Shoei Neotec II: a sports touring flip-up helmet that owners love

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Shoei Neotec II modular motorcycle crash helmet review.

The old Shoei Neotec had been around for a good few years.

If you’re not familiar with it, it was Shoei’s top-dog flip-front helmet, designed to offer outstanding comfort and build quality for everyone from commuters to cross-continent-blasters who want a quality modular helmet.

If you don’t remember the old Neotec – in a nutshell, folks loved it for it’s great ventilation, visor system and comfort. You can read that review here if you like.

And so, Shoei’s updated it and called it the Neotec II. Which is about right because the new Neotec II is very much a development of the old version.

Shoei says they’ve redesigned the cheek pads for improved comfort and reduced noise and the visor’s been re-shaped for better sealing and optical qualities. They also reckon the chin bar’s had an upgrade so it’s now P/J dual homologated so you can ride with it up.

So, if you’re thinking of buying a Shoei Neotec 2, here’s our full review – and don’t forget to check out our alternatives section at the bottom of the page where we recommend some other great modular helmets you should check out too.

Modular helmet
Fiberglass composite shell
SHARP 4 star safety rated (*UK version)
Chin bar scores a disappointing 70% (*UK version)
Drop down sun visor
Pinlock anti-fog
Integrated for Sena bluetooth (not included)
Micrometric fastener
Four shell sizes
Expect to pay around $750-$850

Looking to buy a Shoei Neotec II?

Please click below to visit the Shoei Neotec II helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. And if you buy from any store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

There’s a few safety claims Shoei makes for the Neotec II.

First up is that it has an AIM shell with a dual density shock absorbing liner to give outstanding protection.

Also that the micrometric fastener is made of steel and the chin bar is now dual homologated with a stainless steel locking mechanism – both for added strength and durability.

Like the first Neotec, the shell on the Neotec 2 is made from Shoei’s AIM material – which stands for Advanced Integrated Matrix. Basically, that’s a fiberglass composite that’s used to create 4 different shell sizes – again, just like the old Neotec.

And three shell sizes is a good thing – good for optimizing fit, size and safety.

shoei-neotec-II-excursion-TC-3-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — The Shoei Neotec II Excursion graphics

All of which has helped Shoei to show very well in our Safest Motorcycle Helmet Brands top 10 list – at the time of writing taking No. 1 spot.

In 2019, the SHARP helmet safety testing folks in the UK got their hands on a bunch of ECE versions of the Neotec II and scored it 4/5 stars for safety.

That’s the same as the old Neotec, which is a decent score. And ordinarily, we’d leave it there.

But SHARP also records how often the chin guard remains locked and closed – a key metric if your riding in a modular lid.

And in the case of the Neotec II, the chin bar only stayed locked and closed 70% of the time during testing – which I’d say is pretty poor.

The best performing modulars, including some of our recommended alternatives at the bottom of the page, score 100%.

As I say, SHARP tested ECE European versions of the Neotec 2 – and Snell hasn’t tested the DOT helmet at the time of writing. We’ve no information as to whether the US version is any different from the European, so I’ll let you make up your own mind whether that 70% figure’s relevant and/or good enough for you.

Of the other stuff that helps with safety – the Neotec’s got a metal micrometric 2 fastener, Pinlock anti-fog face shield to stop it steaming up, and a drop down internal sun visor (great for when the sun’s low).

It also features a dual-density shock absorbing lining and Shoei have used a stainless steel chin bar locking system to complement its dual-homologated certification – (in ECE territories, this means you can lock the chin guard in place if you want to ride in open-face mode legally).

And while the blurb doesn’t mention it, that new rear shape of the helmet is usually shaped like that to reduce the likelihood of injury if the helmet’s pushed back during an impact – as well as help it clear your collar or hump.

So on the face of it, it’s potentially a mixed bag of results. There’s a few decent features in the helmet to help keep you out of trouble, and if you do take a dive, that SHARP 4 star European rating on the helmet shell is pretty good and should give you decent protection.

There’s just that bit of question mark about the chin bar locking mechanism.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

If you’re after a quiet helmet but also want a modular, then you’re probably going to be largely disappointed. That’s because most modulars are just noisier than full face helmets – in general.

Shoei has put some effort into making the Neotec 2 a quiet modular though. There’s their ‘integrated vortex generator’ which is something to do with that lip on the bottom of the chin bar that’s designed for better aero and reduced noise.

Plus they’ve reworked the internal cheek pads and including what Shoei calls a ‘noise isolator’ – though there’s not really any detail of what that is or how it works.

The old Neotec was a bit of a disappointment in the noise department. So we’ve scoured the net to find out comments from tons of riders about the Neotec II and the result is… inconclusive.

As usual, some people reckon it’s whisper quiet whereas others say they expected it to be really quiet from the reviews, and were massively disappointed when they bought one. One person says it isn’t as quiet as their old Caberg whereas another says it’s quieter than their last Schuberth C3 Pro – and yet another says it’s not as quiet as their C3 Pro!

Just goes to show how everyone’s opinions of a quiet helmet can differ massively.

We found about an equal number of owners calling it noisy to those calling it quiet – so we’ll mark it down as about average for noise.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

The last Shoei Neotec was designed to have tons of ventilation – and owners reckoned it worked well.

And the Neotec II is made to let in even more air, according to Shoei.

There’s a single chin bar vent covered by a nice, large, glove-friendly panel. And there’s also a single crown vent, again covered by a large slider.

These pull air into the helmet and it’s all extracted at the back through a large twin extractor.

Owners of the Neotec II say tons of air gets into the Shoei. They reckon the vents are easy to find and operate in gloves and they’re easy to use too.

The only downside is that the shield doesn’t have a cracked-open or city position, with the first detent being around an inch gap. Many riders use a cracked open position for a bit of extra ventilation while keeping protected behind the face shield, so that’s a bit of an omission.

Other than that, venting on the Neotec 2 is bang on.

t shields)

shoei-neotec-II-gloss-black-motorbike-crash-helmet-side-view — Gloss black Neotec II.

Shoei says the new shield is redesigned and shaped to give a better weather seal and has been formed to minimize optical distortion.

There were no worries with either the seal or distortion on the old Neotec that we’re aware of, so an improvement in either will hopefully just make things even better!

It features a locking, Pinlock-ready shield but there’s no word yet whether the Pinlock insert will be included with the helmet. We suspect it will though, simply because the old Neotec did.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

And like the old Neotec, the Neotec II has an integral drop-down sun visor that operates by a slider to the bottom left of the visor pivot.

According to Shoei, it offers 99% UV resistance and it’s distortion-free.

Owners say it works well, is easy to find, operates smoothly and gives decent coverage – so all should be fine with the sun visor on the Neotec.

Chin Guard

(more about chin guards)

The chin guard of the Neotec II is all new. It’s been redesigned to be sleeker with better aero properties and has a new dual-locking mechanism that’s been dual-homologated (or P/J homologated) in Europe.

It’s not mandatory in the States but it means Shoei’s had to put a locking mechanism on there to keep the chin guard secure when fully opened. That’s gotta be a good thing.

Shoei say they use a stainless steel locking mechanism on the new Neotec too – which is another good thing because all the modulars with the best performing (safest) chin bars do.

What’s not such a good thing is that when the helmet safety bods at SHARP tested the Neotec II (again testing the ECE version of the Neotec II don’t forget), they found that chin bar only remained fully locked in only 70% of the tests.

Which means it unlocked – potentially exposing a rider to danger – about 9 times during testing.

When you’re selling modular helmets on the premise that it offers the ‘safety and protection of a full face helmet’ then that’s not good at all. And it’s a double kick in the teeth to Shoei given the old Neotec scored a much more respectable 93%!

On the plus side, owners do say it’s easy to operate and you can comfortably ride with the chin bar raised up to around 5Omph without and problems.

It’s just a shame that new design of chin bar doesn’t seem to have made the grade.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Shoei helmets are known for producing comfortable helmets.

The last Neotec was widely loved for being comfortable and made from quality materials; and owners of the Neotec 2 say pretty much the same. Everyone we came across seem to say that it’s a massively comfortable helmet.

That’s even though the Neotec II is a little on the heavy side, weighing somewhere around 4lbs (1.8Kg) depending on size. For reference, the average weight of a modular is usually a smidge under 3.7lbs (1.7Kg).

Shoei-Neotec-II-motorcycle-helmet-interior — Interior shot – showing micrometric fastener

Inside the helmet, there’s a removable and washable interior – including cheekpads and chinstrap cover – while those cheekpads have also been redesigned to reduce wind and noise ingress and provide even greater levels of comfort than before.

And if you find the fitment not quite right, then Shoei does offer cheekpads in different sizes to tailor the fit more.

Of course, the fact that the Neotec is made in 4 shell sizes (3 according to Shoei UK) will help with optimizing the fitment too – making sure you’ve got just the right amount of EPS and comfort padding for your head size.

So all in all, while it’s on the heavier side of motorcycle helmets, the Neotec II is seen as cosy, comfortable and uses great quality materials to make a helmet that’s really easy to live with on the road.

Looks & Graphics

On launch, there’ll be all the usual plain/solid colors available – blacks, whites – and a range of classy greys. There’s also a wine red and a matt metallic blue.

They also have a fancy graphic version called the Excursion – available in grey, black/white and black yellow.

You’ll find some examples up and down this page but click through to our recommended retailers using the links below to find the latest designs and prices.

Best places to buy a Shoei Neotec II?

Please click below to visit the Shoei Neotec II 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).

Shoei Neotec II Video

The official Shoei Neotec II launch video – 2m37s.

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

The Neotec II has been designed to integrate with new Sena SRL/SRL2 communicator. That’s a great system based on Sena’s 20 series and an excellent solution if you’re looking for a best-in-class integrated bluetooth kit.

It means there are pockets to fit the control panels and batteries within the fabric of the helmet and it’s been specially designed to perfectly fit the Sena speakers inside. OK, one or two owners said it’s tricky to find the buttons to operate the kit, but that’s often the case for most helmet mounted bluetooth systems.

For those of you who’d be looking to use a different, non-integrated kit, it might compromise fitting your set a bit. A couple of folks we came across said they found it a struggle while some other guys said their Uclear HBC200 and Interphone systems fitted quite easily.

So if you’re going to try and fit a 3rd party system to the Neotec II, I guess it’s just going to take the usual bit of trial and error before you get it to fit right.

shoei-neotec-II-metallic-matt-blue-helmet-side-view — Metallic blue version of the Shoei Neotec II

As for aero, the whole shape of the Neotec II has been wind-tunnel designed to reduce buffeting and lifting – as well as noise. We’ve covered noise above. As for turbulence, a few people said the aerodynamics seem to work well with the helmet feeling very slippery and giving very little buffeting or bobbling in the air flow.

Inside the Neotec II there’s a glasses groove to take the stems of your glasses. Owners seem happy with it. From the reports we’ve seen, they’re plenty big enough and the sun visor drops down with a decent clearance so you you shouldn’t have problems wearing glasses in the Neotec II.

Build quality is one of the big features of most Shoei helmets and the Neotec II is no exception. Owners say everything looks and feels well made with operation of things like the visor and chin bar feeling solid and having a premium feel.

There have been one or two small quality control issues covering things like visor seals and chin bar closure but these seem to be very isolated cases and should be quickly handled by your retailer under warranty (as always make sure you buy from a responsive store who don’t leave you hanging – like our recommended shops)

And finally – warranty. The Shoei Neotec II will come with a 5 year warranty (or 7 years from date of manufacture – whichever comes first) which is pretty much as good as helmet warranties get.

Overall/Summary

We look forward to finding out exactly how good the new Shoei Neotec II is on the road – and we’ll report back here once the jury’s in.

Having said that, the Neotec II scored the same overall score for safety (four stars out of five) when a UK helmet was independently safety tested by SHARP – but the chin guard score of 70% was actually worse than the old helmet and lower than most buyers would probably accept from their modular helmets (see safety section).

In terms of levels of comfort, ventilation and build quality, we’d expect the Neotech II to be a great performer and for the helmet to sell well. And if you love Shoei’s it’ll undoubtedly serve you well. It’s just that, for the money – and often for a lot less money – we reckon you can probably get a better performing modular.

Read on for some recommended alternatives…

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Good Alternatives to the Shoei Neotec II?

We mentioned three sensational modular helmets up in the helmet noise section – they’re all well worth looking at.

shoei-neotec-II-excursion-TC-5-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Another Neotec II Excursion – this time the TC-5 version

But there’s also the SHARP 4 star safety rated AGV Numo Evo ST. That’s a thermoplastic shelled modular with a sun visor – thermoplastic meaning it’s nice and cheap. But the chin guard also stayed locked 100% of the time (unlike lots of modulars) so you can ride feeling secure.

Or how about the Schuberth C3 Pro which is a popular alternative to the Neotec II. It’s got great build quality, a Pinlock and sun visor – though it’s only about the same as the Neotec II for noise suppression (despite the hype).

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Looking to buy a Shoei Neotec II?

Please click below to visit the Shoei Neotec II 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

LS2 Challenger: a versatile sportsbike and road helmet

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LS2 Challenger GT FF327 motorcycle helmet.

The LS2 Challenger GT FF327 is a sportsbike full face helmet from Chinese helmet maker LS2.

It comes with a choice of either a full carbon fiber or fiberglass shell (or HPCF as LS2 like to call it) and offers some useful features like an integral sun visor and Pinlock ready main shield, all for a relatively low price.

And because it’s a sportsbike helmet, that means it should offer great aero stability as well as a nice deep face shield to give you unimpeded forward vision in a tuck position.

So if that’s the sort of helmet you’re after, read on to find out pretty well everything there is to know about the LS2 Challenger.

Full face sports bike helmet
Fiberglass or carbon fiber shells
3 shell sizes
Drop down sun visor
EQRS
Micrometric fastener
3-3.3Lbs (1.35-1.5Kg)
Longer oval fitment
Tear off ready
Sizes XXS-XXXL
Expect to pay:
- $299-$330 fiberglass
- $499 carbon fiber

Looking to buy an LS2 Challenger GT?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Challenger GT helmets pages at two of our recommended stores and Amazon – both 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 Challenger motorcycle helmet matt black side view — Matt black LS2 Challenger GT

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

OK, starting with safety and protection. You can buy an LS2 Challenger GT with either a high performance fiberglass composite shell (HPFC) or full carbon fiber.

Typically, carbon fiber helmets score slightly higher for safety than fiberglass, plus they’re a bit lighter too.

