figure out how to access the mechanism without prying stuff off the side of the exterior, i.e. there are no instructions, no video's, no user podcast tips - nothing).

 

Oh, and the other thingy.  I take some of those reviews, particularly on Amazon, with a grain of salt.   For many Chinese products (and maybe other imports, who knows?), those reviews are BOUGHT.  How do I know?  I get these little notes with the product that say stuff like "send us a picture of your positive review, and we'll send you a coupon/refund you the money equal to your purchase".    I'm not talking about the occasional product.  I'm talking about MOST of 'em.   I was suspicious originally, but when I found the spare parts being sold to fix the item mentioned as a common defect, I had more than suspicion. 

 

As far as warranty service for things bought overseas, I understand completely.  However, if I buy a camera (Canon, whatever is the hot company now days), and I'm told to send it back to where I bought it, I'm STILL going to be able to contact that manufacturer to talk to their technical staff, get advice, etc.  There's a TOTAL blackout between LS2 the manufacturer, and their various international distributors.   That's not "business as usual".  That's not normal, I don't care if it's a Chinese, European, or US company.

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1 hour ago, Hosstage said:

So you're saying stick with HJC helmets?

I'm not biased towards one brand - not at all.  In fact, this one's on my short list, maybe ...ah... when the price comes down a couple of $100.  Less than 4 lbs!!

As I've said previously, I've got all winter to shop.  Heck, I'm hardly doing any riding anyhow.  Hopefully, next year I'll be getting out everyday, and for some actual touring rides.

HJC RPHA 90S Carbon Balian Helmet (Large)

image.png.a2df29945900af018bf96c5d87ff352e.png

 

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4 hours ago, Twisties said:

modulars as they are generally heavier, noisier, and less safe. 

 

The official weight of a Neotec is 3.5 pounds.  Offical weight of Shoei GT is 3.2lbs. I can handle the extra 40z. I asked Shoei HQ what their quietest helmet is.  They told me RF 1200, so I bought one.  It is quieter if I think about, but with earplugs I honestly couldn't tell much difference.  The Neotec post 93% chin bar safety on SHARP.  Hmm...I'm not a big fan of that percentage, but what SHARP doesn't post is chin bar collapse or failure on non-modulars that I could find.  I do believe the modular does introduce an additional point of failure, but I've actually never heard of one.  I'm not sure if urban myth or a real concern.  Sharp testing is in a lab under extreme conditions....which I appreciate.

 

However, there is one more safety concern that is never measured.  HEAT.  There is no way I can stand riding in 95-115 degree weather without being able to raise the lid, especially in stopped traffic on the black tar freeways.  When I stop, I reach into my tank bag, get water, and drink with my helmet flipped up. I have been known to eat a sammich when stopped. I close it if I am moving.

 

It may get me someday, but with the two metal pins on Shoei and I am sure other high end helmets, I will always use a modular vs the cocoon of a regular helmet.

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Arai XD4, far and away the best helmet I’ve ever had and there have been many, open, closed, and flip. Plenty of air with the face shield open, quiet enough when closed and very comfortable. Arai doesn’t make a flip helmet and won’t.

 

I know it’s a dual sport helmet but works fine on a bike with a small or large windshield even over 100. And the visor is great for blocking the sun late in the day. If you plan on going faster than that regularly (doubtful) you can take the visor off or cut it down some.

 

Don’t skimp on a helmet, a good one is worth a lot more than the extra few hundred it costs, skimp on something else.

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Well, I've been hunting around for my next helmet, which of course will have to wait until I sell off the LS2 (or my wife's not looking too closely), and regardless of the warranty issues, and I'm not sure why, the European site motocard.com has just some sensational prices (no VAT, no sales tax, but delivery can run $50, but free with this one).  Example:

 

HELMET SHOEI NEOTEC 2 WHITE

$557.61, at the time of this post

Haven't worn a Shoei for decades, maybe 40 years (how long have they been around?).  Maybe time to switch back.  (This helmet speculation can lead to some never-ending posts, since helmet fit is such a personal thing.) 

Good lookin' helmet, anyhow, and I trust Shoei more than most due to my past with it.

