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Great value full face – but not in Europe just yet.

Scorpion EXO-R420 budget full face motorcycle crash helmet review.

The Scorpion EXO 410 Air we reviewed a few years ago has now been replaced by… the imaginatively named Scorpion Exo-R420!

If you check out the old helmet, you’ll be struck by just how different the new one looks. While the old one was a smoother rounder shape, the new one is much more angular with a design inspired by race helmets with that big rear spoiler jutting out back.

But while it might look like a track helmet, if you read the Scorpion blurb carefully, they don’t say it’s been developed for the track. It’s designed to be a competitively priced all rounder helmet that’s aerodynamic, ultra light weight with great ventilation and low noise.

But they all say that, don’t they? So, let’s work out what’s real and what’s not, based on riders and owners comments from around the web.

Looking to buy one?

Well, it's not available in Europe yet so you'll have to either jump on over to our US site where you'll find a few great stores you can buy one from. Or if you want one NOW, you can hop straight over to Revzilla (USA) who'll ship one over to Europe, no problem. But remember, it'll only be a DOT certified helmet without an ECE certification sticker on the back so isn't legal to use anywhere in the UK or Europe. Please see here for more info on our recommended retailers.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

OK, the Scorpion EXO R420 is only DOT certified which means it’s been made to meet DOT safety standards. So far it hasn’t been ECE certified so isn’t legal for use in Europe.

scorpion exo r 410 motorcycle helmet Sugar Skull pink side view
In your face Sugar Skull R420.

It’s also been tested by those nice folks at the Snell Memorial Foundation in California who’ve subjected a bunch of R420s to all kinds of anvil and drop-testing related shenanegans and passed it with a Snell M2015 stamp.

Short of launching yourself off your bike on the motorway, Snell certification is one of the world’s best testing standards for motorcycle helmets and means the Scorp R420 should give you a great level of impact protection.

So, yeah the R420 is a polycarbonate helmet, and yeah that means it’s a helmet at the cheaper end of the shelf. But yeah, it’s still going to give you great levels of protection for not much money.

Which is great news if your pockets aren’t too deep but you still want great protection from your full face.

It’s also got EQRS or emergency quick release system cheek pads which is really great to see in a helmet at this price.

scorpion exo r 410 shake black gold motorcycle helmet front view
Here’s the Scorpion EXO-R420 Shake. Remember, all R420s come with a clear visor, not dark

Click the link above if you want to find out more about EQRS, and let’s hope more helmet makers start to follow suit because it must be cheap to implement but could be the difference between walking away from hospital or rolling away in a chair.

Of course, the visor is a key feature for safety. And Scorpion has added a visor with an anti-fog coating and visor lock to stop it popping open. It’s also got got decent peripheral vision too.

Read more detail in the visor section below as usual, but that’s a stack of features which should help from a safety perspective.

Finally, the Scorpion EXO R420 is made in two helmet shell sizes. That’s not the most but better than one – read here why more shell sizes is better for helmet safety.

All in all though, with that Snell sticker on the back and DOT approval, the Scorpion EXO R420 has gotta represent some of the best tested level of safety for not much money that we’ve seen in a while. But note, DOT isn’t accepted across Europe so because the R420 isn’t ECE approved, it’s not legal to use there.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

OK, you know helmet noise is subjective, right?

scorpion exo r 410 motorcycle crash helmet techno graphics grey
This one’s the Scorpion EXO-R420 Techno in grey/black.

So if we say folks reckon a helmet’s whisper quiet, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will too when you hit 90?

OK, glad that’s noted. Because – like there is with every helmet – there’s a wide range of opinions out there as to how quiet the Scorpion R420 is.

In the case of the R420 though, views seem to range from ‘quietest helmet ever!’ to ‘noisier than average’ which is actually a glowing review of the helmet’s noise suppression as there’s usually a few folks saying it’s the next noisiest thing to an F15 at take off.

We’ve looked all over the internet (and I mean to places that’ll make grown men weep!) and the median line seems to be that it’s a reasonably quiet helmet.

There.

But don’t roast me if you buy one and it makes your fillings rattle!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a single chin vent, single crown vent and single rear exhaust vent in the EXO-R420 and that’s your lot.

scorpion exo r 410 motorcycle helmet Sugar Skull gold rear view
From the back. Big rear exhaust/spoiler combo dominates on this Sugar Skull R420 in gold

But that chin vent is actually a 3 way vent with a slider that moves from closed to visor vent to face vent. And the word from owners is that it works great. Enough said.

That top vent is an opened-closed slider and routes air into the helmet and through the generous internal channels and out the rear exhaust vent.

But word on this top vent is less than glowing. A couple of owners said it works if you’re in a tuck position, but otherwise forget it. OK it does vent some air in – enough to give you some cooling, but if you’re after a helmet that really pulls in tons of air, then you might wanna look elsewhere (such as our best venting helmets pages).

Obviously, apart from keeping you cool, we need air to blast onto the back of the visor to keep things clear there, and that chin vent combined with the anti-fog coating that comes as standard seems to do the job in most circumstances. But more on that below.

Visor

(more about visors)

The Scorpion EXO-R420 comes with a clear visor if you buy one (not the dark visor in all the photos you’ll find everywhere!) and has what Scorpion call an Ever Clear visor with an Ellip-Tec II ratchet system. Rrrright.

scorpion exo r 410 crash helmet tracker grey side view
The Scorpion R420 Tracker in black & grey is a class act. Remember though, you’ll get a clear visor only in the box if you buy one.

Ever Clear is their anti-fog coating on the rear of the visor which is a pretty good anti-fog system. Owners mostly say it works really well, except for when things get really cold when you’ll probably have to crack the visor to let some air in.

And if the Ever Clear doesn’t work for you, well there’s always the option of buying a Pinlock, though you’ll have to buy a Pinlock ready visor too which is going to bump the price up quite a few quid.

Ellip Tech is the name of the face visor hinge system which is designed to pull the visor back towards the seal to keep things nice and wind/weather proof. It’s pretty good, though a coupla folks said theirs gets a bit drafty at times – though no one complained about water getting in so that’s good.

The visor works on a ratchet, has a nice defog/cracked open position if that’s your thing, and it has a central opening tab and lock combo. A few owners said the visor lock’s really fiddly to work and can be tricky to find too when you’ve thick gloves on. But others reckoned it just takes a bit of practice and you can unlock it while pushing up the visor in one deft move with no problem.

I can’t find anywhere on Scorpions’ official pages saying it’s an optically correct visor, though a few reviewers say it is. Either way a) I’ve never had a problem with any helmet distorting my vision to the point it’s distracting – or even particularly noticeable and b) they reckon the visor’s pretty damn optically correct anyway. So all good there.

scorpion exo r 410 motorcycle crash helmet techno graphics red white top view
Here’s a top view for ya – of an R420 in Techno colors.

And finally, while there’s a decent amount of horizontal vision from that visor opening, it’s a little more restricted vertically. So while it looks like a sportsbike helmet, if you’re planning to spend most of your days with your chin on the tank, you might want to look at our sportsbike helmets section instead because the Scorpion isn’t a true track helmet.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Like all Scorpions, the internals of the R420 uses contoured foam covered by Scropion’s KwikWick II material.

That’s a moisture wicking material that’s nice and comfortable to the touch and easily washable. It’s also anti microbial.

Tons of owners say the lining of the EXO R420 is a really comfortable place to stick your head with the majority reporting it’s great for hours in the saddle.

Obviously, that only works if you get the right size and fitment in the first place. That’s also crucial for safety: having your head firmly held in a correctly fitting helmet is your number one priority there.

The Scorpion EXO R420 suits medium oval shaped heads (which is most of us) but a few owners said that Scorpion’s sizings aren’t quite right and you might need to order a size larger than normal. What I’d recommend is that you check our fitment guide and if you find you’re between sizes, maybe go for the larger size. And make sure you can return the helmet for a replacement with no questions – but do make sure you keep the helmet box-fresh with all tags intact, otherwise there ain’t a store around who’ll accept a used helmet back.

scorpion exo r 410 Shake motorcycle helmet side rear view
Wow – there’s some fantastic detail on this black/white Shake R420.

Of course, all our linked stores will do no quibble refunds and returns 😉

So, what else? Well the only other thing is that a few owners said the popper that you use to secure the flappy end of the strap is too high up. Which can be annoying, yeah, but it also shows that if folks are complaining about such a minor point that the rest of the helmet must be pretty good, eh?

Oh, and a couple of other owners said it looks a bit big when they’re wearing it. Which is probably a result of only coming in two shell sizes because the size L helmet will use the same shell size as the XXXL helmet. Which can mean it’ll look a bit oversized on L owners. Note XS-M sizes use the smaller helmet shell and L-XXXL uses the larger shell size.

Finally, there’s a glasses groove in there and a couple of guys reckoned it’s easy to slot your glasses/shades in no problem.

Looks & Graphics

If you’re after a solid color, Scorpion do a cool titanium as well as the usual 2 blacks and gloss white.

scorpion exo r 410 titanium motorcycle helmet top side view
Classy matt titanium EXO-R420. Note, single crown inlet vent and chin vent

But they’re also starting to take a leaf out of Icon’s catalog because they now offer a some edgy graphic versions too. That includes the Shake range that looks like someone’s gone crazy with a sharpie, the Sugar Skulls (name says it all!) and the high voltage Trackers.

If you don’t find a design you like on our review page, then click on through to our recommended stores using the links below where you’re sure to find a load more along with the latest discounts.

Best place to buy one?

Remember, this helmet isn't DOT approved for use anywhere in Europe. You can buy one from the US, but it'll be a DOT certified helmet without an ECE certification sticker on the back so isn't legal to use anywhere in the UK or Europe.

OK, if you still want one, you can jump over to our US site where you'll find a few recommended stores. Or if you're looking for a quality US retailer right now, we recommend Revzilla (USA). They're based in Philadelphia and offer outstanding service (at the time of writing 9.8/10 on Reseller Ratings) along with free delivery (within USA only but reasonable shipping rates outside - see our recommended retailer link below for more info).

Please click the link below to drop onto their Scorpion helmets page. And if you buy from any shop, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you - a massive THANKS! (it's how we finance the site). Click here for more info on our recommended retailers.

Click to visit LS2 at Revzilla
Click to visit Scorpion helmets at Revzilla

Scorpion EXO-R420 Video

Here’s a 5m look around the R420 Shake from Rider’s Domain.

Other stuff – fasteners, audio, weight, glasses, aero, build quality, warranty

The Scorpion EXO R420 comes with a good ole double-d ring fasteners. While they’re a tad fiddlier than micrometric fasteners, if you’re not used to them, they’re old style but good and safe fasteners that don’t take long to get the hang of.

On to communicators. The Scorpion EXO-R420 is communicator ready; there’s some nice deep speaker pockets cut into the EPS shock absorbing liner which should suit all but the biggest bluetooth speakers. One owner of a Sena 10s said it took his bluetooth without a problem, as did a Sena 20s owner.

scorpion-exo-r-410-crash-helmet-tracker-black-white-hi-viz-side-view
Here’s a great high(ish) viz version – the Tracker in black/white/hi viz yellow

As for weight, Scorpion said they planned to make an ultra light weight helmet with the R420. Did they succeed? Hell nope, they didn’t. A size large R420 weighs about 3.75lbs (1.7Kg) which is way heavier than the average full face and a bit heavier than the average polycarb helmet.

That said, weight really doesn’t seem to be an issue with a few riders saying it feels light weight and just a couple saying it feels a bit heavy. The bottom line is that you’ll most likely be fine with the weight of it. No, it’s no carbon helmet but you’ll probably not even notice the weight on the move.

Aero might be something you do notice though. OK it looks like it’s been wind tunnel designed (might’ve for all we know – though Scorpion’s not saying) but a few owners think the aero’s not the best: one said it lifts at highway speeds and another saying you can get quite a bit of buffeting.

Of course, aero that works is also dependent on the bike you ride and your riding position – and there weren’t that many people complaining. But we like to report if there’s potential for a problem so there you go.

A few more people were vocal about build quality though. Yep, several said, for the price, build quality’s great with good quality fit, finish and materials used.

Which might be one of the reasons Scorpion provides the R420 with a very generous 5 year warranty from purchase date (or seven from date of manufacture, whichever’s the soonest) – because they believe in the quality of their workmanship (should that be workpersonship these days?! 🙂 )

Overall/Summary

OK, the Scorpion EXO R420 is at the lower end of the price range, so it’s a more entry-level motorcycle helmet. Which makes the number of features you get for your money all the more amazing.

scorpion-exo-r-410-motorcycle-helmet-Sugar-Skull-pink-top-view
View from the top of the Sugar Skull

Sure, it’s a polycarbonate shelled helmet that’s only made in two shell sizes; and the ventilation’s not the best.

But don’t forget, it’s also a Snell certified helmet, meaning it’s been shown that it’ll offer great protection – which not all helmets can say.

Plus it’s got a great visor system with antifog, EQRS (which not many helmets at this price point have) and is hyper comfortable and reasonably quiet. Oh, and don’t forget it looks cool too – very important that. All for way under £200.

All in all, if that’s your budget, you don’t mind buying from a US vendor and you’re looking for a great all rounder, then the Scorpion Exo R420 is a really attractive package that you should really check out.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Good Alternatives to the Scorpion EXO-R420?

OK, there’s a shedload of full face helmets out there – but if you’re after a helmet that’s been tested to offer great protection and which won’t suck your wallet dry as well as give you tons of bang for your buck, then you should check out these bad boys.

First up, there’s the Italian AGV K3 SV – that was tested by SHARP where it scored 4 stars out of 5 for safety. It’s got a built in sun visor too and comes with a Pinlock anti-fog insert.

The HJC FG-17 is another SHARP 4 star rated (and Snell certified) full face that’s comfortable and a great all rounder (but with a more sportsbike focus) – at a sub £200 price point too.

For a bit more money, you could be riding in a Shoei RYD, that’s a great all rounder helmet that’s a SHARP 5 star (maximum) rated full face that’s US Snell approved as well. It’s got EQRS, Pinlock and great ventilation all in a premium package.

Looking to buy one?

Well, it's not available in Europe yet so you'll have to either jump on over to our US site where you'll find a few great stores you can buy one from. Or if you want one NOW, you can hop straight over to Revzilla (USA) who'll ship one over to Europe, no problem. But remember, it'll only be a DOT certified helmet without an ECE certification sticker on the back so isn't legal to use anywhere in the UK or Europe. Please see here for more info on our recommended retailers.

