Arai RX-7V – Review of Arai’s new top of the range helmet

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Arai RX-7V (Corsair X in the US) – Arai’s top of the range sportsbike helmet

Arai have updated their range-topping RX-7 helmet – replacing it with the RX-7V.

But if you think it looks very similar to the old RX-7 helmet, you’d be bang on. Because, as you can see from the picture further down, it’s more an evolution of the series rather than a redesign. So what’s changed?

Well, according to Arai, a little bit of everything. From the outside in, Arai have tried to make the outer shell even smoother, in line with their goal to make a helmet that will ‘glance off’ surfaces better than any other. They’ve also slightly reformulated the construction too – it’s still got a composite fibre shell, but they’ve reformulated the resin between layers to be lighter, saving 30g off the weight (or so they say). And while they were at it, they also reinforced parts of the shell that are particularly important for passing the US Snell safety test.

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The Arai RX-7V Pedrosa Samurai. At least the helmet’s a winner 😉

Read on for a closer look at what the Arai RX-7V offers and how well owners think it does on the road.

Best places to buy an Arai RX-7V?

Please click below to visit the Arai RX-7V helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Buy from SportsBikeShop

Changes from the old RX-7?

The RX-7V is an evolution rather than a nose-back redesign.

You can see the changes from the old RX-7 helmet below. Visually, changes mostly come in the form of the lowering of the side pod (and new visor pivot mechanism) and longer ventilation duct on the top of the helmet – said to improve ventilation a bit (OK, Arai say 11% but that probably equates to ‘a bit’ when you’re riding along, right?).

There’s also a few mm extra space around the mouth and chin and updated internals using their ‘Eco Pure’ lining. But we’ll get to those in the relevant sections below.

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RX-7V on the left, old RX-7 on the right.

As always, let’s start with…

Safety

As you know, at BCH we put a good deal of weight behind a good score with the SHARP helmet testing scheme. Well, the RX-7V has been US Snell certified and as of late 2016, it scored a maximum five stars with SHARP, putting it among the best helmets on the market for safety.

Arai RX-7V Race FIM certified racing helmet black
There’s now an FIM certified version of the RX-7V – see below.

Which is kinda what you’d expect from a £600+ helmet that’s used by professional racers right?

Interestingly, the old RX-7 GP ‘only’ scored four stars with SHARP, dropping a star for safety on the side impact test. And while Arai proclaim proudly on their website that they design their helmets to be as safe as possible and not to pass any particular tests, I’m not sure if they’re fibbing in this case.

You see, the visor pivot and release mechanism on the old RX-7 sits slap bang where SHARP tests the helmet for its side impact tests. All that gubbins is bound to affect a helmet’s shock absorbing capabilities. And lo and behold, when SHARP tested the RX-7, that’s exactly what happened; and it dropped a star. I could be wrong, but it very much looks to me like Arai took notice and lowered/shrank the mechanism on the new 7V to improve shock absorbing at this key point and so get their fifth star.

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Another RX-7V replica. This one’s Nicky Hayden’s

And fair play to them. If it improves helmet safety, then we’re all happy.

Moving on, the RX-7V’s also got a nice wide visor opening – great for spotting other traffic pulling alongside – as well as the Maverick Vinales’ of this world about to chop your nose off before dropping into the corkscrew!

The visor also has a lock on it – which is essential for on-track use to stop the visor opening unexpectedly, especially if you’re rolling across the deck about to enter a gravel trap!

There’s a double-d ring fastener keeping the helmet secured and there’s also a plethora of internal lining options, there to make sure the helmet fits as sungly and comfortably as possible.

Don’t underestimate that point. Comfort and getting a nice tight fit are as important as any safety rating in making sure a helmet’s going to work well during an impact. So, if in doubt, try another before buying (and consult our fitting guide).

It’s worth noting that all the bits and bobs covering the surface of the helmet – the ventilation ducts and side pods – are designed to snap off under impact, so they don’t dig in and rotate the head. That supplements the rounder/smoother helmet shell design that you see across Arai helmets. They call it R75 and the idea is that this rounder helmet form improves “glancing-off” performance of the helmets – i.e. they’ll skim and slide off things during an accident rather than dig in and rotate.