 

image.png.869d36602c4eb6f4d1f52c37c98c3f96.png

 

Edit:   Oops, the fine print on this ad indicates "Not available from your country", i.e. there's probably a dealer licensing conflict between the USA and Europe, which ah... tells you that Shoei's distributor market up is about $200 more in the USA, one way or the other.  🙄  But, there are great prices on some other brands, too.

 

Edit #2:  Another forum's member mentioned this site, which has the same helmet as above for $621, which is still about $180 less than Amazon, and apparently DOES ship this to the USA, so it's worth an honorable mention, at least.

thevisorshop.com  - Shoei Neotec 2 Flip Front Helmet (White)  $621.24.

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Scott… one thing to consider is the age of the helmet. Supposedly the life span is ~5years for the foam. I can check that date in a store.  If you buy on-line I would inquire about the mfg date. If the new helmet is 3 years old, then it really isn’t of the same value in my opinion. 
 

I know 5 years is debatable based on usage, climate, etc but I use it as a general guideline. My helmet is always in a controlled environment unless on my head. I usually go 7 years unless I drop it. YMMV

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9 hours ago, roadscholar said:

Arai XD4, far and away the best helmet I’ve ever had and there have been many, open, closed, and flip. Plenty of air with the face shield open, quiet enough when closed and very comfortable. Arai doesn’t make a flip helmet and won’t.

 

I know it’s a dual sport helmet but works fine on a bike with a small or large windshield even over 100. And the visor is great for blocking the sun late in the day. If you plan on going faster than that regularly (doubtful) you can take the visor off or cut it down some.

 

Don’t skimp on a helmet, a good one is worth a lot more than the extra few hundred it costs, skimp on something else.

 

Another satisfied Arai XD4 user! You only get one brain (and I swear some folks did not get the complete package). Besides being able to get the correct and most comfortable head shape with an Arai, they are pretty light weight.

 

Regarding modular helmets, I have never forgotten an accident involving another fellow I was riding with. He had a Shoei modular helmet. The chin bar completely separated from the helmet during the accident. He did not die as a result of the helmet failing, but I have never forgotten seeing the chin bar lying in the road and not being attached to his helmet. 

 

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3 minutes ago, Bill Murray said:

chin bar lying in the road

 

Well thats not good.  Was he riding with it up or locked down?  I've had two crashes with Shoei modular and I guess lucky as mine stayed locked....two different helmets.  

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3 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

 

Well thats not good.  Was he riding with it up or locked down?  I've had two crashes with Shoei modular and I guess lucky as mine stayed locked....two different helmets.  

It's been almost twenty years, so I'm not certain, but I think it was locked down. As I said, it let an impression (especially since Shoei is a quality brand) and I've stayed away from modulars.

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17 hours ago, roadscholar said:

Arai doesn’t make a flip helmet and won’t.

 

Not because they don't want more revenue, they could make a boatload, but because of the safety factor. Surely they've looked into it and didn't like the results. I've had a Shoei flip and several Nolan flips (made in Italy and good quality) over the years and admit the convenience factor is nice but would never go back after using the XD. Might not fit the image of a sport touring rider but who cares.

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3 hours ago, Scott9999 said:

and I'm not sure why, the European site motocard.com has just some sensational prices

 

After your initial experience ordering from them, I can see why you’d be considering going though Euro dealer again. 

 

No - wait. I don’t understand why you’d do that at all.

 

:5146:

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2 hours ago, szurszewski said:

 

After your initial experience ordering from them, I can see why you’d be considering going though Euro dealer again. 

 

No - wait. I don’t understand why you’d do that at all.

 

:5146:

.... because saving $200+ on a helmet, is well worth the risk, IF you're buying the helmet from the right company.  

 

I chose poorly.   

 

I don't understand why folks think this is "acceptable business as usual", i.e. a manufacturer not supporting their product.  How would you feel if you bought an Iphone from an authorized dealer, and Apple said "... don't call us, go call that kiosk dealer you bought it from, and the store clerk will open it up and fix it for ya"?  LS2's business practices are neither normal nor acceptable.

 

Neither are their plastic gear boxes, for which replacements appear to be available everywhere for ten bucks.  I don't think Bell, Shoei, or HJC need to print, essentially an unqualified statement such as "Our helmets are very good, the bestest of the best!" on the side of their helmets, like this B.S on LS2's.  