Star Ratings

Billy’s Crash Helmets Great Motorcycle Crash Helmet Buying FAQ

helmet-buying-faq-featured-2

So you want to buy a new motorcycle helmet but you don’t know where to start?

Well fear not, Billy’s Crash Helmets is here with all the insight, information and intel you could possibly need to make finding and buying the right crash helmet to suit you, your bike and your riding style.

So here’s an FAQ to get you up to speed and link you to some of our excellent guides along the way.

Where do I start when thinking about buying a motorbike helmet?

Well you could start with our Beginner’s guide to buying a motorcycle crash helmet.

beginner's-guide-featured
Beginner’s guide to buying a motorbike helmet

Or you could have a look at our Smartish Filters page where you can tick two or three helmet features you’re looking for and we’ll show you which helmets you ought to take a closer look at.

But aside from that, I suggest you look down this FAQ and see which features should be your biggest priority – such as safety or price or type of helmet. That’s a great starting point, and from there you can start to zoom in on the best helmets out there that’ll suit your particular needs.

Which is the safest motorcycle helmet?

All helmets on sale in Europe have to be ECE 22.05 tested and approved. In the US, the equivalent is DOT. If you go to a reputable store, all helmets on sale should be pukka, certified, and give a decent minimum level of protection.

Above that in the UK, SHARP independently safety tests helmets – and in the US their equivalent is Snell.

all you need to know about helmet safety
Read everything you need to know about helmet safety – click above!

Now you know that, you can visit our safest motorcycle crash helmets section to find all the highest rated SHARP safety tested helmets (or you can find even more information on how to buy the safest helmet here). Or if a helmet’s been Snell certified in the US, here’s our Snell Helmets page.

That’s a great place to start your helmet buying journey: find the safest helmets on the market then choose the right one from among those!

Which is the cheapest motorbike helmet?

When a helmet’s for sale at the lower end of the price range – typically under £149 (or $199) then you’ll find them on our cheapest motorcycle helmets pages. You’ll find some great helmets in there too – because price isn’t necessarily a bullet proof guide to buying a great performing helmet.

You might want to visit our smartish filters page too – so you could tick the boxes for cheapest helmet and safest helmet (for example) to find lower priced helmets that also max out on protection.

Overall, the cheapest helmets are polycarbonate or thermoplastic helmets but only because they’re easier (and therefore cheaper) to make. Again, if you choose right, that doesn’t mean you have to skimp on safety either.

How much should I pay for a motorbike helmet?

I’ll not say ‘how long’s a piece of string’ because that’s lame.

Decide what your budget is, what sort of helmet you want (a quiet helmet or a helmet for your sportsbike for example) then buy the right sort of helmet within your price range.

You can actually buy a cracking helmet that’ll really look after your head in an impact for well under £100. But a top-flight (and hyper exclusive) track helmet can cost over a grand.

Are cheap helmets as good as expensive helmets?

They can be. Certainly, there are SHARP 5 star rated helmets for less than a ton – exactly the same safety rating of the big boy brands made from carbon fibre. And of course they’re all ECE certified too.

Here’s loads more information about expensive v cheap crash helmets.

Click to visit our look at cheap v expensive motorcycle helmets.
(Image by Paul https://www.flickr.com/photos/vegaseddie)/5700609302/in/photostream/

What fastener should my motorcycle helmet have?

D-ring fasteners are tried and tested and require the rider to adjust them every time (that’s a good thing by the way!). As long as they do that, they’re as safe as they come.

Micrometric fasteners are incredibly easy to use (so ideal for learners) – just make sure you readjust them at the main adjuster from time to time.

These are the two de-facto standard helmet fasteners you’ll find on all modern helmets.

Do I need to wear ear plugs with my motorcycle helmet?

Yep. If you’re going any sort of distance and you don’t want to damage your hearing, you really should.

All motorcycle helmets are pretty noisy places. Even though we have our quietest helmets page, noise is always relative. And if you’re riding any distance – especially if you’re riding at speed – we always recommend you use a good pair of ear plugs.

Handily we’ve done a review of the best motorcycle ear plugs.

What’s the best helmet for commuting?

Many full face helmets are great for commuting. So too are flip up helmets (sometimes called modular or system helmets).

To quickly find one that’ll work, we’d suggest three places to look.

First there’s our Commuting motorcycle helmets page.

Secondly, our top 10 full face helmets page.

And thirdly, our top 10 modular helmets page.

best new helmet to buy featured
Which is the best helmet for me? click and find out!

What’s the best helmet for a sportsbike?

Funny you should ask.

For a sportsbike, you need a nice big visor, vertically as well as horizontally to give you a good clear view of the road/track ahead when you’re tucked in and nailing it.

It needs to be mega comfy, have good ventilation, probably be light weight and have an anti-fog visor too.

Check our sportsbike helmet reviews and our motorcycle helmets for the track. You’ll find a few duplicates across the pages because many track helmets are excellent for general sportsbike riding too.

What’s the best helmet for a cruiser/naked/retro?

Tricky.

Lots of cruiser riders like open face helmets – though we don’t review many of those because they’re inherently less safe the full face helmets.

You might want to find a nice retro helmet to go with your custom ride.

And there’s the occasional helmet released that they say is designed for cruisers – such as the Arai Renegade V (Defiant X in the US) or for naked bikes such as the Shark Spartan.

But if you go for a sports touring helmet, you’ll probably find most work a treat with your cruiser/naked/retro bike as they’re designed to be all-rounders.

What’s the best helmet for touring motorcycles?

When we review a helmet that’s a great all rounder, we add it to our sports touring helmets pages.

There you’ll find lots of helmets with decent noise suppression, aero, visor with decent peripheral vision and lots of room for bluetooth communicators.

And as always, visit our Smartish Filters page and choose ‘sports touring’ along with another feature or two to zoom in on helmets that have all the features you’ve chosen.

Which is the best full face helmet?

Probably a helmet that’s great value, comes with a Pinlock anti-fog in the box, is quiet and comfortable.

To quickly find our highest rated full face helmets, you should head over to our top 10 full face helmets page.

Or jump here to see all our full face helmet reviews.

Which is the best modular/flip-up helmet?

And if you’re looking to quickly home in on the best modular helmets, take a trip over to our top 10 flip-front/modular helmets page.

Modulars can be a bit tricky because that chin bar can be a bit of a weak point. Thankfully, SHARP rates how well those chin bars perform (and we mention it in the safety section of our reviews).

Other than that, you should look for the usual combo of comfort, great visor (probably with a sun visor) noise suppression (modulars can be very noisy places) and quick release visor with Pinlock antifog.

See all our modular helmet reviews here or visit our smart filters page to choose ‘flip-up & modular’ along with one or two other features you must have.

Other places for Motorcycle Crash Helmet buying Information?

There’s lots of guides and helmet reviews on this site if you have a nose around.

Try the homepage where we’ve scattered links to some of our most popular sections.

Or here’s a ton of our motorcycle crash helmets buying guides. Whatever your question or query about motorbike helmets, a pound to a penny you’ll find your answer somewhere in there!

And if you don’t, you’re even more spoddy about helmets than we are (and do let us know your question via comments section below). Cheers!

Icon Alliance and Alliance GT (sun visor): great value all-rounder helmets.

icon-alliance-GT-featured

Icon Alliance and Alliance GT full face motorcycle helmet review.

Along with the Icon Airmada, the Icon Alliance is Icon’s entry-level full face motorcycle helmet. It comes in two flavours: the standard Alliance is exactly the same as the Alliance GT except the GT has a drop down sun visor. Other than that, they’re the same helmet.

The Alliance is designed as an all rounder helmet – so you can commute in it during the week, then take it out for a blast with your mates at the weekend. It should work on most types of motorcycles too, but if you spend most of your time in a tuck position, then you might want to invest in a more focused sportsbike helmet as the visor on the Alliance might not be quite deep enough.

icon alliance crash helmet overlord fluo yellow rear view
Icon Alliance Overlord – this one’s the standard Alliance with no sun visor

It’s also been designed for folks with longer heads too – which isn’t the typical type of helmet fitment (that’s more medium oval) but will be a welcome discovery for those of us who need more options when they’re looking for a long-oval helmet.

OK, the Icon alliance is a more entry-level lid so it’s not going to be too pricey. But what exactly do you get for your money?

  • Polycarbonate full face helmet
  • Drop down sun visor (Alliance GT only)
  • ECE & DOT certified
  • SHARP 3 Star safety tested
  • Long-oval head shape
  • Double D-ring strap
  • Great for comfort, venting & noise
  • Weighs 1.64kg
  • Sizes XS-XXXL
  • Expect to pay £120-£150

Looking to buy an Icon Alliance?

Please click below to visit the Icon Alliance 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

Safety

 (more about helmet safety)

Both the Icon Alliance and Alliance GT are made from polycarbonate, that’s the material of choice for making lower-priced helmets. It’s cheap to form into a helmet shape and makes for tough lids that absorb impacts well and that can offer great protection.

Icon Alliance SHARP test results
Image/test copyright sharp.dft.gov.uk

How good? Well, the Alliance is both ECE certified for sale in Europe and DOT in the US – which means it’ll offer at least a decent minimum level of protection and is the same standard that all helmets have to pass to hit the shelves, whatever their price.

Beyond that, three Icons have been independently safety tested by SHARP so far (but none tested/approved by the US Snell organisation).

That includes another polycarbonate shelled Icon, the Icon Airmada which scored two stars (out of five).

The Icon Alliance has been tested too and scored a respectable three stars for safety. As you can see from the SHARP test results above, the Alliance performed well on top, front and rear impacts but pretty poorly on side impacts.

It’s a reasonable score overall, but not as good as some of the safest motorcycle crash helmets we’ve reviewed.

Should you be unfortunate enough to hit the deck, you’ll find your Alliance is held in place using a double-d ring fastener (they’re great) and your visor’s kept closed, preventing gravel getting in because it’s got a locking pin (see visor section for more info).

Of course the best helmets are carefully designed to help keep you out of trouble in the first place.

The Alliance GT has a drop down sun visor – they’re mega useful and we’d highly recommend you go for a helmet with one of these.

That main visor is also anti-fog treated. Icon helmets have one of the better anti fog treatments we’ve come across out of the box, and that’s really necessary to keep things mist free and give you the best view of the road ahead.

icon alliance GT motorcycle helmet rubatone matt black side view
Rubatone matt black Aliance GT with amber smoked sun visor

And finally, you need your lid to be comfortable so you don’t get distracted by your helmet while riding.

The Alliance has great ventilation and a comfortable interior so all’s good there – see sections below for more info on these.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

There’s no word from Icon about any particular features they’ve designed to keep the Alliance and Alliance GT quiet.

But there is word from owners out there. And overall, they broadly reckon it’s a quiet helmet. OK, there’s one or two who think it’s like wearing a boom box on your head, but that’s always the case, mainly because helmet noise is so subjective.

However overall, owners of the Icon Alliance say it’s great to keeping things quiet; though you should still always wear some quality ear plugs.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Ventilation is also one of the Icon Alliance’s strong points.

It looks like a fairly standard sort of layout; a single central chin vent and a couple of separate forehead vents up top. But that’s not the whole story.

icon alliance crash helmet overlord red front view
front view of Alliance Overlord helmet showing chin and crown vents

In the chin guard, there is that central large vent with a toggle panel covering it to open/close the vent. But if you look closely, you’ll notice a couple of other smaller vents to the sides, and these can be opened/closed too from inside the helmet.

OK you might need to stop and take off your helmet before you can open them, but together with the main chin vent, they all vent a lot of air to the rear of the visor and onto your face.

The top vents have to be open and closed separately using the small slider on each vent, which can be a bit of a pain, but owners say they do pull in stacks of air. That air is circulated around the head using a network of channels in the lining and there’s a massive six separate exhaust vents on the back of the helmet to help that warm, moist air escape.

All in all, pretty well everyone we came across said ventilation on the Alliance and Alliance GT is fantastic. So if you live somewhere really hot – or just love a cold head! – then ventilation is definitely one of the Alliance’s strong points.

Visor

(more about visors)

The visor is a mixture of the great and the not so great.

Positive points are that it comes with Icon’s Fog Free visor which most owners agree is excellent in keeping the visor mist free in all but the most extreme circumstances.

icon alliance crash helmet oro boros side view
Icon Alliance without sun visor (no slider behind visor pivot is the only difference)

And overall, the visor works fairly well. But there are niggles.

It works on a ratchet, though a couple of owners said the ratchet is a bit soft. Nothing major, just feels like it might slam shut above 80 – though I guess most of us will have their visors firmly closed at that speed?

And there’s a visor lock, but it’s very much an old school type of lock; with a metal pin locating into a hole in the visor to keep it shut.

It works well though; it just takes a bit of a firm push to open the visor and most folks seem to agree it could probably do with an update.

And the final niggle is that while it does have a quick change mechanism, it can take quite a bit of getting used to. You have to pull off the side pods before you get at the visor pivots – and most owners reckon it takes quite a bit of pressure to get them off – though after that, swapping the visor is simple.

Having said that, there’s just as many owners out there wondering what all the fuss is about.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

There’s a drop down sun visor – only on the Icon Alliance GT though. Just to avoid confusion, it’s what Icon calls a Drop Shield.

icon alliance GT primary in red helmet side view
This design’s the Icon Alliance GT Primary

It’s operated by a slider right behind the visor pivot on the left hand side and it’s an up/down sort of visor: i.e. it’s either fully up or fully down, so you’ll struggle to set it to in between positions.

That’s not usually a problem for most of us – if you’ve got the sun in your eyes, you want the SV fully down, right?

No problems reported with how the sun visor works so it looks like all’s good there.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Icon Alliance, you’ll find a contoured foam liner covered by Icon’s Hydra Dry material. That’s a breathable and moisture wicking material that’s soft to the touch and makes for comfortable liners.

The liner is also removable and washable, which is always good.

Weirdly, Icon US says the Alliance is designed to be a medium oval fitment while Icon Europe reckon it’s more long oval.

Word out there is that it’s actually long oval fitment. And while you might find it’s really tight to get on (a few Icon’s are a bit like this) once on, owners say the Alliance is a really comfortable helmet.

Just in case you buy one online, make sure you buy from a store who’ll let you swap it for a different size (like all our recommended stores will), because one or two owners say they can size a bit small, meaning you might need to go a size up from your usual fitment.

icon alliance crash helmet DL18 side view
There’s plenty of mad graphics available: this one’s the Alliance DL18

Other than that, owners say it’s a really comfy helmet, so as long as you’ve got the right longer-oval shaped head, all should be well.

