Shark Evojet Review: unusual flip-front helmet with a one piece chin bar/visor.

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Shark’s Evojet flip-up modular motorcycle helmet review.

Shark have become flip-front helmet specialists over the last few years, first with the Evoline series, then with the Openline, the Evo-One 2 and Evo ES. And now they’ve developed the concept that little bit further with the Evojet.

shark evojet matt black helmet side view — Matt black Evojet with chin bar fully raised

And hats off to Shark, because with each helmet they try and do something a little different and push the design on a bit.

This time, they’ve decided that the chin bar needs a honking great window in it to give you more of an open face feeling. And to make that work, they’ve attached the visor to the chin bar which means if you want some air, you’ve now gotta open the whole lot.

Novel.

Thing is, Shark usually gets things right when they try to do something different. So here’s what we’ve found out about the Shark Evojet.

Thermoplastic modular helmet
One-piece visor/chin bar
All rounder helmet
Sun visor
Class 1 optically correct visor
Micrometric fastener
ECE (European approval) only
2 shell sizes
Sizes XS-XL
Expect to pay £200-£290

Overall/Summary

It’s great that Shark are trying something new with the Evojet. And enlarging the visor is always welcome for the extra vision and real feeling that you’re riding in an open face helmet. That said, combining the chin bar with the visor together might not be for everyone.

shark evojet vyda flip-up helmet front view — Shark Evojet Vyda

Of folks that have tried it, they say it takes a bit of getting used to – but once you do, it’s a good helmet. MCN even scored it 4/5 – though that was for quality and value rather than how easy it is to live with (though they did like it).

And you can see why. It’s well built, has a massive visor that’s antifog treated, it’s Sharktooth bluetooth ready, comfy and looks the part.

It’s just whether you’d be able to cope with pushing up the chin bar every time you want to get some air. As is the way with these things, some folks will love it and others will… love it quite a bit less. It’s your call which you think you are…

Best places to buy a Shark Evojet?

Please click below to visit the Shark Evojet 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

(more about helmet safety)

The Evojet has got a multi-density polystyrene liner to help absorb knocks and impacts of different intensities. It’s held in place by a micrometric fastener – they’re really easy to use and tested for safety as part of the ECE testing regime – meaning that despite being one of the easiest fasteners to use, they’re trustworthy and will keep the helmet in place during an accident (provided you buckle it up nice and tightly).

An integral sun visor is really useful from a comfort as well as a safety point of view too – I know people who have hit things while being dazzled by the sun so sun visors are a really useful piece of safety equipment.

shark evojet gloss white flip-up helmet rear view — Gloss white evojet showing rear curves and exhaust port

So too is having a fog free visor – and the main visor has an antifog treatment on it. These factory coated treatments are becoming very good these days, and the road tester at MCN reckoned this one’s a goodie too so is well worth having.

Having said that, it sounds like there was a problem with the earliest batch of visors – read Neil’s comments at the bottom of the page. Hopefully those helmets are now out of circulation but if you do have a problem with the antifog treatment crystallising, then do contact your retailer and insist they give you a replacement visor from a recent batch.

Of course, it’s the helmet shell that’s the main factor in offering protection – that and the chin bar when we’re talking about a modular.

The Shark Evojet hasn’t been tested beyond the (stringent) ECE compulsory helmet tests required before a helmet goes on sale. That ECE test should mean it performs adequately in an accident, though it’s always nice to see a SHARP test result to see how well it performs in comparison to other helmets.

But since the Evojet hasn’t been SHARP tested, all we can do is see how other similar modular Shark helmets scored.

The Evojet is a thermoplastic-shelled helmet, and three thermoplastic Shark modulars have been tested over recent years: the Shark Evoline (5 stars, 57%), the Shark Evo One (4 stars, 100%) and the Shark Evo One 2 (4 stars, 100%).

As you can see, they’ve scored very well. 5 stars is the maximum score awarded by SHARP and the percentage figure relates to the percentage of tests where the chin bar remained locked and closed – with 100% being exactly the score you want to see!

shark evojet vyda modular helmet side view — Another Evojet Vyda this time with red highlights

So, Shark has a good record in making very protective modular helmets and, while we can’t say how protective the Evojet will be, it’s fair to say we’d expect it to score well.

At the time of writing, the Evojet has only been approved for sale in Europe – so it’s not DOT and not on sale in the US. In Europe, it’s been dual homologated, meaning it’s been tested and approved in both full face and open face configurations so you can ride with the chin bar up and still be legal.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Modular helmets are always noisier than full face helmets, and we’ve heard similar stories about the Evojet. The chin bar mechanisms on flip-up helmets need space and that space gives somewhere for noise to reverberate around and that equals noise passing on to us riders.

So, if having the quietest helmet out there is your aim, you probably shouldn’t look at an Evojet, or any modular for that matter (and buy one of our quietest helmets instead).

Having said that, stick in some decent ear plugs – like you should in any and every helmet as a matter of course – and the Evojet will be absolutely fine.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Of course, being a flip-front helmet, you can pretty much get all the venting you need by pushing up the chin bar and riding in jet helmet mode.

gloss grey shark evojet modular motorbike helmet front view — Crown and chin bar vents shown on this plain gloss grey Evojet

That said, most of us will ride with the chin bar down so venting to keep cool and to help with demisting is important.

There’s a single chin bar vent and a single crown vent on the Shark Evojet – with a single rear exhaust at the rear. The chin vent is a large rocker that’s really easy to operate with gloves – and the same goes for the large slider up top.

Like most helmets these days, air passes through holes in the helmet shell and is distributed throughout the helmet by channels in the EPS liner, exhausting out of the back of the helmet.

The word is that plenty of air gets into the Shark Evojet, and coupled with the antifog coating on the visor, there should be enough ventilation there to keep things mist-free while riding.

Visor

(more about visors)

That huge visor is one of the main selling points of the Evojet, designed to maximise the forward and downward view like pretty well no other helmet this side of an open face helmet (oh, and maybe the Nolan N70-2 or N40-5).

The visor’s actually non-opening in the traditional sense – so you can’t stick your finger under a visor tab and pull up the visor, because the visor’s actually attached solidly to the chin bar.

So if you want to get some air into the helmet, you need to press the button under the chin bar and open up the entire thing. That’s very unusual and means that you need to set the chin bar in whichever position you want before setting off as raising chin bars on the move can be mega dangerous.

A couple of useful links…

– Safest modular helmets –
– Want a more exclusive/expensive helmet? –

For most of us used to traditional helmets, that might be a bit unnerving and it will take time to get used to it. But if you’re new to riding, it should be a bit easier to come to terms with.

And apparently you can get used to it after a few rides. And that huge visor might well be worth it because the word from owners is that it really does give an open face helmet type of experience, with masses more vertical space than your regular visor.

shark evojet blank black modular motorbike helmet rear view — Gloss black Evojet

And the fact that the visor’s class 1 optically correct adds to that feeling that there’s no visor there.

Shark has treated the reverse of the visor with an antifog treatment, which is apparently very good (except for the earliest batches – read safety section and comments at the bottom of the page) – so no need for a Pinlock (though we don’t know how long the treatment will last, especially if the visor’s regularly washed).

It might not look like it but the visor’s actually quick release too so you can pull it off and clean it pretty easily. All you need to do is open the visor and pull forwards; replacement needs a bit of aligning of tabs and then pushing back in place.

All in all, it’s an interesting visor system that some will love and others will probably loathe, but if you do like to have as much of the outside coming inside your helmet for an uncluttered view of the world around, then it’s certainly worth considering.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

That visor system’s topped off with a decent internal sun visor, operated by a slider on the left hand side of the helmet.

The sun visor drops down nice and low and it’s 95%+ UV protective (as are all polycarbonate visors and sun visors).

Having the slider behind the visor pivot frees up space on the bottom edge of the helmet to mount a bluetooth controller, so that’s well thought through.

Chin Guard

(more about chin guards)

The chin bar rotates up through 90 degrees to sit out of view but, unlike other Shark modulars, it doesn’t rotate to the back of the helmet.

shark evojet dual blank modular motorbike helmet side view — Another Dual Evojet, this time in striking silver and blue

It is dual homologated though, meaning you can legally ride with the chin bar of the Evojet fully raised – though don’t be tempted to raise it on the move as that’ll probably be deemed dangerous riding and could lead to a scary moment too!

As mentioned, the visor and chin bar are one unit, so raise the chin bar and the whole lot goes up, leaving you wearing the equivalent of an open face helmet – though the side bars of the helmet do wrap around quite a bit so you’re not as exposed as an open face.

Because you’ll be raising the chin bar/visor unit more often than a regular modular helmet, Shark has designed the chin bar with a bit of a snout. That makes it easier to find and squeeze the opening button under the chin guard with your thumb and open up the helmet. Nice bit of design that – helps with aero too.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Evojet is an anti-microbial liner made from a material called Aegis Microtech. Aegis seems to be an odour control technology from a company called Microban so I’m guessing that’s what this is. Essentially, it’s a treatment that kills bacteria and stops mold and mildew forming. According to the Microban website it’s also Oeko-tex certified so shouldn’t react with your skin if sensitivity’s a problem for you.

shark evojet gloss white flip-up helmet front view — From the front with chin bar fully raised – and still offering quite a bit of face protection

Aside from all that, it’s a fully removable and washable liner (machine washable at 30 degrees) and it contains glasses grooves so should accommodate glasses or sunglasses well.

There’s usually no problem at all with the comfort levels of Shark helmets but if you find it a bit too tight or loose, you can buy different size cheek pads – available in sizes XS-XL to adjust the fitment.

Looks & Graphics

The Evojet is available in quite a few subtle designs. Nothing too fancy, all subdued and classy looking.

You can buy one in matt or gloss black or gloss white, and there’s a plain mid grey version too. There’s currently 3 different ‘half’ designs where the bottom’s one colour and top another (white/black, red/black, blue/silver) then there’s the Vyda graphics in four subtly different colourways.

As always, we’ve scattered a number of designs up and down the page but for a closer view or to find any new graphics out there, we’ve put links straight through to the Shark Evojet helmets pages at our recommended retailers below.

Best places to buy a Shark Evojet helmet?

Please click below to visit the Shark Evojet 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 Evojet Video

Here’s Shark desperately trying to get their money’s worth from their sponsorship of the Lowes boys – 3m video giving you a look around the Evojet.

Other stuff – bluetooth, weight, glasses, aero, warranty

If you’re looking to fit a bluetooth headset, then there are speaker pockets inside and space for mounting and a boom mic inside. The Evojet is actually designed to fit the Sharktooth bluetooth kit and there’s an integrated battery slot at the rear.

shark evojet dual blank modular helmet open face view — Classy Red/black Evojet

The Evojet is pretty light weight for a modular helmet – weighing in around 1.45Kg (3.2lbs) in the smaller shell size.

As mentioned, there are glasses grooves inside the helmet (Shark calls it their EasyFit system) so it should work well if you’re a glasses or sunglasses wearer.

If you do buy a Shark Evojet, make sure you extend your warranty for free on the Shark website. The Evojet comes as standard with a 2 year warranty, but you can extend it to 5 years by registering it on the Shark site.

Best places to buy a Shark Evojet?

Please click below to visit the Shark Evojet 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 Shark Evojet?

shark-evo-one-2-slasher-anthracite-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Evo-One 2 Slasher

If you’re thinking about buying a Shark Evojet but aren’t entirely sure, here’s a load of other modular helmets that we recommend – and don’t forget to check out our Top 10 Modular Helmets page and our safest flip-up helmets page.

Shark Evo ES gloss white flip front helmet side view — Shark Evo ES

Of course, Shark do some other great flip-front helmets – including the Shark Evo One 2 (4 star safety rating, Pinlock antifog included, more expensive), and there’s the newer Evo ES (slightly cheaper, chin bar that rotates to back, sun visor).

Nolan N44 evo hi-vis crash helmet side view — Nolan N44 Evo

The Nolan N44 is another weird and wonderful helmet – massive visor, lots of versatility and good value for money too.

Nolan N100-5 consistency fuschia kiss motorcycle helmet side view — Nolan N100-5

Nolan’s N100-5 is a well-liked helmet. It comes with a Pinlock, it’s dual homologated and it scores highly right across the board.

caberg-duke-2-modular-motorcycle-helmet-in-matt-gun-metal-side-view — Matt gunmetal Caberg Duke II

And then there’s the excellent value for money Caberg Duke II – SHARP 5 star safety rated, great price, Pinlock included, dual homologated, well worth a look.

Want to review your helmet?

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Excellent value all rounder thermoplastic helmet: review of the LS2 Storm.

Page Contents

LS2 Storm great value motorbike helmet review.

The LS2 Storm (sold as the LS2 Assault in the US) is a modern looking sports touring helmet made with a plastic shell using what LS2 calls a kinetic polymer alloy (KPA), which mixes aramid fibres into the polymer mix for improved strength.

What does the LS2 Storm offer? Well, it’s a mix of a pretty low price point coupled with quite a few features that you’d expect to see on a more expensive helmet. That includes a drop down sun visor, Pinlock ready and optically correct visor, speaker pockets (if you’re looking to fit a Bluetooth kit), and easy to use micrometric 2 fastener.

ls2 ff800 storm nerve hi viz black helmet side view — LS2 Storm Nerve with Hi Viz decals

So, on paper at least, it looks like it offers quite a bit – all for not much cash.

Thermoplastic KPA Shell
All-rounder helmet
Drop down sun visor
Pinlock-ready visor (Pinlock not included)
micrometric fastener
ECE and DOT versions available
Medium oval fitment
2 Shell sizes
Sizes XS-XXXL
Ride Magazine recommended helmet (under £200)
Expect to pay £120-£150

Looking to buy an LS2 Storm?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Storm 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).

Overall/Summary

One of the recurring themes from LS2 Storm owners is that it’s a great value helmet. And looking at the spec, the price, and what owners think of their helmets, it’s hard to disagree.

For not very much dosh, you get a comfortable, well vented all rounder helmet with a great optically-correct visor system, that’s lightweight and that has a handy integral sun visor.

