Helmets
Alpinestars
SM-5 Helmet with Oakley Crowbar TLD Googles
As some of the boys venture into a bit of Off-roading in the poor weather Bulby took the plunge and got an Alpinestars SMS Motocross lid. First impressions are for a sub £200 lid the quality is decent enough with a nice feel to the interior. Having now used this combo on a road ride the helmet is a gem, comfortable, it had a feel of a helmet that would have been a lot more expensive. The same can not be said for the Oakley googles however with the nose cover coming unclipped within one off and on over the helmet, this lead to the cover being removed as it was fiddley to get reattached, not what you expect from the Oakley brand.
Pro’s – Sub £200
Cons – Limited colour schemes
Rating – /10
For more information click Here
AGV
Corsa R (Limited Edition Rossi Rep)
This Corsa R helmet from AGV is a beautiful limited edition copy of the Rossi design he wore at Misano in 2015 when up against Lorenzo in the fight for the championship. This is a very striking design when worn against a lot of the standard helmet designs you’ll see in the carpark.
As with a lot of the race rep paint schemes this is applied to one of the companies top range racing helmets so won’t be the best for long distance touring as it’s designed for the track and not for wearing for 8/9 hours in a day, that said it’s the same with bikes, you can if you wish tour using anything it’s about how fatigued you are at the end of it.
The lid itself is fairly comfortable with excellent ventilation, the big pin locked tinted visor gives an excellent field of view although it’s design means the visor is higher on up ( for when you are down low on the tank). If we have a complaint about the lid it’s this, once open the visor is very easy to use however at speed if you don’t have it fully open it’ll be forced shut by the air pressure, now this maybe ok for racing however can be a pain for road riding when you want it open just for some more fresh air.
Finally the cost for this helmet is eye watering and you may ask who would be stupid enough to buy one (step up Bulby), in the sale this helmet was just shy of £700. Is it worth it, honestly no not really especially as AGV also put the design onto a helmet model that’s less than £200 but then if you know, you know.
Pro’s – Design, Kudos, Limited Edition 1 of 300 only
Cons – Cost, Visor
Rating – 7.5/10
For more information click Here
Arai
Tour X3
Bulby loved his X3 tour helmet in Ducati livery, using it on the multistrada was a perfect fit. Arai are arguably the market leaders in helmet, design, quality and fit but this comes at a price with the X3 (when new) costing well in excess of £500. With any helmet of this type they suffer in certain areas, wind noise and the peak at speed are to of the main drawbacks over a normal full face helmet however the peak redeems itself on very bright days by offering extra protection from the glaring sun.
Peaked lids suit adventure bikes for a reason however it’s not a must and as you’ll see with the pictures for the X4 below, they can be worn as a streetfighter type helmet so they are very adaptable it’s just down to whether you like the look and you feel the shortfalls are out weighed positives.
Pro’s – Designs, Quality
Cons – Costs, Peak lids suffer from turbulence and wind noise
Rating – 8.5/10
For more information click Here
Tour X4
As with the X3 tour above the X4 tour is a improvement over it’s predecessor, improvement’s to ventilation and other minor changes have made it a better helmet although the differences are hard to identify other than new paint schemes, we’re sure if you speak to Arai they will give you a lot of spiel about what changes they’ve made.
Prices are again at the top end of the price range as you’d expect with buying an Arai lid with costs for plain colours in excess of £599 with paint schemes like the one shown being the wrong side of £550. As with the X3 peaked lids suit adventure bikes however it’s really down to personal preference
Pro’s – Build quality, designs
Cons – Cost, wind noise
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
Chaser
This is the helmet that started the Chaser name and brought us the quality, design and comfort that we’ve now come to expect from the range. Ths model has been superseeded by the Chaser X and V so unfirtunately the great designs they came in are no longer available unless you’re prepared to buy second hand which is something we don’t recommended
You can still find parts for the Chaser as well as still getting replacement visors so if you have an old one cherish it but in line with guidelines that recommend you change a helmet after five years you may want to check out a new model.
