First off, a crash helmet with great ventilation keeps your head cool in the summer or if you’re riding for long hours. No shit, Sherlock.
But that’s not all. It also slows down how quickly your helmet lining gets stinky (meaning you don’t have to wash it that often). And, of course, ventilation to the front of the helmet helps keep your visor fog-free and reduces misting – though if you live somewhere cold/rainy/humid, we advise you to stick a Pinlock on your visor too.
Of course, most helmets have sliders over the vent holes so you can open or close them at will – buy a helmet with good venting and you’re not committing yourself to spending the winter months with icicles hanging from your ear holes!
So, how do you find a helmet with great ventilation?
Well, to be honest, it’s not easy.
As we’ve discovered in our helmet reviews, some helmets that have a zillion vents on them get slammed by owners for rubbish ventilation. Others only have one or two small vents but owners say they’re great.
Most helmets employ a similar system these days. They have one or more vent holes on the front or top of the helmet crown which allows air to pass through the helmet shell into the helmet. From there, air’s usually directed through channels in the polystyrene shock absorbing liner and onto the head. Of course, helmets have a fabric comfort liner inside, but these are usually perforated to allow air to circulate directly onto the head.
From there, most helmets have an exhaust vent or two on the back of the helmet to allow the stale warmer air out of the helmet – or so the theory goes: though we’ve actually seen one or two helmets without any obvious exhaust vents that get highly rated for ventilation by owners.
Helmets usually have a vent or two on the chin bar too. These route air onto the back of the visor to help stop the visor misting up – and sometimes route air to the chin for extra ventilation around the jaw.
So, given most helmets have a similar venting system, how do you find a good venting helmet?
Well, that’s why we review helmets and put all the helmets that owners say vent really well onto one page.
(…and other stuff to think about when buying a helmet)
At Billy’s Crash Helmets, we’ve made it our business to find out as much as we can about motorcycle helmet safety so we can offer as much advice to you when you’re looking for that new helmet. We’re not saying we’re the last word, but in the world of protective gear, we’ve picked our way through as many tests/papers/studies as we can so we can help you get the best.
So, if you’re after buying a helmet that’ll give you maximum protection, here’s what we advise you to do.
Buy a full face helmet
Full face helmets offer the best protection. End of. So if you want maximum protection, buy a full face.
They cover all the head – including the chin and face – so not only give you weather protection but protection to all the head in an accident.
Modular helmets feature removable chin guards – and because they’re removable, they’re always a potential weak point.
Some flip-up helmets have been tested by SHARP (see below) and given maximum marks for safety. But even so, there’s still always potential for them to unlock and open in an accident – indeed of all the modular helmets that have been SHARP 5 star rated (the maximum score) not a single one managed to keep their chin guards closed and locked through all tests. Some came close, but none scored 100%.
UK Government testing agency SHARP (short for Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme) is an independent testing organisation whose testing regime is directly drawn from the most comprehensive real-world study on helmet safety.
Their maximum safety rating is five stars – so if you want a helmet you can rely on, it’s best to go for one of those.
If you’re in the UK or Europe (and some other places like Oz), then any helmet on sale should be ECE 22.05 approved. In the US, the equivalent is DOT. So always make sure your helmet carries the relevant approval sticker on the back (DOT) or label inside (ECE).
ECE helmets all have to go through mandatory testing before getting approved whereas with DOT, manufacturers have to certify that their helmets are compliant.
Either way, ensure your helmet has the appropriate (genuine!) stamp on it so you know it’ll meet at least minimum safety standards.
All the helmets in our reviews are ECE approved.
Buy a helmet with other safety features
There’s always new features being added to helmets which all help with safety. Here’s a few to look out for…
EQRS
Stands for Emergency Quick Release System – basically a helmet with a couple of tabs at the bottom that paramedics can pull to extract the cheek pads safely and without disturbing your neck after an accident. Get a helmet with these if you can – esp if you take your bike on the track.
Quite a few helmets are designed with really wide visors to give you better peripheral vision, so you don’t get caught out with cyclists and the like sneaking up on you.
Stands to reason you need a nice clear visor to keep your vision clear. But things like rain, cold or humid weather can cause your visor to fog up. Stick in a Pinlock anti-fog (preferably a Max Vision that covers all the visor) and your vision will stay clear in all but the most extreme circumstances.
Buy a helmet that covers some or all these features and you’ll be well protected when you ride your bike.
At the time of writing, no single helmet ticks all these boxes – but talking of ticking boxes, use our Smart Filters to identify two or three features that you really want from your next helmet and quickly zoom in on the best helmets for you.
Review of Shark’s full face streetbike motorcycle helmet, the Shark Spartan
The Spartan is Shark’s aggressive streetbike full face helmet that comes in both fibreglass and fibreglass/carbon versions.
The Spartan comes in two flavours – there’s a light weight carbon fibre version and a slightly heavier fibreglass version of the helmet, both aimed at your typical streetbike rider.
Having said that, the carbon version is actually a fibreglass and carbon composite – though Shark does quote a weight saving of 100g for the carbon helmet over the fibreglass.
It’s available for around £250 upwards, but what exactly do you get for your money? And, importantly, what do owners of the Shark Spartan think about their helmets, so you know if it’s worth getting one?
Split rear spoiler showing on plain carbon version
Best places to buy a Shark Spartan?
Please click below to visit the Shark Spartan 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).
Safety
This one’s the Spartan Droze – showing both top vent and sun visor sliders on the top of the helmet
SHARP has tested both the fibreglass and carbon fibre versions of the Spartan.
The original fibreglass version was rated at three stars, whereas the full carbon fibre version got them back on track by scoring four stars, out of a maximum five.
But from June 2017, the fibreglass version’s score was changed to four stars too. Here’s the note from the SHARP website as to why:
“Helmets produced with Type Approval + production numbers before E11/050569/P-165603, tested in June 2017, were fitted with an early type of shell and achieved a safety rating of 3-stars. Helmets with production numbers P-165603 onward have achieved a safety rating of 4-stars.”
Shark Spartan fibreglass and carbon SHARP 8.5m/s impact test results courtesy of sharp.dft.gov.uk
So if you like the look of a Spartan and want to max out on the protection, now you can go for either versions.
But beyond the SHARP rating, there’s a heap of other features that will – hopefully – help you along the way to a safer ride.
The main visor comes with a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box. That should keep your vision fog free in pretty well all conditions.
And there’s also a drop down sun visor to keep the sun out of your eyes and keep you from being dazzled when the sun drops low and catches you out.
All that’s finished off with a double-d ring strap – they’re safe as houses and mean that you have to readjust the strap every trip. Again, that’s great for having a secure helmet that shouldn’t come off in an accident.
Helmet Noise
Full face helmets are broadly quieter than all other types.
But even though Shark has paid a great deal of attention to the aerodynamics of the helmet (they say they used computational fluid dynamics to make for a slippery shape), based on the range of opinions we found across the web, the Shark Spartan is only seen as about average for noise suppression by owners.
Shark Spartan Kraken
In addition to the careful aero design, they’ve used a plush and comfortable lining too; but that can only go so far towards making a quiet helmet, and with all those spoilers and protruding vents, it seems they create a bit of noise for some folks (but far from everyone) with one or two complaining of an annoying whistling coming from the back of their Spartans.
But because there’s a broad range of feeling about how quiet the Spartan is from owners – with opinions ranging from really noisy to very quiet – expect it to be about average if you buy one, and expect to need to wear ear plugs.
Ventilation
The Spartan’s venting system relies on a single chin vent and single crown vent to allow air into the helmet and onto the back of the visor. Up top, that air is routed through the helmet shell into channels in the polystyrene shock liner where it’s then pushed onto the head.
The chin vent is a two-position panel-switch that lets you either open or close it; whereas the top vent uses a two-position slider.
Owners report that both are easy to find and work well, even in gloves. And importantly, they almost all agree that the ventilation’s very good – despite the fact that there isn’t a rear exhaust vent to let the air out of the helmet.
Rear view of the Spartan Rughed showing rear spoilers
Visor
There’s a few useful features when it comes to the Shark Spartan’s main visor.
First off, it’s both Pinlock ready and comes with a Pinlock Max Vision insert in the box. That’s going to keep your vision nice and fog-free in most conditions and is the best way we know to keep your visor clear.
Secondly, the Spartan has an innovative – and really fast – quick release system. Quick release visors have become really popular in recent years because they let you quickly whip off the visor to clean or change it, usually without the need for any tools. Usually, you have to open the visor, push a button or lever, and the visor will pull away.
But the Spartan takes this a step further. With the Spartan, you simply have to open the visor and tug the visor free from the pivot. Owners love its simplicity and say it works well – and we reckon more manufacturers are probably going to start to copy it.
It works using a large slider at the top of the helmet. These sort of sliders are probably the least convenient to use for the rider because, until you really get the hang of it, they can be a bit tricky to locate and use.
Having said that, owners of the Spartan seem to reckon that the sun visor itself is really good. Even though it can be prone to fogging (it’s not anti-fog treated) they reckon it’s nice and dark and drops down low – two things not all sun visors manage to do.