Looks & Graphics

If you know anything about Icon helmets, you’ll know that they like bonkers in-yer-face graphics on their helmets.

We’ve smattered a few of the most striking up and down the page – but for more options, click through to our recommended shops below – they’ll drop you straight on to their Icon helmets page. Cheers!

Best places to buy an Icon Alliance?

Please click below to visit the Icon Alliance 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

Icon Alliance Video

Here’s a 2m look around the Rubatone matt black version of the Icon Alliance GT (GT stands for sun visor, obviously 🙂 )

Other stuff – audio, weight, aero, build quality, warranty

If you’re looking to use a bluetooth headset with your Alliance, there aren’t any speaker pockets built into the EPS liner. Which is not to say it can’t work with an intercom – it can. Several owners of Sena headsets have successfully installed them onto an Alliance. But just make sure you have a set with low profile speakers otherwise you might struggle.

The Alliance weighs around 1.65Kg  (3.6lbs) which is a bit heavier than average for a polycarbonate helmet but shouldn’t cause a problem. In fact, of all the comments about weight we could find, we only found owners saying how light the helmet feels. Just goes to show, unless it’s massively overweight, helmet weight can be a perception thing.

icon alliance GT operator green helmet side view
Alliance GT Operator in green/black

As for aero, the Alliance is a pretty decent performer. It doesn’t have the winglets and spoilers of a race helmet, but it has been wind tunnel tested and owners seem to say it’s resulted in a pretty stable that doesn’t suffer from buffeting.

Finally, onto build quality. OK, it’s a relatively inexpensive helmet, so you’ve gotta take that into consideration, but owners say that the build quality is excellent for a helmet at this price point.

Paint and finish, construction and decent quality materials are all mentioned – so you can expect the Icon Alliance to last.

Which is undoubtedly a good job because Icon helmets only come with a stingy one year warranty.

Overall/Summary

If you’re after a good solid helmet for a decent price, then the Alliance and Alliance GT (sun visor) are definitely worth a look. And if you’re after standing out from the crowd with some crazy graphics, then they’ll probably come top of your list!

But graphics aside, the polycarb Alliance range are decent helmets. OK, it didn’t score top marks when SHARP tested it – although 3 stars is pretty good going – but for a daily helmet, they’re comfortable with superb ventilation, a decent visor and sun visor, and they’re relatively quiet too.

In fact, for the money, the Icon Alliance is right up there as one of the best all rounders we’ve come across. Well worth checking out.

Good Alternatives to the Icon Alliance?

Here’s some great performing full face helmets to look at – all with great tested/proven safety.

icon alliance GT DC18 Glory helmet rear view
Rear view of the Icon Alliance GT DC18 Glory helmet

First off, the SHARP 5 star safety rated HJC FG-ST. It’s a fibreglass lid with sun visor, Pinlock antifog and available for just a tinsy bit more than the Icon Alliance.

Or how about this one – the LS2 Arrow. For the same price as one of the top end graphic Alliances, you can get a fibreglass SHARP 4 star rated sportsbike helmet with Pinlock and optically correct visor that weighs around 1.3Kg. Wow.

A bit more is the X-Lite X-702 GT. That’s a composite fibre SHARP 5 star touring helmet that’s quiet, comfortable and with great ventilation just like the Icon Alliance.

Finally, the AGV K5S is another sports/touring full face helmet that’s highly rated for safety, looks cool and is great value for money.

Looking to buy an Icon Alliance?

Please click below to visit the Icon Alliance 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

Other full face helmets?

We've got lots of other ways you can find your ideal full face helmet. You can check out our Top 10 full-face crash helmets list to see our best rated helmets or head over to our Smartish Filters pages and zoom in on helmets with your 'must have' features. You can browse through all our full face crash helmet reviews as well as our safest motorcycle helmets page where you'll only find helmets that are SHARP four or five star rated - so you'll know you're wearing the best protection out there. Finally, check out our helmet gallery to find a lid that takes your fancy.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Star Ratings

Caberg Drift Evo review: A great value lid for your sportsbike?

caberg-drift-evo-featured

Caberg Evo Drift review: full face, composite sportsbike helmet.

The Caberg Drift Evo is, as the name suggests, an evolution of the older Caberg Drift.

Which means while the original Drift was aimed at sports/touring riders, the Drift Evo is aimed more towards sportsbike and track riders, with Caberg saying it was developed through their racing department in conjunction with ‘championship’ riders.

Their riders might be lower profile names you’ve never heard of (I’m a massive racing fan but I’ve never heard of any of them!) but I’m sure their feedback is just as useful for helmet development as that of the big names employed by the likes of AGV or Arai.

So, with a new, swoopier profile, an extra helmet shell and the same old light weight of the last gen Drifts; what’s difference between the new Drift Evo and the old Drift – and is it worth the investment?

Best places to buy a Caberg Drift Evo?

Please click below to visit the Caberg Drift Evo 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

caberg drift evo Speedster motorcycle helmet black anthracite side view
Caberg Drift Evo in Speedster graphics with sun visor fully dropped

Safety

 (more about helmet safety)

The Drift Evo keeps much of the form and mouldings of the old Evo but it’s now produced in two shell sizes and features that eye-catching rear spoiler.

Of course, it’s a must to have a decent sized spoiler on the back of any sportsbike helmet these days – and that helps give it decent aero capabilities and stability (see more further down the rpage).

And adding a second helmet shell size to the range will definitely add to the safety and fitting of the Drift Evo – and help it look better in proportion to the rider, avoiding the lollipop effect when a large helmet’s worn by a small person.

caberg drift evo Integra composite motorbike front view
A sharp front profile shows it’s a sportsbike helmet – this one’s the Drift Evo Integra

For those of you who care, the smaller shell size will cover XS-M and the larger shell L-XXL.

Other than that, the shell of the Drift Evo looks near identical to the Drift, and it’s ECE 22.05 certified but not DOT(for the US).

One key difference between the Drift Evo and the Drift is that whereas the old Drift was SHARP 3 star safety rated, the Drift Evo scored 4 stars which is a good score and means we’ve now added it to our safest helmets page which includes only four and five star rated helmets.

One other point is that there is a Caberg Drift Evo Corsa variant which is actually certified by the FIM for pro circuit racing (size xs only at time of writing – each size has to be separately certified).

Caberg drift evo SHARP 8.5 ms test results
Caberg Drift Evo: SHARP 8.5m/s impact test results courtesy of sharp.dft.gov.uk

I don’t have any more information on that helmet, except it looks suspiciously identical – at least on the photos on the FIM website – to the Caberg Drift Evo Carbon Pro you can buy over the counter. See photo below (good looking blighter isn’t it?!).

Back to the regular Drift Evo: in the UK it’ll come with an ACU Gold sticker on there and come with a double-d ring fastener – which is spot on for the track and a great way to secure your lid in place.

Caberg Drift Evo Corsa FIM racing helmet
Caberg Drift Evo Corsa FIM racing helmet. Or is it the Carbon Pro? Looks the same

And while the visor itself is designed to work on a sportsbike – so it’s tall and wide to give good all-round vision – it’s also Pinlock ready, meaning you can fit the (included) Pinlock Max Vision insert to keep your vision clear in all but the most extreme wet/cold circumstances.

So, while the Drift Evo doesn’t quite give the protection of five star rated helmets (of which there aren’t many to choose from), it should still give a decent amount of rider protection if the worst happens.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Sportsbike and track helmets are notorious for having less noise suppression than road or touring helmets. But equally, their focus on having great aero and stability can mean there’s less to stick up into the airflow and create noise.

The Evo Drift has what Caberg describe as a wind stop chin guard and an anti-turbulence neck roll. And they also say they’ve redesigned the cheek pads to offer a closer fit.

caberg drift evo composite motorbike helmet gloss white rear view
Rear view of the solid gloss white Drift Evo – showing removable rear spoiler

In practice, most owners don’t have a problem with the noise levels in the Drift Evo. But we did hear from a couple of owners who said the visor can whistle a bit. It was by no means a common problem but if you find yours does, get it back to your retailer so they can swap out the visor.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The Caberg Drift Evo has a single large vent in the chin guard which directs air onto the back of the visor to help with demisting.

Up top, there’s another single vent which directs air through the helmet shell and into air channels inside the helmet. That air is then pushed through the helmet and out through the large rear exhaust vent that sits above the spoiler.

Both inlet vents and the exhaust can be closed off by simple and large glove-friendly sliders.

caberg drift evo motorcycle helmet matt black side view
Matt black version showing off the rear spoiler

It’s more or less the same system used on the old Drift. Owners on that helmet rated it pretty highly, and they do on the Drift Evo too, with enough airflow coming through the helmet even on hot sunny days to keep your head cool.

Although, don’t expect the visor to stay clear in wet/cold or humid conditions; you’ll still need the help of that supplied Pinlock anti-fog insert.

Visor

(more about visors)

The main visor on the Drift Evo is unchanged from the one on the Drift.

That means it’s a clear visor with a couple of opening tabs and a spring-loaded, quick release visor mechanism with an unusual locking/cracked open mode lever – something that’s only seen otherwise on Arai helmets.

The visor itself works on friction, so no ratchet here. And it’s spring-loaded, meaning when you move the visor towards the closed position, the spring will pull the visor closed, giving it a positive pull against the visor gasket to ensure a nice air/water tight fit.

Whether you find the spring loaded visor a useful feature or not is entirely dependent on personal preference I guess, but if you’re used to old-style visors where it’s down to you to decide exactly how cracked open your visor is, it might take a bit of getting used to.

caberg drift evo carbon motorcycle helmet matt anthracite white sun visor
Full carbon Drift Evo – main visor fully up, sun visor fully down

If you do like to ride with your visor open a little bit, maybe for demisting or getting a bit of air onto your face while riding, then Caberg hasn’t abandoned you totally.

At the back of the left hand visor pivot, there’s a small lever that you can pull back which will push the visor forward, cracking it open the visor a few mm at the bottom.

Plus, you can also use the lever to lock the visor in place if you’re going on the track and want to make sure it won’t open up in any circumstance.

Finally, the Caberg Drift Evo does come with a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box; which is an essential piece of kit if you suffer from visor fogging. And, if you’re THAT serious about your track days, tear-off ready visors are also available.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

There’s also an integral sun visor in the Caberg Drift Evo – what Caberg calls its Double Visor System (don’t get confused – it’s just a clear main visor and sun visor – nothing more). It’s operated using a slider interestingly located just below the left hand visor pivot.

It’s normal for the sun visor controls to be on the left hand side of the helmet of course, but it’s unusual to see a slider positioned so close to the visor pivot. What it does mean is that all the visor controls are in the same place – though it does take a bit of getting used to quickly finding the slider when you’re wearing gloves and on the move.

caberg drift evo carbon motorcycle helmet black yellow white side view
This one’s another Carbon – this time with hi-viz flashes

The sun visor can be dropped to intermediate points (i.e. isn’t just fully up or down like some sun visors). And as usual, the sun visor isn’t anti-fog so will mist up in cold weather – though it is anti-scratch like the main visor.

A few Drift Evo owners commented that the sun visor mechanism isn’t quite as smooth as some brands – it can be a bit clunky and notchy.

And while it’s a useful addition to making the helmet more user friendly, a couple of owners also wished it dropped down a bit further.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Caberg Drift Evo is a fully washable and removable lining. Caberg says they’ve re-engineered the cheek pads to provide a better, closer fit than the old Drift and different sized cheek pads are available to customize the fit more if you find it’s a bit loose.

There’s also space inside for a pair of bluetooth speakers.

Owners rated the old Caberg Drift highly for comfort, meaning we gave it a four star rating for comfort overall.

With the Drift Evo, several owners have said that, while it’s a comfortable helmet, getting the size right in the first place was a bit tricky for them because it sizes a bit small.

So whereas you might be a size M in most helmets, you’ll probably find that a bit tight in the Drift Evo.

So what we’d suggest if you’re thinking of buying one, follow our helmet fitment guide and if you find you’re between sizes, go for a size larger. And when you receive your new helmet, make sure you’re happy it’s the right size before removing tags/stickers, and make sure you buy from a shop that will happily exchange your helmet if it feels the wrong size (like our recommended retailers do).

Remember, getting your helmet to fit perfectly (so it’s snug and doesn’t move around on your head) is vital to getting a helmet that’s going to protect you.

Looks & Graphics

There’s a handful of graphics out for the Drift Evo with new designs and colour schemes appearing all the time – so for the latest, check out the Caberg helmets pages at our recommended retailers by clicking the links below.

Best places to buy a Caberg Drift Evo helmet?

Please click below to visit the Caberg Drift Evo 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

Caberg Drift Evo Video

Watch this 5 minute video for a look around the main features of a Caberg Drift Evo carbon (black, white, neon yellow).

Other stuff – aero, build quality, weight, warranty

Apart from that main rear spoiler – that’s there to add stability and reduce turbulence (and is removable) – there’s also a couple of smaller winglets at the bottom rear of the helmet. This is all there to improve aero capabilities of the Drift Evo and reduce buffeting – and owners reckon it works really well, with several saying it’s a well balanced helmet that’s stable at speed.

Overall, owners say the Caberg Drift Evo is a well constructed helmet, with a decent level of fit and finish and only one or two niggles here and there.

And while it’s not generally in our lightweight helmets category, several owners commented that it feels light weight when you’re riding – especially the carbon fibre version that’s a 100g or so lighter than the fibreglass helmet.

All Caberg helmets come with just a one year warranty. Obviously, that’s a bit poor these days – check here for helmets that come with a 5 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

The Caberg Drift Evo is a great package. It’s designed to work on the road or on the track and if you’re after a sportsbike helmet that’s great value for money (who isn’t?), then it’s really hard to beat.

caberg drift evo Speedster motorbike helmet black red white side view
Caberg Drift Evo in Speedster graphics

For your money, you get a versatile composite fibre crash helmet (or full carbon for a few quid more) that feels light weight, comes with a Pinlock anti-fog insert in the box, has the convenience of a drop down sun visor (rare for a sportsbike/track lid) and, with that external aero, not only looks the part but is stable at speed too.

Get the sizing right (they size small) and you should find it a good reliable helmet that’ll work both on and off the track.

And while the old Caberg Drift was tested by SHARP where it scored an average 3 stars out of 5, now the Drift Evo has upped the ante a notch, scoring 4 stars – which is a great result and good to know when you’re riding along!