Pro’s – Designs, Quality
Cons – Nothing other than prices of around £450 – £500, when new, No longer available
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
Chaser X
A favourite choice of Bulby the mid ranged and mid priced (for an Arai) is a great lid, quieter and more comfortable than the companies race designed RX7 but better ventilation than the companies cheaper options like the Condor. This lid is really is a great all rounder, it doesn’t look out of place on the latest 1 litre sports bike or a cheap commuter the Chaser delivers a luxurious safe feeling for your head to be.
Priced at around £450 this isn’t a cheap helmet but compared to other helmets in the Arai range it’s the best balance of quality and value for money’
Pro’s – Designs and paint schemes, quality
Cons – Cost against other makes
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
Chaser V
The V follows on from the original Chaser and just improves it with revised ventilation and aero. this helmet was used by Juicey for a number of years. Throughout it’s time in service the inside stayed firm but comfortable and the exterior stood up well to not only the wet of the UK but the hot temperatures of mid/southern Europe.
Priced in that mid £400’s to £500 price band it’s not cheap but then you get what you pay for which in this case is a top quality helmet in a great design.
Pro’s – Quality Helmet with usual Arai features, Various designs/Paint Schemes
Cons – The stupid clip for the visor that’s meant to help opening the visor with gloves on but doesn’t
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
Profile V
The Profile V is the new helmet of choice by the Juicemen and replaces his previous Chaser V seen above. One of the real advantages is the padding around the chin and jaw line which improves fit. Subsequently this makes this helmet quieter than his previous version.
As with any Arai they don’t offer inbuilt sun-visor as they deem this to weaken the integrity of the helmet, instead going for an external pro- shield system which can be used with this and other helmets in the range, in truth though most will go for a tinted visor anyway.
Pro’s – Various paint schemes, build and quality, ventilation
Cons – The stupid clip that is meant to make opening the visor easier but makes it a pain in the a**
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
Quantum ST
Another one of Bulby’s is the Quantum ST which proceed the QV Pro as Arai’s take on a touring lid. Priced around the £500 – £550 range it brings all the quality you expect from this market leading brand, the quality materials used for the lining make this a real comfortable and safe place to be.
Similar features as to the other models from this manufacture with a decent choice of plain and multicoloured designs and with this helmet still being available from new and you can shop around to get an older paint scheme and no pro shield for a really reasonable £300
Pro’s – Quality, Designs
Cons – Cost for the newest with pro shield
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
QV Pro
The QV Pro is Arai’s touring helmet with the Pro stands for the pro shield system which is the external tinted sunvisor. Arai have gone for this solution instead of the favoured integral visor a number of the other manufacture’s use as they say that in doing so it keeps the integrity of the helmet in tack. The system is easy to use however the main visor is still fitted with this stupid little clip thing that is meant to assist with opening the visor with gloves on but in fact make it more difficult.
Where we have a problem with the pro shield system is when temperatures start to get really hot as if you open the main visor to get more air it raises the pro shield as well meaning then you don’t get protection from the sun. Through on a tinted visor in stead and this helmet has all day comfort and is great for touring being relatively quite.
Pro’s – All day comfort, Arai quality
Cons – Pro Shield system, Price as retails around £550
Rating – 8/10
For more information click Here
HJC
RPHA 11 (IANNONE Replica)
Review to follow
Pro’s – Race Rep Design, Cost
Cons –
Rating – /10
Fore more information click Here
LS2
MX702 Pioneer 11
The Pioneer 11 helmet from LS2 is a dual visor helmet aimed at the budget end of the adventure helmet market and in direct competition with Airoh Commander Helmet as well of others. As with any budget helmet it’s built to a price however if you want a lighter more expensive option they do offer it with a carbon shell. The helmet meets the latest ECE 22.06 approvals and comes in a variety of striking colour and graphic schemes. On first impressions it’s a nice helmet which is comfortable to wear and not to badly effected by the peak but noisy compared to a full face. Further review to follow once worn for longer rides.
