Helmets in China

Having difficulty finding "S" size helmets in China. I've visited shops in Shanghai, called Beijing shops and contacted various resellers online (Taobao). I have been told there's no market for small-size helmets in Mainland China, so for import helmets, they don't stock them. Which means you need to order directly from HK or do this via the China reseller. The problem is that you don't get to try-on the helmet to check for fitting before buying, so if the fit is not right you are stuck with the helmet after taking delivery from HK (no returns). :deal:

What I'm ideally looking for is a SMALL Nolan N-103 or Shoei Multitech (Flat Black). If anyone knows where to find either of these for purchase, or at least can find one in Shanghai or Beijing for a fitting so I know if it fits properly before buying from HK, please let me know. Thanks.
Attachment 2065

MK, just grow an afro!

Be careful, Asian models from Shoei do not fit like European and North American. I have 1 Synchro and 2 Multi-Techs and the USA model is far superior to the one's I purchased in Hong Kong.

Cheers
ChinaV

By the way, those look like some good helmet choices.

Did you try Jim Bryant? When we rode to the Great Wall on Wednesday, he was wearing a nice Guangzhou-made helmet which he said was of acceptable quality and looked to be quite practical. It was a "modular" design, meaning the front of the helmet can be pushed upward without undoing the chin strap, and had a retractable sunvisor built in. He sells this in his shop for around 700 RMB. So you might ask him about the size. He's jimbosidecar in this forum.

EDIT: NOT THAT I'M VOUCHING FOR LOCALLY MADE HELMETS! Actually, my helmet, which I bought in California at CycleGear, is made in China, as are many other brands today, including premium helmets. Wonder if there are good threads out there about what actually constitutes a good helmet, and which China-made models measure up.

cheers

My two fen based solely on my own experience with products sold in China versus products sold in the USA / Europe / etc is ...

1) Most products are manufactured in China ... and although it used to be the case that the better quality items were exported, this isn't always the situation any more
2) It is near impossible to know which are "genuine" and which are "fake" ... in fact, I think that many of the "fake" items in China are actually "genuine but unauthorized" items that are falling off the backs of trucks, or heading out the factory's back doors
3) In the last few trips home, I've purchased "genuine" products from "reputable" dealers and later discovered that the products were, in fact, "fake". And the "fake" products in China were actually better quality. I think the dealers at home are feeling a real pinch, economically
4) I think helmet choice / comfort is paramount. My own personal collection includes several helmets that are top-rated but damn uncomfortable & inconvenient & some even downright unsafe because they have restricted vision / hearing. You NEED to hear and see everything going on around you, and you need it to be comfortable so that you are not getting tired or annoyed.
5) Jim's helmets are great, if they fit your noggin' ... 90% of your effort should be getting a great fit, with excellent vision & hearing ... you WILL get into trouble if you never see/hear it coming, or your gear is somehow uncomfortable.

And although I like to wear bright colors up top, the reality is that most Chinese drivers will NOT see you or, frankly, couldn't care less about you. This is especially true in Beijing where gridlock is driving people insane. Therefore, the responsibility is yours to stay aware. Passive / aggressive driving and always having an escape route for the unexpected. The "gear" between your ears for intelligent defensive driving is the key, IMHO.

It would be great to hear more about people's experiences with particular shops / outlets, and it would also be nice to have a separate area in this website devoted to gear. Thanks for the taobao links & the Beijing outlets posted earlier.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

4) I think helmet choice / comfort is paramount. My own personal collection includes several helmets that are top-rated but damn uncomfortable & inconvenient & some even downright unsafe because they have restricted vision / hearing. You NEED to hear and see everything going on around you, and you need it to be comfortable so that you are not getting tired or annoyed.

