Hedon Hedonist Helmet Review and Hipster Biker Bullshit Rant!

[@OldManTony]

From one Tony to another Tony, you speak absolute sense! I hate all this “he’s not a proper biker” bullshit, I think everyone on two wheels (and an engine) is a proper biker! Having never used an open face in over forty years of biking, it might take some getting used to, like driving a car without a seat belt!

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers Tony, yep that ‘proper biker’ crap that get spurted out, what does that even mean? I don’t wear them all the time, but sometimes nothing beats an open face on the right bike and the right day

[@henryhartley9993]

Nice lid and great review, love the rant! it's the so called hipster and custom guys who are bringing more people into the biking community at present, I love all things two wheels from scooters to full on customs and sports bikes..

[@mancavemoto]

Thanks Henry exactly, and the increase in retro and naked bikes from the manufacturers shows how importance of that sector

[@hulkhatepunybanner]

@@mancavemoto *To Millennials, heavy beard + 1940s Action Force accessories = hipster. To Boomers or Gen X'ers you're just dad or grandpa not talking about your part in the Great War.* :)

[@LexWilson]

Well said, Tony!

[@mancavemoto]

Thanks Lex

[@sqd8r]

''Because you're worth it.'' I watched this opening three times; I'm still laughing. That's classic. LOVE this channel.

[@mancavemoto]

well you are!.....lol cheers

[@bobklee2397]

Great review, I m looking for an open face. I don’t ride anything like a classic but running around some of those lanes and occasionally commute when the weathers good 😌 I can see why a beard might be useful though

[@mancavemoto]

Very useful!

[@kurtinfl]

Good on ya' Tony. Couldn't agree with you more. What's funny is that here in the States I've always had to deal with people who didn't feel that I measured up to their standard of what was cool with motorcycles, because I didn't ride a Harley. I have to say that I'm quite happy that my Street Cup is pretentious biker proof, because everybody seems to like it.

[@mancavemoto]

Right on Kurt

[@RebelRides]

I've got the same lid and love it. I don't use it enough on video but then that's because it's not an ideal motovlogging lid.

[@mancavemoto]

Yes tricky I would imagine

[@RoadGlideAustralia]

Great review Tony. The low profile fitment, and high end materials used in the construction and finish is spot on. 👍🏻

[@mancavemoto]

Thanks!

[@Rosakru]

Excellent review Tony. And your opinions are equally shared by me... another middle aged rider. Cheers mate!

[@mancavemoto]

Thanks

[@richardmerritt5600]

Well said Tony. Great review. Probably gonna get a Shoei JO for the drop down visor but this also looks well made

[@splodge5714]

Nice helmet and the sunglasses look good but I like the Schuberth M1 open face. It has a large visor and inner sun visor. Great review.

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers Splodge

[@justinsmith8380]

Hi Tony, great reviews thanks. Been trying to decide between one of these and the shoei jo. As I live in New Zealand I don't really have the opportunity to try the hedon on but I really like the look of them. Which would you pick out of the two? Based on comfort noise reduction etc?

[@mancavemoto]

Tricky as it’s all down to personal fit. The Hedon has a smaller profile and is lighter. The Shoei has the pull down visor and is (for me) very comfortable. Personally I wouldn’t buy a helmet online without being able to try it on

[@justinsmith8380]

@@mancavemoto Thanks Tony, pretty much what I was thinking.

[@bhaddock9277]

Originally begrudged spending £300 on a helmet as up to this point as previous helmets suffered damage when left unattended at work. Commute helmet Vs weekend helmet. Might buy a more upmarket helmet at some point if I have more control over people messing with it or inadvertently scratching the visor. I'm a careful person, others aren't. Would like a light weight carbon fibre helmet as was impressed by lightness and design.

[@mancavemoto]

It’s shame that people don’t care about other peoples gear....I’m hoping to review the AGV sport Modular helmet soon. It’s a full flip front helmet with a drop down sun shade and it’s allegedly not 1200g

[@gride5153]

Hi Tony, I'm looking to purchase one of these helmets at the moment - your review came in very handy - thanks. Unfortunately, I can only buy online (without trying one on). Being a 59 inch head size, I too usually wear a Large. Are you a 59 inch head size, and would you still suggest a Large? Many thanks

[@mancavemoto]

I had to go up a size, I’m usually a large in pretty much every helmet, but need an XL in this. My head is 60cm and this helmet is a close fit

[@gride5153]

@@mancavemoto Many thanks

[@TalismanRocks]

Do the 3 studs on top provide brow ventilation, or just for snapping on the optional sun peak visor?

