Shark’s budget thermoplastic full face lid with sun visor
The S700S is a budget helmet that’s a step up from Shark’s entry-level S600 model. It’s a thermoplastic shelled full face helmet with integral drop down sun visor, micrometric fastener, quick-release clear visor and has an upgraded internal comfort liner.
Overall/Summary
When you can grab one for around £100, there’s no doubt the Shark S700S is a budget full face helmet – then again, most thermoplastic shelled crash helmets tend to be at the lower end of the price range. However, that’s not to say it isn’t well worth looking at. It’s SHARP four star rated for safety, has an integral UV sun visor, uprated comfort liner and owners reckon that, especially at this price, the finishing is great.
So if you’re after a helmet that’s safe, has some decent features and don’t want to spend too much, then the Shark S700S is well worth checking out.
SHARP 4 Star Rated (*Shark S700)
Thermoplastic shell
Integral sun visor
Micrometric fastener
S700S gloss white ‘Prime’ version showing sun visor lever next to the visor pivot.
1.55 Kg (slightly heavier than the average full face)
Size XS (53/4) – XL (61/2)
Expect to pay £100-160
Note: S700S has been discontinued, now replaced by the Shark Ridill.
Safety
Now, it’s worth noting that this specific model, the S700S, hasn’t been tested by SHARP, but its predecessor the S700 was. That scored 4/5 stars (which is obviously pretty good) as did the S900 on which this latest helmet is based. So it’s probably safe to assume the 700S will score the same – particularly when every other Shark helmet (bar one) has scored either three or four stars out of five!
Obviously, it’s passed the ECE 2205 test which all helmets that are sold in the EU have to pass – so we’d be pretty confident in saying if you’re after a safe helmet, then the Shark should do the job.
Other factors that all contribute to safety are that the S700S has a drop down sun visor (especially useful when the sun’s low in the sky in the autumn/winter months) and a micrometric fastener (easy to use and if they’re adjusted correctly in the first place, will keep the helmet securely fastened).
Shark S700S front view (Lab graphics)
Helmet Noise
Most owners rate the S700S slightly below average for noise suppression. It’s not massively noisy (like some out-and-out sports/racing helmets are) but it’s not quiet either – with one owner commenting that it would’ve helped if Shark had included a chin curtain as standard to help reduce noise coming in under the helmet.
The Shark S700S has a single chin vent and two forehead (top) vents. All can be opened/closed by either a slider or toggle switch though all are a bit fiddly to operate so will take a bit of getting used to.
Showing rear exhaust vents of the S700S Squad helmet
The chin vent is there to direct air onto the back of the visor, while the top vents allow air to enter the helmet and through the channels in the shock absorbing liner inside the helmet to allow the air to circulate around and cool the head. Air then exits the helmet shell via the two rear exhaust vents.
Overall, owners say that ventilation is OK though if you’re going to be riding all year round, you’ll still need to use the Pinlock insert to keep the visor fog-free (see below).
Visor
The S700S has a 2.2mm clear anti-scratch visor and an anti-scratch sun visor.
The sun visor is operated by a lever on the left of the helmet and, while it can be dropped to various degrees with a bit of care, it’s spring loaded to quickly drop the visor fully down and back up again. The sun visor’s also UV380 (filters out 95% of UVA and UVB which is the current CE Standard). A few owners mentioned that the sun visor can clip your nose when you first use it, though it hasn’t stopped them using the sun visor or saying, overall, it’s great!
The main visor works on a ratchet so it can be opened to various degrees between fully open and closed positions. It also has an opening tab to the left hand side of the visor which is, arguably, the best place for it to make it nice and easy to find/open the visor.
Tika graphics in green
The visor’s also Pinlock-ready and in some countries (including the UK), it will come with a Pinlock in the box, but it’s worth checking with your retailer before you buy. Read here for more information about why Pinlocks can be useful if you live in cold and rainy places.
All good so far. The main visor is also quick-release, which is essential these days so you don’t have to fiddle about with tools to change or clean your visor. The quick release mechanism on the Shark S700S is a bit trickier than some but once you get the hang of it, most owners reckon it’s very quick. To remove the visor, you press in a button at the visor pivot point then push the visor forwards and pull the visor away from the helmet. To replace, you just press the visor backwards onto the pivot and it clicks into place.
Shark S700S Finks design (also available with yellow highlighting)
Comfort
Shark have updated the liner of the helmet with the specific objective of making S700S more comfortable – and owners seem to agree that it’s worked. The lining is removable and washable (delicates cycle) and, as long as you get the fitment right in the first place, you should find it a comfy helmet.
As usual, if you want see which helmets owners rate as the most comfortable, you can click the link to the most comfortable crash helmets using the tag cloud.
Looks & Graphics
The Shark S700S is a pretty stylish helmet that owners say is well built and, for the price, surprisingly well finished. At the time of writing it’s available in seven different paint schemes as well as a few race rep versions – including three Foggy, a Guintoli and a Redding versions. We’ve included examples of the Oxyd, Squad, Tika, Sprint, Trax, Lab, Finks and Prime (plain) designs around the page, though many of these are available in two or three different colour schemes.
Video
Quick look round the S700S – gives you a taster of what it’s about.
Rear view of the S700S Spring
Other stuff – fastener, glasses, ACU gold star
Like other Sharks, the S700S has Shark’s glasses-groove in the lining, specifically there to allow the stems of glasses to sit in and not dig into the side of your head. Great touch. As mentioned previously, it comes with a micrometric fastener which is a very easy to use fastener that uses a ratchet mechanism to lock the fastener in place and a simple tag that you pull down on to release it. Quick and easy.
Finally, in the UK the helmet seems to come with an ACU gold star sticker on it, signifying it can be used on the track (despite ACU usually stipulating a helmet for track use usually needs a double-d ring fastener). I’ll try and contact them for clarification and post on the webiste if/when i get it). Either way, if the sticker’s on the lid, then you’ll be fine to ride.
You can check out other reasonably priced helmets (generally under about £150) on our Budget Crash Helmets page. However some worth checking out include the Caberg Vox – a SHARP 5 star polcycarbonate helmet also with a sun visor that’s a bit cheaper than the S700S. There’s also the AGV K3 SV which as a sun visor too and is also SHARP 4 star rated for safety. It’s slightly lighter than the Shark but slightly more expensive too.
Givi have just released their latest full face lid, the 50.4 Sniper. It’s a polycarbonate-shelled helmet with a drop down sun visor, micrometric fastener, removable/washable liner and, on paper at least, decent ventilation. It’s also Pinlock ready and comes with a breath deflector and is available in 8 different colour schemes. What more do you want? Oh yeah, a decent price. £80 at the time of writing seems pretty decent to me.
Givi 50.4 Sniper ‘Caschi’ rear view
Polycarbonate
SHARP 4 star rated
3-point ventilation
Removable liner
1.45Kg weight (pretty light for a polycarb helmet)
Size XS-XL
Expect to pay about £80
Givi reckon it’ll weigh about 1.45kg – which is actually very light for a polycarb helmet – and comes in 1 shell size (boo, but expected at this price point).
On paper it looks pretty good so is probably worth a look. This is the second Givi that’s been tested by SHARP so far – that was a fibreglass full face that scored 3/5 – but the 50.4 scored a very respectable 4/5 stars which is very good.
If you’re after a nice looking helmet with some practical features, then the Sniper should offer good value for money and, with its excellent performance in the SHARP test, is going to be worth checking out. It’s available now.
The Givi Sniper Caschi with drop down sun visor
Best place to buy a Givi crash helmet?
FC-Motowidely offers the best prices in Europe, scores a decent (8.7/10 on Trustpilot) - and is based in Germany. They stock a wide selection of Givis and if you want the cheapest prices around, we recommend you buy from there.
Please click the picture below to visit the Givi page at FC-Moto where you can see all the latest colour schemes and prices. And if you buy from there, 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 check prices at FC Moto (take advantage of Euro pricing!)
AGVs top of the range flip-up crash helmet – the AGV Compact (Numo EVO in US)
The AGV Compact is designed for typical road riders – urban riders and touring types who don’t spend hours in a sportsbike tuck position. There are some great modular crash helmets out there, so the competition’s hot. But the Compact looks like it has a few tricks up its sleeve including a good SHARP safety rating along with a 100% locking chin guard (see safety section below) which not all modulars can manage.
Summary
The AGV Compact is a great helmet with some really useful features, including sun visor, Pinlock anti-fog and lockable chin guard. It’s well rated for safety (SHARP 4 star tested), looks good and is comfortable, well ventilated – and owners love it. The only thing they don’t love so much is the noise, but then that’s a bit of a problem with most modular helmets.