LS2 FF800 assault full face helmet white rear view — Rear view of the plain white Assault – sun visor fully down.

It’s a shame it’s made in only two shell sizes (though fitment sizes are up to 3XL which will help some folks!) and it’s a shame that a Pinlock antifog insert isn’t included in the box like it is with the US version, the LS2 Assault.

But it has got a super easy to use metal micrometric fastener, it should fit nearly all bluetooth headsets and it’s reasonably quiet too.

All in all, the vast majority of LS2 Storm owners really like their helmets and reckon they’re good quality too – again, worth emphasizing – at this price point. Something which Ride magazine agreed with when they tested a bunch of sub £200 helmets in 2020, by giving it a Ride Recommended sticker.

So, if £150 is about the extent of your budget and you’re after a good all rounder helmet, then the LS2 Storm is really worth getting your hands on.

For some similar and equally great alternatives to the Storm, take a look at our alternatives section at the bottom of the page.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The shell on the LS2 Storm is made from what LS2 calls a kinetic polymer alloy. The last time we looked into KPA was when we looked over the LS2 Rapid, where it turned out to be a fancy name for ABS plastic.

With the LS2 Storm, it seems aramid fibres have been added into the alloy mix, designed to give improved penetration resistance.

ls2 assault nerve helmet top view — LS2 Storm Nerve in black and red.

Whether it works or not is hard to say. While the LS2 Storm hasn’t been SHARP safety tested, a couple of other LS2 helmets made from KPA have been – that’s the Rapid and the flip-up Valiant.

The Rapid scored 2 stars (out of 5) for safety whereas the Valiant scored 4 stars.

So while we can’t be sure the KPA in the Storm is identical to the KPA used in the other helmets (afterall, it’s LS2’s name so they can use it to describe anything they want) but we’d probably expect it to score around the 3 star mark if SHARP were to test it.

LS2 does use a multi-density shock absorbing liner inside the Storm, which is great to see. Though they only make the Storm in 2 shell sizes, which isn’t the best for safety, fitment or looks.

Having said all that, what we do know is that – in terms of safety and utility – there’s a load of features on the Storm that should help.

That visor system is optically correct and comes Pinlock ready which means the visor’s prepared to accept a Pinlock insert. Unfortunately, there isn’t a Pinlock in the box in the UK which is a big shame. If you do end up buying yourself a Storm, then you should probably buy one (for around £30) as there’s not much more important than having a clear visor when you’re riding, and your Storm probably will fog up without it.

Stick in a Pinlock to keep your visor condensation free and, together with the built-in drop down sun visor to stop you getting dazzled by the sun, you should always have a clear vision.

The Storm’s secured in place using a micrometric 2 metal fastener. They’re really easy to use and save all the faffing around you get with a double-d ring imo.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

LS2 doesn’t make any claims about the noise suppression on the Storm. There’s a decent internal liner what will deaden noise but there are also vent holes inside which will let in noise, along with the air flow.

ls2 assault galaxy helmet side rear view — LS2 Storm Galaxy helmet

Most owners we came across thought it was a reasonably quiet helmet – but that’s always very subjective and massively dependent on how fast and the type of bike you ride (as well as how deaf you are!).

From comments we came across on the web, we’ve marked it down as about average for noise attenuation. But expect to need to wear ear plugs with the Storm as it’s amazing/scary how wind rush can damage your hearing while riding.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The LS2 Storm’s got a decent configuration of vents. There’s a single chin vent operated by a single slider, and a dual crown vent set high up on the helmet shell, again operated by a single slider.

At the back, there’s a nice large exhaust high on the shell and a couple of exhausts further down – all designed to help flow air through the helmet.

LS2 FF800 assault full face helmet white front view — Big double scoop vents and single chin vent on plain white LS2 Storm

From the perspective of ease of use, a single slider up top and one in the chin bar is about as easy as they come.

They’re nice and chunky sliders too and the word is they’re easy to find in gloves.

They’re also decent vents too with a few owners saying they vent quite a bit of air into the helmet to keep your head cool.

The chin bar vents take air towards the mouth as well as onto the back of the visor. There isn’t enough venting on the visor to keep things fog free though (same goes for most helmets to be fair) so you’ll probably need to get yourself a Pinlock fitted to stop it misting up.

Visor

(more about visors)

The visor system on the Storm is well thought through.

The main clear visor is class A optically correct to keep distortion to an absolute minimum. It’s a quick release visor but doesn’t work on a ratchet, so visor positions are fully open or closed and it’s just held by friction at intermediate positions.

When you close the visor, there’s a small central visor lock which is easy to unlock and open using the central tab on the bottom of the visor.

That central tab means it’s very easy to open the visor with either hand- which is really handy compared to visors with tabs on the left hand side only, which can be a real nuisance when you want to open the visor with your right hand.

A couple of useful links…

– Helmets that are great for glasses wearers –
– The best ear plugs reviewed –

At speed, there is a reasonable amount of ventilation that gets onto the rear of the visor to help with defogging – and that’s helped by the Storm coming with a removable breath guard that helps divert your breath away from the visor.

But for most of us living in the UK, the visor’s going to fog up for much of the time when it’s cool or rainy. Which is means you should really invest in a Pinlock antifog insert as it’s the best long term solution.

ls2 ff800 storm matt black helmet rear view — Matt black Storm

Unfortunately, while the Storm’s visor is designed to take a Pinlock, it’s not boxed with one. If you’ve never used a Pinlock before, it’s a hydrophobic insert that stops condensation and is a must if you ride in anything other than perfect conditions (read more here). But that means you’re going to have to budget around £30 extra to buy one which is a shame (check our Pinlock helmets pages to find all the helmets that are either Pinlock-ready like the Storm or come with the Pinlock in the box).

So, apart from the Pinlock, the visor system on the Storm looks to have just about everything covered. And on the road it all works well with several owners saying it’s nice and wide and very easy to operate. LS2’s visor release system is one of the easiest to use too, making it really simple to whip off your visor to clean it after each trip.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

Ease of use goes for the drop down sun visor too. That slider is mounted at just the right location and its action is nice and smooth. And just like the ventilation controls, the slider’s really easy to work in gloves, which is always handy.

ls2 storm helmet nardo grey side view — This one’s the Nardo grey LS2 Storm

Like the main visor, the sun visor is made of polycarbonate and not only are sun visors really useful to drop down to protect your eyes from glare, but because it’s polycarbonate, it adds an extra layer of 95%+ UV protection too.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The LS2 Storm is only made in 2 shell sizes which isn’t great (find out why here) with the smallest shell covering fitments XS-M and the larger shell L-XXXL). It’s designed for medium oval head shapes – which should be fine for most of us – and the internal comfort liner is both hypoallergenic and moisture wicking.

The cheek pads inside the Storm are made from laser cut foam to help mould them more closely to the contours of the face, and while there’s nothing particularly special about the internals of the storm, their liners are known for being very comfortable.

ls2 assault nerve helmet side view — Nerve graphics Storm

They are also known for often being a bit snug for your first few rides, though a few owners commented that they’re a bit of a squeeze at first but do break in pretty quickly after a few rides. And once they do, they’re a very comfortable helmet.

A few owners also commented that the chin strap is particularly comfortable and – as it’s a micrometric fastener – very easy to use.

Looks & Graphics

You can buy a Storm in all the usual whites and blacks and there’s a mid-grey called Nardo Grey too. For graphics, there’s an absolute ton of designs. On this page you’ll find the cool Foggy rep in black/red (top pic) as well as a Storm Faster, Nerve and Techy.

But there are a load more – for those and any others that’ve been released since we wrote this review, you’re best clicking the links to our recommended retailers below that’ll drop you straight onto their LS2 Storm pages to check out the latest lids and deals.

Best places to buy an LS2 Storm helmet?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Storm 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 Storm Video

This is a 5m video from US store Revzilla looking around the LS2 Storm – called the Assault in the US. Note the UK helmet doesn’t come with the Pinlock included (unlike the US helmet – boo!)

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

If you’re looking to fit a bluetooth headset to your Storm, you shouldn’t have a problem. There are speaker pockets in there – take a look at the video above where you’ll see them – and we’ve had word of owners fitting Freecom and Sena SMH5 systems without a hitch (they mount the controller in front of the sun visor slider).

ls2 assault helmet in brushed alloy rear view — Rear view of the LS2 Storm brushed alloy

If you don’t have a bluetooth set but want one, the LS2 Storm’s designed to work with their own (Sena manufactured) Linkin Ride Pal bluetooth set.

All LS2 Storms come with a breath guard and removable chin curtain in the box.

Even though the Storm’s a thermoplastic helmet – which are usually heavier lids – most riders we came across reckoned it feels like a lightweight helmet when you’re riding in it. It weighs around 1.4Kg (3.1lbs) so it is actually very much at the lighter end of plastic shelled helmets.

And even though it is a cheaper helmet, several Storm owners said that it feels a quality piece of kit – it feels well made and materials/sliders feel of decent quality.

Which is handy, because LS2 Storms are only backed by a 2 year warranty (some brands offer a 5 year warranty on their helmets).

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

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

Looking to buy an LS2 Storm?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Storm 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 LS2 Storm?

So you’re after a good performing helmet for around £200 or less? Here’s some recommended helmets to look out for…

HJC C70 lianto hi viz motorbike crash helmet side view — HJC C70 Lianto

First up, you should read our HJC C70 review. That’s a SHARP 5 star rated lower priced polycarb full face that’s got a sun visor too.

hjc c90 modular helmet metallic silver side view — Metallic Silver C90

If you’re interested in a modular helmet, HJC also make the C90 which is a SHARP 4 star rated helmet available for about the same price as the Storm and the C70.

Shark’s Ridill is a 4 star safety rated full face with sun visor and glasses groove. It also comes with a Pinlock in the box for about the same price. Amazing value helmet that.

shark-ridill-motorcycle-helmet-oxyd-front-view — Shark Ridill Oxyd

MT-Thunder-3-motorbike-crash-helmet-torn-fluo-yellow-blue-side-view — MT Thunder 3 Torn

Or for even less, the MT Thunder 3 has a sun visor, SHARP 4 star rating and is Pinlock ready (it’ll be a few more ££ for the Pinlock though).

Star Ratings

Ruroc Atlas 3.0 motorcycle helmet

Page Contents

Ruroc Atlas 3.0: evolution of the Atlas carbon fibre street helmet.

Ruroc continues it’s move from Snowboard to Motorbike gear with the Ruroc Atlas 3.0, a carbon fibre full face helmet with the emphasis very much on its mean and moody street fighter looks.

Ruroc-atlas-3.0-core-side-view — Ruroc Atlas 3 Core with optional orange mirror visor

The old Atlas 2.0 was a decent enough helmet but did have a few issues; namely it was fairly loud and the visor seal was a bit, erm, draughty. So, Ruroc has listened to owners and has addressed some of these problems with the release of their Atlas 3 helmet.

Carbon fibre full face helmet
ECE & DOT certified
SHARP 4 star safety rated
Fidlock fastener
EQRS
Pinlock antifog insert included
Delivered with two visors
Shockwave bluetooth-ready
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay £400-£450

All Atlas 3 helmets are made in carbon fibre using an entry-level aerospace quality carbon weave called T300. And it’s now made in 3 different shell sizes which is great news because it means XS helmet wearers won’t have to wear a helmet shell that’s too big for them. It’s great for comfort and looks too.

ruroc-atlas-3-carbonized-inferno-front-view — Front view of the Carbonized Inferno Atlas 3

The older Atlas 2 scored a very solid SHARP 4 star rating for safety. And now the Atlas 3.0 has been tested too and it scored exactly the same with a great 4 star rating, meaning you can expect the Ruroc Atlas 3.0 to offer excellent impact protection too.

Click to check out SHARP 5 Star safety rated helmets.

That’s great to see of course, but don’t forget whatever helmet you buy, it needs to fit just right and be comfortable as possible as fitting is vitally important to getting a helmet that maximises protection.

Ruroc Atlas 3 SHARP test results — 8.5 m/s test results for the Ruroc
Atlas 3 – courtesy of sharp.dft.gov.uk

I’m going to go out on a limb here, but i’m guessing that most owners are gonna be taken by the looks of the Atlas 3? I know… risky assumption. But looks aside, the Atlas 3.0’s got some useful features too.

The shell’s not massively lightweight for a carbon helmet – Ruroc’s own figures put it around 1.4-1.6Kg, but it has got EQRS and the fastener’s a super easy to use fidlock which removes most of the hassle out of fastening a helmet – especially if you’re still using a helmet with a double-d ring.

Ruroc-Atlas-3.0-la-calavera-side-view — Ruroc Atlas 3 La Calavera

The Atlas 3’s toolless visor mechanism is a bit clunky and fiddly compared to some of the latest quick release visors and probably something they’ll look to address with the Atlas 4 I’d guess. But they have made it nice and wide and it’s Pinlock antifog ready with a Pinlock in the box.

It’s also delivered with a spare dark tint visor which is a good touch.

Pricing wise, it’s probably what you’d expect to pay for a carbon helmet. But if you are looking for a mean streetfighter style helmet, there are some great alternatives out there you might want to consider.

Alternatives to the Ruroc Atlas 3.0?

Shoei Ex-Zero retro helmet in gloss red yellow side view — Shoei Ex-Zero

You can check out our Coolest Motorbike Helmets and our Retro Helmets pages to see some of the most stylish lids around. But here’s a few others you might want to check out.

Shoei’s Ex Zero is based on their old motocross helmet from the 80’s and looks properly badass. It’s a fibreglass helmet that’s super light weight and uses their tried-and-tested AIM shell tech.