---

Totally agree that comfort and fit are essential, though this can put you into a bind. I was a complete novice when I bought my helmet in California, and tried on dozens of models from every manufacturer, including the majors, at prices from a bit north of $100 to $800. Say what you will about my head, but many were uncomfortable. Those with the suggested "just snug enough" fit either created intense pressure points that would have been excruciating to the point of distraction, or were otherwise ill-suited to my noggin. In the end, the one that fit best was one of the budget models straight off the boat from China. I've learned a lot more about my own preferences since then, and deeply envy you guys with modular models that let you open up your face without unstrapping, so I'll continue my search. But if that search leads to a locally made brain bucket that fits and yet seems to offer an acceptable level of build and quality, I'll definitely opt for that over an ill-fitting or downright painful premium brand.

I don't think I'm just being a cheapskate.

PS -- Lao Jia Huo is correct about Beijing drivers, especially the self-important passive-aggressives! Bloody hell, if you are not staying aware 360 degrees around you, you'll suddenly have some f*ckwit in a big black Audi nosing into your lane beside you, just inches off your beam. In heavy traffic where there's nowhere to go, and certainly no point in passing, you'll have f*ckwits tailgating you within a meter or less, and flashing their lights and blowing their horn, clearly endangering your safety just to say, "Get off the road; you don't belong here; I'm in a car and I'm more important." Serious vein-melting assholes.

cheers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by euphonius

... you'll suddenly have some f*ckwit in a big black Audi ...

---

Right on, bro!

You'll be happy to learn that when Steve and I were heading back home on the 5th Ring Road after our ride, we saw some "f*ckwit in a big black Audi" with his car dramatically ON FIRE ... :clap:

So, we both looked at each other and smiled :thumbsup:

However, true to form ... the "genius" continued driving his car down the shoulder, faster than the bumper-to-bumper we were caught in, with oodles of smoke billowing out the back from his doors, his trunk, and underneath ... maybe he thought the wind would extinguish the fire?

So, that is the kind of "f*ckwit-genius" who is behind the wheel when we are presenting ourselves as vulnerable bugs on the road.

And people wonder why I ONLY ride my e-scooter in the bike lanes or take the subway inside the city.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I ended up finding a HJC with one-button opening of the chin bar-face shield which fits snug. As mentioned, I tried other brands (Shoei and Nolan) and found that Medium was too big for me, but strangely discovered that with HJC the right fit was Large. :confused1:

IS-MAX BT
http://www.hjchelmets.com/images/pro...x/bt/black.jpg

Also love the one-touch Integrated SunShield: Smoke-tinted 3-stage adjustable SunShield.
It deploys "quickly and easily". While riding out around Moganshan last weekend with euphonius, we rode through a few tunnels, and with just a tap to the top of the helmet, the visor retracted, and then could easily slide back down on the way out of the tunnel.

One issue I have is related to the built-in recess for an optional wireless intercom. When riding at high-speeds (i.e. on the expressways) it is way too noisy. After checking the HJC website, I now see that there is supposed to be a cover on the recess (see photo) - but I was told by the shop they don't come with one. I'll see if I can source one from HJC directly, but I'm a bit confused why mine didn't come with this cover. :confused1:

I have a XXL body and head to match which makes finding a helmet in China a rather daunting task. I tried the motorcycle market in Guangzhou. Nope. Tried Taobao and sure enough there are XXL helmets listed but when contacted the shops did not have any available. (And I really did not want to order sight unseen.) Two strikes. I was in the process of buying a new motorcycle in Jiangmen and found a helmet factory there - MHR Helmets. One of their main lines is LS2 helmets. I called David, one of the salesmen, and was given an invitation to the factory.

Attachment 2165


Attachment 2166


Attachment 2167


The sprawling factory has about 1500 workers and has many basketball courts and even a small lake that is nicely landscaped for the worker's. According to David they make helmets for some major US brands like Bell. LS2 is headquartered in Spain.


They had a nice showroom and I was able to look at and try on as many styles as liked. When I had a few picked out, we walked to the warehouse and one of the workers pulled some XXL helmets for me. I bought a couple and have been very happy with the fit and quality.