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As usual, there’s a gloss/matt black versions available

Reading the Arai website, it seems like it’s more an idea based on common sense rather than scientifically-backed design ethos (in fact, at the time of writing, their website specifically states no scientific papers exist to support their ideas). Still, it sounds good. Though we wouldn’t mind a bit of science to back it up before we trust our safety to it chaps!

Finally, the RX7V has EQRS fitted – or Arai’s version anyway. Look under the helmet and you’ll see two red tags. Pull on those and the cheek guards pull out nice and easy (ish). If you’re going to buy a helmet for the track, we recommend you always look for one with EQRS fitted (check all the helmets we’ve reviewed featuring EQRS here).

And finally finally, certain sizes of the RX-7V are now FIM homologated meaning they can be used in pro racing.

As always, if you’re unsure of any of the helmet terminology we use – or want to read more, you can find lots of guides on the links on the right (bottom of the article on mobile).

RX-7V RC carbon version

It’s worth mentioning the RC version. It stands for Ruddy Costly. Probably.

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The most exclusive helmet in the world? Certainly one of the most expensive: the RX-7V RC

Actually, it’s ‘Racing Carbon’ and if having a ‘run of the mill’ top of the range Arai isn’t exclusive enough, well Arai have also made a full carbon fibre version – called the RX-7V RC.

Made with eleven layers of aircraft-quality carbon fibre and based on F1 tech (so the blurb goes) it’s lighter, very cool-looking and massively exclusive.

It certainly looks the part – but then at an RRP of £2499, it probably should do!

Arai RX-7V Race FIM

And why would you go for the full carbon version when you can now buy the FIM approved RX-7V Race helmet for a fraction of the price. Only sizes XS-L have been FIM approved and it’s still not cheap at around £800, but for that you’re getting the same helmet that’s been tested and certified by the FIM for racing.

Arai RX-7V Race Sign graphic FIM certified racing helmet side view
This one’s the Sign graphic RX-7V Race FIM.

Truth be told, it’s not that different to the regular RX-7V. The most noticeable feature is that rear spoiler – or diffuser extension. It’s a breakaway part but it’s there to smooth the flow over the helmet and into your rear hump. There’s also an ‘air wing’ in the middle of the spoiler, made to reduce drag and turbulence.

The visor’s a regular 2D visor (so a flatter plastic shield) with tear off posts. It does without a Pinlock-ready visor and there’s no breath guard included either for some reason, though if you plan on using your RX-7V Race on the road too, you can buy these separately.

Check out prices for an Arai RX-7V FIM Race

If you’re thinking of buying an RX-7V FIM Race, you might want to click below to visit the Arai RX-7V FIM Race helmets pages at two of our recommended stores. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Buy from SportsBikeShop

Helmet Noise

Pretty well all owners who moved from the old RX-7 to the RX-7V said that the 7V is a quieter helmet. That’s especially true with the vents closed, which makes a noticeable difference to noise levels in the helmet.

Having said that, there are lots of different opinions how noisy the RX-7V is. Plus, helmet noise is so subjective and so prone to expectation bias (expect it to be super quiet and you’ll probably be disappointed at how noisy it is) that it’s really impossible to say whether you’ll find the RX-7V quiet or noisy. Multiply that with factors such as the type of bike, position, riding speed; and one person’s quiet is another person’s noisy as hell.

Several owners said you can make it quieter by closing the vents, making sure the chin curtain is fitted (most owners reckon that reduces turbulence and noise a bit) and, of course, wearing ear plugs. Do all three and you should be a happy bunny.

Taking all comments into account though, we’re going to score the RX-7V about average for noise suppression. Which is certainly no disgrace given that it’s a track helmet – which are notoriously noisy.

Ventilation

Just like its predecessor, ventilation is one of the Arai RX-7V’s strong points.

Take a look at the photos of the RX7V and you can see, there’s just a ton of air vents and exhausts scattered across the shell. That’s six front vents and seven rear exhaust vents, if you’re counting.

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There’ll probably be a dozen RX-7Vs in every TT race – so they produced this cool TT graphic version

All the input vents and most of the rear exhausts are adjustable and open/closeable.

And by all accounts, they really work well. We only found one person with a gripe, who complained it steams up when stationery. But then all helmets will do that in the right (wrong) conditions. Like, all of em.