The last thing to say about the sun visor is that it works using friction – meaning you can push the slider a little bit and that’ll drop the sun visor down a little bit, where it’ll stay put. Some sun visors are either fully up or fully down affairs – often using return springs to quickly withdraw the sun visor – but it’s personal preference which works best for you.
Comfort & Sizing
The Shark Spartan is available in sizes XS-XXL and should fit people with all but the roundest heads because it’s a medium oval fitment.
Inside the Spartan you’ll find a fully removable and washable interior. Owners reckon it’s really plush and comfortable and feels high quality.
Plain Carbon version of the Spartan
Looks & Graphics
Lots of folks buy the Shark Spartan because of its super aggressive looks.
That particularly goes for the Spartan Carbons which are available in either plain carbon or carbon with a variety of colour/design options – all showing that carbon fibre weave but with other graphics overlaid.
If you decide to go for a fibreglass version of the Spartan, there’s loads of graphics to choose from with an immense array of mean and moody looking designs. We’ve grabbed as many as we can to put on this page but for the whole range – and to see their latest deals – please click through to our recommended retailers using the links below.
Best places to buy a Shark Spartan?
Please click below to visit the Shark Spartan 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).
Shark Spartan Video
A 3m look around the Spartan.
Other stuff – audio, weight, glasses, buffeting, chin curtain, warranty
The Shark Spartan is designed for Shark’s Sharktooth bluetooth headset. But if you’ve got a different communicator, word is there’s decent-sized cutaways for headphones and room for a mic in there too.
Shark Spartan carbon EDWS
If you’re looking for a light weight helmet, both the fibreglass and the carbon fibre versions of the Spartan make it into our lightweight helmets category because both come in under 1.4Kg which is our cut off point. The fibreglass version is 1.39Kg while the carbon/fibreglass version is 1.29Kg so is particularly light weight.
Glasses wearers are catered for too because the Spartan has a glasses groove to stop your glasses’ stems digging into your head.
The Spartan comes with both a fog guard and innovative chin curtain as standard. The chin curtain is particularly cool because it’s retractable so you can pull it out if things get cold and push it totally away when it warms up again. Well handy that and new on the scene.
And to top off the package, the Shark Spartan comes with a very generous 5 year warranty.
Overall/Summary
The Shark Spartan is a really attractive package. Naked and streetfighter owners will love its aggressive looks – particularly the full carbon versions. But even if you’re just after a competent helmet at a decent price point, the Spartan appeals. With it’s super-quick-release visor with included Pinlock anti-mist visor, great drop down sun visor and with great ventilation and a quality build, the Spartan should be a good helmet to live with too.
In fact, there were very few bad points mentioned by the owners we came across. Owners seem to love the way their Spartan’s look and the way they’re super comfortable.
And now both versions have scored excellent SHARP 4 star safety ratings (out of max 5 stars) you can choose from either – both are lightweight so the only real choice is between graphics and price.
All in all, owners reckon the Spartan is a great all-rounder that’s well worth the money and they’re highly recommended.
Good Alternatives to the Shark Spartan?
If you’re looking for a decent streetbike helmet that won’t break the bank, then there’s some sensational helmets out there.
First up, there’s the HJC FG-ST. That’s a SHARP 5 star fibreglass helmet with drop down sun visor and Pinlock Max Vision in the box – all for slightly less money than the Shark.
Or there’s the X-Lite X-702 GT, that’s a light weight composite fibre helmet that’s available in a particularly wide range of sizes and scored maximum points when tested by SHARP. It’s also quiet, comfortable and has great ventilation.
Finally, it’s worth checking out the AGV K5S – a SHARP 4 star safety rated carbon composite helmet with sun visor and great aero and venting qualities.
Please click below to visit the Shark Spartan 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).
Most of us probably want to wear a quiet helmet, but finding one isn’t that easy (which is actually one of the reasons I set up this website in the first place!).
You can try and go on what the manufacturers say – but that often turns out to be BS.
You can look at the helmet specs – stuff like nice and thick comfort liners and smooth aero design. But again, that’s often misleading.
But read on for how we rate our helmets for quietness, and other things to consider when you’re looking to buy a quiet motorcycle helmet.
So how do you find a nice quiet helmet?
You’d probably think that the best way of finding out which helmets are quiet and which are noisy would be to ask owners. Which is entirely right and exactly what we do at Billy’s Crash Helmets of course – because we take as many people’s views as possible and, where we can, work out which are the noisy and which are the quiet helmets.
The only problem with that is it’s amazing how many people find the same helmet massively different when it comes to assessing helmet noise.
All too often we find one person’s noisiest helmet in the whole world ever is the next person’s whisper-quiet dream helmet. Which, if you’re looking for a new, quiet helmet – doesn’t really help.
Why do opinions vary soooo much?
It’s complicated, but there’s a few reasons:
The motorbike you ride
If you ride a Goldwing with a massive screen up front, you’re probably going to – broadly – find a helmet quieter than someone on a naked. Stands to reason; when there’s less wind blast on the helmet, then it’s going to create less noise for the rider.
Only, that’s not the entire story because some screens can do strange things to air flow; blasting air at different points of the helmet (if the rider’s taller or smaller) or even directing air towards the rear of the helmet through weird turbulence shenanegans.
Plus, some helmets are actually designed to work better in the wind flow (which the designers can simulate in the wind tunnel and therefore design-around) so they may well work better on a naked than a fully faired touring bike.
Told you it’s complicated…
The position you ride
If you ride upright or tucked in, then different helmets will react differently to the windflow. And some are designed for use on sportsbikes so have better aero when in a racing tuck. Conversely, street helmets are more geared towards a more upright riding position so their aero is designed to work better with the chin-up rather than head-down.
Ride your naked street bike with a sportsbike helmet and it’ll attack the air at a different angle than it was designed for, create more turbulence, and probably end up noisier as a result.
Your hearing
Obv one this so doesn’t need much explaining.
Younger hearing = more sensitive hearing = noisier helmet. Older person’s hearing = less sensitive = quieter helmet.
So a young person saying it’s a noisy helmet might not equate to an older person feeling the same way about it.
The last helmet you owned
If the last helmet you owned happened to be massively well sound-insulated and you change to a new one that’s less so, you might well shout from the rooftops that you’d rather put your head in a tumble dryer than wear your new lid. When in actual fact, in the overall scheme of things, it’s a pretty quiet helmet.
But if you’re used to riding around ton-up in an open face helmet then stick on a pretty poor £10 helmet from Asda, it might feel like the last word in serenity.
So opinions are ALWAYS coloured by what you’ve worn before.
Expectations
How often have you gone to watch a film that your mate’s been banging on about for the last week at work – only to find it’s another Boys in Blue?
Well, if we hype up a helmet as being like wearing an isolation tank on your head, chances are you’ll be disappointed when you take your new helmet on its first ride. Matching – or beating – expectations, is often very tricky. So try and manage your own expectations.
Helmets operate in a pretty hostile and noisy environment, so if you’re expecting silence, that’s probably not realistic and you’ll be disappointed.
The helmet
Obviously, some helmets are better designed, sleeker, with better sound insulation and with less bits projecting up into the air flow and fewer vent holes to conduct sound into your lug holes than others.
Not all helmets are created equal.
And while some folks will still say they’d be better off riding with a paper bag on their heads for all the sound attenuation their helmet offers, we look for a helmets with a very high proportion of owners who comment that their helmet is nice and quiet before we award a helmet with a place on our Quietest Helmets Pages.
But if you’re just scouring websites looking for a new helmet, it’s not easy to spot this sort of helmet from just looking at it, because it’s usually not obvious from the specs or from the look of a helmet which are going to perform best.
There is one rule of thumb to follow if you’re after a quiet helmet – and that’s 95% of full face helmets are quieter than modulars
They just are – probably to do with the chin guard gubbins meaning less padding around the ears.
So, how do you work out the quietest helmets?
When we’re reviewing a helmet, we get as many owner’s opinions on the noise levels of a helmet as possible. And only where the vast majority are positive will we add it to our quietest helmets pages. If it’s a 50/50 split or mixed review, it’ll never make it in.
Which is not to say that if you bought that helmet, you’ll not find it acceptably quiet – for all the reasons listed above. But hopefully if you buy one of our quietest helmets, then you’ll stand the highest chance of getting a helmet that’ll work for you.
Oh, and of course, if a helmet is goddawful noisy, we’ll always put that in the review too.
Scorpion’s top of the range modular helmet review- the Scorpion Exo-3000 Air
The Scorpion Exo-3000 Air is Scorpion’s top-dog modular helmet, designed to be quiet, light and aerodynamically-stable and to offer all the bells and whistles we demand from our flip-up helmets.
You’ll find every bit of information we can find about the Exo-3000 Air below – including what owners and riders think of theirs, taken from comments and views expressed around the web.
The 3000 Air’s now been discontinued, but the last time we checked it was still available at FC-Moto. Please click below to drop onto their Scorpion 3000 Air helmet pages, and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
Safety
If you’re looking to buy a modular helmet, then you should be after a helmet shell that’s gonna offer decent protection as well as a chin guard that you can rely on.
