Does a black helmet produce excess heat?

I know it has to be yes, but to what degree? I am looking at getting a Shoei RF1000 helmet and like the matte colors. I can get a matte black or matte deep gray, the gray being ~$30 more. The colors appeal equally to me, so why not just get the cheaper black helmet; but if there will be a significant difference in heat produced I will go for the gray.

FYI, I'll be riding in LA to and from school everyday, so not sure how much venting will play with traffic. Any advice would be great!

A matt black helmet in LA is like putting a frying pan on your head. It's basic highschool physics. The lighter the surface the more heat reflection. Even a gloss black will reflect a bit more than matt.
Not bad if you wear a half helmet but a full one? I'd go white.

I was worried about that, any LA riders on here?

I have a KBC matte black helmet now and it isn't any different from my old and now deceased rf1000 in anthrocite

Thanks for the replies so far!

I'd be more worrried about making an omlette after throwing a leg over a hot seat There is lot's of insulation in the helmet.

I've left a black helmet sitting in the sun many times (Los Angeles and Honolulu). Never noticed it to feel hot on the inside when I put it on.

Thanks for the help!

I just bought a white helmet thinking that it might be a little cooler. The helmet I got, the HJC CL-SP, is a lot better than my old helmet in every way but I don't think the color attributes to how hot it feels.

I thought the same thing when I bought my black helmet, but it really is not that bad, as far as I have experienced. The same that insulation keeps heat in, it also keep it out. Therefore, the heat inside the helmet is actually mainly from your own head.

Three weeks ago, I took the MSF, it was in the middle of an asphalt parking lot right by a river and the temps were 103 one day and 101 the next. It was hot and horribly humid. I had my black helmet. Did it make it hotter? Actually, surprisingly, no. In fact, my head was much cooler in the helmet than with the helmet off. I mean, it was still hot as hell, but you get my point. I say go for the black if want to.

Mike