Bell SRT full face and modular motorcycle crash helmet

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Bell SRT helmet: a fiberglass all rounder with sportsbike-ready shield

Bell helmets are a little unusual. Unlike every helmet maker we can think of, from time to time they’ve made a full face helmet, and then they’ve decided to make a modular version of exactly the same helmet.

Which is not to say they’re doing anything wrong. In fact, it makes total sense: it saves development costs and gives riders the option of buying a helmet in a couple of different configurations.

They’ve done it before with the Revolver helmet to make the Revolver Evo. And they’ve now done it with the SRT to make the SRT Modular.

Thing is, Bell are starting to phase out the SRT full face, while the SRT modular is the new kid on the block. So we’ll focus on the flip-front version here – but you can read about the differences between the SRT full face and modular below too.

All-rounder fiberglass helmet
Modular and full face versions
Snell Certified (full face only)
Drop down sun visor (modular only)
DOT (US) and ECE (Europe) certified
Wide/tall shield
Sizes XS-XXXL (XXL Europe)
Speaker pockets
Glasses groove
5 year warranty
Expect to pay around $400

Looking to buy a Bell SRT?

Please click below to visit the Bell SRT pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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).

Bell-SRT-modular-helmet-Blackout-side-view-opened — SRT Blackout modular with chin guard fully raised

Differences between the SRT Full Face and Modular?

The SRT full face is quite a bit more of a budget helmet than the modular – or at least it’s available at a much lower price point.

Bell-SRT-full-face-crash-helmet-gloss-white-side — This one’s the SRT full face helmet

But there’s lots more.

The full face only has a partially removable interior lining. And it’s made in three shell sizes, not two. And it doesn’t have a drop down sun visor like the modular.

The full face SRT is Snell certified too, which should give you a bit of peace of mind that it’ll give you decent protection; but as we mentioned, it looks like it’s being phased out very soon. That means there are a load of good deals out there at the moment, but obviously it means soon you’ll just have the option of one – the SRT modular.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

It’s often tricky to work out how much protection a particular helmet will give.

The Bell SRT has a fiberglass shell. Fiberglass usually makes for lighter, stronger helmet shells – and they’re more likely to be found on slightly more costly helmets; or at least helmets that are pricier than most polycarbonate helmets.

And from our research*, they tend to score overall slightly higher when safety tested than polycarbonate helmets – but slightly lower than composite or carbon helmets (*SHARP testing data).

The SRT modular hasn’t been safety tested by an independent testing organisation yet (the old SRT full face was Snell certified). So there’s not much information we can turn to that’ll give us a definite answer, except for the fact it’s both ECE and DOT certified.

But if we look at how well Bell helmets have performed over the years, that might give us a pointer for how safe the SRT might be.

Bell-SRT-modular-helmet-hart-luck-skull-front-view — Front view of the modular SRT. Note all SRTs are delivered with clear shields

Bell’s last three SHARP tested helmets; the RS-1, Bullitt and Star, were all fiberglass (or the fiberglass versions were tested) and they scored between 3-5 stars out of a maximum five.

They were all full face helmets though and there’s only been one flip-up Bell helmet tested so far and that’s the ancient Bell M10. SHARP is the only testing organisation that publishes how often a chin guard comes unlocked for flip-up helmets during testing (obviously, if it comes unlocked in an accident, that’s A VERY BAD THING!) and the old M10 scored 90%, which is actually a pretty good score compared to lots of other modulars.

Other safety features?

That large panovision shield (width and height) gives more vision all-round (see shield section below for more info). It’s made in two shell sizes which ain’t many at this price point (read why here). And of course a drop down sun visor is well worth having to stop you squinting in the sun – especially when the sun’s low.

And of course, Bell are our No.2 safest helmet brand (2018).

All of which is a very long-winded way of saying we’d expect the SRT flip-front to give a decent level of protection in an accident.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

All we’d say here is that modulars are notoriously noisy.

We’ll have to wait for our full review before we’ll know more about the SRT modular, but suffice to say if you’re looking for a really quiet helmet, either buy a modular and wear the most effective ear plugs you can, or buy a full face (especially one of these quietest helmets).

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a couple of vents in the chin guard to pass air to the chin area and up onto the back of the shield.

Bell-SRT-modular-motorbike-helmet-predator-yellow-rear-view — Hi viz yellow version of the SRT Predator

Way up top, there’s also a single central vent that’ll pass air through onto your crown. Helmets with sun visors have to push the top vent quite a way back because the sun visor sits just where you want to have ventilation channels when it’s retracted.

There’s a couple of exhaust vents at the back of the helmet, but because the crown vent is so far back, we’d be surprised if the ventilation was anything more than adequate on the SRT.

But we’ll have to wait until it’s been out a while before we’ll know what owners and riders reckon to the ventilation.

Shield

(more about face shields)

There’s quite a lot going on with the shield on the SRT modular.

First up, it shares a shield with a few other helmets in the range – notably the Bell Stars. It’s what Bell calls a panovision shield, meaning that it’s wide and tall to give you good all-round vision.

Bell-SRT-modular-crash-helmet-solid-gloss-white-front — Gloss white SRT showing sun visor slider on lower edge

It goes without saying that’s important from a safety perspective – peripheral vision so you can spot stuff coming up alongside/behind that bit easier, and tall frontal vision for when you’re getting a move on with your head down, closer to the tank.

A big shield also makes for a helmet that’s easier to live with and for a more fun riding experience.

The panovision shield on the SRT is also class one optically correct, so you shouldn’t get any distortion. And it also features Bell’s quick-release shield system that owners rate as very good and means you can swap over your shield in the blink of an eye – okay a few blinks – but it is quick and easy to use.

What’s not so great is the lack of anti-fog on the SRT, and the fact there’s no Pinlock in the box – which is a real omission because a quality anti-fog system is a must for lots of us!

There is a panovision pinlock-ready shield available for the rest of the Bell Stars that should be compatible with the SRT, but the last time we looked that was over $100 (yep, you read that right!) so probably won’t be a viable option for most folks on a tighter budget.

As always, if you want a helmet that’s either Pinlock-ready or comes with a Pinlock in the box (the best solution we know of to stop your shield steaming up) check out our Pinlock Helmets section.

Bell-SRT-modular-crash-helmet-predator-black-white-side-view — Here’s the SRT Predator in black/grey/white

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

Unlike the full face version of the SRT, there’s a drop down sun visor integral to the SRT modular. We find that’s a must for daily riding and touring so that’s a definite thumbs up for the SRT flip-front.

It’s operated from a slider on the bottom left hand edge of the helmet (see white helmet photo above). We find that’s the best place to locate a slider as it’s easiest to find and use there. The only issue is you might find it limits your use of a bluetooth as it’s pretty well exactly where you’d want to stick on a communicator – something worth bearing in mind if you ride with a comms unit attached.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The SRT modular is made in two helmet shell sizes but available in internal fitment sizes XS-XXXL.

Inside, the lining is fully removable and washable and it’s antibacterial treated and moisture wicking.

There’s also grooves to accommodate glasses stems and speaker pockets in there for bluetooth speakers meaning it’s bluetooth communicator-ready.

Looks & Graphics

There’s three graphical options available at the time of writing. If you’re after a solid plain color, there’s a gloss white, gloss black and matt black available. They’ve also launched the Predator graphics, available in Blackout (classy grey version) as well as copper, yellow hi viz and black white. There’s also a single Hart Luck design.

Please click below to visit our recommended retailers where you’ll find the latest available designs and deals.

Best places to buy a Bell SRT?

Please click below to visit the Bell SRT helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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

If you’re looking for a modular helmet from a maker who knows how to build quality helmets and that’s been in the business for eons (OK since 1954 – but that’s pretty much the same thing), then the Bell SRT modular is well worth checking out.

OK there are some great modulars available for much less money and which offer more features (and we’ve included a couple of those in our Alternatives section below), but the Bell SRT looks a class act. And with the flexibility to work as your daily commuter lid as well as on your sportsbike; and with all the main features you’ll want on a modular (except a Pinlock) it looks like a decent buy.

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Good Alternatives to the Bell SRT?

Of course, you’ll want to check out lots of helmets before you take the plunge – and there’s some great all-rounder modular helmets out there (you can check out our top 10 modulars here or view all our modular helmet reviews here).

Bell-SRT-modular-helmet-hart-luck-skull-side-view — Bell SRT modular in Hart Luck graphics

First up, there’s the SHARP 4 star safety rated HJC IS Max II. It’s been around for years but that’s because it’s great value, has a sun visor, is comfortable and well ventilated and it has a Pinlock-ready shield (but it’s not in the box).

The 4 star safety rated Shark Evo-One II is Pinlock ready too. Owners say it’s easy to live with too and has great ventilation – but it’s a smidge pricier than the Bell.

At about half the price though, is the 4 star safety rated AGV Numo Evo. Sun visor, comfortable: it’s a quality helmet (though like most modulars, it’s pretty noisy).

Looking to buy a Bell SRT?

Please click below to visit the Bell SRT pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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).

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Caberg Duke II Modular Crash Helmet Review

The Caberg Duke II is the follow up to the popular SHARP 5 star rated modular/flip up crash helmet, the Duke I.

On the face of things, it’s not hard to see why it’s popular because it ticks all the right boxes – it’s pretty light, looks cool, it’s independently tested to be about as safe as they come (SHARP 5 star rating in the UK) and it has a host of useful features like a integral sun visor lockable chin guard.

That’s all fine and dandy, but if it doesn’t do the basics right, then it’s going to be a pain to live (and ride) with right?

SHARP 5 star safety rated (UK helmet)
Modular/flip up
Approved for use open or closed
ECE 22.05 approved
Pinlock anti-fog included
Drop down sun visor
Micrometric fastener
3.4lbs/1550g (light for a modular)
Typical price range: $200-$250

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Safety

(more about helmet safety)

caberg-duke-2-modular-motorcycle-helmet-in-Legend-red-white-rear-view — Rear view of the Duke II Legend in red

The Duke’s shell is made of a thermoplastic – ABS to be precise. Old timers like me tend to sneer at plastic helmets as being inferior to fiberglass or kevlar – but it’s all pretty baseless. Thermoplastics make for low cost, lightweight, durable and, ultimately, safe helmets – you don’t score 5 stars in a SHARP test by making a flimsy helmet shell.

The old Duke I scored 5 stars for safety by SHARP, and so too has the Duke II – which is not surprising really because they’re very similar helmets.

Inside the helmet, there’s the usual dual-density polystyrene to absorb impacts and beneath that a fully removable/washable lining. All present and correct there.

A couple of owners have also commented that the shell size seems to be externally slightly smaller than previous crash helmets they’ve owned, meaning looking back and life-savers are that much easier. This is probably a comment from people with larger helmet sizes because the Duke is only available in one shell size meaning for wearers of larger helmets, it’ll feel smaller – see later.

Folks also reckon the the visor aperture is slightly narrower than most – not enough to cause any problems though, but you might find it noticeable.

But what’s great about the Caberg Duke II is that SHARP 5 safety rating (tested on a UK helmet). However, that’s not the entire picture – read the chin bar section below for more.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

The Duke has been wind-tunnel designed and owners reckon that’s made a helmet with a slippery shape that many owners reckon has noticeably less buffeting that other helmets. And of course, good aero will also help with reducing wind noise too.

caberg-duke-2-modular-motorcycle-helmet-in-Legend-black-fluo-yellow-front-view — Another Duke 2 Legend – this time black and Fluo Yellow

In fact, several owners commented that they don’t ride with ear plugs in with the Duke because it’s so quiet – which is astonishing for any helmet never mind a flip-up.

However, despite a few positive comments like this, overall it’s fair to say the Duke is about average for noise suppression. It’s quiet for a modular, but they’re usually noisy compared to full face helmets.

The Caberg Duke II is available in the usual plain colors as well as a couple of hi-vis options such as the plain hi-viz yellow or the Legend black/fluo. Other options are variants on the dual racing-stripes (was it Gulf that started that design originally?) which is called the Duke II Legend (in red or black versions).