3000 Air in Sync Neon hi viz yellow with chin bar fully raised
In the case of the Scorpion Exo-3000 Air, SHARP has rated it a slightly above average three stars (out of a maximum 5). Also, during their comprehensive testing, the chin guard stayed locked and closed in 97% of tests – which, while not perfect, is pretty damn close and well above average.
Of course, it’s also ECE certified in Europe (and self-certified DOT in US) meaning it’s also undergone the rigorous ECE testing all European helmets have to undergo before hitting the shelves.
Make of all this information what you will – but we’d ideally suggest you opt for a four or five star rated helmet (click the link to find those).
Of course, impact protection isn’t the whole story. You want a helmet that’s going to do its best to keep you out of trouble in the first place.
Well, the visor on the Exo 3000 Air is nice and wide and is Pinlock ready (though there’s no Pinlock anti-fog included in the box, which is a shame). A wide visor is great for max peripheral vision and reducing stuff creeping up on you unnoticed, while it goes without saying that having fog-free vision is important for safety – and a Pinlock’s one of the best ways for keeping things clear.
Make up of the TCT composite shell found on the Exo 3000
The Scorpion’s also made in 3 helmet shell sizes (good for safety and fitment) and is well below average weight for a modular. That’s good for reducing impact pressure on the head and neck during an impact.
So, for safety, it’s swings and roundabouts with the Exo-3000 Air. There’s lots of features that the Scorpion does well, but it just falls down a notch on the SHARP safety rating.
Helmet Noise
We all want a quiet helmet if we can. And so did Scorpion because they set out to make a helmet that’s aerodynamically sleek (to reduce wind noise) and has decent internal padding (to reduce wind noise) as well have inflatable bits inside (to reduce wind noise even more).
But did it work?
Unfortunately, nope.
While there’s a couple of dissenting voices out there saying it’s quieter than their last helmets (which doesn’t really help anyone I guess) the vast majority reckon the Scorpion Exo-3000 Air is a noisy blighter. It seems to be particularly noisy on nakeds with one or two owners reporting a mind-frazzling whistling as well – possibly-maybe coming from the sun visor slider.
Of course, flip-front helmets aren’t known for their noise-attenuating capabilities, though you can check out our quietest helmets to find the ones that do (or choose modulars/quietest in our smart filters to quickly zoom in on the quietest modulars around).
But if you’re looking for a quiet modular lid – then you should probably bypass the Exo 3000. Though saying that, you should always wear the best ear plugs you can whenever you ride any distance, in which case the noise shouldn’t really bother you too much.
The Serenity graphics are available as white-on-black and black-on-black
Ventilation
In contrast, ventilation on the Exo-3000 Air is generally rated as outstanding.
That’s surprising given that the vents on the 3000 Air look pretty standard, with a single chin vent and single forehead vent routing air through into helmet, with a small double exhaust vent on the back.
Not only do owners say – almost without exception – that the Exo-3000 Air vents very well, but they also say the switches are easy to use in gloves.
We’d say that’s job done.
Visor
The visor on the Scorpion Exo-3000 Air seems to tick all the right boxes – bar one.
It works on a ratchet, and has the opening tab to the bottom left – which, along with bottom centre, is probably the most convenient place. It’s also a quick-release visor, meaning you can whip it off easily to clean it. And quite a number of owners said the visor is nice and wide, giving a great field of vision. These are all VERY GOOD THINGS.
It’s also Pinlock Max Vision ready. Unfortunately though, it doesn’t come with the Pinlock anti-fog insert in the box. Some helmets do, others don’t so it’s not that unusual that a helmet’s Pinlock-ready but delivered without the Pinlock. Still, you’ll need to budget £30-£40 get yourself anti-fogged up with the Exo 3000 Air.
Visit our Pinlock helmets pages to find other helmets that are either Pinlock-ready or come with a Pinlock insert in the box.
Other than that, all’s well with the Scorpion’s visor.
Sun Visor
The Scorpion Exo-3000 Air has an integral drop-down sun visor, operated by a slider along the bottom left hand side of the helmet.
Chin bar up, sun visor down on the gloss white Exo 3000 Air
That position for the slider is a bit more difficult to achieve for the manufacturers but is a good position for riders when compared to some makers who put the slider on the top of the helmet.
The sun visor is UV400 (the highest rating) and EverClear anti-fog treated: and owners say it works well – coming down nice and low and covering most of your vision.
Chin Guard
Because the Scorpion Exo-3000 Air is a flip-up helmet, you might be forgiven thinking that the chin guard might be a bit of a weak link.
And you’d (often) be right.
Most of us buy a modular helmet because we like the idea/convenience of being able to use the helmet like an open face from time to time. But we also want the protection that a full face helmet offers. And while most modulars are designed to give full face style protection, not all manage it very well.
So, how do we tell which will?
Fortunately for us, SHARP measures how often the chin guard stays closed and locked during their helmet safety testing, giving us an idea of how trustworthy each chin guard is.
In the case of the Scorpion, the chin guard unlocked in just 3% of impacts. That equates to opening just once during all 32 impact tests. And while we’d all like it to stay closed and locked 100% of the time, 97% is actually a very respectable score.
All this safety business aside, owners reckon it’s very easy to open the polycarbonate chin guard (it’s not composite fibre like the rest of the helmet shell), and say it closes with a nice positive clunk – so you know it’s closed OK.
Comfort & Sizing
Before we move onto the rest of the internals, you’re probably wondering what the ‘Air’ part of the Scorpion Exo-3000 Air is all about.
Well, like most of the Scorpion range, the Exo-3000 has some internal air bladders and a small rubber pump. Scorpion calls this its AirFit concept, but to us it’s just a rubber bulb you can squeeze to inflate air pockets in the cheek pads. So if you buy a 3000 Air and you think it should fit your face a bit tighter, then you can inflate the cheek pads a bit to get it to fit just right.
And the 3000 Air takes things a bit further than other Scorpion helmets because it has, for the first time, a neck air pocket – designed to tighten things up around the neck as well as keep the draft and noise out.
Matt black version of the Scorpion Exo 3000 Air
Is it all any good?
Well, some owners reckon so, others not so much. I guess if you find things get a bit loose over time, then you might start to experiment. But we’d suggest if you do buy a new AirFit helmet, make sure the helmet is nice and tight without the AirFit inflated in the first place and don’t rely on the AirFit sorting things out. Then, as the helmet loosens over time, you can choose to use the air if needed.
Other than the AirFit, the 3000 Air features Scorpion’s highly-rated Kwickwick3 liner – that’s a nice and soft moisture-wicking fabric that’s also hypoallergenic and machine washable.
Most owners say it’s really comfy with good padding. Though note, a few did say the 3000 Air sizes a bit small so while we recommend you follow our fitting guide and buy the correct size, it’s just possible you might find it a bit of a tight squeeze and have to return it for a size up.
Obviously, as long as you don’t strip the helmet of its tags and stickers – and buy from one of our recommended retailers – you’ll not have a problem with swapping sizes (and some of our recommended stores even cover the cost of the returns).
Looks & Graphics
Most of the Scorpion Exo-3000 Airs are in the usual plain/solid colours – with gloss white/black, a matt black and silver (or hypersilver – wow!) being available. There’s also a single neon yellow hi-viz version and one graphic option called Serenity.
If they do release any other graphics, you’re best clicking through to our recommended retailers below to discover them and see any helmet offers that are going on.
Best places to buy a Scorpion Exo 3000 Air?
The 3000 Air’s now been discontinued, but the last time we checked it was still available at FC-Moto. Please click below to drop onto their Scorpion 3000 Air helmet pages, and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
It has speaker pockets so you can use it with your bluetooth; though there’s mixed reception as to how deep the pockets are. A couple of owners with Sena headsets said it works just fine while one owner with a UClear HBC said it was too tight for a comfortable fit.
Weight – or lack of it – is one thing owners love about the 3000 Air. And while it’s about average weight if you look at all full-size helmets, if you take modulars – which way an average of just under 1.7Kgs – the Scorpion Exo 3000 Air weighs in around 1.55Kg so is nice and light for a modular.
Classy anthracite version
It also has glasses grooves so should take the stems of your glasses without them pressing into the side of your head, and one owner said he could even put the helmet on without taking his glasses off first.
Build quality and finishing is said to be very good and the 3000 Air – like all Scorpion helmets – is backed by an excellent 5 year warranty.
Overall/Summary
Apart from the noise, there’s very little that owners moan about – and there’s lots they love about the Scorpion 3000 Air.
It’s a very competent modular with a great visor system, wonderful ventilation and it’s nice and light and comfy to wear all day. OK there’s no Pinlock included in the box – though at this price, you can arguably afford to buy one and still end up with a great helmet at a very good price.
It’s not as highly rated for safety as some, but if you’re after a light weight composite flip-up helmet that’s well built and backed by a 5 year warranty (that covers the expected lifetime of the helmet) then the top of their range Scorpion Exo 3ooo Air is well worth your money.
First up, there’s the SHARP 4 star rated Shark Evo One. That’s a dual homologated modular where the chin guard flips right to the back of the helmet so you can really use it as an open face. It comes with a Pinlock Max Vision insert in the box too. So too does the Shark Evoline 3, and that one’s SHARP 5 star safety rated. Both helmets have drop down sun visors too and can be had for about the same price as the Scorpion.