Icon Airform

Icon are known for their crazy graphics of course, but they’re also know for making helmets that are pretty cheap too. The Icon Airform is a polycarb helmet and comes with an optically correct visor and integral sun visor.

simpson venom carbon fibre full face helmet front view — Carbon fibre Simpson Venom

The daddy of all the coolest looking bike helmets has to be a Simpson, and the Simpson Venom is also a top notch street helmet. It’s SHARP 4 star safety rated, has an integral sun visor and comes in composite or carbon fibre versions.

bell broozer modular motorcycle helmet arc matte black front view — Bell Broozer

Finally, if you like the idea of a full face that converts into an open face, then take a look at the Bell Broozer. It’s light weight, has a protective chin bar and comes with a clear and dark visor in the box. It’s half the price of the Ruroc too.

HJC’s premium flip-up touring helmet with sun visor: HJC RPHA 90.

Page Contents

Full review of the HJC RPHA-90/90S modular crash helmet.

HJC’s RPHA series of helmets are their higher performance range of lids (it’s actually short for Revolutionary Performance Helmet Advantage – I assume it makes a bit more sense in Korean!).

HJC launched the RPHA 90 as their hyper-compact, lightweight modular helmet to head up their flip-front helmet range. They then slightly revised it and called it the RPHA 90S – though they’re essentially the same helmet but with the S having some sportier graphics and aimed at more lean-forward sportsbike riders.

Like other RPHA helmets, that means it’s got a shell made from their advanced composite construction (called PIM+ or premium integrated matrix plus) along with a full complement of pretty well every feature you could want on a modern modular helmet.

Now it’s been out a while, here’s the lowdown on whether it lives up to the hype – or if it fails to deliver.

HJC-RPHA-90-Rabrigo-helmet-blue-side-view — Chin guard down on the RPHA 90 Rabrigo

Composite fibre flip-front helmet
Fibreglass/aramid/carbon shell
SHARP 4 star safety rated
Pinlock Max Vision antifog included
Drop down sun visor
DOT and ECE certified
Sizes XXS-XXL
Ride Magazine: Recommended
1.47Kg (3.25lbs) – light for a modular
5 year warranty
Expect to pay £420-£470 (£520 carbon)

Best places to buy an HJC RPHA-90S?

Please click below to visit the HJC RPHA-90S helmets pages at our recommended stores. 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).

Overall/Summary

The RPHA 90S is HJC’s premium (i.e. most expensive) modular helmet. But for that you get a light weight modular (not the lightest ever but not far off) that’s compact and has high quality internals.

There’s some great alternatives for quite a bit less money (we’ve selected some at the bottom of the page) but the RPHA 90S is a really good performer – offering excellent ventilation and visor system along with all-day comfort and quality materials.

And it’s been independently safety tested by SHARP and given a very decent 4 star safety rating (out of 5) which is always great to know.

It’s stable too and it’s widely regarded as not too noisy – for a modular.

Overall then, it pretty well does everything HJC set out to achieve. And now there’s deals to be had on older graphics (check out our links to reliable and trusted retailers above) you can have HJC’s great-performing, premium modular at a bargain price.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The RPHA 90S has HJC’s advanced composite PIM+ shell. That means it’s constructed using HJCs most advanced construction tech and includes layers of fibreglass, carbon fibre and aramid (kevlar). That’s designed to produce a strong and lightweight helmet and has allowed HJC, as you’d expect, to get the RPHA 90 ECE certified, meaning it’s been tested & approved by the European certification bods (it is DOT certified for the US too but DOT doesn’t include a mandatory testing regime).

So that’s great, right?

HJC-RPHA-90-semi-flat-white-crash-helmet-front-view — HJC RPHA 90 front view showing front vent sliders

Well, yes. ECE testing is what every helmet in Europe has to go through and pass before it can be put on sale. And it’s pretty rigorous testing, meaning that every ECE certified helmet will give a decent minimum level of protection.

Over and above basic ECE testing is independent safety testing by SHARP or Snell. To date 3 RPHA helmets have been tested by SHARP, and every one scored 3 stars for safety.

So it was a suprise in July 22 when the RPHA 90S was tested by SHARP and scored 4 stars for safety.

It seems to have dropped points mostly on the left hand side of the helmet – if the 8.5 m/s graphic is anything to go by, although that is only one of the many tests they put the helmet through. If it is, it’s possible it’s because that’s the side the sun visor mechanism sits. Just a thought.

Anyhow, apart from scoring a very decent four stars overall, it also scored a solid 93% for the chin bar remaining locked both sides during testing.

HJC RPHA 90S SHARP 8_5 ms test result graphic — HJC RPHA 90S SHARP 8.5 m/s test result courtesy of https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/

So, according to SHARP testing, it seems like a good helmet – though don’t forget that a decent test score is secondary to making sure you buy a helmet that fits well (read more here).

So that’s the lowdown on RPHA helmet testing.

But the RPHA 90’s also got a ton of other features that contribute to making a safe helmet.

There’s a drop down sun visor in there – invaluable for keeping your vision clear when it’s mega bright. And it’s got a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box too – again, essential if you live somewhere humid/cold/rainy.

There’s also a micrometric 2 fastener, that’s the same as the micrometric 1 ratchet strip, but this one’s a bit more sophisticated and made of metal, not plastic. Note the US version of the RPHA 90 comes with a double-d ring fastener.

And finally, modulars can be a bit weighty – guess it’s all that extra mechanism needed to operate the chin bar that adds a few g onto the weight.

But the HJC RPHA 90S weighs just under 1.5Kg which is much lighter than the average flip-up helmet. That’s good for comfort of course, but it’s useful for safety too (less mass for the helmet liner to control during an impact).

All of which means there’s a whole heap of safety-relevant features the RPHA 90S offers for your money.

But note (European riders) it’s not a dual-homologated modular – click the link to find out wtf dual homologated means and why you might want one if you’re looking to buy a flip-up helmet!

HJC-RPHA-90-metal-crash-helmet-in-fluorescent-green-side-view — If you want to be seen, here’s the fluorescent green Hi Viz RPHA 90

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

The HJC RPHA 90 has been designed to be compact and quiet.

The shell has been aerodynamically designed and wind tunnel tested to offer as little wind resistance as possible to reduce buffeting and noise (see ‘aero’ below).

There’s also an extensive neck roll and chin curtain combo at the bottom of the helmet which should keep noise out of the helmet; and that internal lining is engineered to give a secure fit that reduces noise too.

There’s some pretty conflicting views out there on whether it all works.

I found quite a few European riders complain that it’s a very noisy helmet whereas most Americans find it quiet for a modular (though there are some complaints that a weird rattly noise comes from that top vent).

So it’s difficult to say whether that’s down to US RPHA 90S being constructed slightly differently from European helmets or some other difference. Although most of the folks saying it’s really noisy were German – so maybe unrestricted Autobahns are playing a part here too!

I didn’t find many US riders saying it’s anything other the quiet for a modular (which are broadly noisier than your typical full face helmet).

So we’ll take the middle route and mark down the RPHA-90 as about average and hopefully, if you do buy one, you’ll be pleasantly surprised (and stay away from Autobahns!).

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Ventilation on the RPHA 90S is a relatively ‘standard’ config. There’s a large central chin vent to drive air onto the back of the visor – and you can close it off using that large panel slider slap bang middle of the chin guard.

Same goes up top. There’s a large slider that opens/closes the single top vent and both sliders are very easy to find and glove-friendly.

HJC-RPHA-90-flip-up-helmet-matt-black-rear-view — Rear exhaust vent on the matt black RPHA 90

Air from the top vent will go through the helmet shell and is circulated around the helmet via channels in the EPS lining inside, exiting out of the rear exhaust vent (that’s closable by a smaller slider).

And the great news is that ventilation, particularly through the top vent, is really good.

Several owners said that you can really feel the cooling across your head and it even keeps your head cool in extreme heat.

Also, when your head does sweat, the liner is great at wicking moisture away from your head and it dries out really quickly too.

While the chin bar vent takes air onto the back of the visor, it’s not enough to keep your visor mist-free at any time other than summer. So you’ll need that included Pinlock to keep your visor from fogging.

Visor

(more about visors)

Aside from your helmet shell giving you protection in an accident, the visor’s arguably the second most important feature on any helmet.

Thankfully the visor system on the HJC RPHA 90S seems to have every conceivable base covered.

That means it’s quick release (so you can swap it out quickly and easily), it’s Pinlock ready and there’s a Pinlock antifog in the box (yay!). It’s also wide for good peripheral vision and it’s got a visor lock to stop it opening while you’re riding. Mind you, not many helmets without a visor lock do that anyhow in my experience.

HJCs’ RapidFire 3 quick release visor system is one of the best out there so you should find it pretty quick and easy to use.

And of course, the RPHA 90s got an integral drop down sun visor too.

HJC-RPHA-90-flip-front-helmet-tanisk-grey-side-view — Tanisk graphics (there’s also a classy black/red version)

It’s worth mentioning that the visor aperture on the RPHA 90 isn’t designed for use on a sportsbike though because if you get in a tuck position, you’ll struggle to see ahead because it’s not a massively tall opening.

Overall, owners of the RPHA 90 reckon the visor system works well; though there’s a couple of potential foibles.

On the good side, both the visor and sun visor are optically very good and owners love how good the wide vision is.

On the not so good side, there are reports of the visor seals not being the greatest in the rain, and quite a few owners complain that the visor locking mechanism is too big so when you crack open the visor, it gets straight in your line of vision.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

The sun visor on the RPHA 90 works on a slider on the left hand side of the helmet. It works like most other sun visors – but if you’ve not tried one before we heartily recommend you try a helmet with a sun visor because they’re mega-useful when things get too bright and you’ve forgotten your shades or a replacement visor.

And usefully, the sun visor on the 90 is both anti-scratch and anti-fog coated (not all are).

It’ll also give you extra UV protection; polycarbonate visors (sun visor and main clear visor) inherently give you somewhere between 90%-99% UV protection because it’s one of polycarbonate’s innate properties. Hurray for plastic!

You’ll sometimes find that sun visors don’t drop down low enough, leaving a stripe of bright light at the bottom that can really get on your nerves.

RPHA 90 owners reckon that’s not the case with this sun visor – it comes down nice and low, the action and movement of the visor’s good and vision’s nice and clear through it.

Chin Guard

(more about chin guards)

The RPHA 90’s chin guard is opened using a single button on the bottom of the guard. As you can see in the images, the fully-raised position raises it to about 90 degrees – some helmets let you pull the chin guard right round to the back of the helmet and out of the way – and are dual-homologated too.

HJC-RPHA-90-silver-modular-crash-helmet-side-view-open — Chin guard in fully raised position.

If you’re intending to ride with the chin guard up, then we’d suggest you buy one of those dual homologated helmets (meaning it’s tested, approved and legal to be ridden with the chin guard up – Europe only).

Also, if you buy a modular helmet, chances are you like the flexibility of having that chin bar up when you want, but having the protection of a full face helmet when you’re putting some serious miles in. Which means you want to be able to trust that the chin guard will stay locked and closed during an accident.

In the case of the RPHA 90S, when SHARP tested it, they scored the chin bar 93%, meaning at least one side became unlatched in 7% of the 32 impact tests. That’s actually not a bad score at all because 100% ratings are surprisingly rare.

Some recently tested modulars which scored 100% include the X-Lite X1004 the LS2 Strobe and the budget MDS MD200 – and all Nolan modulars tested to date have scored 100% too.

Finally, owners of HJC RPHA-90s like the way the chin bar works. It’s easy to open and close, it feels solid, and it gives a nice reassuring clunk when you close it so you know it’s closed and locked.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

As you’d expect on a premium priced modular, HJC has thrown quite a bit of care an attention at the internals on the RPHA 90S.

It has a removable and washable lining of course and the lining foam has been shaped to form a close fit with the face; called a 3D lining.

HJC-RPHA-90-Rabrigo-helmet-red-white-blue-side-view — Rabrigro graphics

It uses ‘Polygeine’ fabrics which use small amounts of silver chloride to make the fabric resistant to bacterial growth and therefore reduce odour – meaning you’ll need to wash the lining less often.

And it also uses what HJC calls Multicool which is a moisture-wicking material which should keep your head drier while simultaneously removing heat and keeping your head a bit cooler.

We’ve heard reports that it really works – pulling sweat away quickly and drying out just as quickly when you’ve finished riding.

Also, if you wear glasses, there’s a glasses groove inside to take the stems of your glasses and stopping them pressing into the side of your head while riding.

I found one RPHA 90S reviewer who tried several pairs of glasses along with pulling down both the chin bar and sun visor to see if they’d interfere with each other. They found neither touched the glasses – so that hopefully means you’ll be able to keep wearing your glasses when you wear a RPHA-90S, and don’t keep having to remove them.

According to many owners, the lining is soft and plush and makes for a really comfortable helmet that’s fine for all day riding.

So, if you’re thinking of buying an RPHA 90 and you’re a medium oval internal shape (the RPHA-90S should suit most riders unless you’ve got a longer oval head shape), please follow our motorcycle helmet fitting guide to find out how to get the right size of helmet.

Don’t forget, wearing a correctly-fitting helmet is your number 1 priority to ensure your helmet will give you max protection during an impact.

Looks & Graphics

For the latest designs and deals, it’s worth clicking through to our recommended retailers using the links below.

But at the time of writing, there’s a gloss and matt black RPHA 90S along with a pearl white and a dark grey titanium version. And if you’re after a hi viz helmet, there’s the bright fluo yellow and there’s a slightly toned down fluo yellow Rabrigo (see Rabrigo pic above). Finally there’s the Tanisk graphics in black or red.

Best places to buy an HJC RPHA-90S?

Please click below to visit the HJC RPHA-90S helmets pages at our recommended stores. 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).

HJC RPHA 90S Video

Other stuff – audio, weight, aero, warranty

The RPHA 90S is designed to take the Cardo Smart bluetooth set. But it should also work with most headsets provided their speakers aren’t too deep – the speaker cutouts on the 90 are about medium depth.

Modular helmets are never the easiest places to mount 3rd party comms units on. But we have heard of Sena SMH-10s and Cardo Packtalk Bolds being mounted successfully – though you may have to mount them further back than on full face helmets.

The HJC RPHA-90S is one of the lightest modulars, coming in around 1.47Kg (3.2lbs) give or take. And many owners say it really feels lightweight when you’re riding too.

