Helmets : Classic styles and Reps.

[The Spin Doctor]

I had a Phil Read replica by Premier back in the early 80s... I was sitting waiting for a pick-up in the West End and this bloke walked past and said "nice helmet". "Not bad" I said to his back as he walked away...

A few minutes later he came back again and I twigged "bloody hell, you're Phil Read". Probably not the most original line, but we had a good chat for 10 mins or so... very nice guy!

[weeksy]

I had a Phil Read replica by Premier back in the early 80s... I was sitting waiting for a pick-up in the West End and this bloke walked past and said "nice helmet". "Not bad" I said to his back as he walked away...

A few minutes later he came back again and I twigged "bloody hell, you're Phil Read". Probably not the most original line, but we had a good chat for 10 mins or so... very nice guy!

For me, Haga was your Phil Read. People like Haga, Bayliss and Edwards, they were the superstars of my racing era. Hence my love for the helmet.

[KungFooBob]

I spotted yesterday that Sportsbikeshoppe do 0% on stuff over £280. Makes that Haga rep even more appealing at £26 a month.

[fatgit]

For me, Haga was your Phil Read. People like Haga, Bayliss and Edwards, they were the superstars of my racing era. Hence my love for the helmet.

Agree! Ref my earlier post re autographed Haga rep it was don at a charity night at Northallerton
Haga, Edwards, Julian Ryder, Leon Haslam et al really nice blokes and happy to mix with Joe Public
Colin Edwards gets a special mention for liking a few beers and being last to leave the bar!!!!
Cheers
Steve

[Bigyin]

I always liked this one from Colin Edwards as one of his mates is/was a Navy Seal so he has always paid tribute to the military in a lot of what he does ....... i could never wear it though as it was a bit "USA USA USA" etc but a good design and admired his intention



For me i am happy Arai made my favourite design as i actually had a plain blue Shoei painted up by a local air brusher then Arai released a design that was the same as Iain Duffus used who some might remember from TT racing a few years ago ....... If you look at the bottom of the racking there is a Shark Foggy replica as well, but i covered up the red rose with a Saltire Flag

[Druid]

I'm not interested in bike racing and have tended to go for plain black helmets. The only race rep helmet I've owned was one of these



except mine was an Astro not an RX7. I had just had a pay out after a bike accident and it included a new helmet. The one above was on offer because it was the previous year's colour scheme but there was about £100 off iirc.

When I was in college a mate of mine airbrushed a white helmet with a Welsh flag design

[GuzziPaul]

I quite fancy a Barry Sheen replica but don't really get on with AGV, bit painful on the forehead. Having a couple of Italian bikes I also thought about an Agostini replica as well, but again they are AGV.

[Scuffmark]

I always think race rep schemes date quickly and are bit shouty for my tastes so stick with either plain or something with a simple design.

[Asian Boss]

I loved the original Okada design. I'm sorry I got rid of mine even though it would be so old it wouldn't be any use.

Okada Arai.jpg (159.86 KiB) Viewed 1779 times

[weeksy]

I always think race rep schemes date quickly and are bit shouty for my tastes so stick with either plain or something with a simple design.

But they reach a point when they become classic. Like a Walker, Doohan, Dunlop and even Haga. The point where it doesn't matter which year it was, it's more about it being iconic

[Rockburner]

I always wanted a Joey Dunlop rep, but could never justify the Arai RX7 prices.

[Scuffmark]

I always think race rep schemes date quickly and are bit shouty for my tastes so stick with either plain or something with a simple design.

But they reach a point when they become classic. Like a Walker, Doohan, Dunlop and even Haga. The point where it doesn't matter which year it was, it's more about it being iconic

Agreed, but then we're old enough to remember the riders who the design belonged to

I wonder if the younger riders buy them for the same reasons ?

[Rp1]

I always think race rep schemes date quickly and are bit shouty for my tastes so stick with either plain or something with a simple design.

But they reach a point when they become classic. Like a Walker, Doohan, Dunlop and even Haga. The point where it doesn't matter which year it was, it's more about it being iconic

And sometimes sentimental, which is why I got this when they re-released them, had one 20 years ago and always reminds me of good times

[KungFooBob]

I loved the original Okada design. I'm sorry I got rid of mine even though it would be so old it wouldn't be any use.

Okada Arai.jpg

I had a 'Taddy' rep Arai, but I don't ever recall him racing in the design...

[Asian Boss]

I loved the original Okada design. I'm sorry I got rid of mine even though it would be so old it wouldn't be any use.

Okada Arai.jpg

I had a 'Taddy' rep Arai, but I don't ever recall him racing in the design...

I had one of those too, I think it was an RX7. I preferred the look of the earlier one, it was more traditional / noh.

[mangocrazy]

One of my favourites was the Wayne Rainey 1989-1990 rep. Clean simple, and quite striking. I used that for way longer than I probably should have. Modern helmet designs are for the most part just too ridiculously 'busy' for me. These days I go for plain grey, silver or black as they're invariably the cheapest.

Wayne_Rainey_rep.jpg (169.29 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

[The Spin Doctor]

For me, Haga was your Phil Read. People like Haga, Bayliss and Edwards, they were the superstars of my racing era. Hence my love for the helmet.

I loved watching all three of them. Very different styles but all terrific riders.

[Yorick]

For me, Haga was your Phil Read. People like Haga, Bayliss and Edwards, they were the superstars of my racing era. Hence my love for the helmet.

I loved watching all three of them. Very different styles but all terrific riders.

S'funny how they are so fondly remembered, against Doohan who was a much better rider.

[The Spin Doctor]

S'funny how they are so fondly remembered, against Doohan who was a much better rider.

Doohan was sublime but arguably he was also the best of his generation. The WSB paddock was more evenly matched, and Haga stuck with an uncompetitive Yamaha for years, and somehow managed to keep winning on it.

[KungFooBob]

My mum and dad got Sky just as Doohan was at his peak.

I remember watching him lead from the front and either winning by a mile, or being duffed up by Crivillé on the last corner.

He was a brilliant rider, but WSBK was so much more interesting (from a British POV) at the time.