So I bought my fist dualsport helmet. It's the Bilt Discovery Adventure. It's the version without the internal sun lens. I've read good and bad reviews on this model, so I took a gamble on it. I picked it up while on sale for $69 bucks at my local Cycle Gear store. My Shoei RF700 was showing it's age and I really wanted to try a dualsport helmet. I went on a 100 mile loop and within the first mile I knew I hated this helmet. The face shield was horrible. I didn't notice it in the store, but once I hit the road I discovered that it was like looking through a wet face shield. The odd bend at the bottom gave a highly distorted view. It actually made me nauseous. This is coming from a guy who wears $5 Walmart sunglasses and has a 20 year old face shield on his current helmet. I finished up my ride with the shield up and returned the helmet the same day. Other than that, it was loud like a dirtbike helmet, the padding rode on top of my ears, you couldn't just open the face shield a tad for some air, and the visor was too long for highway use in my opinion. After 3 hours of noise, wind, twisted neck, and being annoyed I went back to my old Shoei... it was like heaven. I may never try on another dualsport helmet after my experience with this helmet. The only positive aspect was that it looked awesome... on the shelf.

BiLT - Explorer Discovery Adventure Helmet - Dual-Sport - Helmets - Off-Road - CycleGear - Cycle Gear

 

I see what you did there. LOL. Point taken.

 

Bilt sucks

 

Glad I didn't buy one when tempted by the price, seemed too good to be true and it sounds like it was.

thanks.

 

Don't just dual sport helmets by buying a $69 Bilt like crap product, that's like buying a bilt like crap sport bike helmet and then saying those types of helmet suck. I think shoei makes a dual sport helmt, I've heard those are the bomb diggity!

*p.s my brother bought me bilt gloves for my birthday, I had to return because they almost fell apart in my hands*

 

I knew I was buying the low end of the spectrum, but it's 2013 and you'd think a clear piece of plastic would be the easy to produce by now.

I'd get another Shoei, but I don't want to spend that much on a helmet that may hit the ground first time out. I fall often enough in the dirt that I'd prefer a "disposable" helmet price tag.

What has my attention now is the visor and sound at highway speeds. I really hated fighting the wind. No fun being thrown around by the visor. The wind noise was also really load for a full face helmet. I'm not a fan of earplugs on a bike.

In the end I guess I'm not looking for a dirtbike helmet with a face shield, but rather a full face helmet with a short visor.

 

There's a problem with most helmet reviews. UNLESS the helmet has been properly fitted by someone that knows exactly what they are doing as far as fitting helmets, there can be little objective review. The helmet may have the finest features known to man, and still be useless if the helmet doesn't fit, and, whatdaya know, the helmet gets reported as useless.

Pulling a helmet off the shelf based on price is not the way to choose head protection, a crap shoot as far as comfort, and setting yourself up for a slim chance at being able to appreciate any of the helmet's features.

http://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/helmet_CSi.pdf

Not trying to be snarky or critical. Just asking full disclosure in the reviews as to the efforts at giving products a fair shake. The visor may be a total sham, the seals that block air noise may be junk, but if the helmet doesn't fit your noggin, the visor distortion may be as a result of a poor fit, the cheek pads may be the wrong size to prohibit air flow into the helmet, letting noise in. The ear pad issue mentioned indicates a bad fit....

Not all heads are shaped the same. Some people have heads like a pumpkin, the next guy looks like Barney Fife. No way one helmet will properly fit both of those heads. I don't have a generic head, so a generic helmet doesn't fit it comfortably, or in a way that I can appreciate the helmet's features.

 

When it comes to helmets you get what you pay for. I cringed at the $550 price tag when I bought my Shoei RF-1100. But it has been well worth the money.

 

That's a nice link, Fuller; good stuff there.
Maybe obvious, but I think some of it also has to do with your experience with a brand (or brands.) I've owned Bell, Shoei, Vega, Scorpion, over the years, and they all have their own idiosyncrasies. I (admittedly) have a "Bell" shaped head. The Shoei's always seemed kinda "pointy" toward the front; like they'd been squashed on the sides. Scorpion's had a good fit for me, too. I've been tempted to buy one of the Tractor Supply off-brand open face helmets just to ride my old Husky; hey, a layer of Styrofoam and lexan around my pumpkin is a good thing regardless of price.
I currently use a Bell Star (Ace of Clubs) that is a couple years old, for riding the ZX9 on the highway. Yes; it just FITS so well and vents so well, and has a photochromic shield. I love that thing. Other guys may think it sux.
I kind of agree with Brien^, if you buy a $20 helmet......it AIN'T gonna be a SHOEI. However, depending upon what you use it for (i.e. like my Tractor Supply hat for the bean field runs) it may serve the purpose. If this is going to be your EVERYDAY hat, then pony-up and get one which fits your head and has the safety (certification) and features you want. Sometimes you gotta bite the bullet. But..........you KINDA knew that when you bought the cheap-o........right? Hey man, thanks for the review; it's all good.

 

I have always had full mx helmet for my daily commute. Oneal specifically, the one with the pistons and the skulls. Love it, i just put on some tunes and some goggles an go ride. I never noticed and wind from the visor