2011 HJC RPS-10 Ben Spies Monster Energy Helmet

The HJC RPS-10 Ben Spies Monster Helmet is a brand new graphic option for 2011, and maintains all of the features that made the RPS-10 such a home run product when it was released last Fall. From its lightweight nature to its extremely high degree of airflow to the stability found even at track speeds, the RPS-10 is one of HJC Helmets' crowning achievements of the last couple of years. Snell 2010 certified and primed for the track, the RPS-10 only gets better with this slick new Spies graphic. Check out the product page via the link above for more photos of the brand new HJC RPS-10 Ben Spies Monster Helmet!

To see our full review of one of our most popular sport riding helmets over the last year, check out our HJC RPS-10 Helmet Review:

-RetroZilla

Motorcycle Race Helmet Buying Guide

Rounding out our string of Motorcycle Helmet Guides, today we present our newest installation which is for all you racers and trackday riders out there. Our Motorcycle Race Helmet Buying Guide details the important nuances that separate the better from the best and will help racers determine which helmet best suits their needs. We cover helmet weights, aerodynamics, ventilation, comfort, shell shape and price point for our six picks for the best racing helmets available on the market. This should serve as a good starting point for anyone looking to buy a new race helmet. Also, be sure to check out the full video reviews on the individual product pages on RevZilla.com or RevZillaTV.com

The first helmet in the group, the baby of the bunch, is the HJC RPS-10 Helmet. The RPS-10 was developed over the course of two and half years with HJC's collaboration with MotoGP rider Ben Spies (who is currently sporting it on the circuit). Here are the stats:

• Price: $314.99 and up
• Weight: 3lbs 6oz
• Shell: PIM (Premium Integrated Matrix) Fiberglass
• Fit: Round Oval
• Excellent Stability and Ventilation
• Snell 2010 Certification

Next up is the Shark RSR 2 Helmet, currently being worn by Randy DePuniet in the MotoGP circuit. Out of France, Shark has been manufacturing high-end helmets since 1929. Here are the stats on the RSR 2:

• Price: $444.99 and up
• Weight: 3lbs 7oz
• Shell: Carbon Fiber / Kevlar Blend
• Fit: Long Oval
• Excellent Ventilation, Extremely Quiet Ride
• 3mm Faceshield
• ECE and DOT Certified

The third helmet in our lineup is the AGV GP Tech Helmet and any racing enthusiast who hasn't been living under a stone for the last decade will recognize this as MotoGP Champion Valentino Rossi's lid. AGV Helmets, an Italian company, has sponsored Vale for quite a while. The stats on the GP Tech:

• Price: $529.99 and up
• Weight: 3lbs 7oz
• Shell: Two-Piece Dual-Density Carbon Kevlar
• Fit: Intermediate Oval
• Exceptional Ventilation and Stability
• ECE and DOT Certified

The Bell Star Helmet, completely redesigned for 2010, has quietly been making a big splash in the racing community since it dropped earlier this year. It's being worn in AMA by Josh Herrin and the hype surrounding it is much deserved. The stats on the Bell Star:

• Price: $549.95 and up
• Weight: 3lbs 9oz
• Shell: Kevlar, Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass Tri-Matrix
• Fit: Round Intermediate Oval
• Great Aerodynamics and Ventilation (with added Track Strip)
• Photochromatic Transitions Shield Available
• Snell 2010 Certified

The Shoei X-12 Helmet arrives as the replacement to the mega-popular X-11, which led the industry for years. The X-12 arrives with many upgrades over its predecessor, including updated certification and shell improvements. The stats on the Shoei X-12:

• Price: $613.79 and up
• Weight: 3lbs 10oz
• Shell: AIM+ Fiberglass and Organic Fibers
• Fit: Intermediate to Long Oval
• Good Ventilation, Noise Levels and Aerodynamics
• Emergency Release Cheek Pads
• Extremely Low Profile
• Snell 2010 Certification

