Klim Krios Pro review: a hugely innovative Adventure Helmet.

Klim Krios Pro: Koroid dual sport adventure helmet review.

The Klim Krios Pro is an uprated version of the older Klim Krios dual sport adventure helmet. It’s advertised as being super light weight and including, well, pretty much every feature you could be looking for in an adventure helmet!

Klim Krios pro adventure helmet aresenal grey front view — Arsenal Grey Klim Krios Pro front view

That’s a full carbon fiber shell for strength and weight, a transitions photochromic face shield that darkens in the sunlight and lightens when it’s not; and the flexibility to change the helmet from an adventure to a dirt or street lid.

Plus there’s an innovative strap closure in the form of their Fidlock fastener and a (potentially) game changing replacement to the old Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) liner in the form of a bunch of green plastic tubes called Koroyd.

Whew! That’s a lot of innovations and a lot to look at.

So, if you’re in the market for a new dual-sport helmet, here’s what the Klim Krios Pro offers and what owners think are the good and not so good points of living with it.

Adventure/Dual Sport helmet
Carbon fiber shell
Innovative Koroyd impact liner
Transitions shield included
Second regular shield also included
Aerodynamic peak
Easy to use Fidlock fastener
Pinlock antifog insert included
Sizes XS-XXXL
Expect to pay around $700

Looking to buy a Klim Krios Pro?

Please click below to visit the Klim Krios Pro 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

The Klim Krios Pro is a well liked adventure helmet.

Klim are in the market to produce premium helmets, and with its carbon fiber construction and the inclusion of a Koroyd shock absorbing lining and super-easy Fidlock fastener, they’re also about using innovation where possible too. And more power to them for that.

Klim Krios pro helmet Loko Vivid Sage side view — Side view of the Krios Pro in Lok vivid sage colourway

They’ve also used heaps of tried and tested tech in there as well – including a premium transitions photochromic faceshield in the box and a Pinlock antifog.

And with the flexibility you get with an adventure helmet – changing it from a dirt helmet to a street helmet and to anything in between in seconds – the vast majority of owners love their Krios Pros.

OK so it’s not the quietest helmet (that Koroyd liner might be the culprit here) and the sizing can be a bit ‘generous’, but it seems that’s about it for problems for most owners.

Because, while the Klim Klios Pro is an expensive helmet, most owners also say it’s a really good one and worth the money. It’s comfortable, very well ventilated and light weight. And while that Koroyd impact liner is unproven (hence our lower score for safety), you actually get an awful lot of performance helmet for your money.

Klim Krios Pro Helmet Configuration

Like many adventure helmets, there’s a variety of ways you can use the Klios Pro. Basically, it’ll transform from an adventure helmet into a dirt helmet (with/without shield/goggles) or a street helmet (peak removed). You can see the different modes below:

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

OK, helmet protection is one of the big points that Klim say they’ve improved.

Not only are all Klim Krios Pro helmet shells made from carbon fiber, but they also incorporate something called Koroyd into their construction. That’s a material made from lots of small plastic tubes joined together to form a mat which replaces much of the internal expanded polystyrene liner that you’ll find on traditional helmets.

Klim Krios pro dual sport helmet aresenal dune side view — The Klim Krios Pro in Arsenal Dune graphics

You’ll find more information on Koroyd in the section below.

Suffice to say while some of the figures and stats provided by Koroyd seem impressive, as far as we could find, there isn’t any independent testing data to show how well it performs in a motorcycle helmet.

Yes, it’s passed the ECE European homologation tests so it must be OK (and by selling the Krios Pro in the US, Klim obviously reckon it’ll pass DOT specs too) but it’d be great to see some independent safety testing results. I mean, when buying the Krios Pro, you’ll be spending a ton of money and probably buying into Koroyd’s promises, so at the very least it’d be great to see some proof the protection works, right?

We contacted Koroyd directly who said they didn’t have any independent helmet testing results they could share with us. And we contacted Klim too but they replied saying they couldn’t share test data – which is a bit bizarre, especially if they HAVE got test data.

Actually, Klim doesn’t totally replace the EPS lining inside the Krios Pro. The Koroyd lines the helmet inside the shell but I guess it’s not appropriate to have the comfort liner press directly against the Koroyd tubes. Maybe it’d damage the tubes or be a bit too uncomfortable?

So instead, there’s another EPS liner between the Koroyd and comfort liner.

This does make for a slightly bulkier helmet and one or two owners have said that their helmet feels less compact than similar adventure helmets they’ve owned.

Klim Krios pro dual sport helmet matte black front view — Front view of the Matte black version

It doesn’t help that the helmet’s only made in two shell sizes either. Most premium helmets are made in many more shell sizes as that optimizes fit and safety, as well as generally making for a helmet that doesn’t look oversized or give you that bobble head look.

The fact the helmet’s made in lightweight carbon fiber does help safety though. A lighter helmet means there’s less energy to ‘control’ and absorb during an impact and the fact the Krios Pro typically weighs around 3lbs (1.3-1.4Kg) depending on shell, means it’s a nice lightweight helmet.

OK, that’s the shock absorbing liner and shell. But the Krios Pro has some other safety tricks up its sleeve too.

It comes with both a regular clear face shield as well as a photochromic transitions shield in the box.

That transitions shield adjusts the shield tint according to sunlight. So when it’s bright sunshine, the shield darkens. It changes in just a few seconds and gives great protection to your vision when things brighten up.

See shield section below for more info of what’s great and not so great with the face shield on the Krios Pro.

There’s also a Pinlock antifog insert included in the box which is really worth fitting to the back of the shield to keep your vision clear when it gets cold or rainy.

That shield is really big too, offering excellent all round vision and peripheral vision too – another good safety feature.

And finally, another innovation that’s been embraced by Klim. The Krios Pro comes fitted with a new type of fastener – called the Fidlock.

Fidlock helmet fastener 2 — Closer view of the Fidlock

Fidlock Fastener

Fidlock are a German company who have produced an incredibly easy to use fastener. It’s essentially a metal clasp with a strong magnet in it.

To close the fastener, you basically move the two sides of the fastener together, at which point the magnets pull the fastener together and the lock auto-locks. That’s it!

To unlock, you pull the red tab and the fastener pulls open.

It’s incredibly easy to use and every reviewer we’ve come across seems to love it and think it’s pretty much a game-changer.

Is it as safe as a D-ring or micrometric? Not sure. It’s been ECE approved and DOT certified so it conforms to both their testing regimes. I guess because it’s sooo damn easy to use it kinda feels like it shouldn’t be as safe as the other fasteners. But of course, that doesn’t mean it isn’t.

Fidlock-helmet-fastener — Side view showing how it works (kinda)

And lots of life long motorcyclists have endorsed it online, so kudos to Klim for taking a gamble and including it on their helmets. It seems like it’s a step forward in usability and – so far – seems to have comparable safety to D-ring or micrometric fasteners.

Overall then, the Klim Krios Pro should give decent protection. Without independent testing, we’re just not sure how good this innovative system is in comparison to the competition.

What is Koroyd?

It’s long been known that the cylinder is a shape that’s particularly resistant to compression. So Koroyd has made a ‘mat’ of small double-walled plastic tubes that are fused together to produce a material that absorbs energy by crushing the tubes, reducing the amount of energy passed beyond the Koroyd and thereby offering protection.

Koroyd-helmet-liner — Helmet liner made out of Koroyd, plus a section of Koroyd which has undergone 50% compression.

Koroyd say their material uses 78% of the thickness to absorb energy (in comparison to EPS’ 60%) and that it has less elasticity, so potentially reducing injury when the liner rebounds, passing energy back to the wearer.

Koroyd also says their material reduces helmet rotation during an impact as well as absorbing energy in a more controlled and consistent manner.

Whether it really works is, I guess, dependent on testing. And so far we haven’t seen any independent test results – just information provided by Koroyd and Klim. Which isn’t really good enough when we’re buying protective gear I’d say. We need real data.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

While Koroyd may or may not be a game changer in terms of helmet safety, what we do know is that it’s made of tubes rather than a solid EPS liner. And hollow tubes let noise through.

Klim Krios pro helmet Loko Striking Gray side view — This one’s the Krios Pro in Loko Striking Grey colorway

Yes there’s some EPS lining in there and there is a comfort liner and chin curtain, all of which will help insulate you from noise. But there’s also lots of ventilation holes too which will let air and noise into the helmet.

Overall then, most riders reckon it’s a bit noisy – or at least noisier than most similar helmets they’ve tried. Not deafeningly loud by any stretch (like quite a few folks reckon the older non-pro Klim Krios is), but noisier than average.

Which you may find useful of course if you regularly take your bike on the trail with a group of buddies and like to chat.

But not so good if you like to ride in peace (though you should always wear ear plugs too).

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The Klim Kronis Pro has a fairly conventional layout of the vents.

That’s a single chin bar vent and a single forehead vent.

Klim Krios pro helmet Mekka Vivid Sage rear view — Rear view of a Krios Pro Mekka vivid sage showing two exhausts under spoiler and another pair bottom left and right

That’s actually good news because those vents only need a single slider each to cover them and means you can open and close them quickly and easily.

In fact, both the sliders are nice and large and, according to owners, are easy to find and operate in gloves, which is always welcome.

Both vents only have an open or closed setting which is fine as that’s all most of use use. And that chin bar vent has a handy grill in to stop the worst of the dirt getting inside the helmet when you go off-road.

And there’s actually a pair of side vents at the side of the chin bar to help pull more air around the chin.

A couple of useful links…

– All our Adventure helmet reviews –
– Light weight helmets –

One interesting secondary effect of having a Koroyd liner is that, because it’s made of hollow tubes, air that’s pulled into the helmet can more easily get through to the head.

Couple that with a comfort liner with lots of cut-away panels for venting and it’s all set to be a great venting helmet.

Klim Krios pro adventure helmet haptik white side view — Chin bar front and side vents are visible on this Haptik white Krios Pro

And that exactly what the vast majority of owners say – that the whole helmet vents very well, pulling lots of air onto the back of the visor as well as circulating it around the head.

And several owners who were after a helmet to keep them cool for long trail rides in the summer say that the Klim Krios Pro really gives excellent venting, keeping their head cool where other helmets struggle.

For many of us face shield fogging can be a big issue.

Not only is there plenty of ventilation onto the back of the shield with the Krios Pro, but if that’s not enough, fitting the supplied Pinlock antifog will stop the shield fogging 99% of the time.

Shield

(more about shields)

Klim look to have thrown everything they’ve got at the shield system on the Krios Pro.

It’s a wide and tall viewport with a toolless shield change system. It comes with both a clear and transitions shield in the box and they’re both prepared to fit the (included) Pinlock antifog insert.

Klim Krios pro dual sport helmet matte black side view — Side view of the matte black Krios Pro showing the sheer width of that face shield

Of course, nothing’s perfect. And slight niggles with the face shield include a lack of a city-riding or defogging ‘cracked open’ position and a couple owners saying the shield feels very flimsy or thin.

Some owners also find the shield/peak removal system a bit fiddly because you have to twist and remove plastic fasteners which can be lost – and they’re just plain trickier to operate than most regular quick-release shield systems.

Klim do provide replacement fasteners in the box though in case you lose one.

But in general, the shield seems to work very well.

The helmet comes with the transitions shield fitted. Photochromic shields change from clear to smoked in seconds and generally give excellent protection against the sun.

But note: Klim recommend only using the transitions lens when using the Krios in street helmet configuration. That’s because the sun peak can cast shadows across the transitions shield causing darker spots while riding, which can be distracting.

Also, if you raise your shield with the sun peak fitted, the peak will put the shield in shadow causing part of it to tint which, again, will be distracting when you close the shield.

Klim Krios pro helmet Mekka Kinetik Blue rear view — Rear of the Krios Pro Mekka in kinetik blue

Thankfully, there’s a replacement clear shield included in the box, so you’ll just need to swap them out and use that when the peak’s fitted.

And if you do ride in your Krios Pro in street helmet mode, there are a couple of plastic plates provided to hide the base plate and neaten up the look of the helmet.

Overall though, riders like the large size of the viewport – some say it feels like you’re riding in an open face helmet – and the provided face shields are optically very clear.

All in all, the face shield system is well liked and the fact the helmet’s supplied with a $100+ transitions shield and $30 Pinlock is a real bonus.

Peak/Goggles

The peak on the Klim Krios Pro is aerodynamically sculpted and adjustable/removable.

Some owners seem to think the aero is excellent – allowing them to ride and do head checks without being buffeted or pulled around by the wind. But not everyone agrees and others seem to think it does catch the wind. I guess it’s very much dependent on where you ride and/or type of motorcycle and riding style.

It is pretty simple to adjust and remove the peak though.

klim-krios-pro-matte-black-helmet-side-view — Klim Krios Pro matte black

To adjust, you loosen the top screw and slide the peak higher or lower. To remove, take out the top screw then turn the plastic thumb screws half a turn, pull them out, then pull off the peak.

If you’re looking to fit goggles, it should fit most well known brands. Just watch out for that integral breath guard as it does sit quite high.

One useful feature is that you can fit goggles while leaving the face shield in place.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The Klim Krios Pro has a medium oval internal fitment. It’s produced in sizes XS-XXXL and made in 2 shell sizes, with the smaller shell fitting XS-M and the larger L-XXXL.

It uses Klim’s Klimatek comfort liner which uses an antimicrobial and moisture wicking material that feels plush and comfortable.

In fact Krios Pro owners almost universally praise the Krios for comfort – as long as you get the sizing right.

Many riders find the sizing about right, but others found it sizes small – anywhere from half a size to a full size small. So if you’re on the border between helmet sizes, order the smaller size. And if you do order the correct size but find it’s too large, make sure you’ve bought from somewhere who’ll do no-quibble swaps.

klim-krios-pro-mekka-kinetik-blue-adventure-helmet-side-view — Mekka Kinetik blue Krios Pro

Klim do sell a size up/down cheekpads though so that can help with tailoring the fit just right if you find it’s a bit tight or loose out of the box.

The liner’s fully removable and washable and while most of the liner’s held in by snaps, the cheekpads are held in by velcro. That’s fine but can mean they’re tricky to reposition once you’ve taken them out.

Looks & Graphics

The Klim Krios comes in a reasonable array of solids and graphics.

The Haptik white is a solid gloss white helmet whereas the Matte Black is actually a matte lacquer exposing the carbon weave beneath.

