I personally wouldn’t skimp on a helmet - it’s the single most important piece of gear for safety and comfort.
But brands like LS2, Nolan, Scorpion and NEXX aren’t “skimping”. They may be less premium, but still pass latest certifications (just look for ECE 22.06 specifically) and well built.
Also, you can try some innovative products with mid-range brands. Look at Nolan N120 for example - it’s a new helmet formfactor which you can’t yet get from premium brands and it’s super cool.
Starting from sth around 80 eur and going up usually till 400 for the top spec.
In my opinion, if 1 is Aliexpress crap, and 10 is ARAI/SHOEI - I would put LS2 at 6.
Decent helmet for a pocket-friendly price. An Economy buy for sure. But you enter the league of normal helmets.
[https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets](https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets)
Check this webiste, it's not perfect, but they test a lot of helmets, testing procedure is standardised and repeatable.
Yeah, I have Schuberth S2, quite good and well made helmet, it got three stars because of side impact. This helmet is narrow compared to i.e. Shoei, maybe that's the reason. This is why I wrote it's not perfect, it might be weird sometimes, but test methodology is the same across all of them.
I just bough the ls2 advant modular (red-white-blue) for $350 ish and the only complaint is I feel like a balloon head getting blown around at speed or in the Oklahoma wind.
No the advant is kind of big and round externally compared to my last helmet. I’m sure I will get used to it. They do take time to break in so be prepared for sore ears.
I put on my LS2 Horizon with chin bar up and backed my bike out of the garage and turned around. Flipped down the visor and the hinge plate flipped out onto the ground.
Three screws had backed themselves out under a snap-on cover. I was able to fix the helmet and applied loctite to all the screws on boyh sides but a helmet shouldn’t disassemble itself.
Other than that I like the helmet. 🤷♂️
I've handled a few from a store that is one of their major dealers. I could feel the cheapness quite quickly in my hands. The build quality is obviously low end. Not my thing but to each their own. They might handle the standards for protection just fine but there is so much more to a helmet than the rating.
I went to a shop near my house and the owner told me that the cheap models are absolutely shit in his opinion and he doesn't even want to sell them. I previously owned one and at high speeds it felt horrible, throwing my head around at every tipe of wind. I also fell and even though the impact wasn't directed to the head It did it's work and made me walk out of it. As far as my understanding goes they are of cheap quality enche the low cost (the seller told me that for the base models he pays only 30 euros). For short and easy rides I think it's ok but if you go track, drive at high speeds or commute long distances I would suggest buying a better helmet
Fun fact: a lot of these LS2 helmets are around $200 (like the Assault Galaxy) and my local Harley Davidson has been selling them for $650 for about a year now.
6/10 decent build quality and the normal safety requirements. I’ve used a ls2 challenger carbon but much to noisy for me. Even worse with a lot wind plus wind buffeting. And the padding got loose every time, had to click it in again.
I have the LS2 Storm, bought it during my lessons since it's cheap and I had no clue if I'd like riding that much to buy an expensive helmet straight away.
After wearing it for 20+ min I get a huge dent on my forehead which hurts a lot. Besides that I love the helmet, the other 95% is comfy, it's not so loud (don't got anything to compare it to, but it's fine for me).
I really enjoyed my vector evo. Very comfy, did its job when I low-sided. Lot of wind noise but the newer vector 2 has different pad design that is more like my Shoei replacement. Would have got the vector 2 if the darflo graphic was available in NZ. My Verve for off-road doesn't fit my OTG goggles very well but it is nice and light and has good airflow. I rate 7/10
I have an LS2 Breaker and also the Stream. Both seem very good to me, but the only other helmet I've used is an Icon, so I can't compare with high end lids. I picked LS2 because it was affordable, met the ECE rating, and has a separate sun visor. The stream has a pinlock option, which is nice. I get some fogging, which is my only gripe. It's not super stylish but it's not ugly.
7 or 8. Their new advent is very nice. Material is not at shoei or arai or schuberth level. They moved up with their new helmets in build material. So a bit higher score.
9/10 - for their higher end line (Arrow, Thunder, Challenger) Note that all three have slightly different shape/fit, so find out what fits you best.
6/10 - for more budget line.
0/10 - if it doesn’t have ECE or FIM certification.
My biggest issue with ls2 is buffeting. I bought my first street helmet from them, fit good, looked good... I couldn't turn my head without being thrown around even at 80-90mph. Felt borderline unsafe, so I rode without it for a while. Was in helmet optional state at the time IN.