Stick in some quality ear plugs and you’ll get a practical helmet at a very competitive price.
The Compact has now been replaced – which means there are great deals to be found. Please click below to visit the AGV Compact helmets pages at Amazon where you may still find it. If you buy 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
There’s two big ticks in the AGV Compact’s box when it comes to safety. First, it scored a very respectable 4/5 stars in the SHARP crash helmets safety test. It’s not a maximum score (see here for crash helmets that scored 5 stars) but it’s very good and means that you can probably rely on the Compact to do its job in most accidents.
Thing is, when they test modular helmets, there’s a chance the chin guard will flip open under impact – and many do (see our guide to crash helmet safety for analysis on this and more).
However, the Compact’s locking mechanism is very well constructed – so much so it remained locked in 100% of the tests. Which is obviously very good and a real comfort to know if you buy a flip-up helmet. Great work AGV.
The AGV Compact is also dual homologated. That means, unlike some modulars, it’s been ECE 22.05 tested and approved for use on the road whether you’re riding with it in either full-face or open-face configuration. Also on the Compact, you can lock the chin guard in the open position using a lever on the right hand side of the helmet. This should help with safety if you come off with the chin guard up, meaning it doesn’t flap around. It’s also useful because you can ride around quite happily all day with the Compact operating as an open faced helmet and knowing the chin guard won’t drop down.
Front view of the AGV Compact in matt black Audax design
Shell & sizing
The AGV Compact has a thermoplastic shell that’s manufactured in just one shell size.
Thermoplastic shells can be great performers, though they can be prone to a little more degradation over time than more expensive fibreglass and composite helmets for example.
More expensive helmets are often constructed with multiple shell sizes (corresponding to different internal fitment sizes). However, the AGV Compact has just one shell size to cover all fitment sizes.
This is achieved through under-padding the helmet for larger fitments (probably L and XL) or over-padding for smaller sizes (such as XS and S). We’ve discussed the potential effects of fewer shell sizes here, and one or two owners have remarked that the helmet polystyrene liner feels very thin. They’re probably referring to larger sizes because AGV will thin out the EPS liner in these larger sizes so they can accommodate a larger head size – it’s something worth being aware of if you’re looking to buy a Compact in a larger size.
Helmet Noise
Compact with chin guard raised showing integral UV sun visor
Noise is one area that lets down the AGV Compact.
Most modulars are somewhat compromised in this area – being generally quite a bit louder than full face lids. However the Compact is slightly noisier than the average flip-up, meaning, you’ll have to wear ear plugs (most of us do anyhow) and don’t expect your in-helmet communicators/ bluetooth to not be much good above 60-70 MPH.
If having a quiet helmet is important to you, check out our quietest helmets section.
Ventilation
The AGV Compact has what AGV calls its IVS or Integrated Ventilation System. In truth, it’s the same system adopted by pretty well all the helmets we review – namely lots of front vents routing air around the scalp and exiting through rear exhaust vents.
It works well on the Compact too. There’s one chin and two forehead vents, both easily closeable with gloved hands via simple switches. There are three rear exhaust vents – one at each side and another in at the bottom/rear of the helmet. Again, these work well, with the top ones ducting plenty of air around the scalp and the chin vent pushing plenty across the visor and across the face when required – so no problems reported here.
Visor
There’s a nice, wide, clear main visor and an integral drop down sun visor operated by a slider on the left hand side of the helmet.
The main visor is anti-fog coated but also comes Pinlock-ready with a Pinlock anti fog insert included in the box (click for reviews of other Pinlock-ready crash helmets). Owners report it has a nice wide opening giving good peripheral vision and the Pinlock works well to keep the visor fog free. The sun visor is also anti-fog coated (though not Pinlock-ready) and drops down nice and low (not all do) and doesn’t interfere with glasses. So AGV have covered all the basics well.
The chin guard opens by way of a small red button in the bottom centre of the guard. It also has a lever on the right hand side of the helmet that allows you to lock the chin bar in place – and it’s been designed to remain pretty aerodynamic with the chin bar locked open to reduce wind resistance on the move. This is a very useful feature for a number owners who say it works very well.
As mentioned in the Safety section, the locking mechanism on the Compact’s chin bar is very good and resulted in it staying locked 100% of the times during SHARP’s safety testing – outstanding.
It has a fully removable and washable lining constructed of breathable Lycra. It also has antibacterial-treated dual-density moisture-wicking cheek pads – all making for a helmet that can be worn all day without discomfort.
Pure gloss white version showing sun visor switch
Looks & Graphics
As the name suggests, the Compact masks the fact that it’s a modular helmet pretty well – looking more like a standard full-face helmet than a flip-up. It’s also very sleek and modern-looking, mirroring many of the latest gen AGV helmets that are all very pointy with that distinctive hawk bill front.
The graphic options are relatively understated. The usual plain colour options are available (whites/blacks) as well as a bright fluorescent ‘Fluo Yellow’ version (top picture) which isn’t that dissimilar from the other bright yellow Audax design (bottom). There’s also the Compact Course range of colours – again there’s a bright yellow option for this, as well as variants which are almost identical apart from Blue/Red/Grey detailing.
As usual, you can see most of the colours and designs across this review – but for the latest reviews and prices, you can always click through to our featured retailers using the link towards the bottom of the page.
Best places to buy an AGV Compact helmet?
At the time of writing, you can still find the AGV compact on sale at Amazon. 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).
Video
Here’s a short video where a guy from AGV UK takes you through the main features of the Compact.
It is slightly above average weight for a modular helmet, but about average for a thermoplastic modular. Most owners say the weight’s fine for all but the longest days in the saddle.
If you’re a glasses wearer, you should be OK with the Compact – flip-ups make it really easy to put your glasses on/off – and the drop down sun visor is far enough away to not interfere.
Finally, the Compact has been designed for use with AGV’s SHARE communicator and has speaker pockets cut into the liner of the helmet. Owners of other systems, including Sena, have said that it fits their speakers no problem.
The Compact has now been replaced – which means there are great deals to be found. Please click below to visit the AGV Compact helmets pages at Amazon where you may still find it. If you buy 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).
Alternatives
There are plenty of great alternatives to the AGV Compact out there. Check out or Top 5 Flip-up Crash Helmet Reviews section for more options.
Sena announce world’s first noise-cancelling crash helmet
Sena are best known for their in-helmet comms – bluetooth communicators, intercoms and the like. But they’ve decided to put all that audio-nouse to good use by, for the first time, integrating it into their own crash helmet. And it looks very interesting – not just because it’s a sweet-looking carbon fibre helmet – but because it’s the world’s first noice-cancelling crash helmet too!
The full range of available colours
As you can see from the diagram below, there’s a whole load of audio electronics and cabling built into the fabric of each helmet. The noise-cancelling tech uses an array of four connected microphones to take in external noise. If it works in a similar way to traditional noise-cancelling tech, it’ll then process the opposite phase then feed that into your ears to cancel out noise. It’s tech that’s been around for ages now, but it’s the first time we’ve seen it integrated into a helmet in this way.
I say integrated, but it’s unclear that the tech – called Intelligent Noise Control or INC for short – will actually be shipped in the helmet or made available as an extra that attaches to the helmet, in the same way their Bluetooth module is an optional extra (which is bizarre coming from a manufacturer known for their bluetooth kit!).
Sena Smart Helmet in silver
That aside, the tech sounds pretty impressive. It cuts out wind noise while allowing things like emergency sirens, other traffic and engine noise to get through, i.e. just the noises you want. There’s also an ‘ambient mode’ – press a button on the side of the helmet, and it allows you to hear what’s been said to you without taking your helmet off. Nice.
Sena haven’t announced a release date yet – when they do, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, if you’re looking for the quietest helmets on the market, check out our quietest helmets section.
Bell’s top of the range carbon composite sportsbike helmet
The Bell Star Carbon is Bell’s out-and-out sports helmet, designed for track use and tucked-in, chin-down sportsbike riding.
But the thing about top of the range helmets is that’s where all the manufacturers put most of their R&D money (the tech trickles down to their other models later to cover costs), so it’s a particularly competitive sector. So let’s look at how the Bell stacks up
Summary
Made for the track or sporty road riding, the Bell Star Carbon combines all-day comfort and outstanding ventilation with modern and aggressive styling. The only cons, like many sportsbike and track helmets, are that it’s noisy and that glasses wearers might struggle. If those aren’t an issue for you and you want a helmet for sportsbike riding that looks cool and will be pretty rare to see out on the road, then the Bell Star Carbon is worth checking out.