The AGV Compact is a great helmet. OK so it’s noisy too, but it’s cheaper than the Scorpion, has a sun visor and it’s SHARP 4 star safety rated.
Or how about the HJC IS Max II – that’s another 4 star safety rated modular that scores well in every area – though it’s about average for noise.
Best places to buy a Scorpion Exo 3000 Air?
The 3000 Air’s now been discontinued, but the last time we checked it was still available at FC-Moto. Please click below to drop onto their Scorpion 3000 Air helmet pages, and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
Nolan N87 – Review of Nolan’s well-specced polycarbonate full face helmet
The Nolan N87 is Nolan’s top-of-the-range full face polycarbonate helmet aimed at both sportsbike and touring riders. Because it’s polycarbonate, you’d expect it to come in at a lower price point – and you’d be right. But that doesn’t mean you won’t get a load of must-have features for your money.
The N87 comes with a drop-down sun visor, has a wide visor with Pinlock Max Vision insert (included in the box but double-check with your retailer first) and is designed to fit both Nolan’s N-com bluetooth communication system and their novel rear stop light system (ESS).
It’s not the cheapest polycarbonate full face around (for some great alternatives that come in at the same or lower price than the Nolan, click down to our recommended alternatives at the bottom of the page) but with Nolan’s legendary levels of safety and and offering a load of bang for your buck, could this make the N87 one of the best value street helmets on the market?
Please click below to drop straight onto the Nolan N87 helmets pages at our recommended retailers. 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).
Safety
The Nolan N87 is both ECE 22.05 and DOT certified – and it’s SHARP tested too where it scored four out of a maximum five stars. That’s great going and bang in-line with every one of Nolan’s helmets tested so far which have all scored 4 out of 5 stars when tested by SHARP.
It’s worth noting that the N87 is only made in two helmet shell sizes though – some more expensive helmets are made in four separate helmet shell sizes – and that could potentially slightly compromise helmet safety as well as how the helmet looks when you’re wearing it (read here for more details).
However, the fact that it has a wide visor with Pinlock antifog insert as standard (see below) are safety features it’s always good to see in any helmet.
The N87 is also the first helmet we’ve seen that can fit a brake light into the rear of the helmet – though that’s an optional extra. The light’s designed to automatically show under heavy breaking and can also be used as a flashing fog light.
I guess having an extra brake light (or flashing rear light like lots of cyclists do) might well be a useful safety feature as long as it works as it’s supposed to. As soon as we hear from riders who’ve used one, we’ll let you know how well it works.
Nolan emergency stop light fitted (in a Nolan N104 Absolute, not N87)
Ventilation
The N87 has what Nolan call Air Booster Technology. What that actually means are that it has a chin vent and double forehead vents!
The chin vent is a single large slider that pulls down and lets air ventilate the rear of the visor.
There are two separate forehead/crown vents that are operated by independent switches. These let air into the helmet which is then channelled through internal ventilation grooves set inside the polystyrene lining, ventilating the head and then exiting via a couple of rear exhaust vents built into the rear spoiler.
Word is that all the sliders are nice and easy to find/use – even in gloves – and that the vents pull in a decent amount of air.
Visor
The main visor is designed to be wide and high for extra peripheral vision and forward vision when in a sportier tuck. That’s verified by lots of owners who say it’s nice and wide and gives a good field of vision.
The visor’s also Pinlock-ready and comes with a Pinlock Max Vision in the box. Pinlocks are well worth having if you ride in conditions where your visor suffers from fogging, so including a Pinlock in the box is great and worth £30+ alone.
The Max Vision that comes with the N87 is a larger version of the Pinlock that should mean the edges of the Pinlock don’t get in your line of sight – something the standard (smaller) versions used to suffer from.
Rear view of a silver N87 showing rear exhaust vent and removable panel for ESS
Nolan have also revised their visor mount system. Not only does it have an easy to use quick removal system for the visor, but it’s now slightly spring loaded, pulling the visor inwards towards the visor seal to keep it more air and water tight.
On the main visor front then, Nolan seem to have got pretty much all bases covered.
Sun visor
There’s a built in sun visor operated by a switch on the left hand side of the helmet, just behind the main visor pivot.
Unusually, the sun visor on the N87 works on a ratchet, allowing for a few intermediate visor positions as well as the fully up and fully down positions.
A couple of owners said the sun visor on the N87 is nice and dark – which isn’t always the case – and drops down just the right amount so doesn’t perch on the top of your nose. Though I guess this depends on the size of your schnoz.
Apart from that, the only other thing to note is that it’s a fully UV400 visor, offering maximum UV protection. I suspect most sun visors are UV proof, but surprisingly, makers don’t always shout about it so it can be difficult to know for sure.
View of the guts of the N87 including chin guard, micrometric fastener and air channels
Comfort & Internals
The Nolan N87 is available in a wide range of sizes from XXS-XXXL.
It features a new, fully removable and washable lining that’s made from ClimaCool material that’s moisture wicking and breathable. Owners say it feels really plush and comfortable.
It also features Nolan’s Adaptive Eyewear System – in simple terms meaning it shouldn’t press the stems of your glasses into your head if you’re a glasses wearer.
Nolan claim the N87 in size medium should weigh in around 1.42Kg which makes it slightly lighter than the average full face helmet which is always going to make a helmet that bit easier to wear for longer periods.
Looks & Graphics
There’s plenty of graphics to choose from so click through to our recommended retailers below to see the latest colours and designs.
First off, there’s plain gloss black & white and a matt black. There’s also the Martz range which are near plain colours except for a couple of stripes and come in red, silver, yellow, black and white. There’s also the classy looking Fulgor and Rapid designs which you’ll find on this page.
For the latest deals at some of the best retailers, please click on the links below.
Best places to buy a Nolan N87 helmet?
Please click below to drop straight onto the Nolan N87 helmets pages at our recommended retailers. 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).
Nolan N87 Video
Here’s Nolan’s N87 video giving a 3 minute look around the helmet.
Cool/sporty Nolan N87 Martz range come in red, yellow, silver, black and white
Other stuff – fasteners, build quality, audio, chin curtain, warranty
The N87 comes with a micrometric 2 fastener. They’re nice and easy to use and, as long as they’re tightened correctly, should keep the helmet in place during an accident.
Lots of owners say that the Nolan N87 is really well built – including really durable parts that stand up well to a bit of a rough life and a nice finish to the paint.
It’s also Nolan’s N-Com Bluetooth communicator ready – with space for earphones and mic as well as a place to mount the unit.
Finally, the N87 comes with a chin curtain in the box and is supported by Nolan’s 5 year warranty, something that not all manufacturers offer.
Owners reckon the Nolan N87 is a quality package at a competitive price. It has a wide visor with quick release system and Pinlock in the box to stop any fogging – and a UV400 drop down sun visor. It’s pretty light weight for a polycarbonate full face and is bluetooth communicator ready.
It was safety tested by SHARP in 2016 and scored an impressive 4 stars (out of 5) which means it should give very good protection indeed.
At this price, the N87 slips out of our budget helmet category – but even so, with its extensive list of features – including the not-seen-before emergency stop light system (optional extra) – the Nolan N87 offers excellent value for money and heaps of performance and is well worth a look if you’re in the market for a great all-rounder full face helmet.
Alternatives to the Nolan N87
Even though the Nolan N87 has some great features at a really keen price, it’s not alone. There’s a lot of great helmets available if you’re looking to spend around the £150 mark.
There’s the SHARP four star rated Shark S700 with integral sun visor and great finishing.
Classy N87 Rapid in lava grey
Or there’s the Lazer Bayamo – that’s another SHARP 4 star rated helmet with a five year guarantee, integral sun visor and is comfortable with good ventilation for even less than the N87.
For about the same price as the Nolan, there’s another Italian lid, the AGV K3 SV – SHARP 4 star rated with sun visor and Pinlock in the box.
And finally, there’s the Scorpion EXO-410 Air – that comes with an optically-correct visor, SHARP 4 star rating and Scorpion’s Air Pump tight fit system to tailor the fit.
Please click below to drop straight onto the Nolan N87 helmets pages at our recommended retailers. 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).
Arai’s Chaser-X motorcycle helmet is designed to be a mid-level helmet (one step up from the entry-level Arai Axces III) that’ll work on a range of sports-touring motorcycles and is suitable for everyone from commuters to tourers.
It’s a key helmet for Arai as it’s a (relatively) cheap way into Arai ownership yet it offers many features found in their more expensive helmets.
On the surface, it’s unmistakably Arai. But have they cut corners with the Chaser-X?
It’s not widely available, but the Chaser X is still available at Amazon UK the last time we checked. Please click the link below – and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
Safety
It’s fair to say that Arai has applied all their latest construction and design expertise to the Chaser-X to make it as safe a helmet as they know how.
As with all Arai helmets, it uses what Arai call ‘super fibres’ in the construction of the shell which are essentially high-grade glass fibres set into their latest resin mix – termed ‘Z Mixture’ by Arai (sounds like Dr. Nefario works at Arai!?).
