Ive just got a Arai Quantum ST Pro and pro shade visor from a good friend that cost half the price he payed for it 18 months ago. Now its a nice lid and fits well, but this is the first time ive tried a arai and find it to be extremely noisey, i suffer with tinnitus any way and even with ear plugs this over the top to the point of pain. i have noticed it has no chin curtain so this may add to it , but still should it be that bad. also i dont know if its the ergonomics of the lid but i also get a lot of buffeting, previous lid was a shark and had no issues at all with it. I may now sell it..and go back to a shark ?
Arai have always been noisy helmets, my viper GT sounds like I'm stood in the eye of a tornado sometimes, it has quietened down since fitting my zero gravity corsa screen though, and it's quieter still when I ride my dads blackbird with a monster DB screen on, maybe a change of screen or adjusting your head a little will help. It does seem odd that someone like arai would continue to produce helmets that are noisy, or are they doing a Honda and refusing to acknowledge that there's a problem
i have changed the screen, but will need to change it back to standard to see if its causing it, think best option is to sell it . and look for a Shark as it may cost me a bit so solve a problem i didnt have with a other lid..
Had Arai lids for over the last 15 years and last year I purchased a Shoei NXR Amazing helmet in every way! Great quality, super quite! And cheaper....
I bought a brand new Arai rebel in 2014. Like you, I found it really noisy. Loved the pro shade though. After 6 months I was sick of the noise so switched to an NXR. I moaned to the Arai importers who kept promising a retro fit chin curtain as you can get them in Japan. The new ones 2015 on I think do have clips to fit a chin curtain, as the US market wanted it...some european models have one fitted, not sure about UK I would stick it on ebay, they still fetch good money.
I have the AGV Carbon GP Pista and that does my ears , wind noises is so bad, even tried to tape the rear vents up but no better, have to wear ear plugs all the time.
I used to have AGV and Shark lids before switching to an Arai Viper GT which I wore for quite a while. Lovely lid but yeah, it was a noisy old bugger. I've now gone onto a Shoei NXR and it's a helluva lot quieter. I think it's the design of Arai's covered side pods that make them noisy.
After years ( well 4 years at least ) I decided to junk my Esprit for the NXR. .........I, m now tempted to get my trusty old helmet dusted......The reason why........The NXR is soooooo noisey it's unbelievable. ......by far the worst helmet for noise I, ve ever owned .
GT air is meant to be quieter than NXR. Smaller shell size also quieter. I always wear ear plugs anyway and either a buff or a balaclava. Race lids (x spirit/Rx-7/corsa etc) are surely bound to be louder as less padding for weight and aero suited for the full tuck ? Love the shape of AGV lids but not tried one, nearly bought a GT veloce last week, barely used it went for £130 with the LCD visor !
I got the arai to replace a shark s800. In hindsight i should have just changed the internal padding.. i get a little noise from the shark but ear plugs solve it..the arai still is loud with ear plugs..ill put it on ebay .. I also have the nexx that im selling ..and that has very little noise .
Sena ( who make the intercoms ) have a helmet that generates "white noise" to cancel out wind noise etc. I don't think it's available in the uk just yet but looks promising.
I have the top shark great lid, fairly quiet for a race lid and better vision than my Arai although not as nicely finished ,
I've just bought a shoei GT air, it's- very tight fit (Medium), but it's quiet compared to my HJC r-pha, but that's a large. My point being, is it a light fit or loose? Also, fitting a chin guard makes a massive difference! Get one of eBay, their only a few quid.
The gt air is a tight fit,so much so that I opted to give it a miss and went for the neotec that fits perfect like my NXR. With the chin guard on there is a great reduction in wind noise.
