I was pretty gobsmacked to find out two things about Shoei recently. Firstly, it turns out that Shoei have been making motorcycle crash helmets since 1959. For some reason I thought they were pretty new. Secondly, they’re actually Japanese when I thought they were German. I guess it’s just that the name looks kinda German. A little like I always thought Arai were Italian (they’re actually Japanese too).
I’ve always been a fan of Shoei. When I was first in a position to buy a helmet for more than $50, it was a Shoei that fitted best and I suppose I just stuck with them ever since. It’s probably a bit of a truism to say that my head is Shoei-shaped (a recent cheapy AGV I bought fits like a glove, whereas AGVs I’ve tried in the past always squashed my forehead like I’ve got a Frankenstein head!).
Gratuitous Shoei photos pinched from their Japanese Website
Shoei are usually very well built. They have thick liners and their helmet ratchet system is fantastic – really simple and positive to use and has a great quick-release mechanism (best one I’ve come across) which is very handy when it comes to clean crud off it. Some helmets you end up leaving the visor on the helmet when you’re cleaning it, but the Shoei, you quickly whip it off , run it under the tap, wipe it clean and wack it back on, all in under a couple of minutes.
Shoei themselves have a corporate goal to try and dominate the ‘priemium’ motorcycle crash helmet sector. They currently say they have ‘over 50%’ of the global market, focusing mainly on the US and Europe.
The SHARP crash helmet testing scheme was introduced in the UK in 2007 to try and link real-world accident research data to a repeatable scientific and lab-based approach to crash helmet safety testing and output their results in a simple format that we, the buying public, can understand. And while there may be detractors to the ‘real world’ nature of the SHARP test (there always will be) and the fact that it inevitably focuses on helmets on sale within the UK it can help US buyers make an informed choice as to the safety of our new helmets as well as folks in the EU.
Before the SHARP test, we had no idea whether a $50 Banzai helmet will resist the smearing of your memories down Route 1 better or worse than a $800 Arai or Shoei. Now, at least, we can have a comparative view between the two and can make our buying decision fully furnished with the facts.
Of course, all crash helmets have to be approved at their point of manufacture. They have to certify they’re DOT compliant in the US (and be subjected to random batch testing to confirm they’re up to standard) and ECE 22.05 testing in Europe.
It’s also worth noting that helmets imported into the US can differ from the versions on sale in Europe and elsewhere. Meaning that a SHARP score might not be relevant to a US helmet.
But the guys at SHARP devised a cunning scheme to uniformily test the impact-resistance, the shock absorption levels (i.e. the amount of shock passed to the head and brain) and the frictional and rotational properties of different crash helmets to allow us to make an informed choice.
The idea was to supplement the European ECE test with safety testing based on recommendations made by – undoubtedly the most influential and comprehensive look at the role played motorcycle crash helmets on injury and fatalities – the COST 327 Study. This study, carried out across 9 Eu countries and 14 Eu organizations, analyzed, then recreated in the lab, real accidents from a range of motorcycle accidents admitted to three hospitals (including Glasgow General). They analyzed brain and head injuries, road accident data and helmet damage. This was then used to create a series of tests used by SHARP to assess the effectiveness of motorbike crash helmets.
So what do they do?
First, they only test helmets they’ve bought from shops themselves. Which sounds like a good start, so there’s no potential manufacturer interference. They buy helmets in various sizes (M, L & XL) to make sure the results reflect a range of sizes, and run 32 impact and oblique impact tests on them.
They test helmets at 3 different speeds (low, med & fast) and impact the helmets against a flat and angled surface to try and give an indication of how they’d perform against real-world flat and pointy surfaces – like kerbs, armcos and badly-driven BMWs. They also run the ‘oblique tests’ to test friction performance for when you impact a surface at an angle to assess how much rotational force will be transmitted through to the rider’s brain (in 60% of casualties, rotational forces are known to be a major source of brain injury from an accident).
They then, in their words, compare their results data against ‘real world injury data’ to arrive at their own SHARP rating out of 5 stars with, for the avoidance of doubt, 5 being the best. And that’s pretty much it.
Here’s SHARPs own video showing the testing process.
There are always going to be proponents and opponents (and every ponent in between) for any testing regime, but considering the number of manufacturers, the variety of technologies and the range of weird and wonderful impacts we bikers dream up to subject crash helmets to, the SHARP test seems to be one of the best attempts towards a serious and comprehensive real-world helmet safety test. At the very least, it offers a way to compare and contrast the impact resistance – and some abrasion resistance – between helmet brands when buying a new helmet and, considering what went before, it seems to be a bloody good effort.
That’s why we use the SHARP test results on our articles where possible – as well as DOT/ECE approval and Snell certification. None of these is perfect alone, but hopefully, they’ll guide you towards a helmet’s that’s safe – and because SHARP gives a 1-5 star rating for helmets, it gives an easy and comparative way to quickly check safety levels between helmets.
Shoei Ex-Zero Retro helmet review. A practical Retro?
