arai tour x 4 vs shoei hornet adv

Is The Arai Tour X4 ADV Helmet A Cut Above The Rest?

This Arai Tour X4 is the most recent version of the Arai adventure helmet. It’s been in their range for nine years already, but it’s still going strong, making many riders very happy.

Some of those riders are on their second or even their third Arai Tour X4, which shows it has a very loyal following.

Arai Tour X4 Review

Table of Contents

Shell Construction

The shell on this helmet is Arai’s super fiber laminate. It’s a composite of fibers designed to deliver the strength needed for the Arai protection philosophy. 

Our eye shells tend to be stronger than many other fiber shells, allowing them to use a softer eps impact liner.

Arai strongly believes this makes the helmets more protective than the alternative method, which has a lighter shell and a harder eps impact liner behind it.

Having a stronger shell does mean Arai’s tend to be a little heavier than many other lids. For example, the Tour X4 in a medium-size weighs 1683 grams/3.7 lbs on our scales. But, of course, that’s with the peak and the visor fitted.

It’s not light, but neither is it the heaviest adventure lid, and at least Arai has a solid reason to explain why their helmets weigh a little bit more than your usual helmet.

Ventilation

Venting on an adventure helmet like this is important because if they’re going to be used off-road, airflow is crucial for riders who aren’t just plonked in the saddle all day.

There are two vents behind the peak with simple rocking switches, and then there are two exhaust vents at the rear, which can be opened and closed on these rocker switches.

Arai’s trademark brow vents come on the visor, delivering more cooling air. They come through the vents on the top of the visor, and then they are channeled into ducts at the top of the interior.

The air then flows down the side of your temples, giving you a good amount of inflowing air as you ride along.

The last venting area on this helmet is the one that takes the most description as there are three stages to the chin venting. First, the central vent opens in two stages.

There’s one external shutter on the chin part of the helmet, and then there’s one on the inside of the helmet right in front of your chin. Having both of these open allows air to flow directly to the rider’s mouth.

If you have the outside shutter open and the inside shutter closed, the air forces air up through the chin bar towards the inner surface of the visor. 

In addition, air can flow through the grills on the front of the helmet. You operate those with sliding vents just on the inside by your chin.

Anti-Fogging

The Arai Tour X4 adventure is pin lock protected. There’s a pin lock 120 insert in the box. That’s the middle of the three levels that they provide. 

Some owners found the pin lock tricky to fit on this helmet, which is understandable on an adventure lid because the curve of the visor is much more exaggerated than normal.

Straightening the visor to fit that insert takes a lot more effort. However, once it is inserted, many people are happy about the anti-miss properties.

First, remove that visor; you need to take off the peak. Unfortunately, there’s no quick-release attachment for the peak on this helmet; you need a screwdriver or a coin to undo the screws holding it in place.

Somewhere along the line, this Tour X4 design has been changed to make removing and refitting the peak easier. When you undo the screws on the side of the helmet, they don’t fall away.

A little retainer plate keeps the retainer in one piece with the peak, making it easier to replace.

You can put the peak back on without refitting the visor, which means you can use this helmet with goggles.

The frames fit snugly in the eye-port, and then there’s room for the straps just underneath the mounting for the peak. You can also put the visor back on without the peak, which gives you a street-styled helmet.

To do that, first, you need to remove the screws. You’ll also need to free them from that retaining plate, and then you have additional pressure plates to refit the visor without the peak being in place.

Peaks like this sometimes cause problems when you’re riding along, and you’ve got drag and some aerodynamic problems, although there’s a fairly clear consensus among the customer reviews for this helmet that it’s not a big issue with the Tour X4 . 

I have seen some customer reviews who preferred removing the peak for long journeys, so it is a handy option.

There’s no internal sun visor with this helmet. Aria doesn’t believe in them and doesn’t fit them, so you can’t have one with this. Some Arai’s have the option of an external sun visor, but even that’s not an option with this helmet.

A light reactive pin lock insert is available, but the customer reviews I have seen aren’t great, so you’re likely to want a tinted visor if you need protection from glare. That will mean switching from dark to clear visors depending on the light conditions.

It’s typically an Arai. It’s soft, comfy, and moisture-wicking, so it suits active riding rather than just laid-back touring. It’s fully removable, and you can do a certain amount of tailoring. 

There’s a five-millimeter layer of foam on the outer surface of each cheek pad which you can remove, which creates a bit more room on either side of your face.

It’s best to be sure that you need that extra room before removing the layers, as I’m pretty sure you’re not going to be able to put those bits of foam back in there if it turns out you preferred it when it was thicker.

The removable skull pad around the top also has some removable sections. Arai calls them temple pads, which can be taken out to create more space at the side of the head.

The owner’s manual for the helmet says you can stick those back in if you use some double-sided tape, so if you prefer it before, there is at least the option to go back to the original setup.

There’s no official intercom for this helmet, but there’s nothing that I can see to stop a universal intercom from being used. There are plenty of customers amongst the reviews who’ve done that.

Cena also makes an Arai-specific kit that will fit neatly to this helmet. However, it is worth noting that Cena themselves doesn’t recommend the kit for smaller sizes of this helmet.

There’s one neat addition to this lid, and that is a chin curtain. The chin curtain can be pulled down, acting as a wind-deflecting spoiler. This helps keep that cold and noisy air away from the base of the lid.

Safety Straps

The final piece of the interior puzzle is the strap fastener. Again, this is an Arai, so you’ll get a sporty D-ring strap.

One neat touch with that, though, is the covers that protect your skin from wear against that strap can be taken off and washed.

Safety Ratings

As you’d expect, this helmet is fully road approved to ECU 2205 as a full-face helmet. It also has ACU gold approval for use in competitions or on track.

It’s not rated by the UK government’s sharp impact testing program. That’s not unusual as sharp doesn’t appear to have ever tested a helmet that comes supplied with a peak.

For the American market, it is Snell M2020 approved.

In Conclusion

The Arai XD-4 Helmet is a fully adjustable helmet for all types of riding. It has a comfortable headliner fully removable interior with replaceable cheek pads, chin cover, and chinstrap. 

In addition, it features Dry Cool technology, which keeps you dry and cool for greater comfort. 

The Arai XD-4 Helmet also has FCS (Facial Contour Support) cheek pads with a 5mm peel-away layer that allows easier cleaning and replacement. In addition, the helmet is Snell M2020 approved.

Where To Buy

MotorcycleGear

Keith Mallinson has been a motorcycle enthusiast for the past 20 years. He has owned a variety of bikes during this time, ranging from sport bikes to cruisers. Keith has a passion for all things motorcycle related, including riding, maintaining, and customizing his bikes.In addition to his personal experience with motorcycles, Keith has also kept up to date with industry news and trends. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and insights with others through his motorcycle blog.When he's not out on the open road, Keith can be found tinkering in his garage, planning his next road trip, or spending time with his family.

Shoei Hornet ADV helmet review | Can the Hornet still hold its own against the latest adventure helmets?

This is my first Shoei motorbike helmet , ever – and it’s made me regret not picking one up sooner. The quality, fit and features are all superb and more than on-par with the Arai Tour-X 4 I’ve worn for the previous 40,000+ mile to this.

The Hornet ADV is an ECE 22.05 helmet, meaning it’s not the latest standard ( ECE22.06 ), and will inevitably need to be replaced in the line-up soon. But if you need an adventure helmet right now, this is still a great option.

Shoei Hornet Sovereign ADV TC-10

Tested by Richard Newland for five months

Is the Shoei Hornet ADV practical?

The visor system is excellent, allowing for simple click-out, click-in replacement with the peak fitted. The only niggle here is that it’s very hard to locate the tabs when you’re fitting a dark visor back onto the helmet as you’re effectively blind. Clear visors are easy.

The fitment is very good, and I’ve suffered no leaks riding in heavy rain. It comes with a Pinlock insert, which also works well, although I have had one Pinlock post snap off when switching the insert between clear and tinted visors (it comes with spare posts).

Venting is decent, but certainly not amazing. There are vents at the chin, brow and crown, and all allow enough air in to keep you relatively fresh – but on very warm days, or if you’re working hard on the bike on a trail, there’s not enough volume pushing through. Removing the optional chin curtain is wise if temperatures are high.

The lining is removable and washable, and the cheek pads are quick release in case of emergencies. After 5000 miles, there’s no hint of wear, rubbage or furring of the lining, and the lid still smells new, too. The chin strap is a D-ring type. In use, it’s quiet in clean airflow (I always wear earplugs), comfortable and stable. Even turning your head in the wind doesn’t result in any dramatic pull from the vented peak.

- Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us .

By Richard Newland

MCN Editor, serial bike addict, all-year all-weather rider and fan of riding big-mile days

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Helmet Showdown: Arai XD-4 vs. Shoei Hornet X2 vs. Klim Krios Pro

A Three Helmet Showdown Is About To Go Down

Search the internet today using the words “Best (insert topic here)” and you’ll get plenty of opinionated claims popping up from a myriad of sources touting their impartiality and honesty. But who can you really trust? It’s getting harder and harder to know whether the source is secretly working for a manufacturer or just overly biased and close-minded, right?

Generally, I read several reviews for this reason and then average them out to get closest to reality but even then, my instinct tells me that some reviews are parroting others or are obsessively negative.

Lend Me Your Trust

I’ve worked very hard to remain neutral during this fun experiment I’ve run the last 3 months while testing three excellent adventure helmets. My quest was to find which one I would recommend the most to discerning consumers based upon logic and reason as much as possible. That was challenging!

I’m pleased to say that I managed to accomplish that goal while carefully considering the merits and also weak points of the Klim Krios Pro , Arai XD-4 , and Shoei Hornet X2 .

