Best Motorcycle Helmets of 2018 at RevZilla.com
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00:00Hey, this is Anthony with RevZilla, where you can watch, decide, and ride.
00:03Welcome to the best new motorcycle helmets of 2018.
00:09At RevZilla.com, we've been reviewing motorcycle helmets and gear since 2009.
00:15Thousands of helmets from dozens of brands, and we're always thinking about multitude
00:19of riding styles, weather, and certainly riding distances.
00:22Now, in this video, we're going to break down the best four new motorcycle helmets for 2018.
00:28If you're thinking about more specific helmets, like track day helmets, adventure helmets,
00:32or sport touring lids, make sure you check out our motorcycle helmet category videos.
00:36Now, the last thing to think about is our evaluation criteria.
00:41Regarding these helmets, we think about safety features, fit and finish, comfort ventilation,
00:45and it all leads us back to helmet for dollar.
00:48Let's dive in.
00:50First up in our 18 guide is the best new helmet under $200.
00:54This is the Scorpion XO R420.
00:56Now, at first glance, you're going to look at a sport-oriented motorcycle helmet.
01:01Think your ninja set, your street triple set, your naked bike set.
01:03Really, there's a versatility to this helmet because it's going to do so many things well,
01:07whether you're upright, three-quarter, or in the tuck position.
01:10The first thing we love about it, besides the fact that it comes in around the $150
01:14mark, is going to be the fit scheme, and that jumped out at us.
01:17The previous version of this helmet, which we love, which is the XO R410, was a round shape.
01:22This helmet is now intermediate oval.
01:25That's going to be really a fit congruent with most of the riding universe in the North
01:29American market.
01:30A little bit longer front to back, not overly narrow, not overly wide.
01:34That should fit most riders.
01:36You're still looking at a helmet here that's going to be Snell, DOT rated, and come in
01:40at the three pounds, nine ounce mark.
01:42We think about that helmet at speed while riding.
01:45It's balanced.
01:46It's light.
01:47The thing that really jumped out at us was also the ventilation scheme.
01:50In a ride, you're getting a multi-position chin vent.
01:52You have a nice tall chimney vent towards the top, and the thing that stood out at us
01:56outside of the fact that it floated a ton of air was also the actuation on this vent.
02:01Remember, you're sub $200, but all of the fit and finish around these parts to the hand
02:06when you're using them are actually going to feel like a North of $200 helmet, if not
02:10a North of $300 helmet.
02:12From here, we're going to go to the other end of the spectrum and dive into our best
02:15new premium helmet.
02:19Leading the charge as our best new premium motorcycle helmet for 2018 is the AGV Sport
02:25Modular.
02:26Generic name, not a generic helmet.
02:28It's all technical.
02:29It's all R&D focused.
02:30Now, if we look at this helmet, it will really do everything well in a multitude of riding
02:36scenarios.
02:37When I say that, I'm thinking sport touring, sport commuting.
02:39I'm thinking on a Ducati Multistrada to a KTIC 1600.
02:42The only thing I'm not going to give you for this Sport Modular is a track day because
02:46it is DOT ECE, but again, you're not taking a modular to the track.
02:50When we think about the flexibility of that chin bar, it's really a creature comfort.
02:54Now, when we think about fitment for this helmet, no surprises here.
02:58Intermediate oval in its head shape, AGV has done an excellent job of really homologating
03:02their own fit, being intermediate oval a little bit longer front to back as they've developed
03:07their line over the last few years.
03:09The first thing I love about the Sport Modular is the fact that it's going to be 3K carbon.
03:13It's less about the fact that it's carbon, it's really what you get from that.
03:17This is a three pounds, four ounce carbon fiber modular helmet.
03:20Now, it's nearly a full pound lighter than the competitive set and it incorporates for
03:25the first time ever a full carbon fiber chin bar.
03:29We typically don't see that.
03:31The other thing we picked up was really when we're riding this helmet, the ventilation
03:34is great.
03:35It's using an interior that's really nice against the skin, but the nice part is you
03:38have the ability to tune the Ritmo liner so you can invert it whether you're optimizing
03:42to stay cool or block those vents and you're optimizing to stay warm in maybe more wintertime
03:46riding scenarios.
03:48The last thing that jumped out at us when we really think R&D here is the fact that
03:52they have fully streamlined your shield mechanism over top of your chin bar pivot mechanism.
03:57Typically these tend to be bigger and bulkier on modular helmets.
04:00What this allows AGV to do is streamline the helmet while also beefing up the EPS and protection
04:06elements behind where these hinges would typically go.
04:09All in, the AGV Sport Modular is absolutely going to be a major investment, but remember,
04:14you're investing in a helmet that's changing the game.
04:17It's the first time we're seeing a modular helmet get anywhere near the three pound mark.
04:21Also, keep in mind, check out the rest of our 2018 gear guide series where we certainly
04:25cover products, but we dive deeper this year into motorcycle rider types like dirt, adventure
04:31or track day enthusiasts.
