New Motor bike Helmet - where to get one in Dublin ?

worded · 20-11-2020 7:13pm #1

back on the road again soon after a few years ...

Who has the best range of lids?

I like flip tops but they are noisier? Lovely in the summer

Miscreant · 20-11-2020 11:57pm

worded wrote: »

back on the road again soon after a few years ...

Who has the best range of lids?

I like flip tops but they are noisier? Lovely in the summer

You could try Cotters. They always seem to have a decent range in stock.

zubair · 21-11-2020 12:54am

Lids are much cheaper online from the UK.

Del2005 · 21-11-2020 6:12am

zubair wrote: »

Lids are much cheaper online from the UK.

You need to get your head measured correctly and try one on for a while to make sure that they fit correctly, you can't do that online and no saving is worth an incorrectly fitting lid. I've had Arai and Carberg with no issues Shark didn't suit my head.

Nozebleed · 21-11-2020 11:25am

megabikes in ballymount have a nice display.

Fireblade77 · 21-11-2020 4:20pm

Flip helmets are not noisier , they have a smaller opening when closed, so are quieter, ie Shoei neo tech 2 are quieter than a sports helmet.

zubair · 21-11-2020 4:23pm

Fireblade77 wrote: »

Flip helmets are not noisier , they have a smaller opening when closed, so are quieter, ie Shoei neo tech 2 are quieter than a sports helmet.

There's no doubt the majority of modular lids are noisier.

Del2005 wrote: »

You need to get your head measured correctly and try one on for a while to make sure that they fit correctly, you can't do that online and no saving is worth an incorrectly fitting lid. I've had Arai and Carberg with no issues Shark didn't suit my head.

Hence why you go into the shop, try it on, walk out and buy online. Even with budget lids the price difference is 50+.

Fireblade77 · 21-11-2020 4:39pm

https://www.motolegends.com/reviews/Flip-Lid-Motorcycle-Helmets-Video-Review

SmartinMartin · 21-11-2020 4:45pm

Cotters are probably the best value and have a very good selection.
There's a reason megabucks are referred to as such.

Del2005 · 21-11-2020 4:49pm

zubair wrote: »

Hence why you go into the shop, try it on, walk out and buy online. Even with budget lids the price difference is 50+.

And when the local shop closes what do you do?

dmigsy · 21-11-2020 5:23pm

Del2005 wrote: »

And when the local shop closes what do you do?

It's a tricky one. Trying on in-store with no intent to buy isn't cool. Neither is the Irish shops having ridiculous prices and poor service levels. Shops need to up their game and make it easier for people to support them.

I buy most of my stuff online now having had nothing but poor experiences buying bikes and gear from Irish shops.

IrishGrimReaper · 21-11-2020 6:49pm

Bought a lid of SBS - was too small. Sent it back and they changed to a size up for me and posted it out with no issue. Cost me 20ish euro to post back

Pretty much all online shops will take them back if you don't remove the tags. Just means it takes longer but the return policy is so good I don't mind buying online without trying on. Just take your measurement and read reviews of how they fit other people sizewise and take a stab at it.

The white version of mine is €300 on SBS, it's €450 in bikeworld. The vias red which is the one I have is €430 on Louis and cost me €340 over 19 months ago on SBS.

blade1 · 21-11-2020 7:40pm

IrishGrimReaper wrote: »

Bought a lid of SBS - was too small. Sent it back and they changed to a size up for me and posted it out with no issue. Cost me 20ish euro to post back

Pretty much all online shops will take them back if you don't remove the tags. Just means it takes longer but the return policy is so good I don't mind buying online without trying on. Just take your measurement and read reviews of how they fit other people sizewise and take a stab at it.

The white version of mine is €300 on SBS, it's €450 in bikeworld. The vias red which is the one I have is €430 on Louis and cost me €340 over 19 months ago on SBS.

I've said it here before but sign up for free PayPal returns.
You get 12 free returns a year up to €30 per return.
I'm after sending back 3 items by registered post in the last 2 weeks which would have cost me a total of €64.

Del2005 · 21-11-2020 9:31pm

dmigsy wrote: »

It's a tricky one. Trying on in-store with no intent to buy isn't cool. Neither is the Irish shops having ridiculous prices and poor service levels. Shops need to up their game and make it easier for people to support them.

I buy most of my stuff online now having had nothing but poor experiences buying bikes and gear from Irish shops.

Irish prices are high because we are an expensive country with high wages, taxes and charges on businesses. If a store let's you try something on how is that poor service? There are plenty of Irish stores that provide excellent service, why not support them instead?

Don't get me wrong I buy plenty online. But for a lot of things having a shop you can walk into makes the higher prices OK.

dmigsy · 21-11-2020 10:50pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Irish prices are high because we are an expensive country with high wages, taxes and charges on businesses. If a store let's you try something on how is that poor service? There are plenty of Irish stores that provide excellent service, why not support them instead?

Don't get me wrong I buy plenty online. But for a lot of things having a shop you can walk into makes the higher prices OK.

