Although I want an Arai Helmet, they're $$$. I was looking at a Bell M2.

 

Bump for a good thread with a various locations....

But many of these shops are only open M-F 8AM-5PM - inconveniently when most of us work.

Any recommendations for more South Bay shops or shops that are open on weekends?

 

There is a major difference between SA and M helmets. SA helmets are rated for use inside of a car and for the most part have a nomex liner. They are designed for impact on a rollbar or the interior of a car.

An M rated helmet is designed for the event of a crash on a motorcycle where the rider will 1. impact their head on the pavement and 2. for the slide on said pavement after the impact and possibly another impact(curb, car, etc.)

As for winecountry motorsports located at infineon raceway, there are more than willing to order specific items that they do not have in stock and will usually meet or beat any advertised price on just about anything they have.

We here at LIC have collectively spent thousands of dollars with winecountry and have every intention of spending our hard earned money with them again when the need arises. Talk to Paul, he's the one with the silver STi.

BTW, not every helmet fits every head. Try on helmets from multiple manufacturers to assure the proper fit. Also consider the the size of eye opening and the amount of ventilation the helmet provides.

-Adam, Kevin, Noah and David

 

^ so why arent M helmets superior/accepted? sound better to me.

 

A little research from here:
http://www.smf.org/faqs.html

What are the differences between the SA, M and K standards?
The SA standard was designed for competitive auto racing while M standard was for motorcycling and other motorsports. The K standard was released to accommodate helmets used in karting. There are three major differences between them:

1. The SA standard requires flammability test while the M and K standards do not.

2. The SA and K standards allow for a narrower visual field than M standard (Some SA and K certified helmets may not be street legal).

3. The SA and K standards include a rollbar multi impact test while M standard does not.

-Kevin

 

You don't think he had reason to be upset? You wasted his time. Brick and mortar stores have a **** of a time competing with online store pricing. In fact, I'm sure this happens quite frequently. Nobody wants to buy a helmet without checking fitment first. Why did you try them on if you already knew pricing was cheaper online? (the prices are all there, listed on the wall) You used his store and wasted his time to find the right fit for yourself, then took your business elsewhere...

Not *****ing, just pointing out what seems pretty obvious to me. Hell, I've done it before with shoes. But I wouldn't blame the salesperson for getting upset, if I wasted their time.

I had exactly the opposite experience at Wine Country Motorsports. The guy was extremely friendly, opened and handed me several helmets to try on, double checked fit, and was very informative. And I walked away with a new helmet.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll be heading up to winecountry motorsports even though it's a fairly distant drive.

I can understand why people try helmets at stores and buy online - saves money! But when I go to a specialized store, I'm paying for service that can't be provided remotely. If the price is reasonable, they'll have my business.