Several owners also reckon HJC’s aero efforts have paid off – saying it feels really stable on the road.

Like all HJCs RPHA helmets, it comes with a class-leading 5 year manufacturer’s warranty.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

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

Good Alternatives to the HJC RPHA 90S?

First off, there’s the Shark Evo-One 2, that’s a SHARP 4 star safety rated modular that’s comes in composite and carbon fibre variants – but check the ‘summary’ on our review page for details.

There’s also AGVs Sport Modular, that’s a mega light weight (1.3Kg) carbon fibre modular designed for sports bikes. It’s a a good few quid more expensive than the RPHA 90 though.

Or there’s Shoei’s well regarded Neotech II, that’s the follow up to their successful original Neotech that features sun visor and Pinlock too.

Or how about something on the Adventure side? Schuberth’s E1 has an optically correct main visor, 5 year warranty and is a combo of adventure bike and modular.

Best places to buy an HJC RPHA-90S?

Please click below to visit the HJC RPHA-90S helmets pages at our recommended stores. 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).

Other ways to find the Best Modular Helmet

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

Star Ratings

A Guide to ECE 22.06: approval of motorcycle helmets and visors

Page Contents

What is ECE 22.06 and when’s it coming in?

ECE 22.06 is the new European motorcycle helmet testing regulations, brought in to replace ECE 22.05. Each helmet put on sale in Europe has to pass a series of rigorous tests before it can be sold.

Every so often, the United Nations reviews motorbike helmet safety and decides whether its regulations can be improved to make motorcycle helmets more protective.

In June 2020, their working party published their latest regulations – the first in around 20 years – and they’ve been brought in to replace the old ECE 22.05 regs that we all know and love.

But don’t worry if you’re still wearing an ECE 22.05 helmet. New helmets have to conform to these new regs from January 2024 on (in areas who use ECE helmet regs only – so no US or Japan) and even then, old ECE 22.05 helmets will still be legal. It’s only new helmets on sale that will have to be 22.06 from around that date – though how the tranisition’s handled can be dependent on each country.

For example, in the UK, there is no cut off date at which the sale of ECE 22.05 helmets must stop, meaning older stock can be sold and replaced by newer 22.06 stock more organically.

Why a new standard?

As new science and new tech becomes available, we can make better and more protective gear, right? And with that, UN agencies like to tighten up standards a bit so we can all be sure we’re buying gear that’s fit for purpose and, in the case of helmets, are going to give us a decent level of protection.

In the case of UN ECE Regulation No.22 06 series of amendments (to give it it’s full title!) the transport committee saw safety studies (notably the same Cost 327 study that the UK’s SHARP used to inform their helmet tests) and decided to implement one or two changes in compliance with that report.

All of which is fine by me – the more behind-the-scenes safety testing making for more protective gear, the better!

It’s no walk-over

If you read the full text of 22.06, you’ll see that the test is really no walk over for manufacturers.

And it doesn’t just take a helmet through a testing procedure. No, it also defines a whole host of design features that must be adhered to which make helmets easier to use and safer.

Items like the colour of opening tabs (red), ensuring buckles can’t be half fastened, external rivets can’t be too high or sharp and visors are defect free and let enough light through.

When it comes to testing, it’s very comprehensive and requires a first round of helmet testing for an approval test and then a second round of testing on the finished production helmets.

So, for a helmet model that’s only sold with a single helmet shell (to cover all fitment sizes), that’ll mean testing 55 helmets.

For a more premium helmet – one that’s made in 3 different shell sizes – that means testing 135 helmets in all it’s different sizes, before they hit the shelves!

And that figure can go up even further if there are more variations – like if it’s available with two different types of fasteners.

So what do they test with ECE 22.06?

Helmet Design

ECE 22.06 ensures the basic layout of the helmet is defined (hard outer shell, shock absorbing inner etc. etc.) and ensures a helmet has a large enough view port to look out of as well as provide enough coverage to give effective head protection.

Flat-anvil-helmet-testing — Full face helmet against a flat anvil on a helmet testing rig.

It must also be able to tolerate ageing and shouldn’t reduce in protection through exposure to sunlight, temperature changes or rain. 22.06 testing therefore conditions helmets using various temperatures, humidity, water and exposure to UV lights to simulate these various conditions.

It also ensures any projections can’t stick out too far and that they’ll shear off during an impact.

Helmet Liner

Obviously, the helmet liner is one of the key components in any helmet and comprises the shock absorbing liner as well as a comfort liner.

Apart from protecting the user and absorbing energy, the liner shouldn’t deteriorate and it shouldn’t be affected by sweat or cosmetics or hair products. It shouldn’t cause skin irritation either.

And of course, the shock absorbing liner plays a key part in passing the impact tests.

Helmet Noise

Interestingly, it’s actually in the 22.06 regs (as it was in 22.05 before it) that helmets cannot dangerously affect the wearer’s ability to hear. Which means of course, you’ll never find a truly silent ECE 22.06 helmet, even though manufacturers may well be able to make one!

Chin Strap and Fastener

The chin strap must be fit for purpose, permanently fixed and not too thin. It shouldn’t stretch either.

The fastener also has to be fit for purpose, including only open when the user wants it to, not be capable of being partially closed and it must be easy to use.

Helmets are tested for overall retention – meaning they’re tested to make sure they don’t come off. Full face helmets are tested with a 10Kg weight dropped from .5m and modular helmets are tested with chin bars in both full face and jet positions.

They’re also tested to check the strap and fastener are strong enough using a 10Kg weight dropped from .75m and checking for damage or stretching – and checking the fastener still works and stays closed.

Essentially, they check the durability and ease of use of the straps and fasteners as well as their strength.

Modular Chin Bars

If there’s a moveable chin bar – like on a modular helmet – it must be able to stay in place during impact tests in both Jet (J) and chin bar down in protective full face mode (P).

Visors and Sun Visors

Peripheral vision is tested so the helmet doesn’t obscure vision in any direction. 22.06 also specifies a minimum level of light transmittance through a visor and for the first time specifies transmission through lcd or photochromic visors (which, like sun visors, can go down to 20% light transmission).

The standard also covers distortion levels, scratch resistance, defects, mist resistance (for fog-free visors) and refraction levels. There’s even a test to check whether signal lights are visible through a tinted visor.

New for 22.06 is the impact testing of visors to ensure they can resist penetration. In this test, a 6mm steel ball is fired at 80m/s or 180mph at the visor. It must stop the ball going through the visor, and if the visor breaks, it shouldn’t shatter into shards.

Helmet Impact Testing

looking-up-at-a-helmet-testing-rig — To get speed up in a test lab, you need a seriously tall testing rig! Looking up into the roof space of a test rig.

UNECE has always had a comprehensive range of helmet impact tests, but they’ve now upped the number, introduced a higher and lower speed test, and introduced an angled impact test to simulate hitting an object that then spins the helmet, potentially causing brain damage.

Interestingly, SHARP has had an angled test and higher speed test in it’s standard since they began, and now UNECE seems to have caught up.

ECE 22.06 also includes fitting various official accessories to helmets, such as sun visors and OEM externally fitted mounts, to ensure they don’t cause damage to the helmet (and rider) during testing.

Impact speeds include 6.0m/s, 7.5m/s and 8.2m/s (8.5m/s for the oblique test) to cover a range of lower and higher speed impacts. Though note, you may be surprised to hear that 8.5m/s still only equates to less than 20 mph! I think the idea for helmet testing is that helmets protect against survivable impacts and that in reality, the speed of impact is usually quite low – but that’s all for an entirely different article!

Helmets are then tested against a flat steel anvil, a kerbstone anvil and an angled ‘bar’ anvil, with a variety of headforms of different weights placed in the helmets.

For all tests, helmets are tested at four different points on the helmet shell and against the chin guard. Further tests are then conducted with 3 impacts randomly chosen from 12 predetermined impact points to ensure the system can’t be gamed (where manufacturers strengthen only the test points).

Oblique Test

New to ECE 22.06 is an angled or oblique test.

End-result-of-oblique-impact-helmet-testing — End result of an oblique helmet test – with a similar heavy grade glass paper used by SHARP in their testing to increase friction.

People have long known how dangerous instant rotation of a helmet can be for both neck and brain damage, and now the ECE regs have caught up.

A bar anvil is used in the rotation or oblique angled test. It’s a severe 15° from the vertical, has 5 case-hardened steel bars across it and is covered by 80 grade aluminium oxide abrasive paper! It’s a serious test and is designed to test the rotation-inducing forces caused by the helmet hitting a high friction surface, along with any accessories fitted.

22.06 uses brain injury criterion (BrIC) derived from a rotation acceleration figure to calculate whether a helmet has passed the oblique test. Essentially, rotational acceleration can’t exceed 10,400 rad/s2 for any test.

Helmet Shell Deformation

Helmet shells are also tested for deformation, with conditioned helmets placed under a max of 630 Newton load (around 10 stones/64Kg/141lbs) – both side to side and front to back – and deformations measured.

Helmets will only pass if they deform less than 40mm when under maximum load and 15mm when under the minimum 30 N load.

ECE 22.06 Helmet Labeling (and other bits and bobs)

The standard also stipulates what stickers and labels have to be added and what warnings are necessary for items such as solvents or stickers that can’t be used on a helmet shell.

Helmet labeling consists of a large E in a circle with a number, the number corresponding to a country. UK is E11, Italy is E3, and so on.

The numbers next to the E mark is (in order) the type approval (06), then the helmet approval number, the type of protection the helmet offers /J (jet or open face helmets) /P (protective chin bar for full face helmets) etc. followed by a hyphen then the production serial number.

And of course within the 126 pages of regulations, there’s a load of other guff telling manufacturers what they can and can’t do to bring (and withdraw) their helmets to market.

In Conclusion

All in all, updated ECE regs have to be a good thing for helmet (and rider) safety and any update to make helmets even better protecting and even more closely scrutinised – before we subject them to crashes and scrapes down the queen’s highway – then all the better.

Bell Custom 500 Review: a great quality, low profile 3/4 helmet.

Page Contents

Bell Custom 500 open face motorcycle helmet review.

Bell’s classic open face helmet has been around – in one form or another – since 1954 when Bell Helmets was formed.

bell custom 500 silver flake helmet front view — Silver flake Bell Custom 500 with nice red leather effect liner.

It’s a reasonably minimal open face helmet that’s been designed to look super cool – with a low profile shell, designed to keep the size of the helmet to a minimum, as well as a huge range of classic and custom graphics.

I suppose those are two of the reasons the Custom 500 has always been such a great seller for Bell.

First, Bell got the looks just right, which is arguably the main thing in a helmet like this. And second, even though there are carbon versions that run into the mid hundreds, you can also buy a base fibreglass version for around £100. So it’ll fit most rider’s budgets.

So, you’re looking for an open face helmet. You like the look of the Custom 500. Then here’s the low-down on what owners think of theirs and whether it’s worth your money.

3/4 Open Face Helmet
Fibreglass composite shell
Carbon fibre shells available
5 Shell sizes
Double-D ring fastener
1.3kg (2.8Lbs)
No vents or visor
Designed to be low-profile
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay:
- £100-£140 Fibreglass
- £320 Carbon

Best places to buy a Bell Custom 500?

Please click below to visit the Bell Custom 500 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).

Overall/Summary

Great build quality, low profile, classic looks and a range of excellent paints. If that’s what you’re looking for in your next open face helmet, then the Bell Custom 500 may well fit the bill.

bell custom 500 dlx open face helmet rear view — This one’s the Custom 500 Riff

OK so there’s a few issues with getting the fitting right in the first place because they size a bit small. And there’s no ventilation. And they can squash your glasses a bit.

But if these aren’t issues for you (and you don’t mind not having the best protection like you’ll get with one of these full face helmets) then the Custom 500 is a well rated helmet. It’s got the right name on it and there’s sure to be a graphic that’ll suit you and your bike.

All in all, if you’re in the market for a new 3/4 helmet and like the looks of the Custom 500, then go for it. It’s a fine helmet.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

OK, I’ve gotta say it. It’s an open face helmet. If you want the best protection, buy a full face helmet instead and preferably one from our safest helmets pages.

Now that’s out of the way… looking at some of the ‘safety’ features of the Custom 500, it’s got a classic style double-d ring fastener on there – which is fine and should do a great job of keeping your lid attached to your head (read more here). And if you want some protection from the rain/dirt, there’s some poppers on the front of the helmet so you can clip on a visor.

bell custom 500 rally black bronze open face front view — Custom 500 Rally – a classy looking fibreglass version

But in terms of protection, that’s about it.

And if we’re trying to find out more information about what sort of protection you’ll get from a Custom 500, well, there’s not a whole lotta data out there to help us work it out.

Bell does get plenty of their full face helmets tested and approved by Snell in the US. Though, weirdly, none of their open face helmets have ever been given Snell approval, so that’s not much help.

And in the UK, SHARP won’t go near an open face with a shitty stick.

Of course, coming from the same stable as the likes of the Bell Star range, the 500 does share some of the same tech and manufacturing as a number of highly rated Bell Snell helmets.

And Bell helmets has always hovered around at various places on our Top 10 Safest Helmet Brands list since we started analysing the data.

So that’s all promising I guess.

The Custom 500 is available in either fibreglass or carbon shells too, and they’re backed by a multi-density EPS liner. None of Bell’s Flex or MIPS tech here tho – I guess because that’ll make the helmet look bigger and no-one wants a bobble head open face helmet.

Least of all Bell who has designed the Custom 500 to be as low a profile as they can get away with because that’s what the market wants. Having said that, low profile is generally the enemy of great protection because, as a rule of thumb, the more helmet you have between you and the road, the better.

bell custom 500 vintage white helmet rear view — Rear view of the Vintage white helmet

But then again, if no one will buy an enormous helmet, then there’s not much point in making one, right?

One big plus that Bell helmets have going for them – pretty much across the board – is that they tend to make their helmets with five different shell sizes. In the case of the Custom 500, there’s one shell shared by sizes XS and S then a different shell size used for sizes M, L, XL and XXL.