Now discontinued – though good deals are still to be found
The Bell Star Carbon hasn’t been SHARP tested, so we don’t really know how safe it is. It’s ECE approved for sale in Europe and it’s both DOT and Snell approved in the US (though the Snell approval does not necessarily denote good crash protection as it tends to specify helmet shells that are too hard – as briefly discussed in our article on expensive v cheap crash helmets).
However, because Bells have historically scored incredibly well in SHARP safety tests, with every one of their full face helmets scoring a maximum of 5/5 stars, we’ve included a review on the site. We’d like to see SHARP conduct a couple more tests on Bell’s latest helmets though to make sure they’re keeping up the good work, as it’s been a good while since they tested a Bell.
The Bell Star Carbon looks promising though. Not only have they always scored well for safety, but this top model is constructed from three layers of kevlar, fibreglass, and with a top layer of carbon fibre to give it that nice carbon fibre weave finish.
Classy matt black Bell Star Carbon
That makes for a helmet that should be tough, and at around 1.5Kg (Bell’s own figure) it is just a smidge over the average weight of a composite helmet (1.46Kg according to our research). Most owners feel that it’s a really light helmet though so they seem to be happy with the weight!
Another useful safety, and convenience, feature, is that the visor has a locking mechanism. If you’re on track and want to be 100% sure your visor isn’t going to flip up and break your concentration going into that high speed right-hander, then that’s going to be useful – and safer. It’s also going to help stop the visor opening during an accident too – again, very nice to know!
Best places to buy this Bell?
Please click below to visit the Bell 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).
Helmet Noise
Of course, the Bell Star Carbon is a racing helmet. And like lots of other top of the range, racing-focused helmets, the Star Carbon suffers from being a noisy blighter. As you’ll read further down, it’s got great ventilation, but in this case, that creates lots of holes in the shell to allow noise into the helmet.
Most owners agree that it’s somewhere between noisy and very noisy (depending on how noisy their previous helmets were) and that you really need some decent ear plugs in to keep things bearable.
Sizing
The Star Carbon comes in sizes XS (54/55 cms) to XXL (62/63 cms). For the exact sizes in between, click the link to our recommended retailer right at the bottom of the page, and you’ll be able to see sizing, availability and latest prices.
Rear of the Michael Dunlop replica showing four rear exhaust vents
Ventilation
This is one of the Bell Star Carbon’s really strong points.
As you can see from the photo above, there’s a plethora of front vents – a chin vent that’s adjustable to direct air onto the face or visor, then lower and upper forehead vents. All these are easy to operate using sliders – even with gloves – and owners universally agree they can let in a ton of air.
As usual, the forehead and crown vents pull air through channels in the shock-absorbing EPS liner inside the shell, and cut-aways inside the comfort liner allow heat and moisture to be pulled from your scalp and out of the rear exhaust vents (there’s four of those – see right).
In the Star Carbon, it’s a particularly effective configuration and is ideal for sweaty track days and races.
Visor
Even though pretty well all the promo shots of the Bell Star Carbon show smoked visors (because it makes it look cool and moody!), it comes with a standard clear visor in the box.
It’s coated with what Bell call their NutraFog 2 coating which is OK but not the best if you’re riding in cold weather.
Star Carbon in Union graphics
The visor has two positions, closed and open but will sit at any point in between – there’s a friction connection that keeps it open until you reach reasonably high speeds.
Once nice feature is their really simple and quick to operate visor removal mechanism. It really is very fast – possibly the fastest around. Just open up the visor, pull down on a trigger and the visor pops out. Couldn’t be easier and very useful for whipping off your visor to give it a good clean.
Because Bell is a US company, many of the owners of the Bell Star Carbon are in the US and they’re raving about Bell’s transition visor (sorry, shield 🙂 ). It’s a photo-reactive visor that darkens in bright sunlight – and takes just a few seconds to go from clear to smoked. It’s about $100 over there and, unfortunately, that seems to translate to about £110-140 over here (depending on retailer). If swapping visors or forgetting sun glasses is an issue for you though, it might be worth it.
Comfort
Another really strong point for the Bell Star Carbon is comfort.
Like any helmet, you have to make sure you go through the basics to get the right fitting (see our guide to fitting). Assuming you buy the right size, the Star Carbon’s internals are of high quality and owners say they quickly bed-in and are comfortable enough for all day in the saddle.
The liner is contoured and the cheek pads are swappable to tune the fit. It’s made from what Bell call their X-Static XT2; that’s a silver ion treated, anti bacterial and removable/washable liner. What that means in practice though is that people comment on how (very) soft it is (aaah) when you put it on – and it has mesh and padding in all the right places.
Very stylish RSD version
One fly in the ointment is that it’s broadly regarded as poor for glasses wearers. If the stems of your glasses aren’t thinner than average, it might be worth avoiding – or at least buying from a retailer who will accept returns with no quibbles (such as our recommended seller below) – so you can try with your own glasses.
Looks & Graphics
I think it’s safe to say the Bell is one of the coolest looking full face lids around. It’s sleek and aggressive, with nice lines ending in that swept back spoiler. The graphic options are mostly very tastefully worked too, with lots of classy paint schemes and designs and most showing off that carbon fibre weave to varying degrees too.
At the darker end, there’s the matt black, the Union and the special edition Roland Sands Design (RSD) version (right). Adding a bit more colour, there’s the Pinned designs and another special edition, the Tagger Trouble. Then there’s the Michael Dunlop replica (last time I looked he was wearing a Shoei hat!) and then there’s the colourful (and I have to say very very nice!) special edition Fillmore Replica that you can see at the top of the page. Apparently Chris Fillmore is an AMA rider (sorry US readers but we don’t get any AMA in the UK, so I really wasn’t aware of him).
Best places to buy this Bell helmet?
Please click below to visit the Bell 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).
Video
Here’s that odd bloke from Revzilla to take you through some of the Bell Carbon’s finer points!
Other stuff
The aero on the Bell Carbon is very impressive. It’s been designed to make it as slippery as possible, and to minimise buffeting – and owners say it works incredibly well. It’s not perfect as one or two owners reckon there can be buffeting if you turn your head at (moderately) high speeds. But overall, it performs well.
Pinned blue graphics (also available in Pinned black)
It’s been designed to work with Sena audio kits and there are cutaways in the liner to accommodate speakers – and these line up with meshes in the lining to allow sound to travel through unimpeded. Obviously, the helmet’s loud though so it may be a bit tricky to hear above the wind rush if you go too fast.
There’s also a nice touch on the double d-ring fastener as it has a magnetic end which allows the free end to attach itself to another magnet and stop it from flapping around. It works well and is a great little feature.
And finally, track riders say there’s a nice wide field of vision with only the very extremes of the visor aperture coming into view. That’s good for track and for road use.
We’ll be checking out sportsbike/track helmets such as the Arai RX-7V and Shoei’s X-Spirit III when they’ve been around for a while (launch date set for early 2016). In the meantime, you might want to check out Schuberth’s track helmet, the SR1. It’s a composite shelled SHARP 4 star rated helmet, got great ventilation, an excellent visor and it’s a tad cheaper than the Bell. Shark’s Race R Pro range are terrifically light SHARP 5 star safety rated composite helmets that are known for comfort and ventilation too and are also worth a good look. Check our Sportsbike crash helmets section for more sports/track focused helmets.
Top of the range racing helmet – the Shoei X-Spirit III (X Fourteen in the US)
New for 2016, Shoei have finally replaced the X-Spirit 2, their top of the range, track-focused sportsbike helmet. The X-Spirit 3 hit the shelves early 2016 and this new one is a hefty update to the old helmet with changes principally aimed at usability – aero, stability, and a tweak or two to improve ventilation (something owners reported was fairly average on the old one – as you can read in our X-Spirit II review). In other respects, the old helmet was a quality performer – and was SHARP 5 star rated for safety.
So Shoei had to really be on their game if they were going to improve on the X-Sprit 2. Which I guess is why they developed the X-Spirit 3 in cahoots with the likes of Marc Marquez and Bradley Smith on the MotoGP circuit – which in turn is one of the reasons it’s been eagerly snapped up by lots of other racing heroes such as John McGuinness, Eugene Laverty and Yukio Kagayama.
So, here’s the lowdown on the features of the X-Spirit 3 and we’ll discover what owners think of their new X-Spirit III crash helmet.
Shoei’s top of the range sportsbike full face helmet
Please click below to visit the Shoei X-Spirit III 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 X-Spirit III Marquez showing winglets designed to improve stability
The shell of the X-Spirit III is created from what Shoei call their AIM+ shell – that’s a complex 6 layered composite. Shoei never actually say what’s in their AIM+ helmets beyond fibreglass and ‘organic fibres’. Whatever’s in there, it seems to work well. Of the five AIM+ helmets tested by SHARP so far, four have scored maximum safety ratings while the other (the NXR) still managed a creditable four star rating.