I don't disagree with the sentiment of your last point - I'm happy to pay a bit more for convenience and for good service. My experience is that it's usually not a bit more - it's a lot more.

I'd love to hear which are the Irish stores that provide great service btw!

Hotblack Desiato · 22-11-2020 1:23am

My current helmet was bought online from motorcycleshop.ie, cheaper than the UK online options.

I know a Shoei large fits me so there was no risk with sizing.

zubair · 22-11-2020 3:11am

dmigsy wrote: »

It's a tricky one. Trying on in-store with no intent to buy isn't cool. Neither is the Irish shops having ridiculous prices and poor service levels. Shops need to up their game and make it easier for people to support them.

I buy most of my stuff online now having had nothing but poor experiences buying bikes and gear from Irish shops.

I disagree but still that's not what I do. I go in, try on and once I'm happy I'll always give them the option to price match. If they don't, I walk away. There's nothing uncool about that. And I'd expect the exact price I find online or I go elsewhere, have had cheeky price matches where they offer to knock 20 off but are still 20 over the online price. I don't just apply this to motorbike gear, I can't understand why anyone would try and keep a rip off merchant in business, if they want to stay in business they should price accordingly.

IrishGrimReaper wrote: »

Bought a lid of SBS - was too small. Sent it back and they changed to a size up for me and posted it out with no issue. Cost me 20ish euro to post back

Pretty much all online shops will take them back if you don't remove the tags. Just means it takes longer but the return policy is so good I don't mind buying online without trying on. Just take your measurement and read reviews of how they fit other people sizewise and take a stab at it.

The white version of mine is €300 on SBS, it's €450 in bikeworld. The vias red which is the one I have is €430 on Louis and cost me €340 over 19 months ago on SBS.

This sums it up pretty well, I remember that even the white version of my first lid was 50 more in bike world compared to the colourway I got online.

Del2005 · 22-11-2020 11:04am

zubair wrote: »

I disagree but still that's not what I do. I go in, try on and once I'm happy I'll always give them the option to price match. If they don't, I walk away. There's nothing uncool about that. And I'd expect the exact price I find online or I go elsewhere, have had cheeky price matches where they offer to knock 20 off but are still 20 over the online price. I don't just apply this to motorbike gear, I can't understand why anyone would try and keep a rip off merchant in business, if they want to stay in business they should price accordingly.

How do you expect a company paying Irish wages, insurance, rates, tax to match a company paying none of them?

zubair · 22-11-2020 1:46pm

Del2005 wrote: »

How do you expect a company paying Irish wages, insurance, rates, tax to match a company paying none of them?

If you want to pay over the odds, that's your perogative. But I'd rather my money was in my pocket than theirs.

emo72 · 22-11-2020 1:51pm

Isn't there 21% vat on Irish helmets and zero vat rate on helmets in the uk? That's not an even playing pitch to be honest. Someone tell me in wrong. I want to be wrong.

Hotblack Desiato · 22-11-2020 1:56pm

Totally unreasonable to expect a shop to price match some guy operating online out of his bedroom with zero overheads and probably not paying tax.

And yes we have "luxury" rate VAT on helmets despite their being a legal requirement, zero rate in the UK as they were zero rated there when they joined the EEC.

Even so, I've found the usual UK online outlets to be not very price competitive.

zubair · 22-11-2020 2:37pm

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Totally unreasonable to expect a shop to price match some guy operating online out of his bedroom with zero overheads and probably not paying tax.

And yes we have "luxury" rate VAT on helmets despite their being a legal requirement, zero rate in the UK as they were zero rated there when they joined the EEC.

Even so, I've found the usual UK online outlets to be not very price competitive.

I don't know if you're just being argumentative today but this is just rubbish. Firstly there's nothing unreasonable about giving a shop an opportunity to make a sale. Seemingly now SBS, get geared and the rest are all run from bedrooms and commiting tax fraud. And they are incredibly competitive compared to pretty much all Irish shops. You might find the odd item that's the same price online compared to an Irish retail shop, typically it'll be a new release and still at RRP online.

Anyway, like I said, if you want to pay the extra for whatever reason, that's up to you.

listermint · 22-11-2020 6:46pm

zubair wrote: »

I disagree but still that's not what I do. I go in, try on and once I'm happy I'll always give them the option to price match. If they don't, I walk away. There's nothing uncool about that. And I'd expect the exact price I find online or I go elsewhere, have had cheeky price matches where they offer to knock 20 off but are still 20 over the online price. I don't just apply this to motorbike gear, I can't understand why anyone would try and keep a rip off merchant in business, if they want to stay in business they should price accordingly.

This sums it up pretty well, I remember that even the white version of my first lid was 50 more in bike world compared to the colourway I got online.

Zubair. That's a pretty scummy thing to do in fairness. Irish helmets have a 21% vat rate on them because the government believes them to be a luxury item same for jackets and gloves.

You expecting them to exactly match a shop that's not in this country that doesn't have the luxury goods tax applied. I'd feck you out the door frankly. It's an absolutely bizarre stance to take and cheeky to boot having handled the goods to make sure you like the quality and stuck your head in the make sure it fits.