That allows Bell to optimize the amount of EPS padding for each shell so there’s the right amount of liner to give optimal protection while keeping the profile as low as possible.

But that’s about all we can read into the safety of the Bell Custom 500. The best we can say is it should give a reasonable amount of protection – as long as you don’t faceplant anything of course.

If you think there’s a chance you will, then go for a full face helmet.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Again, if you’re after a really quiet helmet, check out one of our quietest full face helmets because you’ll not really get a particularly quiet open face helmet.

bell custom 500 dlx vertigo helmet side view — Dazzling Vertigo Custom 500

All that open front – with or without a visor fitted – creates turbulence and that makes open faces particularly noisy helmets.

A couple of owners we found reckon it’s quiet for an open face helmet. But overall folks seem to think it’s noisy and especially noisy at highway speeds.

Of course, it’ll depend on how you ride and whether you’re behind a screen or not. Either way, stick in some decent ear plugs and keep the speed down to legal speeds and you should be good.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

It’s a similar story for ventilation on the Custom 500. You can get most of the ventilation you’ll ever want coming right in the front of the helmet. Which is just as well, because you’ll not get any at all coming in anywhere else.

A couple of useful links…

– Retro Motorcycle helmets –
– Open Face helmet reviews –

To keep the form pure and the profile low, Bell’s opted to do without any ventilation at all – just like in the old days.

bell custom 500 dlx matte black open helmet front view — Front view of the matte black

So, you’ll find a big zero airflow inside unless some creeps in from the front and your helmet’s a bit oversized. If you ride slow and the sun’s out, you might boil in the bag. Up the speed a bit and you should be OK most days.

Or maybe check out the LS2 Spitfire that cunningly incorporates vents and a hidden visor. Or Bell’s other open face/modular that incorporates a couple of top vents – the Bell Broozer.

Visor

(more about visors)

Most Custom 500s don’t come with a visor as part of the package – though some of the carbon helmets come with a visor and/or bag (worth checking before you order).

Bell custom 500 3 snap bubble visor — Bell’s 3 snap bubble visor – lots of colours (and other visors and peaks) available

But there are quite a range of snap-on retro visors and peaks available in lots of fancy colours.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Bell have designed the Custom 500 to suit medium oval headshapes, so that should mean it’ll generally fit most of us.

However, they do tend to size a bit on the small side. The advice here is to go for your correct fitment size – so if you measure your head and you’re an M, then buy an M. But if you’re between sizes, then go for a size up. Quite a few owners we came across advised doing this.

Comfort on the Custom 500 is mostly rated as pretty good – as long as you’re the correct head shape and you get a helmet that fits just right by following the sizing advice above.

bell custom 500 deluxe helmet package 2 — In some places, the deluxe package includes a peak, visor and holdall

The comfort liner inside is nicely designed for that retro, classic look. And while it looks like it’s leather, it’s actually fake. Which is really a good thing as leather can get really smelly unless it’s looked after whereas the liner of the Custom 500 can be easily wiped down.

Unusually tho, the liner’s not removable so if you want to wash it, you’ve gotta wash it in-situ and leave it a day or two to dry thoroughly.

It is anti-bac treated out of the box though so you should be OK for a while.

Overall then, get the right size for the correct head shape and you should find the Custom 500 a nice and comfy helmet.

Looks & Graphics

As we’ve mentioned, it’s the great classic looks of the Bell Custom 500, along with how tightly it fits to the head (so no bobble head here) combined with a fantastic range of retro graphics that really sets the Custom 500 apart.

Bell-Custom-500-customized-helmet — I think I might be onto something with this design!

In fact, in the US, Bell has a custom helmet painter on its website where you can choose your lid then customize your helmet with a range of graphics. It’s great fun to play with but it’s really not cheap – typically adding £250-£350 to the base helmet.

But if you simply must have that orange metal flake star on the side of your purple lid, then you know where to go. Shame it’s not available in the UK though.

Of course, if you’re happy with more standard colours, then there’s a wide range of off the shelf graphics and designs to choose from. Click our partner retailers below to quickly check them out.

Best places to buy a Bell Custom 500 helmet?

Please click below to visit the Bell Custom 500 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).

Bell Custom 500 Video

Here’s a 5m look around a solid black Custom 500 from Canadian Chaparral Motorsport.

Bluetooth

I guess quite a few of us will be looking to fit a bluetooth headset to our helmet and the word out there is that the Custom 500 works just fine with most sets. Obviously you’ll need a boom mic but there’s space inside for speakers and we heard from owners having no problems fitting a couple of Sena units in there.

Weight

The regular fibreglass Bell Custom 500 weighs around 1.3Kg or 2.8lbs . That’s pretty light weight. And of course, the carbon version’s gonna shave a good few grams off that too if super light weight’s your thing.

Glasses

bell custom 500 rsd checkmate open face helmet front view — Great looking Bell Custom 500 RSD Checkmate carbon helmet

If you need a helmet that’ll work well with glasses or shades, then they should fit inside the helmet no problem. But beware. Because it’s a low profile helmet, that means it’ll sit lower on your head and if you have larger glasses, the helmet may press them down a bit.

We came across a few Custom 500 owners who found that a problem, so check it out when you buy one and before you head out on your bike (after which point you can’t return it).

Build Quality

Overall build quality is reported as very good with several owners saying the paint, fit, finish and materials are great. Which is exactly what you want with a classic style open face helmet – and especially if you’re paying 400 quid for one.

Warranty

And Bell will back up that quality with their 5 year warranty, which is great for peace of mind and should cover you for manufacturing defects for the suggested lifetime of the helmet.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

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

Good Alternatives to the Bell Custom 500?

Well, we can’t really recommend any open face helmets from a safety point of view for obvious reasons. But if you are set on buying one…

Arai’s Classic V is a very similar helmet to the Custom 500 except it’s also got hidden venting in there which is a great feature – but it’s generally a bit pricier than the fibreglass Custom 500’s – though not necessarily the carbon versions.

Much lower down the price range is LS2’s Spitfire. It’s reasonably low profile and has a useful pull down visor built in. It costs around the same as an entry level Custom 500 too.

For more options, check out the rest of our open face helmet reviews or maybe mosey on over to our Retro Helmets pages for some great old-style lids.

Best places to buy a Bell Custom 500?

Please click below to visit the Bell Custom 500 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).

Star Ratings

What owners think: Shoei Ex-Zero Retro Helmet review.

Page Contents

Shoei Ex-Zero Retro helmet review. A practical Retro?

Shoei’s design department are starting to let their inner-hipster take over! Because their retro – the Ex-Zero – is based on an old motocross lid called the EX-5 that they used to make in the 1980’s.

This new version has been tweaked to have a bit more of a rakish profile (i.e. the chin guard juts out a bit more), but just like Bell’s reincarnated Moto 3 and AGV’s X3000, it’s very close to the look and feel of the original. Except, this one’s designed for the road – the perfect accompaniment to your retro or cafe racer.

And on the surface, it looks like the Shoei Ex-Zero could well be a bit of a match made in heaven. I mean, visually, it looks mean and cool and in-your-face. But read the label and it uses Shoei’s AIM (advanced integrated matrix) alongside their multi-density EPS lining – so that should mean it’ll offer excellent protection too.

Shoei Ex-Zero motorcycle helmet Equation TC-2 front side view — Proper quality, proper retro… the Shoei Ex-Zero Equation

OK, you know from looking at it that it’s not gonna be the most sensible choice for a helmet, meaning it’s going to be a bit of a compromise – somewhere, somehow.

But then, I guess if you wanted sensible, you’d probably go for their 5 star rated Shoei Ryd?

But we don’t always want sensible, right? So if you’re thinking about buying one, you need to know where the compromises will be.

I know – because that’s exactly where I am, right there, stroking my chin and subconsciously fiddling with my credit card!

So, let’s take a look over the Shoei Ex-Zero and see how it all stacks up.

Retro style composite full face
Built-in drop-down visor
Fibreglass composite shell
3 Shell sizes
Around 1.25Kg (2.75lbs)
EQRS
Double-D ring fastener
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay £350-£410

Best places to buy a Shoei Ex Zero?

Please click below to visit the Shoei Ex Zero 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

(more about helmet safety)

OK, Shoei says the shell on the Ex-Zero is their AIM or advanced integrated matrix shell.

That’s a composite shell made primarily from fibreglass but with some other fibre layers designed to give more strength and a bit of elasticity to absorb energy.

Shoei-Ex-Zero-retro-helmet-in-gloss-white-side-view — This white Ex-Zero’s got the optional yellow smoked visor in

That’s all fine. But how good are their AIM helmets?

Well, this one’s passed the ECE testing process of course, which is no walk in the park – so that’s pretty good.

But there’s also been three other Shoei AIM helmets that have been tested by SHARP in the UK.

That’s the Shoei GT Air mk I and the modular Shoei Neotech I (so has the latest Neotech 2 but that hasn’t been SHARP tested yet) as well as the Shoei Ryd full face. And they scored 3 stars, 4 stars then 5 stars respectively for safety.

So, while we can’t be entirely sure how well the Shoei Ex-Zero will do if SHARP get their teccy hands on a bunch, all the indicators are that it’ll do pretty well. If pushed, I’d sit on the fence and go with a 4 star rating.

Which would be pretty amazing for a helmet that looks so cool (and dare I say, so novelty?) Yeah I dare – there, said it.

Part of that SHARP safety rating is based on how well the lining performs, and the lining on the Ex-Zero is a multi-density job, designed to soften the blow from higher and lower speed impacts equally well.

Shoei Ex-Zero retro helmet in gloss hi viz yellow side view — Not quite sure what retro paint this’ll go with, but if being seen’s your thing…

All that Shoei goodness is held on to your with a good old double-d ring fastener (what else?) and to keep muck out of your eyes, there’s a drop down clear visor that sits snugly up inside the helmet shell till you need it. V nice, v useful and, since we’re thinking about safety here, v much safer than no visor.

The Ex Zero is made in 3 shell sizes – meaning that’ll massively help you get a helmet shell/interior combo that is optimised for safety and weight – as well as meaning it’ll look proportionately better when you’re wearing it.

Oh, and one final, and massively surprising feature that’s safety-related…

Shoei has only gone and put an EQRS lining inside the Ex-Zero. EQRS – that’s emergency quick removal system – is a lining that can be quickly removed by paramedics to help them get your helmet off without tugging your neck around.

Now, EQRS is cheap to put in a helmet yet we keep on seeing some serious track and road helmets that’re made without it. So it’s great to see Shoei sticking it into the Ex-Zero. I mean, hopefully you’ll never need it and all that, but it’s nice to know it’s there.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

The jury’s in. The Shoei Ex-Zero is a reasonably noisy helmet – I guess because it’s got that gaping visor hole up front.

Shoei Ex-Zero motorcycle helmet Equation TC-2 rear view — Clean lines with no vents/spoilers/wings in sight

Of course, features like the laser cut foam padding coupled with the ability to tailor the fit using replacement cheek pads helps quieten things down a bit. Plus the fact that the helmet shell is super-round without any peaks, spoilers or fins (unless you add the optional OEM peak) that you see on most helmets that stick up into the airflow and cause noise.

And because there’s no vents in there (besides the chin vents) that should reduce the chance for noise to get into the helmet.

But it is essentially an open face helmet with a chin bar. And that front hole – goggles or no goggles, lets in an awful lot of wind and noise. So expect it to have open-face levels of noise – and to have to wear some good ear plugs while you’re riding.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

As you can probably tell from the photos, there’s not a whole lot of vents in the main helmet shell. Just like the original helmet it’s based on, Shoei has opted to keep the shell free of vents, expecting that main opening in the front will provide enough ventilation to keep you cool.

There are of course six always-open vents in the chin guard though, fronted with an aluminium grill to keep some dirt and bugs out. But they’re largely unnecessary because there’s so much open space above and below that if you want ventilation to your face, that’s the way it’s going to come in.

And several owners say it lets in a lot of air. Sure, you might get a bit of a sweaty head if you’re riding slowly in the heat of summer. But overall air flow’s decent.

Shoei Ex-Zero retro helmet in matt black side view — Matt black version might well be the one I’ll go for…

Visor

(more about visors)

Just like the open face Shoei J.O., the Ex-Zero features a drop down clear visor that slides up inside the helmet shell, in much the same way most drop down sun visors do.

It’s a nice touch and makes the Shoei Ex-Zero much more of a useful every day helmet than if it was sold visorless and needed goggles.

So, if you want to ride without a visor, the visor hides up inside the helmet shell. And when you up the pace and want protection, there’s an easy-to-find tab on either side of the visor that’ll let you pull it down and drop it nice and low down.

Actually, if you don’t want it dropping down too low, Shoei has designed a nice feature where you can adjust the level the visor drops down by moving a couple of levers inside the helmet.

Like all main visors made of polycarbonate, it’ll give you 90%+ UV light protection; and like all visors on sale in Europe, it’s anti-scratch too.

And like all visors, it can fog up a bit if gets cold or rainy. Unfortunately, there isn’t a Pinlock anti-fog available for it so you might struggle there; but that’s just one of those areas of compromise you’ll probably tolerate for looking so damn cool 🙂

Shoei Ex-Zero gloss grey retro helmet top down view — The mid-grey Shoei Ex-Zero, as seen from space

Like all helmets, the Ex-Zero will come with a clear visor in the box, but there’s also a hi-viz yellow version and a tinted visor available too. So if you fancy riding in the summer sun, you can add the tinted visor in there to act as a sun visor instead – just don’t get caught out when it gets dark.

But if you do ride and just use the built-in visor, there’s lots of peripheral vision because the visor aperture is nice and wide.

Your eyes might well water a bit though, because air does get up and under the visor when you’re riding. It’s great for giving you some instant eye protection though, protecting your eyes against road grit and rain.

And it’s got a good feeling of quality to it with several owners saying it’s got a nice smooth and quality action.