Either way, they both come in three shell sizes which means the shell should be just about spot on for the size of your head/body and will have a more optimized amount of shock absorbing multidensity EPS liner inside to improve impact protection.

It’ll also mean it looks better when you’re wearing it as it won’t be over- or under-sized.

Whatever Challenger GT shell you opt for, it’ll be DOT certified and have passed the ECE 22.05 test (in Europe) which means it’ll be pretty durable and give at least a good minimum level of protection.

And there’s a few other safety features in there that are worth having in the Challenger, such as the drop down sun visor. Not only will it make riding in the sun more comfortable, but they’re important for safety too, stopping you getting caught out when the sun’s low and shining directly in your eyes.

LS2 Challenger squadron flue orange helmet side view — Fluo orange Challenger GT squadron

That main clear shield is Pinlock ready and if you fit a Pinlock Max Vision antifog insert, it’ll keep your vision clear under 99% of everyday conditions.

The Challenger uses a micrometric fastener which are easy to use and safe as houses – plus LS2 has added reinforcement to the strap and anchors the strap onto the helmet using a metal plate.

And it also has EQRS or emergency quick release system on there which is there to help medics safely remove your helmet if you do have an accident.

It’s difficult to say how well the LS2 Challenger GT will perform in comparison to other helmets because it hasn’t been independently safety tested by either Snell or SHARP yet (SHARP tests EU helmets in the UK).

To date there have been 5 LS2s tested by Snell and around a dozen by SHARP, and looking at the SHARP data, none has scored a maximum score and their average rating is 3.2/5. Their composite fiber or fiberglass helmets usually score around four stars though – which is very good – though there hasn’t been a full carbon fiber helmet tested to date.

LS2 Challenger gt fusion helmet side view — This one’s the Challenger GT Fusion

Snell doesn’t release its data, just scores it a pass – if indeed it does pass.

But SHARP publishes all its data, and looking over the SHARP data on LS2, we’d expect the Challenger to get around the 4/5 mark, though of course that’s a guesstimate until they get their hands on the Challenger GT.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a ton of vents set in the shell of the LS2 Challenger.

There are two independently operated crown vents plus a brow vent just above the shield – all directing air through the helmet shell and into channels in the internal shock absorbing liner to circulate it around the head.

They can all be closed off if required and are mated with a pair of variable exhaust vents to the rear to help create a stream of air through the helmet.

There’s also a single central chin vent which directs air up onto the back of the shield to help with demisting.

Shield

(more about face shields)

The main shield port is both wide and tall so it’ll give great all round visibility which is good for safety, as well as working well if you ride a sports bike where you’ll need that tall visor to get a good uninterrupted forward view without the top of the eye port getting in the way.

LS2 Challenger carbon fibre helmet front view — Full carbon Challenger with main shield fully up and sun visor fully lowered

It’s a quick change shield too which is well handy for quickly taking your shield off to clean or when swapping out for a tinted visor.

And it has a central shield lock – close the shield and it’ll click locked, push up on the lock and it’ll unlock it and open the shield. Nice and simple to use.

There’s also a quality anti fog solution available on the Challenger. The main face shield is ready to accept a Pinlock Max Vision antifog insert – and from some retailers (but not all), it’ll come with an insert in the box which.

At the time of writing, our recommended retailers (see links below) all sell the Challenger GT with Pinlock included, though to be 100% do check with them before buying.

A couple of useful links…

– Safest Motorcycle Helmet Reviews –
– Every LS2 Helmet we’ve looked at –

All LS2 Challenger GTs come supplied with a clear Class A optically correct shield which means it’ll be distortion free. And because they’re designed with a nod towards the track, there’s a tear-off available if you’re super serious about your racing.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

The sun visor on the Challenger is operated from the left hand bottom rim which is just about the ideal position.

LS2-Challenger-motorcycle-helmet-gloss-black-side-view-2a — Side view of the gloss black Challenger showing sun visor slider on the bottom edge and sun visor fully down

Sun visors can’t, by law, be too highly tinted so don’t expect it to be as dark as your favorite pair of Ray Bans. However, early impressions are that the sun visor on the LS2 Challenger is slightly darker than most plus it drops down nice and low to cover most of your vision.

If you’ve never had a helmet with a drop down sun visor before, they’re highly recommended. They save you having to carry a pair of shades or replacement shield with you and they do stop you getting caught out by a strong, low sun which can be dangerous.

Plus, because they’re made of polycarbonate, they add an extra layer of 95%+ UV protection.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The interior of the Challenger GT is fully removable and washable – as you’d expect from a helmet in this price bracket.

It’s also made from a breathable and hypoallergenic materials and comes with a chin curtain to reduce draft and noise into the helmet as well as a padded chin strap to reduce chafing.

Unusually, it’s been created as a longer oval fitment which will be music to the ears of riders with narrower and longer heads, though if you’ve a more common medium oval headshape and really want a Challenger, it’s worth trying before buying.

LS2 Challenger carbon fibre motorcycle helmet side view — Side view of the carbon fiber LS2 Challenger GT

Having said that, our recommended stores will accept no-quibble returns and will give a full refund as long as you keep all the tags intact and don’t go riding in it – so you can try it and send it back if it doesn’t fit.

Also, be sure to check out our helmet fitting guide before you order one though.

Looks & Graphics

There’s no doubt that the LS2 Challenger GT is a modern looking helmet, with its complex shell casting and multitude of vent covers. The full carbon fiber Challenger GT is only available in a plain matt lacquer at the time of writing – though do click through to our recommended retailers using the links below to see if there have been new versions launched since (the links will take you through to their LS2 pages).

Other than the carbon, the fiberglass versions are available in a few different designs with a ton of different color options in most. For a high viz you might want to check out the Squadron graphics, but there’s also the Magic, GP, Fusion, Randy, Jeans and Flex designs.

For a plain version, there’s a titanium as well as black and white versions.

Best places to buy an LS2 Challenger GT?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Challenger GT helmets pages at two of our recommended stores and Amazon – both 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 Challenger GT Video

Here’s a 9m look around the LS2 Challenger GT (Note: in the US the carbon fibre Challenger comes with a double-d ring fastener).

Other stuff – warranty

The LS2 challenger GT comes with 2 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

While the LS2 Challenger GT is designed as a sportsbike helmet that’ll work on the track too, it comes with some great features that also mean it should perform on the roads too.

LS2 Challenger motorcycle helmet gloss white side view — Challenger GT in solid gloss white

That quick release shield system is wide and tall, giving excellent all-round vision, and it comes with a Pinlock Max Vision antifog included in the box. That’s backed up with drop down sun visor which is always great to see and is unusual in a more track focused lid.

And while it hasn’t yet been independently safety tested so we don’t know quite how much protection it’ll offer, the LS2 Challenger GT is a highly tempting package that offers a massive amount of features for not much money.

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Good Alternatives to the LS2 Challenger GT?

If you’re after a sportsbike helmet like the LS2 Challenger GT, here’s a few we suggest you check out.

AGV’s GT Veloce S is a SHARP 5 star safety rated (maximum) sportsbike helmet that comes with a Pinlock, optically correct shield and is nice and light at around 3.1lbs (1.4Kg). It costs a smidge more than the LS2 but it’s a really high performing helmet.

HJCs FG17 on the other hand is a bit cheaper but you’re still getting a Snell certified, SHARP 4 star rated helmet that’s great for the track or road and offers great all-round performance.

LS2 Challenger squadron flue yellow helmet side view — Fluo yellow version of the Challenger GT

Or how about this for something a bit more unusual? The AGV SportModular is a modular helmet designed for sportsbikes. It’s not cheap but it’s SHARP 4 star safety rated, very light (for a modular) and gives you the best of both worlds.

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Looking to buy an LS2 Challenger GT?

Please click below to visit the LS2 Challenger GT helmets pages at two of our recommended stores and Amazon – both 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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Shark Spartan motorcycle helmet review

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Review of Shark’s full face streetbike motorcycle helmet, the Shark Spartan

The Spartan is Shark’s aggressive streetbike full face helmet that comes in both fiberglass and fiberglass/carbon versions.

The Spartan comes in two flavors – there’s a light weight carbon fiber version and a slightly heavier fiberglass version of the helmet, both aimed at your typical streetbike rider.

Having said that, the carbon version is actually a fiberglass and carbon composite – though Shark does quote a weight saving of 100g for the carbon helmet over the fiberglass.

It’s available for around $329 upwards, but what exactly do you get for your money? And, importantly, what do owners of the Shark Spartan think about their helmets, so you know if it’s worth getting one?

Carbon or fiberglass composite shell
Street-focused full face
SHARP 4 star safety rated (Eu version)
Integral sun visor
Pinlock Max Vision included
Double-d ring fastener
Weight:
- 3.1 lbs (1.39 Kg) – fiberglass
- 2.8 lbs (1.29 Kg) – carbon
Size XS-XXL
5 year warranty
Expect to pay around $400 – $600
Split rear spoiler showing on plain carbon version

Looking to buy a Shark Spartan?

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

Safety

Shark Spartan Droze motorcycle crash helmet front view — This one’s the Spartan Droze – showing both top vent and sun visor sliders on the top of the helmet

Shark is our joint second safest helmet brand at the moment and, so far, all their composite and carbon fiber crash helmets have scored either four or five stars in the SHARP crash helmet safety test.

It’s also DOT certified, although it hasn’t been tested by the guys at Snell (Shark doesn’t submit their helmets to them for testing).

Over in the UK, SHARP has tested both the fiberglass and carbon fiber versions of the Spartan. The original fibreglass version was rated at three stars, whereas the full carbon fibre version got them back on track by scoring four stars, out of a maximum five.

But from June 2017, the fibreglass version’s score was changed to four stars too as the earlier helmet used a type of shell that was replaced.

Shark spartan 8_5ms sharp test result 2 — Here’s the UK SHARP Shark spartan 8_5ms sharp test result. Note this was on a UK helmet which may vary from the US spec Spartan

Beyond the SHARP rating, there’s a heap of other features that will – hopefully – help you along the way to a safer ride.

The main shield comes with a Pinlock Max Vision anti-fog insert in the box. That should keep your vision fog free in pretty well all conditions.

And there’s also a drop down sun visor to keep the sun out of your eyes and keep you from being dazzled when the sun drops low and catches you out.

All that’s finished off with a double-d ring strap – they’re safe as houses and mean that you have to readjust the strap every trip. Again, that’s great for having a secure helmet that shouldn’t come off in an accident.

Helmet Noise

Full face helmets are broadly quieter than all other types.

But even though Shark has paid a great deal of attention to the aerodynamics of the helmet (they say they used computational fluid dynamics to make for a slippery shape), based on the range of opinions we found across the web, the Shark Spartan is only seen as about average for noise suppression by owners.

Shark Spartan Kraken motorcycle helmet side view — Shark Spartan Kraken

In addition to the careful aero design, they’ve used a plush and comfortable lining too; but that can only go so far towards making a quiet helmet, and with all those spoilers and protruding vents, it seems they create a bit of noise for some folks (but far from everyone) with one or two complaining of an annoying whistling coming from the back of their Spartans.

But because there’s a broad range of feeling about how quiet the Spartan is from owners – with opinions ranging from really noisy to very quiet – expect it to be about average if you buy one, and expect to need to wear ear plugs.

Ventilation

The Spartan’s venting system relies on a single chin vent and single crown vent to allow air into the helmet and onto the back of the shield. Up top, that air is routed through the helmet shell into channels in the polystyrene shock liner where it’s then pushed onto the head.

The chin vent is a two-position panel-switch that lets you either open or close it; whereas the top vent uses a two-position slider.

Owners report that both are easy to find and work well, even in gloves. And importantly, they almost all agree that the ventilation’s very good – despite the fact that there isn’t a rear exhaust vent to let the air out of the helmet.

Shark Spartan Rughed motorcycle helmet rearview — Rear view of the Spartan Rughed showing rear spoilers

Shield

There’s a few useful features when it comes to the Shark Spartan’s main shield.

First off, it’s both Pinlock ready and comes with a Pinlock Max Vision insert in the box. That’s going to keep your vision nice and fog-free in most conditions and is the best way we know to keep your shield clear.

Secondly, the Spartan has an innovative – and really fast – quick release system. Quick release shields have become really popular in recent years because they let you quickly whip off the shield to clean or change it, usually without the need for any tools. Usually, you have to open the shield, push a button or lever, and the shield pulls away.

But the Spartan takes this a step further. With the Spartan, you simply have to open the shield and tug it free from the pivot. Owners love its simplicity and say it works well – and we reckon more manufacturers are probably going to start to copy it.

Shark Spartan carbon skin DRR motorcycle helmet front view — Front view of the Spartan DDR

Sun Visor

The Spartan’s also got a drop down sun visor.

It works using a large slider at the top of the helmet. These sort of sliders are probably the least convenient to use for the rider because, until you really get the hang of it, they can be a bit tricky to locate and use.

Having said that, owners of the Spartan seem to reckon that the sun visor itself is really good. Even though it can be prone to fogging (it’s not anti-fog treated) they reckon it’s nice and dark and drops down low – two things not all sun visors manage to do.

The last thing to say about the sun visor is that it works using friction – meaning you can push the slider a little bit and that’ll drop the sun visor down a little bit, where it’ll stay put. Some sun visors are either fully up or fully down affairs – often using return springs to quickly withdraw the sun visor – but it’s personal preference which works best for you.

Comfort & Sizing

The Shark Spartan is available in sizes XS-XXL and should fit people with all but the roundest heads because it’s a medium oval fitment.

Inside the Spartan you’ll find a fully removable and washable interior. Owners reckon it’s really plush and comfortable and feels high quality.

Shark-Spartan-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Plain Carbon version of the Spartan

Looks & Graphics

Lots of folks buy the Shark Spartan because of its super aggressive looks.

That particularly goes for the Spartan Carbons which are available in either plain carbon or carbon with a variety of color/design options – all showing that carbon fiber weave but with other graphics overlaid.

If you decide to go for a fiberglass version of the Spartan, there’s loads of graphics to choose from with an immense array of mean and moody looking designs. We’ve grabbed as many as we can to put on this page but for the whole range – and to see their latest deals – please click through to our recommended retailers using the links below.

Looking to buy a Shark Spartan?

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

Shark Spartan Video

A 3m look around the Spartan.

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

The Shark Spartan is designed for Shark’s Sharktooth bluetooth headset. But if you’ve got a different communicator, word is there’s decent-sized cutaways for headphones and room for a mic in there too.