All in all, the Caberg Drift Evo is a very tempting prospect. A track-developed sportsbike helmet with a sun visor is a rare beast and at this low price point Caberg has put the Drift Evo in most riders’ price range. Overall, it’s well worth taking a look.

Good Alternatives to the Caberg Drift Evo?

Looking to buy a great value sportsbike helmet that’s been tested to show excellent safety? Then here’s some helmets we recommend you check out.

First up is the HJC FG17. It’s a SHARP four star rated sportsbike helmet with a fibreglass shell that’s a great all-rounder too.

Then how about the LS2 Arrow? There’s both carbon fibre and fibreglass versions available and they’re SHARP 4 star safety rated too. The LS2 comes with a class A optical visor and included Pinlock Max vision in the box as well.

Or if your budget can stretch a little more, the Bell Star range of helmets (Star, Pro Star and Race Star) are SHARP 5 star rated helmets that are highly rated for sports and track riders.

Best places to buy a Caberg Drift Evo?

Please click below to visit the Caberg Drift Evo 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

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Star Ratings

Budget SHARP 4 Star safety rated modular… but there’s a problem

duchinni-d606-featured

Duchinni D606 budget flip-front motorcycle helmet review.

They might sound Italian, but Duchinni are a Chinese helmet maker, known for making lower priced polycarbonate helmets.

The Duchinni D606 is their latest flip up helmet, designed as an all rounder, so needs to work anywhere from your daily commute all the way up to a more serious multi-day tour.

Obviously, that low price point is a very attractive feature of the D606, and when SHARP UK tested it and awarded it a remarkable 4/5 star safety rating, then it really grabbed our attention.

Four stars is a great rating – especially for a helmet at this price. So we thought we’d take a closer look and find out what the Duchinni D606 offers for the money. And while there’s not a ton of information out there, we try and discover what owners around the web think of their D606s.

  • Thermoplastic Modular Helmet

    duchinni d606 gloss black modular helmet front view
    Gloss black Duchinni D606 with chin guard down
  • SHARP 4 star safety rated (yay)
  • But low 30% chin guard lock score (boo)
  • Drop down sun visor
  • Micrometric fastener
  • ECE certified
  • Sizes XS-XL
  • Expect to pay around £90

Looking to buy a Duchinni?

We recommend either SportsBikeShop (UK) or GetGeared (UK) for outstanding service and great prices. Please see here for more info on these retailers or click the links to go straight to their Duchinni helmets pages where you'll find the latest helmet designs and deals.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

OK, the Duchinni D606 is obviously built to a budget. But to be legally sold in Europe, it’s still had to undergo (and pass) the same batch of safety tests that all helmets need to pass.

That’s ECE 22.05 testing in Europe and means that the budget D606 has passed the same range of tests that even the most expensive premium helmets have had to pass. Which means, if you buy a 606, you’re guaranteed at least the same minimum level of protection as you would with every other helmet on the market.

But beyond that, it was picked up by the independent SHARP helmet testing labs in the UK too and subjected to their batch of 32 tests.

It’s only produced in one helmet shell (most helmets these days are produced in multiple shell sizes). But, to its credit, it scored a massive four star rating. That’s better than lots of premium and expensive helmets can manage once SHARP gets to work on them.

Obviously, that’s fantastic.

But before you get your credit card out, that’s not the whole story.

SHARP also notes how often the chin guards unlock during testing. It’s a modular helmet and that means the chin guard needs to give protection as well as the shell. And it if the chin bar opens during an impact, it’s probably not gonna be able to do that, right?

duchinni d606 black modular motorbike helmet side view
Chin bar fully raised.

Well, during SHARP testing, the D606 chin guard stayed locked a mere 30% of the time. That means 70% of the time it became unlocked: not necessarily becoming fully open (they don’t indicate that), but it became unlocked nevertheless.

And you probably don’t need me to tell you: THAT’S NOT A GOOD THING!

OK, if that’s not enough to convince you to move on and look for a different lid (maybe by checking out our recommended alternatives at the bottom of the page), then here’s some of the other safety features you can expect from the D606.

There’s not a massive amount really. There’s a micrometric fastener – they’re fine and easy to use. And they’re safe, as long as you readjust them from time to time after the chin strap stretches (which it will naturally through use).

If you’re looking for a modular you can (legally) ride in with the chin bar up like an open face, then you should look at our dual-homologated modular pages, because the D606 is only legal to ride in with the chin bar down.

Of course fitment is key to getting a helmet that gives great protection. In fact it’s probably the most important factor; wearing a loose helmet will significantly reduce the ability of a helmet to absorb energy – and protect you – during an impact.

And in the worst cases, your helmet might well come off – so follow our fitment guide and always make sure you’re wearing a correctly fitting helmet and ensure your helmet’s tightly done up.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

There’s not a massive amount of info out there as to how noisy the D606 is. Modular/flip front helmets are always a bit noisier than the similar full face helmets, so expect to be a bit disappointed.

Having said that, the opinions we’ve found around the web rated the D606 as reasonably quiet for a modular.

duchinni d606 gloss white helmet chin bar up front view
Showing sun visor fully dropped down

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a pretty typical configuration of vents on the Duchinni D606.

That means a single, central chin vent and a couple of crown vents.

All vents can be opened/closed, although those top two vents work separately and use slightly small, slightly fiddly sliders to independently close them.

The top vents both route air through the helmet shell and into channels in the polystyrene lining to take air towards the scalp. And there’s a rear exhaust vent at the back of that small spoiler, to let the warm air escape.

The vents are OK – though the chin vent isn’t enough to keep the visor from steaming up if things get wet/cold – but then few vents on any helmets are good enough to keep things clear on their own. They need an anti-fog solution to help them out otherwise they mist up.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a Pinlock anti fog insert available for the Duchinni.

Visor

(more about visors)

Like all visors, it’s an anti-scratch visor that gives 90%+ UV protection too. That’s not unique to Duchinni – it’s a common property in all polycarbonate visors.

The visor has a couple of opening points only – it’s either closed, half way open or fully open. So, if you like riding along with a ‘cracked open’ visor to demist, you’ll struggle with the D606. That’s a bit of an oversight for a helmet that doesn’t have a Pinlock available too.

duchinni d606 gloss black modular helmet side viewThe visor is quick release, so you should be able to quickly remove it to wash or replace it. Only… apparently it doesn’t come with instructions on how to remove it. From the pictures, it very much looks like you should open the visor, pull the red spring-loaded slider and the visor will pop out. But that’s a guess based on how other similar visor systems work (and there isn’t an official Duchinni website to tell us otherwise!).

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

The D606 has a built in drop down sun visor. It’s operated by that big red slider on the bottom left rim of the helmet.

That’s usually the most convenient place to put it – unless you’re looking to mount a bluetooth communicator to your helmet in which case, it’ll be right in your way!

The sun visor can be positioned anywhere between fully down or fully up, giving you a bit of welcome flexibility (some allow fully-down only).

Overall, the sun visor on the D606 seems to work just fine.

Chin Guard

(more about chin guards)

Owners seem to like how the chin guard on the D606 operates too. It can be a bit clunky at first, but apparently it smooths out over time and is generally nice and easy to use.

That’s helped by the one-button operation, making it simple to press the button (located on the inside of the chin bar) and open the chin guard in one movement.

duchinni d606 gloss black modular helmet rear view
Rear view of the plain gloss black D606

What’s not so great – as detailed in the safety section above – is that 70% of the time during SHARP testing, the chin guard came unlocked. It’s possible that one-button movement isn’t helping the D606 out; they tend to be a bit easier to unlock than multibutton chin guards.

But either way, that 70% figure is very poor for a piece of protective gear. It’s not the worst we’ve seen though: step forward the now obsolete Marushin M401 – that scored a staggeringly poor 83%!

And of course, the Duchinni D606 is only ECE certified to be ridden with the chin guard down (check out our dual homologated helmet reviews if you’re after a flip-up helmet that you can legally use with the chin guard up -Europe-relevant only).

If you’re looking for the best safety rated modulars, visit our smart filters page and choose ‘modular’ and ‘safest’. Otherwise, it’s worth noting that all of the SHARP tested Nolan’s modulars have scored 100% for their chin guards staying locked and closed during testing – with AGV in second place.

And of course you can visit our top 10 Modular helmets page!

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Obviously the D606 is a budget modular helmet. But that said, owners seem to think that the interior is of decent quality.

It doesn’t have any fancy fabrics in there but owners say it’s comfortable enough (providing you follow a decent helmet fitting guide to get the right size in the first place).

It’s also removable and washable.

duchinni d606 gloss black modular helmet front view open
Front view with chin bar fully raised.

Looks & Graphics

You can have a Duchinni D606 in any colour you want – as long as it’s either plain black or white!

Hmm. Not ideal, but to be fair they’ve probably covered the most popular colours!

In case they release any others, please feel free to click through to our partner retailers’ Duchinni helmets pages using the links below – where you’ll find any new graphics and deals/offers.

Best places to buy a Duchinni crash helmet?

We've chosen three of the best places to buy from - whether it's a Duchinni or any other helmet/gear.

If you want piece of mind when you buy, Sportsbikeshop are based in the UK and offer outstanding service (9.8/10 on Trustpilot) including free UK delivery and 365 day refunds. They're competitively priced too and are our recommended retailer for quality of service.

GetGeared is another recommended UK retailer, with free UK delivery, a no-quibble 365 day returns policy and scoring 4.8/5 on eKomi.

Please click any picture/link to visit their Duchinni helmets pages where you can see all the latest graphics and deals. And if you buy from any store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you - a massive THANKS (it's how we finance the site)!

Click to visit Sportsbikeshop
Click to visit Duchinni at SportsBikeShop
Click to visit Get Geared
Click to visit Duchinni helmets at Get Geared

Other stuff – weight, build quality, warranty

The Duchinni D606 weighs around 1.6Kg (3.5lbs) which is slightly lighter than the average of 1.68Kg (3.7lbs) across all modulars.

Taking into account that it is very much at the entry-level, budget end of the market, owners say it’s got a decent build quality with a solid feel and materials that don’t feel overly cheap. One owner said the vent openings were a bit flimsy but other than that, most comments are OK.

All Duchinnis only come with a one year warranty.

Overall/Summary

As with most budget helmets, you have to judge it in the context of that low price tab.

And for the money, you’re getting a lot of helmet with a decent build quality, drop down sun visor, multi-point ventilation and a modern design.

duchinni d606 gloss white motorcycle helmet rear view
D606 showing rear exhaust. Note sun visor slider in red

As a helmet for the daily commute, it should be OK. You can’t ride with that chin guard up of course (your helmet needs to be P/J certified for that) and the limited visor positions might become a bit of a pain. Oh, and it might fog up when it’s cold in the morning due to a lack of anti-fog. But, it should be comfortable enough and isn’t too noisy.

And while it scored a remarkable SHARP 4 star safety rating, that chin guard only stayed locked 30% of the time, which we’d find a big worry. But if you don’t, then for not very much money, you’ll get a decent, usable flip-front helmet.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Good Alternatives to the Duchinni D606

Having said all that, there’s plenty of alternative modulars out there with better safety ratings and without all the foibles of the Duchinni.

First off you should check out the Caberg Duke – a SHARP 5 star rated modular with Pinlock and sun visor. It’s dual homologated too.

Or how about the 4 star rated HJC IS Max II – integrated sun visor, low price – and the chin guard stayed locked 100% of the time, which is always nice to know when you’re sliding down the road!

And for a bigger name (but with a bigger price tag too) there’s the AGV Compact. That’s a SHARP 4 star safety rated, dual homologated modular that’s comfortable and with good ventilation.

Looking to buy a Duchinni?

We recommend either SportsBikeShop (UK) or GetGeared (UK) for outstanding service and great prices. Please see here for more info on these retailers or click the links to go straight to their Duchinni helmets pages where you'll find the latest helmet designs and deals.

Other ways to find the Best Modular Helmet

If you're after a new modular/flip-up helmet, they've never been more popular and there's a ton of choice out there. You can find our latest top 10 modular helmets list here or check out all our modular helmet reviews here. You can also visit our Safest Modular Helmets page or our smart filters page where you can click the flip-up/modular check box then choose a few other features to find the best flip-up helmet for you.

Star Ratings

Review of the Arai QV-Pro (Arai Signet-X in the US): street/sports touring crash helmet

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Review of the Arai QV-Pro: the street/sports touring crash helmet from Arai.

The QV-Pro is the long awaited replacement to that stalwart of their helmet range, the Quantum ST (or Signet-Q as it’s called in the USA).

It’s central to their range because it’s a street helmet that’s designed to work just as well for a quick jaunt down the shops on your Versys as a day-long sweep over the mountains on your K1600.

And it’s long-awaited because it’s designed to fit riders with longer, narrower heads; i.e. folks who struggle to wear most helmets that are made to suit medium oval heads. If that’s you, then not only will it mean there’s another option for you when you’re buying a new helmet, but it’ll mean more comfort and potentially more protection from your helmet (see safety section below).

So read on for the full SP on the Arai QV-Pro…

Note: the Arai QV-Pro is no longer available. Why not click a link below to choose from one of our Top 10 Best rated crash helmets?

Take a look at our Best Motorbike Helmet Top 10s to find your next helmet too...

top-10-full-face-motorcycle-helmetstop-10-budget-motorcycle-helmetssportsbike-and-track-motorcycle-helmets-top-10top-10-flipup-modular-helmets-featuredall-helmet-types-top-10top-10-safest-motorbike-helmetssafest-motorcycle-helmet-brands-top-10

 

    • Arai’s street-biased full face helmet

      arai-qv-pro-full-face-crash-helmet-black-frost-black
      Frost black version of the Arai QV-Pro with PSS sun visor fitted
    • Designed for longer narrower heads
    • Fibreglass shell
    • Includes Pinlock Max Vision
    • Arai Pro Shield System (PSS) included
    • Excellent comfort and ventilation
  • SHARP 5 star safety rated
  • Snell 2015 certifed (US)
  • Sizes XS-XXL
  • Expect to pay around £499-£670

Best places to buy an Arai QV-Pro?

It’s now been discontinued but you can still find a QV-Pro if you know where to look! The last time we checked, some are still available at a couple of our recommended stores below. 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

Safety

Despite Arai’s undoubted commitment to making a helmet that works at the very pinnacle of helmet performance (and retails at the peak of helmet prices!) – and despite the fact that Arais are ECE and DOT certified and most, including the QV-Pro, are Snell tested and approved – they’ve never performed quite as well as some brands in SHARP tests.