Certainly, I could have brought in additional contenders (and maybe should have) from manufacturers like Scorpion , AGV , and SCHUBERTH , but I wanted to limit it to the three premium-priced helmets I see most often being discussed on social media.

The helmets and accompanying accessories were provided enthusiastically to me by each respective manufacturer at no charge for testing. Each of them feels their helmet is the best one on the market and I would agree you can’t go wrong choosing any of them depending on what your individual riding style, needs, and wants entail. They excel in different ways.

I’ll provide specific details of how I arrived at my choices for:

• Best helmet for the price
• Best helmet off-road
• Best helmet on-road
• Most comfortable helmet
• Best ventilation or air flow
• Best crash protection
• Best overall quality of build
• Lightest helmet
• Quietest helmet
• Bluetooth communicator installation
• Best scoring helmet overall

These categories should help anyone pick their favorite faster and easier if they value one characteristic (ie. lightest possible) above others.

Having said that, the final category is the one I would say is most telling because it’s the helmet earning the most points. In theory that helmet will do it all the easiest. In adventure riding, adapting to ever-changing riding conditions quickly is (in my opinion) the most important factor to consider.

In order to make this fair and clear I’ll use a point system:

• 3 points for the winner in each category.
• 2 points for the runner up .
• 1 point for third .**

**If one of the helmets stumbles significantly in any category then I won’t award the single point for third place.

Going The Distance

I’ve logged more than 2000 miles (3200 kms) while wearing each of the three helmets totaling over 6000 miles of testing time! How’s that for thorough?

I’ve ridden in temperatures ranging from 0 Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) to highs of 34 Celsius (93 Fahrenheit), on the highway while riding a sportbike and both on and off-road with my KTM 790 Adventure. I tested them on the sportbike just to gauge where the limits are when it comes to adaptability.

Rain, plenty of dust, dirt, mud, insects, rocks, tree branches, bushes, and even hailstones have ricocheted off these safety hats to test the strength of the shell finishes and moving parts (vents, visor hinges, etc).

As gross as it sounds, I’ve worn each of them for 4 days straight without having showered to test the antimicrobial liner materials. The “sniff test” is valid.

I’ve used the exact same cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth on the inside and outside of the visor lenses to test durability and scratch resistance.

Let the battle begin!

Best Helmet for the Price

Here are the prices of these helmets from the Revzilla website. You may find them for less elsewhere but I chose this site as a general source to work from. This isn’t necessarily about which helmet costs the least, but more so about the value gained for your dollars.

• Winner: Klim Krios Pro in Loco Striking Grey – $699.99
• Runner up: Shoei Hornet X2 Navigate in orange/silver/black – $715.99
• Third place: Arai XD-4 Vision in Frost Orange – $739.95

Why does the Klim Krios Pro win?

• An auto-darkening Transitions visor (valued at $150 USD!) with a Pinlock anti-fog insert ($30 USD) is included with the helmet along with extra hardware for connecting the sun peak and visor to the helmet.

• You also get a FidLock chinstrap and Koroyd material in the helmet crown as an absorption layer for energy in an impact. Koroyd is claimed to absorb crash energy significantly better than standard EPS foam.

• This is as of yet unconfirmed by an independent source, though.

• If you prefer a D-ring chin strap closure to the Fidlock chinstrap, and don’t like a Transition visor, the Shoei comes with a clear one and a Pinlock insert. No extra mounting hardware for the sun peak comes with this helmet.
• If you don’t like anything on your visor for anti-fog or tinting whatsoever, the Arai XD-4 comes with an untreated, clear visor and no extra visor/sun peak mounting hardware.

Admittedly, calling a $700 USD helmet a bargain sounds insane, but in my opinion, you do get the most for the least money with the Klim.

***A note on the Shoei Hornet X2: I tried to get a comparable graphic package on each helmet tested since fancy graphics inflate the price above the “solid” color schemes. Shoei didn’t have a fancy one available and so they sent me a solid silver model which costs $100 less than the fancy Navigate graphics one requested. I still used the Navigate price to compare apples to apples in this review since the other two helmets wear the premium graphics packages.

Best Helmet Off-Road

• Winner: Arai XD-4
• Runner up: Shoei Hornet X2
• Third: Klim Krios Pro (no points awarded due to poor performance)

Why did the Arai XD-4 win?

• Dust, dirt, and water resistance is the main reason I pick the Arai in this category. The sun peak and visor on the Arai is held on with two plastic screws that were completely unaffected by dust, dirt and mud buildup around the hinge area. Regardless of how much gunk was thrown in there, the visor remained consistent to operate and remove/install despite the fact it’s not quick release like the other two helmets are.
• The Arai air vents were largely unaffected by dust, dirt, bugs, etc encountered. Air flow was consistent and the vents didn’t plug up as the other two helmet vents did.
• I stayed the coolest while wearing the Arai while working hard picking up my bike or riding slowly over very technical terrain. I credit it to the combination of silky-smooth nylon material used on the interior along with better than average airflow.

• The Shoei top vent filled up with bug guts regularly and had to be cleaned out in order to maintain good air flow, but at least the vent switches weren’t affected by any dust, dirt or insect carcass accumulation.

• The Klim performed well in most off-road riding thanks to how lightweight and breathable it is, but notably was the worst in dusty conditions. The vents and the hinges for the visor/sun peak clog up with dust the easiest of the three competitors. The chinbar vent wouldn’t even close anymore after only 2 hours of gravel road riding and had to be flushed with lots of water just to get it to move again. Ditto for the visor quick release inserts. They wouldn’t budge until thoroughly rinsed.

• The Arai sun peak does a great job protecting the visor when in the raised position. It’s got the least amount of openings in it of the three and as such almost completely covers the visor, keeping it from getting scratched by branches when riding through gnarly, single track terrain.
• The Shoei sun peak allowed several scratches to the partially exposed top part of the visor (in the fully raised position) when riding in similar heavily wooded areas, but didn’t scratch at all when cleaned with a microfiber cloth.
• The Klim visor took a small amount of damage just from being wiped by my gloves while riding in the rain, and the large gaps in the sun peak don’t protect it when fully raised like the Arai peak does either.
• All three helmets work equally well when using goggles instead of the visors and the massive field of view available to the wearer looking out from the eyeport is terrific for off-road navigation.
• The paint on the exterior of the Shoei shows damage much more easily than the finish on the other two helmets do. I now have three small dents in the Hornet X2 silver paint that show up conspicuously thanks to the bright white primer that lies underneath.

I had to get really finicky in order to pick a winner in this category, but the Klim was the easy third place finisher because of how the dust negatively affected it.

**The Krios Pro vents jamming open (and the sun peak fasteners seizing) due to dust build up is what I would call an unacceptable failure compared to the other two helmets, so I think it’s fair not to award even the single point I normally would for finishing in third place.**

Best Helmet On-Road

• Winner: Shoei Hornet X2
• Runner up: Arai XD-4
• Third: Klim Krios Pro

Why Did the Shoei Win?

This one is so close to call because all three helmets perform reasonably well at highway speeds, in busy traffic, and in the rain. I’m tempted to call it a draw between the Arai and Shoei but there are a couple of factors that give the nod to the Hornet X2.

• The sun peak on the Shoei is locked in place and the chinbar isn’t elongated like the other helmets making it the least affected by crosswinds and headwinds. Yep, that’s it. That’s why it wins by the smallest of margins over the other two helmets.
• The Arai sun peak comes in second for crosswind neck cranking and the fact it is adjustable to two positions is both good and bad. It’s impressive that it will stay in the lower position even with the wind working on it, but if you tilt your head up too high the wind will grab it and yank the sun peak up violently. The effect on the wearer’s neck is more pronounced because the peak can move independently from the helmet unlike on the Shoei or Klim.
• The Arai sun peak also wind whistles annoyingly in the lower position but not the upper one.
• The Krios Pro sun peak is super disappointing to me because of how easily crosswinds grab it and the way headwinds work on it. It creates a painful pressure point on my forehead.
• I had to remove the sun peak from the Krios Pro in order to ride on the highway without discomfort. Interestingly, once the peak is removed the Krios Pro is fantastic at high speeds!
• If I ride with the peaks removed from all the helmets I like the Krios Pro the most because it’s slightly quieter and much lighter. I feel bad giving it third place in this category, but it’s only fair to judge it with the sun peak installed.

Most Comfortable Category

• Winner: Klim Krios Pro
• Third : Shoei Hornet X2

Why did the Klim win?

I admit this area is dependent on multiple factors that can vary from person to person, so let me hash this out.

• The Klim Krios Pro has velvet-like microsuede lining every inch of the interior padding which is heavenly to have against your face any day. The interior cradles my head perfectly and evenly all around as it should. Best of all the Krios Pro only weighs 3.1 lbs (1406 g). That’s nearly a full lb lighter than the two other helmets, resulting in zero neck fatigue even after long days in the saddle. The carbon fiber shell and a Koroyd-infused crash liner get the credit for this win.

• The Klim shell tapers inward ever so slightly at the neckroll, so it’s tight getting my fat, round oval shaped head in or out, but not to the point it causes me as much grief as the Shoei does.
• The Arai is easier to get on and off my head and just as comfortable for me to wear as the Klim is. In truth, I personally prefer the fit of the Arai more than the Klim, but I believe the majority of people might prefer the overall package the Klim offers when it comes to comfort. It’s so close though because the XD-4 liner can be fine tuned for thickness and shape more readily than the Klim padding and the center of gravity is low down making the extra bulk barely noticeable.

• The Arai only narrowly misses winning this section because it’s so much heavier than the Klim.

• The Shoei is VERY narrow in shape, especially around the neck roll opening. In fact, I had to swap out the interior padding to a much thinner M5 crown liner and M31 cheek pads just to avoid enduring serious pain on the sides of my head! Since installing the new thinner liners it’s been comfortable if not still a tad snug compared to the other two, but that’s better than being too loose.