For the latest graphics and deals, please click links through to our recommended retailers below.

Ventilation & Shield

Onto ventilation – and again the Duke scores well.

It has effective chin and forehead vents that pull air in up over the face and through channels in the polystyrene liner to give a decent amount of ventilation.

The top vent has a big slider to open/close it and it’s easy to use even with your winter gloves on. They’re not enough to stop the main shield steaming up on its own (they never are) but despite being one of the lower-priced helmets, the Duke comes with a Pinlock anti-fog insert in the box, which is outstanding value and, as we always mention, Pinlocks really do work in all but the most extreme circumstances (like if you’re sat in freezing temperatures, at the lights in the rain – but that’s about it!)

caberg-duke-2-modular-motorcycle-helmet-in-metal-white-side-view — Drop down sun visor and Pinlock visor on the Duke Metal

Sun Visor

The Duke comes with a sun visor too – there’s a slider on the top of the lid to open/close it and it can be stopped at any point in between (not all helmets with sun visors can, which is a nuisance for some riders).

The only down side here is that locating the sun visor slider on the top of the helmet is a bit inconvenient and it’s easy to start fiddling with the top vents when you’re trying to find it.

Even though internal visors are tucked away in the helmet shell, they can steam up in the cold/damp; I’ve yet to find one that doesn’t. So, if you do lots of cold weather riding, some anti-fog spray might be useful. However, the sun visor is optically very good so all in all it’s one of the best.

Chin Bar

The flip up chin bar is easy to use, with a large central button to press before the chin bar raises.

The Duke has been dual-homologated for use on the road. That’s a Euro thing meaning it’s designed to be ridden with the chin bar in either the full-face position or with the chin bar up – not all are so beware.

To ride with the chin guard up, there’s a little P/J slider (P & J refers to the ECE homologation code for closed or open) that you must use to release the chin bar and then lock it in the open position. A lock’s a good touch to stop the chin guard dropping down, although I’m not sure I’d want to have an ‘off’ with the chin guard up as it could easily catch and rotate the helmet. That’s something you definitely don’t want to happen during an accident!

I mentioned in the safety section that there’s more to it than that SHARP 5 star rating. That’s because when SHARP does their testing, they take note of how often the chin bar remains fully locked and closed.

In the case of the Caberg Duke II, it managed it 90% of the time out of 32 impact tests (up from 87% with the old Duke I).

Believe it or not, that’s actually a very good score for a flip-up helmet; though we’ve removed half a star from our overall star rating below because it still compromises safety in an accident.

caberg-duke-2-modular-motorcycle-helmet-in-Legend-black-white-side-view — Legend in gloss black with the chin bar up and locked. Note P/J locking slider near visor pivot

Any Downsides?

Well one or two folks think it feels a bit cheap and the shell only comes in one size. That means if you’re an XS you’ll get the same outer shell size as the XL – which might make it look massive on you.

A few people reported that there’s not much room for their chin (it seems to be only the occasional modular helmet that has this sort of problem) so if yours is particularly large or pointy, you might want to try before you buy – or buy from our recommended retailers who don’t quibble if you want a refund.

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Other stuff – Fastener and Communications

It has a nice and easy micrometric fastener which we like very much and it’s also Caberg Just Speak Communicator-ready.

caberg-duke-2-modular-motorcycle-helmet-in-matt-gun-metal-side-view — Mean looking matt gunmetal Duke

Overall/Summary

Just like the old Duke, it’s pretty hard to fault the Caberg Duke II – and very few owners do.

We knew before we started that the Duke II looked great on paper and were wondering if it covers off all the basics to make it a good real-world helmet that’s easy to live with.

And we’re happy to report that according to owners, it sure does. It’s comfortable, light weight and reasonably quiet (for a modular!) and has a host of nice touches that make the Duke 2 a superb all rounder.

And it comes with that excellent SHARP 5 star safety rating, all at an extremely competitive price too.

Very well done Caberg – at the time of writing, the Caberg Duke is one of our top-rated flip-up helmets.
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Alternatives to the Caberg Duke II?

Modular/Flip-up helmets are increasingly popular at the moment so there’s masses of great alternatives out there.

There’s the Shoei Neotech which has similar features and is all day comfortable – though it’s much more expensive and only scored 4 on the SHARP safety test (though the chin guard stayed closed a creditable 93% of the time when being tested). There’s some deals to be had though because it’s been replaced by the Neotech II.

There’s also the excellent AGV Numo Evo which is a SHARP 4 star safety rated modular that owners say is both comfortable and well ventilated.

Or how about the HJC IS Max II; that’s another SHARP 4 star rated modular helmet for around the same money as the Duke, with an internal sun visor and that’s comfortable and well ventilated.

caberg-duke-2-hi-vizion-modular-motorcycle-helmet-guard-up-view — This one’s the Duke 2 Hi Vizion with chin bar in its locked-up position

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LS2s budget adventure dual sport helmet: the LS2 Blaze

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Review of the LS2 Blaze: LS2s adventure/dual sport motorcycle crash helmet.

LS2 launched the original Blaze as the Pioneer and as LS2’s entry-level adventure helmet. LS2 say it’s made from a Kinetic Polymer Alloy. That’s a fancy name for plastic with a sprinkling of aramid fibers as far as I can tell – but that’s no problem as thermoplastic lids are among the best performing motorcycle helmets.

The older Pioneer ticks quite a few boxes on the features list too. Not only was it designed to work on and off road, but there’s a drop down sun visor as well as a sun peak/roost guard; and it’s got EQRS too.

The Pioneer was a decent seller but there were one or two issues with it. So LS2 had a bash at sorting those and relaunched the Pioneer as the LS2 Blaze in the US.

So read on, dear friend, to find out the pros and cons of the Blaze (and find links to some juicy dual-sport alternatives at the bottom of the article too).

Polycarbonate shelled dual sports helmet
DOT and ECE certified
Class A optically correct shield
Drop down sun visor
EQRS
Micrometric fastener
3.2lbs (1.45Kg)
3 Shell sizes
Sizes XXS-XXXL
Expect to pay $160-$190

Looking to buy an LS2 Blaze?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Blaze helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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).

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The LS2 Blaze is both DOT and ECE 22.05 certified. That means it should offer a decent level of protection if you have a spill.

ls2-pioneer-titanium-adventure-motorcycle-helmet-rear-view- — No it’s not matt black – it’s titanium!

Beyond that, its been fitted with EQRS which is the emergency quick removal system that allows paramedics to quickly remove the helmet’s cheek pads to more easily take the helmet off an injured rider. If you’re gonna be taking your Blaze onto the dirt, having a spill is obviously much more likely – so we’d say EQRS is a must.

The Blaze has also been fitted with a micrometric fastener – which are safe and really easy to use. And there’s a nice large, optically correct shield in there to give good, clear all round vision.

On the dirt riding side, there’s a flexible roost-guard/sun peak that’ll come in very useful for keeping your vision clear in the sun or when you’re stuck behind another rider who’s kicking up the dust!

It is made in three helmet shell sizes too; that’s a decent number for what’s an entry level helmet. That’s good for safety because it means you’re getting the right amount of EPS shock absorbing lining for any given shell size. It also means you’re not carrying around more helmet shell material/weight than you need to – because any extra weight adds more inertial weight to your head and neck during an accident, and that’s not good.

ls2-pioneer-element-off-road-adventure-bike-helmet- — Side view of the LS2 Pioneer in Element graphics. Looks identical to the Blaze except for the chin bar vent design.

Of course, we always check out whether a helmet’s been tested by independent testing labs too.

The LS2 Blaze hasn’t been tested by either Snell or SHARP, which is a shame. But we can tell you that ECE certified LS2 polycarbonate helmets have scored an average of about 3.1 stars out of a maximum 5 stars when the UK SHARP testing labs has tested them in the past.

They’ve only tested one KPA shelled LS2 so far (the Valiant) and that scored four stars out of five – which is encouraging.

Obviously, looking back to past scores isn’t going to be a 100% accurate indicator of how well the Blaze might score if Snell or SHARP tested it today, but we would reckon it’d probably score reasonably well. It’s fairly unlikely it’ll be up there with our best performing helmets for safety, but since their last three polycarbonate helmets have scored anywhere between two and four stars, we’d kinda expect the Blaze to score somewhere similar.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

The old Pioneer was a bit of a noise box. In fact it was probably the biggest fault with it and undoubtedly one of the main reasons that LS2 decided to fiddle with the helmet a bit and come up with the Blaze.

Several Pioneer riders reckoned that because there are so many vents – including side vents near the ears – that it lets in a lot of noise as well as air.

Of course, just like with most helmets, if you always push in some decent ear plugs, pretty well any helmet will be manageable. But the old Pioneer’s not ideal in this respect.

The good news is that if you go for the LS2 Blaze, most owners reckon it’s a nice quiet helmet, so well done LS2 for listening to your customers!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Matt black version. Triangular thing on the side is the anchor for the chin strap.

LS2 obviously wanted the Blaze to vent massively well because they’ve added a ton of vent holes. But here’s a big point to note – only the chin vent can be closed off; all the others are always open. So if you live somewhere wet (like I do) that might well be a deal breaker for you.

On the front/lower of the helmet there’s that single chin vent which is opened/closed by a slider on the inside of the chin guard. Unlike quite a few dirt bike helmets, the chin vent doesn’t have a removable filter so you can clean it – it’s fixed in place.

There’s also a couple of other vents to either side of the chin guard in those air scoops – which have the added bonus of making the helmet looking pretty cool too!

Above the shield are a pair of brow vents – all taking air into channels in the internal lining and towards the scalp then out through a bunch of exhaust vents to the rear.

And there’s even a couple of vents at each side of the shield to help keep both shields clear.

Overall though, if you like riding off road and tend to get sweaty – or you just need a helmet that keeps you cool – then the Blazelets lots of air in and does a great job of keeping you well ventilated.

Shield and Goggles

(more about shields)

LS2 Blaze matte titanium — Side view of the Matte Titanium LS2 Blaze for comparison

There’s a nice large clear shield up front and, as is pretty common with LS2s, it’s a class A optically correct shield, meaning you shouldn’t have to worry about distortion (not that we’ve ever really found it a problem with non-optically correct shields!).

The old V1 Pioneer didn’t have the option for any sort of anti-fog insert like a Pinlock – instead, LS2 bunged on their own antifog coating which was OK but didn’t give the same levels of anti-mist performance as a Pinlock.

Again, LS2 appear to have listened to our moans and groans and have now given the Blaze a Pinlock-ready face shield. OK, so the insert isn’t included in the box when you buy it, but if you really need a decent antifog solution on your helmet, then at least you can shell out the $30ish extra and get a Max Vision in there which should solve all your fogging woes. Job done.

It has a nice large central opening tab to open/close the shield and the shield itself works on friction so there’s no ratchet here.

And if you ever like to pull off the shield (surprisingly easy to do) and push on some goggles, reports are that goggles work well with the Blaze because there’s plenty of space to go at – just about fitting a pair of Oakley Airbrakes in there with a nice groove in the rear moulding to keep the strap in place.

Sun Visor & Peak

(more about sun visors)

The LS2 Blaze has both a drop down internal sun visor as well as an external roost guard/peak.

That peak can be slightly adjusted by loosening off the plastic screws allowing it to slide backwards, raising or lowering the peak a little. It’s been made from a flexible plastic so it will break off in an accident and won’t dig in and spin the helmet, which is a good feature for safety.

It looks the part and works well too according to a couple of owners who say it’s got good aero characteristics, with little buffeting or drag – even at freeway speeds.

The drop down sun visor is operated by a slider on the left hand side of the helmet. That’s one of the better locations for a sun visor slider as it’s easy to reach and find when you’re on the move.

