01-22-2015, 07:44 AM
I posted the following in the "Helmet Poll" thread but believe it's more appropriately placed on its own. That way, the Helmet Poll remains just that and not a review of my helmet:
The helmet arrived yesterday and it's beautiful. There's a video breakdown of the helmet on Revzilla's website but in the video, the helmet looks to be a lighter shade of blue. I attribute that to the bright lights used in filming because it's certainly closer to the photograph. There's also a very subtle flake/pearlescent quality to the blue. You have to look pretty close to see it.
It comes with a flat, clear shield. It's big. The field of view is tremendous. There is no ratcheting feature with the shield. It does seem to have a spot at the midway point where it feels somewhat secure. Otherwise, it's all the way open or all the way closed. The magnet on the lower left securely bonds with the chin bar with a pleasant snap and pulling on it's strap appears to be the best way to open and close the shield. It is definitely not a quick-release face shield. But I knew that going in. A coin or something similar is used to remove the screws that hold the shield onto the sides of the helmet. I haven't attempted it yet but it does seem to discourage shield changes.
The interior is a beautiful chocolate brown leather. The cheek pads have a suede cover and the helmet is comfortable (so far). It does do a number on my ears getting it on and off. I'm hoping to figure out the proper technique, if one exists, to lessen the discomfort when donning and doffing the helmet. For now, my ears get bent, I pull the chin strap to one side giving one ear room to right itself then pull to the other side and slip my fingers inside to fix the other ear. I'll just have to experiment with different angles when removing the helmet to see if I can make it more pleasant.
The chin bar is relatively low and wraps wide around the chin. My first impression was that it extended far out but checking it again, the chin bar is only about a finger's width away from my chin. This is great for enhancing the field of view, however, it seems to leave a large gap between my jaw and the chin bar. I imagine this will cause significant wind noise and I'm curious as to whether it will contribute to the helmet lifting at speed. There is a vent at the front of the chin bar that seems unnecessary given the large opening underneath, however, I have yet to ride with the helmet. I'm also curious to see how well the vents at the brow work. The one at the chin bar can be closed however those across the brow are fixed open.
One thing I'm very pleased with is the fact that my glasses go on easily and sit comfortably on my face with the helmet on. It does require putting the helmet on, then my glasses and then the reverse when removing the helmet. But I'm okay with that. My thought is to wear my sunglasses with the clear shield during the day and my eyeglasses with the clear shield at night.
I'll return with more impressions once I'm able to ride with the helmet for a decent amount of time.
The helmet arrived yesterday and it's beautiful. There's a video breakdown of the helmet on Revzilla's website but in the video, the helmet looks to be a lighter shade of blue. I attribute that to the bright lights used in filming because it's certainly closer to the photograph. There's also a very subtle flake/pearlescent quality to the blue. You have to look pretty close to see it.
It comes with a flat, clear shield. It's big. The field of view is tremendous. There is no ratcheting feature with the shield. It does seem to have a spot at the midway point where it feels somewhat secure. Otherwise, it's all the way open or all the way closed. The magnet on the lower left securely bonds with the chin bar with a pleasant snap and pulling on it's strap appears to be the best way to open and close the shield. It is definitely not a quick-release face shield. But I knew that going in. A coin or something similar is used to remove the screws that hold the shield onto the sides of the helmet. I haven't attempted it yet but it does seem to discourage shield changes.
The interior is a beautiful chocolate brown leather. The cheek pads have a suede cover and the helmet is comfortable (so far). It does do a number on my ears getting it on and off. I'm hoping to figure out the proper technique, if one exists, to lessen the discomfort when donning and doffing the helmet. For now, my ears get bent, I pull the chin strap to one side giving one ear room to right itself then pull to the other side and slip my fingers inside to fix the other ear. I'll just have to experiment with different angles when removing the helmet to see if I can make it more pleasant.
The chin bar is relatively low and wraps wide around the chin. My first impression was that it extended far out but checking it again, the chin bar is only about a finger's width away from my chin. This is great for enhancing the field of view, however, it seems to leave a large gap between my jaw and the chin bar. I imagine this will cause significant wind noise and I'm curious as to whether it will contribute to the helmet lifting at speed. There is a vent at the front of the chin bar that seems unnecessary given the large opening underneath, however, I have yet to ride with the helmet. I'm also curious to see how well the vents at the brow work. The one at the chin bar can be closed however those across the brow are fixed open.
One thing I'm very pleased with is the fact that my glasses go on easily and sit comfortably on my face with the helmet on. It does require putting the helmet on, then my glasses and then the reverse when removing the helmet. But I'm okay with that. My thought is to wear my sunglasses with the clear shield during the day and my eyeglasses with the clear shield at night.
I'll return with more impressions once I'm able to ride with the helmet for a decent amount of time.