[@mancavemoto]

Just snaps, no venting

[@drewsneakerverse]

Assuming this was a short ride, you must live quite close to me. Love that pub 🍻

[@mancavemoto]

Just round the corner, I pass it all the time, and probably stop off for a Huffer too often!

[@DavidAdiv]

One more question Tony, how would you compare the Shoei JO to the Hedon? I am in between, also if you have any outer 3/4 helmets you would recommend, I would appreciate you time, thank you

[@mancavemoto]

Hi David, Quite different really, the Hedon is lower profile and lighter, the Shoei has the built in visor, which is useful. I've just got a sample Sena Savage Helmet, which has built in bluetooth comms! interesting concept

[@DavidAdiv]

Views from the Man Cave thank you very much Tony, I appreciate all you knowledge.

[@TheGreatestBeyonder]

Reminds me of when I was at the Goodwood Revival a couple of years ago and stopped at the Brough Superior stand. The people there were extremely elitist. Anything other than a Brough just certainly won't do! Not remotely interested in anything else whatsoever. I agree with your point of view.

[@mancavemoto]

There’s no need for it is there

[@tuberichter]

Appreciate your opinion and your test. Kind regards from Berlin, Germany

[@mancavemoto]

No problem

[@unit1905]

I"m closing in on 72 years old and I want one! Hipster? At my age that relates to a hip implant.

[@mancavemoto]

😂

[@DavidAdiv]

Great review, and I am glad I watched it, I really like this helmet and usually I am a medium, so I guess I should order the large? Thanks very much

[@mancavemoto]

Thanks David, I would advise sizing up, but best to try one

[@DavidAdiv]

Views from the Man Cave thank you Sir

[@81722Les]

@@mancavemoto I'm usually a Medium, size 58 and I stuck to it, haven't received it yet though coz I routed it to some artist in Indonesia to get it hand painted and I hope it does sit well. The only helmet in Medium I can hardly wear is Bell and if they aren't shaped like Bell, then I'm good to go. Just in case you wonder about my rambling, I don't have the option to try as I ordered from South Africa.

[@bhaddock9277]

Yeah, lovely helmets, great attention to detail. I like that nowdays you can get classy helmets that are in keeping with the bike and jacket. Hate seeing the vile yellow and blue "Rossi" race replica helmets.

[@mancavemoto]

Yep, very nice and as I banged on about in the video, whatever makes people more happy on a bike I’m all for, even race replica helmets 😉. The great thing is there is much more choice now, and it’s easy to buy stylish but protective riding gear

[@KrisVandeVijver]

I like your review and I agree with the 2nd part about the H word :). I was about to order the Hedonist but what's holding me back now is that I saw your picture on their website.

[@mancavemoto]

I didn’t know they had a picture of me on their website, they didn’t speak to me about that. I’ve just had a look and can’t see one? Where is it?

[@mancavemoto]

Where ls the picture?

[@KrisVandeVijver]

@@mancavemoto unless you have a look-a-like or twin you don't know about? :) 🤷‍♂

[@KrisVandeVijver]

@@mancavemoto it’s possible you couldn’t open my Google Drive link, but it should work now (I hope)..

[@mancavemoto]

Ha! no thats definitely not me!

[@chrisbolton2500]

I've never understood the fixation with labelling. Even less am I inclined to bow to it. It's been this way, and nauseum, for as long as I can recall. Ultimately the only one you have to please is yourself...........so sod 'em!

[@mancavemoto]

Exactly Chris, well put

[@Rigz727]

Great vid as always Tony, and whole heartedly agree about all this hipster bullshit!

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers Bud

[@raymonddauphinais5806]

Great review and commentary. I’ve got a Hedon Heroine Racer that I just love.

[@mancavemoto]

Nice, hoping to try one out soon

[@christopheboudier94]

Hi Tony These Hedon helmets are definitely the helmets that BMW sales under the name Bowler

[@mancavemoto]

hedon.com/blogs/news/issue-26-bmw-by-hedon?gadid=660076223648&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwsvujBhAXEiwA_UXnAKsltnu3nJ70T__FP511KFdG1zueOe57LQDYFlv1-vV34deBf8nlbxoC9X0QAvD_BwE

[@laikatravels]

Ive owned one for a couple of years now. Wish it had a removable liner.