They also focus on making the helmet particularly strong in a ring around the helmet to help it better absorb impacts – imagine a pudding basin helmet around your head going above the ears and above the brow, and that pretty much covers where this strengthened ring goes.
And like all Arai’s, the Chaser-X is designed to be externally as round as possible to help with aerodynamics and ‘glance off’ – the idea that a rounder helmet is less likely to dig-in and rotate during an accident, causing further head and neck injuries.
And once all that’s done, they produce the Chaser-X in three shell sizes so you should get just about the right amount of helmet shell and padding for your head size.
That’s all fine. But does it all work?
The answer is a resounding… yup.
In recent times, when independently tested by SHARP, their cheaper helmets (a relative term!) haven’t scored so well. However, over the last couple of years, they’ve done much better with their last four helmets scoring an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
So it was no surprise that the Chaser-X – which shares the same helmet shape and construction with the latest crop of helmets – scored a very respectable four stars (out of five) when tested by SHARP.
And in the US, the Chaser-X (called the DT-X over there) has recently been Snell 2015 tested and certified too.
Which means you should be putting your head in a very safe place if you decide to buy an Arai Chaser-X. Just make sure you get the fitting bang on because that’s the number one way to ensure you’re getting the best out of your head protection, whatever the helmet.
Arai’s designed the Chaser-X to be relatively quiet, with its rounder helmet form and an aerodynamically designed chin curtain, made to keep noise ingress to a minimum.
It seems to work reasonably well too. One owner said opening the chin vent can create a bit of noise, but most owners seem to think it’s quieter than average helmet.
Ventilation
The Chaser-X Diamond White showing the large rear inlet/exhaust vent
The Chaser-X has masses of inlet and exhaust vents.
The chin vent is two-position allowing you to direct air around the chin area or onto the back of the visor to help with demisting.
And as usual – and uniquely with Arai helmets – there’s a couple of brow vents to take air around the temple area.
Both the crown and rear vent are new to the Chaser-X though in that both act as inlet and exhaust vents – even when the inlet vent is closed.
They channel air through the EPS liner and, unlike most systems that use a network of channels in the EPS lining to circulate air, the Chaser-X pushes the air out through holes in the lining leaving it to circulate round via the channels in the removable comfort lining instead.
Once it’s done its job, the air exits the helmet via any one of five exhaust vents.
The word from owners is that the vents are easy to find in gloves and that ventilation is effective.
Visor
Like most Arais, the Chaser-X uses Arai’s VAS or variable axis system visor. Essentially, that means rather than pivoting at one point, the visor pivot point moves as the visor is opened or closed. They did this mainly to allow them to lower the visor mechanism so it doesn’t interfere with the peripheral belting system used to construct the helmet, so isn’t really any benefit for the visor mechanism itself.
As usual for Arai helmets, the Chaser-X has removable side panels covering the visor pivots and quick release system. That quick release is a bit more fiddly than many systems but, according to owners, it’s something you’ll get the hang of pretty quickly.
Chaser X in Finish graphics
To remove the visor, you open up the visor and there’s a couple of small levers in front of the side panels. Push those back and the panels pop off – don’t worry, they’re tethered to the helmet so you don’t lose them. You then push down on the visor and it pops out of each side.
Unlike many visors that are just a shaped piece of polycarbonate, the Chaser-X visor itself is a complex thing.
First off, it’s Pinlock Max Vision ready and comes with a Max Vision insert in the box. That’s got your antifog sorted.
It’s also got those two-position brow vents actually as part of the visor. They mate up with the brow vent channels above the visor aperture to take air into the temples.
And it’s a nice wide visor too with some owners saying it’s the widest visor aperture they’ve come across.
And finally, there’s the latest incarnation of Arai’s visor lock to the bottom left – close the visor with a push and it’ll auto-lock; push the lever up and it’ll unlock and open the visor.
Again, quite a few owners commented that the lock takes time to get the hang of, but after a while and a bit of practice, it works OK.
Comfort & Sizing
The fitment of the Chaser-X is medium-oval which means it should suit most people. Many Arais have traditionally been long and thin so this medium oval shape should mean it fits more riders.
The Chaser-X Tough range are available in hi viz yellow (above) white, red and blue
It’s made in three shell sizes and fitment sizes XS-XXL.
The lining is removable and washable and made from antimicrobial and moisture wicking materials.
But it’s the ability to tailor the fit that really grabs your attention.
Obviously, having a comfortable helmet is important. No one likes to ride for hours with a seam digging in or a pressure point giving you a headache. But it’s also important for safety – a well fitting helmet that’s reasonably tight but without pressure points is also a helmet that’ll work well during an accident.
So Arai has made the padding in their latest helmets very customisable indeed. If you buy a Chaser-X but find it’s a little tight in some areas, there are 5mm ‘peel away’ panels you can remove in the cheek pads and around the temples to help create the best fit for your head. And if that doesn’t quite do it for you, then you can buy replacement cheek pads in a range of thicknesses so you can get the fit just right.
And, according to loads of owners, the whole system works a treat. It feels plush and soft and, providing you’ve got the right head shape (and get the right fit) then it should be all-day comfortable.
That includes for riders with glasses. The Chaser-X has a glasses groove in the lining and it works very well, making it easy to put your glasses on while you’re wearing the helmet and riding without pressure points.
The helmet isn’t the lightest helmet around – in fact it’s above average weight for a full face helmet (and about 100g heavier than a typical fibreglass helmet) – but none of the owners we saw comments from complained that it feels heavy while a couple said it feels light – so I guess it’s all relative!
Looks & Graphics
Arai helmets are often fairly muted in their design options, but the Chaser-X is slightly different, available in a large range of solid and graphic designs as well as race reps.
Arai Chaser-X in Shaped graphics
As per most Arai crash helmets, there’s a diamond (gloss) white and black and a frost (matt) black. There’s also their Shaped, Tough, Competition and Finish graphics which are more conventional Arai designs as well as the swirly Style graphics in either black or pink.
As for the race replicas, there’s a nice pair of Colin Edwards designs and a classic Schwantz 95 design.
To find even more designs as they come out – and the latest deals – please click through to our recommended retailers where you’ll find the latest helmets from retailers who’ll really look after you.
Best places to buy an Arai Chaser X helmet?
It’s not widely available, but the Chaser X is still available at Amazon UK the last time we checked. Please click the link below – and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
Arai Chaser-X Video
First off, a 4m video from the official UK Arai channel introducing you to the Chaser-X, followed by a 3m video giving you a look round its features.
Other stuff – fasteners, audio, weight, warranty, build quality
There’s speaker pockets inside the lining and space on the side for the control unit, so it should work with most universal-fit bluetooth communicators.
Chaser-X Competition in black/white
It weighs a little above the average weight of a full face helmet at around 1.6kg (or 3.6lbs) and it comes with a lengthy 5 year warranty. However, given most Arai’s have legendary build quality, hopefully you’ll never need it.
Overall/Summary
Looking at the checklist of features the Chaser-X shares with its (even more) expensive stablemates, there’s very little indeed been left out with the Chaser-X.
OK, an Arai is probably never going to be the best value helmet in the world; a hand made helmet never will be. But with Arai, you’re paying for exclusivity and build quality as well as a helmet where no expense has been spared.
So it’s expensive – but the Chaser-X really delivers as a helmet. It’s both ECE certified and SHARP 4 star safety rated, meaning it should give you excellent protection when it matters.
And as a helmet to live with, it offers excellent levels of comfort and great ventilation. And that visor – once you’ve got the hang of the lock and quick release – gives lots of vision along with a Pinlock anti-fog and sun shade in the box. Plus it’s even quieter than the average helmet.
All in all, if you’re looking for a more exclusive all-rounder helmet, then the Chaser-X really delivers and is well worth checking out.
There’s plenty of alternatives to the Chaser-X because it’s a quality all-rounder helmet. Unless of course you’re only after an Arai in which case take a look at the Arai Axces III which is a tad cheaper still than the Chaser but more suited to longer, narrower heads. You can check out all our Arai helmet reviews here.
First off, there’s the SHARP 5 star HJC FG-ST; that’s a lot cheaper than the Arai, has a sun visor, Pinlock Max Vision included and is an all-round great helmet.
You should also check out the AGV K5S – a cracker of a helmet that’s SHARP 4 star safety rated, has a sun visor and again is loads cheaper than the Chaser-X.
Or if you want to look at a helmet from another of the big boys, how about the Shoei NXR? SHARP 4 star safety rated, low noise and with great ventilation, it’s a lovely helmet with a five year warranty.
Best places to buy an Arai Chaser X?
It’s not widely available, but the Chaser X is still available at Amazon UK the last time we checked. Please click the link below – and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
The LS2 FF320 Stream: a great value, full face crash helmet with integral sun visor
The FF320 Stream is a polycarbonate full face helmet produced by Chinese maker, LS2. It’s been designed to suit as many people as possible – not necessarily full-on sportsbike riders but for the rest of us – the cruisers, tourers or naked bike riders who don’t spend their days with helmets glued to the tank. It is a lower priced helmet – but it does come with some useful features such as a drop down sun visor, optically correct main visor and quick-fasten micrometric strap.
So here’s the lowdown on what the LS2 FF320 Stream offers – and crucially, a round up of what owners and riders think of it.