For graphics, there’s the Mekka, Arsenal and Loko – and you’ll find examples of all these up and down the pages – or click through to our recommended stores to find more examples and colorways.

Best places to buy a Klim Krios Pro helmet ?

Please click below to visit the Klim Krios Pro 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).

Klim Krios Pro Video

Here’s a comprehensive 24m look around the Klim Krios from Chaparral Motorsports.

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

Unusually, while there aren’t any speaker pockets in the fabric of the helmet (I guess it’s a bit tricky to make pockets set into Koroyd?) Klim does have a bluetooth helmet integration with the Sena 10u communicator. So buy one of those and it should work seamlessly with the Krios Pro.

klim-krios-pro-loko-orange-helmet-side-view — Loko Striking Grey/Orange Krios Pro

There are recesses for speakers in the cheek pad liner though and we have heard of people fitting other Sena units as well as a Cardo Packtalk Bold without any problems. So it sounds like as long as your speakers aren’t too deep, you can probably mount a variety of comms units onto the Krios Pro without too many problems.

Same goes for fitting glasses. There aren’t any glasses grooves inside the Krios Pro, but we’ve heard from several glasses wearers who say they don’t have a problem fitting them into their helmets and riding with them in place.

One of the most talked about features of the Klim Krios Pro is how light it is. Weighing around 3-3.1lbs (1.3-1.4Kg) it is light weight, and many owners love how less fatiguing it is to ride in a Krios Pro.

We’ve not come across many quality issues at all in our research. The only slight niggle is that the carbon fiber weave can look a bit mismatched where the sheets join – which is probably more a visual nit pick than anything else. Other that that, Krios Pro’s seem well made.

They’re sold with a removable chin curtain fitted (good for noise and wind reduction) and there’s a fixed breath guard in place.

Finally, all Klim helmets come with an excellent 5 year warranty against manufacturing defects. Plus there’s also Klim’s gear protection guarantee that if you’re involved in an accident and damage your Krios Pro within 5 years of purchasing it, they’ll replace it free of charge! Obviously you have to send in quite a bit of info to accompany the claim but that’s a fantastic offer and a real bro move from Klim. Well done.

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Good Alternatives to the Klim Krios Pro?

I guess one of the benchmark premium adventure helmets is the Arai XD4. That’s a Snell approved fiberglass helmet (so proven great protection) that’s just as versatile as the Krios but with EQRS as well as excellent ventilation and comfort. Costs around the same as the Klim but it is heavier.

Shoei’s Hornet X2 is also Snell certified, quieter than the Klim and has EQRS. It’s made in 4 shell sizes, is reasonably quiet, has an optically correct shield and is well vented. Owners love it.

Italian Nolan N70-2 X and GT helmets are arguably even more versatile adventure helmets. It’s modular too so you can wear it as a 3/4 helmet, plus there’s a drop down sun visor and Pinlock included. It’s half the price of the Klim too.

Finally, if you’re looking for a quiet ADV helmet that’s got great ventilation, a Pinlock and optically correct shield – then how about the Schuberth E1? It’s got a fiberglass shell too. The only fly in the ointment is that the ECE version dropped a couple of stars for safety when it was tested by SHARP.

Looking to buy a Klim Krios Pro?

Please click below to visit the Klim Krios Pro 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).

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adventure-helmets”]

Star Ratings

HJC i10 Review: an excellent budget full face with Snell approval.

HJC i10 full face motorcycle helmet review.

The i10 is the replacement for HJC’s top selling all-rounder helmet, the CL-17.

That helmet was loved by many as being a decent quality, Snell approved helmet at a decent low price point.

HJC i10 rank orange motorcycle crash helmet rear view — Rear view of the orange/black HJC i10 in Rank graphics

Which meant many folks were gutted when HJC finally pulled the plug on it.

Well, the good news is that the HJC i10 has been dropped into the same sweet spot. It’s a low-cost polycarbonate all-rounder helmet that is one of the first helmets (and cheapest helmets) to be Snell 2020D approved.

So you can see right from the off that if you’re after a helmet that offers proven levels of protection, that should work an a range of motorcycles – and that doesn’t cost much – then the HJC i10 is going to be a contender.

So, here’s our most comprehensive look at the HJC i10 to help you work out if it’s worthy of being your next helmet.

All-rounder full face helmet
Polycarbonate shell
US-only DOT helmet
Snell approved
Pinlock ready shield
Double-D ring
Medium oval fitment
Bluetooth Headset ready
Sizes XS-XXXL
Expect to pay $150-$190

Looking to buy an HJC i10?

Please click below to visit the HJC i10 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

The HJC i10 is a worthy successor to the much-loved CL17.

According to owners, it’s got great ventilation, is comfortable, has an quality shield setup – and they love that it offers excellent bang for your buck.

HJC i10 motorcycle crash helmet fear graphics top view — This one’s the i10 Fear in red/black

It’s not the quietest helmet around and it’s lacking for some features like a sun visor, EQRS and a Pinlock being included in the box (though the shield is ready to take a Pinlock if you need one).

But it’s a great all-rounder helmet with decent build quality. And being one of the cheapest helmets with Snell approval, it means you can get a great all rounder helmet – one that’ll work on everything from a Step-thru to a Softail – that’ll offer premium levels of protection without maxing out your credit card.

A highly recommended helmet for US riders (sorry rest of the world, it’s a US only helmet!).

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

Polycarbonate shell in 2 shell sizes, multi-density EPS liner… so far, so OK.

But the big news is that the testing team at Snell have been putting a bunch of i10’s through their paces in their test labs and it’s been approved. And that means that if you buy on i10, it should give you excellent protection if you are unfortunate enough to take a spill.

hjc i10 motorcycle helmet taze black design side view — i10 Taze graphic

Oh, all except for size XXXL because HJC either decided to not have that tested or it failed the test – not sure which one, but it’s not Snell approved.

Either way, they’re all DOT standard helmets and if you buy an XS-XXL helmet, you can buy one and ride on in the knowledge that it’s as protective as any helmet you can find. And that’s particularly great from a helmet that can be picked up for under $150.

Of course, if maxing out on its protective capabilities is your thing, you’ll be on the look out for some other stuff too. Things like an optically-correct, Pinlock visor to keep things clear, and a double-d ring fastener to keep it securely tied to your noggin.

The good news is that the i10 has all these as standard, though the slightly less good news is that it doesn’t come with a Pinlock antifog insert in the box. So if you suffer from fogging, you’ll have to pay out another $20 or so for the Pinlock itself.

hjc i10 semi flat anthracite motorcycle helmet side view — Anthracite grey i10

It’s also lacking EQRS and a drop down sun visor – which could both help in terms of safety.

According to the HJC website, there’s also a feature called ‘cervical collar’. There’s no real detail on exactly what they mean by that and whether they just mean the neck roll acts as a cervical collar – so we’ll leave that here.

But overall, in terms of protection, the i10 is a full face helmet with that excellent Snell stamp on it and that just about says it all: the HJC i10 should be excellent and gets our five star rating.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

HJC does say the i10 has been designed in a wind tunnel to create a helmet with excellent aero properties and keep noise to a minimum.

HJC i10 rank crash helmet side view — Hi Viz Rank graphic HJC i10

But it’s also got a ton of vents in there and that usually equals lots of ways for noise to get into a helmet. Plus, it’s sold without a chin curtain – again a chin curtain can be really useful for reducing the amount of noise as well as cutting lots of airflow into the helmet from below.

Quite a few owners reckon it’s a fairly quiet helmet, especially at lower speeds. While others say it’s a bit loud.

All in all then, we’ll plump for the i10 being about average for noise. For reference, that should also equate to it being really quiet if you’re used to an open face helmet and quiet compared to most flip-front lids as they tend to be noisy compared to full face helmets.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The old HJC CL-17 had decent head vents but the chin vents were a bit poor.

HJC i10 semi flat black crash helmet top view — Twin crown vents visible on this semi flat black i10

And it seems like HJC’s been listening because they’ve stuck an array of four chin vents operated by a single slider into the chin bar. That’s an impressive bunch of vents and certainly looks to be the biggest array of chin vents we’ve seen outside of a motocross arena!

That single slider is also very easy to find and use – even in gloves.

They’ve also carried on with that small brow vent just above the face shield – with a tiny slider that’s really tricky to find when you’re on the move and especially tricky if you’re wearing gloves.

But up top, there’s a pair of crown vents that are easy to find and there’s decent sized sliders on there which, according to owners are easy to operate.

A couple of useful links…

– Coolest looking helmets –
– Snell helmet reviews –

The top two vent holes on the chin take air up onto the back of the shield and the bottom two direct air around the mouth.

All the top vents take air through the helmet shell and into fairly shallow venting channels moulded into the EPS liner before venting out the back of the helmet through a couple of exhausts hidden behind that rear spoiler.

hjc i10 motorcycle helmet fear graphics side view — Another Fear graphic i10

OK, that’s enough of the features – the main question is does it all work?

And the great news is – yes it does.

The word is that it’s improved over the CL-17 – and even that was good for ventilation. According to i10 owners, the i10 flows a ton of air – enough to keep you reasonably cool when on the move even in summer.

And that improved chin bar vent really works – although if you live somewhere that gets cold or rainy – or even is humid – you may well need to invest in that extra Pinlock insert to keep the shield mist free because the vents alone probably won’t be enough.

But all in all, if you’re after a great venting helmet, then the i10 delivers.

Shield

(more about shields)

As mentioned, the face shield’s actually an optically-correct shield. It’s made of polycarbonate like all shields, which means it’ll give great UV protection; and HJC quote this as 95%.

The shield works on a ratchet with six detents that are stiff enough to hold the shield open until you really start to motor. And it has a shield lock and opening tab front-bottom, auto-locking whenever you close the shield.

hjc i10 motorcycle helmet taze design side view — Taze i10 in green

According to owners, that tab’s pretty easy to find and operate – and it’s good to have the tab in the middle because it means you can more easily open the shield with either hand.

Pushing up on the opening tab unlocks the shield and puts it into the cracked-open city position that’ll give you a bit more ventilation while keeping your eyes and face protected.

The shield does have Pinlock tabs but, as mentioned, the i10 doesn’t come with a Pinlock in the box so you’ll have to budget for that if you live somewhere where fogging’s a problem.

The shield on the i10 uses what HJC calls its RapidFire shield replacement system. That’s a quick-change shield where you simply open up the shield, pull a trigger on either side and the shield pulls off. It’s very simple and very quick to get the hang of and allows for easy swapping to a smoke shield or for cleaning after a ride, so it’s well worth having.

HJC i10 semi flat blue helmet side view — Semi flat blue i10

Overall then, most owners like the way the i10’s shield system works. A couple say they don’t like the shield lock while others say it’s surprisingly easy to use.

And while HJC don’t make any noises about it, a couple of riders said the field of view was surprisingly wide – which is always a good thing to hear.

For some riders it’ll be a shame that it doesn’t come with a Pinlock as standard in the box tho.

But overall, HJC seems to have done most things right with the shield on the i10 (and let’s not forget, this is a budget helmet!)

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The HJC i10 is available in sizes XS-XXXL – so it doesn’t include the outsized 4-5XL of the old helmet which will be a shame for some riders.

It’s designed to fit medium-oval headshapes though which is a good thing as that’s most of us in the West.

Inside the i10 you’ll find HJC’s usual SuperCool removable/washable liner which is moisture wicking and is a nice soft liner that’s widely liked for being very comfortable.

HJC i10 semi flat black crash helmet rear view — Semi flat black i10 showing rear spoiler and aero design

As we often find with HJC helmets, a few owners complain that the cheek pads are tight when they first wear the helmet. That’s not uncommon but isn’t usually a long-term problem as they wear in nicely and quite quickly.

If you find yours don’t, then all is not lost because HJC does sell cheek pads in different sizes for you to get the fit just right.

Something else you might encounter if you decide to buy an HC i10, is that the sizing, while mostly true, can be a tad on the small size for some folks. So if you measure your head and decide you’re inbetween sizes, then we’d advise to go for the larger size as it’ll likely fit best.

Inside the helmet, there’s a pair of glasses grooves so if you ride in eyeglasses, you should be fine.

And the overall impression from owners is that it’s somewhere between comfortable to very comfortable to ride in. Which I guess is the most important thing as an uncomfy helmet makes for an unhappy and distracted rider, right?

Looks & Graphics

There aren’t too many graphics available for the HJC i10 at the time of writing. You can get a grey (anthracite) blue, black or white in semi flat as well as a gloss black/white.

There’s also the Taze, Fear and Rank graphics in a range of colourways.

Take a look up and down the page to find examples of each – or please click through to the i10 helmets pages at our recommended stores to find more design options and find any i10 helmet deals.

Best places to buy an HJC i10?

Please click below to visit the HJC i10 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).

HJC i10 Video

Here’s a useful 11m look around the i10 from Chaparral.

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

All i10’s come with a good ole double-d ring fastener. Read more on double-d rings here. It’s also got a snapper on the strap to stop the end flapping around.

HJC has made the i10 ready to accept their own SmartHJC 10B or 20B bluetooth headsets. That means there are also some reasonable sized speaker pockets in there (where the SmartHJC speakers will apparently snap in place) as well as a nice microphone and wiring recess moulded into the plastic shell liner. That’s a great feature and should stop you having to stuff the wiring behind the liner to keep it in place.

HJC i10 in white side view — Solid white i10

It should also mean the i10 will accept most other 3rd party bluetooth communicators too – and we’ve heard that one owner with a Cardo Scala Rider kit managed to fit it without any problems.

It’s not the lightest helmet ever but it’s OK. Weighing in around 3.7lbs (1.67Kg) it’s a few ounces heavier than the average polycarbonate full face helmet, though a couple of owners said it feels light weight – and none we found complained it’s too heavy, so you should be fine.

Build quality of the helmet is actually pretty good according to most owners – though that always seems to come with the suffix ‘at this price’. So don’t expect Arai levels of build quality and you should be OK.

The i10 comes with a breath guard but not with a chin curtain, which is a shame.

Finally, the i10 should come with a decent three year warranty.