[@mancavemoto]

Yeah, that’s one of the few negatives

[@albertsachteleben6173]

Really appreciate the perspective. Thanks.

[@mancavemoto]

My pleasure!

[@philgreen5ges]

Thanks for sharing and great opinions love it I’m gonna have a look myself

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers

[@MrStingraybernard]

Beautiful lid and excellent review

[@mancavemoto]

Thanks Ron

[@ronancarrillo2235]

Anyone on here know someone doing a video on valve's for the Bonneville t100? I'm having an issue with my 2008 and I've done a process of elimination. I'm new to this and could use any help available. Thanks in advance.

[@mancavemoto]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYDdaJ58mq13epI

[@ronancarrillo2235]

Awesome!! Thank you so much!

[@shockingshock]

Hello, I'm from Viet Nam and i like your helmet review videos.

[@asishm3703]

what jacket are you wearing in the video?

[@mancavemoto]

It’s a Klim Drifter, the review is coming up soon

[@jayalexander8027]

What jacket are you wearing there Tony?

[@mancavemoto]

Klim Drifter, I’ll be reviewing it soon

[@5tevieb954]

How is easy was it to get your glasses under it?

[@mancavemoto]

Very

[@5tevieb954]

@@mancavemoto cheers mate. I tried a bell and couldn’t

[@neilabraham-dowsing2325]

Hedon is a pseudo brand. It's made in China although it sometimes like to portray it British credentials. The helmet is synonymous with the Bike Shed as you know. I also go to the BS from time to time. I proudly wear my Davida. A helmet that is as much a part of our biking heritage as Lewis Leathers. Davida is owned by Fid the Lid who is a life-long biker. So Hedon are charging prices of a Luxury British made product but made in China. I care about the origin of products. So to the helmet itself. The shell composite is nothing special. Putting leather of all things around the most exposed corner of the helmet is a bit daft. That wont last and will look tatty pretty quickly. Another style over substance is the use of copper fixings. Not nearly as durable as stainless steel. Yes bikers like to look good and I include myself in that category. In my view, a Hedon cant hold a candle to Davida with some of their ultra stylish colour combinations.

[@mancavemoto]

I'm not sure you can really call them a pseudo brand, as they are not selling somebody else's products that are re-branded. Lots of things are made in China, and it's not always correct to just dismiss them for that reason. Yes, there is a lot of crap mass production in China, but it is also a very well developed often innovative global production centre. The shells are made for Hedon and are then as far as I'm aware finished in the UK. I agree, as I think I mentioned in the video, the leather trim isn't a particularly practical solution, but I think that's not a major concern for the people that buy the helmet. The shell is a carbon-reinforced fibreglass composite material, so very similar to that used by Davida, and the fixings are copper plated SS not actual copper. Davida is a fantastic company and it's great that they have managed to keep their production in the UK for so long. David has been an integral part of the british bike 'scene' for years, so I was sad to see them forced to close their doors this year. Thankfully though it appears they will be back up and running at some point in 2021. I'm not trying to defend Hedon with this, I'm merely responding to your comments. I have no affiliation to them. I personally haven't worn that helmet since the 2018 DGR! as I prefer to ride in a full face. I appreciate your opinion and hope you have many more years enjoying your Davida helmet. Thanks for watching.

[@gordonsteel55]

Well said Tony.

[@mancavemoto]

Thanks Gordon

[@filmdetective]

Haha that DGR grin, I had the same

[@mancavemoto]

I think everyone did!

[@scramblerkrush5088]

.. cheers for that, I got called a hipster due to wearing my bell custom 500... been out in Brazil for 20 years so I had to google it?....some types must think open face helmets are a new thing....maybe?

[@mancavemoto]

😂 yep, who knows?

[@colindeans5972]

Nice bit of bling Tony, good review too.

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers Colin

[@garrypepperman]

Good review and the bike was sounding excellent too!

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers Gary

[@nicholasknibbs8162]

Very well said Tony, you don't fancy negotiating Brexit do you?