Lastly, we have the helmet that is ultimately the measuring stick by which all other race helmets are compared. The Arai Corsair V Helmet, which replaces the Arai RX-7 Corsair, is worn by most professional racers whether they are sponsored or not. Racers turn down other helmet sponsorships to buy a Corsair V on their own. Here are the stats: 

• Price: $692.95 and up
• Weight: 3lbs 4oz (lightest race helmet on the market)
• Shell: Super Complex Laminate, Super Fiber
• Fit: Intermediate Oval
• Adjustable AirWing for Exceptional Aerodynamics
• Great Stability and Ventilation at Speed
• Emergency Release Cheek Pads
• Snell 2010 Certification

There you have it. Our round up of the top race helmets on the market. Please be sure to check out the in-depth reviews of these helmets on their individual pages at RevZilla.com. Check out our full selection by visiting the Motorcycle Helmets section of the site.

-RetroZilla

Related:

How to Buy a Motorcycle Helmet

Super Premium Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

Premium Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

Everyday Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide
AGV Helmets vs Shark Helmets

New October Motorcycle Gear & Deals

Welcome to RevZilla's Halloween Adventure. We have deals by the boatload this month, in addition to a ton of new products from Firstgear and Alpinestars, plus brand new helmets from Shoei helmets, HJC helmets and Nolan helmets. Klim just released a brand new off-road two-piece suit, and we just brought a new line into RevZilla: AltRider, a manufacturer of motorcycle protection for ADV bikes.

We enlisted the help of our trusty 80-year-old muse, Uncle Eli, to assist us in presenting this brand new gear and this month's huge savings. We hope you enjoy the video, our October New Gear & Deals.



Firstly, we have big savings on three jackets from Olympia. The staple of their lineup, the all-season all-weather Olympia AST Jacket, drops from $299.99 all the way down to $239.99, a savings of 20%. This four-season beast is completely waterproof breathable beneath a 500D and 2000D Cordura construction. Available in a hi-viz version, the AST is a great choice for the year-round Touring rider. Built to handle any form of precipitation for Spring-Summer-Fall riding, the Olympia Bushwhacker Air Jacket also comes down 20%, from $259.99 down to $209.99, and is a great choice for the warm weather rider wishing to stay protected from all the elements. The Olympia Bushwhacker is also available in hi-viz yellow. Finally, the Olympia Recon 2 Air Jacket
drops 22% to $139.99 (from $179.99), and is a great warm weather
choice with ballistic mesh panels built into a 500D Cordura shell. The Recon 2
quickly transforms from an armored motorcycle jacket to a utility vest
by zipping off the sleeves.

We have two huge deals on Icon helmets as well this month. The Icon Alliance SSR Helmet, making way for the new Icon Alliance helmet, has savings up to 26% off and is available as low as $110. The Alliance SSR is an excellent sportbike helmet with superb ventilation and aerodynamics. The removable and washable Hydra Dry liner is a sweet upgrade, wicking sweat away from your face as you ride. The Icon Airframe helmet is available in nine graphics on sale right now as Icon makes room for the new round of graphics. The premier helmet from Icon, the Airframe flows possibly the most air of any helmet at RevZilla.com. It comes in multiple aggressively-styled graphics, available 25% off, down as low as $223. The last helmet deal of the month
is the AFX FX-37 helmet. The FX-37 is an entry-level dual sport
helmet that is 25% off down to $95 from $125.
A great first helmet or passenger helmet.

 On to new products for October, we have a few standout new helmets. The Shoei Qwest Helmet, built as the long-distance Touring complement to the Shoei RF-1100, is already making a big splash in the Touring community. Designed with an upright ventilation scheme, a slightly rounder and more accommodating head shape, and 1.2 dB less sound at speed, the Qwest is an excellent competitor for the Arai RX-Q. After two and a half years in development with MotoGP rider Ben Spies, the HJC RPS-10 was finally released recently to a great deal of industry buzz. A race helmet that crosses over to the sport and street world, the RPS-10 is impressively lightweight, strong, and extremely quiet at speed. Ben Spies isn't wearing it for nothing! Finally,
a new modular for this fall, the Nolan N90 Helmet, furthers Nolan's
run as an excellent modular helmet producer. At a lower price point
than most other modulars but offering all the same functionality, the
N90 is sure to be a hit in the ADV and Sport Touring worlds.

