I think that my next purchase will be a Shoei TZ-R which would be an upgrade from my Shoei TZ-II.

Dennis Kirk has some good closout prices on the Shoei TZ helemts.

Wow.. Sufy you take Lurker to a new level. I see a post from you every once and a while and then nothing.

I just bought a Scorpion EXO 400 from Chaparral. $139.95 and free shipping. It is excellent. Venting, Wicking Lining, removable and washable. Anti Fog shield. Light quiet. I had a Shoei years ago and this beats it, in my opinion. Hope this helps you out.

Every company gets better with age. I'm looking to get an X11 to replace my X9 later this year sometime. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with Shoei, Suomy, and a couple others. Ultimately it's about what fits your face bester. The scorpions are excellent and I almost bought one. They have similar characteristics to a Shoei, but aren't as light (and aren't carbon/kevlar). Ultimately, wind noise isn't a bad thing to consider, but my best advice is go with what keeps your noggin in one piece the best for your price range. The Shoei is probably a great choice, and the Scorpions aren't bad to consider either. I'd say try a few that you're considering on and pick what fits you best. I tried on a couple helmets that just didn't fit my face right, regardless of size. And i've had others that fit my head perfectly, but the size was completely different depending on the company.

i had a shoei Z-II until the crash, i now have a Scorpion EX400, i really like it for the price. Wind noise level is good, not Shoei good, but half the price. Just my .02