Anyone have opinions on Syko helmets? $46 brand new

submaniac · 01-04-2009, 12:57 AM

So the local motorcycle shop has brand new Syko Yakuza helmets for $46, and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with them. Yadda yadda yadda, buy a $46 helmet if you have a $46 head...anyways, I was thinking of picking one up and using it as a spare or loaner helmet, and also to preserve my Arai. I just don't know if it is going to fall apart on me. Anyone bought these? Thanks.

Stick · 01-04-2009, 1:35 AM

I wear an 80 dollar HJC. 6 moths later the paint has minor pealing.... Will it protect my head? You bet your ass it will. I think for the most part you pay for ergonomics and paint. If it is DOT approved you are good to go.

If it "helps" keeping from splattering your brains on the pavement it's a good helmet.

IF IT IS DOT approved.... it is good to go.

submaniac · 01-04-2009, 2:01 AM

Oh yeah, they ARE DOT approved. I wouldn't buy a helmet that wasn't. I would say that I would like if the helmet were Snell approved too...but for $46. I found the link to the one I am talking about, the Yakuza. SYKO Helmets

It really isn't a bad looking helmet at all. The MSRP is $89, and Cycle Parts West has it for $46.

I think you have a point on paying more for the graphics and ergonomics. I do not think that the Shoei or Arai is that much more safe than an HJC in a crash. The difference is (from owning an Arai) is that it is such a comfortable helmet. Nice padding. Good quality materials, low wind noise, all that stuff. It is hard to get the same level of bells and whistles on such a low cost helmet. And if you go from a Shoei or Arai, to a cheaper helmet, you can feel it.

partyhardryan16 · 01-12-2009, 5:19 PM

I agree, if it is DOT approved, it should be ok. And hell, if not, and you die because of it, atleast you can leave your family well off with a nice law suit in their favor!

Twincam · 01-12-2009, 5:27 PM

It might be a little heavier and a little bulkier, might mist up and let a lot more wind noise compared to your Arai but other than a few comfort/noise issues, it should be good to go.

sheepofblue · 01-12-2009, 5:57 PM

Snell is a much harder standard so no it will not perform as well in some cases. Nor is it likely to be as comfortable. But with DOT it is legal

denzee · 01-12-2009, 6:29 PM

I find the cheap helmets don't seal well around the shield. They look like an Arai or Shoei but aren't even close. Personally I have an Arai but HJC and AGV are good mid line helmets and I don't think I'd purchase a $46 helmet even for my wife. Just kidding, she actually has a very nice AGV from Italy.

shakey1378 · 01-12-2009, 9:10 PM

dont worry about preserving your arai. if its more than 5yrs old it needs to be retired anyway. the materials inside wear out after a while and it wont be safe to wear.

the more comfortable you are the easier it is to concentrate on riding. as far as all the gear i buy for myself i hold comfort and safety at the same level. if im not comfortable i wont be at my best.

granted i dont expect u to run out and buy the best stuff on the planet, but get the best you can afford.

heres an example

i have 3 back protectors alpinestars rc, joe rocket t-pro, and knox contour

first two go in the jacket and third on the body. heres a little comparison

alpinestars- $25 and is literally a plank causes the jacket to ride up and hits the bottom of my helmet. it is ce rated though wouldnt let me lift my head and reason i bought the knox.

joe rocket t-pro $81 great product. you never realize its there and is a step up from what came in my textile jacket. i believe its ce level 1

knox contour- $224 also comfy like joe rocket but better. this one offers complete back coverage including kidneys and you can get a chest pad to go with it. ce level 2 best available

my point, if spending a couple hundred extra means me and anyone riding on my bike are that much better off in a crash money well spent!

if you need to nickel and dime for another helmet sell one of your bikes, looks like you have 6. sell the harley get a shadow or vstar and new lid...

Twincam · 01-13-2009, 4:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denzee

I find the cheap helmets don't seal well around the shield.

...and also some I've tried are quite noisey at high speeds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakey1378

dont worry about preserving your arai. if its more than 5yrs old it needs to be retired anyway. the materials inside wear out after a while and it wont be safe to wear.

Thats very true, a helmet for me would last between 3-5 years before I would start looking for another one. Its an expensive hobby as you can see.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakey1378

the more comfortable you are the easier it is to concentrate on riding. as far as all the gear i buy for myself i hold comfort and safety at the same level. if im not comfortable i wont be at my best.

granted i dont expect u to run out and buy the best stuff on the planet, but get the best you can afford.

That last line basically sums everything up.

thelastosirus · 01-15-2009, 5:34 AM

DOT standard is garbage. Don't even consider a helmet unless it is at least SNELL approved. The difference? DOT only tests impacts to the top of a helmet. This is the reason some Turtle shell helmets are DOT approved. That should tell you somthing. Snell tests impacts to the back of the head also, which is where most of the high-energy initial impacts come from.

I personally think people who spend $300 or more on nice leather jackets and then buy the $59 wal-mart helmet are a little dumb. If you need to protect anything, it's your head. You can live with a missing arm or leg or skin. You can't live with a missing head(as far as i know).

So for you to ask about a $46 helmet...What kind of quality control do you think they have at that price? How many helmets do you think they need to sell just to make some profit? A lot more then what they can quality check at the factory.

Those who think DOT is "good enough" really need to read up on those standards. SNELL is not even the best standard, there is even BSI standards which are even harder for helmets to pass. For BSI they even test a certain percentage of production line samples, and if there are failures then the whole model range is pulled. That's why these helmets cost $600+.

SoCalSteve · 11-11-2009, 3:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by submaniac

So the local motorcycle shop has brand new Syko Yakuza helmets for $46, and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with them. Yadda yadda yadda, buy a $46 helmet if you have a $46 head...anyways, I was thinking of picking one up and using it as a spare or loaner helmet, and also to preserve my Arai. I just don't know if it is going to fall apart on me. Anyone bought these? Thanks.

I bought my Honda from a local shop late last august. here it is november and the padding no longer keep the helmet snug. the visor fogs up most "cold" mornings. i say "cold" because i love in SoCal. this morning one of the vents on the top fell apart. easy to fix. i just pulled the whole blade off the helmet, snapped the vent back together, and pressed the blade back onto the helmet. good as new. so so in short, you get what you pay for. $46 for a syko vs. $600 for a X-12... you get what you pay for. i get a lot of helmet turbulance riding on the freeway. the only good part is that i can open the 'gills' when it gets hot, and i feel like it does a lot for me. So for $50, its a good loaner helmet, or in my case, starter helmet. its usefulness doesnt go much beyond that though.