Shoei’s design department are starting to let their inner-hipster take over! Because their retro – the Ex-Zero – is based on an old motocross lid called the EX-5 that they used to make in the 1980’s.
This new version has been tweaked to have a bit more of a rakish profile (i.e. the chin guard juts out a bit more), but just like Bell’s reincarnated Moto 3 and AGV’s X3000, it’s very close to the look and feel of the original. Except, this one’s designed for the road – the perfect accompaniment to your retro or cafe racer.
And on the surface, it looks like the Shoei Ex-Zero could well be a bit of a match made in heaven. I mean, visually, it looks mean and cool and in-your-face. But read the label and it uses Shoei’s AIM (advanced integrated matrix) alongside their multi-density EPS lining to – so that should mean it’ll offer excellent protection too.
Proper quality, proper retro… the Shoei Ex-Zero Equation
OK, you know from looking at it that it’s not gonna be the most sensible choice for a helmet, meaning it’s going to be a bit of a compromise – somewhere, somehow.
OK, Shoei says the shell on the Ex-Zero is their AIM or advanced integrated matrix shell.
That’s a composite shell made primarily from fiberglass but with some other fiber layers designed to give more strength and a bit of elasticity to absorb energy.
This white Ex-Zero’s got the optional yellow smoked shield in
That’s all fine. But how good are their AIM helmets?
Well, at the time of writing, we don’t think it’s DOT certified though it is ECE certified in Europe. Passing that test is no walk in the park – so that’s pretty good.
But there’s also been one other AIM helmet that has been Snell M2015 certified and three which have been tested by SHARP in the UK.
So, while we can’t be entirely sure how well the Shoei Ex-Zero will do if SHARP get their hands on a bunch, all the indicators are that it’ll do pretty well. If pushed, I’d sit on the fence and go with a 4 star rating.
Which would be pretty amazing for a helmet that looks so cool (and dare I say, so novelty?) Yeah I dare – there, said it.
Part of any safety testing is based on how well the lining performs, and the lining on the Ex-Zero is a multi-density job, designed to soften the blow from higher and lower speed impacts equally well.
Not quite sure what retro paint this’ll go with, but if being seen’s your thing…
All that Shoei goodness is held on to your with a good old double-d ring fastener (what else?) and to keep muck out of your eyes, there’s a drop down clear shield that sits snugly up inside the helmet shell till you need it. V nice, v useful and, since we’re thinking about safety here, v much safer than no shield.
The Ex Zero is made in 3 shell sizes – meaning that’ll massively help you get a helmet shell/interior combo that is optimized for safety and weight – as well as meaning it’ll look proportionately better when you’re wearing it.
Oh, and one final, and massively surprising feature that’s safety-related…
Shoei has only gone and put an EQRS lining inside the Ex-Zero. EQRS – that’s emergency quick removal system – is a lining that can be quickly removed by paramedics to help them get your helmet off without tugging your neck around.
Now, EQRS is cheap to put in a helmet yet we keep on seeing some serious track and road helmets that’re made without it. So it’s great to see Shoei sticking it into the Ex-Zero. I mean, hopefully you’ll never need it and all that, but it’s nice to know it’s there.
The jury’s in. The Shoei Ex-Zero is a reasonably noisy helmet – I guess because it’s got that gaping visor hole up front.
Clean lines with no vents/spoilers/wings in sight
Of course, features like the laser cut foam padding coupled with the ability to tailor the fit using replacement cheek pads helps quieten things down a bit. Plus the fact that the helmet shell is super-round without any peaks, spoilers or fins (unless you add the optional OEM peak) that you see on most helmets that stick up into the airflow and cause noise.
And because there’s no vents in there (besides the chin vents) that should reduce the chance for noise to get into the helmet.
But it is essentially an open face helmet with a chin bar. And that front hole – goggles or no goggles, lets in an awful lot of wind and noise. So expect it to have open-face levels of noise – and to have to wear some good ear plugs while you’re riding.
As you can probably tell from the photos, there’s not a whole lot of vents in the main helmet shell. Just like the original helmet it’s based on, Shoei has opted to keep the shell free of vents, expecting that main opening in the front will provide enough ventilation to keep you cool.
There are of course six always-open vents in the chin guard though, fronted with an aluminum grill to keep some dirt and bugs out. But they’re largely unnecessary because there’s so much open space above and below that if you want ventilation to your face, that’s the way it’s going to come in.
And several owners say it lets in a lot of air. Sure, you might get a bit of a sweaty head if you’re riding slowly in the heat of summer. But overall air flow’s decent.
Matt black version might well be the one I’ll go for…
Just like the open face Shoei J.O., the Ex-Zero features a drop down clear shield that slides up inside the helmet shell, in much the same way most drop down sun shields do.
It’s a nice touch and makes the Shoei Ex-Zero much more of a useful every day helmet than if it was sold shieldless and needed goggles.
So, if you want to ride without a shield, the shield hides up inside the helmet shell. And when you up the pace and want protection, there’s an easy-to-find tab on either side of the shield that’ll let you pull it down and drop it nice and low down.