Owners reckon it’s easy to operate too, though if you’re not a fan of sun visors that leave a stripe of light at the bottom, you might be disappointed with the Blaze in this respect.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Blaze is a breathable and hypoallergenic comfort lining that’s removable and washable.

It also has EQRS – a system that’s there to allow paramedics to more easily remove your helmet by quickly pulling the cheek pads out of the bottom of the helmet. EQRS is a great feature to have on any helmet – but especially on an adventure helmet that might well be taken off-road.

The Blaze’s also been designed to more comfortably accommodate glasses by using a more ‘giving’ foam in each side of the lining to stop the stems of glasses being pushed into the side of your head.

Some good news is that the Blaze is now available up to sizes XXXL, so if you’ve a bigger longer head, it’s happy days for you too.

Quite a few owners reckon that it’s a very comfortable helmet, but several also said that the comfort liner can squeeze your cheeks quite a bit. Some helmet brands are a bit more prone to this (looking at you HJC!) although it’s not necessarily a problem as long as it’s not uncomfortable and the helmet fits securely.

A few owners also said the helmet tends to size a bit on the small size so if you’re between sizes, you might well be best going for a size up.

Because of both these potential issues, we recommend checking out where you buy from so you can return it once you’ve tried it without incurring costs (our recommended retailers will do this with some even paying the return postage).

Looks & Graphics

There’s a really wide range of graphic options available and we’ve dropped images of the white and black versions on the page, along with the classy titanium and element.

And, as always, helmet makers keep on bringing out new graphics, so to see the latest designs and deals, please click through to our recommended retailers that stock LS2 helmets using the links below.

Best places to buy an LS2 Blaze?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Blaze helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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).

LS2 Blaze Video

Here’s a 13m vid looking around the Pioneer Evo (the name for the Blaze in Europe) including some road testing. Note: in the US the Blaze is medium oval, not long oval.

Other stuff – audio, weight, warranty

LS2 haven’t really thought about bluetooth communicators because there aren’t any speaker pockets on the Blaze. People have tried – including people cutting into the EPS which definitely isn’t recommended – but it doesn’t really work.

So if fitting a bluetooth headset is a must for you – I’d say move away from the Blazes and check out communications-ready helmets or helmets with integrated headsets instead!

The Blaze weighs in around 3.2lbs (that’s 1.45Kg) which is not bad at all, because the average polycarb helmet is around 3.5lbs (1.6Kg), meaning LS2 has managed to shave quite a bit of weight off the Blaze.

At the time of writing, LS2 helmets come with a stingy 1 year guarantee in the US.

LS2 Blaze rear view — Rear view of the solid white LS2 Blaze

Overall/Summary

The LS2 Blaze is a great buy. It’s got a good spec, including quick release micrometric strap, EQRS, Pinlock ready shield, tons of vents (although that can be good and bad because most are always open) and drop down sun visor.

Not only is it well specced and looks the part for a dual-sport helmet, but it’s amazing value too. OK it’s a plastic shelled helmet – so it’s going to be at the cheaper end of the market – and there’s a small question mark about how protective some plastic LS2s are.

But it is DOT certified (and ECE 22.05 in Europe) like every other helmet so should be decent in that respect.

But if you’re after an excellent value for money lid, one that’ll suit everything from commuting to touring with a spot of offroading, then the LS2 Blaze is well worth a look.

Looking to buy an LS2 Blaze?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Blaze helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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).

Good Alternatives to the LS2 Blaze?

The Caberg Tourmax is well worth looking at because it’s a SHARP 5 star safety rated modular adventure helmet. And while it’s a bit on the weighty side, it’s well priced and rated highly for comfort and ventilation.

There’s also the well-rated Shoei Hornet X2 family of adventure helmets. They’re ECE, DOT and Snell safety rated, fiberglass shelled and come with EQRS. Though being a Shoei, it does cost a heap more than the LS2.

Bell MX-9s are only a tad more expensive than the Blaze – plus they come with a 5 year warranty. And you get to choose from either motocross or adventure bike versions with the Bell.

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Scorpion Exo R710 motorcycle crash helmet review

Scorpion-exo-r710-updated-deals-featured

Page Contents

The Scorpion Exo-R710 review: a great value, sporty fiberglass full face helmet

The Scorpion Exo-R710 is a fiberglass-shelled full face helmet, designed with a nod towards the sportier side of riding.

That’s because there’s a nice large shield on there that’s suitable for the more ‘lean-forward’ type of riding position that you’ll find on a sportsbike and because it’s been aerodynamically sculpted to reduce buffeting and wind resistance. It’s not an out-and-out full-on track helmet, but if you ride with your head tucked down from time to time and upright the rest, it might well be a good fit for you.

The R710 is available at a very attractive price point too, which puts this well-featured fiberglass helmet within the reach of most folks, whether using it for a daily commute or canyon carving.

Here’s what the Scorpion Exo-R710 offers and what owners think of theirs.

scorpion-exo-710-air-motorcycle-helmet-furio-blue-white-side-view — This one’s the R710 in Furio design.

Fiberglass full face helmet
Snell tested/certified
SHARP 3 star rated
DOT and ECE certified
Double-D ring fastener
3lbs (1.35Kg) – that’s light
3 shell sizes
5 Year warranty
Expect to pay around $159-$209

Looking to buy a Scorpion Exo R710?

The R710’s now been discontinued, but the last time we checked it was still available on Amazon. Please click below to drop onto their Scorpion R710 helmet page, and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The Scorpion Exo-R710 is both DOT certified in the US and ECE 22-05 tested/certified in Europe (actually, it’s called the 710 Air in the Europe but it’s almost the same lid).

But above that, it’s been SHARP tested in the UK – where it scored 3/5 stars – and Snell M2015 tested/approved in the US.

scorpion-exo-r710-motorcycle-crash-helmet-hypersilver-rear-view — Rear view of the R710 (US version) of the hypersilver

Looking at those stats, we’d expect the 710 to give you decent protection in an impact – though arguably not as good as one of these safest helmets (to qualify for our safest helmets section, a helmet has to be SHARP 4 or 5 rated).

As always, it’s worth being aware that getting a helmet that fits just right is your number one priority when buying a helmet – so make sure it fits spot on before worrying about being Snell approved or having a high SHARP rating.

OK, so that’s the ‘official’ box-ticking done. But what other safety features are there on the Exo R710?

It’s manufactured in 3 helmet shell sizes – that’s good for safety, fitting and looks.

And it comes with EQRS – that’s the system that allows for quick removal of the cheek pads to help emergency services get your helmet off more easily. It’s one of those things that hopefully you’ll never need – but is good to have on your helmet anyhow.

It’s got a good old reliable double-d ring fastener to keep it tight on your head too.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

scorpion-exo-710-air-gloss-white-side-view — Plain white Scorpion 710 Air – note shield lock next to the shield.

Most of us like a helmet that suppresses noise well, but they’re few and far between.

From all the comments we’ve found about the Scorpion Exo R710, it’s about average for noise with about half saying it’s noisy and half saying it’s quiet (and lots of comments in between).

Check the title link above to find out more information about why this might be, or click through for links to our quietest helmets.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s quite a few vents in the shell of the R710. Up top, there’s three vents – one in the center above the shield (2 position slider) and a couple of crown vents (again, a 2 position slider) – all relatively easy to find and operate in gloves once you’ve had a bit of practice.

scorpion-exo-r710-motorcycle-crash-helmet-matt-black-front-view — Matt black R710 – note all helmets are supplied with clear shields

These top vents feed air through the shell and through some generous air channels cut into the polystyrene lining, which will take air to circulate around your scalp. All that warmer, moist air will then vent the rear where there’s a single central exhaust vent under the small rear spoiler and a couple of side exhausts too.

The whole thing seems to vent very well because we didn’t come across a bad word said by any owners about the ventilation. Lots of people said they can feel a ton of ventilation coming through and that the Scorpion R710 keeps their heads cool even on a long day of riding in the summer sun.

Down below, the central chin vent has a 3 position slider; the fully-open position vents to both chin and shield, intermediate directs air towards the shield only, and there’s a fully closed position.

These bottom vents are less effective, though used in conjunction with the EverClear anti-fog coated face shield, should keep your vision clear under most conditions.

Shield

(more about shields)

The Scorpion Exo-R710 has Scorpion’s Ellip-Tec shield system. That’s a system that’s designed to pull the shield towards the rubber gasket when closed, making for a tighter seal that more effectively keeps rain, noise and wind out.

scorpion-exo-r710-motorcycle-crash-helmet-transect-black-red-side-view — This one’s an R710 in Transect black/red

It’s also designed to make the quick-change shield quicker and easier still – Scorpion reckons it takes about 10 seconds to swap out the shield. That’s quick and something I doubted – though one owner reckoned it takes him about 5 seconds so maybe it’s not that optimistic!

Either way, expect it to take a little learning and practice before you get the hang of it and manage to hit those super fast times!

The Ellip-Tec system works by using springs in the shield pivot to pull the shield away from the sealing gasket. Then as you raise the shield to the fully-open position, it pulls it back in again by a few mm towards the helmet. Clever.

In the US, the R-710’s shield comes EverClear anti-fog coated, which is generally reckoned to be pretty good – as long as you don’t encounter more extreme weather types.

It’s also worth noting that while there’s no sun shield on the Exo R710, all clear shields made from polycarbonate have excellent anti-UV properties (broadly around 99%) – so while you might be squinting into the sunlight, you’re still actually getting a ton of UV protection.

Finally on the shield system, the Exo R710 has a small lever bottom-left of the shield that’s there to either lock the shield closed or allow you to crack it open slightly. A few owners said they find this feature really useful.

Note: all Scorpion Exo 710 Airs are sold with a clear shield – even though their promo shots show most with dark shields.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Scorpion Exo R710 is a comfort lining made from a moisture-wicking, antimicrobial material that Scorpion calls its KwickWick2 liner. It’s also fully removable and washable.

Note, the interior is one of the key differences between the US R710 and European 710 Air.

The R710 has EQRS – that’s a safety system designed to help emergency services quickly remove the cheek pads (and therefore the helmet) after an accident. Look for the red tabs on the bottom of the helmet that indicate EQRS is present.

scorpion-exo-710-air-crash-helmet-spirit-black-side-view — Mandatory moody side view of a demi-gloss 710 Air Spirit

On the 710 Air, there’s an airpump system – called AirFit – that you’ll find in several Scorpion helmets. Press a small pump located in the chin guard to inflate small air bladders in the cheek pads to squeeze them in a little and tighten the fit. There’s also a release valve next to it to deflate them again.

There’s mixed reviews as to how useful the AirFit system is. I guess it comes down to personal preference – the occasional person says they love it but I get the impression most folks don’t bother with it beyond an initial play.

Inside both helmets, the shape/fitment of the Exo R710 is medium oval, which means it should fit most heads (unless you’re an overtly rounder headed person where you might find it a bit tight on the sides).

Owners overwhelmingly like how comfy the Scorpion R710 is. OK, you’ve got to make sure it’s a nice, snug fit in the first place (follow our helmet fitting guide) but if the shape’s right and you buy the right size, other riders reckon it’s somewhere between good and very comfortable.

scorpion-exo-710-air-motorcycle-helmet-air-line-side-view — 710 Air in Airline graphics

That comfort level’s gotta be helped by its lightweight fiberglass shell. It weighs in around 3lbs (1.35Kg) which is well under the 3.3LBS (1.49) average weight for a fiberglass full face helmet. And sure enough, several owners say it feels really light weight when they’re riding.

Finally on comfort, three people we came across said they found the helmet sizes a bit small – meaning they needed a size up on their usual helmet size. So if you measure your head and find yourself on the cusp between sizes, it might be worth going for the larger size – or ordering both, provided you buy with a shop that’ll refund without fuss (such as our recommended retailers).

Though remember – don’t try it on the road or remove any tags/stickers before you try and return it. There isn’t an online retailer in the land that’ll refund a helmet that’s not been returned in the same condition you took it out of the box – and that includes all tags, stickers and shield-vinyls.