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Good Alternatives to the HJC i10?

scorpion exo r 410 motorcycle crash helmet techno graphics grey — Scorpion EXO-R420

Looking for a great performing helmet or one that’s been Snell approved for safety? Here’s some great helmets you might want to check out:

Available for around the same money as the i10 is the Snell approved Scorpion Exo-R410. It’s got EQRS too, is reasonably quiet and has an anti-fog coated shield, unlike the HJC.

For more money you can buy the premium quality Shoei RF-SR. That’s another snell certified all rounder helmet – and this one was also SHARP 5 star safety rated in Europe too. It comes with a Pinlock insert, has EQRS and is a well liked and proven helmet.

For something a bit different, how about the French Shark Ridill. That is a SHARP 4 star safety rated full face with built-in sun visor, for around the same price as the i10.

Or if you’ve a bit more money and would consider a modular helmet, there’s the AGV Numo Evo ST – a 4 star safety rated helmet with sun visor and a racing inspired design that’s great value.

Looking to buy an HJC i10?

Please click below to visit the HJC i10 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).

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Star Ratings

The Nexx XG200: a quality composite fiber retro motocross helmet.

Review of the Nexx X.G200 retro dirtbike crash helmet.

Portuguese helmet makers, Nexx, are starting to build a bit of a reputation in the retro helmet world.

First we saw their XG100. Which they then stuck a shield on to make the more practical (and still cool) XG100R.

And now, with the XG200, there’s a funky retro dirt bike variant.

Looking at the spec sheet, it’s got a fiberglass-based composite fiber shell, some always open vents, a (slightly) adjustable peak and… and that’s about it.

But then, it’s a retro helmet and retro mostly means large helpings of old school style together with big dollops of compromise.

So, if the style of the XG200 works for you and you’re thinking you might like one as your next lid, then here’s what the Nexx XG200 offers…

Retro motocross helmet
Composite fiber shell
Medium oval fitment
Adjustable peak
Double D-ring fastener
DOT and ECE versions
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay $350-$400

Looking to buy a Nexx XG200?

Please click below to visit the Nexx XG200 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

What you see is pretty much what you get with the Nexx XG200.

Nexx-XG200-purist-white-retro-motocross-helmet-front-view-2 — Front view of the plain gloss white ‘Purist’ XG200

There’s no shield of course, so you’ll have to dig out those old Oakleys.

And while you’ll get some protection from that (carbon reinforced) chin bar and composite fiber shell should the worst happen, you’ll still be open to the elements, grit and noise that’s part of the territory with a dirt helmet.

So if you’re looking for a road helmet for the city, you should be OK. But if you’re looking to up the miles and speed – then maybe not.

The XG is nicely made though, with some great finishes and graphics that’ll complement most retro rides.

And for a decent price, you get a nice quality helmet that’s ideal for urban cruising with a bit of offroading thrown in.

Overall then, while it probably won’t be the best protecting helmet out there, if you’re looking for a real statement helmet for good money and don’t mind the lack of bells and whistles, then the Nexx X.G200 is a stylish lid that’s well worth a look.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

If you’re looking for a helmet that’ll offer the best protection, Nexx has an OK reputation. Not the best but OK.

nexx xg200 desert race black retro helmet side view — Desert Race XG200

That’s based on historic Eurpoean SHARP test data where we can see that every one of their independently tested ECE helmets has scored 3 stars out of a maximum 5.

That includes a couple of composite fiber helmets which have similar construction to the XG200 too.

OK, we don’t know exactly how well the XG200 will stack up if SHARP or Snell was to test it – it may score 5 stars for all we know. And of course, that’s data testing the European versions of the helmet, not US which may be slightly different. But we’d expect another 3 star rating, for obvious reasons.

The shell on the XG200 is made using Nexx’s X-Matrix 2 construction methods. That’s a fiberglass composite that should make for a particularly stiff helmet shell that’s pretty light weight too.

nexx xg200 rok on retro helmet front view — Rok’on graphic XG200

In fact it weighs around 2.9lbs (1.3kg) which is nice and light weight – and that’s great for safety as well as comfort because there’s less inertia caused by the helmet during an impact.

While it’s a motocross helmet, so doesn’t come with a shield, the viewport is wide so it gives great peripheral vision. Again, great for safety.

And there’s an old-style double d ring fastener to keep the helmet securely tied to your head.

The Nexx XG200 is of course DOT certified (ECE 22-05 if you buy one in Europe/Oz) so, while it hasn’t been independently tested by Snell (they’ve never tested a Nexx helmet from what we can see), it has been put through its paces by the ECE testing crew.

Nexx makes the XG200 in two shell sizes which is OK and gives you a little bit of size/safety optimisation over single shell helmets.

And they’ve also reinforced the chin bar with carbon fiber, I guess to increase rigidity and reduce weight a bit there.

nexx xg200 super hunky motocross helmet top view — Top-down view of the XG200 Super Hunky

If you like carbon fiber helmets, there’s also a XG200 Carbon version which we suspect is the same composite fiber shell but with a layer of carbon fiber over the top to give it that full carbon look.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

The XG200 doesn’t have a shield so there’s a shed load of space for wind and noise to get inside the helmet. It does have 3D cheekpads and a reasonably plush liner though which will both help with reducing noise.

But like most dirt bike helmets, don’t expect it to be particularly quiet and expect to need to wear ear plugs to make it tolerable for riding over distance if you’re planning on taking it on the roads.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Those seven vents in the chin bar are the most obvious way air’s going to get inside the helmet.

Nexx-XG200-desert-race-retro-motocross-helmet-side-view — This one’s the Desert Race XG200 in yellow

But there are also a couple of forehead vents hidden beneath the peak if you look closely.

Like the chin bar vents, they’re always-open so you can’t close them off. But there is a bit of protection given by the helmet peak to stop rain getting in there. And those forehead vents do take air through the helmet shell and into channels cut into the internal EPS liner to give some venting to your head.

All the vents are covered by a metal mesh which should stop the worst of the road dirt and flies getting inside the helmet. And while the forehead vents are a bit minimal (so don’t expect the best helmet venting in the world) the chin bar vents should let in a stack of air.

Although, because it’s a motocross helmet without a shield, they’re probably more about looks and image than giving riders ventilation around the mouth. I mean, there’s not exactly much need!

Shield/Goggles

(more about shields)

Nexx-XG200-star-race-retro-helmet-concrete-front-view — Nice large goggles port on the Star Race XG200

The XG200 is a retro motocross helmet so there’s no shield available (yet!). Though we wouldn’t be surprised if Nexx don’t offer a snap-on shield in the not too distant future.

But, for now, if you do buy one, expect to use a pair of shades with it – or budget for some goggles too.

There’s a nice large goggles port in there so it should fit a wide range of goggles. Though it’s not exactly designed to really cater for goggles very well.

There isn’t a rear moulding to keep a strap in place or a goggles loop either; so expect a bit of fiddling to keep your goggles in place.

Mind you, retro helmets are never the last word in practicality so you kinda expect to have to make do to some extent.

A couple of useful links…

– All our Motocross helmet reviews –
– Mid priced helmets –

Peak

The peak on the XG200 clips onto the helmet using the 3 studs above the viewport, and includes vent slots to help reduce lift when you’re upping the pace.

It’s a basic peak, though it is slightly adjustable up and down which will give you a little flexibility to set it up just how you like it – whether that’s to reduce lift a bit or give more shade.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The internal fitment of the Nexx XG200 is medium oval so it should suit most rider’s heads (if you’ve a longer head shape, take a look at some longer oval helmets). And it’s made in fitment sizes XS-XXL.

Nexx-XG200-carbon-fiber-retro-motocross-helmet-side-view — Side view of the carbon fiber composite XG200

The interior uses Nexx’s X-Mart Dry fabrics which are soft to the touch and are moisture wicking and hypoallergenic. It’s also designed to look suitably retro with fabrics coming in either a black or tan to mimic the colors of leather found in older quality lids.

The internal lining is removable and washable and, unusually, it’s held in entirely by velcro. So expect it to be mega easy to remove but take a bit more time and fiddling to refit.

If you’re looking to fit a bluetooth kit inside your XG200, there aren’t any speaker pockets in there so you’re going to struggle a bit. Having said that, we have heard of one owner who managed to fit his Sena kit inside so it sounds like it is possible.

Looks & Graphics

As you’d expect with a helmet like the XG200, most of the helmet graphics are classic and retro inspired.

Nexx-XG200-star-race-retro-helmet-concrete-rear-view — Rear view of the Star Race graphic XG200

You can get a plain gloss white, plain matt black (called Purist) or gloss carbon fiber versions if you prefer not to have graphics on your lid.

If you do like retro graphics, there’s 4 different designs, each with a choice of colors. That’s the Super Hunky design, Desert Race, Rok On and Star Race – and you should find examples of all up and down the page.

To get the latest prices and find any deals, please visit our recommended stores using the links below. Cheers.

Best places to buy a Nexx XG200 crash helmet?

Please click below to visit the Nexx XG200 pages at our recommended stores. And if you buy from any site, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Nexx X.G200 Video

Here’s a short video by some guy who’s loving his XG200 for urban riding.

Other stuff – warranty

Nexx XG200’s come with a 2 year warranty.

Good Alternatives to the Nexx X.G200?

Surprisingly, for what you’d expect to be a niche sort of helmet, there’s some great alternatives out there.

Bell-Moto3-classic-yellow-motorcycle-crash-helmet-front-view — Bell Moto 3

First up is the original retro – the Bell Moto 3 based on their original 70’s scrambler helmet. If having the real thing’s important to you, then this is the one to go for.

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

Nexx do another super light weight retro helmet – the Nexx XG100 (no shield) or XG100R (shield) which you should take a look at too.

shoei vfx evo blazon motocross crash helmet side view — Shoei VFX-EVO

If you’re after a regular motocross lid, then the Shoei VFX-Evo is a Snell certified composite fiber lid with EQRS and slip plane internals for better rotational control.

Otherwise, there’s a host of classy and retro goodness to be found on our retro helmets pages. Or for more dirt helmets, check our motocross section.

Also…

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Looking to buy a Nexx XG200?

Please click below to visit the Nexx XG200 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).

How can we improve our site?

We’d love your feedback on what we could do better. Please give us your thoughts here.

How to buy the safest modular flip-up helmet.

The best protecting Modular Helmets uncovered*.

*These results are based on ECE helmet test data only so may not be directly relevant for DOT helmets on sale in the US as manufacturers sometimes modify helmets for different markets. So the information’s for guidance only.

If you’re looking to buy a modular helmet, the chances are you’re hoping it’ll provide all the safety of a full face along with the benefits of being able push up the chin bar from time to time.

Wearing an open face helmet is definitely liberating on warm summer days. But when you need to press on, you need to know that pushing down the chin bar is letting you ride knowing your face is protected should the worst happen.

The problem is, that’s not always the case. Not all modulars are created equal and some manufacturers are better at making great protecting flip-front helmets than others.

All flip-up and modular helmets on the US market have to be DOT approved. So they should give a good minimum level of protection.

The problem is, which helmets go beyond that minimum level and offer the best protection? And do the chin bars on flip-up helmets give the same protection as full face helmets.

There’s no way to tell by looking at US only data unfortunately (including from Snell who haven’t approved any modular helmets to date).

But we can get an idea by looking at some data from Europe – especially SHARP helmet testing data that independently tests ECE helmets.

SHARP rates the helmet shell for protection on a score of 1-5 stars, with 5 stars being the best. So theirs isn’t just a pass/fail score like DOT and ECE testing, and it lets us compare how well each helmet protects compared to each other.

They also note down if the chin bar locking mechanism unlocks during testing. I mean, if it’s going to protect, then it needs to stay locked and closed in the first place, right?

So it’s probably safe to assume a helmet whose chin bar stays locked 100% of the time is going to be safer than one where the chin bar became locked half the time.

OK, that’s enough babbling. The bottom line is that all the helmets on this page scored 4 or 5 star SHARP ratings for overall protection along with a 95% or above score for the chin bar lock staying locked and closed.

*But note: these results are based on ECE helmet test data only so may not be directly relevant for DOT helmets on sale in the US. So the information’s for guidance only.

Modular Helmets rated best for Safety/Protection

SHARP 4 Star, 100% Chin Bar

AGV has consistently been towards the top of our Top 10 Safest Helmet Brands list for years. And since its launch, the AGV Numo Evo range of helmets has been shown to be one of the safest and most protective modulars on the market. The original AGV Numo Evo (as the AGV Compact as it’s known in Europe) scored 4 stars and 100% and the follow up Numo Evo ST scored exactly the same. Meaning you can put your faith in the AGV Numo Evo ST giving you excellent protection. Read the Full AGV Numo Evo ST review.

SHARP 4 Star, 100% Chin Bar

Like AGV, Shark’s Evo range of helmets that started with the Evoline way back, has always scored well overall in SHARP’s tests – though their chin bars haven’t always stood up quite so well to testing. The latest incarnation is the Shark Evo-One 2 which has scored a SHARP 4 star rating and its chin bar stayed locked and closed 100% of the time making it arguably their safest and most protective modular ever. Excellent job Shark. Read the Full Shark Evo-One 2 review.

SHARP 4 Star, 100% Chin Bar

Italian maker X-Lite’s X-1004 is another modular with a great safety rating. It’s also dual-homologated and comes in composite or carbon fiber variants. X-Lite is part of the Nolan Group who have a reputation of making some of the best protective flip-front helmets out there. Unfortunately, none of Nolan’s best protective modulars are widely available now so the X-1004 is the sole remaining Nolan modular that offers excellent protection. Read the full X-Lite X-1004 review.

SHARP 4 Star, 97% Chin Bar

AGV’s top flight modular for sportsbikes scored an excellent SHARP 4 star safety rating but dropped a few percentage points for becoming unlocked just once during testing. The shell’s made from carbon fiber and, notably, so too’s the chin guard. Notable because many helmet makers tend to stick cheaper chin bars on an otherwise fancy helmet shells. Read the full AGV Sport Modular helmet review.

SHARP 4 Star, 100% Chin Bar

The HJC IS Max II has been around for a long time now. But it represents such great value for money and offers such excellent protection that HJC keep on making it. Yes, it’s a polycarbonate helmet, but that just means it’s in the reach of more rider’s pockets meaning you can buy a really functional modular with great protection for not much money. Read our full HJC IS-Max II helmet review.