[@mancavemoto]

Haha, yep I think I’ll pass on that one

[@tinks43]

First 🤣 if they don’t like it then they can go do one! Doesn’t matter if you ride a 50cc or a 2300cc we’re all bikers 👍🏻

[@mancavemoto]

Exactly Cotti

[@captainaverage721]

A lot of money for a helmet that protects half of what a helmet should protect. I'm an ugly funt but I am still qiute fond of my face😁

[@mancavemoto]

Yes that’s a debate that always comes up, some like them some don’t. There’s an interesting argument for them from the perspective of a humans inbuilt ‘facial recognition’ as part of our fight or flight response. ie another road user is much more likely to pick your face out than if it’s covered with a full face helmet. Personally most of the time I’m in a full face, but sometimes nothing beats a ride in an open face 👍

[@sam62687]

Nice review and "rant"........ subscribing

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers Sam

[@benwallace3075]

Great upload tony

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers Ben

[@SSN70]

Right on !!

[@mancavemoto]

You know it

[@fabianobenedetti6692]

Live and let live !

[@mancavemoto]

🤝

[@TheSweetasanut]

Well said sir

[@mancavemoto]

Thanks

[@1990-t1j]

Good helmet, good review.

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers 1990

[@rgi8426]

Too bad helmets like this one don't have vents in them.

[@mancavemoto]

It does have one huge vent in the front 😉😀

[@johnward3490]

Good review and made in England

[@mancavemoto]

👍

[@dawidos117]

You mean review made in England, right? Because those helmets are made in China 😕

[@davetheserious677]

Amen.

[@mancavemoto]

👍🤜🤛

[@H5SS]

You're not wearing Ray-Bans with it? Shameful.

[@mancavemoto]

🤔😂😉

[@smrtn2441]

Hipster!

[@mancavemoto]

You know it brother

[@bmfilmnut]

I was very interested in these helmets until I found comments by owners that these helmets are actually made in China, not England. I don't know if that's true or not but ithat's claimed in a review on at the following link. If it is true, I feel Hedon is misleading their customers: equipment.bikeexif.com/hedon-hedonist-helmet-creme.html Beyond that, I contacted Hedon to find out how much it would cost to get a Hedon Hedonist with one small change that wouldn't involve any more work than if it was left standard. I received a response and was informed that it would cost an additional 100 pounds (over $130 USD) to make the helmet with that change. On top of that, I was also told that it would take one to three months to ship the helmet. Now I assume that it's a small company and a lot of hand work is invovled. That's fine, but small companies usually mean great customer service but this was not even basic customer service in my opinion. I almost ordered the helmet before I received the response from Hedon. It's expensive but I will pay for quality. But then to be charged over $130 USD to make a helmet that takes absolutely no more work or effort to produce made me feel that this company is not concerned with customer service and, in fact, it appears they are willing to take advantage of their ustomers. There's no logical excuse for such an extra cost. And to take so long to ship it? Add to all of that the other part of the post I linked above about how the glued-in lining is coming apart. One more thing: There is one importer of this helmet in the U.S. I contacted them but I never received a response. In fairness, it's only been a few days so maybe a response will be coming. But they have a note on their site that says it can take months to get delivery on a helmet. And what happens if you wait that long and the helmet doesn’t fit? The USA is a huge market and I have no doubt that these helmets would be in demand in this country but not if it's takes many weeks or even months for delivery and the buyer will be charged ridiculous amounts just to have one thing changed that involves no extra work at all. My usual experience with smaller companies is that they bend over backwards to please the customer. That's the competitive advantage they have over large companies. I don't feel that's the case with this company. I'm glad I looked into it a little more. I'll pass on this helmet

[@KrisVandeVijver]

"My usual experience with smaller companies is that they bend over backwards to please the customer." This might have been true in the past, but I have the impression that all these cool, small start-ups are not able to give great customer service. I don't have experience with Hedon (maybe soon?), and I'm not going to drop any names here, but there have been multiple occasions that I received (very) bad customer support from new and/or small brands.

[@judeoko]

Open face helmet nooooooo can you do a review on their full face helmet? If you have ever had a tumble you will never put on a piss pot again😁

[@mancavemoto]

Lol don’t start that debate off! 😉 I have and I do 😁......a lot depends on how what and where you’re riding, but I get your point. I’d love to review the Heroine, maybe they’ll let me try one out?

[@hopgood007]

Well said Tony

[@mancavemoto]

Cheers Paul