• I find I have to hold this helmet at a sharp angle when donning it, otherwise, it folds over my right ear in an irritating way.

You can see the painful marks left on the side of my round-shaped head from the narrow Shoei HornetX2 in the photo above.

**Note: if you have a head shape that is on the narrow or long oval end of the spectrum then the Shoei is the helmet to buy for comfort without question.

Best Ventilation & Airflow

• Third: Shoei Hornet X2

• It comes down to the fact that in temperatures below 15 Celsius (59 Fahrenheit) I must close the vents on the Klim in order to avoid getting too cold. Even with the vents closed the Krios Pro flows more air than many helmets do with their vents open.
• The chinbar vent on the Klim is massive, but it’s not just the volume of air entering that sets the Klim apart. It’s the coverage or distribution of air across my scalp I really notice. I can feel it around my temples on both sides and on the back of my head too.
• Despite the massive volume of air entering the helmet there’s a perfect area to mount a Sena or Cardo microphone right in the top-center area of the chinbar where no wind noise gets picked up. The same spot works in the Shoei, but the Arai struggles with this. I’ve tried everything and still can’t find a quiet pocket in the chinbar area to mount my microphone. A minor complaint, but in this clash of helmet Titans even a small flaw will tip the scales.
• The Arai XD-4 is right there with the Klim in the airflow department and actually flows air more turbulently in the chinbar area. It also has more flexibility in how the air flowing through it can be customized than the Klim does thanks to a larger number of vents to work with.
• It blows my mind just how good the ventilation is in this Snell M2020 certified helmet. I only score it second because I don’t feel like I need to close all the vents when the temperature drops to 15 Celsius or 59 Fahrenheit. It’s SO CLOSE though, that I’m sure some people will justifiably disagree with me on this one.
• The Hornet X2 takes third place when it comes to airflow. Like the Arai, it flows air surprisingly well for a Snell M2020 certified helmet. Poor airflow is a popular gripe against Snell rated helmets, but that isn’t the case with this Shoei.
• It does a respectable job keeping me cool but lacks the same number of vents found in the Arai and I’ve never found the need to close the vents on it even in cooler weather.

Best Helmet Visor

• Runner up: Klim Krios Pro
• Third: Arai XD-4

This category winner may create some controversy I’m afraid! This win is definitely asterisked because it’s not the visor the Shoei comes with that wins. I was sent the Transitions CNS-2 visor by Shoei to better compete with the Klim Transitions visor.

Why did the Shoei win?

• The Hornet X2 comes from the factory with a clear CNS-2 visor and Pinlock anti-fog insert. That visor is excellent when it comes to clarity, durability, and strength, but I wouldn’t pick it over the Transitions visor that also comes with a Pinlock with the Klim Krios Pro from the factory.
• However, Shoei’s specially designed CNS-2 Transitions visor for the Hornet X2 (when combined with the Pinlock insert) that I was also sent for this review is easily the best all-around visor I’ve ever used on a helmet. But, it costs a whopping $209.95 extra to buy over and above the $500 to $700+ Hornet X2 helmet (price depending on the chosen graphic package).
• Am I playing fairly by giving the win to the helmet with the best visor available instead of giving the win to the helmet that comes with the best visor from the factory? Either way, the Transitions visor for the Hornet X2 is tops with me.
• The Arai comes with a clear visor from the factory with no anti-fog coating or Pinlock insert. It really needs some sort of anti-fog strategy added (as do all three helmets). If you don’t install the Pinlock in the Klim or Shoei visors they fog up horribly.
• Arai sent me a tinted visor with a special anti-fog coating on the inside for this comparison in order to compete with the auto-tinting Transition lenses on the other two. This tinted Arai visor costs an extra $74.55 to buy but is a brilliant lens and worth the added cost. It’s actually clearer than either of the other two visors since it doesn’t have a second layer of plastic to look through (no Pinlock).
• It resisted fogging up just as well as the Pinlock visors did during my testing and my cleaning solution didn’t harm the coating despite repeated cleaning sessions.
• NOTE: Pinlocks and anti-fog coating notwithstanding, all three visors did fog up a little bit at the bottom in front of my nose when used in colder temperatures, but not in my field of view where it matters.

• The Klim Krios Pro Transitions visor is more than sufficiently clear to look through and I appreciate the convenience of the auto-tinting, but the Pinlock insert isn’t custom designed for the uncharacteristically large visor on it the way the Shoei one is. Klim just chose a standard Pinlock insert that stops about ¾’ below the top of the visor creating an annoying optical border between the Pinlock covered area and the non-covered area of the visor.
• That’s why the Shoei wins and the Klim comes second.

• Something important to bear in mind is that these Transitions visors wear out after 3 or 4 years from what I’m told and need replacing because after that time they don’t darken enough anymore.
• Conversely, the permanently tinted Arai visor will remain consistently shaded. This knowledge may sway your choice away from the Klim and definitely from paying more for the Shoei Transition visor if price is a major concern.
• I still prefer the Transitions visors because I don’t need to wear sunglasses in the helmet or burden myself with a second clear visor to swap out when riding at night or in low light conditions.

Best Crash Protection

• Co-Winners: Shoei HornetX2 and Arai XD-4

Why did the Arai and Shoei beat the Klim?

• Snell M2020 is a proven standard of safety certification shown to demand the highest level of performance from a helmet. Some would argue it’s overkill and unnecessarily stringent, but in an adventure helmet, it seems appropriate. Conversely, the ECE 22-05 standard while also excellent doesn’t demand as much from a helmet comparatively.

• I have no way of knowing whether the XD-4 performs better than the Hornet X2 in crash testing, but both are Snell M2020 approved. I was hoping SHARP had tested both helmets and I would have used their scoring to break the tie, but alas neither are on their list. So it’s a draw, unfortunately.

Have a look at the video below to see some of what I witnessed at the Arai factory when it comes to crash testing their RX-7V helmet.

• The Koroyd safety liner found in the Klim is claimed to absorb a lot more crash energy than the EPS foam liners found in both the Arai and Shoei, but as I mentioned before this hasn’t been confirmed by an independent testing facility at the time of this writing. If there comes a time it is then I would have to consider giving the victory to the Krios Pro in this category.

Having said all that, there’s more to providing protection in a crash than just energy absorption. The shape of the shell, protrusions, and ridges along with the way it’s built also play a significant role in determining structural integrity. The shape can contribute to deflecting incoming energy away from the absorbent liner materials before absorption even becomes a factor.

The wavy, disorganized carbon fiber weave patterns found on the Klim shell don’t fill me with as much confidence as the hand-built fiberglass and aramid formulas used by Shoei and Arai on theirs.

My contacts at Klim insist their carbon fiber sheets are hand-laid in the molds with exact precision and care. They say the waves on the outside layer of carbon fiber are caused by excess resin being pushed out of the pre-impregnated sheets they use during the curing process. They say it’s only a visual flaw and doesn’t affect structural integrity. I’m not a carbon fiber expert, but an hour-long research session I conducted online seemed to back up this claim, so I’ll take their word for it.

I’ve personally toured the Arai factory in Japan and seen their complete dedication to chasing the highest possible level of quality control in their shell creation process.

I suspect Shoei runs their QC inspections in a similar way as Arai, but can’t confirm they take it to the extreme level I witnessed at Arai. I was scheduled to tour the Shoei factory in April 2020, but COVID19 travel restrictions forced me to cancel it indefinitely. I’m going to get there as soon as possible to confirm my hunch.

Overall Quality of Build

Why did the Arai win?

• In a nutshell, it’s because it came out of the testing showing the fewest scars, and feels the closest to how it did when it came fresh out of the box. Even after thousands of miles ridden through rough terrain, there are zero dents, dings, scratches, or broken pieces.
• I also feel Arai took more risks with the design than the other two manufacturers did and yet still came through with flying colors. There are triple the amount of plastic vent covers/louvers stuck to the outer shell which could have fallen off or failed, yet didn’t.
• The Arai interior is customizable for size and shapes more readily than the other two helmets and everything comes apart just as easily as it goes together after cleaning. All features are there for a specific purpose and they just plain work.
• The Shoei is right there neck and neck with the Arai in almost every way, but the matte, silver paint on the outer shell didn’t shake off a number of knocks it took out on the road and looks like it’s been through a war comparatively speaking. Nothing failed on it either, but Shoei played it safe with the exterior design which is actually wise.
• I enjoy the “space soldier” look of the Hornet X2 a lot. The clear fins embedded in the exhaust vents on the back of the helmet remind me of the engine exhaust pipes found on many World War 2 fighter plane engines that stuck out of the fuselage.
• I wonder whether the gloss finish on the Navigate model of Hornet X2 would have been less prone to damage than this matte one I tested? Regardless, the Arai XD-4 I tested also has a matte finish on it so it’s kind of a moot point. The XD-4 barely squeaks out a win here over the Shoei.
• The Klim Krios Pro is a very nice helmet and well made, but it’s not hand made like the other two helmets are. Looking closely at it now after many, many thousands of miles ridden I’m noticing the orange plastic guarding around the chin bar vent is beginning to lift and separate ever so slightly from the carbon fiber shell and there are a few scratches on the visor exterior just from wiping it with my glove while riding in the rain.
• The plastic pieces on it don’t feel as high end as the ones on the Arai or Shoei.
• Actuating the vents and other moving parts on the Klim doesn’t feel as solid and sure, with the exception of the visor which is super smooth and quiet.
• As already mentioned the weave of the carbon fiber is a bit sloppy too, and the fact the Pinlock insert doesn’t truly fill the eyeport opening further illustrates the difference between how it was built by factory workers in China versus how the other two were built by artisans in Japan.

