Seven years of motorcycle helmets

As I organized my riding gear for the coming season the other day, I was struck by how many helmets I’ve owned during my riding career. Most of them have been tossed out, but I figured I’d share my thoughts on those I’ve owned in the past seven years. Well, all the non-motocross ones anyway.

Shoei RF-1000

When I first picked up a bike again in Canada, my then current cheap Chinese helmet just didn’t feel right, so I invested in a decent one. After much research, I ended up with the Shoei RF-1000 because I got it at a decent price on closeout.

At the time, I loved it. I though the graphics were great (honestly) and that it fit pretty well. I never did quite get on with the ventilation though, despite the manufacturers claims that it was best in class. It always felt pretty hot and claustrophobic, especially in the city.

I also did get a few pressure point headaches after riding long days - anything in excess of six hours. I didn’t always get them, but it was enough that I didn’t want to ride for too long.

I stopped using the RF-1000 after one day placing it on my gas tank while I suited up and then promptly knocking it off when I got on the bike.

Arai Corsair-V

I was secretly a little bit happy when I dropped my Shoei, because it allowed me to get a new helmet, and I’d set my sights on the Arai Corsair-V. I was even happier when I tried it. The fit was way better than my Shoei, but then for twice the price, you’d expect that.

Out on the road, it was better in just about every way. It was quite a bit lighter, which made long days more bearable as did the fact I never once got a pressure point headache. Ventilation was superb and it always felt cooler and it also felt smoother at speed: The RF-1000 had a tendency to buffet my head at higher speeds, whereas the Aria (which was designed for racing use) always felt way better faired. It also had a bigger viewport, which improved peripheral visibility.

My only complaints were that it was noisier than the Shoei, but that’s not a bad thing as it led to my wearing ear-plugs when riding, something I have continued to do to this day. The price was also shock.

I loved my Corsair: I felt faster and safer when wearing it, and so it was with great regret that I dropped it down a flight of concrete steps at my daughters school one day. It hadn’t lasted even one full season.

Arai Profile

I wasn’t able to afford another Corsair that year, but I realized I was clearly more of an Arai-shaped head than a Shoei, so I went down the line and ended up with the Profile.

To be fair, I probably chose it due to the Union flag graphics rather than it’s features. It lacked the aerodynamics of the Corsair, but the venting was almost as good and it certainly didn’t buffet like the Shoei did. It was heavier than the Corsair, but felt physically just as comfortable. It was also more quiet than the Corsair which increased my all day comfort. Yes, I missed the slightly bigger viewport, and it was pain that I couldn’t use the tinted and dark visors I’d already bought, but I never regretted buying the Profile for one minute.

I think I’ve done more miles in my Profile than any other helmet. It’s done at least 30,000 road miles, as well as a number of track days. I’ve not washed the liner as much as I (probably) should have done, but at least it’s fully removable which makes it my bad. It’s also the easiest helmet I’ve ever fitted the intercom to, though I have no idea why.

My Profile is now about four years old. It has an odour that sprays can’t get out any more and I’m pretty sure it is past it’s useful life. My only regret is that Arai no longer make this helmet.

Shoei Hornet-DS

Although I loved my Profile, it did still feel hot in the city. After talking with a colleague who owned a modular, I decided I needed one of those for urban rides. I’d tried riding with my Fox V3 motocross helmet for a while, and while it was cooler, I hated the fact I couldn’t easily remove my goggles. Modular helmets were in their infancy and so I ruled them out, and so I turned my attention to the “adventure” helmets. The Arai XD looked awesome - Massive visor and lots of facial clearance meant lots of airflow. However, it was expensive, especially for what I saw as a second helmet.

And then I saw the Shoei Hornet-DS. I wish I hadn’t though.

On paper, it’s very similar to the Arai XD: It, too, has lots of facial clearance and a massive visor. It’s billed as “convertible” so you can remove the visor and use goggles when off-roading. Or you can remove the peak for road usage.

It is definitely an improvement on a traditional full-face around town as you do get more airflow, but it also (for me) had a couple of massive failings:

1. The peak becomes a liability above about 80 km/h. It grabs the airflow and pulls your head back that results in terrible neck strain, which you’d probably expect looking at it. That’s OK as it’s supposed to be removable, except for
2. You need tools to remove the peak. And the visor. At a pinch, a quarter will remove the giant screws but you’re not going to want to do it often. Or at all. It’s fiddly and even then, you need somewhere to store the bits you remove from the helmet
3. The visor isn’t smooth. I initially thought this was a manufacturing problem, but the visor is not the same thickness all the way round. It’s thicker at the peripheral, which means it acts as a lens. It’s not a major problem and I only notice it when I turn my head. But then I tend to do that a lot when riding
4. It gives me massive headaches when I use it for more than an hour. I attribute this to the visor, and not the helmet itself, which fits pretty well

Overall, its fine for quick commutes or errands but nothing more. If there’s even a chance I need to hit the highway, I’ll take my Profile every time. At least until I can afford a new Corsair-V