Arai Regent X motorcycle helmet review.

The Arai Regent X (sold as the Profile V in Europeland) is Arai’s entry level full face helmet in the US market.

Which means it doesn’t cost as much as most other Arais of course – but looking down the features list, it seems to offer just about the same amount of tech and features.

Which could mean the Regent X offers particularly decent value for money – especially for a hand built and premium Arai helmet.

It uses the same ‘R75’ round helmet shape as the rest of the range, and it’s made using the same tech – namely a fiberglass laminate using Arai’s proprietary ‘superfibers’ which Arai say are an improved grade of fiberglass.

It uses the same fasteners, shield tech and venting system you’ll find on many other models too.

But there is one feature that marks the Regent X out from the rest of the range – apart from the lower price and the use of a one-piece multi-density liner inside (some use multi-piece EPS liners).

And that’s the big bottom that Arai’s added to the Regent X. Or rather they’ve splayed out the bottom of the helmet a bit to make it easier to get on/off.

So, if struggling pull your helmet on is a problem you have and/or if you’re after an all-rounder helmet and like the idea of wearing an Arai, then the Regent X might be a great place to start your helmet search.

• Composite/Fiberglass full face helmet
• Designed to be easier to get on/off
• Pinlock Max Vision antifog
• D-ring fastener
• Snell Certified (US only)
• 3.3lbs/1.55Kg (heavier than average)
• Sizes XS-XL
• Expect to pay $550-$690

Looking to buy an Arai Regent X?

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

Overall/Summary

The Arai Regent X is Arai’s all-rounder full face helmet that they’ve designed to be easy to slip-on and take off.

If you find helmets difficult enough to get on or off, then you’ll probably be particularly interested in the Regent X, because people find it works really well and once on, it’s a particularly comfortable helmet too.

The Regent X is a mid-priced Arai that includes much of the helmet tech Arai has spent a lifetime developing for a similar price to many other premium helmets.

It’s got a decent shield system that’s Pinlock-ready though the Pinlock’s extra. It’s a very well built helmet like all Arai’s and it uses quality materials throughout, including a particularly nice plush and comfy interior.

It’s also a pretty quiet helmet too, works well if you wear glasses, it’s got good aero capabilities (stable, little buffeting) and, compared to most other Arai’s, it’s actually decent value for money too.

So, if you’re after a great all-rounder full face helmet that’s well built (with a quality brand name to match) then the Regent X is definitely worth a look.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

Arai uses lots of moderately ludicrous wordage to describe their helmet tech. In the case of the Regent X that’s PB e-cLc R75.

Essentially, that means it’s a fancy fiberglass composite construction (the e-cLC bit) with some extra strengthening in a band around the head (PB) – which is what Arai uses in most of their helmets.

The R75 part relates to the very round shape of Arai helmets which Arai says helps it ‘glance off’ stuff during an accident rather than dig in and spin your head.

Minimizing the rotation of the head and the movement of the brain within the skull is 100% an important role of energy management with any helmet during an accident.

However, we’re not sure how much of the ‘glancing off’ theory has ever been scientifically demonstrated. To our knowledge Arai hasn’t published any scientific papers on it and it seems to be generated through observation rather than provable science.

Anyhow, I digress. What is certain is that Arai helmets have been getting steadily better in terms of safety ratings from lab testing if you look at the SHARP helmet test data. And of course, many Arais – including the Regent X – have been Snell certified too.

We’ll not go into the different benefits of ECE vs DOT helmets here – or between SHARP and Snell testing, though that partly accounts for the difference in our safety scoring between the US Regent X and the Eu Profile V on our UK website.

But knowing the Regent X is Snell approved should give you comfort that it’s gonna give you good protection in a crash (the Profile V is SHARP 4 star safety rated).

Onto other stuff – the helmet’s kept secure using a double-d ring fastener which are low tech and can be a bit fiddly to use compared to micrometric fasteners. Buy hey, if you want an Arai, you’ll have to put up with a double-d as they’re the only ones they use.

The Regent’s made in 3 helmet shell sizes; that’s pretty optimal for safety, fit and look – so you shouldn’t be wearing a helmet that looks to big or small for your body size.

And word is that the shield is nice and wide to give good peripheral vision, and it comes Pinlock-ready with a Pinlock in the box to keep your vision fog-free.