This post is really interesting! I like your initiative, Robert, and welcome to the forum!

It would be really useful to know which of the big international name brand helmets are being made in China, and by which Chinese factories, as this could help us to sift the wheat from the chaff among locally produced brain buckets.

My first helmet, bought from the US West Coast chain www.cyclegear.com, is branded Seven Zero Seven and is labeled Made in China, but with no explicit indication of the Chinese manufacturer. But Robert's revelation that this outfit MHR is a huge operation that OEMs for Bell among others really gets me wondering. Yes, there are a lot of crappy helmets in the Chinese market, and those local riders who even bother with helmets don't seem to be too discriminating about what to use.

But if manufacturers like MHR are reaching a critical mass, and starting to launch their own brands using the same technology that goes into their OEM products, it would be great to get this intelligence into the light of day.

Robert, your link labeled Attachment 2165 relating to a factory invitation is not working. If you do have more information of what international brands are OEMing these MHR helmets, do let us know!

thanks again!

Here are a few photos from the warehouse at the factory. Recognize any brands?

Attachment 2172

There was a container being loaded the day I was visiting.

Attachment 2173

I can tell you that I did not see any typical Chinese crap helmets the day I visited. Although I did not see the production area or testing area, the salesman claimed to have a full array of testing equipment. He also stated they have some American and European designers who visit the factory every quarter to collaborate and present designs. According to his comments 2011 MHR will introduce some interesting new products. I saw and examined a carbon fiber shell on the table in the showroom.

Sorry for so few photos. My traveling companion was stealing my thunder and redirecting the worker's attention from me.

Attachment 2174

Google tells me that Zox is a private-label brand made for Motovan, www.motovan.com, Canada's largest distributor of motorsport equipment. Box, a private label brand by the British motorsport distributor Oxford Products www.oxprod.com, is described on the Oxford site as "an aggressive, innovative and unashamedly British helmet brand".

I thought Shenzhen was a US territory, not part of Britain....

Looks like a serious player, and one worth learning more about. Would be great to know whether they make all of Bell's helmets, or only some models.

It would be a real scoop if the super premium brands like Shoei and Arai are made somewhere in China, but that would be a closely held secret.

Thanks for the completely acceptable explanation for the dearth of pictures.

cheers

OK, I'm bumping MotoKai's post to share this link because this is just too funny to be true, and, to keep it on topic, the helmet in question almost certainly was made in China.

The eBay auction has already run out so it may not be up much longer...

cheers!

Dam, I missed it. Just too funny! Thanks for the link. Really enjoyed it.

That was a great read, thanks for the link! I'll just post it here below in case the auction disappears soon.

Quote:

---

Completely and Totally Gay-Assed Hardley Davidson Half (ass) Helmet

Size XXL

Retail Price: Over $150 (can you believe it?)

I bought a Yamaha Zuma to use as a pit bike from an older gentleman and he gave me this helmet because he certainly didn't want to been seen in it. He would Zuma around his lake resort neighborhood and his wife made him wear a helmet. He hated it but he's been married to her for almost 60 years so he just wore the helmet and kept his mouth shut. Good call.

He did pull the Harley sticker from the front of the helmet in an effort to retain some dignity but the chin strap still has the tell-tale H-D which, as you all know, stands for quality.

This helmet has a DOT sticker on the back. I can't imagine that it would do any good in a crash. The box I'm shipping this little jewel in outweighs the helmet. Weekend Harley guys only put about 4.7 miles per week on the bikes anyway so I guess it's not much of a problem. They go from home to Starbucks to some cheesy little burger joint that caters to the weekend Harley crowd then back home to park over the oil spot.

Real bikers like the Banditos, Hells Angels, etc ride about 3000 miles per month wearing a do-rag or a WWII German Panzer helmet. I'm reasonably sure they are not looking at this listing for some made-in-china-piece-of-crap with a HD logo.