Goggles

Because there’s a massive visor hole in the front, the Ex-Zero will fit a wide range of full size goggles. There isn’t a ridge at the rear to keep your goggle strap in place but word is if you get some goggles with rubber backing on the strap, they’ll stay in place no problem.

We’ve heard from Ex Zero owners who’ve worn a range of goggles with their helmets – including Scotts, Oakley Crowbars, 100% Barstow and Fly Racing – so if you’ve already got some goggles, the chances are they should fit.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Expect the sizing of the Shoei Ex-Zero to be pretty true, so just follow our helmet fitting guide – if you don’t already know what size helmet you need – and order the correct size.

Obviously, Shoei is more premium level helmet maker, and that’s reflected in the quality of the internals.

Owners universally reckon it’s a very comfy lid. The inside is plush and soft and, while Ex-Zeros can be a tight fit to pull on in the first place, once it’s on you can feel the Shoei quality.

Like most helmets, the inside is fully removable and washable too. And if the sizing’s not entirely right, then there are different size cheek pads available from Shoei so you can tailor the fit to (hopefully) get it bang on.

Looks & Graphics

Most of the graphics that are available at the time of writing are just plain colours. So that means there’s an (off) white and a couple of blacks (gloss and matt) as well as a bright yellow, bright red and mid grey Ex-Zero available.

There’s only one retro graphic and that’s the Equation TC-2/10- and because it’s got graphics, that’s the most expensive too.

As always, to see if there’s any deals or new designs out there, please click the links to our recommended retailers using the links below.

Best places to buy a Shoei Ex Zero helmet?

Please click below to visit the Shoei Ex Zero 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 Ex-Zero Video

Here’s an excellent 9m video showing you around the Shoei Ex-Zero.

Other stuff – weight, aero, warranty

The Shoei Ex-Zero weighs around 1.25Kg (2.75lbs) which is very light weight. That’s great for comfort and for safety too (less weight to knacker your neck and for the helmet to absorb during an impact).

Owners reckon its aero characteristics are great with little drag or buffeting even with the optional peak fitted. It’s stable too even at motorway speeds.

All Shoei helmets come with a class-leading standard 5 year warranty (or 7 from date of manufacture, whichever comes soonest).

Overall/Summary

It seems like Shoei has got it spot on once again.

Shoei-Ex-Zero-motorcycle-helmet-Equation-TC-2-top-view — Top down view of the Equation TC-2

You’ll either love or loathe the style of the Ex-Zero, but for those of you who love it (me included) it seems Shoei hasn’t compromised one bit on their usual quality while making a really stand out helmet design.

On the downside, it’s more of an open face helmet with a big chin-bar sized nod towards practicality – and with that visor being a fantastic touch (though not giving the same kind of protection as full visor that seals to the helmet does).

But otherwise, it’s a quality helmet. It’s got a Shoei AIM shell which we reckon will perform really well if their past AIM helmets are anything to go by. There’s a double-d ring fastener, EQRS, a good quality comfortable liner with the ability to tailor the fit through changeable cheek pads. And of course that nifty drop down clear visor adds a huge dollop of practicality compared to an open face helmet.

It’s not cheap – but then quality isn’t – and with tons of retro appeal, it’ll probably make for the ideal accompaniment to your retro or naked bike.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

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

Good Alternatives to the Shoei Ex-Zero

Right, so you want a retro helmet? You like the sound of the Shoei Ex-Zero, but you still need to know the best alternatives out there, right? Well here’s three corkers, all with visors. Or go here to see all our retro helmet reviews.

bell bullet crash helmet in blue flake — Bell Bullitt in blue flake

First up, there’s the original – the Bell Bullitt. Cool looking, SHARP 3 star safety rated, range of different visors – and it’s a proper performer too.

agv-x3000-motorcycle-helmet-red-white-side-view — AGV X3000

And there’s the AGV X3000; a helmet based on Ago’s old school racing helmet of the ’70s which means it’ll actually work with a bike with clip-ons too.

nexx-xg100-tokko-full-face-motorcycle-helmet — Tokko Nexx X.G100

Or the new kid on the block – the Nexx X.G100R. This is the full visor version of their elasto-visor X.G100. It’s a sporty retro-revisioning that’s even got an optically correct visor. Comes in both composite or full carbon versions.

Best places to buy a Shoei Ex Zero?

Please click below to visit the Shoei Ex Zero 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).

Star Ratings

Sena Momentum Lite Pro INC Evo and INC Pro Helmet Review

Page Contents

Review of the Sena Momentum Lite, Pro, INC, INC Pro and Evo bluetooth Helmets.

South Korean bluetooth specialists, Sena, are best known by us lot for their motorcycle bluetooth headsets. And since they make a ton of different sets for motorcycles, I guess it was a natural evolution for them to start selling Sena kits already integrated into their own branded helmets.

There’s a good deal of online speculation about exactly who makes the helmets for Sena. My money’s on HJC given they’re another Korean brand who manufacture down the road. But I’ve also read that a Malaysian company called MHR might make them – no I’d not heard of them either.

sena-momentum-inc-pro-bluetooth-motorcycle-helmet — The Sena Momentum INC Pro (the one with the noise cancelling and video camera).

Either way, Sena’s keeping quiet.

I don’t suppose it matters massively who makes them as long as they conform to standards and perform well. And it certainly makes sense for Sena to get into the helmet business to make sure their bluetooth tech is thoroughly and well integrated.

I guess most buyers are gonna buy a Sena helmet because they’re looking for that seamless bluetooth integration without all the fiddling we usually have adding bluetooth kits and getting them to work properly.

Of course, there’s a heap of helmets that offer bluetooth headset integration these days (you can find all the helmets we’ve looked at on our communications-ready helmet pages), but Sena seem to have taken things a little further with their range of Sena Momentum full face helmets.

You can see the differences between the confusing range of Sena Momentums below.

And you can read on down the page to see our full review of the range of Sena Momentums, because we’ve done the research (and when there’s about a gazillion different models of Momentum, it was a lot of research!) so you can more easily see what’s great and not so great about all the Momentum helmets.

Note: not all Momentums are ECE certified – so at the time of writing, you can only buy the Lite, Momentum and Evo in the UK/Eu.

Don’t forget, you can use our drop down contents box to quickly jump to the section you’re interested in. And click our affiliate links to see live prices at our recommended stores – we only link to stores with great online reputations for service and delivery.

Full face helmets with integrated bluetooth headsets
Momentum Pros also have HD cameras
Fibreglass shells
Both Medium Oval and Long Oval fitments
Some DOT, others DOT & ECE
Double D-ring fasteners
Pinlock antifog included (not Momentum Lite)
1.6-1.8 kg in weight (not light but OK)
Expect to pay £240-£340 depending on model*

*Only Lite, Momentum and Evo are available in the UK/EU.

Best places to buy a Sena Momentum?

You can buy a Sena Momentum helmet using the links below. And if you buy from either store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Note: you’ll only find the Momentum, Lite and Evo for sale in the UK at the time of writing as they’re the only helmets that have been ECE approved.

Overall/Summary

Most owners seem to really like their Sena Momentum helmets.

sena momentum white helmet — Sena Momentums come in either black or white. That’s your lot.

It’s no surprise that the main driver to buy one is that Sena bluetooth integration. Sena make some great headsets and having them integrated into the helmet and working out of the box is a great idea.

If you’re wanting the latest headset tech, you’re best going for the Mesh-compliant Momentum Evo as some of the others are getting a little long in the tooth (though they’re still fine for most of us). And overall, the audio connectivity, noise cancelling and sound quality are broadly great for most owners.

Niggles? Well there’s some problems with visors not closing properly, the Apps might not be as great as some would like and the base helmet isn’t very quiet. Oh, and they’re only ECE and DOT (some only DOT) so their protection levels haven’t been independently approved by the likes of SHARP (or Snell in the US).

But overall, they’re great performing helmets packed with some really useful tech – and they score highly in this metareview so we reckon if you’re looking for a helmet with integrated voice or video, the Sena Momentum’s well worth an investment.

OK, What are the differences between the Sena Momentum Helmets?

Glad you asked. Here you go…

Sena Momentum Lite

The Sena Momentum Lite is their entry level full face helmet. It’s a fibreglass helmet (same as the rest) that comes with a more entry level Sena 10 series headset integrated.

That’s a basic headset that allows for connection with up to 3 other riders and a 1 mile range (under perfect conditions).

While it’ll allow for listening to music or GPS directions and chatting with other riders, it’s not a mesh system so won’t allow for simultaneous connections – it’s one or the other. DOT and ECE versions made.

Sena Momentum

Essentially the same helmet as the Momentum Lite but with a more advanced bluetooth headset included. It’ll let you connect with up to 7 other riders and allows audio multitasking for simultaneous GPS instructions while listening to music, for example. Same 1 mile max headset range – equivalent to Sena’s 20S standalone heatsets. DOT and ECE helmets.

Sena Momentum INC

INC stands for Intelligent Noise Control. It’s essentially the same as the Momentum but has a built in system that attempts to reduce or cancel out wind noise. It also has a system called ambient audio that amplifies external noise so you can more easily chat to someone without removing your helmet. DOT only.

Sena Momentum Pro

The Momentum Pro has an integral HD video camera mounted on the top of the helmet. It shoots at HD 1080p in 60fps or 1440p in 30fps (what’s called QHD or quad HD – it’s not 4K). It has the same Sena 20S intercom tech (connects to 7 other riders, 1m range) as the INC and Momentum. Shipped with clear Pinlock antifog, made in 2 shell sizes. Weighs approx. 1.8kg (4lbs), DOT only so not in Europe at the time of writing.

Sena Momentum INC Pro

You guessed it. The Momentum INC Pro has all the above in one helmet. Top mounted camera, Intelligent Noise Control system with ambient mode (which Sena’s own graphing seems to indicate will keep noise levels well below 100 decibels at 65 mph) – and a 20S style bluetooth headset. DOT only. Medium oval fitment.

Sena Momentum Evo

The Momentum Evo looks pretty similar to the other helmets, but Sena say it’s an evolutionary development featuring a more streamlined shell and fit, improved ventilation, liner and pads as well as Mesh 2 intercom (similar to those found in their 30k series headsets). Sena says it has a possible max range of 5 miles and can group mesh with up to 24 riders. Sizes M, L, XL only. Pinlock antifog included. DOT and ECE versions available.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

All Sena Momentum helmets have a fibreglass shell backed by multi-density shock absorbing polystyrene liner, and it’s held in place by a double-d ring fastener.

As a spec, that’s decent, if nothing new. There’s some great performing helmets with a similar spec so we’d expect it to be OK – though the only way we’d know if it’s been independently safety tested.

So far, all helmets meet DOT certification. The Momentum, Momentum Lite and Momentum Evo are also made in ECE spec too (don’t know if they’re indentical helmets or not tho).

None have been independently SHARP or Snell certified though so all we can say is they should give you at least a decent minimum level of protection, as defined by ECE and/or DOT testing standards. That’s it.

All Momentums (excluding the Lite) come with a Pinlock 120 Max Vision antifog insert in the box – which is a great way to keep your vision fog-free.

And a few owners have said the pre-Evo helmets have a nice wide field of view which is great for added awareness as you’re riding.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Overall, owners seem to find the basic helmet quite a noisy helmet (for a full face) – with the Momentum Evo being a slight improvement over the other helmets.

sena-momentum-inc-pro-noise-graphs — Not overly scientific – Sena says graph shows it’s quieter than some other helmet by an undefined amount. Wow, thanks for the insight!

Obviously, the INC (Intelligent Noise Control) and INC Pro helmets have in-built noise cancelling tech which takes external low frequency sounds and tries to cancel them out using the bluetooth kit built into the helmet.

Most owners seem to like it. It works best at lower speeds with opinions mostly ranging from it being OK (it takes the edge off wind noise) to it working really well.

The INC helmets also have an ‘ambient mode’ which uses that same external microphone to let you hear people more easily so you can easily hold a conversation without removing your hat.

Just remember to turn it off before you set off – otherwise it’s definitely not a quiet helmet!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a single chin bar vent and single forehead vent on all Momentums – including those with a top mounted camera. All can be closed by nice big fat sliders that are mega easy to find and operate.

A couple of useful links…

– Top 10 Full Face helmet reviews –
– Other Bluetooth-ready Motorcycle helmets? –

There’s also a single large rear exhaust vent to help pull moist and hot air out of the helmet.

sena momentum evo helmet front view ventilation — Chin vents and crown vents aren’t great – but improved on the Evo

The problem is, most owners seem to reckon the vents don’t actually let much air inside the helmet in the first place and the whole venting system doesn’t seem to work very well.

Again, ventilation seems to be improved in the newer Momentum Evo helmet which has a redesigned shell, ventilation system and liner inside.

Visor

(more about visors)

The visors on all Momentum helmets is quick release and Pinlock-ready. All Momentums apart from the Momentum Lite come with a Pinlock 120 Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box. The 120’s their top of the range insert – actually designed for Pro Racers – so will give you a nice clear visor in 99% of conditions.

There’s a nice wide field of view in Momentum helmets too – which is great for a more immersed ride as well as for safety, making shoulder checks easier.

And the quick change mechanism for swapping the visor out is super easy. Just open the visor fully, pull the exposed lever on each side and pull the visor away.

While the spec of the visor looks good and most regular Momentum owners are happy with how the visor system works, some Momentum Evo owners are less happy.

A few have reported that it’s a struggle to lock the visor closed and their helmets kept on opening up a crack – which can be really annoying. Especially if it’s raining or you’re really moving!

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Comfort doesn’t seem to be a problem in any of the Momentums though.

Inside all helmets, there’s a removable and washable interior, with pads made from laser cut foam and using comfortable and quick-drying materials.

sena-momentum-pro-motorcycle-helmet-matte-black — Sena Momentum Pro with its top mounted Quad HD camera

Owners universally reckon it’s a comfortable helmet, though they do generally size a bit small, so you may need to buy a size above your usual fit – especially if you’re in between sizes (the advice is to go for a size up).

