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Nolan N90 or Schuberth C3

mschultz

K1100LT
Looking to get a new lid and wondered if anyone has any experience with these two helmets. Tried both on at the Chicago motorcycle show last month. The C3 felt more comfortable but not sure it was $500 more comfortable.

Thanks
 
I actually thought the finish on the N90 was equal to or better than the C3. Don't ever remember seeing a paint job on a chevette as good as a corvette.
 
Spending big bucks on a nice helmet is fine if money is no object. But a cheaper lid isn't necessarily a Pinto. Pintos burst into flames when rear ended. I have yet to hear of an accident where the EMT's report 'if only he had spent $699 instead of $279 on a flip up with sun visor we could of saved him!" :laugh
 
Evaluating helmets, like seats, is so full of subjectivity that I can't even begin to give an opinion. I like Shoei build quality, but their helmets don't fit my head. I love my Arai XD3, but they don't make a modular. My Nolan N103 fits my head, but has been sent back for warranty work three times in three years, isn't at all well vented, and the visor leaks like a screen door in the rain.

The C3 is $200 more than my Arai. If it solves the leaking and venting issues I found with the Nolan modular, it will be money well spent.
 
Motorcycle Consumer News (MAGAZINE, not the British Web site) recently reviewed Modulars... Scorpion EXO-900 and HJC Sy-MAX II were highest rated.. Schubert C3 was reviewed in the following issue (wasn't available at press time) and barring price it was as good as the Scorpion and HJC. Cost no option it was the hands down winner. Nolan and many other "biggies" in the industry didn't fair to well....at all.

But helmets have to FIT... If it's uncomfortable.. who cares? They are all very similar in safety factor, ratings.. Spending more doesn't necessarily mean a safer helmet.

Personally, I've gone to the Scorpion Modular (EXO-900) and love it.. (DOT and ECE rating) Scorpion makes some good products. (Bit heavy though)
 
I know you asked about the Nolan N90.... I went from a Nolan N103 to a Schuberth C3 and think I could share some good considerations. Ive attached some pics, so you can see size comparison of two helmets that both fit my head. The schuberth is noticeably smaller and streamlined.

My nolan was all decked out with Bluetooth and Comm, had multiple internal and external visors. It was VERY heavy (and I wear a helmet for a living outside of mototrcycles), was a larger shell size, which made it a bit ungainly in the wind, and loud. The connections for audio were poor, the volume was weak, and the battery life was bad. It required an anti fog insert to the main visor that worked poorly and scratched the main visor. The sun visor did not stay all the way up in the up position (you could always see about a 1/4" of it), and in the down position it did not come down far enough.

The schuberth, on the other hand, has been near flawless. The fit is perfect for me (I measured my head with a tape and took the chance that the first size I ordered would work -- it did). I have a medium, which is actually a smaller sized shell than what the large and xl are, so it is very smooth in the wind. The helmet is very light for a flip-up, is very very quiet, and very comfortable. I have ridden with it in temps as low as 20 degrees and as high as 80 so far... it is very configurable for airflow. One of the best aspects is the front vent; though the helmet rarely if ever fogs, cracking it defogs the visor instantly.... The internal visor is perfect, and the slider for it is one of the most glove friendly I have ever seen. The audio via the SRC neckroll is simply perfect. I have not tested the bike to bike range, but the FM radio, stereo bluetooth, and telephone all work flawlessly. The phone system for answering (or not answering) works great, and my wife attests that while on the nolan she could tell I was on the bike, with this system she cannot. She says it sounds like I am in a quiet room. The integrated chin and back strap system is unique and patented to Schuberth, but bottomline, it almost ensures your helmet will not come off your noggin in a crash... all the snell, DOT, comparisons are moot if your helmet doesnt stay on your head. Schuberth makes sure it does. The latch system on both are nice, but the schuberths gets the nod for being a bit smaller, and more adjustable.

Cheers,

Chris

The thumbnails are clickable to enlarge



 
Thanks for all the input. Before the C3 came out I had looked at replacing my HJC Sy-max (I think there original flip up) with the Nolan N103 and felt like it wasn't going to be a move up so I held off. The N90 intrigued me as maybe being a step between the entry level flip ups and the cadillac C3.

If money were no object I would probably get the C3 but whatever I end up with I would like my wife to have as well at some point. That doubles the $700 C3 to $1400. That would finance a pretty nice trip this summer.
 
If you want to change from the Sy-Max take a look at the Scorpion EXO-900... Real quality helmet. Adjustable Air-Bladder, (Like those Reebok Pumps) one of the quietest helmet in the tests. Seems to be $279 everywhere, but I got one at my local dealer on sale for $199. Look around..

But the HJC Sy-Max II is also highly rated.. and someone had it on sale recently for like $130!
 
Motorcycle Consumer News (MAGAZINE, not the British Web site) recently reviewed Modulars... Scorpion EXO-900 and HJC Sy-MAX II were highest rated.. Schubert C3 was reviewed in the following issue (wasn't available at press time) and barring price it was as good as the Scorpion and HJC. Cost no option it was the hands down winner. Nolan and many other "biggies" in the industry didn't fair to well....at all.