SHARP 4 Star, 100% Chin Bar

Caberg too has been in our Safest Helmet Brands Top 10 list for many years and the Droid perfectly represents what Caberg is about – great value helmets that offer excellent protection. The Europe-only Droid achieved both a SHARP 4 star rating as well as the chin bar staying locked and closed throughout SHARP’s 32 tests – and it’s also great value too. Read the full Caberg Droid review (UK site).

So there you have it, our full list of modular helmets that are known to offer the best impact protection on the market. Which is not to say others won’t offer such great protection of course – it’s just that they’ve not been independently tested by SHARP so we don’t know.

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Fly Racing Street Revolt FS review: an amazing value Snell-approved full face.

Fly Racing Street Revolt FS full face motorcycle helmet review.

Most folks are pushing the Fly Racing Street Revolt FS as the cheapest Snell approved helmet on the market.

And while I’m not 100% sure about that (deals on the R420 Scorpion or the CL-17 HJC might give it a run for its money!), it is undoubtedly both Snell 2015 approved and fantastic value too.

Which means if you’re looking for great protection but don’t want to hit your wallet too hard then, on the face of it at least, the Revolt FS might well be worth checking out.

fly racing street revolt ink n needle helmet matte black side view — Ink-n-Needle graphic Fly Racing Revolt FS

So what else do we know about it? Well, it’s been designed as an all rounder helmet, made to fit riders with longer oval heads.

That’s unusual in itself because most of us have rounder heads than that – more medium oval. So that’ll be music to the ears of long oval headed riders as there’s less and less choice out there to suit them.

It’s also been made to look kinda sporty with that swoopy rear spoiler. And with a heap of front and rear vents, they say they’ve made it to give great ventilation for those summer rides.

That’s great. But lots of makers make all kinds of claims for their helmets. The question is, does the Fly Racing Revolt FS deliver?

To answer that question, here’s a full run down on what features the Revolt FS offers, along with the thoughts of owners and riders from around the web to find out if it’s worth the (little) investment or whether you should take your money elsewhere.

Polycarbonate/ABS full face helmet
Snell & DOT Approved
Clear and tint shields included
Double-D ring fastener
Long oval fitment
Optically clear face shield
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay $125-$150

Looking to buy a Fly Racing Revolt FS?

Please click below to visit the Fly Racing Revolt FS 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

Bang for your buck on a Snell approved helmet is the major message here.

If you’re looking for great protection, then Snell helmets are the ones to go for. And with the Fly Racing Street Revolt FS – just as promised by Fly Racing – you get a Snell 2015 approved helmet along with great value.

fly racing street revolt fs motorcycle helmet patriot hi viz crash helmet side view — Hi Viz Patriot graphic Revolt FS

But it actually offers more than that. Owners say it’s a really comfortable helmet with good ventilation and a great face shield system.

Aero capabilities are OK and the fact it comes with two shields in the box (clear and tint) is real icing on the cake.

All meaning, if you’ve a long oval head, and are looking for great protection and real value for money – and you’re looking for a good looking full face helmet – then you should really have a ride in a Fly Racing Street Revolt FS because it’s a great budget helmet that really punches above its weight.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The headline here is that the Fly Racing Street Revolt FS has been Snell 2015 approved.

Not many lower price helmets have been Snell tested/approved so that’s a great performance and, overall, means that you should be able to trust the Fly Racing Revolt FS to do its job and protect you in an accident.

In fact while researching the Revolt FS we came across several riders who say theirs did just that – which is always great to hear.

Of course, it’s DOT certified too (not ECE though) so it meets the mandatory DOT safety standards.

And Fly Racing has put a dual density shock absorbing EPS liner in there to help manage both lower and higher speed impacts.

fly racing street revolt fs liberator snell helmet top view — From the top – Liberator graphic Fly Racing Revolt FS

Plus it’s made in 2 shell sizes which will mean the helmet shell/size is slightly optimized for your head – though that could be better by producing even more shell sizes.

Bell, for example, make some of their helmets in 5 shell sizes!

But overall, if it’s been Snell certified, that’s about as good as it gets (except for maybe dual Snell and SHARP but you can’t have everything!)

It’s also got a double-d ring fastener on there which are as safe as houses (provided you tighten them up well every ride) and there’s a face shield lock on there which can come in handy if you’re on the track or you take a fall.

All in all, that should mean the Fly Racing Street Revolt FS will give you as good protection as the latest Snell approved helmets from the big brands costing hundreds of dollars more.

Great job Fly Racing!

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Just one look at the shell of the Revolt FS and you can see the potential for a noise problem.

Loads of vents in the helmet shell should be great for pulling in a ton of air. But those same holes have the potential to let in a ton of noise too.

fly racing street revolt ink n needle helmet black white side view — Here’s the white Ink ‘n’ Needle graphic Revolt FS

And while it doesn’t seem to be a massive problem with the Revolt FS, quite a few owners do reckon it’s a noisy helmet.

As usual, the faster you go, the noisier it’ll be (surprise surprise) and there are always one or two people who say it’s not too bad – usually because it’s quieter than the helmet they’re used to wearing – or they don’t ride fast.

But overall, don’t expect the Revolt FS to be a quiet and chilling place to stick your head because it’s not.

However, don’t ride too fast and/or wear some decent ear plugs and noise shouldn’t be a problem.

Or if wearing a quiet helmet’s massively important to you, then take a look at our quietest helmets pages for more quiet helmets than you can shake a 18″ pipe wrench at!

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The Fly Racing Street Revolt FS has got more vent holes in the shell than I can ever remember seeing on any helmet – ever.

There’s the obvious ones – the double crown vent and the single chin bar vent – all with their respective sliders or switches to close them off.

Plus there’s four separate ‘passive’ vents in the chin bar that are covered with a grill. They can be closed off too but the switch/dial is found inside the chin bar and can only really be adjusted once you’re stationary.

A couple of useful links…

– Best protecting helmet reviews –
– Best value helmets –

Out back, there’s six passive always-open exhaust vents to help remove all that stale air and make room for nice cooling fresh air.

Inside the helmet, air is moved from front to back through generous air channels moulded into the EPS liner, and there’s corresponding cutaways and mesh panels in the comfort liner to let the air get to your head.

fly racing street revolt fs patriot red crash helmet side view — The Patriot in black/red

OK, that’s great. It’s what you want to see. But does it work?

Well yeah… mostly.

Not everyone agrees but most opinions are that airflow through the Fly Revolt FS is somewhere from about average to great. Some riders who live in very hot states reckoned there’s loads of air while a few others thought it’s kinda average for a full face.

Guess no one’s ever gonna agree entirely, but overall the weight of opinion seems to be that it passes a decent amount of air through and most riders will probably be happy with the amount of venting the Revolt FS offers.

Shield

(more about shields)

If you live somewhere cold though, you might have a problem with the shield fogging though.

Fly Racing does say it’s covered in an anti-fog coating and, as we’ve seen in the past, some of these OEM coatings can be pretty decent these days.

But a few Revolt FS owners have commented that when it’s cold, the Revolt does have a tendency to fog. Especially when you’re going slowly or stationary at lights. Then, you’re gonna have to crack that shield to stop fogging up.

fly racing street revolt fs liberator snell helmet rear view — Rear view of the Revolt FS (liberator) showing rear spoiler. You can just about make out some of the 6 exhaust vents too.

Which is a shame because, otherwise, most owners have only good things to say about the face shields on the Revolt FS.

First up, it comes with both a clear and smoked shield in the box. That’s rare and a real bonus – especially for a helmet at this price point.

Second, they’re optically correct.

Sure, most visors are pretty clear. But a couple of owners commented that they seem particularly clear so that’s always nice and helps with that feeling of immersion when you’re riding, if you know what I mean.

Third and fourth points – are that a few riders commented that the shield gives you a nice wide field of view and that its quick release mechanism is easy to use to pull the shield off without tools.

Oh, and according to Fly Racing, both shields give 100% UVA/B 400 protection. Which is a definite thumbs up.

So, apart from a little fogging which may or may not be an issue for you, the shield(s) on the Revolt FS are great.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Revolt, there’s a fully removable and washable comfort liner.

Fly Racing call it their Qwick-Dry liner which is designed to wick moisture/sweat away from your head. Couple that with decent ventilation and cutaways/mesh in the liner and it should all keep your head dry and comfortable.

fly racing street revolt fs liberator full face helmet side view — The Liberator comes in 3 colorways – this one’s the blue/white/black

In fact owners are pretty unanimous in praising the Revolt RS as being really comfortable, saying the fabric is soft to the touch and is comfortable enough for full day rides.

That’s as long as you’ve a longer oval head shape of course, because that’s who Fly are targeting the Revolt FS at (rather than the medium oval head shapes most riders in the US have).

If you’re serious about buying a Revolt FS, make sure you measure your head (fitting guide) and if you find yourself between sizes, we’d go for the smaller size because a few owners reckoned they can size a bit small.

Also, because the Revolt FS is made in just two shell sizes – with one shell size covering fitment sizes XS-M and the other L-XXL – some people will find themselves wearing a helmet that’s also used for riders two sizes up.

So if you’re an L, that same helmet will be padded out to fit XXL riders.

Which, according to a couple of owners, can mean the helmet looks a bit oversized on you.

That might not be too much of a problem if you’re 260lbs and 6+ feet because you’ll probably pull it off.

fly racing street revolt fs solid gloss white helmet side view — Solid white Revolt FS

But if you’re 130lbs wet through and under 5 feet tall… it might look a bit on the big side.

Finally, a few Revolt owners say when they bought theirs, it felt quite tight at first but breaks in quickly.

So if you do buy one and it feels tight, then it’s not uncommon and should break in. And if it doesn’t, Fly Racing do sell replacement cheek pads in different sizes so that should help with tailoring the fit some.

Overall though, it’s a very comfortable helmet for long oval heads with no known problems, so it’s good to go.

Looks & Graphics

At the time of writing, if you’re after a solid Revolt FS, there’s a solid gloss white and matte black to choose from.

For graphics, there’s the Ink N Needle, Patriot, Liberator and Codex. But you’ll find some of the older (and newer) designs if you click through to our recommended stores (recommended for excellent reviews and service) using the links below.

Best places to buy a Fly Racing Revolt FS?

Please click below to visit the Fly Racing Revolt FS 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).

Fly Racing Street Revolt FS Video

A 7m look over both the Patriot graphic and solid matt black Revolt FS.

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

If you’re looking to fit a bluetooth headset, there’s apparently plenty of room inside for speakers. I’ve heard of owners fitting a range of Sena headsets including SMH-10, 10R and 10S so it should suit a good range of kits inside.

fly racing street revolt fs solid matte black helmet side view — And here’s the solid matte black version

Being a thermoplastic helmet, the Revolt FS isn’t the lightest helmet around. It weighs around 3.7lbs which is above average weight for a polycarb helmet. Having said that, a few owners commented that it feels light weight when wearing it so we don’t expect it’ll be a problem for most riders.

While there aren’t any glasses channels inside the Revolt FS, a couple of owners we found said you can comfortably wear glasses inside it no problem. Here’s other helmets that are known to be great for glasses wearers.

The Revolt FS comes with a removable chin curtain and a breath guard fitted.

If you buy one, from the info we can find online (and there’s zero info on Fly Racing’s website!), Fly Racing only provides a one year warranty. Maybe that’s why it’s not advertised anywhere as that’s one of the shortest warranty periods we’ve found.

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Good Alternatives to the Revolt FS?

Here’s a few helmets for you to check out – all great value for money and offering excellent protection.

scorpion exo r 410 crash helmet tracker grey side view — Scorpion R420

We mentioned the Scorpion Exo R-420 at the top of the page. That’s a good value Snell approved full face helmet. It weighs about the same as the Revolt, has the same fastener and costs about the same too. It has EQRS cheek pads though which the Fly doesn’t.

HJC CL17 Africa motorcycle helmet top view — CL-17 Africa

The HJC CL-17 is priced about the same but suitable for rounder head shapes. It’s Snell too – and owners love it for, well, pretty well everything!

Scorpion exo-st1400 hi viz yellow antrim carbon helmet side rear view — ST1400 Antrim

If your budget can stretch a little bit, you can get a whole lot more exotic helmet – like the Scorpion Exo-ST1400. Shells made from carbon or composite fibers, EQRS, sun visor, Pinlock insert included, 5 year warranty – plus the ECE version tested 4 stars for safety.

Or how about the Bell SRT full face. That’s Snell approved, is a great all rounder helmet that’s also great for glasses wearers.

Looking to buy a Fly Racing Revolt FS?

Please click below to visit the Fly Racing Revolt FS 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).

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Star Ratings

LS2 Spitfire review: a great value open face with integral sun visor.

LS2 Spitfire 3/4 open face ABS motorcycle crash helmet review.

The LS2 Spitfire is LS2’s take on a classic bobber-style, open face helmet.

They’ve tried to make a helmet that’s compact, so it doesn’t look big on the head, and is lightweight. They’ve also fitted it with a goggles loop at the back in case you want to wear it with goggles, and they’ve added a pull-down sun visor to give you some in-built eye protection and protection against the sun.

That’s all offered at a nice low price point, making it suitable for cost-conscious riders who might want to use it as a second helmet or who’re maybe commuting and want a budget lid.

Obviously, if you’re wanting the best protection, you should go for a full face or one of the best performing modular helmets.

But if you’re looking to buy a regular open face helmet, then here’s what the LS2 Spitfire offers and what owners think of theirs.

Open face helmet
Thermoplastic ABS shell
Integrated pull-down sun visor
Micrometric fastener
Goggles loop
DOT and ECE versions
Medium oval fitment
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay $100-$120

Looking to buy an LS2 Spitfire?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Spitfire 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

Not only does the LS2 Spitfire look the part, but with its integral drop down sun visor and light weight, it’s really liked by the vast majority of folk who’ve bought one.

LS2 Spitfire crash helmet matt black side view — Side view of the matt black Spitfire

There’s a question mark over the kind of protection it’ll give – yes because it’s a 3/4 helmet, but also because it’s not Snell certified and because LS2 helmets have tended to score average ratings in the UK’s SHARP tests over the years.

But if you want a reasonably low profile, unfussy, and easy to use open face helmet and like the idea of having a sun visor when you need it, then the LS2 might well be a great helmet for you. Plus, it’s good value too which is always a big thumbs up!

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The shell on the Spitfire is made from something LS2 advertises as HPTT. That’s actually an ABS plastic so similar to many other thermoplastic helmets.

