The brand new Bell Mag-9 Helmet is the aggressive successor to the Mag-8 3/4 helmet. This helmet is built for a variety of riding scenarios, from long-distance touring to cruising to scootering and urban light motorcycling. Designed of a lightweight yet resilient polycarbonate shell, the Bell Mag 9 Helmet features three EPS sizes to minimize material, but maximize comfort and protection. The Bell Mag-9 is DOT certified and features a laundry list of upgrades over its predecessor. Bell has added intake and exhaust vents to create the trademarked Velocity Flow ventilation on Bell Helmets, which makes this one of, if not the, most ventilated open face helmets on the market. The interior is removable and washable and there are all new cutouts for speakers making installation of your bluetooth communication a cinch. Check out our detailed video review some photos of the brand new Bell Mag 9 below.
The Bell Mag 9 Sena Rally adds a set of classic racing stripes down the middle of the helmet. In addition, the "Sena" designation means that it is designed to accept a Sena Bluetooth communications device in a pre-configured cutout on the side of the helmet. This feature is sold separately, but allows for a clean, integrated approach to adding a communication device. Check out our review on this added functionality below:
New for the upcoming season, Bell Helmets has released a few striking new graphics for their popular retro-styled Bell Custom 500 Helmet. Building on the style and feel that has made the Custom 500 successful so far, Bell has expanded their palette with some choice colors and designs. Lookout vintage junkies!
When you buy Shoei Helmets, you know you are buying one of the most premium motorcycle helmets that money can get you. The Shoei RJ Platinum-R Helmet features the same attention to quality, detail, performance and protection found in all their lids. The RJ Platinum R is Shoei's take on the classic 3/4 helmet, designed for the upright rider, the cruiser, the tourer, and essentially any rider seeking the feel of the wind on his face while rolling along the open road.
The Shoei RJ Platinum-R Helmet uses Shoei's AIM+ (Advanced Integrated Matrix Plus) shell design. This weave is a combination of fiberglass, organic fibers, and Shoei's high-performance fiber, which creates a shell that offers excellent impact protection in a lightweight compound; the RJ Platinum-R is DOT and Snell certified. While it is open face and you're going to get a great deal of air flowing through this lid, there are additional intake vents at the brow that can be closed and rear top vents that will suck the hot air away from your head. Shoei's OpenRoad visor is easy to snap on and is completely removable if you so choose.
Inside, the liner and cheek pad materials are extremely soft and comfortable, moisture-wicking and everything can be removed and washed. The helmet liner features a 3D design for added comfort and uses a tab connection system which eliminates pressure points along the forehead. Even the double d-ring chin strap features this same soft material for comfort along the chin. Knowing how important and popular bluetooth systems are these days, Shoei made sure that you can easily install a bluetooth communication unit into the RJ Platinum-R. This helmet is available in ten different solid color choices, so there truly is a style available for every rider out there.
Sleek, aerodynamic, and stylish are three of the important features to a buyer of an open face helmet. The AFX FX-50 Helmet is packed with high-tech features and is a very technical lid, designed to meet the needs of a ton of different riders. The Goldwing riders cruising on the weekend will appreciate the aerodynamics and drop down internal sun-visor. The scooter jockeys ripping through the urban sprawl will love the ultra modern open-face style and everybody will approve of the FX-50 after seeing the price tag is way below 100 bucks.
One of the best features of the FX-50 is its ultra modish styling. Its aggressive lines and mini sun-visor sitting above the face-shield makes the FX-50 look like something from the year 2050. These features do more then give this helmet a unique style. One of the major downfalls of open face helmets is poor stability and aerodynamics at highway speeds but the rear lip on the FX-50 is designed to act like a spoiler and remove some of the buffeting and stabilize the helmet without adding much weight. The visor on the front of the helmet helps keep the sun out of the riders eyes and has the most aerodynamic shape possible to prevent it from acting like a sail and lifting the helmet off the riders head.
The internal retractable sun visor makes the FX-50 even more protean and the ratcheting helmet strap makes the helmet that much easier to use. If you're having issues with the sun being directly in your face then just flip the sun visor down. This also helps give the helmet that futuristic look. If taking off your gloves to take off your helmet is an annoyance then the ratcheting helmet strap is going to be your best friend. Push the red clip to undo the strap and the helmet slides right off. It's simple and easy. Internally, the soft helmet liner and cheekpads are antimicrobial and hypoallergenic, and everything is removable and washable. This helps to ensure the longevity and cleanliness of the helmet's guts.
For under a hundred bucks you really can't go wrong with this helmet. If this helmet fits the style and design you're looking for then this will be a great choice. It's DOT approved which is as good as it gets for a helmet that's not a full face. Sizes go from XS to 2XL so there's a wide range of heads this helmet will fit and its intermediate oval head shape will fit a ton of riders.
Constantly innovating the approach, materials and technologies involved in helmet manufacturing, the newest move forward from Arai Helmets is a new approach to the open face helmet. Truly a 3/4 helmet in construction, the Arai XC Helmet and Arai XC Ram Helmet features a longer and "extended coverage" (hence the XC) chinbar, providing an additional 3cm (1-3/16") of length to each chin bar (compared to other open face helmets) for overall greater protection. With their newest helmet, Arai gives riders a significant boost in facial protection, while maintaining the wind-in-your-face nature of an open face lid.
First, let me detail the differences between these two helmets to avoid any confusion from arising. The first difference is pretty straight forward: the ventilation. The XC Ram borrows its venting scheme directly from the Corsair V, Arai's super premium race helmet, and features a horseshoe intake pattern beneath two cowls that add stability at speed. The ventilation scheme on the XC comes directly from the RX-Q, Arai's long-distance touring lid. Internally, the XC Ram uses Arai's premium guts, a completely removable and washable DryCool liner and cheek pads, which is antimicrobial and moisture-wicking. The XC's interior is a more basic moisture-wicking interior with only the cheek pads being removable and washable. That's it for the differences.
The shell is Arai's Super Fiber Laminate which is lightweight yet extremely strong. Arai always builds to a self-imposed safety standard that all of their helmets meet. The multi-density single-piece EPS liner manages impact energy extremely well, while maintaining its lightweight nature. Beyond the fact that these helmets are open face and will flow air in that manner, there are also extensive venting schemes in both of these lids that will keep your head cool and dry all day long. Moisture-wicking liners and cheek pads help to maintain the comfort levels. The shield is an advanced flip-up that is pre-curved, scratch-resistant and allows a wide range of vision and solid coverage.
For aerodynamics, the Fixed Air-Wing gives a high degree of stability and limits buffeting when traveling at high speeds.The faceshield is also completely removable and there are Smoke and Light Tint shield options available. These helmets are primarily designed for the cruiser and tourer but will also be a great choice for the city rider and commuter looking for the wind-in-your-face feel of an open face. Couple that with Arai's extreme attention to safety and performance, the extended coverage of the chin bars, and you've got one of the most premier choices in the open face realm. The XC and XC Ram each meet DOT and Snell 2010 safety standards.