Hey all you CPAs, Airline Pilots, Lawyers, Doctors and biker poser wannabees, check out the picture in the listing and you can see that this thing really does work. Notice how it takes just some average old guy and turns him into a totally scary badass looking UFC fighter kick-ass kind of guy that nobody in their right mind would mess with. Wow! Even sitting on a 50cc Zuma with plaid shorts that's not somebody I would want to rile.

As you can see from the photo, it has some cheesy flame pattern molded into the shell of the helmet. My guess is that this has nothing to do with speed but rather is a reminder not to light a match around the oil leaking, 1920's technology, piece of crap you are sitting on. Think of it as a public service announcement.

If the winner of the auction doesn't actually want to take possession of the helmet I will post a youtube video of running over the helmet with my Dodge 4X4 Diesel Megacab 2500 and burying the carcass.

If you are starting a band like "The Village People" this would be a perfect costume piece.

I'm starting this auction at one cent, which is what this turd is worth. I'd throw it away but I don't want the trash guys to think I'm gay. If you win this helmet for a penny you are paying way too much but what the heck, it's your money.

By the way.....this thing is huge! It's a size XXL, as if it wasn't stupid looking enough already. Maybe you can rip the liner out of it and use it for a potato salad server. I just want to get rid of it.

Good luck bidding!

---

Don't forget the Q&A below. Also a good read:




Question & Answer

Q: Just a heads-up. I know of a guy who took great offense at your ad and turned you in to ebay. Maybe you can modify it just enough to avoid having it taken down.
A: Yeah, I've had some threats. One guy was going to kick my butt. I asked him if he was going to hit me with his purse. He screamed something like "It's not a purse! It's a European satchel!" or something like that. He was crying pretty hard but I think that's what he said. Maybe you should bid on this high quality item and give it to your friend. That might ease his pain a little. Thanks for the heads-up and please apologize to your friend for me. I've been married almost 25 years so I know how important apologies are to women, and guys who behave like women.


Q: I own a Honda. If I wear the helmet will my motor rev faster?
A: I don't think so. In fact, the bike probably won't even start until you take the helmet off. That shouldn't keep you from bidding on this fine item however. It has many other uses. If you take your family camping you could use it for a portable toilet. It should last a family of four about a week before it needs to be emptied.

Q: Don't have a Herman Munster sized noggin but couldn't resist bidding just for the simple fact this is an awesome listing. Haven't laughed this much in awhile. Thanks bottom-drawer ~R
A: I sure appreciate you bidding on this thing. I go out in the garage and it just looks at me. I'll be glad when it's gone.

Q: Greetings, if I buy this helmet then can you direct me to where I can purchase one of these "Harley" motorcycles? My Doctor says I need to be more active and I'd like to start spending my weekends riding to neighboring suburbs and buying leather things with the word "Harley" on it. I mean, you think that is cool right? Sep-16-10
A: If it will get you to buy this piece of crap then I think it's very cool indeed. Seriously though, I don't think you should limit your shopping to leather goods. As another ebay member pointed out there are many chrome items available at your Harley dealer.....all reasonably priced. I will be most happy to direct you to the nearest Harley dealer so you can purchase their fine products. Park close to the door and wear old shoes. You'll be stepping in a lot of oil in the parking lot. First thing you need to do is buy this helmet. I'll help you with the rest........really. In no time at all you'll look just like a real weekend Harley rider. Your Dr. will be astounded with your new "Harley shape". Round is a shape, right?

Q: You do realize that you could get twice as much money for this thing if you had it chromed, right?
A: I'm sure you're right. Kind of sad isn't it?

Q: Is this helmet race legal for WERA or CMRA?
A: I can't imagine that this helmet is legal for anything! It is so ugly I'm sure you would be violating some public decency law by just owning it. I really need to get rid of it.

