Caberg Levo (Levante) Modular Helmet ECE 22.05 Non-DOT

[Stichill_imp]

Some of you may recall that I discussed this Caberg modular (flip-up) helmet in another thread a while ago. It had been announced as the Levante for Spring 2018 then was delayed until Spring 2019. It finally became available in May 2019 as the [url=https://www.caberg.it/en/helmets/flip-up/levo]Levo.



I ordered it from [url=http://motostorm.it]motostorm.it in size Large, color white on the evening of Sunday 05 May 2019. It shipped Monday 06 May 2019 and arrived Friday 10 May 2019. Not bad service from Italy!

Price was 287,70€ (USD $323.41 @1.12) and with shipping the total was 316.70€ (USD $356.01 @ 1.12).

The main caveat with this helmet for US/CA riders: it has not been self-certified to DOT (DOT does not actually certify helmets; they only spot-check self-certified helmets they buy in the open market). Now if (like me) you believe [url=https://youtu.be/0BUyp3HX8cY]DOT to be utter rubbish, this is of no consequence whatsoever. I am not going to let the lack of DOT self-certification prevent me from accessing otherwise excellent and affordable European helmet offerings. I might also add that DOT self-certification on a cheap helmet from China would not comfort me even if it actually met the DOT standard (which it likely doesn't).

This helmet has been homologated to the European ECE 22.05 standard that is the most commonly adopted around the world outside of North America. In fact it is dual-rated for use in both full-face and open-face modes. Pretty cool as that rating allows European riders the freedom to ride without worrying about being cited for riding with the chin bar up.

OK, now that we have addressed the DOT issue upfront, on to the unboxing that I did tonight. (I didn't unbox it on Friday because I just returned on Saturday evening from a 1300-mile ride to the Allegheny Highlands of western Virginia.)

Note: the helmet is a bright arctic white. It appears off-white in the pics due to incandescent lighting in my man-cave.























Visor all the way down (snaps down into a detent)

Visor one detent up


Visor two detents up


Visor three detents up


Visor all the way up (snaps up into detent)


Internal sun visor (down position) and side lever


Internal sun visor (up position) and side lever


Chin bar in up position


Note on raising the chin bar: if visor is down, chin bar raises smoothly and stops in a detent at its highest position. If the visor is up at any detent position, the chin bar pushes through the remaining visor detents on the way up.

Top vent closed


Top vent one detent open


Top vent two detents (fully) open


Chin vent closed


Chin vent open

[LongRanger_imp]

Stichill, very cool. I've not heard of that brand. Congrats!

I did the same as you -- I purchased a Schuburth C3-Pro from a retailer in Italy, at a considerable, material discount vs. what they sell for in the U.S. As you, it arrived in just a few days. Without a DOT sticker. Otherwise, it's the exact helmet you can buy here (with the sticker).

[GoldOxide_imp]

Nice initial unbox coverage Stichill.

Now the hard part: Performance review. Would love to get your opinion.

I'd be curious how you might reference comparison metrics to another helmet make/model whom with many might be able to associate.

Example: The Caberg Levo wind noise level at 65 mph compared to Arai XC or Arai Vector-2, etc.

[Stichill_imp]

Stichill, very cool. I've not heard of that brand. Congrats!

I did the same as you -- I purchased a Schuburth C3-Pro from a retailer in Italy, at a considerable, material discount vs. what they sell for in the U.S. As you, it arrived in just a few days. Without a DOT sticker. Otherwise, it's the exact helmet you can buy here (with the sticker).

Thanks, LR! Caberg is not well-known in the US because they eschew the DOT self-certification and thus are not actively marketed through the usual outlets here. I don't think the lack of DOT self-certification is because "it won't pass"; I think they just don't intend to distribute their portfolio in the US & Canada for valid reasons. Maybe our European members have a better impression of Caberg as a brand, but I can see scant difference between Caberg, Nolan, and AGV outside of price.

This new helmet seems to be very well-made from quality materials. It fits extremely well. Snug of course, as a new helmet is, but it passes the head-shake / chin bar yank test, no problem. I think I'm going to love the ratcheting chin strap vs. the D-ring on my old Arai...not to mention the amazing convenience of a modular with the flip-up chin bar and internal sun visor. I'm not giving up anything in weight: my Arai Vector-2 full-face was 3.53 lbs or 1601 g. The Levo is 1610 g +/- 50 g.

Other cool features: side channels for wearing glasses and comes with a Pinlock. I think I paid $400 for my Arai seven years ago and then had to pay another $150 for a Pinlock visor with a flip-up external sun visor. $550 for an entry-level Arai one-piece full-face with Pinlock + sun visor vs. $350 for this articulating modular with Pinlock + sun visor that weighs the same.

