PRoductreviews
Shoei Rating: B- Shoei has gone so far as to offer pre- molded inserts for comm speakers. In theory this is superb, as the speak- ers slip right in with a bit of adhesive Velcro® and POOF, perfectly placed sound! Except…the inserts proved too small for the speakers and accom- panying cables. We were tempted to Dremel® out more space, but decided instead to place small foam spacers behind each speaker to fill in the cavities. This did the trick, though someone with sensitive ears may find the transducers comfort.
too close for
Touratech Rating: B- Touratech had us swearing up a storm during the install. The sharp angles of the external shell made placement of the comm’s brain difficult, as the long antenna would hang up on deployment. Rather than using the traditional pinch- mount, Touratech recom- mends that a comm be adhered to the side so as to not interfere with the padding and their mounts. This resulted in odd placement of the brain, making volume adjustments require extra reach. That being said, Touratech redeemed itself with placement of the speakers and micro- phone, both of which had pre- molded inserts. Install was a pain, but once done, the feel and sound of this comm system was the best of three.
the
Comfort The communication systems installed, we went on to checking the feel of each helmet. This began with quick, slip-on-and-off sessions, fol- lowed by hours of ride time for each. We should point out that no helmet feels exceptional the first few times
32 BMW OWNERS NEWS April 2016
worn, as they need a little “break in” time so that the padded elements can conform to the head shape of their owner. Both Adven- ture Brothers wear XL helmets, and we both have round, “German” flat-forehead crani- ums (or so we’re told).
Shoei Rating: A Shoei came in first, with a superb initial fit. The padding inside the helmet is soft and
limit of what we could squeeze into. The material is soft and comfortable, though a hot spot developed on our foreheads after an hour or so of riding. This was corrected with a bit of styrofoam kneading with our thumbs and some elbow grease, a time- honored tradition among helmet experts. Touratech includes several additional ergo- nomic adhesive pads with the helmet, which are well suited to improving individ- ual comfort. We saw no need to use these during testing, though others might find they make all the differ- ence in improving the fit.
Aerodynamics This is where things got
fun. We
hopped on our BMW R 1150 / 1200 GSes and went to it, riding California hills and twisties (with special atten- tion given to obeying all laws and posted speed limits). Along the way we stood up, looked around, adjusted peaks and visors, doing anything and everything we could think of that rid- ers might do to their helmets while riding.
Shoei Rating: A- Shoei was the winner here, though it was a close call. Their peak has sev- eral well-placed airflow vents, mak- ing head movement easy and unencumbered. We should point out that Shoei has the smallest peak, which sort of defeats the purpose of
comfortable, and slides well on and off. This held true for the long haul, with no discomfort or hotspots to note.
Arai Rating: B- Arai was next, also with awesome short and long term comfort. Their only knock was the material, which was decidedly less com- fortable than Shoei or Touratech. “Abrasive” comes to mind, though this is a strong word to use. “Rough” maybe?
Touratech Rating: C Touratech helmets seem to run a little small, and the XL we reviewed was right at the
having a sun shade while riding. (All dirt roads go directly into the setting sun. It’s just a fact.)
Touratech Rating: B+ Touratech was a close second. The Adve- turo
sports a lengthwise-adjustable peak
which, combined with sharp aerodynamics of the shell, makes for a comfortable ride at all speeds. There was the slightest bit of tug when looking up and around, a fair trade for the amount of sun protection you get.
Arai Rating: B- On its own the Arai feels great, but was a
member tested
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