Q: How many pounds of chicken crap would this helmet hold? (i.e. would it make a good bucket for when I'm cleaning out my chicken pens?)
A: I'm afraid if the chickens see this monstrosity they will quit laying. If you want to use it for that purpose I would guess that the average weekend Harley rider has the equivalent of 10 lbs of chicken crap in his helmet. Hope this helps. Please buy the helmet.........please.

Q: If I win the auction, will you forget about the shipping charges and just cut this brain bucket in half and throw it in the trash?
A: As mentioned in the listing I can't put it in the trash. I don't want the trash guys to think I'm gay. The offer for crushing and burial is still valid. No shipping will be charged.

Q: Does it have any pink stunter fur?
A: I'm sure that's an available option but I don't have any.

Q: Could the helmet function as a usable belly pan to keep the oil off my driveway?
A: That's a great idea. Should hold about 1.5 gallons which is about a weeks worth of leakage from a Harley.

Q: Can you bring it to TWS for the oct. cmra race?I would like to present it to Ronnie as a token of my gratitude for all the half assed gay things he has done for me.
A: I will gladly bring it to TWS.....in a plain brown bag. I don't want to be seen with it.

Q: Does it have street cred scratch marks?
A: It has no marks. Apparently neither the old man or myself had any idea this was important. Most of the weekenders I see take great pains to make sure everything is totally new and shiny. I will drag the helmet behind my Zuma for no extra charge.

Q: Would you happen to have the matching assless chaps to go with this helmet? Sep-14-10
A: I do have a set that I wear while doing yard work. I might let them go with the helmet if the auction hits the right price.

Q: Hey BD I understand that you are one of the few true haberdasher of the motorcycle world. Any chance that you have a pair of leather shorts to go with this classic ?
A: Not, but I'll hit up the local Goodwill shop and see if I can scare up a set of those crotchless chap things the weekenders wear. You could cut those off at the knee and create a whole new look. Would go great with this helmet. Take this thing off my hands, OK?

I have two LS2 helmets. One is just OK quality but better than the "tanked" brand. The other is fiberglass and runs on par, if not better to some of the HJC helmets I have seen in Shanghai.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MotoKai

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I ended up finding a HJC with one-button opening of the chin bar-face shield which fits snug. As mentioned, I tried other brands (Shoei and Nolan) and found that Medium was too big for me, but strangely discovered that with HJC the right fit was Large. :confused1:

IS-MAX BT
http://www.hjchelmets.com/images/pro...x/bt/black.jpg

Also love the one-touch Integrated SunShield: Smoke-tinted 3-stage adjustable SunShield.
It deploys "quickly and easily". While riding out around Moganshan last weekend with euphonius, we rode through a few tunnels, and with just a tap to the top of the helmet, the visor retracted, and then could easily slide back down on the way out of the tunnel.

One issue I have is related to the built-in recess for an optional wireless intercom. When riding at high-speeds (i.e. on the expressways) it is way too noisy. After checking the HJC website, I now see that there is supposed to be a cover on the recess (see photo) - but I was told by the shop they don't come with one. I'll see if I can source one from HJC directly, but I'm a bit confused why mine didn't come with this cover. :confused1:

---

Threadbump!

Motokai,

I'm about to pull the trigger on the exact same helmet, which is selling for 616 RMB in a shop up near Scootertown. It's a great fit, which most of the modulars I've tried are not, and seems to be a good package of features.

How's yours holding up after more than six months of use? Comfort? Quality? Noise levels? Stuff you don't like? Did you ever find the cover for the little BT hole?

thanks!

This guy dropped his bike in his driveway, just moving it into his garage. After brain surgery, he ended up with a metal plate in his head. Hope this is not considered mongering, just a reminder..

It is a good reminder. Skull of humans is like a shell of a chicken egg. It gets easily crushed or cracked.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by euphonius

Threadbump! Motokai,I'm about to pull the trigger on the exact same helmet, which is selling for 616 RMB in a shop up near Scootertown. It's a great fit, which most of the modulars I've tried are not, and seems to be a good package of features. How's yours holding up after more than six months of use? Comfort? Quality? Noise levels? Stuff you don't like? Did you ever find the cover for the little BT hole? thanks!

