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helmet "tester" finally breaks down and buys a Schuberth C3 Pro, lol

8K views 56 replies 22 participants last post by  WildDoktor 
#1 · (Edited)
I had to tell someone. Ever since I got this bike in the fall of 2013, I think I've purchased (and mostly sold) about 11 helmets. Just recently there was a great sale on the Bell Stars so I couldn't help myself. I got a Bell Star Carbon Joey Dunlop replica from here. However, after some reading and thinking I decided to end this helmet whoring and get what is pretty much what I always wanted. The quietest helmet made, the Schuberth C3 Pro Classic (Red).



I'm one of the pickiest guys I know about wind noise. My last new helmet (Scorpion seen here) is a great helmet but I couldn't help buying that Bell anyway.



I figured the best way to end the constant helmet whoring is to get the best money can buy and pay a crap-ton for it. LOL.

Is anyone using the C3 Pro? Can't wait to get this bad boy!

PS: This Scorpion helmet matches red BlackBirds perfectly and I'll probably be selling it sometime soon in case anyone is interested.
 
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#8 ·
Skully!!! They finally got it together and produced a helmet :badidea:
If they have production we should start seeing them at prominent motorcycle shows and maybe even a display at large
dealers showroom. They're priced about where I guessed they might be....crazy but not impossible.
I'd sure like to know when and if anyone is able to physically try one.


You gonna test this one?
SKULLY
 
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#5 ·
I use the C3 pro since 2012 and it is satisfying so far. Noise level is okay (still use earplugs though), fitment is excellent, ventilation is average (shoei 1100 is way better ventilated). Though it fits quite good (had injuries on my cheek the first days) it is not a high speed helmet as they promote. At the speed of 200km/h and more there is noticable drag and the helmet pushes lenghtwide against my chin. I would buy it again because there is no other flip-up doing it better :)
 
#7 ·
Are you serious 11 bloody helmets, Man what is it with putting a lid on your head and just enjoying it for at least a month ???

Buy another one that grabs your fancy and wear it to bed, shower in it,, go to the crapper in it ,, go to the kids concerts wearing it

and look like a dork, man its a bloody hat,he he he ,now ive heard everything, happy hunting :idunno:
 
#10 · (Edited)
C'mon now. I'm not the only guy in the world that has a helmet fetish. I remember even as a kid, helmets sort of fascinated me. So many cool things are associated with them: fighter pilots, auto and moto racing etc. And I can explain every single purchase: for example, my first helmet I got not having ridden in 8 years. Ended up having below average (considering how hot Phoenix gets) ventilation and boring graphics. Also, I needed other moto gear so couldn't spend as much as I wanted. The next one, bought a modular mostly to match the one I bought my girlfriend and for two-up riding. That one was basically junk (big air leak). Next one, tried another "affordable" modular and it was huge inside and had other issues. I can go on and on, every time made perfect sense to me. More recently, I stopped trying to find the perfect helmet for $200 or so, and got the brands and models that I really wanted, Arai, Shoei etc.

I'm sure plenty of people would do the same if they didn't throw away their money on new cars and huge TV's... and kids. ;) I don't have kids, I have a 16 year-old paid for car (Z3 coupe), I'm happy with my old 40" LCD TV and have enough money for moto gear. :cycle:

BigMC: I wouldn't ride without 'em. I like the ability to hear so I absolutely protect my hearing at all times.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Mini review: it's amazing. Perfect. And coming from a guys who's owned and used about 11 helmets in the past two years I ought to know. Worth every penny. Done searching. Measurably quieter, it's doesn't make different amounts of sound or whistling when I tilt my head forward and back. FINALLY A !@#!@@%$! SUNSHADE THAT EXTENDS LOW ENOUGH.

EDIT (6-15-16): in 105 degree plus weather it doesn't flow quite enough air with the vents so I have to crack the visor a bit. Not a deal breaker but just want to provide the info. Most people don't ride through that kind of heat anyway. You'll laugh though... the only acceptable solution for me, for low noise and being able to hear comms well are S plugs ear buds. There are some frustrations with that and until I saw the upcoming release of the Sena helmet I didn't have a choice but to deal with it. However, I'll be buying Sena's helmet when it comes out and will be selling this helmet. LOL.

:inlove::woowoo::highclap::dance::ttiwwp:

Selling all of my helmets which consist of:

two Arai RX-Q helmets, size small (equal to medium in my other helmets)
Scorpion EXO-1100 Sixty Six
Nolan N85
 
#15 ·
Mini review: it's amazing. Perfect. And coming from a guys who's owned and used about 11 helmets in the past two years I ought to know. Worth every penny. Done searching. Measurably quieter, it's doesn't make different amounts of sound or whistling when I tilt my head forward and back. FINALLY A !@#!@@%$! SUNSHADE THAT EXTENDS LOW ENOUGH.

.....
Now that is exactly what I wanted to read!
My old Arai is well past its 'throw away' date having gone through two interiors and 8 years of commuting +foreign trips (yes very naughty!)