All the Momentum helmets up to the Evo (so the Lite, regular, Inc and Inc Pro) are a more medium oval fitment which should suit most head shapes, whereas Sena decided to make the Evo a longer oval helmet.

And despite some of the helmets being festooned in tech, none of them are super heavy, with weights ranging from around 1.6Kg (3.5Lbs) for the helmets without cameras (120g heavier than your average full face) to 1.8Kg (4Lbs) for the fully-loaded Momentum Pro’s (320g heavier than average).

So whichever you buy, it’ll be a tad heavier than some helmets but you shouldn’t find it too heavyweight.

If weight is an issue, you might want to take a look at our lightweight helmets pages instead.

Built-in Bluetooth Headsets

Momentum Lite Bluetooth

In the Momentum Lite, you’ll get Sena’s bargain basement 10 Series bluetooth. That’s a bluetooth 4.1 intercom with a 1 mile range (in perfect conditions) that’ll connect up to 4 riders.

There’s no audio duplexing but it does have in-built basic noise control and an FM radio and will connect to your music, phone and satnav/GPS. It charges in around 3 hours and has a lithium polymer battery and should last all day no problem, under normal riding conditions.

Momentum Bluetooth

The Momentum contains Sena’s 20S bluetooth headset. Again, that’s bluetooth 4.1 with a 1 mile (max) range but this time supports up to 8 riders. Basic noise cancellation, FM radio, same charge time and battery (both integrate into the back of the helmet) and should last around 6-8 hours of constant use. Sena quotes up to 20 hours talk time but I guess that’s with intermittent intercom use.

The Momentum will allow for audio multitasking – so you can listen to music while getting GPS instructions for example. Owners find pairing works well and this set has voice control too. It’s also got something called sound enhancement, though a couple of owners reckoned this just strips out the bass and boosts the treble.

Momentum INC & INC Pro Bluetooth

The Intelligent Noise Control (INC) helmets have the same Sena 20 series bluetooth 4.1 headset incorporated as the Momentum. But there’s also the addition of another control panel on the right/rear of the helmet to control the INC and Ambient Noise mode.

The INC feature cancels out low end frequencies that you’ll find in wind rush to try and quieten the helmet down, while Ambient mode amplifies external sounds so you can chat to people without removing your helmet.

The bluetooth headset is generally basic but well liked and most users find INC great though some others are a bit meh about it.

Momentum Evo Bluetooth

The Momentum Evo has a later Sena 30K Mesh 2 intercom and bluetooth 4.1. Mesh is a system of connectivity for headsets and allows connection with up to 24 riders and up to 5 miles range.

It also has WiFi connectivity to auto update firmware through the 30K utility app – which should futureproof your headset for a few years at least.

Evo owners seem to rate the headset as excellent – good quality audio and louder volume levels compared to the other helmets (which can be a bit quiet) and 3 hour charge time which should power the headset all day, even with heavy usage.

Video Cameras (Momentum Pro and INC Pro)

The Pro helmets have top-mounted forward-facing HD cameras built in.

You can choose from 1080P (30 or 60fps) or 1440P 30fps (called Quad HD) and in loop mode, it’ll record for up to 2 hours, looping round to continuously record the last 2 hours.

sena-momentum-pro-helmet-camera-view — Top mounted camera on the Momentum Pros, right behind the top air vent

Quality’s great according to owners, and there’s an option to record your voice too while riding if that’s your thing. You’ll need a 64Gb Class 10 Micro SD card (won’t take larger cards) and it’ll record videos in 4Gb chunks – automatically creating the next 4Gb file once one’s completed.

Word is that it uses a separate battery from the intercom too, so lots of camera use won’t drain the intercom battery.

Sena Apps

The Sena Smartphone App works on Apple and Android devices. It contains guides on how to use your headset as well as configure its settings. There’s also a Sena Camera App which lets you configure settings as well as preview live video and manage recorded videos and connects to the camera with WiFi.

sena-momentum-bluetooth-helmet-apps — Companion Apps control all the usual settings and contain the manuals

While paring with phones and using Apps seems pretty good, there’s a few instances of owners grumbling about the Apps being poor – too complex and generally not working very well.

Looks & Graphics

Apart from the fact that the Pro helmets have cameras stuck out of the top, the other helmets look pretty identical. They’re not the most funky or eye catching of helmets but they’re neat enough .

The Momentum Evo has a very slightly redesigned shell but the other helmets all share a common shell and are only available in matte black or white. So what you see up and down this page is pretty well all you’re gonna get in terms of graphics and colourways!

Best places to buy a Sena Momentum Helmet?

You can buy a Sena Momentum helmet using the links below. And if you buy from either store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Note: you’ll only find the Momentum, Lite and Evo for sale in the UK at the time of writing as they’re the only helmets that have been ECE approved.

Sena Momentum Video

First up is a 12m video from J&P Cycles looking over the Momentum Inc Pro, followed by a 4m video of how one guy got on with his Momentum Evo after a couple of months.

Other stuff – fasteners, glasses, chin curtain, warranty

All Sena Momentum helmets come with tried-and-tested double-D ring fasteners.

If you ride wearing glasses, there aren’t any glasses cutouts inside any of the Momentums. A couple of owners said it can be a struggle to get the glasses on in the first place but once they’re there, they work OK. I guess it depends on how big the arms of your glasses are and how tight the fit of the helmet is for your head – especially in the Evo which is a narrower fitment helmet. Check here for helmets that work really well with glasses.

All Momentum helmets come with a chin curtain to reduce the amount of air/noise getting into the helmet from below, and breath guard to help reduce fogging on the visor.

Finally, all Momentums come with a 5 year helmet warranty – which is great. What’s not so great and slightly bizarre is that part that Sena manufactures (the bluetooth headset) only has a 2 year warranty. Guess there’s more to break in a headset.

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

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

Good Alternatives to the Sena Momentum?

There’s a stack of helmets that will work well with a bluetooth set – and you can find all those on our Bluetooth Communicator Ready Helmets Pages.

arai-qv-pro-full-face-crash-helmet-black-frost-black — Frost black Arai QV-Pro

At a premium price point (i.e. expensive!) is the Arai Chaser X which is a great all-rounder composite fibre SHARP 4 star rated helmet. Also the SHARP 5 star Arai QV-Pro that’s been carefully designed to work with communicators.

arai_chaser-x-finish-red-crash-helmet-side-view — Chaser X in Finish graphics

Some manufacturers integrate bluetooth headsets (usually made by some of the big brands like Sena or Cardo) into their helmets.

shark-skwal-2-flynn-motorbike-helmet-front-view — Shark Skwal 2 Flynn

Shark helmets does that with several of their helmets – including the excellent Skwal (the one with integral LED lights) – as does Schuberth with the likes of the C4 Pro.

schuberth-c4-pro-magnitudo-yellow-modular-helmet-side-view — C4 Pro Magnitudo

Finally, Nolan helmets are pretty well all headset-ready and designed to fit their N-Com bluetooth systems – including the versatile N70-2 and N100-5 modulars.

Nolan N100-5

Best places to buy a Sena Momentum?

You can buy a Sena Momentum helmet using the links below. And if you buy from either store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Note: you’ll only find the Momentum, Lite and Evo for sale in the UK at the time of writing as they’re the only helmets that have been ECE approved.

Star Ratings

Arai Urban V review: a premium quality, Snell certified open face helmet.

Page Contents

Arai Urban V open face motorbike helmet review.

The Arai Urban V is a fibreglass open face helmet that uses similar helmet tech to Arai’s range of full face helmets. It’s what Arai calls SFL or Special Fibre Laminate which is a complex fibreglass composite. And it also features their peripheral belting (a strengthening strip running above the eye port) as well as the usual R75 rounder shell shape found across the Arai range.

And of course, it will offer the same handmade build quality you find with pretty well all Arai helmets. Which is why they command such a premium price.

If you’re thinking of buying an Arai Urban V (sold as the Classic V in the US) it’s most likely it’s that excellent build quality associated with the Arai brand that you’ll be buying into.

But there’s more to the Urban V than that. Read on for our full Arai Urban V review…

Fibreglass open face helmet
Snell safety rated (DOT helmet)
Hidden ventilation
Double-d ring fastener
Sizes XS-XXL
Rear goggles loop
Expect to pay £350-£450

Best places to buy an Arai Urban V?

Please click below to visit the Arai Urban V helmets pages at our recommended store. 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).

Overall/Summary

The Arai Urban V is a quality helmet. Not only is it well built and uses quality materials (like pretty well every Arai helmet) but the Urban V is a well thought out open face helmet too.

arai classic v frost black open face helmet side view 2 — Ever popular Frost Black Arai Urban V

Crucially, it’s reasonably compact so it doesn’t look too big while you’re wearing it (thanks partly to the fact Arai makes a helmet shell for every two fitment sizes). And unlike most open face helmets, Arai has incorporated hidden venting channels in there to keep your head cool – and according to Urban V owners, they work well.

Sure, it’s similar in most other respects to many other basic open face helmets. But you do get Arai’s proven fibreglass composite helmet shell tech in there – the same that’s used on many of their full face helmets.

Plus the DOT version of the helmet – called the Classic V in the US – has been Snell tested/approved so it should work well if you ever have to put its protection to the test.

Of course, if you’re after ultimate protection, buy one of these full face helmets. But if you’re after a high quality, well designed open face helmet – and your finances can stretch this far – then the Arai Urban V is a great open face helmet that owners love.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

As mentioned, the Urban V uses similar composite fibre helmet tech that you’ll find in most Arai helmets.

That includes their own Special Fibre Laminate construction that Arai has honed over the years to give a particularly strong helmet shell. That’s reinforced by a strengthening band across the brow (which is the point at which DOT helmet testing occurs but it also reduces helmet flex during an impact) and it’s backed by their multi-density shock absorbing EPS liner.

Of course, it’s an open face helmet so there’s always going to be a large part of your face exposed compared to a full face helmet. But the Urban V has been ECE tested/certified (as well as DOT in the US) so the actual helmet shell should be more or less as protective as a full face helmet… as long as you don’t take a hit to the face.

arai classic v blitz brown copper open face helmet side view — This one’s the Blitz graphic in copper

So while we always recommend wearing a full face helmet (or a modular if you really must have your face exposed from time to time) if you’re going down the open face helmet route, then the Urban V should give good protection.

So good in fact that in the US the Classic V (what the Urban V is called over there) has been Snell approved, meaning it’s right up there with the best in terms of giving excellent impact protection.

Of course that was a DOT version of the helmet and we’ve no way of knowing if it’s exactly the same as the European ECE-spec helmet.

Having said that, that Snell rating might be as insightful as we can get, because SHARP (the UK’s independent testing body) doesn’t test open face helmets. They reason that you should always wear a full face if you’re serious about protection, so a Snell approval might be as close as we’re going to get towards independent open face helmet testing.

As with all ‘classic’ style helmets (and in fact all Arais) the Urban V uses a double-d ring fastener to keep it tightly fastened to your head.

But unlike most, Arai makes the Urban V in three shell sizes – one shell size covering every two fitment sizes. That’s great for comfort and looks as well as safety.

So, in terms of safety, it seems the Urban V will offer as good protection as you’re going to get with an open face helmet. It’s just never going to be as good as a decent full face helmet.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

It’s an open face helmet so it’s never going to be the quietest helmet around either.

arai-urban-v-diamond-white hlemet side view — Diamond White Urban V

It does have a smooth shape though with great aero (see below) and there’s plenty of plush comfort liner in there to help cut out some noise.

But with an open front and with ventilation channels cut into the helmet – which let noise as well as air into the helmet – it’s quite a noisy place to put your head.

If you want a quiet helmet, buy a full face lid – and preferably one of these quietest helmets.

And if you do buy an open face, make sure you buy some quality ear plugs to go with it so you don’t damage your hearing.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Unusually for an open face helmet, Arai has incorporated some hidden vents into the shell of the Urban V.

So, not only will you get plenty of wind blast around your face, but when it really heats up, air can actually get through to your head courtesy of three intake vents hidden behind the liner above your goggles.

That takes air in a front-back strip through the EPS liner, across your head and out of a couple of exhaust vents just about visible next to the neck roll.

And it all really works: even in the height of US summer where a few owners said you can really feel the cooling air across your head.

Of course, that might not be such a great thing if you’re thinking of using an Urban V during a British winter – because those vents are always open!

Visor/Goggles

(more about visors)

The Urban V has 5 studs on the front – with the top 3 there to take a regular visor or sun peak and the bottom two to help if you need a 5 stud fit for a bubble shield or similar.

If you’re wanting to ride in goggles, word is that pretty well any goggles will fit and there’s the usual handy goggles loop at the back to keep them in place.

A couple of useful links…

– All our open face helmet reviews –
– Helmets where money’s no object –

While I couldn’t find any specific Arai visors available for the Urban V, given that the studs are standard fitment with pretty well all other open face helmets, most other visors should fit.

We’ve heard from owners fitting Biltwell and Bell visors without a problem. In fact some visors, like Bell’s 3 snap bubble shield, have adjustable snappers so maybe go for one of those if you’re unsure.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

According to several owners, Arai Urban V’s size correctly (so no need to buy a size up or down) and thanks to the fact that Arai makes a different helmet shell size for every two fitment sizes, each should be pretty well optimised in terms of padding and EPS liner.

arai urban v blitz brown open face helmet side view — Brown Blitz Urban V

It also means that, while the Urban V isn’t the most compact helmet, you won’t look like a bobble head because; firstly, you won’t be wearing an oversized helmet shell and secondly, the Urban V has been designed to sit reasonably low on the head.

Pretty well all Urban V owners we came across said that it’s a comfortable helmet too.

I guess the fact that it weighs around 1.2Kg (2lbs 10Oz) helps too because that’s a light weight helmet – about average for an open face but light compared to a full face.

Arai uses a semi-removable comfort lining inside the Urban V. That means you can swap out the cheek pads (or remove them for cleaning) but not the upper part of the liner.

It is however antimicrobially treated and the cheek pads are washable.