Well, maybe times they are a changing? Because first Arai’s latest, greatest sportsbike helmet the RX-7V scored a maximum 5 star rating in the SHARP test labs. And now the jury’s returned on the QV-Pro – and I’ll be damned if it didn’t go and get a five star rating too!

I’ll not go into the whys and wherefore’s of why Arai hasn’t historically done so well when their helmets are tested (though I do exactly that here!) – but it’s great to see Arai beginning to walk the walk.

And if the SHARP score is just a number to you, it also looks like Arai has thrown every safety feature and top quality manufacturing technique in the book at the QV-Pro, to make it as effective a motorcycle crash helmet as possible. Here’s what they’ve done.

arai-signet-x-crash-helmet-flourescent-yellow-rear-viewFirstly, they use multiple shell sizes. For the QV-Pro it seems like they’ve used 3 shell sizes which tallies with Arai blurb that they produce a separate shell for every two fitment sizes.

That’s good for helmet fitment (getting your helmet to fit just right is vital for optimal helmet safety) as well as for looks.

Also, the shell on the QV-Pro is the same shell that’s used in Arai’s top of the range sportsbike/racing helmet the RX-7V (though with slightly different venting).

It’s what Arai call their PV SNC2 shell (just in case you’re interested) and it uses their latest rounder, smoother helmet shape – called R75 – that’s designed to improve ‘glance-off’ performance during a crash.

That means they’ve tried to make it slippier and less likely to dig in and rotate on impact to you and me.

To help that along, they’ve designed all the sticky-out bits like vents and side pods to snap off during an impact. After all, the last thing you want during an impact is your helmet digging into the road, rotating the helmet and passing that rotation through to your brain and neck, right?

arai-signet-x-crash-helmet-place-blue-side-view
Place colour scheme – also available in frost black and red

Then there’s the shell construction itself. It’s a multi-layered fibreglass shell that Arai says is designed for tensile strength along with flexibility; and it’s backed by a multi-density internal EPS liner. That multi-density polystyrene liner is there to offer improved absorption properties over single density EPS.

Onto the strap – Arai use double-d ring fasteners as they’re proven to be effective fasteners, requiring re-adjustment with every fit (which is potentially a good thing – as long as the rider’s diligent enough to tighten it correctly each journey) and they’re a must when visiting a race track in some countries too.

Finally, if you do have an accident, the QV-Pro has Arai’s version of EQRS (emergency quick removal system). Pull the bottom red tabs underneath the helmet and out come the cheek pads, making it easier for the emergency services to remove your helmet without further injury to your neck.

Hopefully, you’ll never need it – but better to have it there than not.

All in all, the Arai QV-Pro should be about as safe a place as any helmet on the planet to stick your head.

Helmet Noise

According to the official Arai blurb, they’ve made big steps to reduce helmet noise.

They say new thicker internal padding coupled with their carefully-designed chin curtain both help to reduce helmet noise.

And to some extent they’re right. A couple of owners have said that the big ole chin curtain does stop wind and noise coming up from below. And there is quite a bit of padding inside the helmet too to cut noise ingress there.

Only, a couple of owners who were used to the helmet the QV-Pro replaced – the Quantum ST (or Signet-Q in the US) reckoned the newer helmet is actually a bit noisier.

And while some QV-Pro owners say their helmet is nice and quiet, just a many people say it’s not that quiet at all.

All of which means we’re going to rate the QV-Pro as about average for noise suppression.

Which also means you should always wear a decent set of ear plugs when you ride in one. But then you should always do that with any helmet you ride in, now shouldn’t you?!?

arai-signet-x-crash-helmet-white-rear-view
Rear view of the QV-Pro showing exhaust vents and spoiler

Ventilation

Single chin vent, double forehead vents (with individual open/close sliders), quadruple rear exhaust vents with two mounted under the rear spoiler and two lower on the sides.

Nothing too unusual there, though Arai do say it’s an improvement from the Quantum ST‘s system that’s designed to improve air flow and give better adjustment (there’s a theme here isn’t there?!?).

Well the ST had some cracking ventilation – and Arai are right in that the QV-Pro does too with just about every owner we came across saying it works really well. Though note, if you ride in colder places, you’ll need the included Pinlock anti-fog to keep your visor clear.

Visor

The visor system on the QV-Pro is designed to integrate more closely with the helmet shell – all helping to make that shell smoother and rounder.

But it also comes, in Europe at least, with their PSS Pro Shade System – that’s the slightly quirky sun visor that sits on top of the main clear visor (see top image).

That can be adjusted to act as a sun peak or dropped down so you look through it.

Quite a few owners say it works really well – despite looking a bit odd – but hey, if it’s included in the box, it’s worth giving it a whirl, right?

Also included in the box is a Pinlock Max Vision 120 anti fog insert (that’s Pinlock’s biggest, bestest version of their insert).

And as usual, the visor features a lock and quick release visor system for when you want to whip it off and clean it.

A few owners reckon that the visor lock takes a bit of getting used to at first, but it can be unlocked/opened in one movement when you get the hang of it – though some wonder why you should have to in the first place.

Likewise that visor removal system. You need to pull off the plastic side pods first before doing some weird contortion on the visor to get the visor out. Again, once you’ve practiced once or twice, you start to get the hang of it, but you’ve gotta question why you should have to when most makers seem to make much simpler, equally effective visor removal systems.

And finally with the visor, a couple of owners said that it’s nice and wide, giving good peripheral vision.

arai-signet-x-crash-helmet-aluminium-silver
Aluminium silver version

Comfort & Sizing

Comfort is something Arai do very well. And they claim to be upping the ante once again with the QV-Pro.

They reckon there’s a newer, deeper and more snuggly comfort liner than ever, made from an anti-microbial material called Eco Pure.

That’s also designed to keep the lining as close to the skin’s ph as possible. Because you’re worth it. Or something.

Aside from all this touchy feely stuff, Arai have thrown in all their usual tricks at making a helmet fit as well as possible too… (as usual, that’s once you’ve made sure you’ve bought exactly the right size in the first place, and as long as you’ve got a longer, narrower head; because that’s who the QV’s designed for. If that’s not you, take your fatter shorter heads (sometimes called medium ovals) over here).

To tailor the fit, there are 5mm panels in the cheeks, ear cups – and now the temples – that can be added or removed. You can of course buy others from Arai to tailor the fit even more.

arai-signet-x-crash-helmet-place-black-frost-rear-view
Place black frost design

And then there’s the spring-loaded cheek pads. They use foam ‘springs’ to gently push the lower part of the pads against the jaw to make it even snugglier and womb-like than ever before.

BUT, I hear you cry – DOES IT ALL WORK?!

The good news is – YES IT DOES!

QV-Pro owners say it’s one of the plushest most comfortable helmets they’ve worn with several longer-headed owners saying discovering the QV-Pro range has saved the day for their motorcycling futures.

So, get the right size and you should find your QV-Pro to be all-day comfortable.

And if you wear glasses, there’s a glasses groove in the lining of the QV-Pro too so glasses shouldn’t be a problem either. Hurrah!

Looks & Graphics

Unusually for Arai, they’ve gone (relatively!) bonkers with the number of graphic options available. There’s the usual plain solid colours like matt/gloss black, white, silver (or aluminium silver as Arai calls it), and there’s also a high viz fluorescent yellow version along with the snazzy Place (in grey, blue or red) and striking Stint designs (see top image)

We’ve stuck a few of what we think are the best designs up and down the page, but pop over to our recommended retailers using the links below: they’ll drop you onto their Arai helmets pages so you’ll be able to see the latest designs and offers.

Best places to buy an Arai QV-Pro helmet?

It’s now been discontinued but you can still find a QV-Pro if you know where to look! The last time we checked, some are still available at a couple of our recommended stores below. 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 QV-Pro videos

Both of these are provided by Arai Europe. First, a slightly clunky but informative video taking you through the features of the QV-Pro.

Second, a slicker vid featuring Arai poster boy Jonny Rae. He loves his Arai’s – but do you think it’s a heart-felt admission… or maybe that he’s reading from an auto-cue at the end? Bless 🙂

Other stuff – communicators, buffeting, warranty

arai-qv-pro-full-face-crash-helmet-black-frost-black
Frost black version of the Arai QV-Pro with PSS sun visor fitted

Arai say they’ve worked hard to make the QV-Pro work with communication systems. That includes generous speaker pockets that don’t ‘affect comfort or fit’ as well as extra room in the chin area for a mic. Don’t expect a recess in the EPS lining though – it’s just a removable panel in the comfort lining. We’ve not heard anyone moan about the lack of space though so it should be fine.

For stability and anti-buffeting, they’ve also included a small rear spoiler, there to help airflow and improve stability. According to owners, the aero is very good with little buffeting going on, even during shoulder checks.

Finally, all new Arai’s come with a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty.

Alternatives to the Arai QV-Pro?

If you’re in the market for a top of the range full face helmet but don’t want something designed for super sportsbikes, then it can be tricky. Most top of the range helmets are designed for track riding (if that’s what you’re after look here) but if you’re very much wanting a road-focused helmet, here’s a selection of favourites:

First, there’s the SHARP 3 star rated Shoei GT Air. It’ll come in quite a bit cheaper than the QV-Pro but it’s got great build quality, sun visor and great ventilation – with an optically correct visor.

If you do want an Arai and you’re riding a naked bike, you might also want to check out the Arai Rebel. That’s a composite fibre, SHARP three star helmet (and Snell 2015 certified) designed especially for owners of naked bikes that has excellent ventilation.

For maximum protection, you should also check out the SHARP 5 star rated AGV GT Veloce (that’s a light and comfortable helmet with a wide visor) and the X-Lite X-702 GT, that’s another light weight helmet that’s quiet and with good ventilation. Most of these are lots cheaper than the Arai too.

Best places to buy an Arai QV-Pro?

It’s now been discontinued but you can still find a QV-Pro if you know where to look! The last time we checked, some are still available at a couple of our recommended stores below. 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

AGV Sport Modular – a Flip-up Helmet for Sports Bikes

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The World’s 1st 2nd Sports Modular Crash Helmet: the AGV Sport Modular

It’s billed by AGV as the world’s first sports-modular (flip-front) helmet. OK, that’s not entirely true, because Schuberth’s C4 flip-up helmet got there first. Still, it’s great to see helmet makers pushing back the envelope – and with the rise and rise in popularity of flip-up crash helmets, the world’s definitely ready for more sportsbike-focused modular helmets.

AGV say the Sport Modular offers the same level of safety protection as their top of the range sportsbike helmets, including the SHARP 5 star rated Pista GP-R.

And even though the Sport Modular is a full carbon fibre helmet with a 5 layer shock absorbing EPS liner – that’s some bold claim!

So, let’s take a look at what the AGV Sport Modular helmet offers.

Best places to buy an AGV Sportmodular?

Please click below to drop onto the AGV Sportmodular helmets pages at Amazon and 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).

agv-sport-modular-mono-carbon-black-motorcycle-crash-helmet
Chin guard fully raised – on the Sport Modular Mono Carbon Black

Safety

 (more about helmet safety)

When you’re looking at the safety of modular helmets, there’s two things you have to consider (apart from getting the fitment just right) – and that’s the helmet shell and the chin guard.

AGV certainly know how to make a safe motorcycle helmet (check our list of the safest helmet brands to see how safe). They’ve been making bike helmets since 1947 and make helmets for some of the world’s greatest motorcycle racers, including the GOAT himself (no, not Marquez… Rossi!).

The Pista GP and its successor, the Pista GP-R are the only other full carbon helmets they’ve made to date and they’re both top (5 star) rated for safety by SHARP.

Well, in 2018 the SHARP testing labs got their hands on the Sport Modular and it was awarded four stars out of five. That’s a great result, but probably not quite the one AGV were after. IT also wrong-footed much of the press; loads of motorcycle websites still carry the story that the SportModular WILL be awarded a 5 star rating from SHARP.

Obviously, with the SportModular being a flip-up helmet, we also want that chin guard to stay firmly locked during all impacts – in the lab as well as on the road.

SHARP testing tracks the number of times a chin bar comes unlocked during testing, and in the case of the Sport Modular, they scored it a 97%, meaning the chin bar came unlocked once during testing. Again, I think that’s pretty good – not perfect, but I’d be happy buying a Sport Modular with that score.

With chin guard testing, AGV has done amazingly well over recent years. Of the three modular lids tested by SHARP since 2012 (and before the SportModular), every one remained locked and closed during all impact tests in the labs. That’s very unusual indeed and only Nolan can boast the same success rate.

Plus, AGV has introduced their patented visor lock system (VLS) which is there to reduce the chance of accidental openings too.

So it’s all looking pretty good for the safety of the AGV Sport Modular. And of course it’ll be ECE 22/05 and DOT certified too for the States.

Like all helmets designed for the track, it’ll have a double-d ring fastener (in the case of the Sport Modular, it’s a nice titanium job).

agv-sport-modular-hi-viz-motorbike-helmet
Hi vis Sport Modular

Of course, the fact that the SportModular has a lightweight carbon shell (reports are it’s around 1.3Kg in weight which is incredibly light for any helmet, never mind a modular) is great for safety. It means there’s less impact inertia which means less strain on the brain and the neck during an accident.

There’s also a class 1 optically-correct visor for extremely clear vision and a wide visor aperture for improved peripheral vision.

There’s no EQRS emergency quick release system unfortunately, but that’s about the only safety feature missing from the Sports Modular so we’re hopeful it’s going to offer great accident protection if things go REALLY BAD!

Like an increasing number of helmet makers, AGV designed the Sport Modular in the wind  tunnel. They say that’s resulted in a shell that’s incredibly slippery with reduced buffeting and that gives zero lift at motorway speeds.

But they also say it’s helped make the Sport Modular particularly quiet.

Sportsbike helmets are notoriously noisy – the quest for light weight and superb impact performance is often at the cost of noise reduction.

And of course flip-up helmets are generally noisier than full face helmets any way.

But aside from the great aero capabilities, AGV say they’ve engineered a pressure-free fit, designed to reduce helmet noise.

Well, looking at comments and reviews from around the web, there’s a massive range of opinions on the noise level inside the Sport Modular. Some people say it’s deafeningly loud while others reckon it’s almost whisper quiet; with lots of people comparing it to their last helmets. It looks like most folk’s opinions are dependent on what helmets they’re used to wearing and their riding style. So, if your current helmet is really quiet, expect the SportModular to be on the noisy side, and vice versa.