Looks & Graphics

As usual, we’ve put a wide range of graphics up and down the page. Note: there’s both US R710s and European Scorpion Exo 701 Airs pictured on this page. You can tell which is which by the captions – or failing that the 701 Air has a Pinlock shield so you’ll be able to see the round Pinlock Pins on the shield – like on the Airline above.

For the full selection of graphics and the latest deals – please click through to our recommended retailers using the links below. Thanks!

Best places to buy a Scorpion Exo R710?

The R710’s now been discontinued, but the last time we checked it was still available on Amazon. Please click below to drop onto their Scorpion R710 helmet page, and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Scorpion Exo-R710 Video

Here’s an 8m look around the R710.

Other stuff – fasteners, audio, weight, glasses, chin curtain, warranty

The R710 comes with a double-d ring fastener.

It has decent sized speaker pockets to fit bluetooth communicator speakers and a large flat external area to fit most 3rd party communicators.

Inside the helmet there’s a pair of glasses grooves to help you slot the stems of your glasses in without them pressing into the side of your head.

The Exo-R710 comes with both a detachable breath guard and chin curtain installed.

And finally, it comes with a full five year warranty.

Overall/Summary

scorpion-exo-r710-motorcycle-crash-helmet-golden-state-top-view — Top down view of the R710 Golden State

The Scorpion Exo-R710 is well liked by owners and it’s not hard to see why. For not very much cash, you get a light weight, fiberglass full face helmet that’s versatile enough to work on sportsbikes and more upright motorcycles too.

It’s got great ventilation and an innovative quick release shield system. And it’s got a good quality interior that includes EQRS, designed to help quickly remove the helmet after an accident.

It dropped a couple of safety points because, even though it is DOT, ECE and Snell certified, it ‘only’ scored 3/5 in the SHARP helmet safety test. But remember

So if you’re looking for a great, light weight all rounder that’ll cover you for pretty well all types of riding but will give you change out of a couple of hundred quid, then the Scorpion Exo-R710 is well worth trying out.

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Good Alternatives to the Scorpion Exo-R710

If you’re after a great value full face helmet, then here’s some fantastic lids to check out.

Shoei’s RF-SR is an excellent Snell M2015 approved, SHARP 5 star safety rated full face that’s got EQRS and has great ventilation. It’s a good bit more expensive than the Scorpion though.

The HJC FG-17 isn’t though – that can be had for around the same money as the R710; plus it’s SHARP 4 star safety rated and Snell approved, has a fiberglass shell and, though it’s designed to work well on sportsbikes, it’s a solid all-rounder too.

Or for a more unusual option, there’s the LS2 FF323 Arrow. That’s a smidge more than the Scorp, but for the money, you’ll get a full on track-developed sportsbike helmet, that’s DOT, ECE and SHARP 4 star rated and has an optically-correct shield – and it’s just as light as the R710 too.

Looking to buy a Scorpion Exo R710?

The R710’s now been discontinued, but the last time we checked it was still available on Amazon. Please click below to drop onto their Scorpion R710 helmet page, and if you buy from them, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

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Star Ratings

X-Lite X-1004 Composite/Carbon Fiber modular helmet

Page Contents

X-Lite’s X-1004 composite fiber flip-up/modular helmet review

The X-Lite X-1004 is the replacement of the old X-1003. It’s a composite fiber-shelled modular/flip-front helmet with an integral sun visor that’s dual-homologated, meaning it’s designed to be used with the chin guard up or down, like a full face helmet.

The old X-1003 was a great helmet – a SHARP 4 star safety rated helmet (not Snell tested) at a reasonable cost that packed in a host of useful features. On the surface, this new X-1004 seems to offer the same range of features but its price has rocketed. It’s new to the market so we’ll have to wait a while before we can find out if it’s worth the extra doe – although if you’re wanting a new modular helmet, you can check out our tried-and-tested recommended alternatives list at the bottom of the page.

But for now, here’s what the X-Lite X-1004 has to offer.

Flip-up helmet
Both composite fiber and carbon fiber versions
SHARP 4 star safety rated (out of 5)
Dual homologated (Europe relevant only)
Glasses groove
Integral sun visor
Micrometric fastener
Sizes XXS- XXL
5 year warranty
Expect to pay $570 (composite) $625 (carbon fiber)
The X-Lite X-1004 Nordhelle is available in yellow (pictured) pink, white and black versions

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Safety

X-Lite helmets have an excellent reputation for safety. The X-Lite X-1004 hasn’t yet been safety tested by SHARP, but of the ten helmets tested so far, they’ve never scored below four stars (out of five) which is an amazing score!

Which means of course, the X-Lite X-1004’s predecessors, the X-1002 and X-1003, both scored four stars at SHARP.

And guess what? The X-1004’s now been tested at SHARP and scored a surprising 4 stars too. Which is obviously no surprise but still a great score.

The X-Lite X-1004 is also ECE 22-05 certified (but no word on DOT yet) and it’s been dual-homologated in the EU, meaning it’s designed to be worn while riding as both a full-face and with the chin guard up.

Of course, most of us are going to be using our flip-up helmets with the chin guard down while we’re riding, so we expect the chin guard to give us decent protection. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Thankfully, SHARP reports on how often chin guards stay locked and closed during their impact testing. So far, both the X-1002 and X-1003 ‘system’ helmets (as they call flip-up helmets) have been tested, with the 1002 scoring 100% and the 1003 scoring 97%, meaning that’s the percentage of test impacts the chin guards stayed closed and locked.

Obviously, the X1004 chin guard has been tested too and that remedied the tiny slip-up they saw on the 1003 and scored 100% again.

X-Lite are obviously doing A LOT right when it comes to helmet safety!

x-lite-x-1004-flip-front-motorcycle-crash-helmet-front-view-matt-black — Matt Black X-1004 showing double crown vent and single chin vent – plus double-button chin guard mechanism (in red)

The shell of the X-1004 is made of composite fiber but there’s also a carbon fiber version (see pics below). However, looking the the price difference of the carbon and composite versions and the wording on the X-lite website (high carbon content), I suspect the carbon fiber version is just the composite fiber version of the helmet with a carbon fiber final wrap to give that lovely carbon fiber look. Could be wrong but it very much looks that way.

Either way, the carbon version looks fantastic. Of course, if it is just a carbon fiber wrap over a composite shell, it’ll weigh about the same as the normal composite version.

But at least you’re getting that cool carbon-fiber look for only $50ish more than the regular composite helmet. Win-win!

The X-Lite X-1004 is made in three helmet shell sizes. That’s good: the more shell sizes used, the better for safety we reckon (read here why) and the helmet will look better as it’ll be more in proportion to your body size.

It also comes with a Pinlock-ready shield – though without a Pinlock insert in the box. So we’d suggest forking out the $35(ish) for a Pinlock if you buy an X-1004 as they’re a real must for safety and will save you fiddling around trying to clear your shield and taking your eyes off the road when you’re riding along.

Same goes with the drop down sun visor – it’ll save you being dazzled and allow you to concentrate on the important job of spotting hazards. A sun visor’s a must in my book these days.

Finally, the X-1004 comes with a micrometric 2 fastener. Micrometrics are really easy to use and very safe; and the micrometric 2 has an extra safety feature to prevent the (unlikely) accidental opening of the buckle.

All of which means it very much looks like X-lite have covered all the bases with the safety of the X-1004.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

If you’re after a really quiet helmet, then you’re best stepping away from a modular because they’re generally much noisier than a full face.

And you should probably start running away from the X-1004 because most owners reckon it’s a really noisy helmet, period.

Actually, that’s not entirely true because a couple of owners we found said it’s pretty quiet – just that everyone else disagreed!

To be more specific, it seems a ton of noise comes in through those excellent top vents. Close them and things quieten down; open them and it gets all noisy again.

Also, quite a few folks reckoned the shield whistles. I doubt everyone has the problem but we found about half a dozen who did: when the shield’s up (or nearly up) it whistles. Move your head a bit and it stops – so it sounds like it’s definitely the shield to blame.

In fact one reviewer we came across actually swapped shields with his old X-1003 and found it made the 1003 whistle and the 1004 was now quiet!

It might be that X-Lite push out a new version with these faults fixed soon. But until they do – either stick in some decent ear plugs (which you should probably already do) or use our smart filters to find a modular with exactly the features you’re looking for.

x-lite-x-1004-ultra-carbon-dyad-modular-motorcycle-crash-helmet-side-view — Carbon version with chin guard down…

Ventilation

The X-Lite X-1004 has an interesting double crown vent system – what X-Lite call their Touring Ventilation System. Air is directed through these two vents and through the usual channels in the expanded polystyrene lining and then around the scalp. This time X-Lite has used netting inside the comfort liner of the helmet to allow air to get to the head before being expelled from the helmet via the rear exhaust vent incorporated in the spoiler to the rear.

Does it work? According to owners it works really well – you can feel lots of air entering the top of the helmet. The only drawback is that lots of noise gets in too (see Helmet Noise section).

There’s also ventilation in the chin vent, operated by a small slider below the vent, which takes air directly onto the back of the visor to help keep the visor fog-free.

x-lite-x-1004-ultra-carbon-dyad-modular-crash-helmet-flip-up-view — Carbon X-1004 with chin guard fully open

It’s pretty much the same system used on the outgoing X-1003 and owners reckoned it worked well there. However this time, a few X-1004 owners said vent doesn’t quite close so there’s always air getting in, which they find a bit of a pain.

So a mixed bag for ventilation on the X-1004 – some good, some not so good.

Shield & Sun Visor

There’s both a wide, clear main visor as well as an internal drop-down sun visor with the X-1004.

That main shield is Pinlock-ready but, disappointingly for a reasonably expensive helmet, there’s no Pinlock anti-fog insert included in the box.

If you do decide to buy a Pinlock for your X-1004 (and we reckon you very much should) then X-lite has an interesting Pinlock system that’s designed to allow you to fit the Pinlock without removing the shield and adjust it once in place to ensure you get the best seal.

If you’re a fan of shields that work on a ratchet (rather than friction) and like your shield opening tab in the bottom, middle of the shield, then you’re in luck with the X-Lite X-1004.

One drawback noted by a few owners though – the field of view is pretty narrow on the X-1004. So, if you like a nice wide shield on your helmet; one that gives masses of peripheral vision, then maybe check out our helmets with wide shields page instead.

There’s also the issue of shield whistling reported by some owners (see Helmet Noise section) so that’s one to be aware of if you’re thinking about buying an X1004.

x-lite-x-1004-hi-viz-motorcycle-crash-helmet-side-view — Hi-Viz version of the X-Lite X-1004 highlights the sun visor slider (behind the visor pivot) and attachment point for N-Com bluetooth (lower edge of helmet)

As usual with X-Lite modulars, the sun visor works by a small slider to the rear of the left hand shield pivot. The sun visor is UV400 too meaning it gives maximum levels of UV protection.

No problems reported with the sun visor so far (except maybe the slider is a bit flimsy).

All in all, a bit of a mixed bag again for the shield system on the X-1004; with a lack of a free Pinlock insert in the box and possibility of an annoying whistling at speed ruining an otherwise decent system.

Chin Guard

In common with other Nolan Group helmet brands, the chin guard on the X-Lite X-1004 has a two-button opening mechanism. It’s there for security reasons – so you can’t inadvertently open the chin guard but have to press/slide both buttons to open it.

It’s a pretty good system which can still be operated with one hand and may well be one of the reasons that Nolan Group flip-up helmets (that’s Nolan, X-Lite and Grex) score particularly well in safety tests for their chin guards staying locked and closed during impacts.

The X-Lite X-1003 actually let the side down a little by ‘only’ scoring 97% on keeping the chin guard locked during testing. But the X-1004 reverts back to normal by scoring a maximum 100%, which is obviously a fantastic score and means that you can rely on the chin guard in an accident.