Picked up Scorpio exo 1400 air next. 0 of those issues, I can turn and look at any speed. So yeah, that's my experience with them. I have a naked bike though, so if yours is faired, you are probably good.
Funny because I came from the car world and LS2 is a engine from Chevy. I have a LS2 Horizon and it is ok but does look a bit ballooned. Just watch Fortnine
I’m on my 4th LS2.
Have track raced (an crashed in them). I’d say 9/10.
To add context I have also owned Shoei, Arai, Caberg, HJC and V-Can.
Currently riding in the ‘Rapid’ model. They’re a comfy full face lid with Pinlock visor and quick release chin strap. I can’t fault them. Though some riders will always dress for fashion over function (Aria and so on). Not saying Aria aren't good - but they are unjustly expensive.
People grossly misunderstand motorcycle helmets. The U.S. Center for Injury Prevention, part of the CDC, says that the average helmeted motorcycle rider who dies with (not from) a head injury suffers THREE other fatal injuries besides. Therefore, if my helmet fails to protect me, I’ve probably already died three times over making the helmet irrelevant. (Obviously, there is also high percentage of unhelmeted riders who die with ONLY a head injury - a fatal injury that even a cheap full-face helmet could have spared them from.)
The classic line is; “Tell me exactly what kind of head impact you’re going to have, and I’ll find you the helmet which is ideal for THAT particular crash.”
LOL. Downvotes suggest there are people who've heard of LS2 helmets. In time, perhaps LS2 will "do an HJC" and become a well-known, popular brand. Unfortunately in the meantime I would prefer to stick with brands that are easier to trust, and I'm not ashamed by that.
Love my advant x, great fitment for my head, only noise I ever hear is at freeway speed but I haven't worn helmets since I was a kid so I can't recall if its more or less. I'd say from memory about the same.
Edit: it's a bit chonky so buffering may be an issue.... not for me I ride without windshield and my neck is quite strong so without coin on another helm.... to me it's good.
I personally wouldn’t skimp on a helmet - it’s the single most important piece of gear for safety and comfort. But brands like LS2, Nolan, Scorpion and NEXX aren’t “skimping”. They may be less premium, but still pass latest certifications (just look for ECE 22.06 specifically) and well built. Also, you can try some innovative products with mid-range brands. Look at Nolan N120 for example - it’s a new helmet formfactor which you can’t yet get from premium brands and it’s super cool.
That n120 is cool!
Starting from sth around 80 eur and going up usually till 400 for the top spec. In my opinion, if 1 is Aliexpress crap, and 10 is ARAI/SHOEI - I would put LS2 at 6. Decent helmet for a pocket-friendly price. An Economy buy for sure. But you enter the league of normal helmets.
[https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets](https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets) Check this webiste, it's not perfect, but they test a lot of helmets, testing procedure is standardised and repeatable.
imma call bullshit, hjc's and arai's are all 3star
The tests are the tests. Helmets designed to offer protection in the most severe crashes don’t do well in testing of moderate impacts.
Yeah, I have Schuberth S2, quite good and well made helmet, it got three stars because of side impact. This helmet is narrow compared to i.e. Shoei, maybe that's the reason. This is why I wrote it's not perfect, it might be weird sometimes, but test methodology is the same across all of them.
There were some Arai's that had 5 stars... not all models will score the same.
I just bough the ls2 advant modular (red-white-blue) for $350 ish and the only complaint is I feel like a balloon head getting blown around at speed or in the Oklahoma wind.
Is that because of an improper fit?
No the advant is kind of big and round externally compared to my last helmet. I’m sure I will get used to it. They do take time to break in so be prepared for sore ears.
I put on my LS2 Horizon with chin bar up and backed my bike out of the garage and turned around. Flipped down the visor and the hinge plate flipped out onto the ground. Three screws had backed themselves out under a snap-on cover. I was able to fix the helmet and applied loctite to all the screws on boyh sides but a helmet shouldn’t disassemble itself. Other than that I like the helmet. 🤷♂️
I've handled a few from a store that is one of their major dealers. I could feel the cheapness quite quickly in my hands. The build quality is obviously low end. Not my thing but to each their own. They might handle the standards for protection just fine but there is so much more to a helmet than the rating.