Does it give good protection?

Well, it is DOT certified so it should give some protection. But it isn’t Snell certified and looking at SHARP helmet test data overall, it seems LS2 tends to make thermoplastic helmets that offer about average levels of protection.

LS2 Spitfire Sunrise open face motorbike helmet rear view — Another view of the Sunrise

SHARP independently tests ECE helmets and release information showing how well helmets perform on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best. And that data shows LS2 lids don’t always offer the protection we’d like.

Note – this data only relates to ECE helmets and we’re never quite sure if they differ to the US DOT versions of a helmet or not.

But if you look at other SHARP tested LS2 thermoplastic helmets, they’ve scored an average of 3/5 stars over the years. Their best recent score is the 4 star rated LS2 Stream Evo, though the LS2 Rapid full face – which is the only other LS2 HPTT ABS helmet that’s been tested – that scored a lowly 2 stars.

So, if we were asked to guess, we’d expect from the LS2 Spitfire to score between 2-4 stars (though of course SHARP doesn’t test open face helmets because they inherently give less protection than helmets that cover your face).

On the plus side, the LS2 Spitfire does come with a dual density liner to help manage lower and higher impacts. And weighing around 2.6lbs (1.2Kg) it’s really light weight, which helps keep inertia generated by a helmet under impact to a minimum as well as making a helmet nicer to wear.

LS2 Spitfire RUST - graphics side view — LS2 Spitfire Rust

It uses a micrometric fastener which are the easiest fasteners to live with as well as being nice and secure.

And of course that integrated sun visor will be useful for giving some eye protection as well as protecting from the sun. Just remember, you can’t use it when it gets dark (though you can buy a clear replacement shield separately – part number 800599SV02)

Overall then, it’s an open face 3/4 helmet so it will leave your face unprotected. And there are better performing helmet shells out there (see alternatives section at the bottom).

So in terms of safety, we’d expect the LS2 Spitfire’s helmet shell to give around average levels of protection – though there’ll be no protection to your face at all.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

The LS2 Spitfire is a 3/4 helmet, so don’t expect it to be particularly quiet. There’s always going to be plenty of space for air to get inside and, while it’s got a nice round shell without any wind-catching vents or studs on it, it’s never going to have the aero capabilities and sound-insulation of a full face.

LS2 Spitfire black flag motorcycle crash helmet side view — LS2 Black Flag – note goggles loop at the rear.

The word from Spitfire owners is that, for an open face helmet it’s OK – especially if you’re riding behind a fairing of course.

But if you up the pace and you’re in the wind, it’s going to be noisy.

But then you’re not going to be buying an open face helmet to do plenty of miles at speed are you? And shove in some decent ear protection and you should be OK.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Again, because it’s an open face helmet, you’re going to get plenty of fresh air on your face which will help keep you cool on hot days.

LS2-Spitfire-in-matt-black-front-opening — Vents are above the visor opening – just keep the visor up!

And if you look closely at the pic, you’ll see LS2’s hidden a large air vent above the visor opening to take air into the helmet where it’s moved across the head in air channels moulded into the internal EPS lining.

That’s a nice bit of design and the word from owners is that it offers good ventilation.

Except… if you pull down the shield, that covers over the vents and stops air getting inside the helmet. Hmm, not such a nice bit of design as it turns out.

That said, most owners seem to be happy with the amount of ventilation.

A couple of useful links…

– All our open face helmet reviews –
– Top 10 modular helmets –

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

The Spitfire comes with an optically-correct drop down sun visor that can be pulled down using the two tabs on the bottom of the visor.

Two tabs are always useful on a helmet, meaning you can adjust it with your right hand if you want while you’re stopping at lights for example.

LS2 Spitfire bombrider open face motorcycle helmet front view — Sun visor on the Spitfire Bombrider

It works on a ratchet so you can pull it down in steps, and it’s scratch resistant and gives UV protection too (typical protection levels are 95%+ for all polycarbonate visors).

The Spitfire only comes with a dark lens though so if you need a helmet for riding when it’s dark, you might want to give it a miss.

You can buy a replacement clear visor though (part number 800599SV02) and it’s a pretty easy process to swap visors.

And if you ride in glasses, a few owners have said that the sun visor drops down fine and doesn’t interfere with your glasses.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The LS2 Spitfire has been designed to fit medium oval shaped heads internally.

It has a breathable and hypoallergenic internal liner that’s removable and washable.

LS2-Spitfire-open-face-crash-helmet-matt-black-bottom-view — Inside there’s a micrometric fastener and removable liner.

It does have a couple of shallow speaker pockets in there too, but most Spitfire owners reckon they’re too shallow to fit most bluetooth headset speakers.

Earbuds should work fine but we found one Cardo Freecom 1 owner who couldn’t get his headset to fit because the speaker pockets were too shallow and pushed the speakers into his head too much.

Most owners we came across said they find their Spitfire’s nice and comfortable, though a few did say they found their cheekpads too tight at first, though they do break in quite quickly by most accounts.

Sizing seems to be true though, so read our fitting guide before order the correct size helmet.

Looks & Graphics

If you’re after a modern looking open face helmet, then the Spitfire’s fits the bill.

Most of us who ride in open helmets want one that’s low profile so it doesn’t make us look too ‘bobble headed’. And while LS2’s tried to make it low profile, how compact it is really depends on where you fit in their shell sizes.

LS2 Spitfire pink Muerte open face helmet front view — This one’s the Spitfire in Pink Muerte graphics

That’s because it’s made in 2 shell sizes – the smaller shell covering fitment sizes XS-M and the larger shell L-XXL. So if you’re a size M, it’s going to look proportionately smaller than if you’re an XS for example.

A couple of owners said it looks around middling size for an open face – so reasonably low profile and certainly not too much of a bobble head.

As you’d expect for an open face, the Spitfire tends to come in plenty of ‘urban’ and darker paints.

If you’re after a matt lid, there’s matt black, matt titanium as well as the matt Inky and Skull Rider helmets (both with skulls on the side) and matt Black Flag with a subtle Old Glory motif on it.

There’s also solid gloss white, black and a few other retro styles like the Jeans, Rust and Sunrise. Oh, and there’s a couple of chromed versions around if that’s your thing!

Most helmets get new graphics from time to time though, so please click through to our suggested retailers below – all highly rated online and all with good reputations for selling only genuine helmets.

Best places to buy an LS2 Spitfire?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Spitfire 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 Spitfire video

Here’s a 7m look around a matt black Spitfire.

Other stuff – goggles, warranty

Obviously, the Spitfire comes with a built-in sun visor but you can wear it with a pair of goggles too – and LS2’s put a handy goggles loop at the back of the helmet to keep the strap in place.

Finally, all Spitfire’s come with a 2 year warranty.

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Good Alternatives to the LS2 Spitfire?

There’s a stack of great alternatives out there – some are pure open face helmets while others can convert into open face helmets, but add the chin bar back in and you’ve got the protection of a full face. Here’s some we recommend you check out:

For another great open face helmet, check out the Shoei J.O – all day comfortable, integral clear visor with a premium quality build and fiberglass shell. It’s quality over price though, so it’s not cheap.

The Scorpion Exo Covert has a built-in sun visor too and it comes with a (non-protective) face guard to keep the weather out.

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

Not only does the Bell Broozer look badass, but it can convert from a full face helmet to open face by just pulling off the chin bar. It’s nice and light too.

For more alternatives, check out our Open Face Helmets pages.

Looking to buy an LS2 Spitfire?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Spitfire 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).

How can we improve our site?

We’d love your feedback on what we could do better. Please give us your thoughts here.

Star Ratings

HJC I70: low priced all-rounder full face helmet.

HJC i70 full face motorcycle crash helmet review.

The HJC i70 is HJCs replacement of their mega-popular IS-17. Which means it’s a polycarbonate all-rounder full face helmet, that’s just as happy taking on a cross-continent tour on a Wing as cruising the street on a Z1000.

The IS-17 was one of our all time fave helmets – offering an excellent combo of safety (the ECE version scored a massive 5 stars in SHARP safety testing) along with stacks of performance for not very much money.

So the i70 has lots to live up to. Read on to find what you can expect if you buy an i70…

Polycarbonate full face helmet
All rounder helmet
Integral sun visor
Pinlock anti-fog ready shield
DOT and ECE versions
2 shell sizes
3.5lbs (1.59Kg) slightly heavier than avg
Sizes XXS-XXL
Expect to pay $180-$225

Looking to buy an HJC I70 ?

Please click below to visit the HJC I70 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).

hjc i70 Karon motorbike crash helmet top view — The i70 in Karon graphics showing top air vents

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

There are DOT and ECE versions of the i70 available, meaning they comply with their respective US and European safety standards. And both should offer a decent level of protection if the worst happens.

Unfortunately, HJC don’t seem to get Snell to test many of their helmets any more so we’re not entirely sure how well the i70 will do.

Over in Europe, the UK’s SHARP helmet testing guys did take the ECE version of the i70 to their test labs where it scored a very creditable 4 star safety rating (max 5 star).

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean the DOT version would score just as highly in the Snell test labs but it does show HJC know how to make an effective helmet.

hjc i70 asto black red motorcycle crash helmet rear view — HJC i70 Asto in black/red

In fact since Snell’s M2015 standards were introduced, four polycarb HJC helmets have been tested and certified, so they certainly know a thing or two about polycarbonate helmet construction too.

The i70 is produced in 2 shell sizes with one shell size covering fitment sizes XXS-M and the other covering L-XXL. That’s OK for a pretty low cost lid and means your helmet will be moderately optimized for safety as well as looks (see here to find out why).

Other safety features include that wide, Pinlock-ready face shield (though in the US the Pinlock isn’t included in the box like it is in Europe) which should give excellent all-round and peripheral vision and, if you fit a Pinlock, that’ll ensure your vision’s clear 99.9% of the time.

There’s also a drop down internal sun visor to stop you getting dazzled in bright sunlight, and the US version has a double-d ring fastener (micrometric in Europe).

black orange hjc i70 elim full face motorcycle helmet side view — This one’s the Elim colorway in black/grey/orange. Note sun visor slider on bottom rim

All in all, yes the i70 is a polycarb helmet and yes, polycarbonate is usually found on cheaper helmets. But don’t let that put you off because if they’re made right, polycarbonate helmets can be incredibly high performing helmets.

And the i70 does have some useful safety features which will hopefully mean it’llwill hopefully mean it’ll help stop you getting into trouble in the first place too.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

There’s a nice plush lining inside the HJC I70 and, according to owners, the shell is aerodynamic too.

Both will help with insulating the helmet (and your ears) from noise.

Ride magazine (UK) included it in a mid-price helmet shootout and reckoned it was the quietest out of a half dozen or so helmets on test.

And quite a few I70 owners agree that it’s a quiet helmet too – though a few others say it’s about average.

So overall, it seems the I70’s pretty good for noise supression – though don’t let that be a green light for not wearing ear plugs.

Motorcycle helmets are very noisy places overall and can easily lead to long term ear damage, so you still need to wear plugs – especially when you’re upping the speed a bit or riding further than a few miles.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Ventilation is one area HJC has looked to improve over the old helmet – which was already good.

So the i70 has four front vents – a twin vent on the chin bar operated by a single central slider. And there’s two crown vents, operated by two separate sliders.

To the rear, there’s a large twin top exhaust vent and an exhaust at the collar.

Inside the shell, above average sized air channels circulate air through the helmet and air passes through the vented internal comfort liner to ventilate the head.

Owner reviews we’ve found broadly find head venting anywhere from average to good.

Which is not the case with chin bar venting.

hjc i70 matt black motorcycle crash helmet top view — Top vents clearly visible on this solid matt black i70

The chin vent is designed to direct air onto the back of the visor to help with anti-fogging. But quite a few I70 owners said it could be better.

If fogging does become a real issue for you, you’ll probably need to invest in a decent anti-fog solution, like a Pinlock insert.

Overall, venting on the HJC I70’s a mixed bag – mostly well thought out but could do better with the chin vent.

Shield

(more about shields)

The face shield on the HJC i70 is designed to offer a wide view angle and is both quick-release and Pinlock antifog insert ready (though a Pinlock antifog isn’t included in the box in the US helmet).

The shield works on a ratchet (6 positions) and has a ‘cracked open’ city riding position, which many riders find useful to let in a bit of extra air when riding around slowly.

The central opening tab is also a shield lock and it’s easy to lock/open with one gloved hand.

hjc i70 asto black pink motorcycle crash helmet side view — Striking black/purple i70 Asto

HJCs Quickfire II tool-less shield removal is a decent system and just needs you to open the shield, push back on the lever on either side of the helmet and the face shield pops off so you can clean or replace it.

As mentioned, it’s also Pinlock-ready meaning there’s a couple of small posts on the rear of the shield that are locating pins for a pinlock insert that sits on the back of the shield and acts as a moisture-absorbing double glazing and stops your shield fogging up in all but the most extreme cold/humidity.

The US I70 doesn’t come with a Pinlock in the box though unfortunately, so if you ever find yourself riding below 50 degrees, it’s a worthwhile investment.

And because HJC has made the shield aperture nice and wide (what they call their Vision Plus system), you shouldn’t find any restriction in peripheral vision either – confirmed by several I70 owners mentioning how wide the vision is.

Which means, HJC has pretty well thought of everything when it comes to the visor on the i70.

hjc i70 Varok motorbike crash helmet top view — HJC i70 Varok

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

And that includes integrating a drop-down sun visor into the i70.

It works by a slider on the bottom left of the helmet. OK that can interfere with bluetooth comms unit fixings, but it’s a convenient place for you to find your sun visor slider too.

And several owners have said that the slider’s really conveniently placed and easy to use – so hopefully you will too.

The sun visor drops down nice and low and is reasonably dark, so it should give decent protection in all but the brightest, most direct sunshine.

If you’re coming to an I70 from the outgoing IS17, you’ll be pleased to hear that the auto-return sun visor mechanism has been binned off. So no more spring-loaded return that doesn’t quite manage to return the sun visor fully up!

Instead, a simple manual return using the same slider.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The HJC i70 is one of HJCs lower priced helmets, so don’t expect all the fancy materials you’ll find in a more expensive helmet.

But that still means you’ll find a very comfortable internal liner that’s both antimicrobial and moisture wicking.