You are positively oozing smugness.

I buy plenty of stuff online and I take the risk stuff doesn't fit me of it arrives.but that's my risk to take I wouldn't be so smug as to do what you are up to.

zubair · 22-11-2020 6:50pm

LOL

Chartsengrafs · 22-11-2020 9:33pm

You offer to let them price match, knowing they can't, and make full use of their service for free. Classy attitude.

Del2005 · 23-11-2020 8:21am

dmigsy wrote: »

I'd love to hear which are the Irish stores that provide great service btw!

Cotters are always good service. When buying gear Megabikes let me downstairs to sit on a bit to make sure that it was comfortable, after trying about 5 different trousers.

Just avoid M50!

Dohvolle · 23-11-2020 11:53am

Don't buy online, you don't know how often it has bounced before it reached you. The few cent you save isn't really worth it in the long run. Any other year I'd tell you to hop on a plane to the Bike show at the NEC, usually great deals there. However thats not happening this year for so many reasons.
Cotters would be my option.

Henry Ford III · 23-11-2020 12:01pm

I'd buy locally if the price and service are competitive.

Having said that the last helmet I bought was a Caberg online. I measured my head (oh er Matron) and ordered. Perfect.

p.s. I find modular helmets are good, but they do make more noise at speed.

fatbast · 23-11-2020 1:04pm

Shops here are at a disadvantage with safety gear such as helmets due to the vat charge. No vat in UK or Northern Ireland on them. Don't know what the situation will be after Dec 31 with stuff coming from UK, possibly tariffs and vat to be added to price. I would buy an expensive helmet here and would take a chance online for a cheap one.

galwaytt · 23-11-2020 1:22pm

zubair wrote: »

I disagree but still that's not what I do. I go in, try on and once I'm happy I'll always give them the option to price match. If they don't, I walk away. There's nothing uncool about that. And I'd expect the exact price I find online or I go elsewhere, have had cheeky price matches where they offer to knock 20 off but are still 20 over the online price. I don't just apply this to motorbike gear, I can't understand why anyone would try and keep a rip off merchant in business, if they want to stay in business they should price accordingly. .

Not only is it not 'uncool', it's ignorant.

It's ignorant of the costs of doing business in this (small) country.
It's ignorant of the (modest) number of jobs the local place create and maintain.
It's ignorant of the difference between some warehouse on an industrial estate with no customer-facing operation versus a business you have the luxury of being able to walk into in the first place.
It's ignorant of the costs of property (rent or mortgage), insurance, wages, administration.
It's ignorant of the definition of 'rip-off merchant' (your words).

How about this: why should the shop allow you to try it on at all ? Or, better still, would you pay a fee in order to try it on ? If not, sling your hook and t'internet is over there: along with the return postage and restocking fees that go with it.

I've been there myself in the last week. Bought an expensive branded item (made in the US) from a UK company. I could not get it to it (safely, properly). Contacted the shop, they confirmed it was the right one list for the bike. Contacted the factory in the US, and they said the same. So I took pictures and video and sent it to the factory, and then they admitted it did fit - but now with modifications to the brake system. New bike, no way José. The UK shop will take it back, but charge 20% restocking - even though the part doesn't fit as advertised, and the mfr now admits that. So rather than give them the benefit of my 20% and the costs of posting it to them, I stuck it on eBay and gave another biker the benefit of that 20% - PLUS €18 postage to the UK. So in that case t'internet was lose/lose proposition for me.

I wonder what your attitude would be to someone doing the same to the business you work in/for ?

McCallens in N.I. have not dissimilar experience with visitors like yourself, and no longer give carte blanche test rides due to the number of tyre kickers from RoI.

Duffys M50 inside the last week said test rides were not a problem - at a cost of €30/head. Not unreasonable if someone is letting you out the road on a €20k+ machine imho.

Me, I bought my last lid in Cotters. Went there on one of their Open Days when Shark had their fitting truck there. There was a promotion on the day, and a professional fitter to adjust it and fit the pinlock too. Paid less than online. A couple of months later had an issue with the visor mechanism and the pinlock and Cotters sent it off to to Shark. Shark issued me with a brand new helmet f.o.c. and Cotters had collected my old without cost to me either.

You see, there's a difference between 'price' and 'value'. Everyone can tell you the Price of something, but not everyone, the Value. This, it appears to me, is where you are.

Mjolnir · 23-11-2020 2:32pm

Dohvolle wrote: »

Don't buy online, you don't know how often it has bounced before it reached you.

Because magic fairies hand deliver them to brick and mortar shops?

You can tell by the conditions of the box its been shipped in and its own box if its been hopped or bounced around. If it arrives with clearly damaged box you raise a complaint send it back a lot will waive the courier return fee of its clear it was mishandled during delivery.

I don't agree with trying on and walking out but I'm not going to pay an extra €100 for the exact same lid or in my lids case €150.

New Motor bike Helmet - where to get one in Dublin ?

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