Pro’s – Price, Graphics
Cons –
Rating – /10
Fore more information click Here
Thunder Carbon
Review to follow
Pro’s – All carbon, Very Light, Style
Cons –
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
For a good deal on a LS2 Helmet click Here
NEXX
X.Wed3
Full review to follow
Pro’s – Carbon so light weight, Ventilation, Internal Visor, Bluetooth ready, Comes with action cam mounts
Cons – Cost
Rating – /10
For more information click Here
Nolan
N87
The N87 is a great helmet for the price but one thing lets it down and that’s the wind noise, it’s as if the helmet isn’t long enough and this then cause noise into the helmet. Other than that Babee Gee really rates this helmet highly especially as with the Nolan coms system including break light came in at under £500
Pro’s – Rear Braking Light, Designed to take Nolan’s Coms System, Colour and Paint schemes
Cons – Wind noise
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
Schuberth
E2
The intrepid Wolfman gave us this on his new Schuberth E2 helmet
So, time came for a lid replacement. The new one I picked up was good, fit nicely, and did the job — but I quickly realised I was missing the flip-up modular option I’d gotten used to over the years.
I’ve been running the Shoei Neotec 2 for quite a while and it really has been a solid helmet. It handled plenty of miles and plenty of weather. But like all gear, it eventually started showing its age. I tried the usual route of swapping pads, hoping it would refresh the fit, but it just didn’t work anymore.
That’s when I decided to head out for a proper fitting session at one of the few retailers that actually offer it for Shoei. If you’ve never done a fitting before, I can’t recommend it enough. Playing with pad options can completely change how the helmet sits on your head, and for something you’ll be wearing for hours at a time, that’s worth doing properly.
Naturally, I gave the Neotec 3 a try. It’s a very nice helmet, high quality as you’d expect, and with the fitting adjustments, I managed to get it close to what I needed. But — just like with my old Neotec 2 — I could still feel those familiar pressure points after a while. Shoei lids are generally more suited to oval head shapes, and mine isn’t quite that.
Looking at Schuberth – C5 vs E2
So, I started eyeing up the Schuberth range instead. First up was the C5, which is more road-focused. Clean lines, well put together, and generally a very solid touring helmet.
Then there’s the E2. Now, this one is almost the same as the C5, but with a bit more of an adventure angle — a bigger peak, slightly different vent design, and the ability to remove the peak and blank out the visor with the supplied plates. In short, you can switch it up depending on how you ride.
The moment I put on the E2, I knew it was different. More room inside, no pressure points, and just instantly more comfortable. Schuberth helmets tend to be designed around rounder head shapes, and that clearly worked better for me.
The helmet comes ready for comms with built-in speaker slots and wiring. You can go for Schuberth’s own kit, Sena, or Cardo. After digging into reviews and comparing features, I went with Cardo. The integration is clean, sound is solid, and it handled motorway wind noise well when I tested it.
Final Thoughts For me, it all came down to fit and comfort. Shoei makes a brilliant helmet, and if you’ve got the right head shape, the Neotec 3 could be spot on. But for my rounder profile, the Schuberth E2 just fit better and gave me the airflow I wanted.
If you’re stuck choosing between the two, I’d say go and get yourself fitted properly, try them on, and see what feels right. In the end, the best helmet is the one that fits your head and makes you forget you’re even wearing it.
Pro’s – Ventilation: This was the big one for me. The airflow is brilliant compared to the Neotec. Loads of air when you want it, but also adjustable enough to tone it down in colder weather. Comfort: Hours in the saddle and still comfortable. Even with the peak on, there’s low drag at motorway speeds (tested within the legal limits, of course).Flexibility: Peak on or off, visor options, plenty of setup choices. Makes it work for both road touring and the odd bit of adventure-style riding. Sun visor ECE22.06 and P/J homologation
Cons – We wait to hear!