Shark-Spartan-carbon-skin-EDWS-motorcycle-helmet-side-view — Shark Spartan carbon EDWS

If you’re looking for a light weight helmet, both the fiberglass and the carbon fiber versions of the Spartan make it into our lightweight helmets category because both come in under 3.1 lbs (1.4Kg) which is our cut off point. The fiberglass version is just under 3.1lbs (1.39Kg) while the carbon/fiberglass version is 2.85 lbs (1.29Kg) so is particularly light weight.

Glasses wearers are catered for too because the Spartan has a glasses groove to stop your glasses’ stems digging into your head.

The Spartan comes with both a fog guard and innovative chin curtain as standard. The chin curtain is particularly cool because it’s retractable so you can pull it out if things get cold and push it totally away when it warms up again. Well handy that and new on the scene.

And to top off the package, the Shark Spartan comes with a very generous 5 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

The Shark Spartan is a really attractive package. Naked and streetfighter owners will love its aggressive looks – particularly the full carbon versions. But even if you’re just after a competent helmet at a decent price point, the Spartan appeals. With it’s super-quick-release shield with included Pinlock anti-mist insert, great drop down sun visor and with great ventilation and a quality build, the Spartan should be a good helmet to live with too.

In fact, there were very few bad points mentioned by the owners we came across. Owners seem to love the way their Spartan’s look and the way they’re super comfortable.

Both versions have scored excellent SHARP 4 star safety ratings in the UK (out of max 5 stars) so the indications are the US version should offer similarly great protection too. Which means there’s very little to choose between both versions – both are lightweight so the only real choice is between colorways and price.

All in all, owners reckon the Spartan is a great all-rounder that’s well worth the money.

Good Alternatives to the Shark Spartan?

If you’re looking for a decent full face helmet that won’t break the bank, then there’s some sensational helmets out there.

First up, there’s the Kabuto RT-33. That’s a SHARP 4 star composite helmet that’s both DOT and ECE certified, comes with a Pinlock in the box – and owners say they’re nice and quiet, though it is more sportsbike oriented.

Or there’s the X-Lite X-702 GT, that’s a light weight composite fiber helmet that’s available in a particularly wide range of sizes and scored maximum points when tested by SHARP. It’s also quiet, comfortable and has great ventilation.

Finally, it’s worth checking out the AGV K5S – a SHARP 4 star safety rated carbon composite helmet with sun visor and great aero and venting qualities.

Looking to buy a Shark Spartan?

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

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Star Ratings

Review of the Bell Eliminator retro motorcycle helmet

Page Contents

Review of the Bell Eliminator retro motorcycle helmet.

Because Bell helmets began making automobile racing helmets, it’s no surprise they’ve raided their automotive heritage when looking to design their latest retro-inspired motorcycle helmet, the Bell Eliminator.

From a motorcyclist’s perspective, the Eliminator does look pretty unusual and is definitely very retro. But it also looks very cool, and along with the usual plain blacks and whites, there’s an increasing range of graphics and finishes that will suit a wide range of heritage gear and bikes.

That includes the full matte carbon fiber 6K weave helmets all the way through to the 70’s inspired Outlaws that you’ll see dotted up and down the page.

Retro helmets are usually retro in their construction and utility too. So they’re often a compromise: you look cool but you also forego some of the useful stuff you find in most modern helmets.

So, here’s the score with Bell’s Eliminator; what owners and riders both love or tolerate when riding in theirs.

Retro full face helmet
Full carbon and fiberglass versions
SHARP 5 Star safety rated (ECE helmet)
Class 1 optically correct shield
Tons of vent holes (permanently open)
Bell ProVision antifog insert as standard
Super cool matt carbon fiber Eliminator
3lbs (1.35Kg) – Lightweight
Double-d ring fastener
Sizes XS-XXXL
Expect to pay:
- - $440 fiberglass
- - $550-$630 carbon fiber

Looking to buy a Bell Eliminator?

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

Bell Eliminator Forced Air

Before I go on, you may have noticed there’s a forced air version of the Bell Eliminator.

The forced air is simply a kit that can fit onto any Eliminator (or you can buy it with the kit already fitted) that allows you to connect the Eliminator up to a fresh air unit and push clean air into the helmet.

It’s not really something us bikers would ever need but if you’re a serious car racer or off roader where there’s a ton of dust and muck in the air that’s interfering with your breathing, then it might come in useful.

Adding the kit allows you to pipe clean air into the top vents and chin vents and the kit comes with a small peak that fits to the top of the helmet too.

In fact, some folks reckon adding the peak and removing the main shield and adding goggles turns the Eliminator into a decent adventure helmet.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

Bell Eliminators have been both ECE 22-05 tested/certified in Europe and are DOT in the US.

Bell eliminator rally crash helmet orange black front view — This one’s the Eliminator in Rally graphics

Overall, Bell has a solid reputation for making some great performing helmets.

In fact, since we’ve been reviewing helmets, they’ve never been out of the top 10 of our safest helmet brands list, with many of their tested helmets scoring maximum marks from SHARP.

And over here, many of their helmets have been Snell tested and approved too.

And if you’re in the market for a retro helmet that’ll give excellent protection, the great news is that the helmet testing bods at SHARP have now got their hands on the ECE version of the Bell Eliminator and awarded it with a maximum 5 star safety rating.

Not only is that a fantastic score meaning that it should give you about as good protection as it’s possible to get in a full face helmet. But along with the Biltwell Lane Splitter, it’s also the highest scoring retro helmet we’ve come across. Excellent work Bell Helmets!

In addition to how well the Eliminator might protect you in a crash, it’s also got a wide and optically correct class A shield to give you good, clear all-round vision that’ll help keep you out of trouble in the first place.

And it’s secured using a double-d ring fastener which are relatively easy to use (arguably not as easy as micrometric fasteners tho) and mean you have to tighten the strap each time you wear the helmet. As long as you’re diligent when you do it, double-d rings are about as safe as helmet fasteners come.

The Eliminator is made in 3 helmet shell sizes which means the shell size and amount of polystyrene shock EPS absorbing liner should be right for your head/body size. Again, this is great for optimizing safety.

And it’s a light weight helmet too with most sizes/versions weighing less than 3lbs (1.4Kg).

Not only does that mean it’ll be easier to live with, but a lighter helmet is only going to help during an accident too, reducing inertia and likelihood of neck injuries.

Bell eliminator motorbike helmet matt black rear view — Rear view of the full carbon fiber Bell Eliminator

If you’re wanting the maximum amount of safety features in your next helmet, then you might want to buy a helmet with a drop down sun visor and probably EQRS.

The Eliminator doesn’t have either – but other than those, it seems to be pretty good and we’d expect it to offer good levels of rider protection.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

There’s some decent padding inside the Eliminator and the helmet shell’s pretty round without too many bits and bobs protruding into the airflow – all of which is usually a good sign for making a pretty quiet helmet.

But unfortunately, the Eliminator’s got a load of always-open air vents in the helmet shell. And while they’re great for letting in air, they’re also good for letting in noise too.

Most owners of the Bell Eliminator seem to agree that noise levels are fine if you’re cruising, but at motorway speeds, it turns into a bit of a noisy bugger.

Which is kinda what you’d probably guess by looking at it. But stick in some decent ear plugs and you should be fine for all but the most crazy speeds.

Bell eliminator helmet gloss white font view — 9 top vents and four chin vents are always open

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a stack of vents on the Bell Eliminator.

The most obvious vents are probably those 9 circular vents drilled through the forehead. They take air straight through the shell and EPS liner and through to the head.

There aren’t any channels inside the helmet to circulate air around the head, but because the venting’s unimpeded, they’re pretty effective.

In the chin bar, there’s four small vents covered in a metal grid. Again, they take air straight through the helmet shell and directly into the helmet.

That’s fine if you want the air just where the vents are – and you want it all the time. But as the helmet comes out the box, there’s no way to close off the vents.

So if you live somewhere that’s mostly breezy or cold or rainy, you’re gonna spend quite a bit of your time with either a cold or wet head or both. So be warned.

Having said that, Bell does offer a clip-on external vent cover to block up the top holes if you need it. It doesn’t look awful either, making the helmet look more like a conventional full face with plastic vent cover.

There is a clip on rain cover available to cover the top vents

So, the bottom line as far as the vents are concerned, are if you live somewhere that’s mostly warm and dry or you’re just going to use your Eliminator when the weather’s good as a warm day cruising helmet, then it’s going to work for you.

But if you live somewhere cold and rainy for much of the year, you might be hard pressed to use the Eliminator as your daily helmet unless you buy the optional rain cover for the top vents.

Incidentally, at the time of writing, that rain cover is included if you buy the helmet from our recommended retailer below.

Face Shield

(more about shields)

Like the helmet, the shield on the Bell Eliminator is very old school – but with a new school twist.

It looks very much like shields on helmets from the 70’s. It’s a flat shield so it’s not particularly shaped in any way like many modern helmets. And it’s not quick release nor does it work on a ratchet to give you lots of different opening positions.

Bell eliminator helmet matt carbon side view — Lovely matt carbon Eliminator with 6K fiber weave.

Nope, if you want to remove the shield, you’ll need a 6mm allen/hex key. And if you want to adjust how easily or tightly the shield opens/closes, you can do that but you’ll need another hex key – a 2.5mm – to tighten/loosen the other allen bolt.

All very fiddly and all authentically retro.

And if you want to lock it closed – and you probably will because, according to some owners it does have a tendency to catch the wind and fly open when you’re riding along – then there is a pin & hole lock at the bottom which will lock the shield closed.

Only, lots of owners reckon it’s less than easy to open the shield again once it’s locked. It’s definitely something that needs practice (and a strong left thumb!).

Sheesh, the things we do for style, eh?

A couple of links you might find useful…

– The coolest helmets we’ve looked at –
– Heaps of other retro motorcycle helmets –

OK, I mentioned some new school stuff, right?

Because that shield’s very flat, that means Bell’s managed to make it class 1 optically correct so you should have any distorted vision.

And if you look closely, you’ll also see there’s a slight groove around the inside of the shield. That’s Bell’s ProVision antifog system which is basically like a Pinlock antifog without the Pins.

Bell eliminator outlaw motorbike helmet black white side view — Eliminator Outlaw helmet

So the shield on the Bell Eliminator comes pre-fitted with this ProVision double glazing which gives you an antifog shield straight out of the box.

And Eliminator owners say it works incredibly well. One rider said he rode in the snow and couldn’t fog it up and another said they’ve ridden in all weathers and it’s never fogged up once.

That’s great news for Northern state riders who are more likely to need an antifog shield solution on their helmets.

The shield on the Eliminator is also nice and wide too so you’ve got great peripheral vision in there to spot cars/bikes/pedestrians etc. though it’s not very deep because that chin bar’s fairly hefty.

But all in all, the shield system on the eliminator seems to strike a decent balance between retro look and modern convenience.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The Bell Eliminator is a medium oval head shaped helmet (that’s most of us – but look here if you need a longer oval helmet).

Bell eliminator spectrum black chrome motorcycle helmet front view — The Bell Eliminator Spectrum black chrome is a classy act

Check our fitting guide if you’re not sure how to measure yourself for a helmet – but if you do go to order an Eliminator, note that they can size a bit small. Which means if you’re looking to order one and you’re at the upper end of a size, you probably should order a size up.

Other than that and you buy the correct size, owners reckon it’s a very comfortable helmet.

The internal comfort lining is antimicrobial and fully removable and washable.

Bell offers the helmet in a couple of interiors – a Virus Cool Jade version where the interior has a bit of jade in it which apparently has a slight cooling effect on the head. Or there’s their X-Static XT2 liner which uses micro strands of silver to kill off microbes and keep your lid odor free.

Apparently this works well because a couple of owners commented how they used their helmets for full sweaty days of riding and found their helmets smelt box fresh after it.

Looks & Graphics

As you’d expect from a mean and moody retro helmet, there’s a few cool retro graphics along with the usual blacks and white versions.

Bell eliminator outlaw motorbike helmet red black front view — Bell Eliminator in red/black Outlaw design

Of the retros, there’s a really funky Outlaw graphic that mirrors some of the custom tank airbrushed graphics you’d see in the 70’s. And there’s a nod to the automotive with the Rally version.

There are a couple of specials too. That full carbon fiber version comes with a clear matt lacquer which looks mega, plus there’s a mirrored chrome version that’s unusual and super cool (with the right bike).

To see all these designs up close, we’d love you to click through to our recommended stores below where you’ll get better views and find any helmet deals that are around (from only properly great retailers who work hard not to mess you around).

Best places to buy a Bell Eliminator Helmet?

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

Bell Eliminator Video

3m video looking round the Eliminator.

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

Audio/communicators

The Bell Eliminator has a couple of speaker pockets inside so it should be able to accommodate most bluetooth intercom sets. The bottom edge might be a bit thick for a clamp mount because there’s a thick rubber rim around it, but there’s plenty of surface for a sticky mount.

Bell eliminator motorbike helmet matt black side view — Matt black Eliminator. Note all helmets come with a clear shield, not dark

Glasses wearers

There’s a glasses groove inside the Eliminator so once you’ve got your helmet on, you should be fine for wearing your glasses without the arms pressing into your head.

Find other helmets that are great for glasses wearers here.

Aero/buffeting

The shell of the Eliminator is pretty round and smooth which is usually a good sign that a helmet has great aero properties. There’s also a small chin spoiler moulded into that bottom rubber gasket which is designed to help reduce lifting.

However there’s mixed reviews how well it all works – possibly as a result of the speed and type of bikes owners are riding.

Some find it buffets badly at motorway speeds while another reckoned the aero is fine with very little lift or buffeting even when doing shoulder checks – and better than other retro helmets they’ve owned.

Bell Eliminator warranty

All Bell helmets come with a 5 year warranty – that’s about as long as you’ll find from any helmet maker.

Overall/Summary

Like many retro helmets, you’re buying a cool looking helmet that doesn’t perform quite as well as a modern helmet. But then if you’re thinking of buying such a cool helmet as the Eliminator, do you really give a damn, because you’re probably buying it for that retro style, right?

Bell eliminator motorcycle helmet gloss white — There is a peak available if you want to turn it into an offroad or adventure helmet

Having said that, the ECE Eliminator’s been tested by SHARP (not 100% sure if it’s any different from the US dual ECE and DOT helmet) and been awarded their maximum 5 star rating. That’s just an amazing score and should mean it’ll give you excellent levels of protection.

So protection’s taken care of – but it’s just the other stuff that makes a helmet easier to live with that’s gonna be a bit of a compromise with the Eliminator. Like needing hex keys to tighten your shield and getting wet inside your helmet if it rains.