Oh, it’s worth mentioning that if you’re looking at the pictures of the Urban V and thinking it looks like stitching on leather around the helmet, don’t be fooled. It’s faux plastic leather.

I guess that’s much more suitable than leather for making a helmet weather proof. Though if you’re after a quality ‘occasional ride’ helmet, that could be a bit of a let down.

Looks & Graphics

You can buy an Urban V in a range of plain blacks, whites and greys. And Arai has also released a few classic-style retro graphics – the Era and the Blitz both available in a few different colour combinations and shown further up the page.

Best places to buy an Arai Urban V helmet?

Please click below to visit the Arai Urban V helmets pages at our recommended retailer. 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 Urban V video

Here’s a 4m look around a frost black Urban V…

Other stuff – audio, aero, build quality, warranty

If you’re wanting a helmet you use with a bluetooth headset, you should be OK with the Urban V. There’s a pair of generous speaker pockets inside and there’s enough space to fit a sticky or clamp mount on the side.

arai classic v modern grey open face helmet side view — Modern Grey version of the Urban V

Helmet lift can be a problem with open face helmets as the wind can get inside the lid at speed and start to pull it upwards. The word from a couple of owners of the Urban V is that it’s particularly good at reducing this – possibly due to the venting system letting air go through the vents and out of the exhausts rather than going into the helmet and having no where to go.

One of the main reasons people buy an Arai is because they want a quality item and – as usual – several owners commented on how well the Urban V is built with nice finishing and paint and materials used throughout.

All Arai helmets come with a lengthy 5 year warranty.

Good Alternatives to the Arai Urban V?

Shoei J-Cruise Corso orange open face motorbike helmet side view — Shoei J-Cruise

Another helmet that’s well built and shares its shell tech with the range of full face helmets is the Shoei J-Cruise. That also has a drop down sun visor as well as a clear main visor.

shoei jo helmet hawker side view — Shoei JO Hawker

Same quality goes for the Shoei Jo. That’s a well liked and comfortable helmet and while it looks like a classic open face helmet, it’s got a drop down clear visor too.

LS2 Spitfire RUST - graphics side view — LS2 Spitfire Rust

If you’re on a budget, the LS2 Spitfire is a really low price thermoplastic alternative. It’s low profile and has a hidden drop down sun visor in there.

nolan_n40-5_classic-n-com-black-no-peak-side-view — Nolan N40-5

Finally, there are quite a few modular helmets that let you convert them to an open face – in case you want the flexibility. Such as the Nolan N40-5 range that you can ride in full face, adventure or open face mode whenever the mood takes you.

More Helmet Options?

For more helmet buying options, click through to our Open Face Helmet Reviews, our Modular Helmets Top 10 and our Safest Helmets. Or jump onto our homepage to find lots of other ways to find a new helmet - just scroll down.

Best places to buy an Arai Urban V?

Please click below to visit the Arai Urban V helmets pages at our recommended retailer. 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).

How can we improve our site?

We’d love your feedback on what we could do better. Please give us your thoughts here.
HTML quick link to make category page

Star Ratings

Nexx X.G100R Racer review: a retro full face motorcycle helmet with visor.

Page Contents

Nexx X.G100R Racer: Retro cool full face helmet; now with added visor.

First, Nexx introduced the X.G100. That’s a composite fibre retro helmet with a chin bar but no fixed visor: you can get a slightly weird external soft plastic visor held in place by snaps, and that’s fine if you like to try something a little different, but not if you’re riding serious miles.

The Nexx X.G100R (R for racer) is the next step in the X.G100’s evolution.

Nexx X.G100R carbon fibre motorbike helmet front view — Mean, moody and always classy – the full carbon X.G100R

For the R, they added an extra shell size to the line up, which means both the X.G100 and X.G100R cover more fitment sizes (now from XS – XXL); they added an internal slider to let you close off the chin vent, and they uprated the interior lining (see comfort section below).

And – crucially – you can now buy an X.G100 with a permanent, articulating visor. Yay.

All in all, now you can look cool and, when posing time finishes and riding time begins, have a more usable and practical helmet!

At least that’s the theory.

If you’re thinking of buying one, here’s what Nexx XG100R Racer helmets offer, along with what owners think of their helmets when they’re using them on the road.

Retro full face helmet
Now with full visor
SHARP 4 Star Safety Rating
Class 1 optically correct visor
Composite fibre and full carbon versions
Closeable chin vent
Weighs 1.35Kg (3lbs) – that’s lightweight
5 Year Warranty
Expect to pay:
- £250-£300 Composite
- £350 Carbon

Best places to buy a Nexx helmet?

Please click below to visit the Nexx 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).

Overall/Summary

Like the original X.G100, the R or Racer version is well put together, has a nice light weight shell and, with the addition of the visor, now works much better as a real world helmet for modern day riding.

Nexx XG100R racer retro helmet Purist White front view 2 — Nexx XG100R in Purist White

Of course, you’re probably going to buy one because of how it looks – which is why most owners bought their XG100Rs. But because it’s now been proven to offer excellent protection thanks to its SHARP 4 star safety rating, you know it’ll do the business if you have a spill too.

Like most retro helmets, it’s fair to say it’s a bit of a compromise. Nexx has decided to do without head vents (and the chin vent isn’t the best) and that old style visor doesn’t give you all the utility of modern visors.

But it is a comfortable helmet (if a bit of a squeeze for some) and it’s pretty quiet too. Overall it works very well for most owners and is available in a large range of stylish classic colour schemes and graphics to match your tastes and your ride. It’s an excellent retro helmet that works well on the road and is easy on your pocket too – and is highly recommended.

Nexx X.G100R grand win red white blue side view — Classic lines and classy retro paint scheme on the Grand Win

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The X.G100R is available in both full carbon and Nexx’s X-Matrix composite material. That’s a composite of pretty well every well-known hi-tech helmet material you can think of – fibreglass, aramid, carbon and organic fibres all forming a complex laminate.

Which should make for a decent and strong helmet shell.

We originally guessed it’d score around 3 stars in the SHARP helmet safety test, simply because every Nexx helmet to date has scored 3 stars.

But I’m delighted to be proven wrong – because it actually scored a very creditable 4 stars out of 5, making it joint safest Retro style helmet alongside the Simpson Venom and Premier Trophy which both scored 4 stars too.

Nexx XG100R 8_5ms SHARP impact test results — Nexx XG100R 8.5 m/s Impact test result courtesy of dft.sharp.gov.uk

The XG100 Racer is of course ECE certified too – and don’t forget that having a helmet that fits really well and is comfortable is just as important for safety as a high SHARP (or Snell) rating. So, if you’re unsure, follow our helmet fitting guide.

Having a good quality, clear visor is massively important in keeping you out of trouble in the first place – so that’s another tick in the box for the X.G100R over the old X.G100.

It’s also a wide visor to give extra good peripheral vision, and it’s secured with a double-d ring fastener. They’re fine, as long as they’re fully and tightly secured every trip. If they’re not, they can come off (unlikely but possible) although that goes for every type of helmet fastener, not just the d-ring.

Check out the review of the original X.G100 to find more details on safety.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

One good thing about having a simple and round shell without many vent holes (see below) is that it should make for a slippery helmet that doesn’t create much turbulence and doesn’t have many places for external noise to penetrate into the helmet.

Nexx X.G100R motordrome titanium yellow front view — Motordrome graphics are available in red, green, white, blue – and this titanium/yellow version

And from owner feedback, it seems that’s the case. They broadly rate it as a pretty quiet helmet – and certainly one of the quietest retro helmets we’ve come across.

Sure, if you ride fast with your head in the air and without ear plugs, you might not agree. But overall from owner feedback, it’s rated as a reasonably quiet helmet.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

As per the original X.G100, there’s not much ventilation going on in the form of vents. Of course, with the original, there wasn’t a fixed visor in place so it was always going to be pretty windy in there – at least around your face.

There is a single small chin vent/slot in there and that does help with cooling a bit, but if it chucks it down in the old visorless X.G100, you can get a mouth full of rain.

So, for the X.G100R, Nexx has put an open/close slider on the inside of the helmet so you can close it off; again, making the Race helmet more user-friendly and practical than the old helmet.

Still, if you’re looking for a helmet with great ventilation, according to XG100R owners, this isn’t it.

nexx x.G100R white crash helmet rear view@1x — Classic retro helmet lines

That chin bar vent does let in a trickle of air once you get a bit of a move on. But up top, there’s nothing – so if you’re thinking of riding in the sun, you’re going to be testing out that moisture wicking comfort liner quite a bit!

Visor

(more about visors)

The main difference between the old X.G100 and the R version is, of course, the visor.

It’s a flat polycarbonate visor – Nexx mentions that it’s a Lexan visor but that’s just a manufacturer of polycarbonate so nothing to really write home about because all visors are polycarbonate.

The ‘flat’ part means that it’s not shaped – apart from being stamped then wrapped around the helmet when it’s fitted. Racing helmets tend to have flat visors because it reduces distortion and means you can fit tear-offs.

There aren’t any tear offs available for the X.G100R that we’re aware of, though there are various coloured smokes to suit your helmet or your bike.

Nexx X.G100R purist gloss black motorcycle helmet front view — Nexx X.G100R in plain gloss black

Nexx do advertise that the XG100 Racer has a wider-than-average visor, though we found at least a couple of owners disputing this. It doesn’t seem to be particularly narrow but they do say you can see the edges of the visor aperture in your peripheral vision.

If you live some where cool/rainy/humid, you’ll probably be needing an antifog solution on your visor. The visor on the XG100R does have a tendency to fog but thankfully there is an antifog insert available to keep misting to a minimum.

The ones available for the X.G100R aren’t the usual Pinlocks though, they’re by an Italian company called Raleri who make inserts for all kinds of sports goggles and visors as well as for bikes.

They’re sticky inserts so not located between pins – and we’ve not had any feedback on them, though because of their pedigree, we’d expect them to be pretty good.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The X.G100R is an identical fitment to the old X.G100 – that’s a medium oval fitment with a nice plush liner.

Having said that, Nexx has upgraded the lining with the R version (and retrofitted it to the old X.G100) and they both use Nexx’s X-Mart Dry moisture-wicking, anti-allergenic materials. That’s decent performance fabric and one that makes for a comfortable helmet lining.

Nexx X.G100R billy b white red top view — X.G100R in Billy B graphics

It also features 3D padding for a closer fit and is fully removable and washable.

They’ve also added a nice retrotastic leather-look chin curtain to the bottom of the chin guard to keep out extra draft and noise (a bit).

There are a couple of niggles reported by owners though.

While it is generally a nice comfortable helmet for most, a few owners said they had to go up a fitment size to get the right fit.

And a few more said it can be a really tight squeeze once you’ve got the helmet on because the cheek pads can press in on your face a bit and make it quite a tight fit to get the helmet on/off.

And because Nexx only make the XG100 Racer in two shell sizes, a couple of owners reckoned theirs looks big on them, giving them a bit of a bobble head look. The two different shells cover sizes XS-M and L-XXL so I guess it might only be an issue if you’re at the bottom end of each shell size; so either a size XS or L.

Other than that, all good.

Looks & Graphics

Obviously, the looks of the X.G100R speak for themselves and you’ve probably read this far because you’re sold on the idea of a retro helmet but one with a few modern touches.

Nexx XG100R racing record retro helmet front view — Front view of the Record graphic Nexx XG100 Racer

The graphics are important too – and Nexx has been busy creating some really rather nice paint schemes that really set off the form of the helmet.

There’s a cracking looking plain carbon version (carbons are about 50 quid more) but if you’re looking for a graphic version to set off your bike, the rest use Nexx’s X-Matrix lightweight composite shells.

Please visit our recommended retailer pages to check the latest graphics in addition to the ones you’ll find up and down the page here. Please use the links below to jump straight to their Nexx Helmets pages.

Best places to buy a Nexx helmet?

Please click below to visit the Nexx 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).

Nexx X.G100R Video

Here’s a 4m video showing you around the X.G100R in plain gloss black and a pair of motordrome graphics.

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

All Nexx XG100 Racer’s come with old school Double-D ring fasteners.

They’re not really designed to work with a bluetooth headset and there aren’t any speaker pockets or cutouts inside. Having said that, we have heard of owners managing to squeeze a headset in there and saying it works just fine.

Nexx X.G100R jupiter black white red motorbike helmet rear view — Rear view of the Jupiter in black/white/red graphics

Same goes for glasses. There aren’t any grooves inside to help accommodate the stems of your glasses but we’ve heard of owners managing it with different levels of success. It seems if your glasses have narrow stems then you should be okay, but if they’re thicker you might struggle.

The nice smooth shell shape of the XG100R seems to be a reasonably slippery shape as far as aero’s concerned, and we’ve heard owners saying it has the best aero of all the retro helmets out there.

Build quality is universally praised, which considering it’s not the most expensive helmet around is a great fete by Nexx.

Finally, all Nexx XG100R Racer helmets come with a standard 2 year warranty (extendable to 5 years on registering in Europe only).

Crash Helmet Buying Guides & Top 10s

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

Good Alternatives to the X.G100R?

You can find all our reviews of retro helmets here.

But if you’re after a retro helmet with a visor, there’s the excellent AGV X3000 which is an authentic-looking fibreglass helmet based on Agostini’s old racing helmet and comes with an articulated visor like the Nexx. Prices start where the Nexx leaves off.

Or there’s the Bell Bullet. That costs about the same as the Nexx, is SHARP 3 star safety rated and there’s a range of interesting visors available – including a bubble visor.

Premier trophy classic helmet BTR 8 BM rear view — Premier Trophy in BTR8 graphics

The Premier Trophy scored 4 stars when SHARP tested it but it’s only great if you want a REAL retro riding experience as there’s no vents and a stud-fastened visor.

simpson ghost bandit solid matt black crash helmet side view — Matt black Venom

The Simpson Venom might not look mega retro but we’ve added it because it’s a modern take on their classic styling. It’s a great helmet too with SHARP 4 star safety rating, Pinlock visor with sun visor.

Best places to buy a Nexx helmet?

Please click below to visit the Nexx 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).