So far, we’ve found little to differentiate the X1004 from the outgoing 1003. However, X-Lite has made some changes to the chin guard by making it a bit roomier by moving the chin guard outwards a little. That should be good for giving extra space for a microphone if you fit a bluetooth set and better for safety as well .

So too should the fact that the X-Lite X-1004 is dual homologated. That’s a European-thing, but means it’s been specifically designed and type-approved in Europe to be legally worn (and give protection) with the chin guard up or down. Surprisingly, not all modulars are – see our Dual Homologated pages to find all the flip-front helmets that are legal in the EU to be worn with the chin guard up as well as down.

Action of the chin guard is said to be nice and smooth and, once you get a hang of the two-button operation, nice and easy to use.

Comfort & Sizing

The X-Lite X-1004 has what X-Lite call their Unitherm2 inner lining which features cheek pads made from single blocks of foam (which X-Lite reckon gives an even and constant pressure which doesn’t compress over time) as well as chin straps that are integrated into the lining to give improved cushioning.

There’s also glasses grooves in the side of the linings to help make putting your glasses on/off easier, as well as stopping the stems pushing into the side of your head. According to X-Lite, this system is reversible – not entirely sure why you’d want to make it reversible, but there you go.

There’s also a removable neck roll that can be whipped off by undoing the zip at the rear – to with aid ventilation, comfort and cooling when it’s a bit warmer.

x-lite-x-1004-elegance-n-come-metal-white-motorcycle-crash-helmet-side-view — Plain color versions are called the Elegance N-com. This one’s the Metal White X-1004 Elegance N-com

And of course, there’s that larger chin area to give more space at the front of the helmet – great if you’ve a big chin – or big microphone for that matter!

Oh, and it comes in a particularly wide range of sizes – from a weeny XXS all the way up to a gargantuan XXXL – one of only a few helmets that go up/down to these more extreme sizes.

So, how does all that work in practice?

Owners seem to think it’s a really comfortable helmet with insides that feel premium.

And even though it weighs in at a porky 3.8lbs (1.54kg), a few said it feels light. It’s actually a bit heavier than the average modular helmet, and a chunk heavier than the average composite fiber helmet (about 1.46kg) though if you get a carbon fibre version it’ll knock about 100g off that again.

Still, the main thing is how it feels on the bike, and if folks say it feels light, then happy days.

Looks & Graphics

At the time of writing, there’s two different graphic options. There’s the plain versions (black/grey/silver/white/hi viz) called the X-Lite X-1004 Elegance N-Com (the N-Com part just means it’s compatible with Nolan’s N-com bluetooth sets) and the X-1004 Nordhelle range of designs.

Like most manufacturers, they’re always knocking out new graphics and designs so if you’re interested, it’s probably worth clicking the links to our recommended retailers below to see the latest designs and deals available on the X-1004.

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X-Lite X-1004 Video

Here’s a 14 min video from Revzilla.

Other stuff – bluetooth, warranty

The X-Lite X-1004, like all helmets with N-Com in their name, is designed to integrate with Nolan’s N-Com bluetooth kit.

All X-Lite helmets come with a 5 year warranty too.

x-lite-x-1004-lava-grey-modular-motorcycle-crash-helmet-side-view — Lava Grey X-Lite X-1004 Elegance N-Com.

Overall/Summary

The X-Lite X-1004 looks like it’ll be a worthy successor to the highly rated X-1003.

That was a useful helmet and scored well for safety as well as offering lots of the kind of features we look for in a modular – bluetooth integration, Pinlock-ready, sun visor etc. etc.

Looking at the X-1004, you can see it’s got more or less the same range of features. But while the two helmets look very similar, there are a few subtle design changes to the helmet shell and chin guard, as well as an updated interior.

And most of these are great – that chin guard is safe as houses according to the SHARP safety test and is nice and easy to use according to some owners.

Overall, the helmet’s been rated as 4 stars (out of 5) by SHARP for safety, so it should perform well in an accident too.

But there’s some niggles that have forced one or two people to give up on their X-1004s. If you buy one and find the shield whistles or it’s simply too noisy (though you shouldn’t buy one if you’re looking for a really quiet helmet or you don’t like wearing ear plugs – go for a full face instead) then make sure you buy from somewhere that’ll refund with no quibbles – like our helmet retailers. Though note, nowhere will refund a helmet that’s been worn or has the tags removed.

And with that higher price tag and lack of Pinlock anti-fog in the box, it’s questionable whether the X-1004 offers decent value.

In many respects, it’s a great helmet. Just that it’s also a flawed helmet.

The question is, would you want to pay a premium helmet price with the possibility of having to put up with a few problems? I don’t think I would.

Good Alternatives to the X-Lite X-1004?

If you’re after a tried and tested alternative to the X-1004, we’ve reviewed and uncovered some great helmets for you. And in this section, we only include helmets that have a proven pedigree and safety rating.

First up, there’s the AGV Numo Evo – a DOT certified, SHARP 4 star rated dual-homologated modular with sun visor that’s comfortable and well ventilated. It’s half the price of the X-Lite too – though owners say it’s a bit noisy.

For round about the same price as the X-1004 there’s the fiberglass Shoei Neotech; that’s a SHARP 4 star rated, DOT certified helmet with a ton of useful features, including wide shield, great ventilation and integral sun visor.

And there’s the Shark Evoline 3 – that’s another DOT helmet that’s dual homologated – with the chin guard rotating right round to the back of the head to give a real open face helmet experience. It’s got a maximum SHARP five star safety rating too – and it’s cheaper than the X-Lite.

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Review of the Biltwell Gringo and Gringo-S Motorcycle Crash Helmet

Page Contents

Biltwell Gringo and Gringo-S Review: two Full Face Retro Helmets

Like the Bell Bullet and the Nexx XG100, the Biltwell Gringos are full face retro helmets, designed to conjure up those halcyon days when panheads ruled and in-line fours were new on the streets, and when protection boiled down to how thick the denim was on your jeans.

These days, we demand a bit more from our gear and lids, but we kinda like that retro vibe – often to go with our new breed of retro bikes. Which is where helmets like the Gringo (no shield) and Gringo S (hinged shield) come in.

But when they cost about as much as you’d have paid for your bike in the 70’s, are they worth the money?

Full Face thermoplastic retro helmet
Gringo (snap on shield) and Gringo S (regular shield)
DOT certified
Double-D ring strap
2 shell sizes
Comfortable but noisy
Neutral head shape
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay $189-$229

biltwell-gringo-s-bourbon-metallic-with-visor-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Gringo S in Bourbon metallic

Looking to buy a Biltwell Gringo?

Please click below to visit the Biltwell Gringo helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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).

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The shells of both Biltwell Gringos are made from ABS which is a similar thermoplastic material that you’ll find in lots of helmets.

They’ve been DOT certified for use in mandatory helmet states so should offer a good basic level of protection – though neither has been independently Snell or SHARP tested, so beyond their having been built to pass DOT tests, there’s no word on the protection a Gringo will offer in an accident.

However, there’s an expanded polystyrene shock absorbing liner (EPS liner) in there and it’s got a decent double-d ring fastener to keep it stuck firmly to your head.

And the S version also has a permanent shield which has gotta be a good thing for safety. In fact quite a few owners of the regular Gringo (without the shield) find that there’s just too much windblast without the shield – that’s whether riding with our without sunglasses.

biltwell-gringo-s-white-tri-stripe-crash-helmet-front-view — White Tri-stripe Biltwell Gringo S

So, to max out safety with the Gringo, we’d recommend buying the S version – or buying one of the clip-on shields available to the standard Gringo.

Having said that, and while the Gringo is no novelty helmet, a few owners said it doesn’t give them a feeling of security and safety like most modern full face helmets; some owners sighting the chin bar that’s just made of the same thermoplastic material as the shell and can flex quite a bit.

Note: DOT testing doesn’t cover the chin guard (though Snell certified helmets will have passed a chin bar impact test).

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Noise doesn’t really seem to be an issue for owners of a Gringo.

That seems to be a) because most people seem to be trading-up from a 1/2 or 3/4 helmet so their Gringo seems quiet in comparison or b) no-one is really expecting much noise-attenuation performance from their Gringo, so buy one expecting it to be noisier than ‘modern’ ff helmets.

Again, folks are buying a Gringo for simplicity and looks and ‘so what if it’s a bit noisy’. Which is totally fine. But if we’re looking objectively at helmet noise, then the Gringo seems to be a pretty noisy helmet compared to most other full faces.

But if you’re thinking about buying a Gringo – hey, what does that matter?!? Buy some decent ear plugs and rock your Gringo anyway!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

biltwell-gringo-gloss-black-retro-helmet-side-view — Flat black Gringo (snap-on shield)

As you’ve probably noticed from the pictures, there’s only two ventilation holes in the Gringo; and that’s the one big hole in the front where the shield goes and that other big hole where your head goes. Apart from that, there’s zero vents.

Which might not be a problem if you’re wearing a Gringo around town for the occasional ride or if you keep it without a shield and letting in a ton of air.

And the great thing is that most people who buy the Gringo do it because they’re looking to get back to basics and they can forgive the Gringo minor misgivings like poor ventilation.

In fact despite the lack of vents, very few Gringo owners seem to report getting too hot in their helmets. If you’re buying one expecting great levels of venting like modern day full face helmets, then you might be disappointed. But then most owners don’t buy a Gringo for its ventilation; because they’re after retro-cool rather than cool-venting.

And besides, keep the shield open or wear goggles or shades and you’ll get enough air into your Gringo – for short/medium trips anyhow. And if you do buy one but find it too hot, a couple of owners said they removed the cheek pads which helped air flow massively without making it too uncomfortable (plus helped with fitting earbuds).

Shield

(more about shields)

The Gringo comes in 2 flavors – the Gringo S with a basic hinged face shield and the Gringo (no S) with the snaps to take a snap-on shield.

biltwell-gringo-white-with-visor-motorcycle-helmet-front-view — White Gringo with smoked bubble shield

Taking the shield-less Gringo first, there’s a few different shields available if you decide you want to try one. The standard 2D shield is called the Blast Face shield, but there’s also the Biltwell Bubble anti-fog face shield. And of course there’s a bunch of goggles and riding glasses that will fit inside the Gringo.

Having said that, be careful if you’re planning on using goggles or sun glasses as word is that many goggles don’t fit as the opening’s too small. Also wear sealed biker shades rather than standard sun glasses as a few riders reckoned the Gringo tends to funnel air behind the glasses and make your eyes water.

If all that’s a problem, then you might be best going for the Gringo S with built-in shield and with either rubber gasket or shiny chrome gasket. Owners reckon it’s a better bet for longer distance highway riding too. Plus the shield can be snapped closed to make sure it stays closed when it needs to be.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

biltwell-gringo-s-gloss-agave-grey-helmet-rear-view — Totally plan rear on Gringo S Agave

Owners love how comfortable their Gringo’s are.

It’s a slightly rounder helmet fitment (rather than the more common oval shape) meaning it’s pretty neutral, designed to fit most heads – but if you’re unsure, make sure you either try one on first or buy from a retailer with a no-quibble returns policy (like our recommended retailers).

Oh, and make sure you follow our fitment guide.

Inside the Gringo is a quality quilted interior made from a brushed Lycra. It’s removable for washing too.

Sizing of the Gringo is about right, so just measure your head and order the right size.

Looks & Graphics

Most people buy a Biltwell Gringo because they look spot-on for that retro look. Which is why Biltwell have made so many old-school and muted color schemes that’ll match your old-school Triumph or HD.

If you can’t find the finish you’re after on this page, then click through to our recommended retailers using the links below to find the latest colors and deals.

Best places to buy a Biltwell Gringo Helmet?

Please click below to visit the Biltwell Gringo helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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).

Biltwell Gringo Videos

First up, a 3m video on the Gringo S (the one with the face shield), followed by a 3m video of the shield-less Gringo.