Then again, you probably ride a retro Triumph or Indian in retro leathers in which case it’s all part of the fun. And having that Bell sticker on there is very fitting since they’ve been making helmets since not long after the war and are very much a part of that retro scene.

I mean, it probably wouldn’t be the same with an HJC, right?

So, as long as you know it’ll be a bit quirky and not quite as easy to live with as a modern helmet, then absolutely go for a Bell Eliminator – it’s sure to be a fab helmet for cruising and looking cool.

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Good Alternatives to the Bell Eliminator?

If you want a retro style helmet, then there’s some great alternatives out there.

First up, the Simpson Ghost Bandit is another automotive retro styled helmet that’s actually not much of a compromise to style. It’s SHARP 4 star safety rated, has a drop down sun shield, has a Pinlock ready shield, is light weight and is a smidge cheaper than the Bell Eliminator (depending on whether you go for carbon or composite version.

Or how about the Nexx X.G100 (or the X.G100R which is the same helmet with a proper shield) which are mega light helmets that are comfortable and relatively noise free.

And don’t forget the good ole Bell Bullitt. It’s about the same weight as the Eliminator, has a wide face shield and some lovely retro touches and colorways, plus there’s a full carbon fiber version.

And of course you can find lots more retro helmets on our retro helmets pages.

Looking to buy a Bell Eliminator?

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

Star Ratings

Simpson Outlaw Bandit: comfortable, safe… and mean as ****!

Page Contents

Simpson Outlaw Bandit motorcycle helmet review.

It seems like Texas based Simpson has been making helmets forever – but they only started off making auto helmets at the end of the 70’s before later moving on to motorcycle helmets. And yup, they all look very similar, with that hyper aggressive Predator-style in your face look that’s ideal for nakeds, muscle bikes and cruisers alike.

Visually, the Outlaw Bandit ain’t that much different from most other Simpsons. But Simpson say they’ve slightly tweaked things on the Outlaw Bandit to give us wider vision and better aero together with more generous chin vents to keep things cool.

A spot of practicality is always welcome. But let’s face it, you’re looking at a Simpson because it looks soo damn cool and aggressive. You buy one because you just have to have one.

The Simpson Outlaw Bandit has been out there, in one form or another, for a few years now. So here’s the lowdown on what owners reckon it’s like to live with…

Fiberglass full face
Snell 2015 certified
Single density EPS liner
3 shell sizes
D-ring fastener
Wide face shield
Medium oval fitment
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay $399

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Safety

(more about helmet safety)

Simpson’s been making helmets for a long time and is a name that’s trusted by lots of folks to keep them protected on the highway.

simpson-outlaw-bandit-helmet-gunmetal-front-view — Gunmetal Outlaw Bandit

And in the case of the Simpson Outlaw Bandit, that’s backed up by its DOT rating and the fact it’s been Snell 2015 certified.

Which all means it’s going to give you excellent protection on the road.

So it’s surprising that the internal shock-absorbing lining inside the Outlaw Bandit is only single density polystyrene. I guess that means that the helmet shell is really doing a good job, because most high-performing lids use multi-density EPS liners.

Safety’s also helped by the fact it’s made in 3 different shell sizes which is great for safety (giving a more optimal fit and less weight than an over/under sized shell).

Simpson have also made that eye port wider than before to give great peripheral vision – and that’s always gonna be a good thing for safety on the road. The same goes for the fact that the faceshield is optically correct too, meaning distortion free forward vision – and it’s coated with a Supercoat antifog treatment.

Even though Supercoat is a recognised quality antifog treatment (that’s washable), word is it’s not as effective as a dedicated Pinlock insert. But it should at least slow the rate of fogging on cold mornings.

But it’s that Snell M2015 rating that shows the Simpson Outlaw Bandit isn’t just a mean and moody face, but a serious piece of protection too.

simpson-outlaw-bandit-helmet-red-front-view — Outlaw Bandit in shy & retiring solid gloss red

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

If you’re used to riding in a 3/4 or half helmet, then you’ll probably find the Outlaw Bandit the last word in silent riding.

Pretty much everyone else who’s used to a full face helmet seems to think it’s a properly noisy helmet.

Even though there aren’t any vents in the main helmet – which are usually one of the main culprits when it comes letting noise into a helmet – most Outlaw Bandit owners seem to think it’s a really noisy helmet.

But stick to city cruising and stay away from the interstates and you should be fine. Oh, and always wear ear plugs to keep your hearing good.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Simpson added some chin vents into the Outlaw Bandit to try and keep things cool and help with demisting the face shield.

And those six chin vents you can see are always-open too… but that’s your lot. No crown or head vents here and no fancy routing the air through internal air channels. What you see is what you get.

And according to owners, you can feel air getting in. A bit. In fact, that’s a common complaint among some owners. They reckon ventilation could definitely be improved and is moderate at best.

So if you’re after a great venting helmet, you should probably move away from the Outlaw Bandit and check out our best venting helmets pages.

A couple of useful links…

– Click to see all our Simpson Helmet Reviews –
– After a cool-looking helmet? No problem – here’s our coolest helmets pages –

Face Shield

(more about shields)

OK, that face shield might be nice and wide to give great peripheral vision, but it’s a Simpson, right? So expect it to be a bit basic compared to the competition.

simpson-outlaw-bandit-helmet-solid-gloss-black-side-view — The one most of us will go for – Outlaw Bandit in gloss black (matt available too)

That means it’s not quick-release, you’ll need a flathead to swap it over when you’re fitting your iridium replacement (it comes with a clear shield in the box).

It’s not Pinlock anti-fog either. And while it does lock down, it’s and old-style peg lock, meaning it’ll lock in place when you close the shield, but you’ll need to snap it out to open it.

A couple of owners said it’s a bit of a pain to use and one reckoned his shield won’t stay open at anything other than cruising speeds.

It’s a basic ratchet shield, and you’ll not find any fancy spring-loading or anything else you’ll find on other premium helmets.

Having said that, it’s a wide shield and gives great peripheral vision – something Simpsons have been criticised for in the past. And it’s optically very clear too. Plus it’s an unusually thick 3mm face shield, so that will give improved penetration protection.

I guess the bottom line for many buyers tho – it’ll stay in place and give protection against wind/dirt/rain like most other full face helmets. So if that’s where you set the bar, you’re good.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Outlaw Bandit, you’ll find a removable and washable moisture-wicking and antimicrobial liner.

It’s easy to pull out too because Simpson uses velcro tabs in there to save fiddling around with poppers and studs like most makers.

It’s a decent quality interior and by far the vast majority of riders/owners say it’s a massively comfortable helmet to ride in.

Of course, you’ve gotta get the right shape helmet for your head in the first place. The Outlaw Bandit is a medium oval fitment so should suit most of us (but look here if you’ve a longer head shape, you might wanna look here).

simpson-outlaw-bandit-helmet-solid-white-side-view — Note all Outlaw Bandits come with clear shield only

And the sizing of the Outlaw seems to be true, so check our fitting guide and order the correct size. If you get one and it’s a bit tight, Simpson include a set of replacement cheekpads that are 5mm thinner in the box. So if it’s a bit tight, shove in the replacements and it should be spot on.

But don’t forget, if you’re wanting a helmet to go cross-county carving in and where you’ll spend long hot days in the saddle, there’s no head vents in the Outlaw Bandit so you might want to look elsewhere.

Looks & Graphics

It’s the mean and aggressive looks that you’re buying into with the Outlaw Bandit. So the only question is… which moody color to go for.

Most of us will go for the black – and there’s a choice of solid matt or gloss. But you might want to consider the gunmetal too, plus the shiny red version’s kinda cool too in an old school candy red sort of way. And of course there’s a classic white.

And that’s your lot – apart from the shields. That includes lots of smokes and tints, an iridium and an amber.

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Simpson Outlaw Bandit Video

Here’s a 2m video showing the matt black Outlaw from Get Lowered Cycles…

Other stuff – weight, glasses, aero, warranty

The Outlaw Bandit weighs around 3.4lbs (1.55Kg) which is OK, but far from what we’d consider one of the lightest helmets around. Having said that, we didn’t find any owners complaining about weight and a few said it feels nice and light when you’re wearing it.

A couple of riders also said there’s enough space inside for their glasses too.

There weren’t any complaints about aero. Simpson reckon that the grooves on the Outlaw Bandit are there to reduce helmet lift and certainly no one complained about lift. I still reckon they’re there to look cool though!

If you buy an Outlaw Bandit, it’ll come with Simpson’s poor 1 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

The Simpson Outlaw Bandit, like most Simpsons, is one cool looking lid. And that’s probably why you want to buy one, right?

simpson-outlaw-bandit-helmet-matt-black-side-view — Solid Matt Black Outlaw Bandit

But it’s more than that. OK, it’s basic compared to much of the competition – but that back-to-basics is as much appealing as it is a drawback. Plus, it’s got that Snell rating that tells you it’ll do the business if things get out of shape.

Great features are that wide face shield and it’s a really comfortable helmet too. Less great are the basic nature of the shield plus it’s noisy and the vents could do with improvement.

But the bottom line is it’s an awesome helmet if you want to look cool, ride safe and scare every kid in the neighborhood while out cruising.

And if you need to ride all day, then you’ll either tolerate things getting a bit sweaty and carry on looking great – or maybe you’ll buy a cheap second helmet just for those rides? Simple.

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Good Alternatives to the Simpson Outlaw Bandit?

OK, cool and kinda retro helmets. What’s out there?

Well, the first helmet to check out is the Simpson Ghost Bandit. It looks really similar to the Outlaw Bandit, but it’s got a few head vents plus it’s got a drop down sun visor. It’s not Snell, but it has been SHARP 4 star safety rated in Europe (that’s good). This one’s DOT and ECE certified too. Well worth a look.

How about something a bit left-field; the Nexx X.G100 or the Nexx X.G100R. They’re more or less the same helmet: that means they’re both composite fiber, really light weight & DOT. You’ll need a pair of goggles to go with the 100 whereas the 100R has a regular faceshield.

If you want to go bang up to date with a super cool helmet that’s modern styled, how about the French Shark Spartan. It’s light weight – esp if you buy the carbon version – comes with a Pinlock anti fog and has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a modern helmet.

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Star Ratings

AGV K5/K5S Full Face Crash Helmet

Page Contents

AGV K5 & K5S: Review of AGVs Composite Fiber Sports/Touring Helmet

AGVs K5 is designed to fill an important gap for AGV – a mass-market sports/touring motorcycle helmet with a composite shell, at a middle-of-the-road price.

It’s a bit like making a wine to sell at a $6.99 price point – that’s where the majority of the market is so you need to blend everything just right to hit that sweet spot.

Having said that, the price of the K5S has gone up recently (hasn’t everything?!) so while on the face of it, the K5 looks like being a good vintage, now more than ever it really needs to hit the mark to make it worth your hard earned dollars.

Sports-touring full face helmet
ECE 22.05 & DOT certified
SHARP 4 star safety rated (out of 5)
Carbon/fiberglass composite shell
Double-D ring fastener
3.4lbs (1.55Kg) – slightly heavier than average
Sun visor
Available in sizes XS-XL (with MS & ML)
Expect to pay $450-$550

Looking to buy an AGV K5S?

Please click below to drop onto the AGV K5S helmets pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

agv-k5-crash-helmet-naked-red — The AGV K5 in Naked Red scheme

AGV K5 and K5S

In 2017 AGV launched an updated K5 called the K5S. The S version has an improved bottom profile and padding to help reduce the possibility of damage to the collar bone during an accident and an improved comfort liner to reduce any prominent seams (though the standard K5 is a really comfortable helmet). The K5S also comes with a Pinlock anti-fog insert in the box.

Safety

The AGV K5 is both DOT and ECE certified and, as of August 2015, was tested by SHARP in the UK and awarded four stars, making the AGV K5 one of the safest helmets around (to date only a handful of helmets still on the market have scored 5/5 and you can find them all on this site in our 5 star SHARP rating section). Both the K5 and the K5S share the same helmet shell.

That excellent rating was always on the cards because AGV are one of our safest crash helmet manufacturers, and the most recent AGV helmets that have been tested by SHARP have scored either four or five stars (out of five) we were pretty sure the K5 would be right up there in terms of safety.

agv-k5s-motorbike-helmet-Hurricane-black-green — This one’s the AGV K5S in Hurricane black/green

AGV have cut corners slightly with the K5 by producing only two shell sizes. However, they do use four different densities of polystyrene lining inside the shell (the EPS lining) which is designed to absorb shocks more effectively. It should also help with making the fit more comfortable.

The shell of the K5 is a composite of carbon and fibreglass that’s designed to be structurally strong yet lighten the helmet. And with a medium size K5 lid weighing in at 3.06lbs (1.4Kg), that’s light enough for it to fit into our ‘lightest helmets‘ category. So they’ve done a good job there.

For comparison, the (slightly higher-tech composite) AGV Corsa is 2.9Lbs (1.35Kg). But then it’s over double the price.

That’s all reflected in the fact that owners almost universally reckon that their K5 feels nice and light – so if that’s what you’re after, you’ll probably not be disappointed with a K5.

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Helmet Noise

The AGV K5 has a nice aerodynamic shape that should help with reducing noise. However, there’s mixed reports from owners as to how quiet it is.

Opinions seem to range from pretty noisy to very quiet with opinions spread equally in between.

As usual, it’s very much down to individual perception, usually based on things like the way you ride, the type of motorbike you ride and how noisy your last helmets have been. So we’ll plump for a score of about average noise.

Like any helmet though, stick in some decent earplugs and not only will you be protecting your long-term hearing but more or less any helmet you wear will feel pretty quiet!

agv-k5-crash-helmet-naked-blk-silver-front-view — K5 Naked, this time in black and silver – showing front vents

Aero & Ventilation

AGV make a big thing about the wind tunnel design of the K5.

It’s been designed with two chin vents, two brow vents and a crown vent – and with a closeable rear exhaust vent – with the airflow tailored to push air into the vents.

The exhaust sits under a rear spoiler that’s been designed into the shell itself and is there to help with stability at speed, as well as help suck air out of the exhaust. Like other recent AGVs, the front area is fairly pointy, designed to reduce buffeting and improve stability too.

And owners seem to agree that the aero does its job, with little buffeting at speed and a feeling that the aerodynamics help it slip through the air.

As to ventilation, overall, owners seem to agree that the K5 is very well vented, pulling in lots of air and keeping you nice and cool in hot weather.

There are some complaints of stiff vents as well as the two brow vents being difficult to find and open in gloved hands because they’re so smooth and close fitting. Also, a couple of complaints that the chin vent – found underneath and inside the helmet, is difficult to operate in gloves.