Rating – /10
For more information click Here
Comms Setup
C5
The C5 is Schuberth’s offering for those wanting a touring flip lid
Pro’s – Quality fit and Finish,
Cons – Being a Flip not as quiet as full face
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
Scorpion
Exo R1 Air
Review to follow
Pro’s – Colour schemes, Style, Quick release system, Visor catch
Cons – No internal sun-visor, Not particularly comfy, Visor fogs
Rating – 7/10
For more information click Here
Shark
Spartan GT Pro Dokhta ( Carbon)
First impressions of the GT pro carbon are very good, putting the helmet on your head meets a plush feel interior which has a quality feel to it. We’ll wait to see how it performs out on the road however this carbon shell helmet (1630g with intercom) in the striking paint scheme which matches Bulby’s M-sport bike like it was done by BMW. Features include drop down sun visor, So having now worn this helmet in anger a few things have come to light, firstly it is fairly quiet and very comfortable with the internal sun visor giving could protection with only minor light ingress around the bottom, however what is really annoying is that at speeds of anything over 50mph the main visor will drop down under the wind pressure, this has to be due to the fact that the visor mechanism is very smooth but this means it doesn’t have the ratchet feel as it clicks up and down say of the GT Air 3
Pro’s – Paint scheme, Carbon lid, drop down sun visor
Cons – Price (£499.99) takes it very near helmets like the Shoei GT Air 3
Rating – /10
For more information click Here
Evo ES
Brought new recently at the bike show in Birmingham a full review will follow once the weather allows so bike time. Having been used now on a ride out the first thing that was noticeable was how comfortable this helmet was straight away, no wiggling or turning to get it to sit right
Pro’s – Comfortable, design, Approved open or closed, Chin bar goes around to the back of the helmet so reducing turbulence when open
Cons – Like any flip front lid they are always noisier and heavier
Rating – 8/10
For more information click Here
Evo 3
The Evo has been the tried and tested helmet worn by Babee Gee for a number of years, so much so he has had more than one of them. The great thing is it can be worn both open and closed and is passed as both a P and J style. When wearing as an open face the chin bar retracts completely round to the back so that it doesn’t impact on the aerodynamics’ unlike other flip lids on the market.
As with any flip lid the down side over a full face is the weight and wind noise as by their nature they have to have the mechanism to move the chin bar and as it isn’t one piece it can’t be as quite.
Shark are a mid range ( price and quality) manufacture and a helmet similar to this one can be brought for approx £350. Brilliant for touring especially in warmer countries it also gives you the benefit of not having to remove your helmet when filling up, which some garages insist on.
Pro’s – Flexibility, Style, Internal Visor, Price
Cons – Weight, Wind Noise
Rating – 8.5/10
For more information click Here
Spartan RS
One thing Shark seem to do very well compared to our manufacturers of motorcycle helmets is to produce some really wicked designs and that’s no different for the helmet reviewed here, the Spartan series. Seen here in a striking black with red accent and a bared wired graphic the helmet comes with a drop down sun visor and is secured using a double D ring. However don’t be thinking this is an expensive helmet or it is particularly light as the answer to both of these things is No, it weighs in at over 1587 grams and cost places it at just under the £300 mark. The Spartan RS is classed as a sport-touring helmet and is really good value for money and is a helmet you can use everyday with the only downside being reports of the visor fogging even with an insert in place
Pro’s – Price, Internal Sun Visor, Graphics
Cons – Not the Quietest, Visor fogging
Rating – 8.5/10
For more information click Here
S700 Stripple
The Shark S700 helmet is one of those helmets that is just perfect for a lot of people. It’s a low to mid range priced helmet ( you can pick one up for between £150-£200) yet it has the quality you’d expect from Shark and has a recently decent 4 star plus safety rating. There’s a lot to like about the S700 as it comes with an drop down sun visor, it’s comfortable, has decent ventilation and isn’t to noisy and we particularly like the black and whited designed stipple version seen here.
Make no mistake this is not a £500+ helmet so don’t be expecting the bells and whistles that you’d get if you’d paid that, however for someone on a budget it’s a helmet we’d recommend you go and try.
Pro’s – Internal visor, cost, designs and colour scheme’s
Cons – Not a lot when you think what you’re paying for it
Rating – 8.5/10
For more information click Here
Shoei
GT Air 2
Shoei’s full face touring lid is a market leader for quality and design. With the internal visor and built in conjunction to take the Sena intercom it has good ventilation and provides everything you need for a full face touring helmet. Added to this are the standard plain colours and an array of striking multicoloured designs. The only downside is that the GT Air 2 seems on first impressions to be nosier than expected, this is surprising as the Air 2 is known to be a quiet helmet however this was first use, hopefully it was due to the weather conditions which were particularly bad on the ride.