I've been eyeing up this helmet and wondering if I could justify the cost, now I can! The clincher for me is the sun shade that appears to actually work. I've developed a sensitivity to bright light in one eye over the last year (due to a virus having a nibble of my cornea!) and with longer trips planned for next year a decent shade would be a real plus.
I feel a trip to 'Helmet City' coming on, I wonder if this helmet suits my head shape ........

DaveJB, thanks for taking the hit for the team :smilebig:
 
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#16 ·
I've used the C3 since 2010 - it realy is very quiet. All other helmets i've used, had this irritating rumble and noisy visor. The C3 has only a quiet little sizzling sound. Use it on trackdays as well - perfect. Best helmet i've ever used.
My helmet is up for replacement in the comming season due to getting over 5 years old. Thinking about buying the C3's sister the S2 next. I dont use any kind of glasses, so I don't need the abillity to open the front and I think the S2 might be even quieter and it also has this little wind spoiler at the bottom that helps keeping the helmet in place at high speed.

/carstn.
 
#18 ·
You might rethink that. It's known that since the C3 Pro is a modular, they are able to add that 2nd neck roll and basically the opening for you head is able to be smaller. I think even Schuberth talks about this though I might have just read that in other reviews.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Alright, to follow-up with a fairly brief review.

Btw, here's a list of the helmets I've purchased in the last 2 years to help compare:
1. Nolan N85 Vortex (for sale)
2: Bell Revolver Evo Skratch
3: Gmax GM54 modular
4: Shoei RF1100 Chroma
5: Arai RX-Q Vibe (for sale)
6: Vemar Eclipse Carbon Fiber
7: Bell RS-1 Airtrix Speedway
8: Shoei Multitec
9. Arai RX-Q (black/red/white, for sale)
10. Bell Star Carbon Joey Dunlop Replica
11. Scorpion EXO-1100 Sixty Six (for sale)
12. Schuberth C3 Pro


Here are some things that I like and/or are better than other helmets I've owned.

1. Sound: for sure, it's quieter than the quietest helmet I've owned and much quieter than the average one. It's also not just about loudness but the quality of the sound be that whistling, rumbling, turbulence etc. It has this nailed. At speeds below 65 mph (GPS not speedo) it's shockingly quiet and above that it's still the most quiet helmet I've used. Also, vent noise is minimal and the type of sound the vents add when open isn't annoying. FYI: I have always worn foam earplugs. I still wear them the few times when I'm not wearing my S-Plug earbuds, which are also earplugs themselves.
2. The visor: it's as clear as can be. Also, usage while riding is the best of all my helmets. To latch fully, you just push the visor down past a detent. For a little bit of air, you lift just past the detent. The next level is maybe open an couple inches. No levers or buttons, very simple. For example, the Arai helmet requires the snapping in of a little latch and though it seals well it's a hassle to open and sometimes I fear it will start to wear a hole in my glove. Also, the sun visor is dark enough and finally goes low enough. That's been a huge issue for me with every one of those visors, so much that I swore them off. It also comes with a huge Pinlock visor.
3. Visor ventilation: It has just one simple vent up front and it directs air up the visor nicely.
4. Helmet ventilation: it's cool here so I can't guarantee this, but with the front and top vents fully open I feel a lot of air moving through the helmet. I think they say 2.5 gallons of air per second.
5. Paint: these aren't super racy graphics (I have the one pictured in the first post above) but I have no interest in solid colored helmets. Nonetheless, the paint quality is as good as any I've ever seen as you'd expect for the price. I was glad to find a graphic with some white in it as I feel all or mostly black is like having a No-Vis helmet. Also, these graphics are fairly sporty which is what I like.
6. Weight: it's indeed pretty light though I don't have all the numbers to compare all my helmets.
7. Fit: this is obviously subjective. My Arai RX-Q helmets have been my favorite fit (in terms of lack of pressure points) so I think I'm an intermediate oval. In Arai I've been buying size small and though it's a little tight it's okay. My C3 Pro is medium and it's perfect. No pressure points and the initial fit is just a tad tight which should open up a bit. Man was I relieved about the fit and not having to exchange it.
8. Interior: the newest high tech stuff out there. Feels amazing and feels and looks of the highest quality. Also, the feeling you get of the overall size inside the helmet... you know, when it's on your head is just right, ie. the chin bar isn't too close or too far.
9. Viewport: I'm not sure if it's bigger than any of my other helmets but it sure feels huge, like the biggest of any helmet I've owned. But not stupid looking huge or anything.
10. Aerodynamics at speed: I'm not one that's ever had issues with this but I don't usually buy cheap helmets. Suffice it to say, I feel no lift and turning my head to change lanes causes no issues.

Lastly, one of the things that's unique in the design is the big neck roll and the second one that you can zip out. Also, the area under the chin is basically sealed though you can remove part of it for warmer weather. I can tell you that for cold weather riding, this helmet seals up like crazy and my head and face stay plenty warm.

UPDATE: I've read that some people are having issues with their boom mics. It's caused by the two (one not removable) skirts under the chin that extend closer towards your throat than most helmets. Let me just say when I first saw this all while installing the boom mic I was sure I was screwed. Some say they ride with the mic on the outside, or have to move the mic out of the way when they lower the chin bar. Just wanted to report that as long as I position the mic close to my lips I'm able to lower and raise the chin bar easily and with little intervention.
 
