Mark Mayo Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I just picked up my new Nolan 104 Voyager helmet today from Extreme Supply in Long Beach. Nolan 104's seem popular and they are selling out from the store. The helmet is replacing my Arai full face helmet I have had for three years. The 104 is comfortable, quiet and has great airflow. My head likes being in this shell even more than my Arai. The day was cloudy and rained this morning in sunny California. The top vent was almost too cool at freeway speeds with the windshield down on my RT if you can imagine that. I have never thought Arai cooled the top of my head well, but had great mouth and nose ventilation. The Nolan provides good airflow for my lower face too, but really shines with the shield clicked up one notch. I was prepared for more noise from a flip up model and was happily wrong about this. It is quiet even at brisk freeway speeds against the wind. A trip to Costco for gas, yes long lines, was better than ever before with the modular helmet flipped up. I am a modular convert. My goal is to install a Sena SMH10 with the separate microphone and earbud option. The flip down shade is useful but may bother a standard Sena placement. The noise level seems to indicate music, gps directions and a iPhone call in my future. If you are in the mood for a new helmet give one of these a try. Link to comment
RTinNC Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I had been looking at the 104 since I see it comes in XXXL! I may order one to check fit. I have always been a Arai Signet person but have been wanting to try the flip up. Thanks for the comments on the 104! Oh ... and what Jacket is that?? Very nice! Link to comment
Mark Mayo Posted May 25, 2012 Author Share Posted May 25, 2012 It is a Motoport jacket my wife had made for my last birthday. Nice match to new helmet. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Evening Mark Sounds like you only have a short time on your new 104. I have had the Nolan 104 for a little over a month now. It isn't my primary helmet so I only have about 600 miles of riding on it. Like you I like the ventilation but wish the face shield didn't cover the forehead vent holes when partially up. The large front opening is nice for peripheral vision & putting glasses on after helmet placement on head but forces a rather large flimsy face shield. So far that's my biggest complaint on the 104 is that flimsy face shield. As long as riding with the shield closed no problems but at speed with the face shied open on the 1st or 2nd notch I get a LOT face shield movement (vibration) due to wind currents. That is VERY annoying with the sun in front of me as the sun light bounces off that vibrating face shield & annoys me to no end. (I have been meaning to call Nolan & see if they have a thicker & more robust face shield available. (my dealer says other riders have complained about the same thing so hopefully Nolan is addressing that issue) I am also not real pleased with the face shield's first open notch being way too far closed (just a very small crack) & the 2nd notch way too far open (it needs a notch 1/2 way between (closed) 1st notch & 2nd notch) The neck strap quick latch also irritates my neck (way worse than my old N-102 does). Maybe that will get better as the strap gets more compliant & the strap protectors get softer & stretch in a bit. If not I am going to have to cut that quick latch off & add "D" rings. The wind noise is pretty decent for a convertible helmet (much quieter than my old 102) but not as good as my full face helmets. Biggest noise area seems to be that large slot for the inner sun shield levers. I basically have a Nolan shaped head so the fit is about as expected. When I first wore the helmet it felt way too tight in the jaw area but I found one of the jaw pad snaps not snapped together completely & after that was snapped together the jaw fit is much better. So far I like the 104 helmet as far as fit & frontal view & peripheral view goes. If I can get that flimsy face shield to quit fluttering I think it will be my go-to helmet for traveling as that one helmet can be an all weather/all temperature/ closed face/open face do all. Link to comment
Heyfrank Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 If you can please keep us informed on your Sena smh10 hookup. The helmet looks great but it would be nice to see if Sena mount works.I hope it does work out for you. Blue looks great. Link to comment
Mark Mayo Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 I have a few more miles and while I agree with a poster that the face shield wobbles, I like the helmet. I would like a stronger, stiffer shield with more stops at lower regions close to, but above closed. I guess we all want more or everything except debt, disease or whatever. Great helmet, great wide field of vision, comfortable, cool, breezy, quiet, easy to open, but hard to open accidentally, good looking, perfect fit and finish, substantial padding (most I have ever seen). The cost was around $400 which is less than a Shoei or Aria and way less that a Shuberth. Color me happy so far... Link to comment
RTinNC Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I have a few more miles and while I agree with a poster that the face shield wobbles, I like the helmet. I would like a stronger, stiffer shield with more stops at lower regions close to, but above closed. I guess we all want more or everything except debt, disease or whatever. Great helmet, great wide field of vision, comfortable, cool, breezy, quiet, easy to open, but hard to open accidentally, good looking, perfect fit and finish, substantial padding (most I have ever seen). The cost was around $400 which is less than a Shoei or Aria and way less that a Shuberth. Color me happy so far... Curious ... what model Arai did you used to wear? I was a Signet guy so hoping the 104 may work Link to comment
Mark Mayo Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 This one. I really like the Arai and it is very comfortable. Link to comment
nealopp Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Fwiw, with my N-103, I'm able to use e Sena clamp that has a detached boom microphone. It goes a touch behind the sunshade latch. The microphone has a velcro sticky that you can attach to the helmet, and a wire going from that to the clamp so you can place it further back. I ended up using the boom microphone slot built in to the Nolan and it holds the boom in place without the velcro. Also, that's a pretty helmet ya got there! Edit: just took a look at the placement of the visor switch on the 104... Hmmm, I _think_ the Sena clamp I mentioned should work, but I'm not positive. :-) Link to comment
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