The X-Spirit III was tested by SHARP in summer 2016 and scored the expected maximum five stars.
A few sizes of the X-Spirit (XS-S-M and homologated as the US named X-Fourteen) was also tested/homologated in 2019 by the FIM for use in pro circuit racing.
All in all, that helmet shell construction certainly seems to do the trick, coupled with their multi-density shock absorbing EPS liner, four shell sizes (good for safety and accurate fitment) and double-d ring fastener – all create a helmet that should look after your head about as well as any helmet can do in an accident.
Front view of the Bradley Smith replica
Helmet Noise
Sportsbike and trackday-focused helmets are designed for outright performance on the track. That means helmet designers prioritise features like stability, lightness and aero over making a helmet that’s quiet. And besides, racers wear ear plugs to protect their hearing (as should you) so reducing helmet noise isn’t that important for a sportsbike helmet.
Having said that, owners reckon their X-Spirit 3s are pretty quiet. Many have said that when you get the chin guard on and close the vents, it’s one of the quieter helmets they’ve owned.
Which is surprising given that it’s a track helmet. It could be that people who buy the X-Spirit 3 have tended to buy sportsbike helmets before and it just so happens the Spirit 3 is quieter than those helmets. But whatever the reason, the X-Spirit III seems pretty well rated by owners for noise suppression.
As always, if buying a quiet helmet is high on your list of priorities for your next helmet – you might want to check out the quietest helmets we’ve reviewed by clicking ‘quietest‘ from our feature cloud.
Ventilation
Unlike noise suppression, lots of ventilation is a priority for track-focused helmets.
Shoei have put lots of effort to improve ventilation with the X-Spirit III, this time fitting two separate chin vents into the chin guard. The top one (operated by an up/down slider) pushes air around the mouth and up onto the rear of the visor as you’d expect. But there’s also a lower chin guard vent, again operated by it’s own slider to open or close it, and this one routes air towards the cheeks where vented cheek pads allow air to reach the cheeks and keep the side of the face cool. This is the first time we’ve seen cheek vents like this in a helmet.
Shoei X-Spirit III Assail design
There’s two sets of forehead and crown vents too, pulling the air through channels sunk into the EPS shock-absorbing lining, through holes in the inner comfort lining and onto the scalp. And the five rear exhaust vents complete the circuit, allowing warmed air to escape at the back. These top two vents are operated by smaller sliders than the chin vents and owners say they can be a bit fiddly to use when you’re wearing gloves.
Having said that, owners say that X-Spirit III ventilation is great. You can really feel the air around your head and you can even sense the cooling of the cheek vents as air’s pushed up the side of the helmet. Perfect for a hot day at the track where you need all the cooling you can get.
Visor
Of course, ventilation is also important when things get cool or rainy and your visor starts to fog up. In these conditions, the X-Spirit III will fog up just as quickly as the next helmet – especially when you’re going slow and not generating enough wind blast to vent away your breath.
Thankfully, it also comes with a Pinlock Evo antifog insert in the box; so fit that bad boy in and all will be sorted on the fogging visor front.
There’s also a Transitions photochromic visor available for the X-Spirit III so it’ll automatically adjust the tint according to how sunny it is, which is great for on the track (though they’re not cheap).
The engineers at Shoei have put a good deal of effort into crafting a really effective visor system in the X-Spirit III. It has a good, fast quick removal system so you can whip off your visor quickly to clean it or change it. It’s also spring loaded, pulling the visor tightly against the visor gasket to keep wind and rain out. And it all works well according to owners.
Side view of the Marquez TC-1 replica
There’s also a couple of other features which are worth mentioning.
Because it’s a balls-out racing lid, many riders will be using the X-Spirit III in a tight tuck position and right down behind the faring. The story goes that Marc Marquez was finding that when he was tucked in, he found the top of the comfort lining getting in his line of sight, so asked Shoei to do something about it. So they made the comfort lining adjustable (or rotating as their sales blurb has it). What that means is you can slide parts of the lining around by 4 degrees so it moves out of your way in an extreme tuck position. Out of the box it’ll come in a standard position, but should you find yourself with your chin on the tank with your vision obscured by the lining, you know what to do (presumably after you’ve pulled over and changed your underpants!).
The second feature of note is the line of ‘turbulators’ running along each side of the visor. We’ve seen these first on the top edge of the visors of the Schuberth C3 Pro, and now Shoei have joined the gang.
They’re designed to break up the airflow a little and reduce buffeting and noise. We were slightly cynical about the effectiveness of these turbulators when we saw them first appear on the Schuberth where they seemed unnecessary. However, it’s apparent just how much effort Shoei have put into the aero on the X-Sprit III and here it seems to be one of several innovations which combine to make all the difference. Here’s why…
Loads of blue arrows passing cleanly over the X-Spirit III: Shoei prove their aero works!
Aerodynamics
We don’t usually give aero a category of its own, but you only need to look at the Shoei X-Spirit III on the grid to get an inkling of the work that’s gone into making it as slippery and aerodynamic as possible.
With the massive speeds that motorcycle riders get to on the track these days (215mph+ at some tracks), Shoei set out with two objectives in mind. Firstly, to make the helmet as streamlined as possible so as not to increase drag; and secondly to minimise buffeting and increase stability so your brains don’t get scrambled and you can focus on the track ahead.
So there’s all sorts of subtle shapes and ridges in the moulding of the helmet and a redesigned helmet shape. There’s also the turbulators in the visor. But the most obvious feature is the rear stabilising spoiler and the removable winglets that jut out at the back.
The standard winglets are designed to improve stability at speed but Shoei must’ve had rider feedback that things can get too stable on the track meaning the helmet resists letting you turn your head – so the winglets are removable and there are smaller ones available to swap out if you have a problem.
The upshot of all this fiddling about in wind tunnels is that owners say it feels an incredibly stable and buffet-free helmet – even when you’re off the track (where a few owners say it makes a surprisingly comfortable and usable road bike helmet).
Gloss/matt black and gloss white versions are the plain solid colours available
Comfort and sizing
The interior of the X-Spirit III is rated as high quality and comfortable by owners. They say it tends to feel a slightly tighter fit at first than most helmets do, but that it beds in quickly to feel tight but secure and comfortable.
Side view of the Bradley Smith rep
The lining is of course removable and washable, but it’s also multi-adjustable too. We’ve mentioned how it can be ‘rotated’ to allow for unobstructed forward view in a racing tuck in the aero section above. But it’s also adjustable to tailor the fit as well.
Not only can cheek pads can be swapped for thicker or thinner versions – but panels above, around the temples, can be too. That’s a potentially useful feature in an expensive helmet like this – especially if you spend lots of time on the track. And as we often mention, getting a helmet to fit just right is one of the most important factors to ensuring your helmet performs well in an accident.
Looks and graphics
There’s no denying just how distinctive the Shoei X-Spirit III looks. Check out any pro racing grid around and you can spot the X-Spirit a mile off. It’s a good looking helmet and there’s a striking range of graphics available too. Whether you want plain solid colours (matt/gloss black or plain gloss white), race reps (Marquez or Smith) or, at the time of writing, one of the various Assail designs, we’ve put examples of all these around the page. But they’re bound to change as new designs become available, so to check out the latest graphics (and deals) we suggest you click the links below which will drop you on the Shoei helmets pages at our recommended retailers (they’re retailers specially chosen for amazing service or low prices).
Best places to buy a Shoei X-Spirit III?
Please click below to visit the Shoei X-Spirit III 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).
X-Spirit III Video
Here’s Shoei’s launch video, featuring Marc Marquez with a suitably awestruck expression on his face (he’s a sponsors dream that boy!).
If it’s a top of the range sports bike helmet you’re after, you really are spoilt for choice.
There are of course HJCs RPHA-11, the Scorpion EXO 2000 Evo Air, the Bell Star Carbon and of course the Arai RX-7V which are all worth a very close look – though none of these have yet been SHARP tested for safety (though we’d expect all of them to do well).
Of course, we try and point you in the direction of helmets that have been SHARP safety tested and so should give you good levels of protection in an accident.