Loads of owners have commented that it’s a really comfortable helmet. But quite a few have also said that the cheek pads can be a bit tight when you first get the helmet – though they do break in quickly.

It’s also fully removable and washable and there’s a pair of speaker pockets in there – though they’re about average depth so you might struggle with deeper speakers.

One owner of a Cardo Packtalk Bold said their speakers wouldn’t fit and so did one Interphone owner. So, if you think your speakers are deeper than average, you might want to try before you buy – or order from one of our recommended stores (see links below) who’ll all do no-quibble returns.

For glasses wearers, HJC have increased the depth of the glasses grooves from the IS17 which makes the I70 great for comfortable riding in glasses. Plus the sun visor is far enough away so it shouldn’t interfere with your glasses either.

hjc i70 elim full face motorcycle crash helmet rear view — Rear view of the HJC i70 Elim

At 3.5lbs (about 1.6Kg) it’s not the lightest full face helmet, but it’s only a few ounces over the average full face helmet and it won’t be heavy enough to cause you any problems.

In fact, several I70 owners commented that it feels lightweight when you’re riding.

It’s also been designed to suit medium oval shaped heads (that’s most of us) so if that sounds like you, check out our fitting guide first, then measure your head to ensure you buy the correct size – and you should be good to go.

All in all, you need a comfortable helmet when riding. And – as long as the internal shape matches your headshape – the HJC I70 gets a big thumbs up from the vast majority of owners.

Looks & Graphics

The i70 has been designed as an all rounder helmet and to appeal to as many people as possible – so it’s a pretty conservative helmet in styling and colorways.

We’ve put examples of the crazily named Riaz, Varok, Karon, Asto and Cravia designs along with the plain solid versions on these pages.

But there’s sure to be new graphics released by HJC through the year so please click the links below to find what else is available (plus we reckon you can trust these stores to treat you right if you order from them).

Best places to buy an HJC I70 ?

Please click below to visit the HJC I70 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).

HJC i70 Video

Here’s a 15m video looking in detail at the i70.

Other stuff – aero, breath deflector, warranty

HJC seems to have done a great job on aero with the I70 as a couple of owners and reviewers said it creates little turbulence or buffeting and is stable at speed.

The i70 comes with a breath deflector built in.

It’ll come with HJCs standard 3 year warranty too (from date of purchase).

Alternatives to the HJC i70?

If you’re not looking to spend to much but want a great performing helmet, here’s some tried and tested great buys.

First up is the Scorpion Exo-R710. It’s a Snell Certified fiberglass helmet that comes with an optically correct, Pinlock face shield and is waaay lighter than the i70 but can be had for around the same money.

If you’re willing to spend more, you might want to check out the AGV K5S. That’s a SHARP 4 star tested (ECE version) carbon/fiberglass lid with sun visor that’s mega comfortable with good aero.

Or there’s another Scorpion that’s worth looking at – that’s the Scorpion Exo-R420 which is a lower priced polycarbonate helmet that’s also Snell tested/approved, comes with a double-d ring fastener and EQRS too. That’s a whole lotta helmet for less than the i70.

Overall/Summary

hjc i70 Karon blue motorbike crash helmet top view — Karon graphics, this time in blue

HJC make some great value helmets. And if you’re after a lower priced all rounder, the i70 has all the bases covered.

It’s got a wide, Pinlock-ready, quick release shield. And a drop down sun visor too.

Plus, it achieved an excellent SHARP 4 star safety rating too (Euro ECE version), so hopefully that means you can rely on it to give you decent protection in an accident.

And the vast majority of owners love it and think it’s great value for money. It’s comfortable, head venting’s good, and the shield’s nice and wide too.

It’s even reasonably quiet on the road.

So, if you’re after bang for your buck, you’ve a medium oval head shape, and you’re looking for a great all rounder helmet, then the HJC i70 should be an excellent buy.

Looking to buy an HJC I70 ?

Please click below to visit the HJC I70 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

Icon Airflite: funky all rounder helmet with innovative shield system.

Icon Airflite motorcycle crash helmet review.

Icon like to do things differently.

Take the Icon Airflite. It’s a polycarbonate all-rounder helmet that’s designed to work for pretty well any purpose going (except maybe the track). Which often means… well… a bit dull, right?

But not so with Icon. Not only is the Airflite available in lots of funky, borderline outrageous, graphics. But they’ve added a faintly bonkers shield setup to it that’s almost twice as deep as your average shield and clips onto the bottom of the chin guard.

I guess in the fully-up position it kinda acts like a sun peak/roost guard too (maybe that’s the point?).

Like I said, Icon like to do things a bit different.

Personally, I like different. But is it different for different’s sake or different and better?

So, here’s a look over the Icon Airflite and see what it offers for your money.

Polycarbonate all-rounder helmet
Rear view of the Airflite Rubatone
Drop down sun visor
SHARP 3 star safety rated (Eu helmet)
Large, anti-fog main shield
Double-D ring fastener
Quick change shield
3.75lbs (1.7Kg) – slightly heavier than avg
Sizes XS-XXXL
Expect to pay $250-$310

Looking to buy an Icon Airflite?

Please click below to jump straight onto the Icon Airflite helmet 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 Airflite’s got an injection moulded polycarbonate shell and there’s a good old double-d ring fastener to keep it secure on your head.

It’s been both DOT certified and ECE approved (for the European market), meaning you can be confident it’ll give you some decent protection if you ever (God forbid) hit the deck. And to make sure you get the right amount of EPS lining to helmet size, Icon produce it in 3 shell sizes. That’s good.

Icon Airflite 8.5m/s SHARP impact test courtesy of sharp.dft.gov.uk

To help keep you upright, there’s a wide shield for added peripheral vision and a drop down sun visor to keep you from getting dazzled.

That massive main shield isn’t Pinlock-ready (boo), but it does come with Icon’s own anti-fog treatment which I found surprisingly effective (more in shield section below).

No Icons to-date have been tested by the Snell labs, and we always look at SHARP safety test results over in the UK too where possible to see how much protection each helmet offers.

Icon helmets are fairly new to SHARP testing. In fact, before the Airflite was tested, they’ve only had three helmets tested so far with an average score of 3 stars.

So it’s probably no surprise that the Airflite scored 3 stars too. Looking at the 8.5m/s test, while it still scored slightly above average for side and front impact testing, it still dropped a few marks there.

But remember, that’s a test on an ECE helmet, not DOT, and we can’t be sure if there’s any difference between the helmets.

But overall we’re happy to say the Airflite looks to be around average for impact protection.

Airflite Fayder black/white

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

There’s a decent amount of padding inside the Airflite but there’s also lots of ventilation channels and some decent sized vent holes too, all of which can let noise into a helmet.

I tried an Airflite and while I always ride wearing some of our recommended ear plugs, I found it to be very similar to something like the HJC IS 17 which is pretty good for noise suppression.

So it’s not really possible to say how noisy you’ll find the Airflite as it’s very subjective and depends on how fast you ride as well as your specific motorcycle among other factors. Overall then, we’ll score it above average for helmet noise.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a big, fat, central vent in the chin guard which directs air around the mouth and up onto the back of the shield.

It’s designed to mimic motocross helmets that have a large central vent with a cleanable filter in there but in the case of the Airflite, the main shield actually drops down to cover the chin guard vent, with the holes in the shield letting air through even when it’s fully closed.

You can’t see it in the pictures, but you actually close the vent using a slider on the inside of the guard which, despite being inside the helmet and meaning you’ve gotta navigate the non-removable chin curtain to get to it, it actually isn’t too difficult to access while riding.

Unusually for a helmet with a sun visor that retracts right where forehead vents go, Icon has managed to put a couple of forehead vents into the helmet and route the channels past the sun visor.

Those forehead vents are covered by large sliders that are very glove-friendly. And they’re fairly straight forward to use – though not as easy as single vents, until you get the hang of using your finger and thumb to open them both simultaneously.

Gloss white Airflite showing large chin vent and sun visor slider behind shield pivot

These vents direct air through the helmet shell and into channels the run front-to-back across the crown of the head, drawing air out of the helmet through two, always-open, rear exhausts.

From my first test rides and looking at comments around the web, ventilation is overwhelmingly seen as a strong point.

Even in 100 degrees plus, several riders say there’s enough air flow to keep your head comfortable.

Couple excellent venting with the (surprisingly effective) factory anti-fog coating and it takes a lot to steam up the shield too.

Shield

(more about face shields)

The shield on the Icon Airflite is probably the most unusual part of the helmet.

It extends down really deep and has a grille set into it that semi-covers the chin vent when the shield’s closed. The bottom of the shield then locks into place on the bottom of the chin guard.

It’s an unusual setup that looks cool and works well too. It’s easy to close and lock the shield in place and it’s easy to push the bottom of the shield with your thumb to unlock it and open the shield back up.

It’s also a very quick release shield too. You prise off the side pods using a couple of fingers at the top and pull till they feel like they’re gonna break. And once they pull off, all you have to do is open the shield until it springs off its mounts. That’s it. Great bit of design and makes for a really easy way to pull off the shield for cleaning.

Good Fortune graphics

Or for swapping out for the replacement smoked shield that comes free in the box.

The shield also has Icon’s own anti-fog treatment on it. We’re not usually a fan of factory anti-fog treatments and regularly extol the virtues of Pinlocks instead.

So we were really surprised at how effective the Icon fog-free FliteShield shield was at stopping fogging. In fact it seemed about as effective as a Pinlock on our test journeys, though admittedly it wasn’t particularly cold or humid when we tried it. But in the absence of a Pinlock, Icon’s treatment seems very good.

One of the best features of the Airflite according to owner feedback is the nice large view it gives of the road. The viewport is nice and wide giving great visibility all round – and that’s great for safety as well as for enjoying the ride.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

The sun visor on the Airflite is operated by a slider right behind the left hand shield pivot and we found it drops down nice and low and was pretty easy to use. It’s a bit stiff to get the sun visor moving at first – part of the mechanism to stop the sun visor dropping down when you don’t want it to – but once you get the hang of it, it works a treat.

Like most sun visors, it’s not anti-fog so if it’s cold, don’t expect it to stay mist-free when you drop it down. But when we used it riding into the sun and things had warmed up a little, it was about average tint meaning it was dark enough to cut out most of the sun and let us ride along without distraction.

So all good with the sun visor we reckon.

Icon Airflite Quick Silver

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The Icon Airflite is made in 3 helmet shell sizes and in fitment sizes XS-XXXL.

Inside, there’s a removable/washable liner using Icon’s regular Hydradry material that’s moisture wicking and breathable.

I found it a tight squeeze to get the Airflite on, but once there it was bang on in terms of fitment and comfort – giving my head a gentle squeeze without any pressure points.

It’s designed to fit people with medium oval head shapes – so if your head’s oval rather than a rounder shape, it should be good for you.

Several owners said their Airflite’s felt very tight at first, with some suggesting if you’re between sizes, to go for a larger size. If it’s just a little tight when you get it though, it should break in pretty quickly.

And if you do buy one but find the fitment not quite right or needs some customizing, thicker and thinner cheek pads are available from Icon to tailor the internal fitment.

One notable feature if you ride in a suit with a back protector is that there’s a cutout in the rear of the Airflite that’ll accommodate a hump so it shouldn’t push your helmet forward.

Looks & Graphics

Icon ALWAYS paint their helmets in funky graphics and the Icon Airflite is no exception.

You can see the Airflite Fayder in the video below (also available in black/orange) and you’ll find the Krom Airflite further down this page in grey – again, there’s an orange version available too.

There’s also the delightfully crazy Chinese Dragon inspired Airflite Good Fortune as well as a bunch of plainer but equally edgy graphics such as the Rubatone and Quicksilver. Oh, and of course there’s plain gloss white and black versions.

Click through to our recommended retailers to see the latest deals on all these designs as well as any others that’ve been released since we wrote the article.

Best places to buy an Icon Airflite?

Please click below to visit the Icon Airflite helmet 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).

Icon Airflite video

A ten minute tour of the Icon Airflite Fayder.

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

The Airflite comes with a double-d ring fastener (easy to use old-style fasteners).

It has speaker pockets inside and enough room in the chin guard for a microphone. While they’re not the most generous speaker pockets in the world, we’ve heard from people happily fitting their Sena and Cardo Freecom units in there. Reports are that sticky mounts work best with the bottom rim of the Airflite not being the easiest to mount a clamp mount on.

It weighs in about 3.75 lbs (1.7Kg) which is a bit heavier than your average polycarbonate helmet, though not too heavy to cause any discomfort.

Airflite Krom – also in orange/black

It comes with a removable chin curtain and non-removable breath guard fitted to the helmet.

Icon Airflites come with a standard 1 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

If you like the aggressive motocross-inspired looks and want a decent all rounder, then the Icon Airflite should fit the bill.

It feels well built, has a quality quick-release shield system with a factory anti-fog coating that actually seems to work.

It scored 3/5 stars by SHARP for safety so is slightly above average when it comes to impact protection

It’s designed to work with medium oval heads and the removable/washable lining with spaces for comms unit speakers are all good quality. Couple that with an effective drop down sun visor and ventilation system and Icon seems to be onto a winner.

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Good Alternatives to the Icon Airflite?

There’s some great full face helmets out there to suit a range of wallets.

Cheaper than the Icon is the Shark Ridill. That scored 4 stars for safety when tested by SHARP and its got a sun visor and Pinlock shield too. It’s also got a glasses groove for if you wear glasses/shades and comes with a 5 year warranty!

For about $100 more than the Airflite, you can get a Shoei RF-SR. That’s a Snell Certified, SHARP 5 star safety rated composite fiber full face helmet with EQRS and Pinlock. They’re highly rated too.

Or for slightly less than the Icon, you could pick up an HJC FG-17. That’s a ‘race ready’ fiberglass full face that’s SHARP 4 star and Snell approved. Should work better on a sportsbike too if that’s what you ride.

Looking to buy an Icon Airflite?

Please click below to jump straight onto the Icon Airflite helmet 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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Nolan N70-2 GT and X review: a hugely versatile and well loved modular helmet.

Nolan N70-2 GT and N70-2 X full face and adventure helmet reviews.

Italian helmet makers, Nolan, have become kings of the truly versatile helmet.

Like the Nolan N44 before it, the Nolan N70-2 family of helmets are incredibly flexible lids, offering you the ability to switch from full face to open face, with peak or without peak – and from road helmet to adventure helmet – all from one base helmet.