But other than those niggles, ventilation seems to be great on the K5.

AGV-K5-You-motorbike-crash-helmet-side-view — K5 You with both visors dropped down fully

Shield

The K5 has a clear main shield as well as an internal sun visor. The main shield is designed to be wider than normal for improved peripheral vision and is Pinlock-ready. Note however, a few owners complained that if you’re using the K5 tucked-in on a sports bike with a Pinlock fitted, the top of the Pinlock can get in your line of vision.

If you go for the S version of the K5, you’ll get a Pinlock antifog included in the box (you sometimes do with the K5 but check with your retailer before buying).

It also features AGVs latest quick release sheild system (or XQRS GT2) as featured in our AGV GT Veloce review – and owners broadly love it because it’s easy to use (one owner said he could swap visors in under 30s on his K5).

Like pretty well all modern shields, it also protects against UV light.

Sun Visor

The sun visor is good on the K5 but has the usual complaints that you’ll actually find levelled at lots of drop down sun visors.

AGV-K5-Roadracer-motorbike-crash-helmet-top-down-view — Top-down view of the K5 RoadRacer

The main complaint is that it’s too light – something that’s common across drop down sun visors because of legal limits for tinting in lots of countries. A few people wished the area that fits around the nose was tighter too so it didn’t let so much light in.

But again, it’s designed to fit lots of people’s noses so you can only see if it works for your nose by trying the helmet on first.

Other than that, the sun visor works well.

Comfort and Sizing

The AGV K5 is designed to fit the vast majority of head shapes – that’s the intermediate oval (though a couple of folks with longer, narrower heads did say it fits them just fine).

Sizing is just about right with the K5, so you should be able to follow our helmet fitting guide and order the correct one without a problem.

agv-k5s-motorbike-helmet-dark-storm-matt-black-yellow — Side view of the S version in Dark Storm design

Provided you get a K5 that fits right in the first place, owners say it’s a really comfortable crash helmet. The liner’s fully removable and washable and made from AGVs Dri-lex moisture wicking material.

In fact, saying just how comfortable it is, is the number one comment from owners of the K5 with a few saying it’s the most comfortable helmet they’ve ever owned. So it’s surprising that AGV updated the liner on the K5 with the K5S – they redesigned it slightly so there’s no stitching/seams in sensitive areas.

If you’re a glasses wearer, the K5 comes with glasses grooves to accommodate your glasses’ stems although a couple of owners have said it’s still tricky to get your glasses on in the first place with the K5 as things are a bit tight (though one said it was a minor point and they probably just had to get the hang of it).

Best places to buy an AGV K5S helmet?

Please click below to drop onto the AGV K5S helmet pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

AGV K5 Video

AGV-k5-drift-grey-rear-view-crash-helmet — Rear view of the K5 Drift grey/white

Other stuff – fastener, communicator, warranty

The K5 comes with a double-d ring strap.

Double-d rings are easy to use and reliable fasteners, and encourage you to tighten the strap up correctly each time you put the helmet on, so that’s all fine.

The K-5 is AGV Share System ready. Share System is a communicator that allows rider-to-rider, mobile phone and GPS connectivity. For more information visit this link to the AGV Share System pages.

Owners of other communicators say there’s nice large speaker pockets and a couple of owners said it works well with their Sena 10s systems.

Finally, the AGV K5 comes with a 2 year warranty.

agv-k5s-crash-helmet-Hero-black-red — Hero K5S in matt black/red

Overall/Summary

When we previewed the AGV K5, we thought it would tick a lot of the right boxes. But helmets can look great on paper but be rubbish on the road.

Well, we’re pleased to report that owners seem to love their K5s. It’s light, it’s comfortable, the build quality is the usual AGV (i.e. great), the aero’s good so there’s not much buffeting and the visor system works well. Oh, and there’s that excellent SHARP safety result. Of course, there’s one or two niggles (there always is with every helmet) but the AGV K5 appears to work well exactly where AGV hoped it would: it’s probably not for you if you’re on the track all the time, but for sporty and touring riders (not to mention folks who commute on their bikes) the AGV K5 is a fantastic helmet that should prove an excellent buy.

Alternatives to the AGV K5

The HJC IS 17 is one of the best full face helmets around if you’re after value for money and performance. It can be bought for well under the price of the K5 and scored a massive five stars in the SHARP helmet safety test.

AGV-K5-drift-red-crash-helmet — This is the AGV K5 in Drift (red/black) colour scheme

If you’re after an AGV, the GT Veloce also scored maximum marks on the SHARP test. There’s one or two niggles reported (see the review), but all round, it’s a very competent full face helmet.

We’d also say, check out the excellent HJC FG-ST. That’s a SHARP 5 star rated full face helmet with sun visor and Pinlock included in the box – for about the same money as the K5.

Finally, how about the X-Lite X-702 GT? That’s another SHARP 5 star safety rated touring helmet with a sun visor, this time from another Italian maker X-Lite (part of the Nolan Group). It’s a tiny bit more expensive than the AGV K5 though.

Looking to buy an AGV K5S?

Please click below to drop onto the AGV K5S helmets pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

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Star Ratings

Shoei GT Air II: long-awaited successor to one of the best rated touring helmets.

Page Contents

Shoei GT Air II touring helmet review.

The GT Air II is Shoei’s replacement for the original GT Air helmet that was launched around 2012.

That was a highly rated sports touring helmet that owners seemed to like for more or less everything – everything that is except its average score when the UK’s SHARP testing labs tested it in their helmet testing labs.

shoei GT Air II lucky charm helmet front top view — GT Air II Lucky Charm

Like the original, the 2nd gen GT AIR II is designed for more upright riding – so if you’re thinking of buying one for your new ZX10RR, maybe think again (and check out our track helmets pages). But if you’re riding something more adventure/touring/naked it should be just about right.

Shoei says they’ve uprated just about everything on the GT AIR II – it’s been wind tunnel designed to be more slippery, reduce noise and improve airflow. So it’s got a few more aero grooves in the shell and is a bit pointier-shaped than the old helmet. But other than that, it looks very similar to the first gen GT Air.

They’ve also increased the drop on the sun visor too and thrown in EQRS for good measure.

So, here’s the lowdown on whether Shoei has managed to improve what was already a very good helmet like they say they have – or whether it’s all a load of marketing hot air.

Sports touring helmet
Composite fiber shell
Pinlock ready face shield (Pinlock in the box)
EQRS
Micrometric fastener
Sun Visor
SENA SRL2 bluetooth integration
Weight 3.3lbs (1.5Kg)
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay $599-$699

Looking to buy a Shoei GT Air II?

Please click below to visit the Shoei GT Air II 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

Shoei has built-on and improved what was already a great sports/touring helmet.

The changes don’t look massive – you can see the similarities between the helmets if you check out our review of the original GT Air – but the slightly improved aerodynamics, deeper drop down sun visor that gives more cover, and the venting system that brings more air into an already well-ventilated helmet, all manage to take the GT Air II up a notch.

shoei GT Air II helmet Reminisce graphics side view — Reminisce Graphic GT Air 2

The old helmet dropped a couple of marks for safety when it was independently tested by SHARP (ECE helmet) and neither it or the GT Air 2 have been Snell tested. We’ve scored it 4/5 because the similar AIM-shelled ECE Neotec II and RF-SR (called RYD in Europe) scored 4 & 5 stars respectively when tested by SHARP).

But what we do know for sure is that it’s well rated for comfort, shield system (with Pinlock anti-fog included) and noise suppression by owners who pretty much universally rate the GT Air II highly.

Overall then, the Shoei GT Air II is an excellent all-rounder helmet that could well be one of the best performing sports touring full face helmets on the market.

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

Like the old GT Air, the GT Air II uses Shoei’s AIM (advanced integrated matrix) composite fiber construction shell that works in conjunction with a multi density polystyrene shock absorbing liner to absorb impacts and protect your head.

Shoei GT Air II 2 redux black crash helmet rear view — Red EQRS tabs visible underneath this GT Air II in Redux graphics

AIM is where Shoei lays down a couple of layers of fiberglass together with proprietary organic fiber layers to produce a strong yet flexible helmet shell. They keep the precise construction of AIM shells close to their chest, but it’s a slight step down from their top of the range AIM+ shells which incorporate another layer of what Shoei calls ‘special fibers’.

I guess they’ll soon do an even better version called AIM++ where they include ‘extra super special fibers’, right Shoei?

For the GT Air II they’ve made three different shell sizes to cover fitment sizes XS-XXL.

Shoei matches that AIM shell to a multi density polystyrene lining. That’s designed to absorb shocks at different rates and is just about state of the art for crash helmet design at the moment (OK there’s sliding plane helmets out there like the Bell MIPS helmets and 6Ds ATS-1 with EID tech but they’ve not been independently safety tested yet).

The US GT Air II is also DOT approved and of course if you buy in other territories, it’ll be covered by your local testing regime (ECE for Europe etc.).

Shoei isn’t saying much about helmet safety improvement over the old GT Air which is a shame really as that didn’t score massively well when tested by SHARP in the UK.

There, it scored just 3 stars which was Shoei’s worst performance in many years.

Having said that, there are two other Shoei helmets that have come out since the original GT Air and that use the same AIM (or advanced integrated matrix) helmet tech as the GT Air 2 – that’s the RF-1200 and the RF-SR which scored 4 stars and maximum 5 stars respectively, so it’s not necessarily relevant to compare the old GT Air with the new and we’ll have to wait until some independent testing houses get their hands on the new model until we can draw conclusions.

Shoei GT Air II 2 conjure motorcycle helmet side view — Shoei GT Air 2 in Conjure design

Inside the GT Air 2 you’ll find a welcome EQRS or emergency quick release system and this time there’s a metal micrometric fastener to keep everything secure.

There’s also a welcome Pinlock ready visor with a Pinlock thrown into the box to keep your vision fog-free. And to help with that, there’s a new ‘cracked open’ visor position to assist with defogging duties should you need it.

Of course, to maximize your protection from any helmet, your number one objective is to get your helmet fit spot on (it’s not just me saying that, every reputable helmet authority agrees it should be your number one priority).

So always follow a helmet fitting guide, order the correct size and then wear it around the house for a while until you’re sure the fit’s right before committing to buy. And if it’s wrong, do swap it. It’s a pain in the ass having to return a helmet, but buying a helmet’s a longer term investment for most of us, so it’s worth the aggravation.

Leave the tags on until you’re sure you’re keeping it and buy from a store who’ll accept returns/replacements without question (like all our recommended stores).

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

The old GT Air was well regarded for noise attenuation and when Shoei launched the GT Air II they said they’d improved it even more.

Shoei GT Air II 2 Cross bar red black crash helmet rear view — Rear view of the GT Air 2 Cross. Rear spoiler and locating slot for battery pack of the communicator visible at the back of the collar

But they also say they’ve improved ventilation over the old helmet and that can mean – simply – that there’s more pathways for noise to get into the helmet.

However, they’ve also made the new helmet more aerodynamic and have incorporated ‘noise cancelling ear pads’ into the GT Air II which will hopefully mean things are quieter still.

The great news is that the vast majority of GT Air 2 owners reckon that it’s somewhere around quiet to very quiet. Sure, one or two ownders reckon it’s noisy – though from what I can gather it’s mostly with early helmets where the visor seal didn’t seat too well or where a fairing channelled air aggressively at the helmet.

Still, it’s worth mentioning that noise perception can be very subjective, so one person’s quiet helmet might sound like riding with your head in a kettle drum to another!

And no matter how quiet a helmet feels, it’s always advisable to push in some decent ear plugs every time you ride to protect your hearing. However, given the overall positive feedback, we’ve marked GT Air II as a quiet helmet.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Ventilation on the GT Air II is pretty straight forward. There’s a single chin vent operated by a large glove-friendly slider. And there’s a large crown vent, ditto.

Shoei GT Air II 2 light silver helmet top down view — You can see all the vents on this solid silver GT Air – twin exhausts, single top and single chin vent

They’re both nice and easy to use and easy to locate and Shoei reckons they’ve enlarged both vents slightly to ‘dramatically increase’ venting compared to the last helmet – which was highly rated for ventilation anyway.

All the air exits the helmet by a couple of always-open exhaust vents to the rear.

And if the helmet shell venting isn’t enough, Shoei’s introduced a ‘cracked open’ visor position which should help with venting and demisting around the shield and with keeping you cool in mega hot weather.

That cracked open or city riding position is particularly useful in helping riders in glasses keep them demisted while riding slowly too.

Overall, the ventilation on the GT Air II is excellent, with plenty of owners saying that it flows heaps of air through the helmet to keep your head cool with enough controllable venting in the chin bar to keep your face cool and help the Pinlock keep the face shield mist free.

Shield (more about face shields)

The face shield on the GT Air II has been designed to be nice and wide to aid peripheral vision and it has their CNS-1 spring-loaded baseplate to pull it back tightly to the weather seal and keep air/wind out when it’s closed.

Both of these features are well liked by GT Air 2 owners who reckon there’s a wide field of view and decent seal from the face shield.

It’s also a quick release shield and, as mentioned, features a new, smaller ‘cracked open’ position to let you open your shield for venting and demisting but still protecting you from air and rain.

A couple of owners reckon the quick release system on the old shield was a bit easier to use than the revised system on the new helmet, which can be a bit fiddlier. But the cracked open shield position is definitely an improvement over the older helmet.

Shoei GT Air II 2 gloss black touring helmet side view — Moody plain black GT Air with Pinlock slot visible and sun visor down

However, you shouldn’t really need to use it that much if you fit the supplied Pinlock anti-fog insert onto your shield as they’re pretty much essential fitment these days if you do any riding when it’s cold/rainy or humid.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

Shoei has improved the sun visor slightly by making it around 5mm deeper, so it covers more vision and reduces the size of the line of sunlight at the bottom that some riders find distracting.

The sun visor is operated by a slider just below the left hand shield pivot. That’s where we reckon is just about the most convenient placement. It’s an ‘analogue’ slider too so you can drop it fully down or position it anywhere in between. Again, that’s good and the operation of the sun visor is said to be nice and smooth.

Shoei has also included a pair of small switches inside the helmet. These allow you to lock the sun visor in place to make it easier to remove it for cleaning. Nice and thoughtful touch that.

All in all, the sun visor’s said to work well and be an improvement on the old helmet.

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Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

The GT Air II uses Shoei’s Max Dry internals. That’s a moisture wicking material designed to pull sweat away from your head along with being very comfortable to the touch.