 

image.thumb.png.3f3844bdb85f7f511d9fad91246da434.png

 

 

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3 hours ago, Scott9999 said:

 

I don't understand why folks think this is "acceptable business as usual", i.e. a manufacturer not supporting their product.  How would you feel if you bought an Iphone from an authorized dealer, and Apple said "... don't call us, go call that kiosk dealer you bought it from, and the store clerk will open it up and fix it for ya"?  LS2's business practices are neither normal nor acceptable.

 

 

My post was in the spirit of gentle ribbing, but now I think maybe you really don’t get the point. Or at least you don’t see it the way I do. You did a thing that LS2, and (I think) all, but at the very least most, helmet manufacturers tell you not to do: you bought a helmet grey market from a country in which you: don’t reside, don’t intend to use the helmet, weren’t even present in. 

 

Unless LS2 refused to take the helmet back from Motocard (and if you said they did refuse that, I missed that statement), they haven’t refused to support their product - they just don’t want to do it the way you want them to. I’ve never tried to ship a faulty helmet back to a manufacturer directly, so I don’t know if that is “normal” or not. 

 

Are you assuming that if you get a SHOEI helmet from Motocard, and it happens to have a fault, SHOEI USA will just take it back without asking where you bought it? 

 

I get that it’s frustrating to have this product that you feel is inferior to your expectations, but I also am surprised you’re willing to do the thing that made this experience so frustrating (which is to say, ordering from overseas; if you’d bought the helmet locally, or even from a US vendor, and it was crap, you’d just take/send it back and be done with it) again. 

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The joy of money saved is quickly lost in the inferior quality (or poor purchasing experience) of a product.

 

I don't buy my tires on the internet and take them to my local shop to have them mounted just so I can save $50. I buy tires from him so he can make a little money, I get a little money back because he charges less to mount tires purchased from him, and if any troubles, it's on him.

This also keeps him in business for when I need him.

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2 hours ago, Hosstage said:

The joy of money saved is quickly lost in the inferior quality (or poor purchasing experience) of a product.

 

I don't buy my tires on the internet and take them to my local shop to have them mounted just so I can save $50. I buy tires from him so he can make a little money, I get a little money back because he charges less to mount tires purchased from him, and if any troubles, it's on him.

This also keeps him in business for when I need him.

Aww, come on, now.  I buy my tires on the internet.

And ..um.. then I mount and balance them, and they're ~~ perfect ~~ every time.  😏  (Even if they aren't.  ESPECIALLY if they aren't!  😠 'Cause, I mounted 'em. 🤣🤣)

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Scott...looking at the statement most stable mechanism in the world....they may be right according to your experience.  It won't budge.  That makes is pretty stable. :4322:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, the LS2 is sold, and I'm off looking for a new lid.  It only took me about two months to pick the LS2.   Hopefully, I'll do better this time.

 

My goals:

  • $250 to $500 range
  • At or under 4 pounds
  • Pinlock anti-fog or similar visor system
  • Drop down sun visor
  • Already have a Cardo Freecom 2+ system, so I'm not really looking for a bluetooth installed helmet
  • Prefer high-vis colors, yellow or maybe white, but otherwise, don't much care.
  • Prefer a snap/click lock for the  helmet strap, versus the D-ring thingy (which, most helmets sold today probably don't even have anymore)
  • Good ventilation
  • High safety rated, of course
  • The 180 degree retractable bar is a "nice to have function", but I can live without it, too.  I definitely want some metal gears on the retracting bar mechanism, rather than the frequently replaced LS2 nylon/plastic jobbers.
  • Quiet is nice, but since I'm almost deaf anyhow (thank you, USN!), ALL my helmets are quiet.   🤣
  • A bunch of stuff I've probably forgotten, but will remember as soon as I put the new helmet on and go for a ride.

 

🍻

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On 9/20/2022 at 8:47 AM, Bill Murray said:

It's been almost twenty years, so I'm not certain, but I think it was locked down. As I said, it let an impression (especially since Shoei is a quality brand) and I've stayed away from modulars.

Helmet technology has changed a bunch in 20 years.  I wouldn't base the decision on that experience, even as jarring as it probably was.  A good, modern modular helmet should be reliably safe, as long as it's not the $89, 15 lb cheapies out there.