So first off why not check out Schuberth’s sportsbike-focused helmet, the SR-1 – that’s a SHARP 4 star rated composite fibre helmet that’s highly rated by owners. If you’re not wanting to spend quite as much as the X-Spirit III but still want a helmet that doesn’t compromise, then AGV’s Corsa is a lightweight sports helmet with an optically-correct visor that scores 5/5 stars in the SHARP test. And of course, we’ve gotta mention Shark’s carbon fibre Race R Pro, another 5 star helmet as now worn by Jorge Lorenzo in MotoGP – now that’s a reasonable pedigree!
Finally, if you’re thinking all these are probably going to be a bit overkill and you want something that’s a bit more road-focused, the AGV GT Veloce might be the one. That’s a five star SHARP rated helmet that’s more sports touring than track – but it’s light and has a nice large visor aperture that should suit track riding too.
Best places to buy a Shoei X-Spirit III?
Please click below to visit the Shoei X-Spirit III 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).
Caberg’s 5 star rated polycarbonate full face helmet with built-in sun visor
If you’re going to buy a new crash helmet, you might as well start by looking for a helmet that’s top-rated for safety, right? Well, the budget-priced Caberg Vox is five star SHARP rated for safety, is cheap to buy, has a drop down sun visor and is Pinlock-ready. All of which makes it a very attractive proposition. But what about the rest of it – how does it rate for usability, comfort, ventilation etc. etc. i.e. all the other stuff that makes a helmet easy to use and live with?
Overall/Summary
A comfortable, well ventilated and reasonably light polycarbonate helmet let down only by slight fogging issues and being quite noisy (though with ear plugs it’s fine). But it’s as safe as they come (SHARP 5 star rated for safety) and has some useful features such as the drop down sun visor and easy to use micrometric fastener and represents excellent value for money. Well worth considering.
SHARP 5 star rated for safety (maximum)
Polycarbonate shell
1.45Kg (light for a polycarbonate helmet)
Available in sizes XS-XL (53/4 – 61/2 cms)
Typically priced between £90-£130
Looking to buy this Caberg?
It's been discontinued for a while now, but you could still find it on Amazon UK the last time we checked. Please click the link and you'll drop straight onto their Caberg helmets pages (then use site search).
Safety
The Caberg Vox has been tested by SHARP and was awarded a maximum score of 5 stars. That means it should be as effective in an accident as pretty much any crash helmet on the market today (and miles better than the vast majority). It may be a polycarbonate (i.e. plastic shelled) crash helmet available at a low price but, as we’ve pointed out here and based on one of the most comprehensive motorcycle accident studies ever (Cost 327), in a survivable accident, the flex allowed by a polycarbonate helmet which absorbs the energy of an accident and allows the polystyrene liner seems to allow for better impact absorption than rock solid helmet shells.
Matt black Caberg Vox
Other stuff that impacts on safety include the shell sizes, strap and visors. You’ll see more information on the visors in the visor section below, however both the main clear visor and the drop down sun visor are both antiscratch (sun visors aren’t always antiscratch so that’s good). The main visor is a little prone to fogging straight out of the box, probably because of a lack of ventilation – though that can be resolved by fitting a Pinlock anti fog insert.
The strap is a micrometric locking mechanism – which are tried and tested and easy to use – so that’s good.
We’re not sure how many shell sizes the Vox is produced in as Caberg haven’t released the information. We’re assuming that means they probably use just one, maybe two shell sizes – which possibly isn’t ideal. However, overall, the Caberg Vox is probably as safe as they come.
Helmet Noise
Side view of the Vox Rival white.
Helmet noise suppression isn’t one of the Caberg Vox’s strong points. Most owners reckon it’s slightly below average in comparison to their previous helmets. As usual, if you wear ear plugs – which most of us do – the Vox is fine. But if having a quiet helmet is important for you, then you should probably avoid the Vox and check out our Quietest crash helmets section to find a quieter helmet.
Size
The Vox is available in sizes XS (about 53/54 cms) to XL (about 61/62cms).
Ventilation
The Vox has a chin vent that pushes air into the front of the helmet and towards the visor, as well as a pair of forehead vents to ventilate the crown of the head.
The chin vent is operated by a toggle underneath the chin guard (see picture below) rather than the outside of the helmet. It’s a bit fiddly to operate but it does open and close the vent effectively. However, this chin vent is a bit weedy – not letting in quite enough air – and owners reckon that, even though the main visor is treated with Caberg’s own anti-fog treatment, it’s s a bit prone to fogging; as is the sun visor. Obviously, fogging on the main visor can be sorted by buying a Pinlock antifog insert and the Vox visor is conveniently Pinlock-ready, though doesn’t come with one in the box.
Rear view of the Vox Rival in black. Red button is the chin vent switch.
The top vents are operated by little sliders at the top of the helmet – again a bit fiddly but OK once you get the hang of them – and allow air into channels within the helmet liner to ventilate the head and exit the helmet via exhaust vents at the rear.
Overall ventilation to the front could be better to help with demisting the visor, but overall owners say ventilation is good.
Visor
As mentioned above, both visors are anti-scratch, and apart from the tendency for both visors to fog up in cooler weather and when a Pinlock isn’t used (mentioned above), there aren’t any other worries.
The sun visor drops down by using the slider behind the visor pivot on the left hand side of the helmet and is pretty analogue, meaning you can have it fully up or down or any position in between, which can be really useful (not all allow that).
Once you’ve got the hang of it, both visors are reasonably easy to remove and you don’t need any tools to remove them. The main visor needs you to line up a couple of arrows on each side, before sliding a tab and moving the visor backwards. It’s not rocket science (once you know how!) but it’s more fiddly than many other helmet manufacturers who seem to have got the quick removal of visors nailed. It’s probably not a deal breaker though.
Caberg Vox in Romantik colour scheme
Comfort
Lots of positive comments about the comfort of the Caberg Vox. It doesn’t do anything particularly special – the lining’s removable and washable – and that’s about it. But many owners reckon it’s more comfortable than their previous helmets, so unless you’re used to particularly light and expensive helmets, we’d expect you to be happy with the Vox.
Looks & Graphics
There aren’t too many graphics to choose from in the Vox range (which may be a good or bad thing!). There’s the usual white or matt black, but unusually no gloss black. There’s the Rival in black/white and the Romantik (right) which is probably aimed at the more, erm, feminine rider (though don’t let that stop you chaps!). You may still be able to find a few more of the older graphics on other stores – such as the Daytona or the Freehand.
We’ve tried to put examples of the currently available graphics across the page – but visit our suggested store below to find out what’s available now.
Best place to buy this Caberg?
The last time we checked, you could still find this helmet at Amazon UK. Click the link to drop through to their Caberg Helmets page (then use search) - but make sure you only buy from the highest rated sellers. And if you order from there we get a small payment from Amazon at no extra cost to you - so thanks for that (it's how we cover the cost of the site).
Other stuff
The Caberg Vox is designed for use with the JustSpeak bluetooth kit. It comes with a removable breath guard and chin curtain in the box.
If you’re after a full face helmet in a similar price range to the Vox, there are a few worth looking at. Firstly, the MT Revenge is another SHARP 5 Star rated full face helmet. It’s about the same weight, price and specs as the Vox that offers equally outstanding value. A tad more expensive is the Scorpion Exo 410 Air. It’s ‘only’ four star rated but is recommended for comfort and ventilation. If you’re willing to spend a little more, you could get the AGV K3-SV – a SHARP 4 star helmet with sun visor that’s well rated and comes with a Pinlock antifog in the box.
Looking to buy this Caberg?
It's been discontinued for a while now, but you could still find it on Amazon UK the last time we checked. Please click the link and you'll drop straight onto their Caberg helmets pages (then use site search).
Arai RX-7V (Corsair X in the US) – Arai’s top of the range sportsbike helmet
Arai have updated their range-topping RX-7 helmet – replacing it with the RX-7V.
But if you think it looks very similar to the old RX-7 helmet, you’d be bang on. Because, as you can see from the picture further down, it’s more an evolution of the series rather than a redesign. So what’s changed?
Well, according to Arai, a little bit of everything. From the outside in, Arai have tried to make the outer shell even smoother, in line with their goal to make a helmet that will ‘glance off’ surfaces better than any other. They’ve also slightly reformulated the construction too – it’s still got a composite fibre shell, but they’ve reformulated the resin between layers to be lighter, saving 30g off the weight (or so they say). And while they were at it, they also reinforced parts of the shell that are particularly important for passing the US Snell safety test.
The Arai RX-7V Pedrosa Samurai. At least the helmet’s a winner 😉
Read on for a closer look at what the Arai RX-7V offers and how well owners think it does on the road.
Please click below to visit the Arai RX-7V helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
Changes from the old RX-7?
The RX-7V is an evolution rather than a nose-back redesign.
