KBC or Bell a good motorcycle helmet brand?

Question

Im in the market for a full-face street motorcycle helmet and i found a pretty nice, black KBC helmet today for $100 but i see all these others from brands such as Shoei going for $200-$300. Is KBC considered a good brand? Then there's the Bell ones from Walmart for about $80... what about those? I know people always say "you get what you pay for" but as a grad student, i cant pay much haha thanks in advance for your help!

Answer 1

KBC, though relatively inexpensive, are generally good helmets. Bell is one of the oldest manufacturers of motorcycle and automobile racing helmets in existence, and has always put out a good product. HJC also makes good quality helmets at a reasonable price. One of the major motorcycle magazines ran some extensive tests on a large number of helmets from almost all the manufacturers about a year ago (or less), and the results were, to say the least, interesting. It seems that some of the least expensive helmets received the highest marks for protection (I don't remember which brands, offhand).

I don't believe in shorting myself on protection while riding, especially for a helmet. That being said, I have one of the Bell full-face helmets sold by Wal-Mart. It fits me well, a very important factor for both comfort and protection. It is DOT approved, but not Snell 2000 approved (whether or not it would meet the Snell standards, I cannot say, I do suspect that the manufacturer did not submit it to the Snell Foundation's testing due to expenses associated with that testing, especially in light of the low price it can be obtained for. My other helmet is a 3/4 HJC CL-31, which is both DOT and Snell approved, but I feel that the full-face offers greater protection. I applaud your decision to buy and wear a helmet (don't forget the other gear - boots, gloves, jacket, pants, etc.). Regarding helmets, it is very important to try them on before purchase and check for both comfort and a close fit, without being able to "rock" or move the helmet much without your head moving with it. Different manufacturers (and even different helmet models within the same manufacturer's lines) often fit differently, as head shapes vary, as do helmet shapes.

Answer 2

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RE:
KBC or Bell a good motorcycle helmet brand?
Im in the market for a full-face street motorcycle helmet and i found a pretty nice, black KBC helmet today for $100 but i see all these others from brands such as Shoei going for $200-$300. Is KBC considered a good brand? Then there's the Bell ones from Walmart for about $80... what about...

Answer 3

Kbc Helmets

Answer 4

KBC meets the standards for safety of the DOT but are known to be a low end helmet.

Personally I go with the best I can find. The best helmets have 2 safety certifications. Shoei for example meets both standards and is known as a high end helmet.

Bell is also a good brand but known as a midrange helmet.

Answer 5

Is your head worth a 100 dollar helmet? I dont know any racers in MotoGP, AMA, WSBK riding with KBC helmets. I stick with the main brands. Suomy, Arai, Shoei, Axo.

I laugh at the guys that have a 400 buck shoei and their girl has a no name helmet that was 50 bucks on sale. I guess they dont value their girls life.

I have seen a lot of crashes, I have seen a rider and passenger get cut off by a car and they both went flying through the air. His helmet was a Arai and he was alive on conscious talking to me. Her helmet was some other cheap full face off brand it was cracked and she was dead!

The key is if the helmet fits properly, not all helmets fit the same. A loose fitting 500 buck helmet will protect as well as a cheap 50 buck proper fitting helmet.

Answer 6

The "filp up" helment you're looking for is called a "MODULAR" helmet that it is normally a full-face type that has a release button which lets the jaw piece and visor swing up and latch in place (like a knight's helmet visor) to become a cruiser style "3/4" helmet (open face). I've been riding for 35 years; and trust me, if you get the right one, you'll never settle for anything else again. The beauty of a modular helmet is that it's a full-face helmet that's best for highway speeds and great for cool weather riding when your face freezes with anything else. The down side of a full-face is the limited visibility when riding in heavy traffic (or simply cruising around at low speed trying to take in the sights), plus it's major hot in summer heat at low speeds - those aspects are where the 3/4 cruiser style helmet is far better. So, how neat is it to have a helmet that does both functions - way too cool!! Many were a little skeptical at first about the swivel-up chin/visor section coming loose or being a hazard in a crash (when you need a brain bucket the most); but all the tests on any DOT approved model has shown that the steel latching dogs on both sides are so secure that many actually hold together better than a standard one-piece full-face model in the most severe impacts. The reason I say "get the right one" is that almost all of the modular helmets really suck because they can only be used in the "raised" position at relatively low speeds because the chin/visor secion only swivels on a single point (on both sides) like the visor does on a standard full-face helmet. When most of them are raised, they stick up relatively high (like the visor on a knight's helmet) and catch a major amount of wind - so riding with it up at much over 35mph creates so much wind drag that your neck muscles will be crying for relief in only a few minutes. So far, I've only found two brands that have solved the problem - "Shoei" makes one at about $400 to $450 - or a great new kid on the block called "KBC" that uses the same design and has the same quality for about $250 if you shop around online. Both the Shoei and KBC use a dual-pivoting "cam action" on both sides that lets the chin/visor section raise up, then slide back and "magnet latch" almost flush with the top of the helmet. Additionally, the design of the chin piece combined with the visor all sitting virtually flush with the top of the helmet creates a very aerodynamic profile that has almost no wind-drag at even highway speeds if you wish to ride with it in the "up" position. Sorry, but I can't help you with the solid black color. Shoei comes in a multitude of bright colors with different accent designs. The KBC comes in either silver or black, but the black one has a very subtile brown flame design and a silver star in a circle (kinda like a Texas Ranger's badge) on both sides. I chose the KBC because it's got the same great features (removable inner liner for washing) and built every bit as superb as the Shoei for half the price. Even though I've never had anything but a solid black helmet in times past, this one is actually very attractive. I suppose if money was no object, you could get either the Shoei or KBC, strip it apart, dull the finish with red Scotch-Brite, then repaint it solid black. Whatever brand of modular helmet you choose DO NOT settle for anything that doesn't have the dual-pivoting "cam action" because you won't like it regardless of price.

Answer 7

Stay away from the cheap helmets, remember you get what you pay for. Shoei or Arai are top of the line helmets, are more comfortable and will absorb more of an impact should you crash. The lower end helmets barely meet DOT regulations, and the Arai and Shoei surpass the regulations.
For a good Shoei or Arai, expect to pay no less than $350.

Answer 8

I would be a very wise shopper when it comes to something that is going to protect your head, remember, your are buying something to protect your HEAD!! I would not let money be much of a option with it comes to your own personal protection. Be sure that the helment is DOT approved. also , do some reasearch of different brands of helmets, I cannot tell you which one to buy. Reasearch on your part is the best advice I can give you. Please............make your purchase wisely and with confidence.

P.S. Please read the answer that Iceplayr gave............again!!! read it as many times as it takes to get the point on your safety. I am a volunteer firefighter, and motorcycle crashes are not a pretty thing to go to.

Answer 9

stay away from walmart how many times do you think that helmet
has been handled by who knows and dropped.they don't care
they will just put it back on the shelf.what a joke you are crazy
if you buy a helmet from them.you trust your head to walmart
not a smart decision.

Answer 10

ten dollar head ten dollar helmet is the rule. If you plan on riding distances the Arai is the best fitting helmet made. The others are one shape fits all