Please click below to visit the LS2 Stream 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).
Rear view of the LS2 FF320 Stream in ‘Wind’ design
Safety
The LS2 FF320 Stream is SHARP 3 star safety rated, produced in one shell size, has a lockable and optically-correct main visor, useful sun visor and micrometric fastener. Next!
Ok, there’s lots to take in there but all these elements combine to make a helmet that should be pretty safe.
The LS2 is ECE 22.05 approved (meaning it’s been rigorously tested before going on sale – more here) but it’s also been tested by SHARP, the UK government crash helmet testing labs, where it scored a reasonable 3/5 stars. It’s not the best (look here if you want to see the helmets that scored four and five stars when tested) and it does highlight some potential flaws – but it’s pretty good. To put it in context, Arai’s average score across all tested helmets is 3.5 out of 5 stars!
So I’ll not go on further about polycarbonate shelled helmets or dual density linings etc. – the SHARP test wraps up all the pros and cons of the safety of each helmet into a single simple score.
The LS2 Stream is also only made in one shell size. Some helmets are made in four shell sizes meaning they’ll look better and have just the right ratio of shock absorbing lining and comfort lining so they’re not padded out or under-padded to accommodate the different fitment sizes. So that’s not a feature in the LS2’s favour.
However, there are a few other features that are welcome on the Stream and contribute to overall safety.
Stream ‘Omega’ in red
The main clear visor locks closed and is optically correct – both potentially good for safety. It also comes with a sun visor making it less likely you’ll get caught out when the sun’s low and dazzling – and the micrometric fastener is nice and easy to use, hopefully meaning you’ll get your helmet fitting securely for every ride.
Helmet Noise
Lots of owners seem to think the LS2 FF320 Stream is one loud helmet.
There’s always a mix of opinions when it comes down to helmet noise, depending on the type of bike you ride, whether you’re behind a screen or not – or even what your last helmet was like. All these factors usually colour our judgement. And while some owners reckon the Stream is OK, there are lots who say it’s very loud.
As usual, stick in a pair of decent ear plugs and you should be fine though.
Ventilation
Good ventilation is needed to keep you cool on hot days and help keep your visor fog-free on cold days.
Plain matt black Stream with two top vent sliders
Ventilation on the LS2 FF320 Stream is through a single chin vent and twin forehead vents.
The chin vent works with a simple toggle switch – one that’s nice and big and easy to use in gloves.
The forehead vents are covered with sliders. Again, they’re both nice and easy to use and allow air to flow through channels inside the helmet and out of the rear through a single exhaust vent.
However, even though they’re nice and easy to use, reports are that the flow through them is only about average. If you’re riding on a cold or rainy day, your visor will probably fog up without a Pinlock or similar (tbh that’s same for most helmets though). And if you’re riding on a really hot day, the flow through possibly won’t be enough to keep you cool (if masses of ventilation’s your thing, check out one of these helmets).
If you’re only going to be riding in moderate temperatures though – or using it for shorter journeys – the LS2 Stream should be fine though. It’s only in more extreme temperatures where users reckon it struggles.
The main visor works on friction (rather than a ratchet) meaning you can open it and position it wherever you want and the visor should stick open in any position. However, some folks say it can struggle to stay open at intermediate points, slamming shut without warning and leaving riders with the options of fully-open or closed. Not good.
One or two also report an annoying whistling from the Stream – possibly because of a faulty seal around the visor.
But overall, most folks don’t seem to have a problem with it – and they seem to positively love the quick release visor mechanism. Check the video from the LS2 dude below to see how easy he finds it (though we have to say that you can make most quick release mechanisms look REALLY easy in a video – once you’ve given it hours of practice!).
One nice feature on the Stream’s visor is that it locks closed; but is still really easy to unlock and open with one hand. What’s not so good is that when you do it, the visor opening tab is so close to the chin vent that you can end up closing the chin vent every time you do it! Ooops.
With main visor open showing sun visor fully lowered
Sun Visor
Onto the Sun visor and it’s a decent sun visor that’s operated by a lever near the left visor pivot.
There’s usually two areas relating to sun visors which draw criticism from owners. First is that sun visors can be a bit light. Second is that they sometimes don’t come down low enough.
A few owners commented the sun visor on the LS2 FF320 Stream doesn’t drop down low enough, leaving a stripe of really bright light at the bottom. Obviously, sun visors have to fit a lot of different shapes and sizes of faces & noses so they’re always gonna be a bit of a compromise. And whereas you might well buy shades that sit right against your cheeks, sun visors usually sit a little bit away from the face so they don’t rub uncomfortably.
We didn’t see any comments about the sun visor being too light though – and one owner did say it was nice and dark – so that’s a big tick in the box if you live somewhere very sunny so want a shade that’s a bit darker than most.
Overall though, owners seemed very positive about how the drop down sun visor works.
Under the Stream ‘Bang’ showing micrometric fastener and neck roll
Comfort & Sizing
The LS2 Stream can be a tight fit when you first pull it on. One or two people commented it can be a bit like a birthing experience (!) – but once it’s on it’s nice and comfortable.
It’s worth knowing that it’s been designed to fit people with slightly longer, narrower heads best (what some folk call long oval heads). Also that there’s a split between owners who say the Stream’s sizing is about right and others who say it’s a bit on the small size.
We’d suggest you measure your head (using our guide) and then order the right size. But if you’re between sizes, maybe go for the size up. Also if you’ve noticed your previous helmets have pressed uncomfortably on your forehead, that probably means you’ve a longer type of head. In which case the Stream might well be good for you.
The interior lining is removable and washable, hypoallergenic (i.e. shouldn’t cause an allergic reaction) and is widely reported as being nice and comfy. There’s also a glasses groove in the sides to stop your glasses’ stems digging into your face, and there’re modest cut-outs to fit speakers (see more below).
Overall, owner feedback is that it’s a good comfortable helmet.
Looks & Graphics
The LS2 FF320 Stream certainly looks the part; with its complex shape and sun visor it looks like a purposeful, modern crash helmet.
This LS2 Stream ‘Bang’ is also available in red (below) and titanium (above)
There’s quite a few designs around too – the usual solid, plain colours (one white and two blacks) – and our pick of the others include the bright pink Wind, the urban Fan helmet (especially in orange!), the black/white Lunars and the bonkers Bang designs. There’s lots of others though so if you want to see the latest designs, it’s probably worth clicking on the links to our recommended retailers below, which will drop you onto their LS2 helmets pages where you’ll find some of the latest designs around.
Best places to buy an LS2 Stream helmet?
Please click below to visit the LS2 Stream 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).
LS2 FF310 Stream helmet video
Bloke from LS2 USA gives you a quick tour around the 310 Stream.
Other stuff – weight, audio, chin curtain, warranty
The LS2 Stream is slightly heavier than the average full face helmet – but then it does have a drop down sun visor which most full face helmets don’t. Owners don’t moan about the weight too much though so we think you’ll probably find it OK to live with.
LS2 Stream Bang in Red
If you’re looking to fit a bluetooth set to the Stream though, it’s possibly not the best. The speaker pockets are there but they’re a bit small and there’s not much thought gone into microphone placement either. Some owners have successfully fitted a kit though – including a Cardo Scala Q3 – though they suggest you have to mount it with sticky velcro tabs.
Finally, the FF320 Stream comes with a removable chin curtain and breath deflector – but only a 1 year warranty (some helmets come with a 5 year warranty these days).
So you’re wanting a full face helmet with sun visor but don’t want to pay much (makes sense to us!)?
Well there’s not much around (shows what great value the Stream is!) but you might want to read about the Shark 700S – that’s a SHARP 4 star rated polycarb helmet that’s about the same weight as the Stream and can be had for around the same money.
Striking LS2 Stream Lunar
There’s also AGVs K3 SV – that’s a tad more expensive than the LS2 Stream, but it’s fully loaded with SHARP 4 star safety rating, sun visor, Pinlock, great ventilation – and it’s slightly lighter too.
If you’re not so bothered about a sun visor, there’s a couple of other SHARP 4 star rated helmets you might want to look at: the Scorpion EXO 400 Air is a great budget crash helmet – and so too is the Shark S600 which can also be had for a tenner less than the LS2!
We go into quite a bit of detail in our reviews so you’re aware of any niggles that might be coming your way. And we found a few with the LS2 FF320 Stream. But you’ve gotta put that into context – and that is that you’re getting a whole lot of features and performance at a really attractive price!
And that’s the calculation that most owners make. Yep, you can point out a few failings here and there – but for this low price you’re getting an awful lot of crash helmet. We’d say, you might not be getting the lightest, safest, or quietest helmet on the market, but it’s a competent all rounder which will suit lots of people’s needs – and their bank balance. So if that sounds like where you’re coming from, then the LS2 FF320 Stream is definitely worth a look.
Best places to buy an LS2 Stream?
Please click below to visit the LS2 Stream 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).
Icon Airframe Pro: a cool-looking aggressive streetbike helmet
The Icon Airframe Pro is Icon’s most aggressive, sportsbike-friendly full face helmet yet. It’s not quite a track helmet, but with a sportsbike focused ‘head down and in the bubble’ design and with a tear-off ready visor in the options list, it’s definitely on the way there.