Nolan-N70-2-X-Decurio-orange-adventure-helmet-side-view — Nolan N70-2 X Decurio adventure-helmet

That’s one base helmet that comes in two flavors. There’s the GT road helmet and the X which is the adventure/off-road helmet.

But both are based on the same N70-2 shell and both feature removable chin guards – where the chin bars simply pull off rather than raise up like a regular modular helmet.

And both are designed to be ridden with or without that protective chin bar. It’s not really relevant to our DOT certified helmets, but in Europe it’s what’s called dual or P/J homologated which means they’re certified for use in both open face and full face configs.

So, given that it’s a mega flexible helmet, will that mean it’s a massive all-round compromise or can it really perform well in all its different guises?

As always, we’ll fill you in on all the features the helmet(s) offer as well as do all the leg work to research across the interweb and find out what owners love and loathe about their Nolan N70-2s.

Polycarbonate helmet
Adventure (X) and Road (GT) helmets
6 different configurations
Dual homologated
Drop down sun visor
Pinlock antifog insert included
Micrometric 2 fastener
ESS-ready
Sizes XXS-XXXL
Expect to pay $330-$399

Looking to buy a Nolan N70-2 GT or X?

Please click below to visit the Nolan N70-2 GT & X 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

The Nolan N70-2 GT and X are fantastic helmets that the vast majority of owners seem to really like. They reckon they’re comfortable with an amazingly large viewport giving a real sense of freedom.

Nolan N70-2 X black graphite helmet side view — Graphite N70-2 X

And many love the versatility of being able to convert their helmet between full face and open face – or even into an adventure helmet with the N70-2 X version.

There’s a couple of potential niggles (position of the fastener and sun visor return mechanism) and we’re not entirely sure how well it’d perform in an accident until it’s independently safety tested – though Nolans are usually a watchword for great protection.

But as day-to-day helmets, the Nolan N70-2s are great. You really can buy a single helmet that’ll work in all its guises. And, like most Nolans, it’s not going to break the bank and will give you great value for your money.

All in all – a bit quirky, yes. But both the N70-2 GT and N70-2 X are great helmets.

Nolan N70-2 X

The N70-2 X is the off-road, adventure style version of the N70-2. It comes with a more motocross style chin bar and that adjustable peak.

But because it’s based on the same basic helmet, it can also be converted to work as a road helmet (remove peak) or an open face (remove chin bar). And with its huge face shield space, it’ll also take pretty well any pair of goggles you can throw at it.

Told you they’re versatile!

Nolan N70-2 GT

The N70-2 is the road variant. It doesn’t come with a peak and the chin bar’s a bit more aerodynamic and road riding orientated.

Again, it’s quick to convert into an open face helmet by pulling off the chin bar.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

Both N70-2s come in DOT (US) and ECE (Europe) versions – so, depending on where you buy yours, you’ll get the appropriate version.

Because it’s been ECE certified, that means it’s undergone full testing including that chin bar – which means the chin bar should provide all the protection of a full face.

Whether it does in practice is unknown, until it’s been independently tested by either Snell or SHARP.

But because neither N70-2 has been independently safety tested, all we can really look at is whether Nolan as a brand usually do well or not – to give us an idea of whether we can trust the N70-2 to protect us.

And the short answer is – yes, Nolans really do.

Nolan has never subjected their helmets to Snell testing. But when European versions of Nolan helmets have been SHARP tested, every single one of their lids since the beginning of time (OK, since the beginning of SHARP testing) has scored four stars out of five.

That’s hugely consistent and hugely impressive.

And the interesting thing is that every one of those tests, bar one, has been on a polycarbonate helmet – just like the N70-2s.

Nolan-N70-2-GT-Celeres-crossover-helmet-top-view — Top view of the N70-2 GT street helmet in Celeres graphics

Not only that, but every modular helmet’s chin bar has scored 100% – meaning it’s stayed locked and closed after every impact test.

So far, Nolan’s one of the safest brands to buy a modular helmet from.

Obviously, that doesn’t necessarily mean the N70-2 helmet will do just as well – or the DOT versions for that matter. But given the lack of data, it’s the best we can do.

OK, so that’s the Nolan N70-2’s impact protection capabilities looked at. But it also offers quite a bit to protect you in other ways.

First up, it’s got a massive hole for the face shield – that’s great for all round great vision including shoulder checks.

And it’s sold with a Pinlock antifog insert to stick on the back of your shield to keep it fog free. That’s well worth having because you’ll find your visor fogging without one.

There’s also space to fit Nolan’s emergency stop light system (ESS) if you fancy having a brake light flashing on the back of your lid for extra safety. That’ll cost extra – and if it’s something you want ask whoever you buy it off before you buy as they’re not widely sold and they may have to go to the distributor to source one.

Nolan-N70-2-X-adventure-helmet-micrometric-2-fastener — Micrometric 2 strap

Finally, the N70-2 is fastened using a micrometric 2 fastener. That’s the version with the double-tab opening system for extra security.

See comfort section below for more info about how it might not be ideal for some riders – though in security terms it should be absolutely great.

If you buy a helmet with a micrometric fastener, always make sure you occasionally adjust the strap (not just the ratchet strip) as the strap stretches slightly over time.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Noisy helmets can be a real nuisance and there’s plenty of folks around who’ve junked helmets because they’re a pain to live with.

Nolan-N70-2-X-Grandes-Alpes-crash-helmet-rear-view — N70-2 X Grandes Alpes

Modular helmets can be particularly prone to noise – mostly because they have space at the sides to accommodate the chin bar mechanism and that lets noise in.

But of course the N70-2s aren’t your usual modulars and don’t have regular flip-up modular chin bars.

So how does a Nolan N70-2 rate for noise?

Well, we did hear from owners who thought it was noisy. But most seem to think it’s not particularly noisy and several thought it’s a particularly quiet helmet.

Obviously, you’re perception will vary depending on the speed you tend to ride and style of bike etc. etc. but overall it seems it’s above average for noise suppression.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The Nolan N70-2 has a single chin bar vent and three forehead vents. They’re all closable using sliders that are easy to find – though there’s three to have to locate on the top so they’re probably a bit fiddly to find/use on the move.

Nolan-N70-2-X-helmet-top-ventilation-view — Ventilation to the top of the helmet on the N70-2 X (though all versions have three top vents)

The chin bar vent takes air around the mouth as well as on to the back of the shield.

And the top vents take air through the helmet shell and into a couple of internal air channels as well as through lots of holes in the liner that delivers air onto the head.

The internal comfort liner has several cut aways as well as lots of perforations in the fabric to help increase internal venting.

And the great news is that overall, N70-2 owners say the venting’s excellent. Even in hot weather, gallons of air gets through to keep you cool. Plus there’s a reasonable amount of air gets onto the back of the shield to help with de-fogging. Though you’ll need to install the Pinlock to really keep things clear.

A few riders commented that although it comes with a chin curtain, quite a bit of air can come up from below the helmet which helps with venting in the summer, though it could be a nuisance if you ride through the winter.

But overall, air flow is excellent in both versions of the N70-2.

Face Shield

(more about shields)

One of the main features that owners praise the Nolan N70-2 is for its massive shield.

Nolan-N70-2-X-adventure-helmet-no-face-shield-side-view — Plain black N70-2 X showing that huge viewport

Loads of owners said it’s like riding with a 3/4 helmet or that it feels like you’re not wearing a helmet at all!

But it’s not just the huge field of view that’s liked.

It’s a quick release shield and the release system is super easy to use.

It has a single central opening tab – so you should be able to open it with both hands equally easily. And it works on a ratchet – with a couple of owners saying the pre-set ratchet opening steps are spot on.

A couple of useful links…

– All our adventure helmet reviews –
– Top 10 modulars –

And of course, Nolan sells both versions of the N70-2 with a Pinlock in the box. Actually, and uniquely among helmet companies, Nolan pre-installs their Pinlocks onto the shield so you don’t have to fiddle about with it when you pull it out of the box – which is nice.

It also means you’re sorted for a top-quality anti-fog solution as soon as you get it out of the box. If you’re new to riding or helmets and you ride somewhere it rains or gets cold (or humid), then you need a quality anti-fog – and Pinlocks are about as good as they get.

But note: digging around on the Nolan website it appears the Nolan Special N-com versions of the N70-2 don’t come with a Pinlock. Not sure why, and all others do – including the plain Classic versions – so beware and double check when you order.

Overall though, the shield system’s spot-on. And if you like the idea of wearing a helmet that makes you feel like it’s not there, then the sheer size of the shield opening on the N70-2 really delivers.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

There’s an internal sun visor on the N70-2 as well – operated by a slider on the bottom edge of the helmet (on the left).

Nolan-N70-2-GT-street-helmet-hi-viz-yellow-side-view — Hi Viz yellow Nolan N70-2 GT. Note sun visor slider on bottom edge of helmet

It clicks into 3 positions on the way down – though I guess most of us will simply push it fully down in one go. And there’s a button on the bottom to activate the spring-loaded return mechanism which springs the sun visor back up.

While it might work well on a new helmet, spring-loaded mechanisms have a habit of tiring out quite quickly. That means you can end up with a lethargic return mechanism that really gets on your nerves by not quite retracting the visor fully – and you then have to open your shield to push it up that last bit.

And that’s what a few owners have reported so beware.

It’s probably not deal-breaker and very much a first world problem – but if you use the sun visor lots it may well happen.

On the plus side, it’s said to be optically very good (like the main shield), has a smooth action and comes down low enough – unlike some sun visors that leave an uncovered stripe of bright light across the bottom of your vision.

Finally, and like all shields (main and sun visors) the sun visor’s made from polycarbonate so should shield you from 95%+ of UV rays by default. Usefully, Nolan quotes that the sun visor’s actually UV 400 on both N70-2s so that should filter 99% of both UVA and UVB.

Peak/Roost Guard

The Peak on the Nolan N70-2 X adventure helmet is removable and adjustable.

Nolan-N70-2-X-Decurio-N-com-adventure-helmet-top-view — Peak on the N70-2 X Decurio – adjustable and easily removable

According to several owners it’s got very good aero properties too – creating very little lift and buffeting, at sensible speeds at any rate.

It’s easy to remove too; a couple of half-turn thumb screws, one on each side, and a removable plastic screw up top and the peak pops off. And it’s equally easy to replace.

And if you do take it off for a while, maybe when you’re road riding, Nolan provides blanking plates in the box to fill up the holes.

If you buy the N70-2 GT, you can buy a similar peak as an extra for $20-$30 but it doesn’t come in the box.

Chin Guard

(more about chin guards)

The protective chin bars on both versions look slightly different – the N70-2 X is motocross style whereas the GT’s chin bar is more road helmet style – but both attach and detach in the same way.

Nolan N70-2 GT helmet removing chin bar — Chin bar easily pulls off to convert both helmets into open face

It’s simply a case of opening the shield, then pressing down both plastic buttons on the top of the chin bar to release the locks – then pulling off the chin guard.

It’s easy to do according to owners but does require two hands. And if you do it while wearing the helmet and you’ve a wider face, a couple of owners said they had problems lining up the chin bar to push it home.

But other than that, it’s all good.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The liner inside both helmets is the same Clima Comfort liner. That’s a perforated fabric that helps with air circulation and is moisture-wicking. And reports are that’s nice and soft to the touch.

It’s fully removable and washable and features an adjustable (and detachable) bottom neck roll which you can tighten up to reduce the amount of noise/air entering the helmet by using a pair of draw strings (see picture below).

Nolan-N70-2-GT-Celeres-helmet-rear-view — Rear view of the GT in Celeres graphics

The whole liner is one-piece, including integrated chin strap pads. They’re usually a good thing to help make the strap nice and comfy. But, despite having generous padding, several owners complained about how large the micrometric 2 fastener body is and/or how far back the strap’s mounted.

The bottom line for several owners is that it pulls into the adams apple and can be really uncomfortable.

It’s something we’ve heard in relation to a few helmets in the past. Not all owners complained about it by any means, but if it’s something you’re either sensitive about or prone to, it sounds like it could be a potential issue with the N70-2 so be warned – and buy from a retailer who’ll take returns without any hassle.

The overall internal headshape of both N70-2s is medium oval (should fit most of us) and it’s available in sizes XXS-XXXL.

Most owners say the sizing’s true; so measure your head and order the correct size. Though note, both helmets are only made in two shell sizes with one shell covering XXS-M and another sizes L-XXXL).

So if you’re a size large, you’re getting the same shell size as someone who’s an XXXL and that can make the helmet seem overly big on you.

Nolan N70-2 GT internals — Inside the N70-2. Note draw strings on neck roll.

In fact a couple of owners say their helmets make them feel like a bobble head – so if that concerns you and you’re at the bottom end of each shell size, you might want to give the helmet a miss.

Other than these couple of niggles, Nolan N70-2 owners are pretty well universally in agreement that it’s a super comfortable helmet that gives a nice snug fit and uses high quality and soft materials.

Looks & Graphics

Both the GT and the X come in the usual plain versions – gloss and matt blacks and whites – and the GT comes in a Hi Visibility yellow version too.

At the time of writing, there’s a couple of graphics available for the N70-2 GT – the Celeres (in five colorways) and the Bellavista (in eight colorways).

For the N70-2 X there’s the Decurio (six colorways) and Grandes Alpes (seven).

If you don’t like any of the designs you’ve seen on this page, it’s quite possible Nolan’s launched new designs since we wrote the review. You should be able to find them if you click through to our recommended online stores using the links below.

Best places to buy a Nolan N70-2 GT or X helmet?

Please click below to visit the Nolan N70-2 GT & X 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).

Nolan N70-2 Video

Here’s a 10m look around the Nolan N70-2 X in Grandes Alpes (black, white, red) graphics.

Other stuff – audio, weight, glasses, aero, buffeting, warranty

Modular helmets are notoriously tricky to mount comms units on because the opening chin bar and sun visor switch often get in the way. Both Nolan N70-2s come ready to accept Nolan’s N-Com communicator so if you’re looking for a helmet/comms combo, you should be sorted with an N70-2.

Nolan N70-2 GT flat graphite grey helmet side view — Graphite version of the N70-2 GT

Most of us will want to use a 3rd party bluetooth system though, and the word from owners is that it should accept most kits. One owner fitted his Interphone easily as did another with a Packtalk – with one commenting it’s got nice large speaker pockets.