Other stuff – weight, glasses, aero, warranty

biltwell-gringo-s-gloss-vintage-white-crash-helmet-side-view — Vintage white Gringo S

Because the Gringo is so minimalist, it’s light weight too. It’s built in two shell sizes so there will be a slight weight variance between the two, but owners say it feels really light. It weighs in at just under 3lbs (1.3kg) which is well below the average weight for a full face lid.

Guys who wear their Gringos with glasses seem to find it a bit of a pain. You can’t get the helmet on with your glasses in place and if you want to have a shield down, you’ll probably need to buy a bubble shield as there’s not much space behind the regular flat shields.

Buffeting and aero isn’t really an issue – as long as you use the Gringo as intended; i.e. go cruising in it rather than looking to break speed records. It’s got a nice smooth exterior but can lift at speed and obviously if you’re not wearing a shield, there’s a stack of shield aperture to catch the wind.

Finally, your new Biltwell Gringo will come with a 2 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

Like we always do, we’ve scored the Biltwell Gringo on a number of factors that most motorcyclists judge a helmet on.

biltwell-gringo-tracker-limited-edition-helmet-side-view — Limited edition Gringo Tracker

But with the Gringo and other retro helmets, that’s arguably a bit pointless.

I mean, let’s face it, you’re thinking about buying one because it looks cool and reminds you of the old days (whether you were actually there or not!).

And it probably suits your ride. Yeah, you want it to give you more protection than your half or 3/4 helmet and you like the idea of being able to snap on a face shield when you need it.

But it’s never going to give as good protection as one of our best safety-rated regular helmets (though it is DOT rated, just like other non-novelty helmets). It’s not going to perform as well on a long ride either – modern helmets have more sophisticated ventilation systems and materials inside to keep you comfortable and cool. But then you knew that anyway.

Provided you know the limitations of a retro helmet like the Gringo, and you’re planning on using it for local rides and cruising, then we’re sure you’ll be very happy together. Though you might wanna check out one of the other retro helmet alternatives below first.

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Good Alternatives to the Biltwell Gringo

There’s a couple of great alternative retro helmets knocking around – but they’re both more expensive than the Gringo.

First up is the Bell Bullet. Word is it’s better made than the Gringo and it’s both ECE and DOT certified as well as SHARP safety tested where it gained 3 stars (out of 5) – so it’s a serious helmet that just happens to look retro. It’s comfortable too, offers wide vision, but it’s quite a bit more expensive than the Gringo.

Secondly, there’s the composite-fiber Nexx XG100. That’s actually slightly lighter than the already-light Gringo, is highly rated for ventilation and comfort and is both DOT & ECE certified.

Looking to buy a Biltwell Gringo?

Please click below to visit the Biltwell Gringo helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. 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

Speed and Strength SS1600 full face motorcycle helmet review

Page Contents

SS1600: a mean-looking full face thermoplastic helmet from Speed and Strength

Note: The SS1600 is now discontinued, so you might want to check out some of our Top 10 Helmets lists to find your next helmet instead?

With its menacing good looks and attractive price point, it’s probably fair to say that most folks are buying themselves a Speed and Strength SS1600 because it looks just so damn cool.

But any helmet’s gotta work on the road too. And with multi-point ventilation, drop down sun visor and quick-release shield, there’s plenty of evidence that that’s exactly what Speed and Strength intend with the SS1600 too.

So here’s the low-down on what the SS1600 helmet offers and how well it’s been received by owners.

Thermoplastic full face helmet
DOT and ECE certified
Suitable for rounder head shapes
Drop down sun visor
Great shield and comfort
3.4lbs (1.55Kg) – slightly heavier than average
Double-D ring fastener
Expect to pay $160-$200

Looking to buy a Speed & Strength SS1600?

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speed-and-strength-ss1600-american-beauty-womens-crash-helmet-rear-view — SS1600 American Beauty

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The SS1600 is both DOT Certified and ECE tested certified.

Unfortunately, it’s not been either Snell or SHARP safety tested so we’ve no independent way to verify how well it’ll perform in an accident. However, with those two certifications, you can be happy it’ll exceed those minimum level of protection.

It’s also got a tried-and-tested double d-ring fastener to keep the helmet securely fastened to your head.

The shield system should also help contribute to keeping you safe – with its optically-correct clear shield (they all come with clear shields, despite all the photos showing tinted shields) and a useful drop down sun visor to stop you getting caught out in bright sunlight.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Helmet noise isn’t one of the SS1600’s strong points. It’s a reasonably basic helmet and it seems like SS hasn’t really made a massive effort to keep wind and road noise to a minimum.

Which means most owners reckon it’s a noisy helmet. Which, depending on your riding, may or may not be a deal breaker for you. And, of course, stick in some decent ear plugs and your SS1600 will be just about as quiet as most helmets on the road!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

speed-and-strength-ss1600-straight-savage-black-helmet-front-view — S&S SS1600 Straight Savage

The Speed and Strength SS1600 has the usual config of central chin vent and double forehead vent. Those forehead vents let air into the helmet but you need rear exhausts to let it out again, and there’s four exhausts on the rear of the SS1600.

So far, so regular. And even more regular is that all the input vents can be closed off using sliders with the chin vent sliders being a bit easier to find in gloves than the titchy forehead vent sliders.

Word is that the chin guard vents are much more effective than the forehead vents. They let a load of air onto the back of the visor and around the face – although apparently quite a bit of this is helped by air getting into the helmet from the bottom.

Although don’t expect the face ventilation to stop the shield fogging in cold/rainy weather because word is that it won’t. Even though the shield is sold as anti-fog, several owners said their main shield fogged up quite quickly (and so too does the sun visor).

TBH we find that manufacturer-coated anti-fog treatments rarely work very well, so SS aren’t alone. And if it’s a problem for you, we usually recommend buying a 3rd party anti-fog insert, such as a Pinlock. The bad news is that the shield on the SS1600 isn’t Pinlock-ready so can’t take one. Boo.

Moving on… while the chin vents do the job OK, there’s mixed opinions on the forehead vents with some folks saying it’s fine but others saying they can’t really feel any ventilation getting in. With the size of the holes in the helmet liner being so small, we’d say that if you live somewhere hot and great helmet ventilation’s important to you, then you probably should check out one of these helmets instead, just to make sure.

Shield

(more about shields)

Note that if you buy an SS1600 helmet, it’s supplied with a clear shield, not tinted like in all the photos.

That shield on the SS1600 is quick-release, works on a ratchet, has a shield locking slider and has an opening tab on the left. All good.

That quick release mechanism is also good – simply open up the shield pull down a lever and out pops the shield.

There has been one or two complaints about leaking shields, but they are few and far between, and overwhelmingly owners seem to be happy with the shield system on the SS1600.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

speed-and-strength-ss1600-critical-mass-pink-crash-helmet-side-view — Critical Mass design

They’re also stoked about the drop down sun visor that comes with the SS1600 too.

As usual, there’s one or two comments that it could be a tad darker – but that seems to go for all sun visors as it’s a legal thing to stop them obscuring too much vision. Kinda makes sense.

Also as usual, it can fog up when it’s cold as there’s no anti-fog coating on the sun visor.

The sun visor on the SS1600 is operated by a slider to the left side of the helmet, behind the shield pivot and owners say it’s quick and easy to operate.

All in all, the sun visor seems to work well on the SS1600 with heaps of owners saying they love theirs.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Two things to note here.

First off, the Speed and Strength SS1600 helmet is designed for rounder heads. Most helmets are designed to suit the most common head shapes which, in North America, is a medium oval (so slightly longer front to back than side to side). However, the SS1600 is designed to fit rounder heads better. So if that’s you, then all’s cool.

speed-and-strength-ss1600-so9lid-matt-black-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Sun visor down on solid matt black SS1600

Secondly, they size a bit small. Meaning if you’re usually a large helmet size, you might well be an XL in the SS1600. So make sure you buy only from a retailer who offers free, no quibble returns (like all our recommended retailers do) just in case you order the wrong size.

Other than that, the quality and comfort of the SS1600 is fine by all accounts. The internals are fully removable and washable and made of a material that SS calls Cool-core which is designed to be moisture wicking and anti-microbial.

Looks & Graphics

The SS1600 is an aggressive looking helmet and there’s a stack of aggressive and urban designs to complement it.

There’s the expected solid matt and gloss black versions of course, but all the rest of the funky bunch of designs come in a range of color options so feel free to click through to the links to our recommended retailers below to check out a wider range (and the latest deals). We’ve included examples of the SS1600 Critical Mass, Straight Savage, Sure Shot, American Beauty and Cruise Missile graphics on the page but for even more, please click the link.

Best place to buy a Speed and Strength SS1600?

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S&S SS1600 Video

Here’s a 10m video on the SS1600 from Sportbike Track Gear.

Other stuff – weight, chin curtain, warranty

Weight shouldn’t be an issue with the SS1600. It’s a smidge over the average weight of a typical full face helmet at 3.4lbs but owners don’t seem to find that a problem.

The SS1600 comes with a removable breath guard and chin curtain, designed to keep some road noise and wind out from the bottom of the helmet. Both seem to do the job well.

Finally, the SS1600 comes with a (pretty poor) one year’s warranty. Note, many makers now offer a full 5 year warranty on their helmets so that’s not great. Click the link if you wanna see helmets that have a 5 year warranty instead.

Overall/Summary

speed-and-strength-ss1600-sure-shot-green-crash-helmet-rear-view — Sure Shot SS1600 showing rear vents

It’s probably fair to say that most folks who buy the Speed and Strength SS1600 do so because it looks so damn cool and because it’s not too expensive (and probably both). But when they get their hands on it, most owners seem to like it as a solid, usable helmet too.

Provided you’ve a rounder head shape (and take note of our fitment comments above for sizing) then the SS1600 seems to be a great all rounder helmet that most owners love. OK it’s pretty noisy, but owners really rate that drop down sun visor and find it a really comfortable helmet, once they get the fitment right.

It’s pretty no-frills in today’s market, but with those super aggressive looks and a good low price point, then for most urban bandits and highway cruisers, the SS1600 is a really great buy.

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Good Alternatives to the SS1600?

So, you’re in the market for a lower priced helmet with sun visor? Here’s a few of our recommended helmets to try out…

First up is the Shark Skwal. That’s around the same price as the SS1600 but has a decent SHARP 5 star safety rating. It’s got a sun visor too and should come with a Pinlock antifog insert as well which should sort out any fogging. It’s also got the bonus of having a few funky LED light strips too.

You should also probably check out the SHARP 5 star safety rated HJC IS-17. It’s very similar in overall spec and price to the SS1600 but has consistently been one of our highest rated helmets over the years.

If you’d consider a flip-front helmet, then take a look at the AGV Numo-Evo, that’s rated highly for safety, has a sun visor and is rated as comfortable and well-ventilated by owners.

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Looking to buy a Speed & Strength SS1600?

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Star Ratings

Nexx SX.100 helmet review: a lower-priced all-rounder crash helmet

The Nexx SX.100 is a fairly low-priced helmet aimed at the mass market. That means it’s designed to work for as many riders and bikes as possible and isn’t aimed at any group in particular, such as sportsbike riders or tourers.

But, for this low price point, the Portugese-made Nexx has some great features. That includes a drop-down sun visor and wide shield for extra good peripheral vision and safety.

Nexx say they’ve also spent a ton of R&D time and money on making the SX.100 into a helmet that’s aerodynamically slippery, great at noise reduction, and one that vents brilliantly and is breathable.

So, let’s try and pick out what’s real and what’s not, and take you through what the Nexx SX100 offers if you’re on the hunt for a new helmet. We’ll also find out what other owners think of their SX100s – and finally, we’ll suggest some great alternatives that we reckon you should check out too.

All-rounder helmet
Thermoplastic shell
SHARP 3 star safety rated
Not Snell tested
DOT & ECE certified
Drop down sun visor
Wide shield
Class 1 optically-correct shield
Micrometric fastener
Designed to integrate with the Nexx X-Com bluetooth
Expect to pay $230-$260

Looking to buy a Nexx S.X100?