It’s also a very cool-looking helmet with a range of urban and out-there graphics to match.
But is it all bling and no burble?
Here’s what the Icon Airframe Pro offers and what owners who invested their cash think of it…
Please click below to visit the Icon Airframe 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).
Safety
They might be a relatively newcomer on the block – especially outside the States – but Icon is putting some serious pressure on the market with pretty advanced composite and carbon fibre shells along with some stunning graphics.
With the Airframe, there’s the option of either a fibreglass or a carbon fibre shell. Icon say precious little about the shock absorbing properties of the helmet but by pulling out the comfort liner, we can see it looks a reasonably conventional shell backed with an expanded polystrene shock absorbing liner in there.
There’s a double-d ring fastener underneath to make sure everything stays put and there’s an extra-wide visor to help keep your peripheral vision as clutter free as possible.
Rear view of Carbon Airframe – note neck roll cutout (see comfort section for info)
All Icons are multi-certified so they’re legal in a wide range of countries – including both ECE (Europe/Australia) and DOT (US) certification. That gives you peace of mind that it’s not going to shatter on impact and will give at least a decent minimum level of protection.
Over and above that, a handful of Icons have been tested by the UK SHARP helmet testing scheme, including the last generation Airframe (but unfortunately not this latest version).
When that was tested it scored a great four star rating (out of five) – although two other Icons have been tested since and they scored a three and a two star rating.
Having said that, both these were polycarbonate helmets whereas both the new and old Airframes are fibreglass helmets, so maybe the four star is more relevant; but it’s hard to say until SHARP tests this newest Airframe.
On the plus side, Icon does produce the Airframe in four different helmet shell sizes which is a great thing for safety and for making a helmet that fits well – and looks right.
Helmet Noise
This one’s the Icon Airframe Pro Halo Carbon Glory
There was hope that because this latest Airframe Pro has smaller vents and because it looks super swoopy and slippery that those features might mean it’s a quieter helmet.
Unfortunately, that’s not what owners seem to report.
You always get at least a few folks saying every helmet is quiet – and that’s the case with the Airframe. But overridingly owners say it’s noisy. Some say it’s exceedingly loud, others just a bit noisy, but the vast majority say it’s a loud lid.
Much of that’s dependent on your riding style, bike and helmet history of course – and, if you buy an Airframe Pro, stick in some good quality ear plugs and you’ll be riding around happily and without damaging your hearing.
Ventilation
Ventilation is one area where the Icon Airframe excels.
And so it should. On the front of the helmet there’s six air vents and on the rear, five exhaust vents. Now that’s a lot of venting!
The shy and retiring Airframe Pro Cottonmouth
In the chin guard, there’s a couple of always-open vents to each side and a single closeable vent in the middle to drive air onto the back of the visor and around the mouth.
Above the visor there’s another three vents – two brow vents to either side and a larger central vent, all closeable.
All those top vents push air through the shell and distribute air through channels in the expanded polystyrene lining and onto the scalp.
Lots of helmets reckon they do this, but if you look closely it’s only in a stripe at the top of the helmet.
The Airframe pushes ventilation wider than that. And that’s borne out in owners comments that it vents tons of air and can keep you cool in even the most extreme temps. OK there’s the occasional comment that some of the vent switches are a bit tricky to find, especially in gloves. But overall, it’s all very positive.
So if you’re after a helmet that vents well and will keep you cool, the Airframe should fit the bill.
The Airframe Pro Construct in black (see title photo for white version) showing rear exhaust vents
However what is there works reasonably well by all accounts.
It’s a ratchet visor with a visor lock on the left hand side. It’s quick release too – what Icon calls its Rapid Release system – so you can whip it off quickly to clean it or swap it out for a tinted visor.
And while Icon doesn’t push it in their bumf, quite a few owners comment on how wide the visor opening is, giving really wide peripheral vision. That’s probably even more useful on the road than it is on the track.
Having a decent anti-fog insert is very important for most of us. Unfortunately, the Icon Airframe isn’t Pinlock ready. It has its own anti-fog coating on it and while there’s no word on how effective it is, our experience is that antifog treatments applied to the back of standard visors aren’t that great. That might not be the case with the Airframe of course, but if pushed we’d expect it to be a bit tosh.
If having a visor that doesn’t fog up is important to you, you might want to check out our helmets that are Pinlock-ready (with many coming with a Pinlock in the box).
Fibreglass Airframe Pro Flash Bang
Comfort & Sizing
The Icon Airframe Pro has an interesting 5-part internal comfort liner inside the helmet.
All but the cheapest helmets have removable internal comfort liners, though that’s mostly so you can take them out and wash them. But we’re seeing quite a few of the more premium brands/models offering customisable parts so you can take out the lining to tailor the fit. Adding in new panels or removing parts can help you pack out or slacken off the lining and get your helmet to fit just right. That’s important for both comfort and safety.
Well, Icon have taken things further, with every part of the comfort lining being swappable for either a thicker or thinner piece. That should help you get the fit just right – and that’ll make it more comfortable and much more user-friendly. It does cost a bit extra for the kit to customise it but it’s good to know that if things aren’t quite right, rather than just send it back for a different size, you can play around with things and (hopefully) get it bang on.
Aside from that, the Airframe’s lining uses a material called Hydradry – that’s both a wicking and antimicrobial fabric, designed to keep things both moisture and pong-free.
But does it all work? Well it very much seems so because most owners reckon it’s a really comfy helmet.
Bonkers Brozak graphics
As long as you’ve an oval rather than rounder head shape (the Airframe’s designed for oval heads) and follow our guide to get a helmet that fits right, you should be fine. Though note, a number of Airframe Pro owners reckon Icons size a bit small, so you might need to go for a size larger than normal.
One other cool feature of the Airframe is that rear cut away at the bottom rear off the helmet (in the neck roll). That’s there to stop the helmet interfering with the collar of your jacket or hump (or back pack if you wear one), and lots of owners said it works great and really helps in freeing up head movement.
And if you’ve a big head and need a more extreme large fitment sizes, you’re in luck, because the Airframe is available in up to size XXXL. Yay!
Looks & Graphics
Icon puts a lot of effort into the design of all their gear, and the Icon Airframe Pro is no exception. OK, there are aggressive helmets out there, but the Airframe is a really aggressive looking full face and comes in some quality, out-there graphics.
Just to prove Icon can do sensible graphics too, here’s a plain gloss black Airframe
You can have both a raw fibreglass and raw carbon helmets where their weave is exposed (the Construct and Carbon respectively). There’s the camo-effect Deployed Camo and the bonkers cartoon/monster Brozak (above). The Halo are available in lots of colours as are the Airframe Pro solids which are in black, white and Rubatone (a matt rubberised version).
But as always there’s new graphics coming out all the time – as well as retailer discounts. So to see these, click our recommended retailer links below and we’ll drop you straight on their Icon Helmets pages so you can take a look.
Best places to buy an Icon Airframe?
Please click below to visit the Icon Airframe 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).
Icon Airframe Pro videos
First up, the official Icon helmets trailer – that’s a moody 2m long look around the carbon Airframe Pro. Below that, a more detailed 5m video.
Other stuff – audio, weight, aero, warranty
If you’re looking to use a bluetooth communicator with your Airframe Pro, that’s fine as long as the speakers are pretty thin. There is a cut-away in the EPS liner to slot the speakers in there, and one owner said it works fine with their Sena. But another said they can feel it’s very tight in there even though their bluetooth sticks to the helmet shell without any problem.
Rear view of the Deployed Camo
One of the big selling points of the Icon Airframe that it’s light weight. That’s especially true for the carbon fibre version that weighs in at 1.36Kg (3lbs) whereas the fibreglass version is actually a bit heavier than the average fibreglass helmet at 1.53 Kg (3.4lbs).
Onto aero, and the smaller, more aggressive profile of the Airframe (one of Icon’s design aims) seems to have contributed to making a helmet that’s got great aero characteristics. Most owners reckon it’s got great stability, doesn’t lift and has little buffeting.
Finally, unfortunately Icon offers a paltry one year warranty on their helmets. With many manufacturers offering 5 year warranties these days, that’s a bit disappointing.
Overall/Summary
Most owners are going to be grabbed by how cool the Airframe Pro looks – and how crazy the graphics are. And why not, we all love a cool-looking helmet.
But beyond that, it’s gotta work well. And in most respects, the Icon Airframe Pro delivers.
Intimidating full carbon version
It’s not the quietest helmet and it doesn’t offer some of the bells and whistles of some other helmets (check our alternatives below if you want some of those). But it’s comfortable, has great fitment flexibility with its customisable lining, it’s got wonderful ventilation and while that visor’s a bit basic, it gives a nice wide view of the road. It’s got great dynamics on the road too, so you can riding along in a buffeting-free zone while looking super cool in your Airframe Pro.
OK it’s a bit noisy and we can’t be sure how great that impact protection’s going to be until SHARP (or Snell) run some tests on it. But it’s the look of it along with that decent price point that’s probably gonna sway things for most buyers. And if you’re already sold, check out all the designs on our recommended retailer’s sites above, and we wouldn’t be at all surprised if you’ll have many happy years together!
