Well if you know me, you know I was in a motorcycle accident during Easter weekend this year.  Although I thought the scar from my spleenectomy would be the fastest to heal, it’s still working on it.  I’m back up on my bike, which sustained little damage, and I’m getting comfortable riding again.  If you an avid motorcycle enthusiast you know that after an accident you should throw you helmet away as they are made for one crash only due to the fact that they are made that way for safety reasons (impact resistance and absorption).  So, I now have to replace my rather expensive SHOEI helmet with the Dragons and Skull with a new one, so I went shopping today.  Both SHOEI and ARAI are the top of the line helmets.  My view is nothing is to good for you head when it comes to safety and comfort on long rides.  I have been looking at the following helmets as contenders for my new brain bucket.  There are advantages to both helmets but both are excellent in the safety department.  The SHOEI has the chin curtain and breath barrier, but the ARAI has customizable cheek cushions and air ventilation system that pulls air out of the helmet where the SHOEI pushes air into the helmet and somehow I think the ARAI would be a more comfortable and quieter helmet than the SHOEI.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED MY SHOEI !!!  But ARAI has helmets that have three different curvatures (Long Oval, Medium Oval, and Round Oval) and it is suggested that you fit the helmet without the cheek padding so you get the right fit and then customize the cheek pads for you face.  But for the selection that both companies have for 2008 I’m leaning towards the ARAI.  What do you think?