You can see the changes from the old RX-7 helmet below. Visually, changes mostly come in the form of the lowering of the side pod (and new visor pivot mechanism) and longer ventilation duct on the top of the helmet – said to improve ventilation a bit (OK, Arai say 11% but that probably equates to ‘a bit’ when you’re riding along, right?).
There’s also a few mm extra space around the mouth and chin and updated internals using their ‘Eco Pure’ lining. But we’ll get to those in the relevant sections below.
RX-7V on the left, old RX-7 on the right.
As always, let’s start with…
Safety
As you know, at BCH we put a good deal of weight behind a good score with the SHARP helmet testing scheme. Well, the RX-7V has been US Snell certified and as of late 2016, it scored a maximum five stars with SHARP, putting it among the best helmets on the market for safety.
There’s now an FIM certified version of the RX-7V – see below.
Which is kinda what you’d expect from a £600+ helmet that’s used by professional racers right?
Interestingly, the old RX-7 GP ‘only’ scored four stars with SHARP, dropping a star for safety on the side impact test. And while Arai proclaim proudly on their website that they design their helmets to be as safe as possible and not to pass any particular tests, I’m not sure if they’re fibbing in this case.
You see, the visor pivot and release mechanism on the old RX-7 sits slap bang where SHARP tests the helmet for its side impact tests. All that gubbins is bound to affect a helmet’s shock absorbing capabilities. And lo and behold, when SHARP tested the RX-7, that’s exactly what happened; and it dropped a star. I could be wrong, but it very much looks to me like Arai took notice and lowered/shrank the mechanism on the new 7V to improve shock absorbing at this key point and so get their fifth star.
Another RX-7V replica. This one’s Nicky Hayden’s
And fair play to them. If it improves helmet safety, then we’re all happy.
Moving on, the RX-7V’s also got a nice wide visor opening – great for spotting other traffic pulling alongside – as well as the Maverick Vinales’ of this world about to chop your nose off before dropping into the corkscrew!
The visor also has a lock on it – which is essential for on-track use to stop the visor opening unexpectedly, especially if you’re rolling across the deck about to enter a gravel trap!
There’s a double-d ring fastener keeping the helmet secured and there’s also a plethora of internal lining options, there to make sure the helmet fits as sungly and comfortably as possible.
Don’t underestimate that point. Comfort and getting a nice tight fit are as important as any safety rating in making sure a helmet’s going to work well during an impact. So, if in doubt, try another before buying (and consult our fitting guide).
It’s worth noting that all the bits and bobs covering the surface of the helmet – the ventilation ducts and side pods – are designed to snap off under impact, so they don’t dig in and rotate the head. That supplements the rounder/smoother helmet shell design that you see across Arai helmets. They call it R75 and the idea is that this rounder helmet form improves “glancing-off” performance of the helmets – i.e. they’ll skim and slide off things during an accident rather than dig in and rotate.
As usual, there’s a gloss/matt black versions available
Reading the Arai website, it seems like it’s more an idea based on common sense rather than scientifically-backed design ethos (in fact, at the time of writing, their website specifically states no scientific papers exist to support their ideas). Still, it sounds good. Though we wouldn’t mind a bit of science to back it up before we trust our safety to it chaps!
Finally, the RX7V has EQRS fitted – or Arai’s version anyway. Look under the helmet and you’ll see two red tags. Pull on those and the cheek guards pull out nice and easy (ish). If you’re going to buy a helmet for the track, we recommend you always look for one with EQRS fitted (check all the helmets we’ve reviewed featuring EQRS here).
And finally finally, certain sizes of the RX-7V are now FIM homologated meaning they can be used in pro racing.
As always, if you’re unsure of any of the helmet terminology we use – or want to read more, you can find lots of guides on the links on the right (bottom of the article on mobile).
RX-7V RC carbon version
It’s worth mentioning the RC version. It stands for Ruddy Costly. Probably.
The most exclusive helmet in the world? Certainly one of the most expensive: the RX-7V RC
Actually, it’s ‘Racing Carbon’ and if having a ‘run of the mill’ top of the range Arai isn’t exclusive enough, well Arai have also made a full carbon fibre version – called the RX-7V RC.
Made with eleven layers of aircraft-quality carbon fibre and based on F1 tech (so the blurb goes) it’s lighter, very cool-looking and massively exclusive.
It certainly looks the part – but then at an RRP of £2499, it probably should do!
Arai RX-7V Race FIM
And why would you go for the full carbon version when you can now buy the FIM approved RX-7V Race helmet for a fraction of the price. Only sizes XS-L have been FIM approved and it’s still not cheap at around £800, but for that you’re getting the same helmet that’s been tested and certified by the FIM for racing.
This one’s the Sign graphic RX-7V Race FIM.
Truth be told, it’s not that different to the regular RX-7V. The most noticeable feature is that rear spoiler – or diffuser extension. It’s a breakaway part but it’s there to smooth the flow over the helmet and into your rear hump. There’s also an ‘air wing’ in the middle of the spoiler, made to reduce drag and turbulence.
The visor’s a regular 2D visor (so a flatter plastic shield) with tear off posts. It does without a Pinlock-ready visor and there’s no breath guard included either for some reason, though if you plan on using your RX-7V Race on the road too, you can buy these separately.
Check out prices for an Arai RX-7V FIM Race
If you’re thinking of buying an RX-7V FIM Race, you might want to click below to visit the Arai RX-7V FIM Race helmets pages at two of our recommended stores. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
Helmet Noise
Pretty well all owners who moved from the old RX-7 to the RX-7V said that the 7V is a quieter helmet. That’s especially true with the vents closed, which makes a noticeable difference to noise levels in the helmet.
Having said that, there are lots of different opinions how noisy the RX-7V is. Plus, helmet noise is so subjective and so prone to expectation bias (expect it to be super quiet and you’ll probably be disappointed at how noisy it is) that it’s really impossible to say whether you’ll find the RX-7V quiet or noisy. Multiply that with factors such as the type of bike, position, riding speed; and one person’s quiet is another person’s noisy as hell.
Several owners said you can make it quieter by closing the vents, making sure the chin curtain is fitted (most owners reckon that reduces turbulence and noise a bit) and, of course, wearing ear plugs. Do all three and you should be a happy bunny.
Taking all comments into account though, we’re going to score the RX-7V about average for noise suppression. Which is certainly no disgrace given that it’s a track helmet – which are notoriously noisy.
Ventilation
Just like its predecessor, ventilation is one of the Arai RX-7V’s strong points.
Take a look at the photos of the RX7V and you can see, there’s just a ton of air vents and exhausts scattered across the shell. That’s six front vents and seven rear exhaust vents, if you’re counting.
There’ll probably be a dozen RX-7Vs in every TT race – so they produced this cool TT graphic version
All the input vents and most of the rear exhausts are adjustable and open/closeable.
And by all accounts, they really work well. We only found one person with a gripe, who complained it steams up when stationery. But then all helmets will do that in the right (wrong) conditions. Like, all of em.
Everyone else waxed lyrical about how great the ventilation is and how cool their head felt, even in hot weather.
If pushed to find fault, one person said the top vents work better than the chin vent (it’s not as well venting as his Shark Race R). Another said some of the switches are still a bit fiddly to use in gloves.
But overall, ventilation is one of the Arai RX-9V’s strong points.
Visor
And owners think the visor’s great too.
It’s nice and wide and tall to give great vision – and there’s a Pinlock anti-fog Max Vision insert included with the helmet.
This new visor system is one of the major changes with the Arai RX-7V.
Plain (and cool) matt white version
It’s been redesigned to reduce the size of the pivot mechanism. Why? Check out our rambling thoughts in the Safety section. Suffice to say it means they’ve had to redesign it to be more compact.
And owners broadly think they’ve done a good job. A few people commented that the visor removal system is a great improvement over the old version, which made you feel like you’re about to snap the visor before it pinged loose! Check the videos below to see info on the new visor.
Until you get the hang of it, the new quick removal system is a bit fiddly though – but then most are. Just check out the 4m video below to see exactly how tricky it can be (and how to do it).
Arai have also updated their visor locking mechanism. It’s a bit more chunky and easier to use than the previous one – press the visor firmly closed and it’ll lock in place. Push the lock up and the visor will go to ‘cracked open’ or city riding position, giving a bit more ventilation. Push up further and the visor will be unlocked.
Overall then, the visor works great and shouldn’t give you any problems.
Comfort and Sizing
The interior of the RX-7V is very well designed and, for most people, supremely comfortable.
New to the line up, the Vinales rep RX-7V
That’s especially true if you’re a typical oval head shape, as the RX-7V is designed to suit people with more oval rather than rounder heads – which is most of us.
