Motorcycle Helmet Reviews
Sedici Strada II Review: A Sub-$200 Bargain
I’ve been involved with some inexpensive helmet reviews before and came away mostly underwhelmed. Past reviews of helmets like the Gmax MD01 were “just ok” as one such example. Even more notably there’s the Nenki NK856, a helmet I would never personally wear and generally love to hate. Sorry Nenki, but you need to do …
HJC F70 Full Face Helmet Review
Some First Impressions I have never worn an HJC helmet before or even tried on one while window shopping. So I was very interested in testing the new generation F70. Reading up on this new breed, I quickly discovered that it was a unique blend of helmet technology in a comms ready helmet. But the …
[In-Depth] SENA Momentum EVO Review
The Sena Momentum Gains Mesh… After reviewing the Sena Momentum Pro last fall, based on that positive experience, I was hoping to have another Momentum helmet review opportunity…seeing as how the Sena Momentum EVO with Mesh had just been announced while completing the Momentum Pro review. Fortuitously, while coordinating the provision of a Sena SRL …
Shoei J-Cruise II Helmet & Sena SRL2 Modular BT System Review [New for 2020]
Last updated May 4, 2020 Foreword It seems spring is here, although most of us are hunkered down somewhere coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic. And while many of us are probably not getting in a whole lot of riding…there are exceptions and overall, where allowed, getting out for a ride is still a good thing. …
Forcite Will Bring the MK1 Smart Helmet to the U.S.
It’s Official I’ve reported before on Forcite and said that it will come to the U.S. at some point in the future, but now some information from Digital Trends indicates that the smart helmet will come to the U.S. soon. According to the publication, the helmet will come to the States in 2020. For the …
A Revolutionary Noise Canceling Helmet: Alvin Halfaker’s Quiet Ride Helmet
Alvin Halfaker, the founder of Quiet Ride Helmets, is a man on a mission, a man obsessed by noise, specifically the harmful noise that riders all over the world experience every single time they get on a bike. It’s the wind, the sound of the tires on the pavement, the engine, and the engines and …
Arai Corsair-X Helmet Review: Revisiting in Style
Introduction Regular readers of webBikeWorld reviews might be thinking, “they already reviewed the Corsair-X a while ago”, and those readers would be correct. wBW founder and editor Rick Korchak reviewed the Corsair-X back in November of 2015. Now nearly four years later we have a Corsair-X back in our leather gloved hands for a look …
Matrix Alpha Streetfighter Helmet Review: New & Improved
A Return to the Matrix I was very eager to get my hands on the new and improved version of the Matrix Alpha Streetfighter helmet after reviewing the first model. As most readers know, there was some controversy around my original review, which sparked a rebuttal from the management at Matrix Helmet. But I can …
Sena Momentum Pro Helmet Review: Multi-Featured Power
Sena Gains (a) Momentum Anything to do with technology, motorcycling, and relatedly safety education and training gets my utmost attention – always has, always will. So, when Sena announced the first Momentum helmet in 2017, it got flagged, and Sena’s evolution of this product has been followed with interest. Quite incidentally, in jumping into a …
LS2 VERSO Mobile Helmet Review: Three-Quarters Great
Introduction In seeking a replacement for a well-aged Bell Mag 9 Sena (less the Sena) three-quarter helmet that was used primarily to testing Bluetooth systems, we were on the lookout for something similar but with some updated features and a better build. And in checking the wBW review listings, coverage of LS2 products has indeed …
A Primer on Smart Helmets: Where We Stand Today & Where We’re Going
Motorcycle technology continues to change and innovate – and so does gear technology, specifically helmets. Modern helmets are safer, more comfortable, easier to use and enjoy, and more versatile than ever before, but there are more innovations coming. Enter the smart helmet. Okay, so the idea of a smart helmet has been around a while, …
SCHUBERTH M1 PRO + SC1M: Modern Open Face & Integrated Electronics
Introduction SCHUBERTH has long been known for its high-end class-leading helmets. After reading Cameron Martel’s recent review of the C4 Pro, I was intrigued to try out a SCHUBERTH helmet. Shortly after Cam’s review, the opportunity came up to try the open face M1 PRO, and I jumped at it. The M1 PRO is SCHUBERTH’s …
Simpson Outlaw Bandit Review: An In Your Face Full Face