Everyone else waxed lyrical about how great the ventilation is and how cool their head felt, even in hot weather.

If pushed to find fault, one person said the top vents work better than the chin vent (it’s not as well venting as his Shark Race R). Another said some of the switches are still a bit fiddly to use in gloves.

But overall, ventilation is one of the Arai RX-9V’s strong points.

Visor

And owners think the visor’s great too.

It’s nice and wide and tall to give great vision – and there’s a Pinlock anti-fog Max Vision insert included with the helmet.

This new visor system is one of the major changes with the Arai RX-7V.

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Plain (and cool) matt white version

It’s been redesigned to reduce the size of the pivot mechanism. Why? Check out our rambling thoughts in the Safety section. Suffice to say it means they’ve had to redesign it to be more compact.

And owners broadly think they’ve done a good job. A few people commented that the visor removal system is a great improvement over the old version, which made you feel like you’re about to snap the visor before it pinged loose! Check the videos below to see info on the new visor.

Until you get the hang of it, the new quick removal system is a bit fiddly though – but then most are. Just check out the 4m video below to see exactly how tricky it can be (and how to do it).

Arai have also updated their visor locking mechanism. It’s a bit more chunky and easier to use than the previous one – press the visor firmly closed and it’ll lock in place. Push the lock up and the visor will go to ‘cracked open’ or city riding position, giving a bit more ventilation. Push up further and the visor will be unlocked.

Overall then, the visor works great and shouldn’t give you any problems.

Comfort and Sizing

The interior of the RX-7V is very well designed and, for most people, supremely comfortable.

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New to the line up, the Vinales rep RX-7V

That’s especially true if you’re a typical oval head shape, as the RX-7V is designed to suit people with more oval rather than rounder heads – which is most of us.

While you’ll find it uses similar foams and anti-wicking type materials to other top of the range helmets – and in the 7V’s case Eco Pure neutral PH anti bacterial lining (because you’re worth it!) – it’s the adjustability that Arai seem to have really nailed with the RX-7V.

The lining is, of course, removable and washable. But it’s also adjustable around the cheeks, skull and temples so you can tweak the fit and get it just right. That includes removable panels to reduce pressure points, and swappable cheek pads to tighten things up.

Watch the vid to find out more (though I think the bloke’s advance/retard is broken as he seems to engage ‘talk’ mode a bit too far in advance of ‘think’ mode, bless him!)

If you do decide to go for a new 7V, a few folks said they size a wee bit on the tight side. So, if you’re between sizes or unsure, we’d suggest opting for the smaller size. And of course, keep the tags on the helmet and buy from a retailer who’ll swap size with no quibbles – like one of our recommended retailers below.

Other than that, several owners commented that their Arai RX-7V is the comfiest and best fitting motorbike helmet they’ve ever worn/owned. All of which makes for a safe helmet that’s a pleasure to live with. Hurray!

Looks and Graphics

There’s no doubt that Arai are a pretty traditional company. And that’s reflected in the design of the RX-7V. This certainly isn’t a helmet that’s designed for cutting-edge looks. Its form is dictated by what Arai consider to be the best functioning design for a safety device. Which is exactly as it should be and brings Arai helmets a special kudos all of their own.

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Old Skool cool – Kenny Roberts replica

So, they’ve left the helmet to do the protecting and the graphics to catch the eye; and that means there’s stacks of designs and paint jobs out there to do just that.

There’s a massive range of race replicas based on designs used by Arai-sponsored riders. Including the Pedrosa, Giugliano, Vinales, Rae, Haslam, Kenny Roberts and a few others.

We’ve tried to put as many graphics on the page as possible – but most designs have several colour options too, and there’s new designs and graphics coming out all the time. So, as usual, click the links below to our recommended retailers to see the latest designs and deals.

Best places to buy an Arai RX-7V helmet?

Please click below to visit the Arai RX-7V helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Buy from SportsBikeShop

Arai RX-7V Videos

We’ve found three videos taking you all around the Arai RX-7V. First off, a fast-talking-guy sweeps you around the helmet (called the Corsair X in the US), followed by a couple of vids looking over the visor mechanism.

Here’s a guy at Arai taking you through how to remove the visor on the RX-7V – trying to emphasize how cool and simple it is while making it look incredibly complex! (4mins).