Shoei GT Air II 2 deviation motorbike helmet side view — This one’s the Deviation graphics

The Old GT Air was highly thought of as being a really comfortable helmet and, whereas the older helmet sized a tiny bit on the small size, the GT Air II sizes about right.

A few owners commented that it can be snug when you first get it, though it does break in quite quickly to give a decent, firm fit – which is what you should be looking for.

If it doesn’t quite fit right, Shoei does make their helmet internals fully customizable so you can buy new cheek pads to tighten or loosen things slightly if you’re just looking to tweak the fitment rather than going a full size up or down.

As you’d expect, the lining’s also fully removable and washable and there’s some generous glasses grooves in there so you can ride with your double glazing intact and not pushing into your head.

There’s also some good sized speaker pockets inside the helmet. The GT Air 2 is designed to integrate with Sena SRL2 bluetooth kit (see below for more details) but the speaker pockets are big enough to work with many speakers that aren’t too oversized/deep.

Shoei GT Air II 2 Cross bar neo yellow motorbike helmet side view — Another Shoei GT Air II in Cross graphics, this time with hi viz yellow highlights

Looks & Graphics

Shoeis are usually known for their pretty reserved color schemes. And, as expected, you can buy your GT Air II in a range of plan/solid colors – this time including blacks, whites, a couple of silvers, a metallic blue and a mega bright brilliant yellow version (see further down).

But they’ve also released a couple of very in your face designs too in the form of the Conjure and Deviation graphics.

If those are a bit too crazy for you, you can return to more familiar Shoei territory with the Affair (available in red, yellow or white versions) and the reserved Crossbar colorways.

Feel free to get better views of these helmets on the Shoei helmets pages of our recommended stores. You’ll find their links below. They’re recommended because they offer excellent service and good prices, so if you buy from them you should be well looked after. And if you need to return it, they’ll arrange that without fuss too (again, provided you don’t remove the tags).

Best places to buy a Shoei GT Air II?

Please click below to visit the Shoei GT Air II 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).

Shoei GT Air II Video

Here you go: an 11m video taking you around the GT Air 2. This one’s the Conjure TC-9 graphics and we start a bit into the video just so you don’t have to endure all their ramblings before they get to the meat of the vid 🙂

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

OK audio. Shoei has partnered with Sena to integrate their Sena SRL-2 bluetooth into the shell of the GT Air 2.

Shoei GT Air II 2 brilliant yellow touring helmet side view — You can see the cutaway for the comms unit on the bottom rim of this Hi Viz Brilliant yellow GT Air 2

That means you can remove a side panel on either side of the helmet and slot the controller unit inside so it’s nice and flush with the helmet shell. There’s also another panel at the back of the helmet to take a battery pack, and there’s a couple of speaker pockets that’re just the right size for the Sena, plus an indent on the back of the chin guard for the mic.

Which is all very good if you’re wanting to buy a new communicator (at about $300) but potentially a bit of a pain if you have a different set that you’d like to use. Those pull-away panels look like they might be right where you’d want to stick or grip on your existing kit too.

Just something to bear in mind…

Having said that, if you don’t yet have a bluetooth headset and/or you like the idea of having a headset that’s properly integrated, then several owners commented how good the integration and SRL-2 headset is.

If you wear glasses, there are glasses grooves inside the GT Air 2 and that city riding shield position is handy to keep them fog free. The sun visor can also be very handy too, saving you the need to wear prescription sunglasses.

Build quality is widely rated as very high on the GT Air 2; with quality parts, construction and finish being highly praised as well as a big factor in people investing their money into a more expensive Shoei helmet.

The shell’s well designed too, with several owners commenting that the aerodynamics are particularly good, with little buffeting and good stability reported.

All Shoei helmets come with a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty covering build and defects.

Good Alternatives to the Shoei GT Air 2?

At the time of writing, the old GT Air is still on the market, so there are good deals to be had there. But if you’re looking after a great performing sports touring helmet that has been proven to give great protection, you should also check out these lids…

First up, there’s Shoei’s own RF-SR helmet. That’s Snell certified (plus scored 5 stars for safety from SHARP) and it’s got EQRS, Pinlock antifog in the box, has great ventilation and it’s comfy. All that and it’s a chunk cheaper than the GT Air 2!

arai-qv-pro-full-face-crash-helmet-black-frost-black — Arai Signet-X with PSS sun visor

You can find an Arai Signet-X for around the same money as the GT Air 2 – and for that you get another Snell certified (SHARP 5 star rated) fiberglass street helmet with Arai’s Pro Shield and a Pinlock included. Note, this helmet’s more suited to folks with longer heads than the Shoei.

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

At the more budget end of the market is HJCs i10. That’s been Snell certified too and owners rate it highly for comfort and ventilation. It’s a relatively basic helmet but it’s available for a fraction of the price of the others.

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Looking to buy a Shoei GT Air II?

Please click below to visit the Shoei GT Air II 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

Review of the Scorpion EXO AT950 modular adventure helmet

Page Contents

Review of the Scorpion EXO AT950 modular adventure helmet.

The Scorpion Exo AT950 (same as the ADX-1 if you’re in Europe) is Scorpion’s take on making a hyper-flexible adventure/dual sports helmet.

Which means it’s designed to pretty much suit your riding whatever type of bike you’re on and wherever you’re going.

On a road bike? Pull off the sun peak, shove on the side pods (if you want) and you look like you’re wearing a regular full face lid with a bit of a streetfighter look about it.

Going off-road? Pull off the face shield, push on the peak and slap on the goggles. Off you go.

Oh, and did we mention it’s a modular helmet too? With integral drop down sun visor?

And it’s a bit of a bargain as well. Nudge down the page a bit and you’ll see you can have all this for really not very much money at all. Interested..?

Modular dual-sports helmet
Polycarbonate Shell
Integral sun visor
Removable sun peak
Everclear anti-fog face shield
Tall, wide shield
Micrometric fastener
Sizes XS-XXXL
5 year warranty
Prices around $270-$290

Looking to buy a Scorpion Exo AT950?

Please click below to visit the Scorpion Exo AT950 helmets pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

scorpion exo at950 neocon dual sport helmet front view — Front view of the AT950 Neocon

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

It’s quite tricky to say how much protection the Scorpion AT950 will give.

Yup, it’s DOT certified in the US (and the ADX-1 is ECE) which is great – but then every helmet on sale is too because it’s mandatory.

Snell does test the occasional Scorpion helmet but they’ve not tested the AT so far. So turning to look at recent UK SHARP independent test data for Scorpion helmets might give us a bit of a clearer picture.

Taking Scorpion helmets tested in the last few years only, they’re a very mixed bag of results.

The AT950 is a polycarb helmet – and of the last four polycarbonate Scorpion helmets tested, they’ve scored one four star, two threes and a two (out of five).

In the last three years, only two flip-front helmets have been tested with one having its chin bar staying locked and closed 97% of the time, which is actually a well above average score (!), and the other – the Scorpion Exo 3000Air – scoring 90%. Which is less good.

Personally, I doubt I’d settle for a modular with a score of less than 100%, but it depends on how many other boxes a helmet ticks I guess. If I really want it, I’d possibly overlook it… a little.

scorpion-exo-adx-1-at950-configurations — Four helmets for the (very reasonable) price of one

Of course, it’s not possible to say from this past test data how well the Scorpion AT950 would do.

But, if pushed, we’d expect a middling 3 star SHARP rating and, hopefully, a 90%+ chin bar score. Hopefully they’ll prove us (pleasantly!) wrong if SHARP or Snell gets around to testing it.

Onto other safety features: there’s a nice wide/tall shield for great peripheral vision, a simple to use (and safe) micrometric fastener, plus that visor comes with an Everclear antifog coating to keep your vision clear.

And of course there’s a drop down sun visor to help visibility when the sun’s in your eyes. That’s Everclear coated both sides too.

The helmet’s only made in two shell sizes which isn’t totally ideal, but it does feature EPS on the inside of the chin guard which is pretty rare but a good feature for safety.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

If you’re used to riding in modular helmets, you’ll know they’re noisier than most full face helmets.

That’s usually because there’s plenty of space around the chin bar mechanism for air to get in as well as the more complex helmet shapes of modular helmets which can create wind noise.

scorpion exo at950 hypersilver modular adventure helmet open — This one’s called the Hypersilver – showing the full extent of the chin bar when raised.

Surprisingly, the AT950 with all its peaks, grooves and external sliders turns out to be a pretty quiet modular. At least, that’s what lots of owners reckon.

However, don’t buy one expecting it to be mega quiet because there’s so many factors involved in perceiving a helmet to be quiet (read here).

But if you stick in a decent pair of ear plugs, hopefully you’ll find it a reasonably quiet helmet too.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Despite the AT950 only having a single chin vent and single crown vent, AT950 owners reckon the ventilation is very good. Not amazing – especially if you live somewhere really hot or you’re doing lots of strenuous off-roading – but fine for most of us who’ll be mostly road riding with a little sojourn off road from time to time.

That single chin vent has a large three-way slider. Fully up is closed; one down vents the back of the shield, and fully down directs air to the face.

The top slider is open or closed and that’ll take air through the helmet shell and into the generous airways cut into the inner polystyrene lining.

As I said, most owners reckon the venting’s great. They also say the chin curtain that comes in the box is great at stopping a draft coming up from below – or you can keep it off if you want the extra venting.

scorpion exo adx 1 horizon modular adventure bike helmet — Horizon graphics AT950. That sun peak cleverly tilts backwards out of the way when the chin guard’s raised

And of course, if you’re still too hot when riding, you’ve always got the option of pushing the shield up and riding with the sun visor down. Or sticking goggles in.

Don’t be tempted to ride with the chin bar up though. It’s not P/J dual homologated; it’s not designed to be ridden like that and Scorpion don’t recommend it either.

Face Shield

(more about shields)

The shield system on the AT950 is a great piece of work.

It’s wide for excellent peripheral vision and it’s deep for when you’re stood on the pegs and need a good view down.

It works on a ratchet and has a ‘cracked open’ position for riding and getting more air at the same time – which most riders like.

A couple of owners have said that you tend to ride with the shield either closed, cracked or fully open because with the shield anywhere in between, the bottom of the shield gets in your line of sight. But then that goes for quite a few helmets…

scorpion exo at950 dual modular dual sport helmet rear — Rear view of the Dual graphics AT950

Word is that the shield is optically very true and, outside of Europe, will have Scorpion’s Everclear antifog treatment on the shield as well as both sides of the sun visor (you’ll find Everclear on both sides of the sun visor in Europe too).

The shield isn’t quick-release because it’s shares its pivot with the peak – which is no biggie really because you’ve got a drop down sun visor in there so no need to keep swapping shields out if it gets sunny.

Oh, and note, despite all the pictures showing a dark tinted shield, buy one and it’ll come with a clear shield.

Sun Visor

(more about sun visors)

That sun visor is actuated by a small slider behind the left hand shield pivot. A quick short-travel slide and down it drops.

Don’t expect it to be massively tinted because by law they’re not allowed to cut out too much light. But they’re enough to stop you getting dazzled and head-butting something. In fact lots of AT950 riders said how useful they find it.

scorpion exo at950 neocon pink adventure helmet rear view — This one’s the Neocon in pink.

Another thing to note though – if you’ve a generously proportioned nose (like me!) you might find the sun visor drops onto it as it’s quite close to the face. A couple of owners moaned about that.

One good thing about the sun visor is that it’s double-coated (front and back) with Everclear, which is an antifog technology, so that should help with demisting. It also gives you a double helping of UV protection – polycarbonate face shields give 95%+ UV protection anyway (can be much more depending on type of polycarb) but doubling that with the sun visor can’t hurt, right?

Goggles and Peak

The AT950 is designed to take a pair of goggles. Whip off the shield – you’ll have to take off the peak first – and put on some goggles. Or you can put them on with the main shield still in place though you can’t close the shield if you do – unlike some adventure helmets.

The rear shape of the shell incorporates a moulding that’s designed to accommodate your goggle strap so it should stay nicely in place too. All good on the goggles.

scorpion exo at950 neocon hi viz adventure helmet side view — The hi viz yellow version of the Neocon AT950

That sun peak is fixed in place so it’s not adjustable. It can be quickly removed with just a few turns on the screws on either side, though you will need a screwdriver (or key/coin will do) to undo it.

If you do whip it off to convert the helmet into a street helmet, there are a couple of Arai-style side pods in the box to cover up the shield’s ratchet mechanism.

Loads of owners said they find the peak really useful for adding extra protection against the sun. And its aero qualities are pretty good, though a few said it can catch the wind and/or vibrate a bit at times, although it’s nothing too bad and very much speed/bike/fairing dependent.

Chin Guard

(more about chin guards)

The main concern with a modular helmet’s chin guard is whether it’ll stay put and protect you in an accident or not. Some maker’s modulars have a history of doing exactly not that.

The only real data we’ve got to go on is SHARP test data where they record the percentage of times a helmet’s chin guard stays locked during their testing; so that can give us a guide.

scorpion exo adx 1 battleflage modular dualsport no peak — the AT950 without its peak in Battleflage graphics

Scorpion has an decent reputation for making safe chin guards. Of their 3 most recently tested modulars, the old Scorpion 900 Air scored 83%, but the more recently tested Scorpion Exo 3000 Air scored 97% and the Exo 920 90% – though this helmet only scored 2 stars overall.

The chin guard on the AT950 has an EPS lining, which is rare to find and great for safety/protection – and hopefully its locking mechanism will prove a good one.

The Scorpion AT950 hasn’t been dual homologated so it’s not been designed to be used while the chin bar is raised. Plus Scorpion advises against it so definitely best not to ride with the guard up.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Inside the Scorpion AT950 you’ll find their KwikWick2 comfort liner.

That’s a fully removable and washable interior that’s antimicrobial as well as designed to wick sweat away from the head. It’s also nice and soft – aaah.

And word is it seems to do the job nicely. Sorta…

The AT950 suits a medium oval head shape. That’s the shape of most of our heads in the West – though you might want to click this link to find for more suitable helmets if your head’s a longer oval shape.

However, many owners found the sizing a bit small, so if you’re usually a size large, you might want to try an XL with the AT950 .

scorpion exo at950 tucson white neon adventure helmet front — AT950 Tucson with sun visor fully down and chin guard fully raised

And if you do end up getting the wrong size, don’t return it straight away because Scorpion does offer different size cheek pads to allow you to tailor the fit – and that might do the trick.

Because there were quite a few folks saying they initially found their 950’s gave them pressure points, it’s definitely worth giving it a thorough try in the house before you venture out.