The antimicrobial liners in each helmet stood up well to the “funk” test. Even after I sweated into them profusely, none of them have a nasty smell left behind.

Lightest Helmet

The Sena 10C EVO weighs 0.2lbs so subtract that from the weight shown in this photo.

I weighed these helmets on my home scale instead of relying on specs from the manufacturer or distributors. As is often the case I got different numbers than those advertised on Revzilla.

• As already mentioned the Klim wins handily at 3lbs 1 oz and it feels lighter than that. Absolutely outstanding comfort is the main benefit of this feather-light frame.
• The Arai comes next at 3.8lbs
• The Shoei is the beefiest at 4lbs

The Shoei and Arai both feel lighter to wear than they are because of the appreciable effort put into keeping the center of gravity low in the shell. Neither helmet makes me feel tired wearing it, but again the Klim doesn’t even feel like a helmet, it’s so lightweight.

Quietest Helmet

• Third: Arai XD-4 (no points awarded due to whistling noise)

I wish I had a truly unbiased and scientific method to measure how noisy or quiet these helmets are so that I could present more than just an opinion. I haven’t worked out how to do that yet. There are just too many variables to account for if I use a microphone in the helmet while out riding and I don’t have the resources to build a wind tunnel.

None of these helmets are what I would classify quiet because of the turbulence and roar caused by the sun peaks, but they are generally quieter than I would have guessed.

• I picked the Shoei as the winner because it seems marginally quieter than the Klim. I think that might be attributed to how it fits so tight around my ears that it simply muffles some of the wind noise.

What I’m 100% sure of is that the Arai is the noisiest helmet of the three. Wind rushing around and under the sun peak on it causes a loud and noticeable whistling sound when positioned in the lower setting. When in the fully raised position the whistling disappears and it’s basically the same as the Klim for wind roar and hiss. Since I prefer the peak in the lowered position I got to know this whistle intimately during my testing. It’s unfortunate such an awesome helmet is plagued with this characteristic.

**I don’t know whether all XD-4 sun peaks create this whistle or if it’s just the sample I tested but because of how stiff this competition is I’m choosing not to award the usual single point for finishing in third place this time.**

Bluetooth Communicator Installation

• The Krios Pro is actually designed to accept the Sena 10U device for full integration inside it, but I don’t have one. Instead, I installed the same Sena 10C EVO in all three helmets for this competition.
• In each helmet, I had to notch out the plastic guide tab on the left side cheek pad in order to run wires from the inside of the helmet to the camera clamped on the outside of the shell. The 10C EVO speakers were installed easily in the Klim and the Arai.
• The Shoei should have been the easiest because it has molded pockets for speakers to sit inside the shell foam, but they’re too small in diameter to house the 45mm speakers that are common in newer devices like the 10C EVO.  ***Edit: I’ve been informed that the 45mm speakers from newer Cardo units have a stepped back to them which would fit into the smaller molded pockets in the HornetX2.
• The Klim wins this category because of the overall ease of installation and the perfect location available to mount the microphone right on a point at the top of the inside of the chin bar in front of the wearer’s nose. In that sweet spot, there’s no wind turbulence to be found, so you can transmit clear audio without any wind noise. The Shoei also has this sweet spot to its credit.
• In the Arai, unfortunately, I couldn’t find a calm, wind-free spot to mount either the boom microphone or the remotely wired microphone.

Long Way Up

If –like me– you’re enjoying the Long Way Up adventure ride show on Apple TV you’ll note Ewan and Charley wear Arai XD-4 helmets. You’ll also now likely note the garbled audio recordings from them while out on the road because of the air flow coming in being picked up by the microphones on their Sena 30K devices .

Best Scoring Helmet Overall?

I didn’t keep a running score while writing each section and only at the end did I tally up the total and realize the stunning (to me anyway) result. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tie between the Shoei and Klim helmets!!!

• Klim Krios Pro: 23 points
• Shoei Hornet X2: 23 points
• Arai XD-4: 20 points

This isn’t at all surprising to me since all three helmets are strong contenders and I’m fanatically critical of any and all shortcomings. I expected a three-way tie before I began the actual testing process based on the reputation of these three competitors.

Conclusion: Read This If Nothing Else

How do we determine a winner overall if there’s an equal number of points scored?

The answer comes down to your individual head shape and riding tendencies in choosing between the Shoei and Klim. As mentioned back in the comfort category if you have a narrow shaped head the easy choice is the Shoei.

It’s even easier to choose the Shoei over the Klim if you have a narrow head AND often ride in very dusty conditions. I think the Shoei is a solid choice for the overall winner regardless of point total.

However…

If you have a round or intermediately narrow-shaped head AND tend to ride in very dusty conditions I would strongly recommend the Arai over the Klim since it won the off road category. But, if you have a round or intermediately narrow head shape and mainly ride on road the Klim is narrowly the better choice.

Frankly, I’m still perplexed how the Klim did better overall than the Arai… and I did the scoring!

Let’s Bring My Personal Bias Into The Equation

As mentioned at the start I approached this comparison trying to decide how to score these helmets with the broadest group of people in mind instead of just my own wants and needs.

What if I was the CEO of Klim, Shoei, and Arai and could make any change I want to the three competitors?

What would I change about the Klim Krios Pro to make it unquestionably the best choice for me, myself?

• Get rid of the Pinlock and install the Arai anti-fog coating on the visor (if possible)
• Change the vents and visor mechanisms to be dustproof like on the Shoei and Arai
• Put the Shoei Hornet X2 sun peak on it
• Give it a higher quality level of workmanship/finish like the hand made Shoei and Arai have instead of the mass produced-factory finish it currently has
• Give it Snell M2020 certification like the Shoei and Arai OR have three independent testing facilities confirm Koroyd is superior to EPS foam

What would I change about the Shoei Hornet X2 to make it better than the other two?

• Make it as light as the Krios Pro is
• Give it airflow equal to the Krios Pro or XD-4
• Include the Transitions visor at no extra charge with the Arai anti-fog coating instead of the Pinlock insert
• Make the helmet less narrow so it fits me like the Arai and Klim do
• Add the Krios Pro’s Fidlock chinstrap or micrometric buckle instead of the D-ring one.

What would I change about the Arai XD-4 to make it better than the other two?

• Make it as light as the Klim Krios Pro is
• Get rid of the sun peak whistling noise
• Make the visor a Transitions auto-tinting one with anti fog coating on it
• Add the Krios Pro’s Fidlock chinstrap or a micrometric buckle instead of the D-ring one
• Make a quiet spot for the microphone to mount on the chinbar or add an integrated microphone somewhere else that isn’t affected by wind noise

For Myself, It’s the Arai or Klim

For me, the helmet I will likely wear the most of the three is the Arai because it’s the most comfortable for my head and just feels “right”. It has that intangible “ahhhhh” factor for me when I put it on that isn’t as strong with the other two.

My very close second choice would be the Klim Krios Pro, especially if I’m filming video footage while out riding and need clear audio on the recording.

The Shoei still just fits a bit too tight and doesn’t cool me as well as the other two helmets do.

I would prefer to have the convenience of a Transitions visor on the Arai XD-4, but since I don’t typically ride at night the tinted visor by itself should be fine 99% of the time for my riding style.

Oops…

I managed to encounter that 1% when the tinted visor was a problem during my testing. I got caught out later than I anticipated one day and ended up having to ride home in the dark. I had left the clear Arai visor at home and only had the tinted visor with me.

Luckily I did have some Klim Viper goggles in my pack and used them to protect my eyes, but it was uncomfortably cold and extra noisy riding at highway speeds wearing only goggles.

That experience is what ultimately influenced me to score the other two helmets with Transitions visors higher than the Arai non-transitioning visor.

Long Live the Kings: The Klim Krios Pro and Shoei Hornet X2!

Why do I get the feeling I’ve only muddied the waters even more with this comparison? Perhaps I should have added another two helmets to the contest?

– Jim

Very thorough and critical, as it should be, especially with these top dollar models and brands. I like the fact that you mentioned what you would change in them as well. I really wish thd Hornet wasn’t as narrow as it was to get into! And that the speaker pockets were slightly bigger! And of course, more vents! I understand the lack of vents make for a quieter helmet, but there’s ear plugs for that reason, so I say, maybe more airflow for it!

Wow, you have such great insight into the HornetX2… it’s almost like you’ve spent a lot of time wearing it out on the road. I agree 100% with you on the changes needed and I sent the review over to my contacts at Shoei who will undoubtedly digest and consider the feedback.

I asked in my email when the HornetX3 comes out too… ahaha! Thanks for the comment, Mark!

I have the same XD-4. Have taken this everywhere. It is a smidge loud for microphones. You’re right about that. Love everything about this helmet except for the insane amount of fogging that occurs in the PNW (US). Cold and wet rain doesn’t stop me from riding but the fogging got too bad. I ended up buying the Arai breathe/nose guard and their anti-shield. These both do wonders as the Pinlock has issues on these shields due to the narrow design. But meh. It works now and it matches my 1090R. 😉

I also love the Arai XD-4. It’s such a complete helmet other than that whistling sun peak. I hear some people don’t experience that while others do. The anti-fog coating on the visor works perfectly for my riding, but I’m in a dry climate compared to the PNW. Yes, the color scheme is perfect for a KTM bike as well. I hope you enjoy that lid for many years as I know I will mine.

Interesting comment in the review about the whistling sound. My wife and I are both on our second XD4’s over the past 8 years and neither of us has ever experienced the whistling sound. I wonder if the bike’s windscreen can play a role in that. We each have a Hornet X2, but we found we really don’t care for them and don’t wear them much. Not very comfortable, don’t vent well, and if you do take the visor off the “blow hole” that is left … well talk about whistling. It sounds like a tea kettle 🙂

It’s interesting how some riders other than me have noted the whistling out of the Arai while others like yourself haven’t. The motorcycle design definitely could be highly influential as you say. For my part, I tested the XD4 on my 790 adventure which has a custom windshield on it along with my Ninja H2SX SE and the noise is there on both motorcycles. There was a short span of time where the whistle stopped while riding and I hoped for good, but it resumed shortly after. I don’t know why it’s there on that helmet and not the Klim or the Shoei which both have sun peaks as well.