The Regent X misses out on a few other safety features we’d like to see – such as EQRS or even a drop down sun shield to keep the sun out of your eyes (FYI Arai has never made a helmet with an internal sun shield, opting for their external pro-shield system instead).

But other than that, the Arai Regent X seems to cover the basics well and we expect it to be a safe place to stick your noggin.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

There’s a decent amount of padding inside the helmet but there’s also a stack of vent holes which can let noise in as well as air.

Same goes for that enlarged opening which should be a great way for road noise and wind to get inside.

Having said that, Arais are known for a relatively slippery shell shape and there is a (fixed) chin curtain on the bottom designed to stop wind (and noise) getting into the helmet.

And the good news is that the majority of owners reckon it’s a pretty quiet helmet. Sure there are one or two who say it’s noisy, but then there always are with every helmet. And as usual the perception of helmet noise is very individual and dependent on you, your motorcycle, how fast you ride etc. etc.

But overall, we found many more Arai Regent X owners saying it’s quiet than noisy, so hopefully you will too if you buy one!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

You’ve got the usual Arai array of ventilation inlets in the Regent X – that means a decent sized chin bar vent, a couple of shield vents and a pair of crown vents up top.

That chin vent is easy to operate because it’s got a nice big flap in it but, according to several owners, the others are a bit fiddly, especially in gloves.

Like anything, most riders found that after a bit of practice they got used to them, but they’re not ideal for adjusting on the move – especially when the helmet’s new and the mechanisms are a bit stiff.

The chin bar and shield vents direct air onto the back of the shield and the forehead – and reviews we’ve found seem to reckon they’re effective. Couple that copious shield ventilation with the supplied Pinlock Max Vision shield insert and that should keep your vision free in all but the worst weather.

What’s lest effective are the crown vents.

Not only are they a bit of a fiddle because there’s two of them and they use smaller slider buttons which are difficult to find on the move – but most owners say they don’t channel a great amount of air into the helmet. There are five exhaust vents at the back of the helmet but it seems the routing of the air inside the helmet is poor.

So don’t expect your head to be kept massively cool when things really heat up; although you can expect decent ventilation to your face and shield.

Shield

(more about shields)

There’s a couple of ‘cons’ but quite a few ‘pros’ when it comes to the Arai Regent X’s shield.

Word is it’s nice and wide and gives good peripheral vision – which is always something worth having.

It works on friction so you can have the shield hold open anywhere from the cracked-open defogging position to fully open: and it should stay there at legal speeds which is good.

Plus, the Regent X comes Pinlock-ready out of the box, although the large Pinlock antifog insert – a Max Vision – isn’t included in the price. That means if you suffer from fogging, you’ll have to spend a few more dollars to grab a Pinlock which should solve 99% of your fogging woes.

And there’s Arai’s usual shield lock on there too. They’re basic tech but it’s effective and pretty simple to use: close the shield firmly down and a pin will locate in the hole in the shield to lock it closed. Push the lever up with your thumb and it’ll unlock and open the shield.

I doubt most of us actually need a shield lock for road riding – and a few owners find them fiddly or a bit annoying – but it’s there on the Regent X and doesn’t really get in the way for most.

---

A couple of useful links…

– All our Arai helmet reviews –
– Top 10 full face motorcycle helmets –

---

Cons? Well they’re not massive but people tend to either love or loathe Arai’s quick release shield mechanism, used to swap out or remove the shield.

It’s less fiddly than their old system and it’s still tool-less, but it’s also less intuitive than some helmet manufacturers manage.

Open the shield, press the side-plate release button and pull off the plates (they’ll dangle off a string rather than drop down the side of the sofa like the old ones would!) then rotate the shield down and the shield will pull off for cleaning or swapping out.

It takes a bit of learning but most owners soon get the hang of it.

Another slight niggle is that the opening tab is on the left – that’s pretty common but means you’ve to reach round to the left of the helmet with your right hand if you’re sat at the lights with the clutch in for example.

It’s not a massive problem but it can be a bit of a pain when it’s red hot and you’re gasping to get some air in.

All in all though, it’s a decent shield mechanism with a good field of view that does all the basics well.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

There’s plenty of padding inside the Regent X and the vast majority of owners find it’s a super comfy place to put their heads. It’s designed for riders with medium-oval head shapes, although we did come across a few riders with more rounded heads saying they found it very comfortable too.

