One of the first things I noticed on an ini-
tial test ride was the width and depth of the viewing port. It has a wider and taller view range than average. Another excellent fea- ture is the venting system, and since I received the test helmet in late March, I immediately scrambled to close the three- way wind-tunnel vent system. There are two vents over the brow, one under the chin, and one under the visor; I got them closed just before that nasty ice-cream headache set in. The venting is very effec- tive, and when I finally got to riding in the heat, all those vents help dry the toupee nicely, as I discovered when riding on a record breaking May day of 90+F (in Maine)! The Hornet-X2 has a fully removable
liner for washing out a week’s worth of ADV specific trail grime and an excellent visor seal. The helmet also comes with a pin-lock fog insert (an extra cost on most other pin-lock helmets). One of the most notable features is the V-460 visor, which is adorned with a series of aggressive vents for airflow management. The V-460 is by far one of the stiffest visors in its class of top quality helmets that I have encountered. Another feature not seen but felt is the
3D-Max Dry Interior System II liner. The liner is made from moisture wick-away materials and can be laundered right along with the rest of your grimy gear (the pillion appreciates this.) In concert with the excep- tional liner system is a removable chin cur- tain that helps mitigate some road noise
and acts as a weather barrier by reducing turbulent, under-chin air. A range of cheek pads and ear pads for the interior also helps to create the best fit possible. The Hornet-X2 is an exceptional addi-
tion to the growing line of ADV specific helmets, yet there are a few things that draw my evaluation down a notch. First, the peak-visor is positioned a little too high and does not cut a low horizon sun very well. Also, unless I pulled my chin down a little more than normal, the turbulence from my F 800’s Britannia Mirage-2 windscreen catches the lip of the visor, causing a strong vibration through the shell. I recognize that this is a rider positioning issue and is a common problem with high speeds and large peaks of the ADV helmet lines. The Hornet peak’s stiffness does help mitigate the vibration, but the cure for the Hornet X2 was raising or lowering my F-8’s wind- screen, and the vibration completely cleared up in a clean wind. Standing on the pegs at nearly any speed results in a very smooth experience, and my idea of ADV riding means a lot of standing. Second, wearing goggles is okay with the
face shield installed, but unlike other com- petitive ADV helmets, the rub on the gog- gle strap was annoying and stressed the hinge-point. The option to remove the face shield is an obvious fix, but I prefer the abil- ity to run both on those long adventure tours. Overall, the features and construc- tion of the high-end Hornet-X2 is on par with helmets from competitors such as Arai
and Bell Helmets. However, the little N.P.H’s. “smirky” chin vent might get some giggles from your riding compatriots, or in my case, one cute, little pillion I love. And, remember a quality ‘skid-lid’ is a good pre- vention to living out the rest of life drooling involuntarily and having your adult-diapers changed for you; think about that before you ride!
Shoei Hornet X2 Suggested Retail price for 2015-16 ride season Solids $603.99 (USD) Graphics $715.99 (USD)
Some Vendors:
ADVdesigns.com, RevZilla. com,
chaparral-racing.com, and Bobcycle. com
Pros: Light weight, SNELL-DOT approved, Multi-Ply Matrix AIM+ construction, excellent venting, very stiff, vented visor, emergency pull tabs on cheek pads, excel- lent price-value balance
Cons: Goggle and face shield interface problem- atic, peak-visor too high on the helmet, and the peak vibrates when caught in turbu- lence from windscreens.
More Information Contact: customerser-
vice@shoei.com,
http://www.shoei-hel-
mets.com/, 1-(714) 730-0941
200 MPH STOPPING POWER - CL BRAKE PADS 3
Great Quality & Value $ 37 95
Contact your local dealer or call 937-291-1735
®
CL Brakes makes the brake pads that stop France’s 200 MPH TGV Trains. Get the same stopping power for your BMW. German TÜV approved.
September 2015 BMW OWNERS NEWS 31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140