I agree the Shoei doesn’t flow air nearly as well as the Arai and I had to completely swap out the internal comfort liners just to get it near comfortable for me to wear, but once done I think it’s a solid helmet just like the other two.

Thank you sharing……

My pleasure Anthony. I hope it helps with the decision-making process because I realize how expensive these helmets are. You only want to buy them once!

Aero gremilns at play? My XD4 peak whistles when up, I have to pull it down to make it quiet. And I prefer it up.

Good review, but update the old disclaimer: YMMV. To- Your Gremlins May Behave Differently. YGMBD.

Hahaha… truly Gremlins may be at hand here if your peak is behaving opposite of mine. Maybe we should swap them to see what happens? I’ve heard from another XD-4 owner who tells me his peak doesn’t whistle, and so now I’m beginning to wonder what exactly is the source. Mine stopped whistling at one point during my testing for about 20 minutes making me think it may be related to the visor seal?

If you come up with something let me know! Cheers.

Great write up! I would argue that you haven’t muddied the waters, just the opposite. What you have brought to light is just how competitive these helmets are. I am curios about how you would score changing visors?

I guess I still feel slightly conflicted at the end of the comparison about how it all shook out at the end with the scoring because as mentioned everyone prioritizes differently. For me the whistling of the Arai was heartbreaking because it’s my favorite helmet of the three and since writing this I’ve spoken to a couple of other XD-4 owners. One has whistling with the peak in the raised as opposed to the lowered position like mine. The other owner says they don’t have any whistle…

As for visor changeout– yes I probably should have gone into more detail on that one. The Arai is very straightforward. Remove the two plastic screws on each side and the visor comes out very slick along with the sun peak. Lining things up to reinstall the visor and peak is equally easy if not a little time consuming, but it’s consistent.

The Shoei is a quick release system the same as just about any other Shoei I’ve reviewed. Removal of the sun peak is necessary to get it off, but that’s very easy (quarter turn of the embedded plastic fasteners). The peak fasteners remain in the Shoei peak which is nice because I have a habit of losing things out on the trail and that’s the main advantage of the Shoei over the other two. Getting the quick release visor back in place is inconsistent for me. Sometimes I get it back in without any issue and very quickly, while other times I have to hold my tongue just right and it’s frustrating.

The Klim is easy to come off and back on when there’s no dust involved. It’s the easiest to master of the three because the quarter turn plastic fasteners hold the peak and visor on, but as mentioned dust freezes everything solid and requires flushing with lots of water to free up. The fasteners also are black and easy to misplace if you’re careless. Klim includes two extra ones with the helmet and I haven’t managed to lose one yet, neither have any popped off while out on the trail.

Overall I guess I would prefer the Shoei the most because you risk the least pulling it apart, but I like the Klim the most for speed and efficiency. The Arai I like very much, but I find it slow to come off and go on. The consistency of that system is the best of the three though.

LOL! See what I mean? They’re all good!

Nexx XWed2. Having tried all of those, it fits better, vents better, is quieter (once you fix the idiotic inner visor drop down lever noise) and more comfortable.

I haven’t personally tried that one, but Bruce reviewed it and scored it very highly. As mentioned I’d like to do more of these kinds of comparison pieces in the future. I’m hoping Nexx will make an appearance.

Paul, in having done the NEXX XWed2 review, and owned/reviewed four XD4 variants…and hopefully get another to review soon, along with a Shoei perhaps.

The XWed2 peak and visor change is indeed quicker, although the plastic pressure/latch pieces can be finicky…practice is needed. Much, but not all, of the whistling/noise off the XD4 is vent related and some air moving around the face shield; the peak on the XD4 is very good, but the NEXX piece is better yet overall.

As Jim says, hopefully we can do more of these helmets and comparos.

Dear Jim, thank you for the in depth comparison on these helmets. I currently have a schuberth C4 and really like it for the its modular function and an extra built in tented visor. Is it really important to have a peak for adventure riding? I understand the adventure helmets also provide extra breathing room and fit better with goggles. Do you think by investing $700 is justified? Thanks!

Hi Brandon!

I’m glad you liked reading this piece and think your question is a smart one.

Before I started wearing these three helmets I wore my Arai DT-X off road and on road because it’s my favourite helmet. I found dirt built up really badly in the side visor pods and I had to clean them out daily as a result. That made me want to buy an adventure helmet instead because they’re built to withstand dust and dirt buildup (in theory).

The sun peak answer is a multi-faceted one. The answer is yes and no! I wear my Krios Pro without the sun peak very happily but admit that when the visor is covered in dust at the end of the day with the setting sun shining directly in my eyes I have difficulty seeing through the visor if the sun peak is removed. On the Arai and the Shoei, I used the peaks in the same scenario and was grateful the peaks were there to block the bright sun so I could see even through the dirty visor clearly. I used to think sun peaks were overrated, but I’ve since changed my mind.

The question you need to answer about your C4 is whether it can stand up and perform under those dirty/dusty/sunny conditions. Do the air vents plug up easily and is the modular chinbar mechanism negatively affected by dust and dirt? Can you see well enough to ride safely at sunset with a dirty visor on your C4? If you find no issues with the Schuberth then I would encourage you to save your $700 and buy something else for your bike. If you notice the C4 failing to perform off road as I did with my DT-X then I would look at the Schuberth E1 first, but also other modular adventure helmets like the Scorpion AT950 and Touratech Aventuro Traveller Carbon which I also recently reviewed. If you go to the search function window on webbikeworld.com and enter these helmet names you’ll find we’ve reviewed many of them. My sources at Scorpion tell me an updated AT950 is coming soon just FYI.

I hope this helps!

Old thread, but with a missing factor ref the Arai XD4 peak and whistling.

Spent the last 6 years with the XD4 riding the infamous 990 Adventure. I find the wind noise and whistling to be almost entirely dependent on my bikes screen/configuration.

Just an afterthought to this old thread.

Hi Stephen!

That’s not a bad guess as to the cause and might be true in some cases. I tested the XD-4 on my KTM 790 adventure and also my Ninja H2SX SE. I noticed whistling on both bikes and the windshield on my KTM is custom built by me as well.

I did find a possible solution to it. Apparently, some people have installed a strip of thin rubber along the brim and the whistling has gone away. I’m going to try it once I get a chance.

Klim for me is not worth the price. Shell probably made by Nishua for KLIM. It should be half the price. https://www.louis.eu/artikel/nishua-enduro-carbon-enduro-helmet/215086?list=61ef6f76406836128186e16f3799b95e you can see the similarity, KLIM only adds front airflow, fastening and koroyd. The rest is China’s product.

Hi Ryszard!

That Nishua helmet is a clone of the Klim Krios Karbon, no doubt about it. The Krios Pro, however, is substantially different. I’m not certain whether it’s Nishua or someone else manufacturing it. Regardless, the carbon fiber shell is strong enough to pass ECE 22-05 and the added Koroyd (in theory) makes it a good helmet. I don’t think you could find any other carbon fiber shell helmets with a $150 Transitions visor, a Pinlock, and a Koroyd liner for $350 US, but I could be wrong.

This was a great read. I still have no idea which I want between the Shoei and the Arai but thanks!

When I wrote this piece I came away a bit confused and disappointed with the final results, to be honest. It’s tricky to draw a clear conclusion from it. I don’t think I weighted some of the categories well enough when I should have to make the results clearer. That’s what I was hoping readers like yourself would do with this information: Filter it according to your desired list of must-haves in a helmet. That’s why now when people ask me which of these three they should buy I ask them what 3 attributes matter the most to them. Overall weight? Airflow? Durability? Off-road performance? If you write down the three most important attributes and then read this piece then choosing the winner for yourself will make the choice much clearer as there’s a winner in each category.

Hey Sean, Loved the approach and agree with results. Excellent review!!

Could I recommend you go over to Forte Nine Videos, and watch the one on helmet strap securing methods, was quite the eye opener. Might change the recommendation on closures.

Good review as always Jim. I have an Arai head so Shoei’s are not an option for me. Ordered the XD4 and tried it on. Felt great but no Transitions option made it a no go for me. LOVE Arai, saved my head in three-track crashes. But those days are behind me now. I like puttering along the road and exploring off-road areas. The KLIM will get delivered next week so I will see if it fits my head well. Thanks for your review.

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• Shoei Hornet X2 vs Arai XD4

Product Comparison: Shoei Hornet X2 vs Arai XD4

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• Shell Material
• Interior Material
• It's a great helmet, but there's not enough venting if you're riding in warm weather or exerting yourself on jeep trails.
• I find myself wearing this helmet for hours at a time when with previous helmets i could only wear for 20 minutes at a time before feeling strain and stress.
• The quality of this helmet is outstanding. I returned a Bilt helmet that felt cheap as soon as I opened the box. I was very uncomfortable.
• I have a harley and just picked up a BMW 1200GSA and wanted a helmet that fit well with both bikes, so my harley one didn't work well. I liked the idea of a visor and the fact this helmet is a new design.
• This helmet has extremely good aero for a DS. I can run the peak on the highway and it is very neutral at 70-80mph looking ahead.
• I think the previous model is more suited to dual sport.
• Typical Arai quality. It had been a while since I'd purchased a helmet, and I see that Arai has further defined the head shape game. Best bet is to always try one on first- I have gone from a round Shoei to a more oval Arai over 20 years.
• First off, I loved this helmet well before my accident. The field of view is fantastic, the fit is incredible.
• Since this is one of those "dual sport" type of helmets with a visor, those riding are at some point going to get on a highway and get up to highway speeds.
• The XD-4 is my second helmet. I began riding just over a year ago and had been using a friends Bell racing helmet until I purchased the Arai. I've gone about 14,000 miles in the XD-4 and it's great!
• Arai has the reputation of first rate quality and protection which should be primary in a helmet choice, and I wanted an ADV style helmet for the new bike, overall I am very happy with it so far.

