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Ruby helmets: beware the counterfeits!!!


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From a photo posted in the GOG thread (Girls on Guzzis), a lady was wearing a Ruby retro looking helmet.

I looked for information about the Ruby line, and found they were proposed by a company based in China.

These helmets are expensive, but after more research, it turns out the Ruby company based in China may not be the legitimate rights' owner of the brand.

This is the "About us" posted on what they claim as being the sole official Ruby Helmets market place: https://www.ateliers-ruby.com/pages/about-us

Succinctly, they say they are not manufacturing any helmet as of now, and all those are available from the Internet are not legitimate "Ruby" products.

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1 hour ago, LowRyter said:

I've never heard of Ruby Helmets.  I did see the website.  What makes them so great?  They appear to be open face helmets, the lining looks extra nice.

@lowriter; I don't know which age tranche you are, but back in the seventies, racing helmets looked a bit like those proposed by Ruby, and as I understand other brands who want to cater to the "retro" look.

They had "snap buttons" for the visor which are no longer used today, but which are kept for the "look".

I was drawn to the color, since it matches the red of my Le Mans, plus I liked the look.

The visor system is not convenient. Air circulation may not be well suited for Texas weather. The inside padding is not removable, so you can't wash it.

They have a lot of cool designs, which are a major deviation from today's norm.

Ruby Helmet Red faceRuby Helmet Red right side visor

 

 

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The Ruby brand has been claimed by Paradise Cycle in Paris France. As a matter or fact, I knew them from before. They are located on avenue de la Grande Armée juste on the other side of the Champs Elysées.

And they are a Moto Guzzi dealership.

Check their store front, and you can see they have the Ruby logo.

https://paradisemotoshop.com/

fp_image_3.jpg?v=5411932229884511533

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6 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

yeah, I've owned open face helmets before you could buy any other.

In fact, I fell face first into gravel but had a "bubble" shield.  
 

As a matter of principle, I only wear a full face helmet, and when I ride, I keep the visor closed, including promenade speeds.

The last thing you want, is to have an insect hitting you in the face. If you are at high speed, it can be painful but the insect may not survive. At lower speed, getting a wasp, a hornet, a bee through the visor opening of your helmet may turn unpleasant and... dangerous.

 

 

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5 hours ago, LowRyter said:

I've never heard of Ruby Helmets.  I did see the website.  What makes them so great?  They appear to be open face helmets, the lining looks extra nice.

They're kinda like Davida but 3x the price. 

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On 8/8/2021 at 8:47 PM, Rox Lemans said:

They're kinda like Davida but 3x the price. 

Honestly, they are really not in the same category.

The Koura, which seems to be the equivalent of the full face helmet appear to be only available in the one color. At least for the launch.

Ruby Helmets are exclusively made out of carbon fiber and with many different designs and colors.

Davida helmet have a more modern take on the retro look. Not really appealing to me.

Davida Koura add

 

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Biltwelll also proposes retro looking full faces helmets at much lower price point. But not with the refined design that characterizes Ruby.

Bitwell Gringo helmets

 

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I picked up a 3/4 helmet with face shield and sunshade at Cycle Gear for $39.  I don't recommend extended use for 3/4 or open face but hey can come in handy for retro gatherings, like DG, and casual rides in the heat.  I sometimes wear my Shoei Neotec modular open when in town, or at stoplights when I need to some air.

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7 hours ago, p6x said:

Honestly, they are really not in the same category.

The Koura, which seems to be the equivalent of the full face helmet seem to be only available in the one color.

Ruby Helmets are exclusively made out of carbon fiber and with many different designs and colors.

Davida helmet appear to me as a more modern take on the retro look. Not really appealing to me.

Davida Koura add

 

I'm talking the 3/4 stuff. 

But in general both luxury leather lined helmet. 

 

But I really really like that Koura. 

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I've never had a leather lined helmet. That seems at once classy, luxurious, and unforgivingly hot.

I used to use Arai, but cannot forgive their fragile faceshield retention plates. My last two helmets have been Shoei modulars. The Neotech was great, but the Neotech II has sucked from day one - so noisy! I've modified it extensively (sad and ugly for a $700US new helmet).

What surprised me is how much I prefer the flip down tinted visor. (No more fumbling to change between glasses.) And how much I like the quick disconnect strap instead of D-rings.  Before, I had thought of both of those features as gimmicks. 

I keep thinking this may be my next modular (any experience with this AGV model?) . . .

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/agv-sportmodular-carbon-solid-helmet

agv_helmets_agv_sport_modular_glossy_750

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3 hours ago, Rox Lemans said:

 

But I really really like that Koura. 

It would like to see other colors and designs. But as a new model, they are going to go with what most people would purchase.

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