The Airframe Pro Halo is available in green, blue, black and red
If you’re after a mid-priced full face helmet, there’s a massive range to choose from. So let’s narrow it down a bit to some of the safest and best rated helmets out there.
First up is HJCs 5 star safety rated FG-ST. Just like the composite version of the Airframe Pro, The HJC is a fibreglass full face helmet too, but it’s a bit cheaper than the Airframe, and comes with a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog in the box.
Then there’s the AGV K5S – SHARP 4 star safety rated, sun visor, carbon composite shell – and for less money than the Icon (though the graphics may not be quite as cool!).
Another Italian thorougbred is the 5 star safety rated X-lite X-702 GT. Yep, it’s more of a touring helmet, but it’s fairly light, pretty quiet and has great ventilation. Well worth checking out.
Finally, if you’re after something carbon and sporty, then how about the LS2 FF323 Arrow? It’s MotoGP developed, light, comes with a Pinlock, optically-correct visor in the box and is SHARP 4 star safety rated. And you get all that for about the same price as the Airframe.
Looking to buy an Icon Airframe?
Please click below to visit the Icon Airframe 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).
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.
The Apex is Suomy’s streetbike helmet that has a nod towards the track.
In their current line up, Suomy has the SR – it’s sports/track helmet, the Halo which is an all-rounder street helmet, and then there’s the Apex which is a bit of both.
Like the SR, the Apex has a shell made of a composite of carbon, fibreglass and aramid (Kevlar). Which is undoubtedly one of the reasons it’s so flipping light because it weighs in at around 1.35Kg (3lbs) and that makes it one of the lightest full face helmets around. But does that also mean Suomy have missed something out?
So, here’s a ton of information about the Suomy Apex, as we dig around and discover what owners think of theirs.
Please click below to visit the Suomy Apex 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).
Safety
The shell of the Suomy Apex is made from a carbon, aramid (Kevlar) and fibreglass mix which, aside from meaning it’s super light weight, probably accounts for its moderately high price tag because creating super light weight composite fibre helmet shells doesn’t come cheap.
Suomy also produce the Apex in three different shell sizes. That’s a good number of shells and should make sure the helmet both looks in proportion and has the right ratio of shock absorbing liner for each fitment size. It’ll also make sure you’re not carrying more helmet on your head than necessary because light weight is a good thing when it comes to making an effective helmet.
This model is the Suomy Apex La Cocca showing chin and forehead vents and rear spoiler
And the Suomy Apex sure is light. It weighs around 1.35 Kilos (3lbs) give or take – and that’s light.
But sometimes making a helmet light can mean it doesn’t quite offer the same amount of protection as a heavier helmet. And that seems to be the case in the Apex.
SHARP tested the Apex and gave it three stars out of five. Which is far from the worst safety score in the world (in fact it’s pretty decent) – but it’s not the best either.
It is of course ECE approved – so you know it’ll offer at least a (pretty decent) minimum level of protection. But there are better helmets out there for safety (see our alternatives section at the bottom of the page).
Other safety features include a double-d ring fastener and clear main visor with anti-fog treatment. So it’s lacking some of the more recent safety innovations such as EQRS or optically correct visor with Pinlock insert that you find in quite a few helmets these days.
Helmet Noise
Plain white Apex. Note side pods that need removing to take off the visor
Suomy do say that the Apex has been designed using wind tunnels – so that will hopefully make for a slippery helmet shape (which will help reduce noise). But as we’ve found many a time before, even the slipperiest helmets can be noisy – especially if they’re designed for the track where noise suppression is way down the list of priorities.
And while the Apex only gives a nod towards the circuit, it seems to have inherited some of a track helmet’s noisiness as owners seem to think it’s on the noisier side of average with comments ranging from OK to really noisy.
It might also be that in their search for reduced weight, Suomy’s also removed some of the helmet’s ability to keep the noise out. And of course, how noisy you find your helmet is very subjective and dependent on riding style, bike and lots of other factors. So look here if you do need a quiet helmet above all else.
Ventilation
There’s three front vents and four exhaust vents on the apex.
The chin vent has two positions and directs air onto the rear of the visor as well as around the mouth. The forehead vent has a single switch to open both vents and that directs air around the scalp via ventilation channels in the helmet lining. And then there’s two top rear exhausts underneath the spoiler and a couple further down near the collar.
Suomy Apex Italy helmet. Note all helmets are supplied with a clear visor, not dark
It’s a fairly conventional layout but overwhelmingly owners seem to reckon it’s very effective on the Apex. The air channels are large and the inlets are effective meaning it should keep you cool on all but the hottest days/slowest rides.
Visor
The visor on the Suomy Apex is anti-scratch (obv) and they say it’s got an antifog coating on there – though don’t expect that to be much use in challenging rain/cold/humid conditions because we’ve yet to find a bog-standard manufacturer-applied antifog coating that’s any good (unless it’s an actual insert attached to the rear of the visor).
The visor uses friction not a ratchet to keep it open. Friction visors can be OK but can also be prone to wearing or need fairly regular adjustment to keep them working well, compared to a ratchet visor. Having said that, no one we could find was having a problem with wear or the visor slamming shut so it doesn’t look like it’s a problem with the Apex.
What might be a little more of a problem is that, unusually, the Apex doesn’t have a quick-release visor. There’s a couple of side pods that need popping open using the tool provided: insert the tool into a little groove on the side and it’ll pop off. Once off, you move a couple of sliders (toolless) and the visor pulls off. Apparently it’s a bit of a pain but doesn’t take too long to get the hang of it.
It’s not as quick and simple as much of the competition though. And there isn’t a Pinlock-ready visor available for the Apex either which is a bit of a shame.
Double top exhaust vents and double lower vents help make for quality ventilation
Comfort & Sizing
Inside the Suomy Apex, the comfort lining is fully removable and washable and, if you find the fit isn’t quite bang-on, there are replacement cheek pads available to help you get the fit just right.
The materials inside are designed to be moisture-wicking and breathable. It uses a Coolmax fabric which is a polyester fabric that’s popular among lots of helmet makers because it makes for more breathable helmets (although one owner reckoned it doesn’t work very well in the Apex).
Suomy also use something called Interpower treatment. That’s a treatment that’s designed to reduce the contact points between the skin and fabric thereby reducing moisture build-up.
Word is that the helmet can be very comfy (as always, provided you get it to fit right in the first place) though a word of warning – most folks reckon Suomy’s size small, so if you’re thinking about buying one and you’re between sizes, or not sure, we suggest you go for a size larger than normal.
This one’s the Apex Pike in red/black
Looks & Graphics
Suomy aren’t really known for their shy and retiring graphics! They do offer plain solid black and white versions but as you can see from their current line up on this page (in the form of the Rolling Thunder, Pike, Jap and both the France and Italy graphics) they prefer bright and in-your-face colours.
If none of these are your cup of tea, then click through to our recommended retailers below to find out what back catalogue graphics they’re selling – or any new graphics or deals they’re offering.
Best places to buy a Suomy Apex helmet?
Please click below to visit the Suomy Apex 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).
Suomy Apex video
Here’s a quick 4m video looking over the Suomy Apex.
Other stuff – build quality, warranty
They don’t come much more ‘out there’ than the Apex Rolling Thunder!
Many owners say that the finishing and quality of materials on their Apex is really great. However, one or two do say that the build quality isn’t actually that good with things like the top vents being a bit too flimsy and breaking easily. We have to say however that most makers design vents to break off easily so they don’t compromise safety during an accident – or dig in and rotate the helmet – so it might not actually be a Suomy problem (even top of the range Arai’s suffer from ‘flimsy’ vents from time to time).
And finally, Suomy offers a 2 year warranty on all their helmets.
Overall/Summary
If you’re after a really light weight helmet at a reasonable price, then the Suomy Apex may well be the right helmet for you. And, as for all helmets, if it feels right and fits right, then that’s two massive plus points because correct fit and comfort contribute massively to safety.
However, there are alternatives on the market (below) which edge the Apex in terms of features and overall safety – and offer more bang for the buck.
Which is not to say the Suomy Apex isn’t a great helmet, because it is and many owners love theirs. But things like quick release visors, Pinlocks and EQRS along with higher marks for safety make some helmets that bit easier to live with and give you extra piece of mind that they’ll give you great protection in an accident.
The Apex Jap in black and gold
But like we said, if light weight is right up there for you and you fall in love with the design and graphics, then go for it because the Apex is a capable all-rounder.
The HJC FG-ST costs around the same money as the Apex but it’s a SHARP 5 star rated full face fibreglass helmet with drop down sun visor and with a Pinlock antifog insert in the box.
Or if you’re definitely after something at the sportier end of the street, try the LS2 FF323 Arrow. That’s a SHARP 4 star safety rated fibreglass helmet (there’s a carbon version too if you’ve got the dosh) that comes with an optically-correct visor and Pinlock in the box. It’s about as light as the Apex too.
The X-Lite X-702-GT is quiet, comfortable and has great ventilation and it’s only a smidge heavier than the Apex. It has a maximum SHARP 5 star safety rating on it too.
Please click below to visit the Suomy Apex 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).
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.