• This helmet fits my head perfectly. I purchased the Hornet II based on reviews (especially the Revzilla review), and after never having seen, or even tried on the helmet.
• Comfort is phenomenal, I don't know how I lived without a peak (as my commute takes me straight into the rising sun, and at least lets me screen out the sun when it's a few degrees above the horizon).
• The overall fit is snug, I thought too snug at first because it's tight getting on and off, but once it's on it's very comfortable.
• Quite comfortable although the back edge of my ears get sore after a few hours of wearing it.
• Comfort is exceptional. Quality is very nice. A solid feel and a good feature set and accessories.
• Great fit, light ,comfortable! Tried several other dualsport and street helmets.
• I replaced my XD3 with this XD4 (pulled the trigger after the 2016 update happened with the new Snell 2015 rating came out). It fits perfectly.
• Excellent condition, quick delivery. Helmet is light weight and fits snugly.
• On receiving the XD-4 I can say the fit was perfect! It was initially quite snug! I really had to pull it down over my head however after a couple rides and a few hundred miles the pads have shaped to me perfectly and is now extremely comfortable.
• This helmet meets that standard in almost all aspects. Starting with the fit - I absolutely love the conforming fit of the cheek pads.
• The quality of the parts and the fit. Can't wait to take it out.
• Sunglasses fit well with the helmet on.
• The visor snaps down tight against the eye port gasket, something the previous model did not do well.
• The ear cutouts fit my Sena smh10 speakers except I had to cut off the plastic trim on the speakers in order for them to lay nice and flat in their cutouts.
• The visor locks down nice and really creates an airtight seal, I have been through a couple small rain bursts but nothing to really make claims of it's waterproof ability, but so far all dry.
• To noisy, and definitely the missing dark visor is no so good when you like touring rides
• In any case, this helmet is like all my Arai (and you can now peel away some layers from the cheek pads to customize fit), there are no compromises, absolute top quality construction, light weight, almost indestructible visor (will NOT scratch if you are cautious) and functional venting.
• Vents and airflow abound, as with everything moto-related you'll get hot standing still, but once moving-- this helmet lets in a good amount of air. I would definitely buy another.
• The top visor is easily adjusted with a coin or flat screwdriver and seems to be well built.
• Road noise is not bad and have zero complaints about it.
• The helmet accepts my Scala Rider G9x easily, the recesses in the cheek pad have ample room to fit the speakers behind the soft covering.

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Arai Tour-X5 review | Benchmark adventure helmet 1,000 mile test

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Consumer Editor of Bennetts BikeSocial, John's owned over 20 bikes, has been testing motorcycle kit for more than 25 years and is a member of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators, and part of the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group.

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Please note that the Kanji on the top of this helmet does not feature as standard

Date reviewed: October 2023 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: From £599.99 | www.whyarai.co.uk

At the time of writing, the Arai Tour-X5 on review here hasn’t been officially released, but I’m among a handful of riders from across the globe to get hold of the first from the production line.

After over 1,000 miles in all weathers on a BMW R1250GS, a Honda Transalp and a Honda VFR800, I’m able to give you a full and honest opinion of whether it’s worth the money, or if you should pick up a cheaper Arai Tour-X4 (or indeed go for another brand altogether)…

• A truly versatile helmet
• Vastly improved visor mechanism with great field of view
• Excellent ventilation
• Like all peaks, it adds drag
• Peak can drum slightly, though better than many others
• No drop-down sunshield (which shouldn’t be a surprise)

1,000 miles with the Arai Tour-X5

An in-depth look at this new adventure helmet

Outer shell

While continuing with Arai’s ethos of keeping as round a shape as possible to the outer shell – in order to ‘glance off’ in an impact and reduce the energy transmitted to the brain – the Tour-X5 has been significantly redesigned.

One of the most obvious changes is the lowering of the visor mounting points, which is something that’s been done to most of the Arai range over the past few years (after which, they scored better in the SHARP testing methods). Interestingly, the ECE22.05 RX-7V had already had the mountings lowered, and that helmet passed ECE22.06 in the form of the RX-7V Evo with no significant changes.

Whether the new Tour-X5 would have passed this tougher standard without the changes isn’t known, and independent lab testing has occasionally highlighted areas in which some brands have beaten Arai. But with every crash being different it’s impossible to say with any authority whether Arai’s claims that it makes the safest possible helmets are true or not.

Designing protection for both high and low speed impacts is always going to be tricky, and Arai believes that, while it of course meets all the standards required by law, its own in-house testing, along with its decades of racing crash research, proves that its unwavering dedication to a very strong, hard outer-shell – and as soft as possible inner – is the best solution.

Paint finish is, as you’d expect, exceptional

The Tour-X5 uses Arai’s super-fibre shell construction, which is said to have 40% greater tensile and compressive strength than regular glass fibre, partly thanks to having much finer strands and a unique resin. It’s also got Arai’s Periphery Belt strengthening the area around the visor port; like all Arais, this is an incredibly strong outer shell.

Whether Arai does make the safest helmets is not something I can prove, but I would say that, having visited the factory in Japan and met Michio Arai – as well as his son Akihito – I am convinced that they believe they’re offering the best protection possible.

And they don’t make it easy on themselves. Arai is the only helmet manufacturer to make the EPS (expanded polystyrene) inner shell out of one piece of multi-density material. While all other brands use separate parts, each with a different density for different levels of softness, Arai has found a way to blend them into one piece with greater overall integrity yet very different levels of compression in the various areas. Not only is this far more expensive, it’s also a lot harder to get the inner shell inside the outer one, especially when that outer is so strong. But Arai believes this is the safer way to make its helmets, even if most buyers have no clue what’s going in inside.

Other noticeable changes to the shell include a rounder front, which carries on into the visor to have less of a pointed design. There’s also 10mm extra width at the cheeks due to this, which contributes to that ‘rounder, safer’ construction, as well as making it easier to pull on.

As you’d expect of a premium helmet – which is entirely hand-made, even down to the painting – the finish is excellent, the hand-laid decals on this graphics version, which costs £699.99, sitting under a metallic-fleck lacquer. Plain colours cost £599.99

The Arai Tour-X5 (sometimes known as the XD5) should be in dealers in December 2023 for plain colours, with graphics to follow in January. Prices in Europe are 879 Euros for plain colours and 979 Euro for graphics.

The Arai Tour-X5 uses three different outer shell sizes covering head sizes of XS to XL, so someone with a small head can buy a helmet that doesn’t look ridiculously big on them, and that’s designed to offer the ideal ratio of outer shell and inner EPS (expanded polystyrene).

The peak leaves enough space to tuck goggles, if you use them. The rear exhaust vent wing acts as a stopper for the goggles strap

Arai Tour-X5 peak

Being an adventure helmet, the Arai Tour-X5 does of course come with a peak fitted, which serves two main purposes:

• To shield you from mud and stones that might be thrown up by a bike in front of you when riding off-road
• To help prevent you getting dazzled by low sun, which is far more likely to be useful to the majority of riders.

Compared to the Tour-X4’s peak, this is new shape with a cut-out to the rear designed to allow smoother airflow. While it doesn’t look like it at first glance, I measured the new peak to also extend a useful 7mm further out from the top of the visor aperture, for even better sun protection.

But fitting a peak to a helmet will always have limitations, and at motorways speeds and above, the drag can be significant, depending on the screen fitted to your bike. On the Transalp and R1250GS (with standard screens) the Tour-X5 was fine for my 5’10” frame, but if I put my head out into the clear airflow there’s noticeable – and expected – drag when looking left, right or up.

On the GS, I also noticed that at high speeds behind the screen in its lowest position, a little pressure can be felt pushing down on the front of the peak, though not to any troublesome extent.

The Tour-X4’s peak used to drum a touch at speed, depending on the bike’s screen, and on the GS the Tour-X5 is no different. However, as with the previous lid, this can be reduced by adding some adhesive wheel weights.

Whether the drumming bothers you, or indeed if you notice it at all will depend on your bike and how you’re riding it, but it is to be expected with any adventure helmet.

Fortunately, like with the previous model, there’s no noticeable flapping or vibration of the peak to distract you – some adventure lids I’ve tried (like the Schuberth E1) flap around annoyingly while riding.

The Arai Tour-X5’s peak can be removed with just one plastic screw on either side of the helmet. Once taken out, no other parts are needed to replace the cover and screw, then ride with the peak removed. This really is a brilliant solution that makes it pretty quick and easy – as long as you have a small coin or a large, flat-bladed screwdriver such as on a penknife or multi-tool – to pop the peak off, or to refit it. My only criticism is that I’d have preferred the screws to have been in some way retained on the plastic covers as they’re a little easy to drop if you’re taking it off at the side of the road.

Using plastic means the screws can shear in the event of a crash – Arai designs all the external parts of its helmets to disconnect if there’s an accident –   but they’re plenty strong enough, despite being a little easy to mark with tools. Better this soft plastic showing some indentations than being brittle and snapping when tightening up.

The peak can be adjusted up and down, but I prefer it in the lowest position to best block the sun.

The weight of helmets in general has seemed to even out a bit since the introduction of the tougher ECE22.06 standard. While Arai has a reputation for being ‘heavy’, this is a bit of a trope, and I can honestly say that I’ve not used any helmet that’s weight has caused me any issues; aerodynamics are far more important.