Head Shape Analysis Simpson doesn’t list any shape for the helmet on their site, but Revzilla calls it “Neutral Oval” which I take to mean something between Round Oval and Intermediate Oval. I would agree with that or say that it has a definite Round Oval bias to it since it fits my Round Oval …
The Klim K1R Raw Karbon: Loud Light Luxury
*Note: The Klim K1R Karbon helmet seems Round Oval shaped but the Klim rep I spoke with informed me it was designed Intermediate Oval. It fits my head perfectly so I’d say it has a strong round bias if it’s IO shaped. That means it won’t be any fun for people with narrow or long …
GMax MD01 Solid Modular Review: A Standout Surprise
First Impressions Who is GMax? I know many of you are familiar with the brand already but this is my first encounter with them. I scoured the internet and found scant information so I reached out directly via email and got a fast response. GMax is an American company based in Idaho that began designing …
NEXX X.WED2 X-Patrol: A Wildly Versatile Helmet
Introduction I have always wanted to get or try a NEXX helmet, especially something in the ‘Adventure’ line – so in being provided with a NEXX X.WED2 X-Patrol Helmet (also known as the X-Wild) for this review, one more ‘helmet-related’ item is now crossed off the proverbial bucket list… as informal as it is. NEXX …
NEXX X.G100 Racer Motordrome Review: Ride Casual in Retro
Introduction Last summer I purchased a 1999 Kawasaki ZRX 1100. It is a bike I liked when it originally came on the market. It is a replica of the early 80s KZ1000R, which was a tribute to Eddie Lawson’s winning Kawasaki race bike. As Cycle World put it, “a replica of a replica”. I even …
Bell SRT Modular Helmet Review: A True Predator
I’ve Fallen Prey To A Bell SRT Modular Predator First Impression & Fitment I’ve just finished reviewing 3 successive helmets that all (to varying degrees) hurt my head to wear. All of them were shaped too narrow for my Round Oval skull. Thankfully relief came in the form of this Bell SRT Modular lid that …
NEXX X.Vilitur Review: NEXX’s First Modular Helmet
Quick Specs $499 / Intermediate Oval (Neutral bias) / 3.83lbs / 1,737g Note: NEXX provided this X.VILITUR at no cost for the purpose of this review. NEXX’s First Modular is a Good One Hot off the heels of my SCHUBERTH C4 Pro review is NEXX’s first-ever modular helmet, the long-awaited X.Vilitur. Priced at $499, it …
HJC IS-Max II Review: Value in a Modular Wonder
Quick Specs $209.99 / Intermediate Oval / 3.81lbs / 1,728g A Modular That’s Heavy on Features, Light on Weight The HJC IS-Max II is the successor to the venerable IS-MAX modular helmet that we reviewed back in 2009. That helmet was a quality one when it came out and has served many riders well. The …
Schuberth Helmets are Up to 65 Percent Off at Revzilla Today
Starting Today, You Can Get a Heck of a Deal I’m signed up for Revzilla’s sales alerts, and today I noticed that the motorcycle gear retailer is offering Schuberth helmets with some serious discounts. Some Schuberth helmets are marked down by as much as 65 percent. Seeing as how the company makes some of the …
Biltwell Lane Splitter Review: Retro-Futuristic Style & Modern Safety
First Impressions & Basic Information The first thing everyone is going to say about the Biltwell Lane Splitter is that it looks cool. This helmet is a fashion statement. Of course, there will be some naysayers in the looks department because everyone has their own opinions when it comes to style. I think it looks …
Shoei GT Air II w/ Sena SRL2 Review: A Pair of Great Sequels
A Tale of Two Helmets: GT Air vs. GT Air II I’m regularly informed by many people how my 14 yr old son “looks just like you.” I can see similarities for sure, but to me, he’s taller, updated, improved, and a less hairy version of me that society will happily embrace whereas it mainly …
GMAX OF77 Helmet: A Vintage Value
Background It’s been a long, tough winter here in the heartland. Record snowfall and record flooding have kept us indoors and dampened our spirits. I can’t remember a time when I’ve longed for Spring more than this year. So I was very excited when the GMAX OF77 helmet arrived at my doorstep, heralding the beginning …
Arai Defiant-X Helmet Hands-On Review
Introduction Arai helmets. Anyone who has taken the time to study the process that goes into making an Arai helmet will no doubt agree that they make helmet production into an artform. From the handmade shells to the solid operation of moving parts like vents and visors, Arai helmets are definitely a class leader when it …
SCHUBERTH C4 Pro Review (w/ SENA SC1)
Quick Specs $699 / Intermediate Oval / 3.9lbs / 1,769g Note: SCHUBERTH and SENA provided the C4 Pro/SC1 respectively for the purposes of this review. Integrated Electronics, a Revised Fit, & Numerous Improvements Make the Pro the C4 to Wear The C4 Pro: the return to form for this venerable German helmet brand. Having heard …
