Holy Grail of Helmets?

YMMV

Last Sunday with the NJ MGNOC breakfast looming on the horizon (ok, closer than the horizon, but a good hour or so away in 20F weather) I had to make a decision. I've always hated wearing FF helmets if I didn't NEED too, usually for some form of comfort in rain or cold weather. And I knew that by mid-day it was supposed to reach the mid-50's, so I'd be dying to have an open face helmet in a few hours.

So my choices:

1. Mount a topcase and carry a spare helmet TO BREAKFAST.
2. Wear the open face and risk frostbite on my nose as it sticks out from the balaclava trying not to fog my sunglasses
3. Wear the FF and just know I'll be kicking myself when I get home.

I don't like packing a second helmet, especially since the Arai is a tight fit in all the topcases that would have fit on the bike I was taking that morning. I packed it once and the vibration did a little damage to the face shield that annoys me to this day (yes, I'm either too cheap or lazy to order another shield...which is stupid when you consider it's a $600 helmet in the first place).

So I went with option 3 and kicked my own arse the whole way home for being so stupid and such a puss that morning.

But I remembered that maybe Cam had mentioned a helmet that converted. Not like the Shark Evoline (a modular where the chinbar flips fully over and locks against the back of the helmet) but one where the chin bar actually came off.

By Monday I was searching all options out, thinking about the Shark (which I'd thought about buying in the past, but still didn't think I'd want to use the face shield, which is left in position when the bar flips). And then I found it.

The Nolan N44.

A FF helmet with the largest face shield (producing the largest field of vision I've ever experienced in a FF helmet) which removes in seconds with two small attached levers, and a chin bar that removes by squeezing two small buttons and pulling! A truly completely convertible helmet that can go from FF to Open or back again in seconds and that I can take with me on trips by only carrying the bar and shield (no pun intended).

Other features include:

*Polycarbonate shell
*Ultrawide UV400 Pinlock-ready face shield gives the rider a greater field of vision
*Pinlock insert lens included
*2 position VPS inner sun shield
*Central ventilation system
*AirBooster airflow system
*Microlock2 double lever retention system
*Clima Comfort liner
*Cheek pads with new, monolithic shap and integrated chin strap
*Visor Air intake
*Includes peak, side covers, chin bar mounting point covers and chin curtain
*DOT

Ordered it Monday afternoon, it arrived less than 24 hours later on Tuesday afternoon, and I got to test it by Wednesday afternoon (a couple of hours on the sporty behind a big windshield).

I THINK this could be the helmet I've been waiting for all these years.

It's relatively light, comfortable, as I've said has an AMAZING field of vision, and seemingly will do the different things I want.

The only downside is that I suspect it will be on the loud side if you're on a naked bike (no windshield). I only tested this yesterday a couple of times by leaning outside the shield on the Sporty and that's not quite a true representation of the airflow of most naked bikes. Though I think for those times the use of earplugs might be sufficient.

They've got them on closeout for a relatively reasonable price and in a couple of different styles right now in case anyone else is interested.

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But I'm pretty excited.

A couple of pics.

I've already added some reflective stickers as is my tradition:


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Thanks for the review Kev

I've always liked Nolan helmets and I'm on my third 104. The latest line of Nolan helmets have a larger visor opening than the previous ones. I kind of brushed it off as a marketing item but it is significant and does make a difference.
I have a few current helmets and use them accordingly. Open face on the Sporty and old bike because it's cool. Open face on the Valk and the flip up on the R1200R.

That N44 is a good looking helmet it looks like a lot of thought went into the design of that shield. It's a far cry from the flat things with the three snaps on the top.

Aww hell yeah I hated those things with the snaps....

Imagine all of todays full face or flip up trace back to the Bell Star in the early 60,s

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My first flip up was the BMW System 1 by Schuberth (I think the first helmet Beemer offered), I bought it around 1980 at Amol Precision in Dumont at the outrageous price of $200.  I still have it.  It has the optional anti-scratch shield and whatever it's made of it don't scratch, but it rings like a bell when something hits it.  Actually still in pretty good condition.

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Ever since I had a thrown rock break my cheekbone I only wear FF helmets. Have found good fit and function with the HJC Sy-Max III but really enjoy the Schuberth C3 I'm now using. Quiet enough on my short commute (no highway) to forgo earplugs yet decent ventilation and field of vision.

Though I wouldn't take advantage of the removable chin bar the field of vision on the N44 is pretty awesome. How loud is it at highway speed and is it true to size? I tried an N104 but found it too noisy and narrow for my liking.

Noise level on a naked bike still to be determined, but I expect it to be at least on par with other open face helmets, meaning louder than most fulls.

I hear the N40 Full might be a little quieter, but it's hard to tell these things from subjective reviews because we all have different expectations. Edit- the N40 is of similar design with huge range of vision and removable chin bar, but the shield and shell are shaped differently, maybe little more traditionally. The shield ends at the chin bar and the vent is fully mounted in the bar, not the shield too as it is with the N44.

I'm told most Nolan helmets have an intermediate oval shape, though I read oval round on the N40 so that might vary slightly.

This one seems true to size or within 1 cm, though it's hard to say for sure until it breaks in fully.

Fwiw I measure intermediate ovalish, and my current Arai is that shape too, though I think my Shark might be oval round so I suspect I have a head shape close enough to round to tolerate either.

I've only ever had noticeably poor fit from one old Shoei, and it was knackered by then so it might have been the wear more than the specific shape.