Late last year I bought a new helmet, a Bell Revolver. I’ve always liked flip-front helmets as you know. As a person who has to wear glasses all the time, the convenience of not having to take them on and off all the time is worth it for me. Unfortunately, the Bell has been a major disappointment. Mainly because it is so damn noisy! It’s the noisiest helmet I’ve ever owned and way noisier than any of the other flip-fronts I’ve had as well (HJC Symax, Nolan N102, Veemar Jarno to name just a few)
In fact the Bell is so noisy that I haven’t been able to use my .mp3 player at all while riding because the wind noise precludes me from hearing the music clearly even when on full volume.
I have a long 4 day ride coming up at the end of November so I have been pondering what to do. My brother is on his 2nd Shark Vision R and constantly prattles on about what a great helmet it is. I’m certain he’s right but it is a “normal” helmet and so it hasn’t really registered on my radar. However, while I was talking to him about the upcoming ride and how the Bell was going to annoy me, he said, “Why don’t you try my old Shark, I bet you’ll like it.”
So yesterday I did. I tried out his old one, the one that got smashed by the hailstones on that epic Putty Ride that we did a couple of years ago. While the helmet itself was not damaged, the clear coat was broken and cracked in many places on the outside. I’m sure that, had the helmet been under warranty still, he would have had a good chance of a claim, but it wasn’t so it went onto the top of the cupboard in the garage and there it stayed.
What a revelation the Shark was! To begin with it is considerably lighter than the Bell (flip-fronts always weigh more because of the extra mechanisms involved). It has a vastly bigger aperture so vision at the peripheries in all directions is much better and it has a hugely superior sealing of the visor and the places where air can get in. I just couldn’t believe how quiet it is. I tried it first with just my normal ear plugs and then with my music ones. The difference between it and the Bell is dramatic. Even when listening to quiet songs and songs with quiet passages, the music is audible at speeds even over the speed limit.
Yes, there is the hassle with glasses when taking the helmet off and putting it on but I think I’m prepared to live with that. Not sure how I can fit it into the already over-subscribed family budget but I sure would like to before the end of the month.
As the title of today’s missive says, “How’s the serenity?”
The Malaysian GP yesterday was dramatic also, but for all the wrong reasons. The wet/dry conditions played havoc with all the races and the officials need a kick up the backside for not red-flagging the Moto3 race when it was obvious that there was oil on the track. The Moto2 race was sensational with Johann Zarco setting all sorts of records while delivering a masterclass to the rest of the pack. And Dovi became the 9th different winner of the MotoGp race after the wet conditions also marred the big race. On to Valencia for the last race of the season and then the Silly Season begins in earnest!
dunc says
hi phil
have you seen the shark flip
http://www.bikebiz.com.au/products/Shark-EvoLine-ECE-Series-3-Blank-White-Helmet.html
a friend had a new one the other day and was impressed and he wear spectacles when riding
obvious if the bank balance stretches to that price
Phil Hall says
Yes, I have, and I have tried one on, too (though not ridden with it – that is a real problem with buying helmets). It looks the goods, but it its very expensive, I’m afraid, well out of my budget anyways. Thanks for the tip, though.