Scorpion EXO-R710 Review: a True Value Superstar
Quick Specs Under $200 / Intermediate Oval / 3.55lbs / 1,610g A $200 SNELL/DOT-Certified Bargain, & My New Full Face Value Pick The Scorpion website proclaims the EXO-R710 to be the best fiberglass helmet you can buy for its $200 price point, and I have to say that I can get on board with that …
Watch This Very Unscientific Crush Test of Some Motorcycle and Bicycle Helmets
You Might Be Surprised At the Results Crushing a motorcycle helmet with a hydraulic press isn’t the most scientific test of a helmet. That said, it does demonstrate the weak points of a helmet when that helmet is put under extreme amounts of pressure. The team over at the Hydraulic Press Channel on YouTube recently …
Nolan N100-5 Modular Helmet Hands-On Review
My first helmet back in 1987 was a bright yellow Nolan dirt bike offering. Maybe some of you reading this had the same one too? It left an impression on me, yet for some reason, I’ve never worn another Nolan product until today. I’ve been missing out! This Italian brand has been building high quality, …
Scorpion EXO-ST1400 Carbon Helmet Hands-On Review
Introduction Carbon fiber. This material seems to offer considerable street “cred” to any piece of motorcycle apparel, accessory, or the hard part where this super strong material is employed. Despite what motorcycle accessory catalogs might show, not everything is better by simply being made from this material. Helmets, though, are one area I can get …
SCHUBERTH R2 Enforcer Hands-On Review
Some First Impressions I always wear a full face helmet just because I ride in an environment that has a lot of sand and rock and the full face protection is appreciated. Putting this helmet on for the first time, it was snug but still very comfortable. The fit is secure but not so tight …
Matrix Alpha Streetfighter Helmet Hands-On Review
Editors note: this review was updated on March 23, 2019 to add in a response from Matrix Helmets. You can read their response here. Some Less Than Pleasant Surprises I was really looking forward to testing this helmet due to the lightness. I am religious about wearing a full face helmet and the lighter the …
AGV K5 S Helmet Hands-On Review
Introduction I have handled a good variety of motorcycle helmets since I started riding in the early ’90s. I’m therefore a bit surprised to realize I’d never owned or tested a helmet from AGV. As part of my review process, I always read up on the manufacturer, even if I’m pretty familiar with them, in …
Arai Shows Off Product Updates
Need an Awesome Helmet? Arai Has You Covered Arai announced new graphics for three helmets and a new anti-fog shield that should be a helpful addition to the XD-4 helmet. The graphics provide a unique, new look for the VX-Pro4, Quantum-X, and Defiant-X lids. Each one is dramatically different from the other, giving riders plenty of options. …
The Shark Spartan Helmet Review
Introduction It’s been a while since webBikeWorld reviewed a helmet from Shark. In fact, it looks like it has been nearly five years since we reviewed the “Raw” helmet. Maybe part of the reason was that Shark went through some changes in USA distribution? Maybe it was just simply that Shark was never quite the …
New AGV AX9 Helmet Launches in North America
Multiple Configurations, Multiple Uses AGV has been building quality motorcycle helmets since the 1940s. Today, Dainese owns it. Any time the company comes out with something new, you’d better take note. On December 12, AGV announced the North American launch of its new AX9 helmet. The AX9 follows in the footsteps of the AX8 helmet that …
Graphic Launch for 2019 Arai Quantum-X, Signet-X, and VXPRO-4
Bold New Looks for December We recently received word that Arai Helmets created some new graphics for their 2019 Quantum-X, Signet-X, and VXPRO-4 helmet lines. This gives the helmet designs, which are a couple to a few years old at this point an updated look to keep buyers interested. The Quantum-X and Signet-X came out in 2016 …
Simpson Mod Bandit Helmet Review
The Mod Bandit Stole and Broke My Heart I stopped by the Simpson booth at AimExpo last week to see what they had in store with their unmistakably stylish line of helmets. I was surprised to be presented with the announcement of their first modular helmet design called the Mod Bandit. I knew right away …
NENKI NK856 Helmet Hands-On Review
The NK-856 is a full-face helmet, manufactured by Chinese Manufacturer NENKI Helmets. It has a safety designation that meets or exceeds DOT FMVSS-218. Full-face helmets offer added security to the head, namely in the face area while riding. They also help keep road noise down, and protect you from the wind, debris, and bugs if …