At speed, any adventure lid is potentially going to cause more strain on your neck than a standard full-face, but even after a full day on the Transalp and the GS, I didn’t have any issues with the Tour-X5. And with the peak removed, it’s a sleek design that cuts through the air very easily.

I measured the Arai Tour-X5 to weigh 1,736g with the peak fitted, compared to 1,710g for the Tour-X4 and 1,601 for the ECE22.05 Shoei Hornet ADV .

The inner EPS has a total of eight ventilation ports to cool the head, which isn’t counting the mouth vent

Ventilation

Ventilation on the Arai Tour-X5 is excellent, with a two-position and closed chin vent that directs air up across the back of the visor and towards the brow. It also has a slider inside to allow air to blow straight to the mouth if you want it.

The forehead carries the open or closed Arai logo vent that was first seen on the Arai Quantic (review here) , and that delivers a very good flow of air to the head and across it, without creating the ‘cold spot’ blasts in localised areas of the head that some can. This vent is ideally positioned to scoop air in, my only criticism of it being that it can be a little trickier to keep clean during a summer thick with bugs.

At the top of the shell is a two-position and closed additional intake, with the two-position and closed exhaust vent in the rear spoiler revealing two ports that draw stale air out. Additionally, there are two small slots at the lower rear of the shell, to further pull air out.

Something I’ve really noticed while wearing the Tour-X5 is that I’m flicking the visor open a lot less. As a glasses wearer, I often pop the visor open as I pull to a stop at lights, but the airy feel of this Arai has really reduced that.

And yet it’s not too drafty. You can feel air moving around your face to some extent, as well as a light but comfortable breeze around the bottom (it’ll depend on your bike’s aerodynamics), but I haven’t felt cold in this yet. However, if you’re going to wear this through deep winter and want to seal yourself off more, an optional chin skirt – the same as is supplied with the Arai RX-7V Evo (review here) – can be bought separately, though it is about £30. It’s a shame it’s not included, though despite having one to hand, I haven’t felt the need to install it myself yet. The fitted small chin skirt also pulls down a little to further extend the wind protection around this area.

The visor vents that are typical of most Arais are gone on this new adventure helmet, but due to the effectiveness of the logo vent they’re not needed. Removing them has created more space in the visor port, making riding with goggles a lot easier.

Overall, the Arai Tour-X5 has excellent venting thanks to some cleverly positioned ports – there are eight in the inner shell, plus the mouth vent – and the well-designed lining, which allows the air to move freely around your head, not just blow onto one spot.

One relatively minor point to note about the rear spoiler vent is that it makes the overall size a little longer, which means it’s a tight fit to get it into my 52 litre Givi Trekker top-box, regardless of whether you have the peak fitted. It’ll go, but not as easily as the Tour-X4, and you might struggle to get two helmets in.

The Arai Tour-X5 visor mechanism is probably the biggest single improvement over the previous model thanks to the fact that it requires no tools to remove. The peak is held in place with two screws, but these are attached to the visor mechanism covers, so just open the visor, press the buttons on either side of the covers and they pop off easily. Then flick the visor out for easy cleaning, or to remove it altogether and run with googles. As with removing the peak, there are no additional parts required to carry, so this really couldn’t be any easier.

The visor mechanism has also been designed to resist scratching and jamming from any dust getting into it. As with most adventure helmets, the visor doesn’t open all the way up out of view – the bottom is visible, though not in your normal line of sight.

Refitting the visor is a technique you’ll quickly grasp, and just needs the pin on either side holding in as you rotate it into place. The covers need hooking in properly, but it’s obvious if you haven’t done it correctly, and after a few tries you’ll be whipping the visor out and back in in no time.

A Pinlock 120 XLT is supplied, the 120 meaning it’s the highest spec and most resistant to fogging, the XLT standing for ‘eXtra Light Transmission, and the new visor is more round than the previous, more ‘pointy’ version. It also has a double-curvature and is said to create less distortion than the old model (though I hadn’t really noticed a problem).

The field of view from the Arai Tour-X5 is outstanding; being an adventure lid, having such an immersive, panoramic view is great, whether you’re wearing the peak or not. As a helmet for getting out and enjoying stunning scenery, this is a great choice.

Of course, being an Arai there’s no drop-down sun-shield, and this will be a deal-breaker for some. Arai firmly believes that to fit one compromises ultimate safety (beyond the legally-required standards), but it’s a choice only you can make. You can of course buy a dark-smoke visor for it, which I prefer on very bright days as it means just one piece of plastic in front of my eyes, as opposed to the clear visor, Pinlock and a drop-down sun-shield I’d have otherwise.

But don’t underestimate the value of that peak, which is absolutely brilliant in low-sun conditions, especially in Autumn. Being able to block the sun altogether with a tip of the head is a huge safety benefit.

I’ve had no issues with the visor leaking on the road or during a hose test, but the visor fixing plates on the new Tour-X5 (XD5) are adjustable, so if this were ever to be an issue, you – or your dealer – should be able to reposition them for a perfect seal.

As mentioned, fitting goggles to the Arai Tour-X5 is easier thanks to the removal of the visor vents, but also due to a re-shaping of the nose guard, which is now flatter and doesn’t need pulling out to get my 100% Barstows inside.

Cleverly, the rear spoiler also acts as a retainer for your google’s strap, stopping it pinging off the top of the lid, while there’s just enough space under the peak for me to tuck the googles when taking the lid off, or if I just need them out of the way briefly (putting them over the chin always ends up in them getting fogged by my breath).

Arai Tour-X5: True versatility

It’s no exaggeration to say that the Arai Tour-X5 is four helmets in one, thanks to the brilliantly-designed new visor mechanism making it so easy to remove, and the simplicity of two screws to whip the peak off, without needing to carry any spare parts to swap out. Here are your options…

• Adventure lid with peak and visor
• Adventure lid with peak and goggles
• Fast road helmet with visor
• Street-style with goggles

The styling of the helmet is, to my eyes at least, so good that it can work as well on a scrambler in the city as it does on a trail bike on the Trans-European Trail, or indeed on a sportsbike on the open roads.

The cheek pads have been redesigned on the new Tour-X5 to hold against the base of the jaw more, creating a less tight, but still stable, comfortable fit, while the lining has a water-repellent finish and an ‘Eco Pure’ antibacterial, deodorising fabric that’s said to maintain your skin’s natural PH of around 4.7.

Sweat and soap can make your skin more alkaline, so this fabric is claimed to reduce smells and rough skin, as well as being easy to keep clean.

As to the effectiveness of that, I couldn’t promise you at this stage, but I can tell you that it feels good, and I haven’t had any problems with it getting damp from sweat or rain.

The cheek pads and skull cap have removable foam sections that are 5mm thick for a more custom fit. These are lightly glued in place, so take care if you pull them out, in case you end up wanting to put them back. If you still can’t quite get the perfect fit, different size cheek pads and skull cap can be fitted by good dealers, and should be done for free.

The Arai Tour-X5’s lining is fully removable for easy cleaning. It should be hand washed, but I tend to put the parts in the helmet bag, tie that closed and run a gentle wash in the machine. Just don’t blame me if that goes wrong for you!

As is the case with all Arais, the Tour-X5 is fastened with a double-D strap. While this can’t be opened or closed with gloves like the micro-metric ratchet straps fitted to some other brands, it does ensure a secure fit every time, and is comfortable and lacking in any unnecessary bulk.

Arai makes two different helmet shapes – a more round design for the Asian markets, and a narrower, longer one for the European and American riders. The outer shells are the same, but it’s the internal EPS liners that are slightly different.

Fit is utterly subjective. I’ve always found Arais fit me well, but this was the first one that didn’t seem quite right at first to me. Interestingly, a couple of other people who were with me when we collected them said that this was the first time an Arai had fit them so well straight out of the box; I had a red mark on my forehead after an hour or so of use.

I removed the additional inserts in the fabric liner to give it a bit more room, but usually an Arai Pro Shop dealer would swap the liner for an even thinner one altogether. These weren’t available this early in the production schedule, but an additional padded liner was added to the crown to lift the helmet up a bit on my head.

While this was more comfortable, I found that at high speed when on my GS the peak would cause the helmet to rotate downwards. I removed the additional padding and found that the helmet had broken in by this point – thanks no doubt to the extremely soft inner shell – and it now fits me perfectly as standard.

It’s always vital to have a lid that fits you properly, and the premium brands will do all they can to ensure that this is the case when buying. Given the extra force that can be applied by the wind to a lid with a peak, you must get one that’s tight enough.

Fit is of course very subjective, so try any lid before you buy, but the soft interior of Arais does tend to make them very compliant. Some cheaper helmets with harder inner linings can be a lot less comfortable, especially when new.

Arai Tour-X5 noise

A peak will always add noise to any helmet – at worst it’s a vibration that irritates the hell out of you, at best it’s a slight extra bass note, or light drumming, as is the case with the Tour-X5. I’d say it’s pretty much the same as on the Tour-X4, but it really does depend on your bike and its screen as it’s buffeting from here that causes any noise; in clean air (so perhaps with a short rally screen) there’s no additional noise from this peak, though of course at high speeds the drag will become significant.

I’ve been surprised at how quiet the Tour-X5 is for normal wind noise, which is perhaps why I notice the bass-note that the peak can add. I’ve reduced this – as I did on the Tour-X4 – by adding some self-adhesive motorcycle wheel weights to the underside of the peak, but it depends very much on where I position the screen. With both lids, I find it best to have my GS’s standard screen at its lower position while riding with the peak; there’s no problem with drag until I get to high motorway speeds, and the additional noise is kept to a minimum.