Overall then, we’re gonna rate the SportModular as about average for noise. Which, for a sportsbike-oriented modular helmet, is pretty good going. That’s because sportsbike helmets tend to be louder than the average helmet, and so do modulars – so to combine the two and make a helmet that’s about average for noise suppression is actually a job well done!

There’s a single chin vent in the chin guard, a single crown vent and a single exhaust vent in the shell of the SportsModular.

But it’s often not the number of vents – it’s how well they’re designed that counts.

AGV use a system that they’ve called IVS or Integrated Ventilation System.

What that means is actually pretty conventional: all the external vents direct air through the helmet shell, through channels in the lining and onto the head. Although, with a helmet with an integral sun visor that sits right where you need the vent channels to sit, it’s a bit more of an involved process.

agv-sport-modular-aero-carbon-red-motorbike-helmet
Front view of the Aero Carbon Red Sport Modular

AGV’s other modular helmet that also has an integral sun visor – the AGV Compact – vents very well, so it can be done. But unlike the Compact, the Sport Modular positions its single vent centrally and directly above where the retracted sun visor sits, making routing of the vent around the scalp potentially very tricky.

Which is probably one of the reasons it’s resulted in a helmet that’s got reasonable ventilation, but not the best.

If you ride somewhere that’s regularly hot, then you might want to try one of our best venting helmets instead. But if you ride in more temperate places – and don’t spend a lot of time on the track – the ventilation on the Sport Modular should be OK. And with the included Pinlock, you shouldn’t have problems with your visor misting up either.

Visor and Sun Visor

(more about visors)

If you’re after a helmet that works with your sportsbike, then you need a particularly effective visor system.

By that, I mean it’s gotta give masses of vision both vertically and horizontally. Vertically for when your head’s down in a racing tuck and horizontally so you can see who’s sliding up on the inside to throw a block pass on you!

With the SportModular, AGV reckon they’ve designed-in a 190 degree horizontal field of view – the same as the human eye’s visual range. Owners agree that it’s got an amazingly wide field of view – which has gotta be a very good thing both on and off the track.

Of course, both the main visor and the sun visor are anti-scratch and the main visor is Pinlock anti-fog ready and a Pinlock is included in the box.

The main visor is also quick-release for fast visor-swaps and it’s class 1 optically correct to virtually obliterate visor distortions (not that they’re a problem for most of us with our more standard visors).

And like most track or sportsbike focused helmets, there’s also a visor lock (front centre, directly above the chin vent) to keep the visor firmly closed as you ramp up the speed (or  when you hit the gravel trap!)

cycle-helmet-carbon-white
Side view of the carbon white SportsModular showing full extent the chin bar raising

Chin Guard

(more about chin guards)

The chin guard on the Sport Modular has a metal opening mechanism, designed for maximum strength and to minimise the chance of it opening in an impact.

And like the rest of the helmet shell, the chin guard is made of carbon fibre. Now, that’s pretty unusual because most modulars with hi-tech shells still tend to have polycarbonate chin guards to keep costs and weight down.

To date, AGV have an excellent reputation for making modulars with safe chin guards that resist opening under impact. And that’s pretty well continued with the Sport Modular, because during SHARP testing they scored 97% for the chin guard, meaning – if my maths serves me well – the chin guard unlocked only once during 32 impact tests.

OK, so it’s not perfect, but it’s very near and is actually a great result in comparison to most brands’ tested chin guards.

AGV advertises the SportsModular as an incredibly light weight helmet. Well, that’s kinda true in that it’s very light weight for a flip-up helmet, but because modulars are generally heavier than full face helmets, it’s actually about average if you compare it to the typical full face.

Their website says it’s about 1.35Kg (3lbs) but that must be for the smallest sizes because for a large, it’s more like 1.45Kg – and it’ll be even more for the larger sizes.

Of course, figures on paper don’t really matter too much in comparison to how a helmet feels – and overwhelmingly owners say it feels really light weight when they’re wearing it.

Less weight is going to help with making a helmet more comfortable over longer rides and actually contributes to safety too if you did have an accident.

Inside the Sport Modular, there’s a removable/washable lining of course. But what’s interesting about the Sport Modular’s crown pad is that there’s a warm and a cool side – one for the winter and one for summer riding!

The winter side has a Shalimar fabric lining – that’s an AGV fabric that’s comfortable and warms up quickly.

agv sportmodular tricolore motorcycle helmet side view
Subtly-striped Sport Modular Tricolore

Whereas the summer, cooler side uses a material called Ritmo – apparently making for a cooling, moisture wicking and anti-microbial lining.

That sounds like a great idea and is sure to be one that’s copied by other makers in the coming months.

There’s also a removable noise and wind protector together with an anti-water treated Nubuk fabric neck roll.

One thing that’s worth noting is that several owners commented that the double-d ring strap is mounted too far back, pulling into their throats and making the helmet uncomfortable. In fact, in our research, that’s probably the single biggest deal breaker for most owners. So be warned – if you do buy a Sport Modular (in fact if you buy any helmet online) you need to make sure you can return it without any fuss if it turns out the strap is uncomfortable for you too.

As always, all our recommended retailers offer no quibble refunds/replacements 🙂

All in all, there’s been a ton of thought and design lavished on the inside of the Sport Modular and owners universally say it’s a plush feeling, comfortable helmet that’s good for long hours in the saddle.

Looks & Graphics

There’s only a few variations of the sports modular helmet out at the moment – and there may never be too many because AGV are keen to show off that gorgeous carbon fibre weave as much as they can, so that limits the number of designs they offer.

Having said that, beside a few variants on the plain lacquered raw carbon versions, there’s also a hi-vis version, a plain white ‘aero’ version and a classy Aero Carbon Red version of the Sport Modular (see the top photo) – as well as the Tricolore with it’s subtle Italian Trocolore breaking up the carbon weave. Nice.

To find any more designs released since we wrote this article – and find the latest deals on the AGV SportModular, please click through the links to the AGV helmets pages of our recommended retailers below.

Best places to buy an AGV Sportmodular Helmet?

Please click below to drop onto the AGV Sportmodular helmets pages at Amazon and 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).

AGV Sport Modular Video

Other stuff – glasses, aero, communicator, warranty

AGV have made a glasses-friendly interior on the SportModular, so you should be able to slot the arms of your glasses in without fuss and ride without them sticking into the side of your head.

Of course, the Sport Modular is a sports helmet that needs to work on the track too. Which means it needs to be stable and aerodynamic, and not be prone to buffeting. Well the good news is that AGV has done a good job here because riders from nakeds to track missiles report that the aero performance of the Sport Modular is excellent, with exceptional high speed stability and minimal buffeting.

If you’re looking to fit a bluetooth kit to your SportModular, there are speaker pockets in there so you should be good. We’ve seen Sena owners say their kit fitted really easily but if you’re looking to add a communicator that needs to grip to the bottom rim of the helmet, you might find that the sun visor slider gets in the way as it’s low down on the left.

All AGV helmets come with a minimum 2 year warranty – extendable by registering your helmet with AGV within 60 days of purchase.

Overall/Summary

There’s undoubtedly a real place for innovation in the modular helmet market and the sportsbike and track-capable AGV Sports Modular flip-front helmet is definitely in a new category of helmet – taking on the new Schuberth C4 at its own game.

Its got a glorious full carbon fibre shell and chin guard along with a massive view port, cool/warm liner and, for a flip-up helmet, it’s light weight, and will appeal to a host of sportsbike riders who love the convenience of a modular helmet but who want the safety of a full-on track-helmet.

And the Sport Modular has been SHARP 4 star rated which, along with its 97% rated chin guard (see safety section above), means it should give excellent impact protection too.

Owners say it’s mega stable, is really comfortable to wear and the visor system works really well. Some owners report that the chin strap is mounted too far back; and the ventilation and noise suppression are about average.

But if you’re after a modular helmet for your sportsbike and you’ve got the wedge to spare on this premium-priced AGV, then – one or two niggles aside – the Sports Modular could well be the helmet you’ve been looking for.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Good Alternatives to the AGV Sport Modular

We’ve gotta mention the only real alternative to a modular helmet for sportsbikes here – the Schuberth C4. It’s not as light as the AGV but it’s got a massive viewport too, along with integrated comms and 5 year warranty.

If you’re not riding a sportsbike, but want a super light modular helmet, then the only one that comes close is the Lazer monaco. That’s SHARP 4 star rated and is cheaper than the SportsModular – and has excellent ventilation too.

For other great alternatives, see our top 10 flip-up helmets list.

Best places to buy an AGV Sportmodular?

Please click below to drop onto the AGV Sportmodular helmets pages at Amazon and 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).

Star Ratings

The Original Retro: Bell’s Moto 3 motocross helmet is back

bell-moto-3-helmet-featured

Bell Moto-3 Retro Motocross Helmet Review.

Bell launched the original Moto 3 back in the early 70’s, bringing an integral chin protector into Motocross racing for the first time. Since then, the Moto-3 has taken on a bit of a legendary status among aficionados and so Bell sensibly decided to launch an updated version to satisfy demand.

And here it is – the Bell Moto 3. Pretty much identical to the original 70’s version but using modern manufacturing to make it that bit safer and that bit more user friendly (but only a little bit… read on). And of course now it has that extra retro mystique to go along with it meaning it’ll make the perfect match for your RNineT or Duke Scrambler.

So if you’re thinking of buying a Moto 3, here’s what you can expect to find.

  • Fibreglass retro motocross helmet

    Bell-Moto3-black-silver-blue-stripes-helmet-side-view
    Classic 70’s motocrosser – the Bell Moto-3 (this one’s just called Stripes)
  • Based on the legendary 70’s original
  • Should fit most retro goggles
  • Medium oval fitment
  • ECE and DOT certified
  • Double-D ring fastener
  • 1.42Kg (3.1lbs) – pretty light
  • Sizes XS-XXL
  • Expect to pay £190-£250

Best places to buy a Bell Moto-3?

Please click below to visit the Bell Moto-3 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

Safety

 (more about helmet safety)

Like the original, the latest Bell Moto 3 has a fibreglass shell; but unlike the original it’s been both ECE tested/certifed and DOT certified. If that doesn’t mean anything do you, please click the links above to find out more – but in a nutshell, it meets modern mandatory safety standards.

Fibreglass helmets are a small step up from thermoplastic helmets and make for strong and reasonably lightweight lids – and that’s the case with the Moto-3. It weighs around 1.42 Kg (3.1lbs) which is a smidge over what we consider a true light weight helmet but most owners reckon the helmet feels light when they’re wearing it.

Light weight is not only good for comfort but it’s good for safety too as there’s less weight and inertia from the helmet to deal with in an accident (which, it’s argued, can cause whiplash and hyperflexion – not good).

Bell-Moto3-classic-fluo-orange-crash-helmet-rear-view
Uncluttered and very round – this one’s the Fluo Orange Moto-3

The Moto 3 hasn’t been SHARP or Snell tested unfortunately, but SHARP has tested three Bell fibreglass helmets over the last couple of years (a couple of Bell Star sportsbike helmets and the retro Bell Bullitt) and they scored an average of four stars out of a maximum five. The Bullitt is probably the most directly comparable because it’s a retro style helmet too, and that scored three stars. Meaning we’d expect the Moto 3 to score something similar.

An extra tick in the box for the Moto-3 is that there’s polystyrene EPS padding on the inside of the chin bar too which isn’t seen that often but is potentially really good for added protection for the lower face.

It’s also got a decent, secure double-d ring fastener; and that massive viewport, designed to accommodate tons of different goggles means you’ve got loads of forward and peripheral vision – again great for safety (until you stick your goggles on that is!).

And finally, if you’re a fan of Arai helmets, you’ll probably know they bang on about their R75 rounder, smoother helmet form, designed to glance off stuff when you’re sliding down the road. Well, looking at that smooth, round, uncluttered Bell Moto-3, it looks like Bell got there first. And if it does work like Arai reckons, then it’s surely gonna work the same for the Moto 3 too!

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

You’re probably not going to buy a Bell Moto-3 because you want a quiet helmet. And you’ll probably put it on your head expecting it to be a bit of a dustbin, letting in all that air and noise from that great gaping hole in the front.

Bell-Moto-3-Independent-matt-titanium-crash-helmet-top-view
Top and front view of the matt titanium Independent

Which may explain why owners who ride in in a Moto-3 seem to say they’re surprised at how quiet it is. OK, so most Moto-3 riders probably aren’t cruising on a motorway at the ton, but it seems that because folks who wear one aren’t expecting mega noise performance, they’re pleasantly surprised.

Arguably it’s a double-whammy on the noise front, because you can probably couple that with the fact that the Moto-3’s shell is hyper smooth and round, without any protruding bits and pieces in the airflow causing extra noise – including a lack of crown vent holes letting noise in.

You probably shouldn’t expect the Bell Moto 3 to be a massively quiet helmet if you buy one – let’s face it, the lack of a visor is gonna cause a ton of noise. But if you do, you might be pleasantly surprised too!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)
Bell-Moto3-classic-yellow-motorcycle-crash-helmet-front-view
That massive space should fit pretty well every type of retro goggle out there.

Having said there’s no crown vents on the Moto 3, you shouldn’t be put off from thinking it’s going to get stuffy in there – because there’s one massive gaping vent hole right there in the front.

That’s obviously the main route for letting cooling air into the helmet, supplemented by that nice always-open slotted vent in the chin guard.

Word is that overall you’ll probably find it gives less ventilation than some modern motocross helmets, but you’ll get more than most full face helmets – which is, after all, what it’s going to be replacing for most of us – and means ventilation will be decent for most of us for most of the time.

Goggles/Visor

That huge space in the front of the Moto 3 means it’ll accommodate pretty well every type of retro-inspired goggle out there. The only minor drawback is that there isn’t a ridge or clip for the strap at the back of the helmet, but owners didn’t seem to find that a problem.

Bell-Moto3-classic-black-crash-helmet-side-view
Classic gloss black Moto-3

Oh, it’s worth noting that if you were thinking you’ll buy a Moto 3 and stick one of those bizarre/cool bubble visors on it (like you find with the Bell Bullett), you might want to think again. Unlike some 3 stud retro helmets, there don’t seem to be any after market clip on visors available for the 5 stud Moto3, just in case you were thinking about binning off the goggles…

Sun Peak/Roost Guard

 (more about sun visors)

Like most motocross helmets, there’s a roost guard/sun peak combo above the goggles.