Oh go on then, here’s another video showing you how it should be done (25s)!

Other stuff – bluetooth, weight, aero & buffeting, build quality, warranty

The Arai RX-7V has a ‘pull away’ section in the liner to accommodate bluetooth speakers. It also has a slightly larger space in the chin area to accommodate a microphone. One owner said it works just fine with his Sena 20s kit, meaning we’d expect it to work a range of other third-party bluetooth sets too.

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Jonny Rae gets his own Arai RX-7V replica too

Onto weight and, even though Arai claim it’s lighter than the old RX-7, a medium size 7V still weighs in at 1.62Kg. That’s not a light helmet by any means – the average weight of a full face helmet across all construction types is a smidge under 1.5Kgs. That said, we didn’t come across any owner saying their RX-7V feels heavy so I guess it’s not heavy enough to cause any problems.

One thing that owners were very happy about was the aero on the Arai. Whether it’s down to that round R-75 shape or the design of the air channels and the rear spoiler, they’re not sure. But it feels slippery when you’re wearing it and there’s little buffeting. That’s especially the case when you’re doing head-checks over your shoulder when there’s very little buffeting at all; even at speed.

Pretty well everyone who buys an Arai expects a good build quality from their helmet. Why wouldn’t you when you’re paying £600+? And owners’ expectations aren’t let down because everything from fit to finish, Pinlock to paint seems to be raved about by its lucky owners.

Which is possibly one reason why Arai can afford to offer their customers a class leading 5 year warranty on all their helmets. That’s as good as warranties get – and are likely to get with helmet makers recommending changing helmets every five years.

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Alternatives to the Arai RX-7V

If you’re looking for a top-notch sportsbike/racing helmet, then the 7V is at the top of the pile, probably along with the Shoei X-Spirit III and AGV Pista GP.

The Shoei X-Spirit 3 is also an amazing helmet – it looks great, has heaps of MotoGP heritage and is SHARP 5 star rated. Owners love em too and they cost about the same as the RX-7V. If you’re looking for the best, we’d currently put the Shoei slightly ahead of the Arai, mainly because it has a 5 star safety rating.

However, we’d have to include the AGV Pista GP in there too. It’s ultra-light (lighter than the other two) and also SHARP 5 star safety rated. It’s more expensive than both the Arai and Shoei though – but it does have the pedigree of being developed alongside Vale himself. That’s gotta count for a few extra quid, right?

Aside from these three top helmets, there’s a bunch of other racing helmets that don’t cost as much but are extremely decent lids.

First off, the Shark Race-R Pro can be had for less than the Arai. It’s a SHARP 5 star rated carbon fibre helmet that’s lots lighter than the 7V too, weighing in at 1.3Kg.

The AGV Corsa is a smidge heavier than that, but that’s also a SHARP 5 star rated sportsbike helmet and comes with an optically-correct visor.

For about the same price as the Corsa, we’ll throw into the mix the Schuberth C3 Pro – one of the only sports-modular helmets out there. It’s only SHARP 3 star rated but, even though it’s a modular, it’s about the same weight as the RX-7V (that’s light for a modular!).

Finally, for less than half the price of the Arai, you can pick up a SHARP 4 star safety rated sportsbike helmet in the form of the LS2 FF323 Arrow. Optically correct visor, Pinlock antifog included (check retailer) – that’s gotta be worth a look too?

Best places to buy an Arai RX-7V?

Please click below to visit the Arai RX-7V helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Buy from SportsBikeShop

Definitely want an Arai?

Here you'll find all our Arai crash helmet reviews and previews including full face, flip-up and open face helmets.

Star Ratings

MCN Rating: Quality 5/5, Value 4/5

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Safety
Comfort
Noise
Features
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arai-rx-7v-arais-new-top-of-the-range-lidThe Arai RX-7V is an amazing piece of engineering. But then at this price, it should be. Premium price, SHARP five star safety rated, great ventilation, large visor with Pinlock included and all the kudos and exclusivity that comes with owning Arai's top of the range sportsbike helmet. If you can afford it and want outstanding build quality - and like the look of Arai's - then you'll undoubtedly join the ranks of lots of other very happy Arai RX-7V owners.

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