Neither N70-2 model is particularly light weight. Most modulars are a bit more weighty than their full face counterparts of course, and both Nolans average out at about 3.9lbs (1.75Kg) which is definitely on the weightier side.

And while a couple of owners said it feels a little heavy, most others reckoned it’s fine. And looking at the stats where the average modular weighs almost 3.75lbs (1.7kgs) it is only a couple of ounces heavier so shouldn’t be a problem for most riders.

Neither should wearing glasses in the helmet because we’ve heard of riders wearing glasses and shades and both saying there’s decent room in there behind the sun screen as well as at the sides.

If you’re thinking of buying the X version of the N70-2 and you’re worried about aero and that peak, we’ve heard from several owners who say aero’s great. Also GT owners say their helmets feel streamlined too without buffeting.

Finally, all Nolan helmets come with a standard two year warranty but that can be extended to 5 years if you register on their website.

Looking to buy a Nolan N70-2 GT or X?

Please click below to visit the Nolan N70-2 GT & X 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 Nolan N70-2?

OK, here’s a bunch of great alternatives to the N70-2s – some more traditional modulars as well as other versatile modulars. Note: Snell hasn’t certified any modular helmets to date so we’re suggesting some helmets that’ve scored well for safety in the ECE SHARP helmet test.

First up, we’ve got to mention the Nolan N40-5 GT which, like the N70-2s, allows you to remove the chin bar for a proper jet helmet experience. They’re cheaper than the N70-2s but give you that huge viewport and are known for being really comfortable helmets.

AGV Numo Evo ST Portland helmet front view — AGV Numo Evo ST Portland.

For a more regular style modular, the AGV Numo Evo ST is a dual-homologated, SHARP 4 star safety rated helmet (with 100% chin bar) that comes with a Pinlock in the box.

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

We’ve also gotta mention the Shark Evo One 2. It’s a SHARP 4 star modular with chin bar that rotates to the back of the head – and comes with a Pinlock too.

agv-sport-modular-mono-carbon-black-motorcycle-crash-helmet — AGV Sport Modular Mono Carbon Black

Finally, if you’re after a modular helmet for your sportsbike, how about the AGV Sport Modular. It’s a SHARP 4 star rated modular designed for lean-forward riding. It’s light weight, has a pinlock and an optically-correct shield. Costs more than the Nolans though.

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Star Ratings

6D ATR-2: motocross helmet with hugely innovative protection system

6D ATR-2 motocross helmet review.

As you can probably imagine, I read and write a fair bit about motorcycle helmets.

And strange though it sounds, very few helmet manufacturers go into detail about how protective their lids are. They usually talk a bit about paint schemes and ventilation and maybe how it’s improved over their other helmets. But the nitty gritty of how well it’ll actually save your bacon… at best they say surprisingly little; and at worst, bugger all.

6D ATR-2 Sector off road helmet front view — 6D ATR-2 in Sector graphics

So it’s refreshing to find a helmet brand that drones on and on about the different materials used, and shearing loads, and linear compressions, and energy management, and a ton of other technical stuff – and how it all conspires to reduce injury.

I mean, you probably don’t need to know all this stuff, but you sure as hell want your helmet maker to know it inside out (and be so enamored by it all that they publish it all on their website!).

One such helmet maker is 6D helmets – formed by a guy in California who thought helmets weren’t doing a good enough job. So he set out to make a helmet that’s as good as it can be.

And their latest creation is the 6D ATR-2 motocross helmet, made to give even more impact protection, reduce the likelihood of concussion (and worse) and reduce the effects of linear and angular impacts at a variety of speeds.

Oh, and be a fantastic helmet to boot.

So, if you’re after a new motocross helmet and considering a 6D ATR-2, then here’s all the info we’ve scavenged from around the web to help you make a decision.

Tricomposite motocross helmet
Advanced rotation reduction system
Dual impact absorption liners
DOT and ECE certified versions
EQRS
Titanium Double-D ring fastener
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay around $600-$700

Looking to buy a 6D ATR-2?

Please click below to visit the 6D ATR-2 helmet 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

The headline with the 6D ATR-2 is that hugely impressive array of safety features. But it’s more than that. Motocross riders love the looks, the comfort and it’s all-round competence as a great dirtbike helmet.

6D ATR-2 Helo dirt bike helmet front view — Front view of the 6D ATR-2 Helo

It’s not cheap, but what price protection? Thing is, even though it’s DOT and ECE certified, we can’t be entirely sure how well it’ll protect compared to other helmets until it’s been independently safety tested. Though we’re as sure as we can be before then that it’ll perform well.

But there’s so much thought gone into this helmet from every angle – backed up by heaps of owners and riders saying how well it performs (including the pro motocross riders who helped develop it) – that we’re happy to say the ATR-2 is a great motocross helmet, right up there with the best on the market.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

The 6D ATR-2 comes in both DOT (US) and ECE (Euro) versions, so we know it’ll give at least a decent minimum level of protection.

Unfortunately, no 6D helmet has been tested by Snell because, according to their website, 6D doesn’t agree with their methodology and say meeting it would make for a stiffer and heavier helmet than it needs to be.

6D ATR-2 Strike motocross helmet side view — Side view of the 6D ATR-2 Strike helmet

We’ve heard that many times before – that Snell helmets prioritize a stiffer shell that stops the shell flexing and thereby absorbing impact forces. But it’s interesting to hear 6D say that too.

And for the record, the ATR-2 hasn’t been SHARP tested in Europe either, so we can’t find any insight from there.

Anyhow, the main feature of 6D helmets – including the ATR-2 – is the tech they use to control impact energy. What 6D calls ODS or Omni-Directional Suspension technology.

Inside the helmet, there’s an EPS shock absorbing liner similar to EPS’ you’ll find in most regular helmets. But in the case of the ATR-2, there’s also another, separate shock absorbing liner outside of the EPS made from expanded polypropelyene or EPP.

The internal EPS liner can move independently of the EPP liner, but they’re both connected by rubberized pegs (the yellow/red parts on the cutaway picture below). These, together with the orange pads, allow the external liner to rotate outside the internal EPS liner and so isolate you from some of the rotational forces that can cause damage.

So, if the helmet shell hits an object that causes the helmet to rotate (like hitting the road at speed!) then the outer shell will rotate more than the inner shell. And that reduction of rotational forces over time – and we’re talking crucial milliseconds here – can minimize the damaging effects of rotating the head in relation to the brain, as well as the neck.

6D atr-2 motocross helmet cutaway — Cutaway of the 6D atr-2 showing complex slip-plane dual shock absorbing liner

Also, the EPP sits underneath the tricomposite helmet shell and adds an extra layer of shock absorption.

It recovers its shape after an impact too – unlike crushable polystyrene liners – which allows 6D to recondition helmets that aren’t damaged too much. As long as the helmet shell’s not too badly damaged, for a fee they’re replace the EPS and send you the helmet back!

I guess the main thing is though, does it work?

Well, 6D’s website shows lots of diagrams which seem to prove their helmet works. One compares it to a ‘leading brand with MIPS’ which is Bell’s equivalent system’s name, showing it transferred 33% less energy to the head (and 21-21% less than other premium brands with similar slip-plane technologies).

They also reckon it reduces angular acceleration anywhere from 25-57% less than other helmets with slip-plane liners. Which is really gonna be comparing it to helmets like the Shoei VFX-EVO or Bell Moto-9.

Which is all great and I don’t doubt these are the results their testers got on their testing rig.

6D ATR-2 Sector off road helmet rear view — From the rear – the 6D ATR-2 Sector in orange & blue

But call me a sceptical old twonk. Until it’s been independently verified by the likes of Snell (who 6D won’t use) or SHARP (no idea if they plan to test it) then we can’t really, truly, and independently know which helmets perform best.

We do know that rotational forces acting on the head through impact can do an enormous amount of damage and with a pair of sliding shock absorbing liners, you’d expect the ATR-2 to be good at reducing rotation as well as direct impacts.

But until the data’s in, we can’t say if it’s better than the competition.

Like I said though, at least 6D are genuinely giving it their best shot and if I was in the market for a new dirt helmet, on protective grounds alone, I’d definitely be considering an ATR-2.

OK – other safety stuff.

The ATR-2 is made in 3 helmet shell sizes (good) and has a titanium double-D ring fastener (fine).

They’ve also slotted some emergency quick release cheek pads on there (EQRS) which is essential for any race helmet – on or off road.

6D ATR-2 Aero dirt bike helmet front view — Aero graphics ATR-2

6D’s attention to protection also extends to putting EPP inside the chin bar which gives added impact protection should you take one straight on in the mush. And they’ve added a crushable section the bottom rear to help protect your neck/spine, a cut away to protect your collar bone, and a pad to the front to protect the sternum.

It’s all massively protection-orientated and illustrates the huge amount of thought that’s gone into the ATR-2.

Still, until it can be fully independently verified, I’ll have to stay true to our scoring methodologies and mark it a default 3 stars for its DOT/ECE certification, but will add an additional star for all the extra safety features (I know, I’m all heart!).

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Like most pro level racing helmets, noise reduction isn’t really going to be a priority. And in the case of a motocross helmet, good venting and light weight are going to take precedent.

The ATR-2 is supposed to be a fairly noisy helmet. But don’t forget, that can be a good thing if you’re after chatting to your friends quite a bit or like listening to the sound of the engine.

But if you do want to up the speed by taking your ATR-2 on the road – which might lead to hearing damage of course – stick in some ear plugs and you should be fine.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

6D has give the ATR-2 five always-open chin vents and six forehead vents. Most of these are covered by a mesh grille to keep out dirt and dust.

6D ATR-2 Patriot dirt bike helmet front view — Notice array of vents above the viewport and in the chin bar on this 6D ATR-2 Patriot

The top vents take air through the shell and into the helmet where there’s a front-back venting channel system in the EPS that’ll take air around the helmet.

One interesting thing about the venting on 6D helmets is that they use the gap between the two shock absorption layers to help the air circulate around the helmet too.

All that warm air exits the helmet through six rear exhaust vents.

Overall, ATR-2 owners say ventilation is very good. Some of the front vents could be bigger – and can clog up a bit. But if they’re clear and you’re working hard, there’s enough cool air gets through the helmet to keep you cool.

A couple of useful links…

– All our Dirt Bike helmet reviews –
– Top 10 safest helmet brands –

Goggles and Peak

6D ATR-2 Sector motocross helmet top view — Top down view showing the extent of that adjustable peak

According to owners, there’s enough space in there for most popular makes of goggles. For reference, we’ve heard of riders wearing Oakley Airbrakes and Fox Vue goggles without a problem.

That peak/roost guard is improved over the old ATR-1 helmet. It’s now got extra holes in it to reduce lift at speed. It’s adjustable too, which is always welcome, with shearable screws holding it in place – so the visor will detach on impact, reducing helmet rotation.

6D provides spare screws in the box.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The 6D ATR-2 is a medium oval internal shaped helmet. It comes in sizes XS-XXL and it has a fully removable and washable comfort liner.

That liner is made from a Dri-Lex material. That’s a fabric that’s soft to the touch and has excellent moisture wicking properties to quickly wick sweat away. It’s also quick drying, odour resistant and breathable – so ideal for inside a motocross helmet.

6D ATR-2 Circuit motocross helmet side view — 6D ATR-2 in Circuit design

It’s not the lightest helmet around – typically averaging around 3.3lbs (1.5Kg) – but that weight’s nothing to worry about as it’s just a smidge over the average weight for a composite helmet.

There’s loads of owners out there who vouch for the ATR-2 being a really comfortable helmet, so long days riding while wearing one shouldn’t be a problem.

Looks & Graphics

The ATR-2’s a nice, modern looking motocross helmet and it’s available in loads of different graphics.

One thing worth noting though, is that it’s a larger helmet than some of its competition. That’s not surprising because 6D’s had to cram in two shock absorbing liners and a slip plane gap in there so they can easily rotate over each other.

In 6D’s own words, it can lead to an increase of between 4-20mm from comparable helmets.

6D ATR-2 solid white motocross motorcycle helmet side view — Plain white 6D ATR-2 showing cutaway for collarbone and sternum pad

Which might make your helmet seem a bit bigger than normal. It’s a payoff though and arguably worth it for all the protective innovations you get with the ATR-2.

At the time of writing we counted 12 different graphics, each with several different colorways available. That excludes the plain solid whites and blacks – though they do all tend to have that massive 6D logo plastered across them.

You’ll find examples of the Helo, Recon, Strike, Sector, Patriot and Circuit designs up and down the page, but there’s a ton of others you’ll find by clicking the link below (you’ll go straight to their ATR-2 helmets page).

Best places to buy a 6D ATR-2?

Please click below to visit the 6D ATR-2 helmet 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).

6D ATR-2 Helmet Video

Here’s a 10m video showing a Hi Viz 6D ATR-2 Aero including a detailed look at a cutaway helmet showing how the ODS internals work.

Other stuff – warranty

6D ATR-2 helmets all come with a 3 year warranty.

Good Alternatives to the ATR-2?

Even though the ATR-2 is a great helmet, there’s some stiff competition out there.

Shoei’s VFX-EVO is a beautifully built motocross helmet. That’s got EQRS and a rotation protection system too – plus it’s Snell tested/certified as well so should give excellent protection.

bell-moto-9-flex-motocross-helmet-seven-yellow-front-view — Bell Moto-9 Flex in Seven Yellow design

Many riders seem to be making a choice between the ATR and the Bell Moto-9. It’s Snell certified and there’s a full carbon version for about the same money as the 6D though the tricomposite version is cheaper.

hjc-cs-mx-2-pictor-hi-viz-motocross-helmet-side-view — Hi Viz Pictor Design CS-MX II

If you’re on a tight budget, HJC’s CS-MX II is highly rated for value for money. It’s entry level but it’s got all the key features you need from a motocross helmet – and owners love it.

Bell-Moto3-black-silver-blue-stripes-helmet-side-view — Bell Moto-3 Stripes

Finally, if you want a motocross helmet with a bit more style, the Bell Moto-3 is the original 70’s helmet reborn. Beautiful helmet with bags of style.

How could we improve our site?

We’d love your feedback on what we could do better. Please give us your thoughts here.

Looking to buy a 6D ATR-2?

Please click below to visit the 6D ATR-2 helmet 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).