 

Again, regarding the LS2, between the problem I had with the bike in motion, and the chin bar blocking my vision, and the construction I saw when I peaked under the hood, led me to just distrust and sell off the helmet (lost $25 in the process, a bargain, given what I've learned).  I've looked closer and researched several leading brand modular helmets (e.g. Shoei, Schuberth, HJC RPHA, etc.), and they all have metal gears, solid locking pins and front bars, much better than the LS2.   

 

As I've said throughout this thread, live and learn, which is mostly why I bothered to write it in the first place.  Buy LS2 if you want, and enjoy.  However, it can't hurt to have some anecdotal reviews in your back pocket before you pull the trigger.   One thing that the dozens of helmet reviews seem to lack, written and video, is the host actually taking the helmet apart, breaking it down and if necessary, apart, to show you what's "under the hood", how it's constructed.  They'll describe the materials, the padding, the fit, etc., but not how it's mechanically built.   And, maybe that's OK for full face helmets, but for modular helmets, buyers really need more information than that, and there's no where to find it.   Any manufacturers out there with the grit to try it, ought to make their own video, tearing apart their helmets, vis-a-vis their competitors, describing every single piece off that helmet, and why it's better than the competition.   That's not rocket science, but I haven't see anyone do that yet.

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  • 1 month later...
On 10/7/2022 at 11:19 AM, Scott9999 said:

Buy LS2 if you want

Just got a new Challenger Carbon GT. I don't do the flip open chin bar thing, so Black Friday deal plus bit of research got me here. I wanted a carbon fibre shell in a

loong oval fit, hard to find at any price. Bought from Dennis Kirk online.

Just got it and it is a very nice, quality lid. I'll see how it rides this week since it'll be in the low 70s......

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I mentioned earlier that I like to buy local rather than internet, and since Dennis Kirk is rather local to me, less than an hour away, thanks 9Mary7 for supporting my local economy!

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9 hours ago, 9Mary7 said:

Just got a new Challenger Carbon GT. I don't do the flip open chin bar thing, so Black Friday deal plus bit of research got me here. I wanted a carbon fibre shell in a

loong oval fit, hard to find at any price. Bought from Dennis Kirk online.

Just got it and it is a very nice, quality lid. I'll see how it rides this week since it'll be in the low 70s......

Looks like a nice helmet.  It's not a modular, so you shouldn't have the hinge problem thingy I experienced.  

 

Of course, I fully realize that you didn't post this to talk about your exciting new helmet.  You're just bragging about riding next week in the low 70's (while it snows every day back here in the Northwest).   

 

I hope you faint of heat exhaustion ...

.... next July.  😡🙃😁

 

Hang in there buddy, and stay safe. 🍻

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On 12/3/2022 at 8:51 AM, 9Mary7 said:

Just got a new Challenger Carbon GT. I don't do the flip open chin bar thing, so Black Friday deal plus bit of research got me here. I wanted a carbon fibre shell in a

loong oval fit, hard to find at any price. Bought from Dennis Kirk online.

Just got it and it is a very nice, quality lid. I'll see how it rides this week since it'll be in the low 70s......

Just saw the LS2 Challenger GT GP on sale at Cycle Gear for $149. (Closeout)??

 

I have the looong oval, too, and an LS2 Strobe (modular) was my lid for several years.  No problems at all.  Then I felt like I needed to upgrade for some reason, got a Shoei Neotec 2.  They are VERY similar, inside and out, innerworkings and all.  Only (big) difference is in the price, basically.  

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I've posted on other threads, but after failing to find a fit with the two Schuberths, I'm giving the Bell SRT Modular a shot.  Their size break for "large" is 59-60cm, and my head is 59.5.  By contrast, the Schuberth's and several other brands, run 58-59L, and 59-60XL.  I found out that Bell, like other modular manufacturer's, limits this model to two shell sizes (i.e. compared to their Bell SRT full face), which reduces their costs and (probably) reflects a smaller market for modulars.  It also makes it more likely to have fitment problems, so ... we'll see how this works out. 

 

That LS2 at $150 sounds like a heck of a bargain, though.  No wonder Alan jumped at it (not saying that he's a cheap b**tard, but ... well, just sayin' 🤣).

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4 hours ago, Scott9999 said:

That LS2 at $150 sounds like a heck of a bargain, though

That one is not the Carbon Fibre one........ the Carbon is thrice that.:java:

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