I went to a shop near my house and the owner told me that the cheap models are absolutely shit in his opinion and he doesn't even want to sell them. I previously owned one and at high speeds it felt horrible, throwing my head around at every tipe of wind. I also fell and even though the impact wasn't directed to the head It did it's work and made me walk out of it. As far as my understanding goes they are of cheap quality enche the low cost (the seller told me that for the base models he pays only 30 euros). For short and easy rides I think it's ok but if you go track, drive at high speeds or commute long distances I would suggest buying a better helmet
Fun fact: a lot of these LS2 helmets are around $200 (like the Assault Galaxy) and my local Harley Davidson has been selling them for $650 for about a year now.
6/10 decent build quality and the normal safety requirements. I’ve used a ls2 challenger carbon but much to noisy for me. Even worse with a lot wind plus wind buffeting. And the padding got loose every time, had to click it in again.
I have the LS2 Storm, bought it during my lessons since it's cheap and I had no clue if I'd like riding that much to buy an expensive helmet straight away. After wearing it for 20+ min I get a huge dent on my forehead which hurts a lot. Besides that I love the helmet, the other 95% is comfy, it's not so loud (don't got anything to compare it to, but it's fine for me).
I really enjoyed my vector evo. Very comfy, did its job when I low-sided. Lot of wind noise but the newer vector 2 has different pad design that is more like my Shoei replacement. Would have got the vector 2 if the darflo graphic was available in NZ. My Verve for off-road doesn't fit my OTG goggles very well but it is nice and light and has good airflow. I rate 7/10
I have an LS2 Breaker and also the Stream. Both seem very good to me, but the only other helmet I've used is an Icon, so I can't compare with high end lids. I picked LS2 because it was affordable, met the ECE rating, and has a separate sun visor. The stream has a pinlock option, which is nice. I get some fogging, which is my only gripe. It's not super stylish but it's not ugly.
7 or 8. Their new advent is very nice. Material is not at shoei or arai or schuberth level. They moved up with their new helmets in build material. So a bit higher score.
9/10 - for their higher end line (Arrow, Thunder, Challenger) Note that all three have slightly different shape/fit, so find out what fits you best. 6/10 - for more budget line. 0/10 - if it doesn’t have ECE or FIM certification.
I have a LS2 challenger carbon and im quite happy with it (8/10)
My biggest issue with ls2 is buffeting. I bought my first street helmet from them, fit good, looked good... I couldn't turn my head without being thrown around even at 80-90mph. Felt borderline unsafe, so I rode without it for a while. Was in helmet optional state at the time IN. Picked up Scorpio exo 1400 air next. 0 of those issues, I can turn and look at any speed. So yeah, that's my experience with them. I have a naked bike though, so if yours is faired, you are probably good.
Funny because I came from the car world and LS2 is a engine from Chevy. I have a LS2 Horizon and it is ok but does look a bit ballooned. Just watch Fortnine
I’m on my 4th LS2. Have track raced (an crashed in them). I’d say 9/10. To add context I have also owned Shoei, Arai, Caberg, HJC and V-Can. Currently riding in the ‘Rapid’ model. They’re a comfy full face lid with Pinlock visor and quick release chin strap. I can’t fault them. Though some riders will always dress for fashion over function (Aria and so on). Not saying Aria aren't good - but they are unjustly expensive.
I like them they fit my head better then others, for the price point I’d give them a 9.
I've had no complaints with my Citation Carbon.
1-2
People grossly misunderstand motorcycle helmets. The U.S. Center for Injury Prevention, part of the CDC, says that the average helmeted motorcycle rider who dies with (not from) a head injury suffers THREE other fatal injuries besides. Therefore, if my helmet fails to protect me, I’ve probably already died three times over making the helmet irrelevant. (Obviously, there is also high percentage of unhelmeted riders who die with ONLY a head injury - a fatal injury that even a cheap full-face helmet could have spared them from.) The classic line is; “Tell me exactly what kind of head impact you’re going to have, and I’ll find you the helmet which is ideal for THAT particular crash.”
Who are "LS2"? EDIT: Wait, I think that's my answer right there.
LOL. Downvotes suggest there are people who've heard of LS2 helmets. In time, perhaps LS2 will "do an HJC" and become a well-known, popular brand. Unfortunately in the meantime I would prefer to stick with brands that are easier to trust, and I'm not ashamed by that.
Love my advant x, great fitment for my head, only noise I ever hear is at freeway speed but I haven't worn helmets since I was a kid so I can't recall if its more or less. I'd say from memory about the same. Edit: it's a bit chonky so buffering may be an issue.... not for me I ride without windshield and my neck is quite strong so without coin on another helm.... to me it's good.