While you’ll find it uses similar foams and anti-wicking type materials to other top of the range helmets – and in the 7V’s case Eco Pure neutral PH anti bacterial lining (because you’re worth it!) – it’s the adjustability that Arai seem to have really nailed with the RX-7V.
The lining is, of course, removable and washable. But it’s also adjustable around the cheeks, skull and temples so you can tweak the fit and get it just right. That includes removable panels to reduce pressure points, and swappable cheek pads to tighten things up.
Watch the vid to find out more (though I think the bloke’s advance/retard is broken as he seems to engage ‘talk’ mode a bit too far in advance of ‘think’ mode, bless him!)
If you do decide to go for a new 7V, a few folks said they size a wee bit on the tight side. So, if you’re between sizes or unsure, we’d suggest opting for the smaller size. And of course, keep the tags on the helmet and buy from a retailer who’ll swap size with no quibbles – like one of our recommended retailers below.
Other than that, several owners commented that their Arai RX-7V is the comfiest and best fitting motorbike helmet they’ve ever worn/owned. All of which makes for a safe helmet that’s a pleasure to live with. Hurray!
Looks and Graphics
There’s no doubt that Arai are a pretty traditional company. And that’s reflected in the design of the RX-7V. This certainly isn’t a helmet that’s designed for cutting-edge looks. Its form is dictated by what Arai consider to be the best functioning design for a safety device. Which is exactly as it should be and brings Arai helmets a special kudos all of their own.
Old Skool cool – Kenny Roberts replica
So, they’ve left the helmet to do the protecting and the graphics to catch the eye; and that means there’s stacks of designs and paint jobs out there to do just that.
There’s a massive range of race replicas based on designs used by Arai-sponsored riders. Including the Pedrosa, Giugliano, Vinales, Rae, Haslam, Kenny Roberts and a few others.
We’ve tried to put as many graphics on the page as possible – but most designs have several colour options too, and there’s new designs and graphics coming out all the time. So, as usual, click the links below to our recommended retailers to see the latest designs and deals.
Best places to buy an Arai RX-7V helmet?
Please click below to visit the Arai RX-7V helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
Arai RX-7V Videos
We’ve found three videos taking you all around the Arai RX-7V. First off, a fast-talking-guy sweeps you around the helmet (called the Corsair X in the US), followed by a couple of vids looking over the visor mechanism.
Here’s a guy at Arai taking you through how to remove the visor on the RX-7V – trying to emphasize how cool and simple it is while making it look incredibly complex! (4mins).
Oh go on then, here’s another video showing you how it should be done (25s)!
The Arai RX-7V has a ‘pull away’ section in the liner to accommodate bluetooth speakers. It also has a slightly larger space in the chin area to accommodate a microphone. One owner said it works just fine with his Sena 20s kit, meaning we’d expect it to work a range of other third-party bluetooth sets too.
Jonny Rae gets his own Arai RX-7V replica too
Onto weight and, even though Arai claim it’s lighter than the old RX-7, a medium size 7V still weighs in at 1.62Kg. That’s not a light helmet by any means – the average weight of a full face helmet across all construction types is a smidge under 1.5Kgs. That said, we didn’t come across any owner saying their RX-7V feels heavy so I guess it’s not heavy enough to cause any problems.
One thing that owners were very happy about was the aero on the Arai. Whether it’s down to that round R-75 shape or the design of the air channels and the rear spoiler, they’re not sure. But it feels slippery when you’re wearing it and there’s little buffeting. That’s especially the case when you’re doing head-checks over your shoulder when there’s very little buffeting at all; even at speed.
Pretty well everyone who buys an Arai expects a good build quality from their helmet. Why wouldn’t you when you’re paying £600+? And owners’ expectations aren’t let down because everything from fit to finish, Pinlock to paint seems to be raved about by its lucky owners.
Which is possibly one reason why Arai can afford to offer their customers a class leading 5 year warranty on all their helmets. That’s as good as warranties get – and are likely to get with helmet makers recommending changing helmets every five years.
Alternatives to the Arai RX-7V
If you’re looking for a top-notch sportsbike/racing helmet, then the 7V is at the top of the pile, probably along with the Shoei X-Spirit III and AGV Pista GP.
The Shoei X-Spirit 3 is also an amazing helmet – it looks great, has heaps of MotoGP heritage and is SHARP 5 star rated. Owners love em too and they cost about the same as the RX-7V. If you’re looking for the best, we’d currently put the Shoei slightly ahead of the Arai, mainly because it has a 5 star safety rating.
However, we’d have to include the AGV Pista GP in there too. It’s ultra-light (lighter than the other two) and also SHARP 5 star safety rated. It’s more expensive than both the Arai and Shoei though – but it does have the pedigree of being developed alongside Vale himself. That’s gotta count for a few extra quid, right?
Aside from these three top helmets, there’s a bunch of other racing helmets that don’t cost as much but are extremely decent lids.
First off, the Shark Race-R Pro can be had for less than the Arai. It’s a SHARP 5 star rated carbon fibre helmet that’s lots lighter than the 7V too, weighing in at 1.3Kg.
For about the same price as the Corsa, we’ll throw into the mix the Schuberth C3 Pro – one of the only sports-modular helmets out there. It’s only SHARP 3 star rated but, even though it’s a modular, it’s about the same weight as the RX-7V (that’s light for a modular!).
Finally, for less than half the price of the Arai, you can pick up a SHARP 4 star safety rated sportsbike helmet in the form of the LS2 FF323 Arrow. Optically correct visor, Pinlock antifog included (check retailer) – that’s gotta be worth a look too?
Best places to buy an Arai RX-7V?
Please click below to visit the Arai RX-7V helmets pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from one, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
Shoei J.O – a super comfy, premium-quality open face helmet.
Shoei’s latest open faced helmet is the Shoei JO.
It’s a very retro open faced helmet with an integral drop down visor, very much designed for folks with old bikes or slow bikes – or indeed those of us who are both old and slow and like taking our time over the ride and doing a bit of posing on the way. And hell, why not.
Obviously, it’s an open face helmet, so don’t buy one if you’re after the best protection – either against the weather or the road.
But if you do buy one, here’s what you can expect from your Shoei JO.
Open face helmet
Fibreglass composite helmet shell
Integral visor
Double D ring fastener
3 shell sizes
Removable lining
Sizes XS-XXL
Weighs around 1Kg (2.2lbs)
Expect to pay £300-£350
Best places to buy a Shoei JO?
Please click below to visit the Shoei JO 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).
The shell on the JO is constructed in the same way many of Shoei’s full face helmets are – namely using their Advanced Integrated Matrix (AIM) technology, which is essentially five different layers of fibreglass and other fibre layers (which Shoei keep secret).
Shoei JO Hawker with main visor fully lowered
We might not know precisely what their organic and ‘high performance’ fibres are.
But what we do know is that they’re the same fibres used in the likes of the Neotech II and the RYD, and since they both scored four and five out of five (respectively) in their SHARP safety tests, it points to the helmet shell on the JO being equally well constructed and and should do its job equally well.
That tough helmet shell’s backed by Shoei’s multi-density shock absorbing liner too – which works as well as any EPS liner on the market.
So the helmet shell’s a particularly good ‘un. But that’s not to say the JO’s going to offer anything like the same protection overall as a full face helmet. Hit your head where the helmet is and it should give you decent protection – but if you don’t it won’t.
Which is why we score all open face helmets poorly in our rating system for safety.
If you’re in the market for one of these lids, presumably you know the risks your’re taking. If you don’t – buy a full face helmet instead!
OK, it’s an open face helmet so most of your face is gonna be exposed and there’s a ton of space for wind and noise to get inside.
So don’t expect it to be a quiet helmet because it ain’t.
Shoei do say they’ve sculpted the helmet and visor in a wind tunnel to reduce turbulance. And with all that nice soft padding inside coupled with a drop down visor, owners who are used to open face helmets reckon it’s quiet.
But if you’re used to full face lids, then you’re still going to find it a noisy blighter – especially at speed.
Having said that, bung in some quality ear plugs and you should be fine to ride for long periods without damaging your hearing and it shouldn’t feel too noisy either.
Same pretty well goes for ventilation. It’s an open face helmet so push up that visor and you’ll get in a ton of air to keep you cool. Mostly.
From the back – the Shoei JO Carburettor
I say mostly because there aren’t any vent holes in the helmet shell to let any air in and cool your scalp. Which according to quite a few owners means that it can get hot in there during summer rides.
Slightly bizarrely, Shoei has put ventilation channels inside the polystyrene liner to help air circulate – and while there are a couple of tiny rear exhausts in the neck roll, there isn’t any real way for air to get into the channels in the first place.