The Klim Traverse has us very excited this month for the off-road and snowmobiling community. The Klim Traverse Jacket and Klim Traverse Pants are built on an 840D Cordura developed specifically for this type of off-road gear and feature extremely durable waterproof breathable Gore-Tex fabrics. The Traverse is built to be worn either over a compression suit or with the d3o Armor Kit that is available. As you've seen on the blog recently, Firstgear and Alpinestars also delivered a ton of new product for their Fall 2010 lineups. We're probably most juiced up about the Firstgear Expedition Suit, a great oversuit for the commuter or tourer, and the Alpinestars Durban Jacket and Pants that will compete head-to-head with any other all-season all-weather
ADV touring option out there.

Finally, we are extremely excited about bringing in AltRider protective gear. Designed, developed, and manufactured in the Seattle area, AltRider creates high-quality, American-made protective gear for adventure motorcycles. AltRider addresses and fixes many of the problems that we ADVers have had in the past with protective gear for our bikes. All the instructions are in English, there are several installation videos, and, simply put, it's high-quality gear that is stylish, engineered well, and simple to install. AltRider makes a litany of pieces for GSes, V-Stroms, Multistradas, KTM 950s, and they are continuing to develop gear for other adventure bikes. We are really psyched about AltRider as it fills in a much-needed gap in the adventure touring community.

That will do it for this months deals, steals, and new products. Remember, we have full reviews of all the products featured in this video on the individual product pages at RevZilla.com and also on our YouTube channel, RevZillaTV.com. Jump on the deals fast because they definitely will not last long!

-RetroZilla

Related:
Shoei Qwest Helmet Review
HJC RPS-10 Helmet Review
Everyday Riding Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide
Icon Airframe Helmet Review

HJC RPS-10 Helmet Review

Being billed as the premier race helmet from HJC Helmets, the brand new for Fall 2010 HJC RPS-10 Helmet has us very impressed. HJC teamed up with MotoGP rider Ben Spies for a 2.5-year development period in which they fine tuned this helmet, creating a top-end race-level helmet at a very modest price point. Ben Spies is now wearing this helmet when racing MotoGP and it is crystal-clear that this helmet is worlds ahead of their old race helmet, the FS-15.

Check out our video review below:

Let's take a quick look at the spec breakdown of this helmet:

• Advanced PIM Shell: Aramid, Fiberglass & Carbon Fiber fuse together to create an extremely lightweight (3.3lbs) helmet that is CAD-designed for fit and comfort
• ACS (Advanced Channeling Ventilation System) provides full front-to-back airflow to pull heat and humidity out of the helmet; Two top-of-head vents are 6-way adjustable and glove-friendly for as much or as little airflow as you choose
• SilverCool Plus Interior is very plush, moisture-wicking and treated with gingko extract and silver which provides antibacterial and odor-free properties; the guts are 100% washable and removable with built-in communication speaker pockets
• Rapidfire Shield Replacement System allows for fast and easy tool-free shield changes
• Brand new HJC-20 shield features a groundbreaking one-touch center open/close mechanism that provides an extremely tight seal in addition to simple operation

Any time a helmet is being worn by a MotoGP rider, it is a huge endorsement. But when a race-level lid is developed in conjunction with a rider, it's entirely next-level. Starting at $314.99 for the six solid colors available (including hi-vis yellow) and going up to $499.99 for the HJC RPS-10 Ben Spies Replica Helmet, this is a moderately priced helmet for the advanced technological features it offers.

Check out its competitors by visiting our Snell 2010 Helmets page and our Sportbike Helmets page.

-RetroZilla

Related:

Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

August Heat: 35 Steaming Deals

Nate Kern Track Day Highlight Video