Remember, you’ve gotta do that without removing the stickers/tags and before you decide to keep or return it otherwise stores won’t accept it as a return.

Just as a note, all our recommended stores accept your returns/exchanges without a quibble (just sayin!) but still, you’ve gotta keep on those tags.

Looks & Graphics

Scorpion has managed to pull off a neat trick with the AT950. Not only does it look like… well pretty much every other dual sports helmet. But pull off the peak and it does a decent impression of an aggressive full face with a nod towards a streetfighter helmet.

Most of them are available in suitably dark and moody graphics too – plain gloss and matt blacks supplemented by the classy Duals and the urban Battleflage if you fancy looking like someone out of Halo.

scorpion exo at950 tucson titanium adventure helmet rear — Rear view of Scorpion Exo ADX-1 in Tucson graphics

There’s also black and white versions of the horizon, a couple of Neocons and Anima’s with their Hi Viz stripes.

For the latest designs that’ve been rolled out since we wrote this review, please click the links below to our recommended stores. They’ll all look after you because we only recommend retailers with great online reviews and good, customer-friendly trading terms. Read here for more details.

Best places to buy a Scorpion Exo AT950?

Please click below to visit the Scorpion Exo AT950 helmets pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Scorpion AT950 Video

Here’s a mega 19m ride-along vlog review from some dude called Dean on his Yamaha XVS (thanks Dean!).

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

The Scorpion AT950 has been designed to work well with bluetooth communicators. There’s some large speaker pockets in there and plenty of space to hold the bluetooth unit on the side. Because it’s a modular, you’ll probably need a boom mic of course, but Scala G9 and Packtalk owners said their sets fitted without a problem.

The AT950 is a polycarbonate adventure helmet which means it’s going to be heavier than normal plus it’s got all the extra bits and pieces you need to make a modular dual sport helmet like that peak and chin guard mechanism.

Having said that, it weighs around 1.8Kg (4lbs) which is actually not too bad for a polycarb adventure helmet. In fact several owners said it feels pretty light on the move.

Handily, there’s a glasses groove inside the AT950 – what Scorpion calls KwikFit. And a couple of owners said they can even put their AT950’s on without removing their glasses, no problem.

scorpion adx-1 battleflage black silver helmet front — Here’s a silver & black Battleflage this time -minus peak

Onto build quality. OK, the AT950 is a lower priced helmet so you’ve gotta take that into consideration. But owners say the build quality is really good with fit and finish being of high quality and things like air seals working really well.

There were problems with the helmet shell colors fading on some helmets, but happily those we found who reported that problem (not too many) also said Scorpion replaced the helmets quickly under warranty so you can’t say fairer than that.

That warranty is actually a class-leading 5 year warranty, and with Scorpion honouring such a long warranty, you should be able to buy with confidence.

Overall/Summary

The Scorpion AT950 is a properly versatile helmet. OK, most owners are going to use it on the road rather than true adventuring off road. But that’s fine because it’ll work just as well as a cool looking street helmet as it will tearing up the trail.

If you’re after the best, proven, protection out there, then you might want to look elsewhere such as the Snell certified Shoei Hornet X2 or Arai Tour X4 mentioned below. That’s simply because the AT950 hasn’t been independently tested over and above DOT testing levels.

scorpion exo adx 1 solid white modular dual sport helmet — Gloss white AT950. Note black sun visor slider behind the visor pivot

But if you’re after a flexible helmet that offers great value for money, is all day comfortable and has most of the bells and whistles you could possibly want from an adventure helmet, then the Scorpion AT950 is well worth a look.

Just make sure you can return/swap it in case the internal shape doesn’t fit (see comfort section above).

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Good Alternatives to the Scorpion AT950?

If you’re after a proper ‘do everything’ helmet you might be surprised to find out there’s a few other helmets that do a similar job to the AT950.

You should probably check out the Schuberth E1 because that’s a modular adventure lid as well – though this one’s fiberglass and a ton more expensive. It’s pretty quiet and has an adjustable peak which is useful.

Back down towards lower budgets, there’s the Bell MX9 Adventure. It’s polycarbonate, really comfortable, comes with a 5 year warranty and you can add goggles and close the visor on this one. It’s not a modular though.

Finally, as mentioned above, there’s a couple of other more expensive, Snell certified options – first from Arai. The Arai Tour X4 isn’t a modular either but it is a well rated and versatile adventure helmet. It’s another helmet you can remove the (adjustable) peak from to transform it into a road helmet. Plus you’ll get that legendary Arai build quality.

And the Shoei Hornet X2 has a 5 year warranty, EQRS, has great aero and is well liked by owners.

Looking to buy a Scorpion Exo AT950?

Please click below to visit the Scorpion Exo AT950 helmets pages at our recommended store and Amazon. And if you buy from either, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

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Star Ratings

Off road, on road and anywhere in between: AGV’s AX-9 adventure helmet.

Page Contents

AGV AX-9 adventure helmet review.

AGV’s been making AX off-road helmets for over a decade now. The old AX8 was a great – if slightly flawed – helmet (you can read the AX8 review here).

But one of the cool things about AX helmets is their ability to morph from road helmets into full on dirt helmets and back again with just a tiny bit of fiddling to remove the peak, shield and shove on some goggles. And the new AX9 is no different.

It really doesn’t take long to convert, so you can ride to your favorite dirt track, then switch to adventure mode and get wet and dirty in no time.

Only, the last model was a smidge of a compromise. The shield system was slightly below-par (it could scratch through a design flaw and the bottom could get in your line of sight) and there wasn’t anywhere to fit your comms unit – all of which was enough to put quite a few buyers off.

The AGV AX-9 promised to improve all these areas and more. Read on for our full review.

Full face and adventure helmet
Composite fiber and carbon versions
3 Shell sizes
Double D-ring fastener
Wide Pinlock-ready shield
Removable/adjustable peak
Composite version – 3.4lbs (1.55Kg)
Full carbon version – 3.2lbs (1.45Kg)
Sizes XS-XXL
Expect to pay around:
- $350-$550 composite version
- $650 full carbon version

Looking to buy an AGV AX-9?

Please click below to visit the AGV AX-9 helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. And if you buy from any store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

AGV’s no stranger to throwing every safety trick in the book at their helmets.

AGV AX9 antarctica motocross helmet front — AGV AX-9 Antarctica front on

So you’ll probably not be surprised to discover that the ‘standard’ composite version of the AX9 is constructed from some pretty fancy materials.

Namely, a composite of carbon, aramid (i.e. Kevlar) and fiberglass, that’s moulded into three different shell sizes to ensure all fitment sizes are optimally formed.

These three shell sizes correspond to fitment sizes XS-MS, ML-XL and 2XL (note there’s a smaller and a larger medium fitment available) and should mean you get the right helmet form/size/weight and shock absorbing padding to suit your body size. So all good there (read more about shell sizes here if you don’t know what I’m banging on about).

Something else that’s all good is AGV’s reputation for building high quality, safe helmets. At the time of writing, they’re our 3rd safest helmet brand (based on their UK SHARP test scores; AGV doesn’t get their lids Snell tested and the SHARP test uses ECE helmets, not DOT) and their last 8 tested helmets have scored a staggering 4 or 5 (maximum) stars out of 5!

Obviously, we can’t second guess what the AGV AX-9’s going to score if SHARP were to test it. But AGV has a track record of producing some excellent and safe lids, so we’d expect it to score highly.

AGV AX9 pacific road fluo grey yellow crash helmet rear — From the rear – AX9 Pacific Road in grey/fluo yellow

Of course, all helmets on sale in the US have to be DOT certified and that should give you some confidence in the protection offered by the AX9 too as it’s a pretty stringent standard for any helmet to pass.

The AX-9 also has a quad density polystyrene shock absorbing inner. Multi-density liners cushion shocks of different speeds and are what all the big brand helmets offer. So again, that’s a good thing to see inside the AX9.

OK, so AGV looks to have got the basic safety spec spot on – as far as we can tell without headbutting things in anger!

And other safety features looks useful too.

They claim a super wide shield to help give great peripheral vision – and say it’s taller than most to to help with forward vision if you’re tucked in a bit.

It’s also a Pinlock ready shield though a Pinlock anti-fog insert isn’t included in the box in the US (though it is if you’re buying in Europe – I guess it’s just foggier over there!). All meaning you’ve no need to ride round with a foggy shield if you buy an AX-9. If it fogs up – buy a Pinlock for around $30.

AGV AX9 solid white crash helmet side view — Solid gloss white AX-9

It uses a double-d ring fastener to keep it securely fastened to your head. They’re great – just make sure you tighten it up enough each time you go for a ride. If it’s not tight, helmets can come off under impact so tighten it up well.

All in all, things on the safety front look pretty sorted for the AX9. We’ll not know for sure until some testing labs get their hands on them. But looking at the evidence so far, we expect the AGV AX-9 to give you excellent protection.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Looking at the layout of the AX-9, you’d be forgiven for expecting it to be a really noisy lid. I mean, with that large air scoop up top, a wide visor and plenty of air vents, I’d have put money on it letting tons of noise inside.

The great news is that AX9 owners seem to rate it as a particularly quiet helmet. Maybe it’s all that super soft and plush interior that muffles the sound – or the fact that AGV got the aero just right so the air slips by and doesn’t create much noise.

Whatever it is, several owners said that not only is it a particularly quiet adventure helmet – but in road mode it’s quieter than their street helmet too. Great job AGV.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

There’s a single central chin vent plus a couple of forehead vents in the AX-9.

It sounds like a fairly conventional layout. But AGV did bandy around figures of up to 3x better airflow than the old helmet so, on paper at least, it sounded like AGV wanted to make a real effort to make the AX9 a particularly airy helmet.

Looking at the chin vent alone, we can see that it’s really configurable, allowing you to adjust it several ways to maximize ventilation if there’s not enough.

Out of the box, there’s a slider to open/close the chin vent. That’s all standard fayre. But behind that front panel is a removable/washable filter which will come in handy if you do lots of off-roading.

To access the filter, you can push in the bottom snapper and that front panel comes off so you can get to it for cleaning – or you can remove it completely if you want to get more air through.

And if you want to get even more air, you can also leave the whole filter assembly off entirely.

If you decide to ride like that, there’s an internal closing mechanism that you can access behind the chin bar so you can still block it off if things get too breezy (or rainy). Nice touch.

AGV’s routed the chin ventilation so it diverts up behind the shield to help with demisting as well as routing onto the face to help with cooling.

AGV AX9 solid gloss black crash helmet rear — Rear view of the solid gloss black AX9

Onto the top vents… they’re closable via a couple of sliders and they route air through the helmet shell and into the helmet as you’d expect.

There weren’t any problems with the head vents on the old helmet but looking at rider feedback, it seems AGV has really delivered with the AX9.

There’s plenty of owners around waxing lyrical about how great the ventilation is. Not only do the vents let plenty of air through, but there’s lots of space in the padding to let air through to your head too.

And if it’s a particularly hot day and things are getting warm, remove that front vent cover and the air floods in.

And of course, if you ever find things get too hot despite these loads of venting options, you can always pull off the shield and push on some goggles. That should cool things down even more.

As always, if having a helmet that vents really well is important to you – you might want to check out our Best Venting Helmets pages.

Shield

(more about shields)

I’ll not bang on about some of the problems with the old AX8 because most of you won’t have experience of the old helmet (and you can read about it in our old AGV AX8 review if you’re interested).

Suffice to say it looks like AGV’s moved things on a notch with the AX9.

AGV AX9 pacific road yellow crash helmet front — Front view of the AX-9 Pacific Road showing that massive shield aperture

The shield is Pinlock ready but, as mentioned, there isn’t a Pinlock anti-fog insert included for the price which is a real shame for a helmet at this price point.

It’s not a quick change shield either, I guess because most quick release systems need you to fully open the shield first before pulling it off; and if you do that on the AX9 there’s a massive sun peak in the way, so it just won’t work.

But it is a wide and tall shield for good all round vision. AGV claims 190º horizontal and 110° vertical which sounds decent to me.

And we found loads of owners saying how huge the shield is and that it gives excellent all-round vision.

Usefully, it’s also got two opening tabs left/right too which just makes things that bit easier – left hand opening when you’re on the move, right hand opening when you’re stopped and pulling in the clutch for example.

Obviously, the AX9 can be configured several different ways so you can do some serious dirt riding in it should the mood take you.

AGV expects most riders to use their AX9s predominantly on the road, but if you do decide to whip off the shield and stick some goggles in, just don’t expect it to take as many types of goggles as a true motocross lid because, even though it’s a large shield, it can be a bit too small for some of the larger goggles out there.

AGV AX9 full carbon motorcycle helmet side view — Full Carbon fiber AX9 showing new larger sun peak

There are a couple of other areas where there’s a bit of a compromise going on too.

Some owners say the shield doesn’t open quite far enough because the peak gets in the way, and it can be a fiddle to remove the shield because it’s not toolless.

But on the other hand it seals well and has a ‘cracked open’ or city position which many riders look for to let a bit of extra ventilation in while keeping the shield down.

Overall then, it’s perhaps not surprising that with such a versatile helmet with multiple uses that things aren’t going to be perfect. But the shield on the AX9 has been well thought out, is pretty well implemented and, crucially, is seen as a great system by the vast majority of owners.

Peak

Compared to the old AX-8 peak, the AX-9’s is a bit bigger to give better shading, plus it’s been slightly redesigned because the old one was prone to a bit of vibrating and catching the wind on the move.

AGV reckons the new peak has better aerodynamic performance and it’s a bit more polished to hide bolts and screws. It’s also adjustable so you can tailor the angle to maximize protection for your preferred riding position.

And most AX-9 owners are loving AGV’s work. Sure, it can catch some wind when you’re barrelling along (though it’s actually pretty good in most circumstances) but the length of the peak is really handy for offering lots of shade.

And if you do find it’s too long for your needs, AGV does sell a smaller replacement peak.

It can be a bit fiddly when you want to take it off – and you need to keep the bolts and rubber inserts safe as they could get lost.

But that’s about it for complaints. Other than that, owners are finding the peak does its job really well.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

AGV’s never really had any problems with making very comfortable helmets. And AX-9 owners overwhelmingly find theirs to be a really comfortable helmet too, saying the materials used and level of padding is second to none, making all day riding a doddle.

It’s been designed to cater for the most common head shape – which means it’s a medium oval internal shape.

Inside, you’ll find a removable/washable comfort lining using materials with fancy names like Ritmo, Nabuk and Shalimar.