You can certainly score some great deals through Italian retailers! We seem to be suffering from a virtual wholesaler monopoly in the US that sets an unacceptably high standard retail price from most US outlets for European products. Buying from an Italian retailer circumvents that problem. The lack of VAT for US buyers is icing on the cake, even if you have to give much of that back in shipping. A buddy of mine got some amazing [url=https://www.kappamoto.com/?lingua_sito=en]Kappa ADV panniers for a ridiculous price at motorstorm.it.

Nice initial unbox coverage Stichill.

Now the hard part: Performance review. Would love to get your opinion.

I'd be curious how you might reference comparison metrics to another helmet make/model whom with many might be able to associate.

Example: The Caberg Levo wind noise level at 65 mph compared to Arai XC or Arai Vector-2, etc.

Thanks, GO! Wind noise is high on my list. The Arai Vector-2 is the only helmet I've ever had, and I've come to believe (based on the reports of others) that it may be one of the noisiest helmets on the market. The more I wear it the more obnoxious it seems to be. As soon as weather permits I will return with a subjectively comparative ride report. I will ride without a windscreen to simulate a CB1100.

[LongRanger_imp]

That's why I switched to Schuberth from Arai about fifteen years ago. For me, my Arai's fit great but were very noisy.

[Houtman_imp]

I agree with buying some gear from overseas sellers , I had some great buys from Germany with gloves, boots and raingear : very high quality at much better prices . You have to know your size.

[Haggard Rider_imp]

I've got, sorry had (see 'old helmet' post) a Caberg Duke II Legend flip front.

Other than the LS2 helmet I wore for training, this is the only one I've used.

Now, I'm part deaf (much to SWMBOs annoyance) but even so, sorry to say, for me, on the move the wind noise was very loud to the point of drowning out virtually all other sounds. I just accepted it and carried on but likely ear plugs will be your friends

Hopefully yours will be a lot better Stichill

[Stichill_imp]

Thanks for that, HR. Seeing as I'm coming from an Arai which may set the benchmark for wind noise, maybe even an 'ordinary' noisy helmet will be an improvement!

Actually I think the Arai's main problem regarding noise is the openness under the chin area. No chin curtain. If I cup my clutch hand under the chin area, the Arai quiets significantly. Behind the tall screen on my Thunderbird, the Arai is horribly noisy with the visor closed. Raising it relieves the pressure buildup coming up from the chin area, resulting in near silence. Covering the chin area has the same effect as opening the visor. I think the other noise generator on the Arai is the side covers for the visor mechanism. They open into the slipstream which always seemed like a good way to invite turbulence to me.

This Levo has a chin curtain and also seems to have a snug neck roll all around, and no side covers on the visor mechanism...so hoping it's quieter.
I'll try this again.

Chin bar in the fully up position:


Picture posted previously, chin bar not fully raised:

[GoldOxide_imp]

I use a Nolan Modular that is functionally similar to the Caberg Levo, but I am unconvinced the Nolan is anything special in regards to noise. In fact, my Arai XC (open chin) is quieter. However, other aspects of the Nolan Modular make it practical, particularly in wet and cold riding situations and, of course, the built-in retractable visor.

Curiosity surrounds the Caberg Levo.

[2017EX_imp]

Very nice looking helmet. I have a Shoei Neotech II, and there are a lot of similarities in the styling between the Caberg and Neotech, judging from the pictures. I think you will love the micro ratchet chin strap, as the Neotech also has it, and I like it a LOT. I think a modular is a very good compromise between a 3/4 and a full face, and being able to open the chin bar you will find very handy in multiple situations.

The only thing I personally could not do, is order a helmet from overseas, unless I had tried on the exact same model here locally first. I have tried on so many different helmet brands over the years, that it is scary what a little bit of fit difference can make in terms of initial, short, and long term comfort. I remember, for instance, trying on a Shark ( if I remember brand correctly ) modular. Fit on my head was comfortable, but the inside of the chin bar was only a fraction of an inch from my chin. I was interested in a Schuberth, but when I tried it on, the interior shape did not fit the shape of my head and was uncomfortable immediately. HJC was my first modular, and I found that their size large was about 1/8 inch bigger than most others. It was one of the most comfortable helmets ever, but I went to Shoei after I discovered the HJC had ( back then, different now ) plastic chin bar locking components.

I can see in the pictures your Caberg has steel chin bar locking posts like the Shoei, so I bet it has steel latch components as well. Congrats on what looks like a very well designed helmet!