Please click below to visit the Nexx S.X100 helmets pages at Amazon and one of our recommended stores, Revzilla. 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).

Nexx-sx100-i-flux-motorbike-crash-helmet-front-view — Nexx SX.100 in I-Flux graphics

Page Contents

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The thermoplastic-shelled Nexx SX.100 is both DOT and ECE certified. Of course, that’s good because that means it’s undergone a rigorous testing regime before hitting the shelves. It’s also essential for a helmet to be sold legally in the US and EU (respectively).

While it hasn’t been independently Snell tested in the US, it has been safety tested by SHARP in Europe where it scored 3/5 stars. That’s above average of course and exactly what we’d expect from a Nexx – because every one of their helmets tested since 2013 has scored 3 stars!

That’s all relevant if you happen to have an accident in the SX.100, but the best helmets help stop you getting into a scrape in the first place.

To help with that, the SX.100 has a wide shield aperture – that’s great for helping you see what’s coming at you from the side or behind and giving improved all-round vision.

Nexx-sx100-plain-gloss-white-motorbike-crash-helmet-rear-view — Rear view of the gloss white SX100

Unfortunately, the SX100 on sale in the US doesn’t come with a Pinlock anti-fog insert in the box, because they are massively helpful in keeping your shield clear when it’s cold and wet.

Its shield is Pinlock-ready though, so if you do suffer with a fogging shield, you can always grab a Pinlock to sort it out. They’re usually about 30 bucks.

Of course, it’s probably best to go for a helmet that scores four or five SHARP stars. But remember, buying a helmet that fits really well is the number one factor in getting a helmet that’ll give you the best impact protection – so it’s not the be-all and end-all.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

One of Nexx’s goals with the SX100 was to keep noise to a minimum.

Improved, wind-tunnel tested aero, decent padding with noise-reducing cheek pads, and a thick neck roll are all there to contribute to making a quiet helmet.

Only, it seems like it didn’t (quite) work. The word from owners is that it’s about average for noise-suppression. Meaning you’ll need to ride with ear plugs if you’re going any distance or at a decent speed.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Just like all helmet designers do, Nexx also designed the SX.100 to vent really well. That’s usually two-fold; to keep your head cool in hot weather and to bring in enough ventilation around the shield to keep things clear.

Nexx-sx100-orion-white-red-motorcycle-helmet-top-view — Orion SX.100 showing top vent

There’s a single, central chin vent with a simple slider to open and close it. That’s designed to bring air around the face and onto the back of the shield.

There’s also a single but quite large forehead vent to allow air into the shell of the main helmet; again opened/closed by a single two-way slider.

That top vent takes air through channels in the polystyrene shock absorbing liner towards the scalp.

That’s a common enough config for most helmets on the market these days.

But what’s not so common – in fact this is the first time we’ve seen it – is that there’s an air pocket between the EPS polystyrene lining and the helmet shell.

Nexx claims this helps with the optimum exchange of fresh air with old, stale air which then exits the helmet out of the rear of the helmet via the exhaust vents under the small spoiler.

I hope Nexx are right about that and it doesn’t just become a moisture trap!

Nexx-sx100-toxic-light-concrete-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Urban-style Toxic design SX.100

However, according to owners, the ventilation on the SX.100 is somewhere between average and great, with several owners saying you can really feel the ventilation on your scalp – and you can shut it off completely with the slider.

As for the shield. Well, expect the shield to steam up if it’s cold, rainy or humid, because we’ve yet to find a helmet that will stay fog-free under those conditions, no matter how effective the chin vents are.

But if it’s a problem grab a Pinlock anti-fog insert that should slot straight onto the back of your already Pinlock-ready shield, and you’ll have clear vision in all but the most extreme circumstances. Job done.

Shield

(more about shields)

Nexx has gone to town on the shield system for the SX.100.

It’s got a wide shield, for great peripheral vision. It’s also got an optically-correct Class 1 shield to give distortion-free vision (not that distortion is really a problem without it being class 1!).

And it’s also a quick-release shield (Nexx call this X-Swift), meaning you can pull a coupla lugs back on each side to snap off the shield for quick cleaning or replacement. And of course, it’s got a Pinlock-ready shield though there’s no free Pinlock in the box.

Owners like the wide field of vision offered by that wide shield, unless you live somewhere hot, owners reckon buying a Pinlock’s a must.

So it’s all good with the shield system.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

It has of course got a drop down internal sun visor too. To operate it, you’ll see the slider on the left hand side, just behind the shield pivot. It’s a novel config we’ve not really seen before but I’m sure you’ll get used to finding it when you need it.

Nexx-sx100-core-neon-yellow-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Neon yellow SX.100 showing sun visor lever

Opinions we’ve found are nothing but happy with the sun visor – except for one person who found it a bit loose and it kept dropping out; though that seems to have been a one-off.

By all accounts, it drops down nice and low, gives decent shading and 99% UV protection – though if you live in a sunny state, don’t expect it to be as good as a pair of dark sunglasses as they legally can’t be too dark.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The Nexx SX.100 comes with a chin curtain and removable breath guard. The comfort lining is made from X-Mart dry fabrics which are sweat-wicking, anti-allergenic and fully removable and washable.

The helmet is available in sizes XS-XXL but only made in one shell size. That’s pretty common for lower-priced helmets and is usually not ideal for producing a helmet that’s optimally fitted for a range of head sizes.

Nexx-sx100-big-shot-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — SX100 Big Shot (for shy, retiring types 🙂

Having said that, owners’ opinions are that they’ve found their SX100’s to be nice and snug but with plenty of room too. Sounds like a great compromise and most owners seem very happy.

Looks & Graphics

As usual, we’ve put a range of different graphic designs up and down the page. But there’re always new designs coming out so to see the latest models (or different color combos available of these designs) along with the latest deals, please click through to our recommended retailers using the links below.

Best places to buy a Nexx S.X100 crash helmet?

Please click below to visit the Nexx S.X100 helmets pages at Amazon and one of our recommended stores, Revzilla. 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).

Nexx SX.100 Video

Pretty comprehensive 6m look around the Nexx SX100 from Revzilla…

Other stuff – fasteners, audio, warranty

The Nexx SX.100 comes with a micrometric fastener. It’s also designed to accommodate Nexx’s version of a Sena bluetooth communicator – that’s called the Nexx X-Com. It’s a pretty well-specced bluetooth that will integrate nicely with the SX100 using the pop-out panel on the left of the helmet.

Nexx-sx100-superspeed-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Sporty Superspeed SX.100

Being a thermoplastic helmet, it won’t be the lightest helmet but, weighing in at around 3.3lbs (1.5Kg). That’s just about average weight for a full face helmet so it shouldn’t be too heavy either.

Finally, expect the Nexx SX100 to come with a 2 year warranty, but check with your retailer first if it’s important to you as there’s a bit of confusion about the warranty on the SX100 on the Nexx website.

Overall/Summary

For that low price, the Nexx SX.100 offers real value for money. Sure, it drops a point or two for impact protection and it doesn’t quite live up to Nexx’s helmet design goals of producing a really quiet helmet.

But with a wide, optically-correct shield, decent ventilation and sun visor – as well as owner’s rating the helmet highly for comfort, the Nexx SX.100 offers great value for money for anyone looking for a new all-rounder helmet. All in all, well worth a look – though do check out our safety-rated alternatives below before you take the plunge.

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Good Alternatives to the Nexx SX100?

First off, there’s the good ole AGV K3 SV – that’s a SHARP 4 star safety rated helmet that’s around the same price as the Nexx and with a very similar spec (including Pinlock and sun visor). It just wins out on the SX100 due to that extra SHARP safety star.

There’s also the MT Revenge. That doesn’t have a sun visor, but it’s amazing value and it’s a SHARP 5 star safety rated helmet at a price that’s less than the Nexx.

Another helmet that’s about the same price as the Nexx is the excellent HJC IS 17. That’s a SHARP 5 star safety rated helmet too though there’s no Pinlock or sun visor. But with that excellent safety rating, that’s a lot of protection at a very useful price!

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Looking to buy a Nexx S.X100?

Please click below to visit the Nexx S.X100 helmets pages at Amazon and one of our recommended stores, Revzilla. 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).

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Star Ratings

A review of the Evo-One 2 modular crash helmet by Shark

Page Contents

Shark Evo-One 2 – a compact, flip-front helmet with Pinlock Max Vision included

Shark has been making flip-up/modular helmets for years – with each new model improving bit by bit. There’s the well-known Evoline series of helmets (version one through to the current version 3) and there’s also the Openline.

And now, they’ve added the Evo-One to their line-up. It’s a further development of the Evoline series, but is designed to be slightly more compact (i.e. have a smaller shell and not look as big) and Shark has looked to improve one or two other features from the older Evolines in the range.

Since then, they’re added an evolutionary model to the range – the Evo-One 2. This is very similar to the first Evo-One but with a slightly modified chin bar opening mechanism to make things smoother. Essentially, they’ve tweaked the original helmet here and there and released it as an upgraded model.

So here’s the lowdown on what the Evo-One 2 offers – including tech specs, features, and – crucially – what owners think of them.

Thermoplastic flip-up helmet
Not Snell tested yet
SHARP 4 star safety rated
DOT & ECE certified
2 shell sizes
Compact shell form
Pinlock Max Vision anti fog included (check with retailer)
Sizes XS-XL
Weight – 3.6lbs (1.65Kg) – about average
Expect to pay $430-$470

shark-evo-one-2-lithion-black-red-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Cool looking Evo-One 2 Lithion

Looking to buy a Shark Evo One 2?

Please click below to visit the Shark Evo One 2 helmets pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Safety

The Shark Evo-One 2 has been DOT and ECE certified and safety tested by the SHARP helmet testing labs in the UK – though neither has yet been Snell tested.

At SHARP, it scored an excellent four out of five stars for safety (read more about their safety testing here).

SHARP also record the % of impacts during testing where the chin guard remains fully locked. In the Evo-One 2’s case, that was recorded as 100%, which is great to know if you’re after a modular helmet where you can rely on the chin bar to give protection.

Though note: early models produced before May 2017 were fitted with a different chin guard latch that performed substantially worse during SHARP testing, achieving a score of only 33%. So if you buy an Evo-One, check the production number on the chin strap – models with a number before production number 077099 have the earlier chin guard latch, so make sure you return it to your retailer.

For other SHARP tested modular helmets where you know you can trust the chin guard to stay locked and closed, you might also want to check out the Nolan N91 Evo, Nolan N104 and the HJC IS Max II – all of which scored 100% for their locks staying closed during testing and all score SHARP four stars.

Finally for safety with the Evo-One 2, it’s dual-homologated. That’s a European standard but means it’s tested/certified to be used in both full face and open face configurations – most modulars are ECE certified as a full face and not necessarily open face. So if you’re planning on wearing without the chin guard down, then the Evo-One 2’s good for you.

Helmet Noise

As usual, there’s quite a few conflicting accounts of how noisy the Shark Evo-One 2 is. And as usual, that’s because we all ride different bikes, in different conditions with experience of different helmets to compare it to.

Shark have made efforts to design a helmet that’ll be quiet though. The aero design with rear spoiler and small and round helmet shape, magnetic chin curtain and plush lining are all there to contribute to suppressing noise.

So how does it do?

One owner commented it’s quieter than his Arai Quantum. Another that it’s not as quiet as his Schuberth. While another said it’s the noisiest helmet they’ve ever used!

shark-evo-one-gloss-black-motorcycle-helmet-front-chin-guard-up — View from the front with chin guard raised

The bottom line seems to be if you’re going to be riding fast, you’ll need ear plugs to keep the noise down – but then we’d say wear earplugs for most journeys anyway (it’s the only way to keep things properly quiet and keep your hearing intact).

If pushed, and taking all the comments into consideration, it seems like the Shark Evo One 2 is a quieter than average helmet – which is great for a modular because they’re usually on the louder side.

