I suspect that much of the cost comes from small production runs and a desire to hit a certain profit margin. If someone convinced the motorcycle helmet manufacturers to adapt one of their designs it would give them an additional outlet at marginal costing and we would all have access to a truely effective and competetively priced helmet.
You just nailed it there John. It would be the biggest safety improvement for whole helicopter industry if helmets where prised so crews would not have to think twice if to buy one or not. I think the only way that would be possible if one of big helmet brands would start making helmet for heli's and most likely by coming up with a helmet that is variant of something they are already making or a helmet that can also be used in other roles so the desing and manufacturing cost would be a lot less per copy.
Imagine if every student could go and buy one at the very beginning his/her training. I wonder how many lives/injuries just that would save.
The claim that helicopter helmets must be safer than any other "good helmet" just because it is a whole lot more expensive is no bloody logic to me, but there are many of you here who really believe that crap presumably because you backside is very soar from all rear-ending that the other nonsense price levels in this industry has give you and you just dont bother to take one more