It clips on using five studs and, according to owners, is about as solid and sturdy as they come. That means it stays in place pretty well all the time and it doesn’t flap around while you’re riding.

And if you’re keeping sub-triple digits on the speedo, owners reckon it’ll not knock your head around or catch on the air and pull your head back, which is all good.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside most of the standard, plain graphic versions of the Moto-3, you’ll find a nice retro-style lining made of terry-towelling. Yep, there’s laser cut foam to give a modern contoured fit, and yep it’s all removable and washable, but yep, it’ll also take you back to the days when towelling was cutting-edge sportswear too.

Bell-Moto3-Chemical-Candy-orange-flames-retro-helmet-back-view
Rear/side view of that gorgeous Chemical Candy Orange Flames Moto-3

This latest type of towelling lining is antimicrobial though, plus it’s always been mega moisture wicking. And owners reckon it feels great – and properly retro.

But if 100% towelling’s not your thing, the graphic versions tend to go for a quilted fake leather and towelling combo approach, which is probably a bit more wear-resistant too

Overall fitment is medium oval, though a couple of guys with longer heads did say it fits really nicely for them, so it might be worth a dabble if that’s your head shape too.

Pushing on a Moto-3 might be a bit tighter than your usual affair, but owners reckon it shows the quality of the materials used as they don’t get too loose over time and keep cosseting your head firmly – which is a good thing for safety as well.

Having said that, it does mean that if you get the fit just right, it’ll probably mean your glasses stems will be pressing into your head – so if you must have a Moto-3 and you wear glasses, make sure your retailer will allow returns when you buy, just in case it’s a problem.

Other than that, owners reckon it’s a surprisingly comfy helmet.

Looks & Graphics

Of course, the Moto-3 looks very cool, especially if it’s matched with an old cafe racer or modern classic. And there’s a few hyper cool retro designs to match too. There’s that gorgeous Chemical Candy Flames (top of the page) and the strikingly stripy Chemical Candy black/gold. There’s the Ace Cafe and RSD Malibu specials too – plus there’s a stack of other plain colours to match your ride.

As always, check out the latest designs and deals by clicking through to our recommended dealers (below) who – experience and reviews show – will take good care of you.

Best places to buy a Bell Moto-3 helmet?

Please click below to visit the Bell Moto-3 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 

Bell Moto-3 Video

Here’s a 5m video looking over the Moto-3.

Other stuff – audio, build quality, warranty

There is space for speakers inside the Moto-3, so if you did want to stick a bluetooth set on it, it should work OK (though it looks kinda weird, you know that, right?).

One constant from pretty well everyone sharing their thoughts on their Moto3s is that it’s well built. It’s at the pricier end of the retro helmet market, but if you want quality materials and finish, you’ve gotta pay a bit more.

Finally, it’ll come with a full 5 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

The Bell Moto-3 is a quality piece of kit. It’s not the cheapest retro helmet out there but for the money, you’re buying the history, the heritage and a great looking, quality helmet.

Bell-Moto3-Chemical-Candy-Black-Gold-retro-helmet-front-view
Another great looker is the Chemical Candy black/gold version

You probably know that it’ll not give quite the same levels of performance and protection (from the elements and probably in a spill) than the latest, tested and highest safety rated helmets out there.

But having said that, Bell has a great reputation for making some of the safest lids around and the Moto 3 even has EPS in the chin bar, which is pretty rare and a big tick in the safety box.

But it’s that style you’re buying into with the Moto-3. It’s got oodles of charm and an image that’ll match any retro bike. And as long as you can live (or ride) with its shortcomings, we reckon it’ll be one of the best and most practical retro helmets around.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Good Alternatives to the Bell Moto-3?

If you think you’ll just want a full face helmet, check our links below. But if you want a cracking retro helmet, you can either visit our retro helmets pages to see all our reviews, or check out these recommended lids below.

First off, there’s the Bell Bullitt – the helmet that kicked off this retro helmet craze. It’s a SHARP 3 star safety rated helmet that’s a decent all rounder with a proper(ish) visor.

There’s also the Nexx XG.100 which is a composite fibre helmet that’s a smidge cheaper than both Bells and a bit lighter too.

Or for a faithful reproduction of the legendary Agostini’s helmet, how about the AGV X3000? It’s a sportsbike helmet, with visor, that’s a bit more expensive than the Moto-3 but a bit more practical on the road too.

Best places to buy a Bell Moto-3?

Please click below to visit the Bell Moto-3 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

Other full face helmets?

We've got lots of other ways you can find your ideal full face helmet. You can check out our Top 10 full-face crash helmets list to see our best rated helmets or head over to our Smartish Filters pages and zoom in on helmets with your 'must have' features. You can browse through all our full face crash helmet reviews as well as our safest motorcycle helmets page where you'll only find helmets that are SHARP four or five star rated - so you'll know you're wearing the best protection out there. Finally, check out our helmet gallery to find a lid that takes your fancy.

Star Ratings

LS2 Rapid review – low price full face motorcycle helmet

ls2-rapid-helmet-featured

LS2 Rapid – LS2’s budget all rounder full face helmet.

Chinese lid maker, LS2, is known for making lower-priced motorcycle helmets. And because the LS2 Rapid drops in at the lower end of even LS2s already low end price range, you might be a) mega interested in knowing more and b) forgiven for thinking it can’t be much good.

But because it’s ECE certified, that means it’s passed exactly the same safety tests as even the most up-market, high price helmets from all the best known makers. So it also means – on paper at least – that if you’re after a full face helmet for less but want just as much protection as you get from the big boys (and don’t we all), then you could get just as much protection by buying an LS2 Rapid as you would paying out for a helmet ten times the price.

In theory at least.

The Rapid’s been designed to work as a sports-tourer all-rounder helmet. So read on to find out what it offers in all the key areas – and find our recommended alternatives at the bottom of the article if you’re looking to buy a low-cost full face motorcycle helmet with a proven safety record.

Best places to buy an LS2 Rapid?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Rapid 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 SportsBikeShopBuy from Ghostbikes UKShop for LS2 helmets at Amazon

Safety

 (more about helmet safety)

OK, if you’re trying to work out what the shell of the Rapid is made from, you might have a bit of a problem. LS2 says the shell on the Rapid is made from HTPP ABS. OK, right. Thanks for that.

ls2-FF353-rapid-matt-titanium-motorbike-helmet-side-view
Tell tale circle on the visor of this titanium Rapid shows that it’s Pinlock-ready

In fact they’ve a bit of a track record in confusing us punters, with a few of their other helmets being made, apparently, from kinetic polymer alloys. Thanks again. Sounds like something Iron Man’s suit should be made from (but I guess that’s the idea).

But what both these baffling names mean is that a helmet’s made from plastic. KPA is pure marketing speak for plastic, whereas HTPP ABS is a more technical term and actually stands for High Pressure Thermoplastic Technology – acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (love you Wikipedia x). AKA a thermoplastic helmet formed under pressure.

Jeez, I wish they’d just tell us that in the first place!

Anyhow, there’s nowt wrong with thermoplastic helmets of course; because plastic is a relatively lightweight and strong material that’s reasonably easy to form into the shape of helmets so lots of manufacturers use it. Oh and it happens to be pretty cheap, which is always nice.

LS2 Rapid 8_5 MS SHARP impact test result
LS2 Rapid 8.5 M/S SHARP impact test result courtesy of sharp.dft.gov.uk

So don’t worry about buying a plastic helmet because the data shows us they can offer just as much protection as any other helmet.

Moving on… LS2 make the rapid in two shell sizes, with one covering larger sizes and another for smaller helmet sizes. Most budget helmets are made in a single shell size so that’s pretty decent (see why here).

Inside the shell, there’s a multi-density shock absorbing lining (another good thing) and the whole thing is secured to your bonce using a quick release micrometric ratchet strap.

Again, they’re good fasteners and folks who are new to wearing a helmet will undoubtedly find a micrometric strap the easiest type of strap to use.

s2-FF353-rapid-motorcycle-helmet-matt-black-front-view
Front view shows size of the visor aperture and built in breath guard

So, even though the LS2 Rapid is a cheaper helmet, it ticks off 90% of the safety features offered by all the other helmets on the market and the ECE testing guys found it gives at least the same minimum level of head protection as every other helmet on the market.

Beyond that, we always look at data from other independent testing outfits; in the UK that means SHARP testing and in the US Snell. Both might be lab based tests, but they’re the closest thing we can get to showing how a helmet might perform in a spill.

Looking at historic SHARP data (carried out on European LS2 helmets, not DOT helmets remember), we can see of all the 16 LS2s tested so far, they’ve scored an average of 3.2 stars out of 5. Which is a pretty decent average. And looking at their last five tested polycarbonate helmets (polycarbonates are thermoplastics) they’ve scored an average of 3 stars.

ls2-FF353-rapid-motorcycle-helmet-matt-black-rear-view
Rear view of a matt black Rapid showing the rear exhaust vents below the spoiler

However, SHARP tested the LS2 Rapid in 2019 and it scored a fairly lowly 2 stars out of a max of 5. As you can see from the 8.5 m/s impact test graphic above, it faired pretty miserably on side impact tests.

Which means, in terms of out-and-out impact protection, there’s some much better helmets we’d recommend instead of the Rapid (see alternatives section below for starters).

OK, so that’s the safety stuff that’s important for the few seconds after everything goes pear-shaped. Now for the features that are gonna help stop you getting in a pickle in the first place.

That visor is class A optically correct to give a nice clear view of the road ahead. And it’s also Pinlock anti-mist insert ready. So if you find yourself fogging up all the time, you can buy a Pinlock for the Rapid to cure all your woes.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The config of the vent system on the LS2 Rapid is similar to most other helmets on the market. That means it’s got a large chin vent that can be opened/closed and a couple of forehead vents, ditto.

All the vent covers are sliders and they’re nice and big, meaning your clumsy gloved sausage fingers should be able to find and fiddle with them on the move, no problems.

And of course, it wouldn’t be much use having vent holes to let air in if there wasn’t a corresponding exhaust somewhere to let air out – and there’s a nice large one under that small rear spoiler at the back.

ls2-FF353-rapid-white-motorcycle-helmet-side-view
This plain white Rapid clearly shows the left side crown vent slider

Most of the best venting helmets on the market allow air to penetrate the helmet shell from where it’s funneled around inside the helmet and onto your head via channels furrowed out of the internal EPS shock absorbing lining.

And that’s just what this LS2 does… kinda. But on the Rapid there’s just a couple of holes pushing air directly onto your head without any channels for the air to circulate around. So don’t expect the Rapid to be the coolest, best venting helmet in the world, because it probably won’t be.

Visor

(more about visors)

That visor is a quick release, class A optically correct visor that’s Pinlock ready.

If you’re not familiar what what that means, quick release visor means it’s quick and easy to remove the visor without tools – so you can swap it out for a different visor or take it off after a ride to easily clean it.

Or you might want to take it off so you can fit a Pinlock anti-fog insert. If you live somewhere cold/wet/humid, you’re gonna need a system to stop your visor fogging up and a Pinlock, that attaches to the inside of your visor, is one of the best.

ls2-FF353-rapid-deadbolt-full-face-helmet-side-view
Striking graphics of the Rapid Deadbolt

Quite a few helmets come with a Pinlock in the box – including some at this price point (try using our smartish filters page to find them by clicking ‘budget helmets’ and ‘Pinlock’ which’ll bring up all the budget helmets that are either Pinlock ready or come with one in the box).

Most helmets come with visors that don’t claim to be optically correct and do a fine job. But if the choice is between having an optically correct visor or one that ain’t, then it’s optically correct every time. And that’s a decent extra for a cheaper helmet.

Other than that, the visor’s got a single central opening tab at the bottom of the visor – which should be fine for quickly finding and opening your visor.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Obviously, the LS2 Rapid is a budget helmet so you probably shouldn’t expect it to be the last word in comfort.

But having said that, it’s got much of the stuff you should look out for in any helmet – including much more costly lids.

The internals are removable and washable and are made from breathable and hypoallergenic fabrics.

ls2-FF353-rapid-crypt-black-white-motorcycle-helmet-side-view
This one’s the LS2 Rapid Crypt in black & white

That fabric is overlayed onto 3D laser cut foam which is kinda the benchmark in tailoring the foam to fit the contours of your face. That’s good, but word is that you should probably expect the materials used in the Rapid to be a bit cheaper and slightly less durable than more expensive helmets – but that’s probably no surprise, right?

The Rapid’s been designed to suit medium oval heads, but is possibly a bit rounder than the average medium oval. If you’re not sure if that’d work for you, you might want to make sure you buy from a helmet retailer who’ll accept refunds/swaps without fuss (like all our recommended retailers do).

One thing that’s notable with the Rapid though: it’s a lower priced helmet but LS2 has managed to make it a very lightweight helmet (for a thermoplastic helmet that is). In fact, by our reckoning it’s about the average weight for a full on carbon fibre helmet which is pretty astounding!

No tired necks after a day’s riding with the Rapid then!

Looks & Graphics

OK, so what graphics can you buy your new Rapid in?

Obv there’s the usual suspects – blacks, whites, greys. But there’s also a fancy lady version – the Poppies (see top image). I say it’s for ladies mainly because that’s the way helmet makers still seem to think. Bung one out there with pink flowers on and that’s it for a helmet that’ll appeal to ladies! Job done. Sheesh.

There’s also the Crypt design, the Caraborace, Deadbolt, Grid and a hi-viz Carrera. Check em out up and down the page – or click through below to find the latest designs and deals at our trusted retailers.

Best places to buy an LS2 Rapid helmet?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Rapid 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 SportsBikeShopBuy from Ghostbikes UKShop for LS2 helmets at Amazon

LS2 Rapid Video

Here’s a 4m video taking you round the most important features of the LS2 Rapid.

Other stuff – audio, chin curtain, warranty

You’ll find a couple of speaker pockets inside the Rapid – vital if you’re wanting to fit a comms system. You’ll also find a breath guard and chin curtain in there – good for helping stop your visor fogging up and keeping wind out from below.

And should something go wrong with your Rapid, most LS2s – including the Rapid – come with a 2 year warranty.

ls2-FF353-rapid-motorcycle-helmet-matt-black-side-view
Plain matt black’s always a popular choice.

Overall/Summary

If you’re looking for a helmet that’ll work for your daily commute as well as for longer blasts, then it looks like LS2 has managed to produce a decent helmet that offers cracking value for money.

The Rapid is super light weight, has an optically correct, Pinlock ready visor and offers stacks of features that serious riders look for in their helmets – including quick release visor, speaker pockets and removable inner.