Ventilation

Ventilation is a plus point for the Shark Evo-One 2 too.

Chin/shield ventilation is provided by a single exterior chin vent operated by a large toggle panel to open/close it.

There’s also another vent opening on the inside of the chin guard too to direct air towards the shield for demisting or away towards the mouth.

Two crown vents are on the top of the helmet, individually opened and closed by small sliders, and warm air exits the helmet just behind, from an exhaust below the spoiler on the top of the helmet.

All in all, it doesn’t seem anything special. But everyone who commented reckon everything conspires to do a great job at keeping your head cool – and in combination with the Pinlock Max Vision (more below) it keeps the shield fog free too.

Shield

Shark have really done their homework with the shield on the Evo-One 2.

Unlike some modular helmets, it doesn’t get in the way of the chin guard when you flip open the helmet (see chin guard section below) – which is good.

It has a Pinlock Max Vision-ready shield and Shark include a Max Vision in the box. Which is welcome because Pinlocks are one of the best ways to keep your shield fog-free.

Shark warned you not to flex the shield when fitting the Pinlock to the original Evo One. Pinlocks can be a bit tricky to fit and in my experience do require some flattening and flexing of the shield when you’re doing it. However, it seems the the shield on the Evo-One was a bit brittle because one owner’s shield snapped.

Shark says the shield and Pinlock on the Evo-One 2 is updated and we haven’t heard of any problems so far, so hopefully this problem’s now a thing of the past.

Let’s hope so because the Evo-One 2 has what Shark call their ‘Autoseal’ system, where the shield mechanism pulls the shield flush against the shield gasket to improve the seal against wind/noise/crap from the road.

This seems to work pretty well by all accounts – but Shark’s marketing blurb does say the system ‘flattens’ the shield against the helmet so let’s hope the new shield is more resilient than the last one.

The shield is also quick-change – something that’s very unusual on a modular and very welcome. It’s not tool-less removal though – to remove the shield, you need to push something like a screwdriver into the recess at each side of the shield and it’ll pop out. To replace the shield, just shove it back in and it’ll click into place. Even though it needs a tool, it’s pretty easy.

shark-evo-one-astor-motorcycle-helmet-froint-view — Showing top vents and sun visor slider on top

However, with the original Evo One, it seems Shark didn’t design the shield closing mechanism to adequately take the Pinlock into account and quite a few owners online say that theirs catches the top of the shield, leading to a nasty mark on the Pinlock that obscures your vision.

Shark did seem to have acknowledged the problem and hopefully, changes to the Evo One 2 will have fully resolved it (we’ve not heard of any problems so far!). However, take note and if you have a problem, get in touch with your retailer to get it sorted – and let us know.

Sun Visor

We often read about sun visors being a bit too light or a bit too short.

So it’s good to hear that Shark have improved at least one of these issues.

They say the sun visor on the Evo-One 2 is 23% bigger than the one found on the Evoline. That’s what they call a ‘full coverage’ sun visor and it’s operated by a big slider on the top of the helmet.

Reports are that the sun visor drops down nicely and it’s a good size, so that’s a thumbs up here.

shark-evo-one-2-slasher-anthracite-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Evo-One 2 Slasher with chin guard fully rotated

Chin Guard

Shark have made quite a thing of the chin guards on their modular helmets.

Unlike most makers (Roof excepted) they try and make it so their chin guards get well out of the way, making their modulars work really well as open-face helmets too.

The Evo-One 2 is no exception. Press a single button center-bottom of the chin guard and the chin guard moves all the way around to the rear of the helmet where it nestles into the back of the helmet with a ‘click’. That improves the balance and aero of the helmet while you’re using it in jet mode.

The Evo-One 2 also features what Shark call their ‘Auto-up, Auto-down’ system. Don’t be confused though, this relates to the shield only, not the chin guard automatically opening/closing (got me all excited that!).

What it actually means is when you’re opening the chin guard, the shield automatically opens and moves out of the way. Similarly, if you’re in open-face mode with the shield down, pull the chin guard back over and down and the shield will move up to let the chin guard close.

shark-evo-one-2-krono-anthracite-red-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Evo-One 2 Krono in anthracite/red

Shark do say the chin guard should be closed using both hands though and by pulling down at the sides, not the front. Folks do say you can open/close it on the move but, like most modulars, it’s a hefty bit of kit to be pushing and pulling around on the move and will obscure your view ahead quite a bit so it’s really not recommended.

All in all, the chin guard is a pretty slick system and most folks say it works nice and smoothly. It can be a bit tricky at first by all accounts, but you soon get the hang of it.

And of course the Evo-One 2 was safety tested by SHARP, where the chin guard stayed locked 100% of the time. That’s an awesome score and should mean you can rely on the chin guard to stay locked and closed during an accident (data shows you can’t with every modular!).

Comfort & Sizing

The internals of the Evo-One 2 are nice and plush and removable/washable.

Owners seem to reckon they’re comfortable too and the sizing is correct. So if you’re looking to buy one, check your measurements using our guide and the sizing should be good (but do buy from a retailer with a no-quibble returns policy as you’re never sure until you try it).

Looks & Graphics

We usually mention shell sizes in the safety section when we review helmets. But Shark have managed to pull off a neat trick with the Evo-One 2. They’ve managed to make a helmet that scores well for safety (though read the safety section about the chin guard performance), with a flip-front mechanism, but that’s compact too.

shark-evo-one-krono-motorcycle-helmet-front-view — Front view of the Evo-One 2 Krono

That makes for a helmet that looks pretty good. It also helps with aero of course (a smaller helmet offers less wind resistance) but if you’re wanting a modular helmet that looks good and compact on you, then the Shark Evo-One 2 gets the thumbs up.

As for graphics and designs, at the time of writing there’s only a handful of designs around.

There’s the usual range of solid colors – called Blank – and coming in gloss black and white and a matt black.

If you’re looking for some fancy graphic versions though, you’re best clicking through to our recommended retailers where you’ll find the latest designs and deals. The links below will take you to their Shark helmet pages.

Looking to buy a Shark Evo One 2?

Please click below to visit the Shark Evo One 2 helmets pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Shark Evo-One 2 Video

Here’s a 4m video taking you round the main features of the Shark Evo-One 2.

Other stuff – fasteners, build quality, weight, bluetooth, warranty

shark-evo-one-astor-kwr-motorcycle-helmet-rear-view — Rear view of the Evo-One 2

The Shark Evo-One 2 has a micrometric fastener and, internally, a glasses groove to make it easier to push your glasses in/out as well as ride while wearing glasses.

Overall, build quality is reported to be really good, with a nice finish and solid feel to it – especially at this not exorbitant price.

It’s about average weight for a modular and it’s designed for Shark’s Sharktooth bluetooth communicator. As for other communicators – it sounds like it’s a bit tricky to fit em. One owner tried to fit his Cardo headset but found the mic boom too long. Another tried a Sena 10R and had to attach it to the inner lining somehow though found a nice recess to take the battery. One guy found the Sena SMH10 fitted OK though.

Finally, Shark offer a 5 year warranty on all their helmets.

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Overall/Summary

With the original Shark Evo-One Shark created an innovative flip-up helmet with the type of features we’ve all come to love and use.

With its compact helmet shell, sun visor, great rotating chin guard that sits out of the way at the back of the helmet – if you’re after a flip-up helmet, what’s not to like?

Only, there were a few problems reported with the original. The good news is that Shark looks to have addressed some of those problems with the Evo-One 2. A revised shield system with new Pinlock means we shouldn’t get problems with shields rubbing on the helmet.

They’ve also revised the locking mechanism to make it easier to use – but they’ve also kept that excellent SHARP test score that’s not only awarded the Evo-One 2 an excellent SHARP 4 stars (out of 5) but it’s resulted in the chin bar staying locked and closed during 100% of the impact tests (make sure you read our Safety section for more information).

But the Evo-One has always been a great helmet to use day-to-day. Comfortable, great ventilation and that fantastic out-of-the-way chin guard giving a proper open-faced riding experience. All at a good price too. And now we’re onto the second generation of the Evo-One, then word is many of the niggles have been sorted out which should make the Evo One 2 a great and versatile helmet to live with.

Alternatives to the Shark Evo-One 2

Flip-up helmets are becoming more and more popular, meaning there’s lots of competition and some great helmets out there.

You might want to check out the fiberglass Shoei Neotec, a SHARP 4 star rated helmet with good ventilation and a nice wide shield.

For a quirky but cool alternative, how about the SHARP four star Roof Boxer V8 – it’s fiberglass and cheaper than the Shark.

We also love (and, more importantly, so does its owners!) the AGV Numo Evo – another SHARP four star rated flip-up with a sun visor that’s comfortable and well ventilated. It’s a bit noisy though.

Looking to buy a Shark Evo One 2?

Please click below to visit the Shark Evo One 2 helmets pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

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Star Ratings

Which is the Best Motorcycle Helmet to Buy?

There’s never been such a stack of great helmets out of there to choose from. In fact when we’re reviewing helmets, it’s really rare to find one that’s poor all-round, which is why few of the helmets we review rarely score below 3 stars overall.

But if you’re looking for a new helmet, you can get a bit overwhelmed, right? And the answer to the question of which is best to buy is dependent on what you’re going to be using the helmet for. So we’ve dug around a bit to find three of the best motorcycle helmets to check out for each type of ride – commuting, off-road, adventure, touring, street and sports. You can then read our full reviews and decide for yourself!

So, here we go – starting off with the slowest and working our way up…

Page Contents

Best Helmets for Commuting

Commuter helmets need to be just as durable and user-friendly as any other helmet – even moreso because you’ll be using yours every day. But many commuters using their bike to get to work will be on a tight budget too, so we’ve chosen helmets that are really great value for money as well. Here’s 3 of the best we’ve seen, but for more choice, click through to see all our commuter helmets.[/vc_column_text]

Three of the Best Commuter Helmets

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Best Motocross and Dirt Helmets

Dirt helmets are real specialized beasts. Spaces for goggles, peaks and roost-guards; they need to give a special type of protection from hitting the dirt – as well as from the dirt hitting you! Here you’ll find our top-3 rated Motocross/off-road helmets – but you can find more motocross helmets over here.

Best Motocross Helmets

Best Adventure Bike Helmets

Adventure bike helmets are just as good for on and off road riding. They give you the best of both worlds and some can even transform from a regular full-face helmet into a full-on motocross lid, complete with roost guard and vent filters. OK, if you do lots of highway miles, you’re probably best going for a dedicated street helmet, but if you don’t stray into triple figures very often and like hitting the trail, then an adventure (or dual-sport) helmet is the way to go. Here’s three of the best we’ve seen – but for more choices, drop on by our Adventure bike helmet pages.

Three of the Best Adventure Bike Helmets

Best Touring Helmets

Of course you can go touring in any old helmet – and there’s some great budget helmets around that would do the job very well indeed. But most folks who go touring have specific needs. Whether that’s a helmet that’ll work well with bluetooth sets, or whether that’s a flip-front helmet to make it easier to talk to pillions (or whether it’s a fantastically sound-proofed helmet so they don’t have to!) – whatever it is, you’ll find three of the best touring helmets below. Or you can click to our sports-touring helmet pages to find loads more.

Best Touring Helmets

Best Streetbike/Naked Helmets

Here’s three of the best helmets for riding a more upright bike – some might well still work great on a sportsbike or a tourer (so you’ll see some sports and touring helmets in here too), but they’re well suited to the urban environment too. And quite a few will have a damn good go at making you look cool too, which is never a bad thing, right?

Best Streebike/Naked Helmets

Best Sportsbike/Track Helmets

If you’re going on the track or off for a fast ride on your sportsbike, you want amazing protection and you want a great view of the road ahead when you’re tucked in. Here’s three of the best-rated sportsbike and track-ready helmets. All of these will do the job admirably, but if you want more of a selection, head on over to our Sportsbike helmets pages.

Best Sportsbike/Track Helmets