ARAI HELMET SCAM !!!!!

[cornercamping]

 :'(Hey everyone, thought I'd give you guys a heads up.  I've just been scammed with a FAKE Arai RX7 helmet. Not an Ebay scam, but I think it may be on there somewhere.

There is a guy going around forums named Helmet HOuse in Redondo Beach, CA.  He has pictures and sends tons of them.  I just bought a new McCoy Slide King RX7 Corsair size medium from him for $300.00 shipped to me.  I gotta tell you, this is the best FAKE I have ever seen.  It came in the right box, with all the labels, stickers, and graphics.  It's dead nuts accurate, but, NO SNELL logo anywhere inside the helmet.  It uses the old RX7 Liner instead of the new Corsair liner, and has FULMER stamped inside the shell under the liner instead of Arai.  
So, I called Arai, and they said it is DEFINETLY a fake.  They also had me ship them the helmet for inspection, and they are going to send me the real deal in trade, so thumbs up to Arai.  They aren't too happy though that people are knocking off their helmet.

Also, this guys uses the excuse that he is broke so that's why he's selling it so cheap. This is a $600 MSRP helmet so..... you get what you pay for.

According to Arai's customer service, and regional sales rep., this is the 4th helmet they have seen like this, and they are attempting to trace the source.

Buyer be ware: RX7 Corsair Slide King/McCoy ALL SIZES

I already got screwed by them  >:(

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Damn. IF ya dont mind I'm gonna post this on a few bike forums I'm on. Gotta warn the rest.

[cornercamping]

Damn. IF ya dont mind I'm gonna post this on a few bike forums I'm on. Gotta warn the rest.

Go for it.  I'd post it, but I'm not members of any forums really.  I'm just a lurker  8)

This is what the helmet looks like for those that don't know:

[Jeff]

The 1000 members of cbr600rr.com now know...

[KBOlsen]

I guarantee this will be all over the electronic universe by noon.

I've got a sponsor who tells me that the "real" Helmet House does not even carry Arai helmets (Shoei and HJC) and they don't sell to the public.  You wouldn't happen to still have a link to this auction, would you?

[cornercamping]

I guarantee this will be all over the electronic universe by noon.

I've got a sponsor who tells me that the "real" Helmet House does not even carry Arai helmets (Shoei and HJC) and they don't sell to the public.  You wouldn't happen to still have a link to this auction, would you?

Hmmm...   well, I didn't see it on ebay, I saw it in the gixxer forum.   I sent the guy an email, and he responded back.  It all seemed legit, and he even accepted my credit card.  So, I have to call AMEX and dispute it, but Arai asked me to hold out so they can do their thing, and they want me to forward all the charge information.  From what I understand, Arai's intention is to body slam this guy once they find out who it is. I've been searching ebay,  but I can't find any other helmets like it.  Honestly, I'd say that if I hadn't already owned 5+ other Arai helmets, I would have never known it's a knock off.  It's really that good of a fake.  
My annual tradition is to start off every new race season with a new helmet.  At the end of every year, I sell off my old helmet, and after the Cycle World Motorcycle show in Detroit, I order a new one. I guess it's a just a comfort level thing.  
So, the minute I opened the box, and noticed the liner, I knew it was a fake, because the RX7RR and RX7 Corsair (new model RX7) have completely different liners.   The liner in the McCoy I recieved from this guys had the old RX7 liner.  Also, no Snell logo's anywhere, and all Arai's as far as I'm aware have a Snell logo on the back outer of the helmet as well as under the liner inside the helmet.  This helmet had neither.
Also, I went to the gixxer forum again, and the thread has been "black holed" or something.  I sent a email to a moderator, and asked them to pull the IP information on the post he put up in the classifieds, and I still haven't recieved a response, but the thread is gone  ???  I have no idea....

[cornercamping]

Hey Guys,

Just got off the phone with Arai.  They said that the helmet definetly is indeed a fake, and to make everyone aware that if they suspect they have fake helmet, to send it to them via normal warranty channels.  When they recieve it, and it is verified a fake, they will refund you what you paid for it, plus shipping, plus 10% for your trouble. It should only take a day or two after they recieve it.  They would also like you to include your reciept any all information possible on the purchase.  They won't be returning your helmet though.  


Thumbs up to Arai for taking care of their customers  8)

[KBOlsen]

I'm sorry - I misread your post about the eBay part.

Nevertheless... I hope they nail this guy - and his supplier (I'm willing to bet that there's a whole shipping crate of these helmets from somewhere)

[Jeff]

Hey Honda? I bought this counterfit motorcycle...   8)

Two thumbs WAAAAAAAY up for Arai on this.

God help that poor sap who did this...  I'm sure it won't be too difficult to track them down, and there will be HUGE ramifications for them...

[zracer196]

Wow, that's scary...

I buy Arai because of the safety rating...I was run over (my head no less) on the track by another racer at Homestead a few years back...

The helmet saved me...Ended up with a minor concussion only...I would hate to think I'm wearing a Fulmer (don't want to bash them, but I always thought they were second rate!)...

[cstem]

It is great to see a prolific supplier like Arai stand up and take care of people who may never have been a customer before, not just those who already are. The industry definitly needs more companies like this.  Note to all who fit into Arai's and were considering some other brand- Support those who support us!

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

I ride for Suomy, and get my lids right from the North American distributor, Gearbox International.  Suomy has saved my life a few tomes...

Thumbs up to Arai for taking care of people they didn't screw in the first place.  That's awesome.