If you’re looking for a good all rounder, work-horse sort of helmet and if you like value for money (and at this price point you don’t expect the world) then the LS2 Rapid could be a decent buy.

Only, the big sticking point is that the Rapid didn’t score too well when tested for safety by SHARP, scoring 2 out of 5 stars. That’s a good reason to pass on the Rapid and check out our alternatives below.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Good Alternatives to the LS2 Rapid

OK, so you’re after a lower-priced helmet that’s been tested for safety and come out glowing, then check out these bad boys. Most cost a bit more than the Rapid, but then most helmets do!

First up, there’s the SHARP 5 star rated MT Revenge. It’s pretty basic in terms of features and bells/whistles; but importantly, it should really perform when it’s needed. Plus it looks pretty cool.

Next, there’s the Shark Ridill – this is Shark’s entry-level all rounder helmet that’s been awarded 4 stars by SHARP. It’s also got a drop down sun visor too and scores well in just about every respect. A banging helmet.

There’s also the AGV K3 SV – that’s 4 star safety rated helmet from one of the safest helmet brands around. It’s got an integral sun visor too, plus it comes with a Pinlock antifog in the box.

Best places to buy an LS2 Rapid?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Rapid 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 SportsBikeShopShop for LS2 helmets at Amazon

Other full face helmets?

We've got lots of other ways you can find your ideal full face helmet. You can check out our Top 10 full-face crash helmets list to see our best rated helmets or head over to our Smartish Filters pages and zoom in on helmets with your 'must have' features. You can browse through all our full face crash helmet reviews as well as our safest motorcycle helmets page where you'll only find helmets that are SHARP four or five star rated - so you'll know you're wearing the best protection out there. Finally, check out our helmet gallery to find a lid that takes your fancy.

Review of the Arai Renegade V crash helmet for cruisers and nakeds

arai-renegade-v-featured

Arai’s fibreglass full face helmet designed for cruisers and naked bikes.

Arai has made the Renegade V for riders of naked bikes – and specifically for riders of cruisers and cafe racers.

It’s a fibreglass composite helmet that’s designed very much like the rest of the Arai family – which means it’s built to a very high standard and shares the overall helmet shape (R75) and many features with the rest of Arai’s current crop of high-end helmets.

Only, the normally hyper-conservative Arai have added a few design flourishes to the outside of the Renegade V that makes it look a little more retro and ‘street’ than the rest of their helmet range. Whatever next?!?

So, if you’re in the market for a new helmet for your naked bike, then read on to find out what you can expect from the Arai Renegade V (Arai Defiant X in the States).

  • Fibreglass composite full face helmetarai-defiant-x-solid-white-motorcycle-crash-helmet-side-view
  • Designed for riders of naked/upright bikes
  • Medium oval fitment
  • SHARP 3 star safety rated
  • Snell Certified (US)
  • Pinlock Max Vision included
  • Double-D ring fastener
  • Sizes XS-XXL
  • Weight 1.6Kg (3.5lbs) – heavier than average
  • Expect to pay £450-£580

Best places to buy an Arai Renegade V?

Please click below to visit the Arai Renegade V 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

Safety

 (more about helmet safety)

The Renegade V is both ECE 22-05 and DOT certified, and it’s also been SHARP tested and the US version has been Snell certified.

All of which means it’s passed the pretty stringent European ECE testing regime and the Snell labs has put the US equivalent – the Defiant X – through an extra round of safety tests in the US where it passed their standards to get M2015 certified.

arai-defiant-x-motorcycle-crash-helmet-carr-orange-rear-view
Arai Defiant X (US version of Renegade V) in Carr orange graphics

And with Arai’s recent improvement in scores in the SHARP safety test – with their last two helmets which use a similar tech and shape to the Renegade V, scoring a maximum 5 stars for safety – we expected the Arai Renegade V to score pretty highly too.

It was safety tested by SHARP in 2020 where it scored three stars out of a maximum of five. Looking at the 8.5m/s impact test results, it looks like it dropped points for side impact attenuation which is disappointing and unexpected.

Like several other Arai helmets, the Renegade V shares the rounder R75 helmet shape that’s designed to ‘glance off’ objects during an accident. It also has their much vaunted peripheral banding tech where a strengthened band of fibre is wrapped around the helmet passing above the eye port to add strength and rigidity to the helmet.

Arai renegade v defiant x 8.5ms sharp results
Arai Renegade V 8.5m/s impact test results courtesy of sharp.dft.gov.uk

We’re not massively convinced either of these really help make for a more protective helmet and as far as we’re aware, Arai hasn’t released any hard facts about how well either their helmet shape or banding works in the real world.

In fact some argue that making a helmet too strong and hard reduces a helmet’s ability to absorb impacts, making the EPS liner work too hard and passing more shock through to the rider instead.

OK, onto other safety features.

Well, there’s an anti-fog insert included in the box to keep the visor fog-free. A double-d ring fastener to keep it securely in place – and the helmet is produced in three shell sizes which is arguably great for safety as well as looks and fitting.

I’d expect a premium helmet like the Renegade V to also maybe come with EQRS too – but overall we’d expect the Renegade V to give great protection when you need it.

arai-renegade-v-motorcycle-crash-helmet-diablo-side-view
Renegade V in Diablo red graphics

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Arai helmets aren’t usually known for how quiet they are – especially the helmets designed for the track like the RX-7V.

And with the Renegade V, Arai has put a few more vent holes into the helmet shell, all of which will let more noise in along with the air.

To combat this, they’ve added what they call a noise-reducing foam to the cheek pads which they hope will keep things quiet. And they’ve also added a fixed chin curtain to the bottom of the helmet to keep noise out from below.

It might have helped a bit, but overall, owners seem to reckon noise levels inside the Renegade V is about average for a full face helmet – so don’t think you’re going to be able to get away without using ear plugs with the Renegade because you won’t; not if you value your hearing that is!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Arai’s made a big thing about the ventilation in the Renegade V. That’s because there’s a ton of vent holes all over the lid.

arai-renegade-v-motorcycle-crash-helmet-black-frost-rear-view
Rear view of the black frost Renegade V showing side and to vents.

First off, there’s those obvious four vent holes in the chin bar. They ventilate the chin and rear of the visor and while they look like straight-through old-style racing vents, they can actually be closed off from the inside of the helmet.

Arai reckons that’s to keep the integrity of the helmet shell intact – so for safety. I’m not entirely sure how that squares up with the rest of their range which don’t have open holes in the chin guard… but anyway, owners reckon they’re a bit of a pain to use. They’re madly difficult to open/close on the move, especially as they both have to be found individually. So they really mean you’ve gotta stop, fiddle, then set off again. Not ideal.

Like most other Arais, there’s a couple of vents in the visor ducting air into the helmet shell, as well as a pair of crown vents up top – and again these crown vents are both operated independently using small but glove-friendly sliders next to each vent. They do take time to get the hang of but once you do, they’re OK to find and open/close – though they are a bit more time consuming than using a single switch.

New to the Renegade V, you’ll also find a couple of intake vents in the front of the cheek pads behind the visor. These are designed to draw air in from the face area and push it out of the side exhaust vents when you’re on the move.

And talking of exhaust vents, the Renegade’s got seven rear exhausts (if you count the main 3-exit vent as three) including a rear neck roll exhaust.

OK, that’s great. But do they work??

arai-renegade-V-motorcycle-crash-helmet-outline-frost-black-side-view
Frost Black design Arai Renegade V – showing visor lock mechanism

Easy to answer that one. Because owners reckon the ventilation is really great. The vent covers might be a bit fiddly to use, but if you want cooling then open them all up and the Renegade V will give gallons of the stuff (or should that be degrees?). Either way, it’s good.

Visor

(more about visors)

The visor on the Renegade V is designed to be larger than average to give both a larger vertical as well as horizontal opening. It also uses Arai’s VAS or variable axis visor system (designed to give a nice tight fit as well as allow Arai to lower the visor mechanism).

While it does create an effective visor mechanism, it also means you get a slightly fiddly visor quick release mechanism that needs you to remove the side pods and perform a short masonic jig with the visor before it’ll pop off.

Actually, it’s not too difficult once you do it a few times, but still it’s a bit more tricky than most other helmets around.

Something else that can be fiddly is their visor lock/opening mechanism. If you’re used to Arai’s, you’ll be familiar with slamming the visor shut to find that it auto-locks. To unlock/open the visor, you need to push on the lock then push up on the visor tab. Again, a few new owners find this annoying and pointless – but you do get used to it over time.

The Renegade V does come with a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box which is welcome and saves £30 or so (or adds £30 onto the overall price depending on how you look at it!).

But, coupled with the visor ventilation system, it should mean your visor’s kept clear in all but the most cold/wet conditions.

arai-helmets-pro-shield-system
Arai’s pro shield system – as both a sun peak and visor tint.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

Arai don’t do internal sun visors. They reckon they compromise the safety of a helmet – though I’m not sure anyone else does, including helmet safety testing labs.

They do offer their external pro shade tinted visor system as an extra though. Some folks love em, others loathe em. But if you want to have a sun shade system on your Arai and don’t like riding in shades or swapping out your clear visor for a tinted screen, then the pro shade system will set you back another £80-90. Not cheap!

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The Renegade V has a medium oval fitment – meaning it should fit most people’s heads that aren’t too round or two long and narrow.

And while there’s no substitute for getting the right internal helmet shape to match your head shape in the first place, Arai’s internal comfort lining is probably the most out-of-the-box adjustable and customisable of any maker.

It features removable 5mm panels to each side, to the crown and to each cheek pad which allows you remove or add padding to get the fitment just right. And if doing that doesn’t quite give you the fit you’re looking for, Arai does sell larger and smaller fitment cheek pads too.

arai-defiant-x-modern-gray-motorcycle-crash-helmet-side-view
Renegade V/Defiant X in Modern grey plain design

So, if you get the right fitting (see our helmet fitting guide) and tailor the fit with the comfort lining pads, then word is that the Renegade V is a really comfortable helmet. Combine that with some great ventilation and a lining material that’s ph neutral, anti-microbial and odour resistant – as well as created from a particularly soft and high quality lining – and the Renegade is a majorly comfortable place to stick your noggin.

So that’s all good on comfort with several owners saying their Renegade is great for all day riding.

Looks & Graphics

In terms of overall appearance, the Renegade V looks pretty similar to most of the Arai range in that it shares the overall helmet shell shape and vent config of many other models. The most notable difference is the slightly sculpted chin bar with it’s four vent holes.

Similarly, and as is usual with Arai helmets, most of the graphics are pretty conservative with a few classy graphic options available.

To check the graphics out in more detail and see the latest Renegade V deals, feel free to click through to the Arai helmets pages on our recommended retailers below.

Best places to buy an Arai Renegade V helmet?

Please click below to visit the Arai Renegade V 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 Renegade V Video

Here’s a 3m video from Arai Europe taking you round some of the most notable features of the Renegade V.

Other stuff – fasteners, audio, weight, build quality, chin curtain, warranty

The Renegade V comes with a good old fashioned double-d ring fastener. And if you’re looking to fit a bluetooth set, there are speaker pockets inside the comfort lining but there’s no word yet on how easy it is on the ears or easy to fit.

As for build quality, it’s got Arai’s usual outstanding attention to detail and build quality so you should be able to ride without worry on that front. At 1.6Kg (3.5lbs) the Renegade V is slightly heavier than the average 1.5Kg full face helmet; though it’s doubtful it’ll cause any problems in practice – though click the link to find the lightest motorbike helmets if light weight’s a priority for you.

Renegades come with a built in, permanent chin curtain to reduce noise and air flow from the bottom. And as usual, your Renegade will come with Arai’s 5 year warranty (7 years from date of manufacture found stamped or printed on the chin strap).

Overall/Summary

Arai’s probably the most traditional of helmet manufacturers. And the Renegade V is only a slight development from many of their other helmets, using tried and tested helmet tech that’s proven to offer good protection in an impact (and much improving over recent years) and that’s popular with road riders and racers the world over.

Unfortunately, the Renegade V broke Arai’s upward trajectory by dropping a couple of stars when SHARP tested it in 2020 – gaining 3 stars for safety, their lowest test result since 2014 (though of course the US version, the Defiant X did get Snell certified so it’s not all doom and gloom).

And of course there’s also that great Arai build quality and use of high quality materials that makes owning an Arai memorable. But then it should do because Arai helmets don’t come cheap.

For that higher price tag, you could be forgiven for wanting a bit more of course. How about EQRS or how about a Pro Shade included in the box (or even better a photochromic visor) for example? And don’t forget, if you’re not used to an Arai helmet, you’ll have to get used to that quirky visor lock mechanism; plus the individual vent openers might get on your nerves a bit.

But like the rest of its recently safety tested family of helmets, we’d expect the Renegade V to offer decent levels of protection and performance for most cruiser and naked riders.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

For (hopefully!) other useful information to help you when buying your next helmet, check our various Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guides - or have a look at our Top 10 best helmet lists where we've got the top 10 best rated helmets overall along with Top 10 Best Budget/Top 10 Safest/Top 10 Best Full Face/Top 10 Best Modular/Flip-up/ Top 10 Best Sportsbike/Track helmets.

Good Alternatives to the Arai Renegade V

OK, if you’re after a more exclusive performance helmet, here’s a selection of helmets you might want to check out. We’ve included both full face and modulars here – but only helmets that perform well in safety testing.

The Bell Star range are some fantastic sportsbike-oriented helmets that are SHARP 5 star safety rated. There’s also a variant to suit most budgets.

The Shoei RYD is a great all rounder full face helmet that, again, scored maximum marks for safety when SHARP tested it.

Or how about the lightweight carbon version of the Shark Spartan – a well rated full face road helmet with 5 year warranty and Pinlock in the box.

Or finally, there’s another sportsbike full face that scored maximum for safety – the AGV Corsa. It comes with a wide, optically correct visor and is a light weight carbon/fibreglass composite.

Best places to buy an Arai Renegade V?

Please click below to visit the Arai Renegade V 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

Other full face helmets?

We've got lots of other ways you can find your ideal full face helmet. You can check out our Top 10 full-face crash helmets list to see our best rated helmets or head over to our Smartish Filters pages and zoom in on helmets with your 'must have' features. You can browse through all our full face crash helmet reviews as well as our safest motorcycle helmets page where you'll only find helmets that are SHARP four or five star rated - so you'll know you're wearing the best protection out there. Finally, check out our helmet gallery to find a lid that takes your fancy.

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