All of which means if you’re in the UK or Northern Europe, you’ll probably be fine most of the time, because it doesn’t get that hot. And if you’re hard enough to ride wearing a JO in the winter, at least the lack of ventilation should keep your ears warm!
But if you do your open face riding when then sun’s out and the mercury’s high, then you might get very sweaty inside your JO.
It’s probably the JO’s visor that really caught your attention when you first saw it.
Front-on view of the Shoei JO Sequel
It’s still quite novel having a built-in visor on an open face helmet, and Shoei has gone to great lengths to make sure it works well. Seems like it’s not perfect, but most owners really like it.
The visor drops down from the top of the face port where it does a good job of tucking out of the way so it’s not distracting.
Some folks reckon the helmet sits higher on the head than many other open face helmets – and part of the reason may be that the front/top of the shell has to be slightly raised to accommodate the retracted visor.
The two opening tabs (both left and right – which is great) stick out slightly so you can easily find them to pull the visor quickly down.
Of course, we’ve all got different shapes of faces and sizes of noses. And many of us ride wearing glasses or shades.
So Shoei’s dealt with this by making the visor stick out a bit so there’s room behind for all manner of nose shapes and glasses (see comfort section below).
If you’ve got a wood-effect bike, then the wood-effect Shoei JO Waimea might be exactly the helmet you’re looking for!
They’ve also put adjusting tabs on each side of the visor which allows you to adjust how far down the visor drops.
There’s three positions, so if you find it drops onto the end of your nose, you can push the tabs up a notch and the visor won’t drop so far down. Great idea and it works well.
As does the visor when you’re going below motorway speeds. Above 60-70 you’ll start to encounter air whipping up behind the visor making your eyes water.
But drop the speed down to more dawdling speeds and it’s great.
If you want to go faster in a JO, you’ll probably need to stick in some shades behind the visor or invest in some goggles (there’s a ridge at the back of the helmet along with a loop to hold your goggles strap in place – UK/EU version only).
The visor’s clear out of the box (same as every helmet) but there are smoked and yellow replacements available too. And like every helmet it’s anti-scratch and gives UV protection.
Mid-grey Rat Grey JO. Note there’s no poppers to fit a sun visor on the Shoei JO
That UV figure’s usually somewhere over 95% – exact numbers are dependent on the type of polycarbonate used and differs slighly from maker to maker – but in the case of the JO, Shoei’s quoting 99%.
Owners mostly love the visor on the JO and it’s super easy to use – though the one downside is that it’s also quick to steam up when it’s cold/rainy. And there’s no Pinlock or similar available which is a bit of a bummer if you’re planning to use it as your daily helmet.
If you’re an open face helmet fan, you’ll know there’s some proper shonky lids out there.
Well, the good news with the Shoei JO is that Shoei hasn’t cut corners in- our outside the JO and they’ve thrown quality materials at the internals.
That includes using a synthetic nubuck above the visor port to stop reflections and fake leather at the bottom so it doesn’t absorb water and is easier to clean.
Rear of the Nostalgia graphics Shoei JO
Inside, it’s a super soft, moisture-wicking material that owners reckon makes for a really comfy helmet.
The cheek pads are sculpted to (hopefully) fit your face. But if they’re not quite right out of the box, there’s 4 other sizes available to buy to tailor the fit further. There’s also 3 other head linings too so you should be able to get everything bang on.
Couple all this with the fact the JO weighs about a Kilo so is super lightweight – at least compared to a helmet with a chin bar – and owners universally seem to find the JO a mega comfy and lightweight helmet to ride in.
If you order one and you find you’re between sizes slightly, the advice is to order the smaller size as it’s sizes just a tiny bit on the large side.
Looks & Graphics
Most owners are probably going to go for the plain versions of the JO – so you’ll find a matt and gloss plain black as well as an off-white that’s kinda like an aging enamel look as well as a mid grey (called Rat Grey) and a dark Matt Brown.
Shoei JO launch designs. For more, please click through to our recommended retailers
There’s also some subtle retro designs including the Hawker, Sequel, Carburettor, Nostalgia, Waimea as well as one with a big 59 on it called Gratte-Ciel which Google translate bizarrely reckons means Skyscraper.
They’re mostly very cool and very retro so you’re bound to find one that perfectly suits your retro hipster ride – or matches your outfit on the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride.
To find the latest deals and designs – please check out our recommended stores using the links below (all fantastic retailers regularly checked for quality of service). Nice one.
Best places to buy a Shoei JO helmet?
Please click below to visit the Shoei JO 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).
Shoei JO Video
Here’s a useful 6m video taking you around the Shoei JO and looking at how it works on the road.
Other stuff – fasteners, audio, aero, build quality, warranty
The JO comes with a double-d ring fastener. Secure, work well and relatively simple to use. Fits in with the retro/open face theme too.
If you’re looking to use your Shoei JO with a bluetooth kit, unfortunately you’re gonna have to forget it. There aren’t any speaker pockets inside the JO for some reason – and don’t be tempted to buy one and hack at the liner either as that’ll massively compromise the safety of your lid.
Plain solid black’s probably gonna be the most popular. Also in matt
The JO’s been designed in a windtunnel to give decent aero performance and we didn’t find anyone complaining about buffeting or lifting, though I reckon there aren’t gonna be too many people riding fast in their JOs unless they’re beind a fairing.
Build quality is said to be outstanding – great materials, paint and finish and it’s all put together beautifully. Just what we’ve come to expect from a Shoei.
And to back that up, all Shoei helmets come with a 5 year warranty – or 7 from date of manufacture which you’ll find inside the helmet.
Overall/Summary
There’s no doubt about it, the Shoei JO is a great piece of kit. It shouts quality, it’s built well and it uses the helmet design expertise that Shoei’s built up over the decades to offer an outstanding open face helmet.
Shoei also does this cool matt brown JO
It’s got a great visor system, providing you’re not going too quickly, and it’s all day comfortable too. It can get a bit hot inside but it shouldn’t be a problem in all but the hottest weather.
It’s never going to give you the same protection from the weather or road that a full face or the best performing modular will – so we recommend you go and buy the safest full face helmet instead if you’re after quality protection.
But if you’re after a great performing open face helmet and value quality over price, the Shoei JO really won’t let you down and owners reckon it’s well worth the money.
Best places to buy a Shoei JO?
Please click below to visit the Shoei JO 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).
Good Alternatives to the Shoei JO?
OK, here’s some other helmets to check out, whether you’re after a nice new retro helmet or an open face.
The Shoei Ex-Zero has a similar visor but has a chin bar too. It uses the same helmet tech as the JO and is well built and mega cool.
So too is the Bell Moto 3 that’s modelled on their old 70’s helmet and is proper back to basics but should offer full face protection too.
For a cheaper open face helmet with a drop down visor, there’s Scorpion’s Exo 100 which would make a decent commuter helmet as it’s so compact.
Or if you’re wanting an open face that looks mean, uses the latest helmet shell tech and gives you some weather protection too, the Caberg Ghost might just fit the bill.
In fact there’s such an array of retro and open face helmet options out there – check out our dedicated Retro Helmets and Open Face Helmets pages to have a look through some of the best on offer.
Airoh Twist – a thermoplastic offroad helmet with adjustable peak
Italian helmet manufacturer, Airoh, has just announced the launch of their Twist offroad helmet. It’s designed to be a light weight thermoplastic helmet at a low price point – a tad over £100 at launch. It should have all the usual features you’d expect of a motocross helmet – including removable and washable lining and double-d ring chin strap. Nice extra features are the adjustable peak, a wider than average aperture designed to fit a wide range of goggles, and a removable dust filter to help keep ventilation to an optimum during off road riding.
Airoh Twist in black. Click to enlarge.
It’s currently available in a range of ten colour schemes and designs.
Best places to buy an Airo Twist Helmet?
Please click below to visit the Airo Twist helmets pages at our recommended stores and Amazon. And if you buy from one of 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).
While the Twist does look funky and is genuinely light at just under 1.2Kg, Airoh’s that have been SHARP tested to date have scored an average of just over 3/5 stars, so we’re not sure if the Twist is going to fair any better (though granted it’s been quite a while since any Airoh was last tested).
1.2Kg (light weight)
Thermoplastic shelled
Adjustable peak
Removable and washable liner/filter
Sizes XS – XXL
Expect to pay around £110ish
Here’s Airoh’s release video for the Twist.
Best places to buy an Airo Twist helmet?
Please click below to visit the Airo Twist helmets pages at our recommended stores and Amazon. And if you buy from any, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).