#20 ·
I got a buddy who went to a sport bike school and they had a schuberth to try. He came back and told me "yes, the price is crazy, but my next helmet will be a shuberth". crazy quiet and comfortable. Now for pissing away my money...yep! 5 kids that I buy fun stuff for to introduce them to my interests so they aren't bored and go to parties and get hooked on drinking or drugs. They smash cars and ran my truck out of oil. New truck, no new car. I totaled my 2012 Wing so I'm going to hunt one up come January. Lucky for me I can work mucho OT almost always so despite the kids I get stuff...because my wife doesn't mind! I will have to try and find a Shuberth to put on before I buy over the Net though. I need a new helmet as the other saved my head as I unloaded off the wing.
Thanks for the review JB.
 
#22 ·
You bastard.
Just when I'd (nearly) convinced myself that a cheaper helmet would be "good enough", you write this.

My current helmet is WAY past its prime. WAY past.
I've been trying to save my pennies for a replacement and made the mistake of trying on a C3 Pro last fall, and again last winter... Just to be sure. Damn thing fit like it was a custom job.
We always say that buying quality hurts the wallet, but only once. Holy crap - 11 helmets?! You must be bleeding.

Damn. Now I gotta keep feeding the piggy bank.

Enjoy!
 
#23 ·
I just found another thing about this helmet that has made me happy, though it's certainly not the only helmet that has this. My favorite helmet up until this point was my Arai RX-Q but one problem I had was that no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the speakers for my Sena 20s to be in the same respective place on each side (you place the speakers in the foam pods). This caused one side to be at least slightly louder than the other - the balance was off. This sometimes drove me nuts.

The C3 Pro has molds in the EPS liner for speakers. I was able to center the speakers perfectly on each side and the results are? Perfect balance left and right. One less thing to detract from my blissful ride :)
 
#24 ·
Does the sun visor eliminate the need for sunglasses? I used to wear sunglasses under a clear shield but now I use a dark tinted shield. I have to keep the clear one in my tank bag in case I end up out after dark. Stopping to change shields isn't always easy.

While my husband and I are at least a year away from needing new helmets, the Schuberth's are top on both our lists.
 
#25 ·
Absolutely, I suppose it could be darker but it's dark enough. I also use these and then you're guaranteed that the sun won't bother you. There are two kinds of these - this one doesn't use any glue to stick - much preferred over the glue ones with muck up your visor.

A couple years ago after buying another helmet, I was stuck trying to wear sunglasses since I hadn't yet bought a tinted visor and wow, that sucked. Not sure how anybody can stand that. And I will still always prefer running a full tinted shield - I just love the view to be clear and unobstructed. With this helmet I haven't bought one yet since the helmet itself isn't cheap - trying to hold out.
 
#26 ·
Love the quiet helmet concept, love Schuberth as a brand, but am keenly interested in the new Sena active noise cancelling one coming next year...

That said, my current lid is the Bell Star. No. Buffeting. At all. At speed. In crosswinds. Loud as hell, but no buffeting. That's worth a lot, and ear plugs are cheap.
 
#27 ·
I'm not certain if my bank balance is going to thank you DaveJB but you have ticked all the things I was thinking about for a new helmet. Thanks for such a comprehensive write up.

I feel a trip coming on to my local 'Helmet City'.
 
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#28 ·
Good looker ta BOOT!! Way to persevere Dave! I've gotten close to my ideal with lightness as my goal and quietness next as I do the earphone concept. Have the marushin 999 at 1100gr now and been good thus far. Can ya give us a selfie with the bike as it does look like the match!!?
 
#29 ·
Well what can I say apart from my wallet now feels lighter

I now have a nice new lid



and then of course it wouldn't be right not to consider the Mrs ......



Thank goodness for New Year sales, saved myself several hundred £ on the pair!

Another incentive (if I needed any) to get my hip sorted so I can get out and ride....
 
#31 ·
Yowsa! I bet your wallet is lighter. I hope you two like it as much as I do.
can't say I can think of any reason why I (or the Mrs) won't. Fit is perfect for a new lid (just tight enough to bed in) and my lid just feels 'right'.
Yes my wallet is lighter but no more so than when I bought 2 Arai's last time round ..... in fact these 2 cost less!
 
#33 ·
I have a Scheuberth C3 Pro on the way. I've had a Scheuberth since they first came out. My last one had it's foam innards deteriorate too bad to use anymore. I love those helmets.
I wear glasses. Nothing better than having that flip up. When I bought my first one there were no other flip-up helmets. At one point they could not be sold in the US so I had
to get creative just to get one. The only complaint is that after a few years you cannot buy replacement parts for them. Nothing better than a flip-up at a stop light when it's
hot outside. I got a pretty good deal on this last one. I choked at first when I saw them retailing for 700.00 and up! I lucked out and found one for 569.00 shipped. Still a lot of money for a helmet. This is my last one so I splurged. Hope it shows up in a reasonable amount of time. I almost got the "basic" one, but after seeing a video comparison of the two I bit the bullet and got the Pro model.
 
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