---

For me, the fit was the most important part, and my HJC fits great. In fact so happy with it that I bought a 2nd for the 2-up days.

Actually, this is my only complaint. The helmet seems to be "wide" which means it takes up a lot of horizontal headroom on the bike when you have a pax. So the 2-up rider needs to pay special attention to helmet positioning when riding - or else :clap: bang, bang.

http://vimeo.com/22452505

Some helmet pornography. They only show how the shell is made, it was interesting to see EPS part being made.

hi buddies,
I am deepak from india and recently shifted to shanghai for business purposes. I am looking for a good helmet but not very costly as my stay in shanghai is not going to be very long. I am looking for a LS 2 helmet off-road style with a visor. can you tell me a shop near shanghai where i can get this helmet and also the approximate cost of the helmet.

sorry to trouble you in this regard

I have recently purchased a scoyco jk-17 riding jacket from a dealer in shanghai. the cost quoted online was 186 rmb whereas the dealer sold it for 320 rmb. hence asking as to where i can get a good deal

regards
rockrz

The HTC helmet with visor can be found for around RMB 800 on Jiaoji Lu (go about half-way down the block, and you'll see one of the bigger helmet shops on your right).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MotoKai

The HTC helmet with visor can be found for around RMB 800 on Jiaoji Lu (go about half-way down the block, and you'll see one of the bigger helmet shops on your right).

---

thank you. I will definately checkout this place this saturday. by the way, you have mentioned HTC. is it a helmet brand or is it the offroad lineup of the LS-2?
sorry for the noob question :P

Rockrz,

The LS-2 is widely available in the shops up on Jiaoji Lu. Catch the No. 7 metro up to Xincun Lu. Xincun Lu runs roughly east-west. From the metro, if you walk east about 100m, you'll come to this place:

Quote:

---

Chemichen aka C.C. Shop (in Taobao)
Xincun Lu 433-1 near Xixiang Lu
上海市普陀区新村路433号-1近西乡路
Chemichen's Taobao shop
Proprietor Qin Xiaochen 秦尧辰
Mobile: 13585898820

---

If you walk west on Xincun Lu about 200m, you'll arrive at the north end of Jiaoji Lu. About 100m down Jiaoji Lu, you'll notice yourself surrounded by all things motorbikes, chiefly scooters, and on your right you'll find a teeming warren of hundreds of shops. This is scooterville. You'll find your LS-2 helmets there, along with many other local brainbuckets.

Here's the thread I PM'd you about.

cheers

And how much would you pay for a helmet? I bought one HJC in poland for 100e and I thought its quite a fair price, now I was thinking about AGV for 1500rmb and its still a nice price as long as you dont compare it to other helmets that hardly ever exeed 300RMB. 500% more expensive. Is the difference in quality so big?

Hi,

For one of the questions in first posts - that helmets here feels different than in EU or US - that's true, at least with Shoei (so I'll assume it's true also with Suomy and other serious brands). The shells are made specifically for most common head shapes in particular regions. Unfortunately, I cannot find a pdf with the description how the shells are made, I read it some time ago :/.

Since I'm stealing the topic :) - do you know where I can find HJC /LS2 helmets in Beijing? East side of 4th ring road preferably?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Worr

do you know where I can find HJC /LS2 helmets in Beijing? East side of 4th ring road preferably?

---

You can check out FLH & Mr Yu's shop. Each carry HJC and maybe LS2. Here's a map:

http://i55.tinypic.com/297k8p.jpg

Some other options can be found in this post: click here.

I bought AGV in this shop yesterday. http://www.wldamotor.com/gong%20lu/gl%20boot.htm They have HJC and LS2, as well as shoes, clouthes and other stuff. Its near west intersection of 5th ring and subway line 1