Of course, any helmet requires earplugs over about 40mph, so whether you’re riding with the peak fitted or not, please do wear them as tinnitus in later life is no fun at all.

For more information on why earplugs are vital with any helmet, and advice on which are the best, click here .

Can you fit an intercom to the Arai Tour-X5?

The Arai Tour-X5 has been designed to take an aftermarket intercom of your choice thanks to a flat section on the sides giving ample room to stick it.

Usually, speakers are fitted into the cheek pads of Arais, but there are now recesses ready behind them, making fitting much easier as well as causing a lot less hassle when removing the liner for cleaning – something important on a helmet that’s more likely to be used in dusty environments.

Brilliantly, the neck skirt also has pockets built in to accept the wiring from an intercom, so whether you’re fitting a Cardo or Sena – or pretty much and other intercom – the Arai has been designed to let you do that. There’s even a Velcro patch preinstalled in the chin section for your microphone!

The Tour-X5 (right) is significantly different in many ways to the Tour-X4 (left)

Three alternatives to the Arai Tour-X5

The popularity of adventure bikes means there’s a fair choice when it comes to lids with a peak. Whether you really need that peak is up to you, but the Tour-X5 offers the best versatility of any adventure helmet I’ve tried so far. What matters most of course is that any helmet fits you properly, so here are some others to consider…

• Shoei Hornet ADV. The most obvious competitor to the Arai, the Hornet was perhaps the more road-focussed lid when compared to the outgoing Tour-X4, but that’s not the case when compared to the more versatile Tour-X5. Still, we’re yet to see what the new ECE22.06 version brings… Full review of the ECE22.05 Shoei Hornet ADV here .
• Arai Tour-X4. There’ll likely be deals to be had on the Tour-X4 as stock is cleared, so it’s worth considering. I’ve seen them as low as £399.99 for plain colours, which is a £200 saving on the RRP of the new model and not to be sniffed at. But, the changes to the new Tour-X5 are significant enough that, honestly, I’d recommend saving for the new model. Full review of the Arai Tour-X4 here .
• HJC C80. It’s cheaper, and it’s also a flip-front, so there’s a lot to like about the C80, but it’s not got the build quality or solidity of the Tour-X5 if a peak is what’s taking you here. Full review of the HJC C80 here .

These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the motorcycle helmets we’ve tested here and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership .

While there are some great deals on the Tour-X4 as stock is cleared, the new Arai Tour-X5 is significantly better in many ways

Arai Tour-X5 review: Verdict

The Arai Tour-X5 is a truly versatile helmet – far more so than any other adventure lid I’ve tried up until this point. In seconds, you can remove the visor and use it with goggles, or whip the peak off and ride in it as a standard full-face. If you want a cool street-bike style with googles but no peak, you can do that too. There are no spares to carry around, and only a coin is required to take the peak off. Brilliant.

An adventure helmet like this, with a peak, isn’t going to be for everyone, and if the majority of your riding is on motorways you’ll probably soon take that peak off. But the safety benefit of it in low sun means it’s spending a lot of time in place on my lid, and while the extra drag and drumming it can cause (depending on your bike) can take a little getting used to, it’s a fantastic piece of kit that, while not cheap, more truly offers four different helmets in one than any other I’ve tried.

If you’d like to chat about this article or anything else biking related, join us and thousands of other riders at the Bennetts BikeSocial Facebook page.

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Shoei Hornet ADV Review and Road Test

The Shoei Hornet ADV is the successor to the Shoei Hornet, and acts as Shoei’s top range dual-sports adventure helmet.

Shoei Hornet ADV Review

The Shoei Hornet ADV is the successor to the Shoei Hornet, and acts as Shoei’s top range dual-sports adventure helmet. This means that while it is designed to work as a high quality full face helmet on the road, it is also designed with off road riding in mind for those who like to occasionally leave the streets behind. This dual functionality is going to cost 519 euros, or around 600 USD at its recommended retail price. Later on in this review you’ll see how the Hornet ADV performs out on the road, but first we are going to take a closer look at the helmet and its features.

But before we get started, if you’re interested in seeing any of our other dedicated helmet reviews , you can find those on your YouTube channel, in our dedicated review playlist.

Ventilation

Some adventure riders may be looking at this helmet and wondering if they can easily pair it with their goggles. Well one really cool feature of this helmet is that you can ride with goggles without removing the visor. You simply fully open the visor, and shove on your goggles, making sure the strap sits in the groove on the back of the helmet. Another nice feature of the visor is that it can be removed without having to remove the peak, something which couldn’t be done on the previous Hornet. You simply fully open the visor, and pull down the trigger while lifting off the visor. To reinsert it you line the visor back up in the groove, and push down. This simple system means you can easily change your visor on the fly without having to mess with the peak.

Remember if you want to purchase the Shoei Hornet ADV , you can find it on our website at Championhelmets.com , where you can see the product bundles we have available, and where you get free shipping and the lowest price guaranteed.

The Hornet gets a lot of things right, like its comfort and the ability to remove the visor without removing the peak, but also falls short when it comes to ventilation. What this means is you have to make some concessions if you are interested in this helmet. Let us know what you think of the Hornet ADV in the comments, and if you have any questions please join us in our live chat on our website.

My name is Kees with Champion Helmets, and I hope to see you again soon.

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Arai XD4 vs Shoei Hornet X2

Discussion in ' Equipment ' started by alvincullumyork , Apr 26, 2016 .

alvincullumyork Ol Two Flags Supporter

So I need a new helmet and I would like to get a good one. I currently have an Icon Variant that treated me fairly well but I want more and better. I would like for my next helmet to first be quiet and second be goggle compatible. I have it narrowed down to the two in the title but I am open to suggestions.

motoexp Been here awhile

I had an XD-4 for a while. I only got rid of it because it didn't fit my head shape. But its top quality and protection. But it was NOT quiet at highway speeds.

BobcatSig 4th gear singletrack

Like @motoexp metnioned, the XD4 is not the quietest helmet. I have one and I love it ... for around town. Tours, not so much. The XD4 is goggle compatible. Can't say much on the Shoei as they don't fit my head. They make great helmets In the end, get the helmet that fits your head.

BobcatSig said: ↑ In the end, get the helmet that fits your head. Click to expand...

K1W1 Long timer

+whatever for a helmet that fits you properly. I'm a Shoei head not an Arai head and I think the X2 is a utterly fantastic helmet. I had the original Hornet and the X2 is a massive improvement (except comfort, they are both very comfortable for me). On thing the Shoei does not suffer from is the vibrations in the peak many Arai people report.

HOTPASS F*ck cancer.

It's been a long love/hate thing with my shoei x2. I loved the original hornet. The x2 is really quiet, pin lock is awesome, venting actually works, but the thing has been trying to rip my ears off for many thousands of miles now. It's the big block of comfort foam under the ear. It's getting better,slowly. This is a common complaint. Another thing that probably doesn't affect many. my smh10 speakers don't fit. The speaker cut outs are not nearly deep enough. I modified it a bit, but it still puts a slight bit of pressure on my earplugs that hurts like hell after a few hours. Still working on that fix. This is also a common complaint. Yet Another thing...its heavy...really heavy... Its balanced well on the head, but damn. This too....is also a common complaint. It's a great helmet,I've just never had so many little niggles to work out on a helmet. I use it mostly for long trips and bad weather commuting. Wear my offroad helmet and goggles most of the time nowadays. Oh...and it fits some goggles decent enough. My 100% Accuri OTG don't fit very well,certainly not enough for dust or roost. I do have some old Scott's that fit fine,so you probably outta bring your goggles with you to try. The opening is not quite large enough top to bottom. I have never been able to close the visor over the goggles like some dualsport helmets do. The X2 is a really nice helmet, and I'm hoping it'll keep softening up, I can live with the other little niggles. I'd say it certainly feels like a $600 helmet.

Av8rPaul Have bike will travel

Ordered an X2 today from Revzilla. Tried on the Arai but it is not shaped like my head, the Shoei is perfect for me.

BobPS Been here awhile

I wear Arai TX3...it's similar to XD4, it's the non US model designation. It fits my head perfectly and really comfortable to wear. It's not a quite helmet though (neither is my Arai RX7). It starts to get noisy at about 70-80 kph, but the noise doesn't bother me cause most of the time I wear ear plugs. Fit and comfort are more important to me.

Well looks like I'll be trying on some helmets. I really want to the hornet to fit better.

Nesquik Long timer

HOTPASS said: ↑ It's been a long love/hate thing with my shoei x2. I loved the original hornet. The x2 is really quiet, pin lock is awesome, venting actually works, but the thing has been trying to rip my ears off for many thousands of miles now. It's the big block of comfort foam under the ear. It's getting better,slowly. This is a common complaint. Another thing that probably doesn't affect many. my smh10 speakers don't fit. The speaker cut outs are not nearly deep enough. I modified it a bit, but it still puts a slight bit of pressure on my earplugs that hurts like hell after a few hours. Still working on that fix. This is also a common complaint. Click to expand...

MotoPolo So many places, so little time

I tried the Shuberth, NEXX and Arai dual sports and settled on the Shoei - fit my head better, the workmanship is awesome and the reviews say it is the only peak that really works. I also like the no tools visor change I got the black and orage and it looks great - should provide some hi -vis capability - Also the Shoei has the largest eyeport for goggles

FlyByWire535 Adventurer

I like my XD4, but I can fog it up in 85 degree weather. It's terrible in that regard. Thinking about a C3Pro... Not exactly sure I need an enduro helmet, even offroad.

RetiredandRiding Retired to Ride Supporter

FlyByWire535 said: ↑ I like my XD4, but I can fog it up in 85 degree weather. It's terrible in that regard. Thinking about a C3Pro... Not exactly sure I need an enduro helmet, even offroad. Click to expand...

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