Pro’s – Shoei Quality, designs, Internal sun visor
Cons – Nosier than expected
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
Neotec 3
Shoei class leading Neotec range evolves again with the new model 3.Everything is just a little bit better than the 2 however there are some things which are annoying. The visors are different so the 2 visors won’t fit but even more frustrating is the Sena coms system is also different, now you can buy an adapter plate to take the Sena for the Neotec 2 and mount it on the 3 but this is extra and on a lid that you’ve just shelled out the thick end of £650 for do you really then want some half cocked bracket on the side. One other thing that takes a bit of getting used to is that the lug for opening the main visor has been moved from the left hand side into the middle, now on its own this isn’t an issue but does take a bit of getting used to if you are used to the earlier design. All in all this is in our opinion the best flip lid/touring helmet you can probably buy at this moment in time.
Pro’s – Class leading fit and finish, tech, colour schemes
Cons – Cost, retail is currently £670, visors are different as is the coms unit although there is an adapter to retro fit the 2’s
Rating – 9.5/10
For more information click Here
Neotec 2
In one short ride we’ve discovered what a game changing helmet is for touring and now just can’t figure out how it’s taken so long to get a go with this Helmet. This is the 2nd generation of Shoei’s flip lid and boy what a great job they’ve done this. Seen here fitted with the integral Sena coms kit it really is that good, it’s quite , well ventilated has a internal sun visor, can be used and is homologated for both P and J so clips up if you want to ride open face. The internals are soft and well padded with good noise levels and because the Sena coms is designed for this helmet it’s the first lid that we’ve used where you really don’t feel the ear pieces. As for the price at over £600 it’s an expensive helmet but shop around and go for last years design and you can see a saving of £200 which brings it well into reach of many.
Pro’s – Everything
Cons – Price but you pay for what you get
Rating – 10/10
For more information click Here
Hornet DS
The Hornet DS is Shoei’s take on for the adventure market and is in direct competition with the Arai Tour seen above. As with all Shoei’s they are a quality helmet with a great fit and finish, so say, your head fits either an Arai or a Shoei and there maybe some truth in that as Babee Gee found the Shoei a lot more comfortable.
Where the Hornet could improve is with the design as they offer as these are quite limited compared with the opposition with the design seen here as the best of the lot, that said otherwise it’s a brilliant lid if you’re looking for the adventure style.
Pro’s – Quality fit and finish
Cons – Cost, Limited designs
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
X-Spirit (Lawson Rep)
Shoei’s race helmet is now worn by some of the best of the best in the racing world, Marc Marques to name but one and it rivals the very best out there. The version seen here is the original Spirit ( now on the Mk3) it overs great aerodynamics and ventilation in a light weight package. The newer version have been redesign with a rear wing to aid performance.
As with any race lid it’s design is based around it’s use so while you can tour in this helmet ( and Bulby has) there are better suited helmets for this purpose. That said the X-Spirit is a superb, quality helmet but that does come at a price , like all good things expect to pay +£550.
Pro’s – Design, Paint Schemes, Quality, Light
Cons – Cost
Rating – 9/10
For more information click Here
X-Lite
X802RR Carbon
The 802RR carbon lid fairly well priced helmet from Italian firm X-lite which brings the racing pedigree of various Super Bike riders like Chaz Davies and Carlos Checa. As with a lot of things Italian it’s made on the smaller side so we’d suggest going a size up to get a comfortable fit. Being Carbon it weighs in on the scales at approx. 1475 grams which is light compared to others. Other things we liked about this helmet is the good ventilation and the thick internal lining which ensures a snug fit.
Pro’s – Lightweight, Colour options and Paint Schemes, Race reps
Cons – No internal Sun visor
Rating – 8.5/10
For more information click Here
X403GT Carbon
The 403GT is a modular helmet that can be worn in a variety of styles, Full face, Open Face, Open Face with visor. This is a helmet owned and used by Bulby for a number of years ( and if you see Bulby’s name a lot in the helmet section that’s because he’s got a love for them and spends way to much money on helmets) and he loves the versatility of it and with being made from carbon it’s like compared to a flip lid.
Downsides to the helmet is being Italian the sizing is on the small side so always try before you buy and consider buying a size up, the inside isn’t as nice a feel as say an Arai but this helmet is about 2/3rds the price of a Chaser and disappointingly where the chin bar removes the plastic has started to come away
Pro’s – Real alternative to a flip lid, versatile, light, it’s Carbon, cost
Cons – Fit and feel, quality
Rating – 8/10
For more information click Here