Actually, if you don’t want it dropping down too low, Shoei has designed a nice feature where you can adjust the level the shield drops down by moving a couple of levers inside the helmet.
Like all main shields made of polycarbonate, it’ll give you 90%+ UV light protection; and it’s anti-scratch too.
And like all shields, it can fog up a bit if gets cold or rainy. Unfortunately, there isn’t a Pinlock anti-fog available for it so you might struggle there; but that’s just one of those areas of compromise you’ll probably tolerate for looking so damn cool 🙂
The mid-grey Shoei Ex-Zero, as seen from space
Like all helmets, the Ex-Zero will come with a clear shield in the box, but there’s also a hi-viz yellow version and a tinted shield available too. So if you fancy riding in the summer sun, you can add the tinted shield in there to act as a sun shield instead – just don’t get caught out when it gets dark.
But if you do ride and just use the built-in shield, there’s lots of peripheral vision because the visor aperture is nice and wide.
Your eyes might well water a bit though, because air does get up and under the shield when you’re riding. It’s great for giving you some instant eye protection though, protecting your eyes against road grit and rain.
And it’s got a good feeling of quality to it with several owners saying it’s got a nice smooth and quality action.
Goggles
Because there’s a massive face shield hole in the front, the Ex-Zero will fit a wide range of full size goggles. There isn’t a ridge at the rear to keep your goggle strap in place but word is if you get some goggles with rubber backing on the strap, they’ll stay in place no problem.
We’ve heard from Ex Zero owners who’ve worn a range of goggles with their helmets – including Scotts, Oakley Crowbars, 100% Barstow and Fly Racing – so if you’ve already got some goggles, the chances are they should fit.
Expect the sizing of the Shoei Ex-Zero to be pretty true, so just follow our helmet fitting guide – if you don’t already know what size helmet you need – and order the correct size.
Obviously, Shoei is more premium level helmet maker, and that’s reflected in the quality of the internals.
Owners universally reckon it’s a very comfy lid. The inside is plush and soft and, while Ex-Zeros can be a tight fit to pull on in the first place, once it’s on you can feel the Shoei quality.
Like most helmets, the inside is fully removable and washable too. And if the sizing’s not entirely right, then there are different size cheek pads available from Shoei so you can tailor the fit to (hopefully) get it bang on.
Shield full down (but is adjustable)
Looks & Graphics
Most of the graphics that are available at the time of writing are just plain colors. So that means there’s an (off) white and a couple of blacks (gloss and matt) as well as a bright yellow, bright red and mid grey Ex-Zero available.
There’s only one retro graphic and that’s the Equation TC-2/10 – and because it’s got graphics, that’s the most expensive too.
As always, to see if there’s any deals or new designs out there, please click the links to our recommended retailers using the links below.
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Shoei Ex-Zero Video
Here’s an excellent 9m video showing you around the Shoei Ex-Zero.
Other stuff – weight, aero, warranty
The Shoei Ex-Zero weighs around 2.75lbs (1.25Kg) which is very light weight. That’s great for comfort and for safety too (less weight to knacker your neck and for the helmet to absorb during an impact).
Owners reckon its aero characteristics are great with little drag or buffeting even with the optional peak fitted. It’s stable too even at highway speeds.
All Shoei helmets come with a class-leading standard 5 year warranty (or 7 from date of manufacture, whichever comes soonest).
Overall/Summary
It seems like Shoei has got it spot on once again.
Top down view of the Equation TC-2
You’ll either love or loathe the style of the Ex-Zero, but for those of you who love it (me included) it seems Shoei hasn’t compromised one bit on their usual quality while making a really stand out helmet design.
On the downside, it’s more of an open face helmet with a big chin-bar sized nod towards practicality – and with that visor being a fantastic touch (though not giving the same kind of protection as full face shield that seals to the helmet does)
But otherwise, it’s a quality helmet. It’s got a Shoei AIM shell which we reckon will perform really well if their past AIM helmets are anything to go by. There’s a double-d ring fastener, EQRS, a good quality comfortable liner with the ability to tailor the fit through changeable cheek pads. And of course that nifty drop down clear shield adds a huge dollop of practicality compared to an open face helmet.
It’s not cheap – but then quality isn’t – and with tons of retro appeal, it’ll probably make for the ideal accompaniment to your retro or naked bike.
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Good Alternatives to the Shoei Ex-Zero
Right, so you want a retro helmet? You like the sound of the Shoei Ex-Zero, but you still need to know the best alternatives out there, right? Well here’s three corkers, all with shields. Or go here to see all our retro helmet reviews.
Bell Bullitt in blue flake
First up, there’s the original – the Bell Bullitt. Cool looking, SHARP 3 star safety rated, range of different shields – and it’s a proper performer too.
AGV X3000
And there’s the AGV X3000; a helmet based on Ago’s old school racing helmet of the ’70s which means it’ll actually work with a bike with clip-ons too.
Nexx X.G100R
Or the new kid on the block – the Nexx X.G100R. This is the full shield version of their elasto-shield X.G100. It’s a sporty retro-revisioning that’s even got an optically correct shield. Comes in both composite or full carbon versions.