The cheek pads and a top sweat band are removable for washing and de-stinking but, unusually, the very top cap of the padding stays in the helmet.

Like most premium helmets, those cheek pads are moulded to fit your cheek/jawline for improved comfort and Arai uses foam ‘springs’ to keep the fit snug to the face (what Arai calls its Facial Contour System).

And if you find they’re too tight or too loose, you can buy thicker/thinner replacements from Arai to get the fit you need. Same goes for that sweat band too. Replacement cheek pads will cost you somewhere around $50 though.

Behind those cheek pads you’ll find a reasonably generous pair of pockets for your comms unit speakers.

There’s a built-in chin curtain on the bottom of the helmet too to keep out the worst of the wind and noise (not necessarily a good thing if you’re riding on a hot day!).

And of course there’s that extra 5mm flared shell at the bottom of the helmet to give you a bit more room to put the helmet on without it trying to pull your ears off. Several owners said it really helped them and makes the helmet much easier to use.

Arai don’t make any particular claims about the internal materials used in the Regent X but folks seem to think they’re great quality and particularly plush and comfortable, with a few riders commenting that it’s the most comfortable helmet they’ve ever owned.

Sizing’s reported to be about spot on – so your usual helmet size should be right (if you’re unsure, read our helmet fitting guide and measure your head before ordering).

Looks & Graphics

You’d probably be hard pressed to spot a great deal of external difference between the Regent X and most of the rest of the Arai range.

Arai says it’s designed to be sportier and more aggressive. But given it’s got the same headform as the rest of their range, let’s be kind and say it’s a subtle difference.

Which ain’t a problem as it’s kinda Arai’s trademark look. And when you’re spending big bucks on a helmet like you will be with most Arais, you might well want folks to easily spot what you’re wearing.

To help differentiate the Regent X from the rest of the range, Arai is throwing in an increasing number of paints and designs at it.

Many of the designs you’ll find on these pages are taken from the Eu version of the Regent, the Profile V, where it’s been out a bit longer than in the US. So expect most of these designs to make it to these shores.

At the time of writing, there’s a sizeable range of solids available – blacks, whites, grey, yellow and red. And there’s the Sensation and Bend graphics available too.

To find the latest designs to hit the Regent X, please use the links to our recommended stores below.

Best places to buy an Arai Regent X helmet?

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

Arai Regent X Video

Here’s a pretty useful 5m video from some dude trying out his new Regent X.

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

The Arai Regent X isn’t the lightest full face helmet. It weighs around 3.3lbs (1.55Kg) which is a few oz heavier than the average fiberglass full face. That slight extra weight isn’t noticeable when you’re riding though.

Arai helmets are hand built and are known for using quality materials. The Regent X is no exception with a high level of finish and build quality according to loads of owners we came across.

It seems Arai has done a good job in the wind tunnel when designing the Regent X as word is that it’s got good aero qualities, with little buffeting or lifting at speed and excellent stability, even on the track.

We also came across some riders who reckoned it’s a comfortable helmet if you’re a glasses wearer, with plenty of space at the sides to fit in the arms of glasses and a nice large face shield aperture to accommodate the lenses.

The Regent X will come with Arai’s class-leading warranty. That’s a 7 year warranty from date of manufacture, or 5 years from date of purchase.

Good Alternatives to the Arai Regent X?

If you’re after a good quality full face helmet, then we recommend you check out these bad boys.

First up and costing a bit more than the Regent X is the tried and tested, Snell Certified (and SHARP 5 star safety rated) Arai Signet X. It’s another fiberglass helmet that comes with a Pinlock insert and Arai’s Pro Shield sun shield.

If you’re after a helmet to go with your sportsbike or sports tourer, the Bell Stars have a variety of Snell & SHARP 5 star rated helmets to suit most budgets. They’re composite or carbon fiber shelled and are great helmets.

Shoei’s RF-SR is another Snell and SHARP max safety rated helmet. It’s a highly rated all-rounder helmet that comes with EQRS as well as that legendary Shoei build quality.

Finally, for the price of a Regent X, you can get the full carbon Shark Spartan. It’s super cool looking, comes with a Pinlock, and is SHARP 4 star safety rated (Euro model).

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Alternatives—full-face-helmets”]

Looking to buy an Arai Regent X?

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

Star Ratings