But helmets have to FIT... If it's uncomfortable.. who cares? They are all very similar in safety factor, ratings.. Spending more doesn't necessarily mean a safer helmet.

Personally, I've gone to the Scorpion Modular (EXO-900) and love it.. (DOT and ECE rating) Scorpion makes some good products. (Bit heavy though)

I've been using the Scorpion Modular EXO-900 going on two years now. It vents well, visor works nicely, shield is very easy to remove/install, does not leak in the rain, average on noise, and yes a little heavy. All for $200.00..With that said, in a year or two I do plan on looking at the Schubert C3.
 
Schuberth C3

I may not be the most objective souce in that I have owned a BMW System Helmet and most recently a Schuberth C-2 that I have used for several years. I struggled with the price on the C-3, but dove in about a week ago and purchased a lightly used demo helmet from an American motorcycle accessory company. It was used by a writer who was writing a review for a magazine and then returned it with under 200 miles on it. It came with no signs of wear, packaged as new with a $100 discount and I was pleased to get it. I can't really compare it to the Nolan because I've never owned a Nolan, but I can tell you that this helmet is a significant improvement over the previous Schuberth C-2. The weight is much, much lighter and the comfort level is much better as well. The latch system is smoother and less "clunky" and the neckstrap system is much improved. The built in pinlock system on the face shield is very nice. The ventilation is better, the position of the control for the drop down sun visor is much better and the range of vision to the sides is much wider. I do like that the helmet is warranteed by Schuberth for 5 years and that they offer a 1/2 price replacement program for US bought helmets that are in an accident and need to be replaced during the warranty period. I view this as all part of a serious investment in my head and makes the price a little easier to justify. My point is that the quality of the helmet is first rate and demonstrates that the company has made significant improvements in their helmet with the C-3 version. I may even choose to add the optional bluetooth unit based on the positive reviews that I've read. All the reviews I have read about this helmet have been positive and I say if you are a current C-2 wearer and on the fence about upgrading to the C-3, fear not, the C-3 is the best Schuberth yet IMHO. Make sure you measure your head before you order, I went from an XL in the C-2 to a L in the C-3 and it fits like a glove. I don't work for Schuberth and I won't profit from this endorsement in any way, I hope it is helpful to those considering this purchase. Don
 
helmet strap

I am returning a Nolan N-90 because the strap latching mechanism is very uncomfortable. I had been comparing the N-90 to the Schuberth C3 and was considering the C3 again. However, looking at the C3, it appears to have an almost identical strap latching mechanism. Are there any comparable helmets in either a flip-up or full face model that offer a double "D" strap latching system? Maybe I am old school, but I like the D-ring system on my very old Arai Signet.
 
Scorpion EXO-900 Top rated helmet by Motorcycle Consumer News... and Double D's!

Nolan and a number of other BIG name modulars did not fair well... Big Brand name doesn't equal the best (at times)

They did like the Schuberth (cept' for the price)
 
I do like that the helmet is warranteed by Schuberth for 5 years and that they offer a 1/2 price replacement program for US bought helmets that are in an accident and need to be replaced during the warranty period. .... Don
It's not 1/2 off if you ned the "Mobility Program" Don. It's 1/3rd......

I bought one for myself and the following week, bought one for Oldwhatshername.

Yes it's a lot of money and money most certainly is a huge part of it for me. However, I ride long distances when I ride, as does Oldwhatshername. The peace of mind I have that the helmet won't roll off [I tried it, just not in a crash], is light, and has all the features you can't help reading about if you do a little research simply tells me it's the best insurance that if there is a crash, I'll have done all I could to protect both myself, and Oldwhatshername from head injuries.
 
Nolans in my opinion are heavy and very noisy from wind whistle. 700 smakers is a lot for a helmet and out of my price range. I have yet to find a quiet modular in my price range of under $300,but I'll keep looking.
 
Nolans in my opinion are heavy and very noisy from wind whistle. 700 smakers is a lot for a helmet and out of my price range. I have yet to find a quiet modular in my price range of under $300,but I'll keep looking.

And you wont. Quiet in a modular requires engineering. Engineering = $. If you get the c3 you will wonder why you stressed over $700, its that good.
 
Looking to get a new lid and wondered if anyone has any experience with these two helmets. Tried both on at the Chicago motorcycle show last month. The C3 felt more comfortable but not sure it was $500 more comfortable.

Thanks

You might want to read the reviews of these and the Scorpion model on Webbikeworld. That Nolan N90 seems to have "solved" some of the criticisms of earlier Nolan models.

I'm just sayin'...

Cheers! :dance
 
I went from a Sy-Max (original) to the C3. I was disappointed in two areas. There was NOT less noise. The face shield is impossibleto latch with one hand (necessary if you really, really gotta itch that spot you can't reach through the face shield). Other than that, the C3 is a fine helmet. IMHO, I can only the hope the extra $$$ shows up in that ever possible crash scenario. As an aside, the SCR system is better than advertised. YMMV:)
 
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