Arai XD and other DS helmets

[dbdolan]

Okay I have been looking into getting a new lid, I assume the Arai Xd was the only DS helmet available. I found a site that reviewed all the enduro style helmets and I found out that HJC, Shoei, and others are making a cheaper version of the XD style helmet. I would love to get a Arai XD but the HJC version also looks cool but the problem is they only sell these in Europe. Here is the site and the Enduro helmet reviews...http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/arai-xd/
I still prefer the looks of the Arai XD but am not thrilled about the price of it, does anyone know who sells the XD in the Houston area so I can at least try it on to see what size I will need?

[Calgary-Yogi]

Both Cycle Gear on 45 and Lunsford have they in stock. Lunsford had both L and XL and CycleGear had only XL.

If you come across a XXL in you quest please let me know

[Bear on a bicycle]

Cyclegear has them. They are nice, but expensive. I've been wanting one, but I'm having a hard time justifying the cost. I'm hoping other helmet manufacturers are going to bring some of their D/S helmets to the U.S. soon. I like the Airoh S4, myself.

[Joan]

Oh man! I finally got to try on an XD yesterday; a couple DS friends rode over to visit, one with an XD, the other with an HJC something...

My head is an Arai M with extra cheekpads, HJC M, Nolan S, Schuberth M.

My friend's M XD fit as well as my M Renegade (Arai) and it is oh so cool to have such a wider field of vision, and the visor had no defects. VERY nice.

The other friend's HJC was only ho-hum and the cheekpads seemed to come up short and pokey about mid cheek. Huge difference in comfort. The HJC would get annoying after a short time, which in my experience adds to my fatigue level. And since I'm used to a regular FF visor, the lack of the built in flip visor was really sad...

So sometime before the summer really starts I"ll pick up an XD for riding the KLR.

It's my head, and I'm worth the extra dough. And so are you! :thumb:

[Hood Ornament]

It's hard to find fault with the XD aside from price. I lucked out and bought a lightly used one from one of the other members here for $150 and it was even XXL. The venting is absolutely the best of any helmet I've worn, dirt or street. Very comfortable. The shield works great, can put it in any position I want and it stays there. The visor doesn't yank my head around in the wind when I'm at hiway speeds. I guess one pain is changing shields. Not the easy 5 second procedure like other Arai models. As for crash worthiness, haven't had to test that out yet. :mrgreen:

[mjacks]

Honda of Houston has the XD marked at $330 (if I remember right) but all they had on hand was a size S. I don't know if they are not carring Arai or the XD anymore but it seemed like they were trying to clear them out.

edit: BMW North in the Woodlands has the XD in stock if you need to try them on. They list them as MSRP.

[Calgary-Yogi]

Forgot to mention in the last post. A buddy in Canada just bought an XD at cost because the dealer wanted to get rid of them.

The reason
Arai will no longer be shipping XD helmets to North America.:eek2:

[kurt]

I'm glad I bought one before they quit. I love the visor, wide eye opening and extra space behind the chin bar.

[mjacks]

I'm glad I bought one before they quit. I love the visor, wide eye opening and extra space behind the chin bar.

How is the noise on the XD compared to other street helmets?

[gocatgo]

I REALLY like my XD, very comforable. I have not noticed any more wind noise than any other helmet (my Shoei RF900 and X11) but then of course I've only ridden with it on the DR650 - making time out on the highway on the Connie would not be a good time to try out the XD with visor :eek2:

[Larry_77084]

I've got an XD and love it. We were out in Big Bend in Dec and I was glad I had it over the standard MX style helmet. I have a tinted shield and have no complaints.

[dbdolan]

I've got an XD and love it. We were out in Big Bend in Dec and I was glad I had it over the standard MX style helmet. I have a tinted shield and have no complaints.

How much for the tinted shield? I was looking at them on ebay and they were 40 bucks....geeez, but you got to have a dark shield.

[Larry_77084]

The cost was not an object, I have to hide from my adoring fans. But I think it was 40 bucks.

[kurt]

How is the noise on the XD compared to other street helmets?


Comparable to my Nolan N-102, more than the Shoei X-11 or the Arai RX-7

[treysmagna]

I know that Arai makes awesome helmets, but I would entertain an HJC it is is less expensive. I have had several HJCs and they have all held up well. I still have an HJC mx helmet that I bought back in 98. I dont wear it much any more, but it is still in great shape.

[Dirtrideroader]

E-mail this guy;

Cyclestuff@aol.com

I bought a Arai RX-7 from him just before Christmas. He gave me a really good deal. Helmet came double boxed. Brand new. Did not look like a demo model.

[Dirtrideroader]

Oh yeah, there is a site called Pashnit. They were offering to sell the XD for $389 + 10 shipping.

E-mail them at;

"Tim Mayhew" <pashnit33@yahoo.com>

[Hood Ornament]

How is the noise on the XD compared to other street helmets?

I wear earplugs with all my helmets, so noise isn't a factor. They're all quiet.

[mjacks]

I wear earplugs with all my helmets, so noise isn't a factor. They're all quiet.

:thumb: I hate riding more than a few miles with out my ear plugs. One of my most vital pieces of equipment.

[dbdolan]

Well I found my new lid:rider: I retired my old stainked up HJC symax and got myself a birthday present. So far I really like the Arai XD, it fits my oval head perfectly and the venting looks to be well done. I have yet to ride with it, I have just been walking around the house testing my ear phones and making sure I can get my tunes going. Here are some pic's.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/dbdolan/Arai%20XD%205-2-07/AraiXD5-2-07007.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/dbdolan/Arai%20XD%205-2-07/AraiXD5-2-07006.jpg

Thanks for all the advice about which locations had them so I could try them on, the xl fit me perfectly. I now wish I would have jumped on that one Magus sold for 150 bucks, he told me about it on the beach run to Cameron. I was thinking at the time I needed a large but the xl is what I really needed. :doh:

[Hood Ornament]

So how are you liking the XD. I'm really happy with mine (It's the one Magus was selling BTW, and it's a XXL not a XL). The more I use it the more I like it.

[dbdolan]

So how are you liking the XD. I'm really happy with mine (It's the one Magus was selling BTW, and it's a XXL not a XL). The more I use it the more I like it.

Man I love it, vents real nice and it is going to be nice to wear during summer. Yeah I realized it was a xxl after I posted that response, I knew there was a reason I didn't try it on that day it would have never fit my noggin. You got a smoking' deal on it, I ordered a smoked shield and the optics of the shields are superb. It is about as noisy as my HJC symax flip up style helmet but I wear noise canceling ear phones so it is not a issue.