04:33Now let's move on to the next lid.
04:36Next up, we have the runner up for the best new helmet of 2018.
04:41Just getting edged out, but amazing nonetheless, this is the HJC ARFA 70ST.
04:47Now this is a replacement for the original ARFA ST, and if we look at this helmet, you're
04:52going to notice if you've seen these lids before, much, much more aggressive.
04:56The theme here is they've stolen from the ARFA 11 Pro, which from HJC is their track
05:02thoroughbred.
05:03What they've done is they've taken the aggressive angles, the aerodynamic profile, and they've
05:07baked it into a helmet that in my opinion, whether you're getting a graphic or a solid,
05:11you can ride in a multitude of riding styles from the track to sport commuting, sport riding,
05:17and really sport touring if you so desire.
05:20They've given you the ability to cover the bases.
05:22Now from a fit scheme, it's not really changed, and we like that because it was already intermediate
05:26oval.
05:27Not a surprise today that we're seeing that across the board.
05:29It fits most of the US market.
05:31Remember, a little bit longer front to back.
05:33The first thing that we love about this helmet and the fact that they're stealing from the
05:37ARFA 11 Pro is you get the benefit of some of the angles and the arrow and the balance
05:41and really how this fits its speed, but you're not pigeonholed into that ARFA 11 Pro, which
05:45really is happiest with your chin on the tank.
05:47You can rock this with the chin on the tank, but three-quarter upright, you're going to
05:51be just fine.
05:52When it comes to our riding opinion of the ARFA 70ST, this is where ventilation shows
05:57up one more time.
05:58We loved the ARFA 11 Pro's vent scheme.
06:01We called it the best venting helmet of all time.
06:03Now, this new HJC can stand toe-to-toe with it.
06:07We think about riding from the track all the way to long-distance touring, that better
06:11venting scheme is going to come in much more handy.
06:15It's easy to see why the ARFA 70ST certainly is elevated now and makes our shortlist for
06:20best new helmets of 18.
06:22Now let's move on to helmet of the year.
06:26The motorcycle helmet landscape is certainly vast and diverse.
06:28To be the best in this category, you have to do a little bit more than just check the
06:31boxes.
06:32This helmet absolutely does that.
06:34The best new motorcycle helmet for 2018 is the Arai Defiant X.
06:39If we get a quick glance at it, brand new to the market, you're going to see a super
06:43premium helmet that covers many of the bases in an exemplary way that really traverses
06:48a lot of different riding styles.
06:50When I look at this helmet, I think about FCO9s to Monsters to Harley Fat Bobs to really
06:55Ducati Diavels.
06:56There's no true category you can't have a great riding experience if you're riding in
07:00a Defiant X.
07:01Now, from a fit standpoint, the Defiant X is going to come in intermediate oval.
07:07Much like the Corsair X or the Arai DTX, this is a more universal fit scheme that also stays
07:13true to the fact that you can tune the cheek pads or tune the crown by removing different
07:18tabs.
07:19The first thing that jumps out specifically about the Defiant X though is the styling
07:24factor.
07:25If you've ridden a similar Simpson, we've seen no one really do a premium helmet in
07:28this category that will not sacrifice, that couples this retro-inspired flavor with a
07:33bit of that retro whiskering with a super premium, no compromises, DOT and Snell rated
07:39lid.
07:40Arai has finally done that.
07:41They've typically been spherical.
07:43They're now evolving their technology as it relates design.
07:47The other thing we noted about the Arai Defiant X when it comes to the ride is that on longer
07:51distance rides, you're going to feel the fit factor, the tunability, the premium eco-pure
07:57liner and the internal and external ventilation schemes on this lid.
08:00For the first time, we've seen Arai do something different.
08:03If we look along the cheek pads here, you're going to see additional intakes.
08:06These aren't going to be the ones that go to the temple.
08:09These now go behind the cheek pad, but now for warm to hot weather riding, you are creating
08:13a vacuum that sucks air, channels it behind the cheek pad and keeps your face even cooler.
08:18When you couple that with a chin vent, eyelid vents, chimney vents and your passive and
08:22active rearward vents, you're now taking a ventilation scheme which was already premium
08:26and industry leading and you're improving it that much further.
08:31Looking at the totality of this helmet, you're looking at DOT and Snell rated.
08:34It's a major investment, but it's a helmet that's going to last you.
08:38When we tie everything together, coupling the new style with the new ventilation, it's
08:42easy to arrive at the Arai Defiant X being the best new helmet of 2018.
08:48If you want to learn more about the selections in our 2018 gear guide series, make sure you
08:53check out RevZilla for videos, articles and of course our opinion to guide you through
08:57the riding season.
08:58Also, don't forget to subscribe to make sure you don't miss our product or rider type guides
09:03we'll be rolling out soon.
09:05I'm Anthony, we'll see you next time.
09:18Transcribed by https://otter.ai