You’ll find more info on these fabrics here – but in essence they’re hyper comfy materials that’ll suck sweat away from your head, kill germs and keep you cool and comfortable.

You’ll also find a glasses groove in the cheek pads to stop the stems of glasses or shades digging in.

AGV AX9 antarctica motocross helmet side — Profile view of the AX-9 Antarctica

And AGV’s moved this new AX into the 21st century by including generous speaker pockets too. Unlike the old AX8 which had no space inside, you now can slap a bluetooth kit onto the AX9, drop your headphones into the speaker pockets and ride in connected-comfort without speaker-induced ear ache.

Finally, you shouldn’t have a problem with weight on the AX-9 either. The composite fiber version weighs around 3.4lbs (1.55Kg) and the full carbon a reasonably light weight 3.2lbs (1.45Kg).

Looks & Graphics

AGV must think that adventure bike riders are a conservative bunch because, while the AX9 is a massively versatile helmet, the form of the helmet is pretty traditional and all the graphics are fairly muted.

At the time of writing, we’ve put examples of all the available designs on this page – but to see any newly released designs and good deals, please click through to our recommended retailers below (all recommended for amazing service and online ratings).

Best places to buy an AGV AX-9 helmet?

Please click below to visit the AGV AX-9 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).

AGV AX-9 Helmet Video

Here’s a good 10m look around the AX-9 (and comparison to the old AX-8) from Revzilla.

Other stuff – comms, warranty

As mentioned, there’s space inside the AGV AX-9 for a bluetooth headset with generously sized speaker pockets and plenty of space for a microphone. And according to several owners, headsets work particularly well in the AX9 – probably because it’s a nice quiet helmet. We heard of riders fitting Sena SMH10 and Cardo Packtalk slim units without any problem.

All AGVs come with a fairly stingy 2 year warranty, though make sure you register it on AGV’s website and you’ll get an extra year (or an extra 2 or 3 for sports helmets).

Overall/Summary

The AGV AX range of helmets have always been very versatile helmets, meaning you don’t have to buy more than one helmet if you’re after both a road and dirt helmet.

The AX-9 has built on what was great about the old AX8 and been further developed to sort the few problems owners reported on the outgoing helmet.

AGV-AX9-pacific-road-crash-helmet-side-view — Pacific Road graphics, this time in black and white with red piping

Which means the AX-9 is a superb all rounder helmet, capable of giving all day comfort on the road as well as decent performance when you take it trail riding.

We’ve marked protection down simply because it hasn’t been independently tested by any one (though we’d expect it to score well if it is).

But it’s a helmet that’s universally loved by owners. With it’s versatility, wide/tall Pinlock-ready shield, excellent build quality and comfort – not to mention outstanding ventilation and lightness – the AGV AX-9 is a corker of a helmet and well worth considering (along with our recommended alternatives below) if you’re looking to buy a road or adventure bike helmet.

Good Alternatives to the AGV AX-9?

If you’re after a new adventure bike helmet, we recommend you check out these tried and tested helmets.

Arai’s Tour X4 is another premium adventure helmet that’s multi-configurable for on or off road riding. It’s a fiberglass shelled, Snell certified helmet with excellent ventilation and comfort, EQRS and a fab 5 year warranty.

Shoei’s Hornet ADV is another Snell tested/approved adventure helmet. It’s a quality fiberglass helmet, also with a 5 year warranty, and comes with an optically correct shield.

If you’re looking for something cheaper, Bell’s polycarbonate MX series are great value and owners love them. They come with a 5 year warranty too and cost about half of the others.

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Looking to buy an AGV AX-9?

Please click below to visit the AGV AX-9 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 Rating

Low priced, Snell tested, amazing value full face helmet. The HJC CL-17.

Page Contents

HJC CL17 motorcycle helmet review.

If you’re looking for a new full face helmet for your motorcycle, there’s a ton of choice out there of course. But… there isn’t a whole lot of Snell tested/certified, low price choice out there.

Which is exactly where the HJC CL-17 helmet comes in.

It’s a low-priced polycarbonate full face and not only is it DOT certified, it’s also Snell 2015 tested/approved too. Which means it should be up there with the big boys (and expensive boys) in providing top quality protection.

That’s fantastic news, but what about the rest of the helmet..? We check out reviews, thoughts, musings and opinions online to find out the low down on HJCs CL-17 crash helmet.

Full face polycarbonate helmet
Rounder fit
DOT certified (not ECE)
Snell 2015 certified
Pinlock ready face shield
Double d-ring fastener
Available sizes XS-5XL!
Expect to pay $125-$160
Marvel designs $40 higher

Note: the HJC CL-17 has now been discontinued. So please check out our other HJC Helmet reviews – or maybe check out our Top 10 Helmets Reviews Pages to find all our top rated helmets?

HJC CL17 hulk motorcycle crash helmet top view — HJC CL-17 – the version for folks who don’t like to be noticed!

Safety

(more about helmet safety)

OK, so we know that the CL-17 is DOT certified, plus it’s been tested by Snell and passed their M2015 tests*.

That’s all great news and means we know it’ll do pretty darned well in protecting us out on the highway.

In fact, because the CL-17 has been out there a few years now, there’s quite a few stories online saying exactly that – how their CL17 saved their lives during an accident. Which is always good to know.

You might find it a bit surprising that a lower price helmet can give such great protection, but as we’ve discussed before, buying an expensive helmet doesn’t necessarily mean buying better protection.

The HJC CL-17 has a multi-density shock absorbing lining, just like top brands like Arai and Shoei do. Plus polycarbonate might make for cheap helmets, but it’s a great material for making a tough and slightly flexible (aka shock absorbing) helmet shell out of.

It also comes with double-d ring fasteners, and a wide visor opening for improved peripheral vision – both are great for safety.

OK, it’s only made in 2 shell sizes; and in an ideal world we’d probably like to see EQRS and a Pinlock antifog supplied in the box too.

But that aside, you can undoubtedly rely on a CL-17 to save your head in a survivable accident (which is all a helmet is designed to do afterall!)

HJC CL17 punisher motorcycle crash helmet side view — CL-17 Punisher. Skulls, skulls and more skulls.

*Note 3XL-5XL sizes aren’t Snell certified. No idea why – but I’m guessing it’s because they’re not gonna sell too many at that size so HJC decided to save some money. Like I say, that’s just a guess.

Helmet Noise

(more about helmet noise)

Opinions vary on how noisy the CL-17 is.

We always recommend you wear a decent pair of earphones if you ride a motorcycle anyway of course. And that’s the best way to ride with a quiet helmet.

But it’s always nice to have a helmet that helps you out too.

Despite HJCs best efforts (making a helmet with a smooth, round shell and using low profile vent covers for example), most owners seem to think the HJC is pretty noisy.

As always how loud you perceive a helmet depends on the type of bike you ride as well as how noisy your previous helmets were too. But if you’re after an especially quiet helmet, this ain’t it.

Having said that, it’s about par for the course compared to most helmets out there. As we said, stick in some decent ear plugs and you should be fine.

Ventilation

(more about helmet ventilation)

Ventilation is one area where the HJC CL-17 does well.

That’s no surprise because, unusually for a cheaper helmet, HJC has thrown extra vents in above the face shield to help things out.

Which means there’s a vent in the chin bar, a couple at the brow and another couple of vent holes in the crown of the helmet, so six in all.

HJC CL17 combat motorcycle helmet rear view — Check the spoiler on that – hiding those rear exhaust vents. CL17 Combat.

They’re mated to four exhaust vents – it’s no good having a ton of inputs if there’s nowhere for the air to exit the helmet. They’re located at each side of the helmet plus a couple under the spoiler at the rear.

But the proof of the pudding’s in the riding. So do they work?

Mostly, yes.

Owners seem to agree the crown vents pull a load of air through the helmet and gives cooling air a direct, unhindered path through the helmet shell and onto your head. And overall they think it’s better than most helmets at keeping your head nice and cool.

The brow vents above the shield are a bit less successful though as most owners say you can’t really feel them.

The chin vents are OK though not amazing. So if you buy a CL and struggle with shield demisting, you might be wise investing in a Pinlock anti-fog insert, because the faceshield comes Pinlock-ready.

All the vent sliders and controls have a decent feel to them and everyone’s mostly happy about how they operate.

So if you’re after a well venting helmet, the HJC CL-17 should fit the bill nicely.

Shield

(more about shields)

The shield on the CL is nice and wide to give great peripheral vision.

HJC CL17 striker red white blue helmet side view — This one’s the Striker colorway.

It works on a ratchet which is good. And, happily, it has a ‘cracked open’ position (sometimes called a city riding position) that most of us riders are looking for to give us that bit of extra ventilation when riding slowly but still giving us decent eye protection.

The CL 17 uses HJC’s Rapidfire shield quick release system which is so staggeringly easy to use, even my mom can manage it.

To remove the shield, open it up, pull the tab and pull it off. To replace it, you line it up with the holes and click it back in place. Quick, effective and no manuals involved.

What else? Well, owners say it feels a solid shield with nice movement and there’s an opening tab on the left which is handy (rather than the center).

If you look closely at the pictures, you can also see a switch on the left side of the shield. That’s an optional shield lock which apparently works well.

Finally, the shield is Pinlock antifog ready, though there isn’t a Pinlock included in the box. That’s only gonna bother you if you live somewhere rainy/cold or humid. And if it does, you can get yourself a Pinlock for about $30 or so.

Comfort and Sizing

(more about comfort and sizing)

Like most HJCs, get the right size of CL-17 for your head and you should find it’s all day comfortable.

HJC CL17 solid gloss white crash helmet side view — Those smaller side vents are actually exhausts. Check the tiny shield lock too – on the shield

That is, as long as you’re a round-headed sort of person, because the CL-17 is one of those rare helmets that’s designed for rounder rather than ovaler (?!) heads.

Most Western helmets are made for medium oval head shapes, because that’s the sort of head shape most Westerners have.

But that still leaves heaps of people with rounder heads un-helmeted. So HJC has made the CL17 work for you guys.

If you are a round head shape, measure your head (follow our fitting guide) then buy the right size helmet because word is that the CL sizes true.

And if you do buy one, owners say it’s a really comfortable helmet with a plush interior lining.

It’s nothing especially fancy. Yup, it’s a removable/washable lining and yep, it uses a moisture wicking and antimicrobial fabric in the comfort liner (HJC calls it SuperCool) but that’s par for the course with most helmets these days.

But HJC do seem particularly skilled at combining everything very well to make a really comfortable helmet at an entry level price.

Some more great news – especially if you’ve got a rounder head that’s over sized. That’s because you can buy the HJC CL-17 in sizes XS to a whopping XXXXXL! Woa. That’s music to someone’s ears right there.

HJC-CL17-cosmos-pink-motorcycle-helmet-top-view — The Cosmos is available in pink or purple

All of which means the budget CL is going to be some folks’ go-to helmet for years to come. And why not, it’s quality, comfy and cheap. Happy days.

Looks & Graphics

It’s a jack of all trades helmet, designed to work for as many riders as possible, so it’s never going to be the most outrageous or eye-catching lid.

But that’s fine because lots of us don’t want a helmet like that.

But if you do want to jazz it up a bit, there are some pretty out-there designs around.

You know you can always find your plain/solid blacks and whites etc. But there’s masses of other designs out there for the CL17 too – from subtle girly designs to ones with more skulls than an Outlaw’s bicep.

We’ve liberally scattered a few colorways around these pages, but they seem to be never ending. So please feel free to click the links through to our recommended partner stores below (all scoring massively well with independent buyer reviews) and see the latest deals and designs.

HJC CL-17 Video

Here’s a good 10m look around the CL17 from sportbiketrackgear.

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

The CL17 comes with a solid Double-D ring fastener. Read here for more information on D-rings.

If you’re looking to fit a bluetooth headset into your next helmet, you might struggle a bit with the CL. It’s fine for mounting the set as the bottom strip is relatively thin so should take a clamp mount (if not there’s plenty of space for a sticky mount). But the speakers pockets aren’t too generous so if your speakers are thick, you might well find they push into the sizes of your head.

HJC CL17 wineberry red motorcycle helmet side view — There’s a few nice solid variants – such as this wineberry red CL 17

What won’t push into your head are your glasses, because there’s glasses grooves inside the helmet lining which is good to see (why don’t all helmets have them?!?).

It’s not the lightest helmet, but then it’s a budget polycarbonate helmet so you probably wouldn’t expect it to be, right? It weighs around 3.9lbs (1.75kg) which is a bit heavier than the average polycarb full face.

We all like our helmets to be built well, but you expect corners to be cut on most budget helmets. Well, it might not quite match up to some more expensive helmets, but owners say they’re surprised how well their CL17s are built – especially at this price. So all’s good there.

And, finally, HJC backs this quality up with a decent 3 year warranty; which is way above many other makers at the cheaper end of the market.

Overall/Summary

The HJC CL-17 is not just any old budget polycarbonate full face helmet.

That’s because not many others have been tried and tested for as long as the CL17, and not many are so well liked by so many owners.

Positives are that the CL-17 doesn’t cost much, it’s comfortable, well vented, has great build quality (for the price) and has that all important Snell rating on it that proves it’ll give great protection.

Not only that, but it’s an easy helmet to live with and does most of the stuff you want your multi-purpose motorcycle helmet to do.

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

OK, it lacks some bells and whistles and is a bit no-frills. But if you’re after a great value all-rounder that has been tested so you know it’ll look after you, then grab yourself a CL.

There are some alternatives out there (see alternatives section below) but if you’re after a budget Snell helmet that’s designed for round shaped heads, then it’s in a class of one!

Overall then, it’s a great helmet, well thought out and offering excellent protection. It’s well worth a look.

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Good Alternatives to the HJC CL-17?

If you’re after a Snell tested and approved helmet, you can find all the Snell helmets we’ve checked out here.

We’re gonna assume you’re not looking to fork out on the latest premium Arai or Shoei here. So here’s our picks at the lower end of the price range.

First up is the Scorpion Exo-R420 – another budget polycarbonate full face like the CL-17 that’s Snell certified too. This one’s a bit more expensive but comes with EQRS and a de-mist shield. Nice.

Another HJC that’s Snell rated (SHARP 4 star too) is the race ready HJC FG 17. It’s slightly better than the 17 at blocking noise too – and it’s only a smidge more expensive.

If your pockets are a bit deeper, you should take a look at the Shoei RF-SR too. Snell certified again, it’s a slight step up in quality – but then it’s quite a bit more money. It’s got EQRS too as well as a Pinlock anti-fog in the box.

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