HJC’s RPHA line is where the brand competes with the premium Japanese and European names, and the RPHA 71 targets a specific and popular niche: the sport-touring rider who wants a genuinely capable full-face with touring features, without paying Shoei or Arai money. It slots neatly between HJC’s budget i71 and race-focused RPHA 1. After testing, it makes a strong case as a value sweet spot.

Shell and Certification

The RPHA 71 uses a premium carbon-fibre-reinforced composite shell — lighter and more sophisticated than the polycarbonate of budget helmets, bringing it closer to premium territory in construction. It carries ECE 22.06 certification. It doesn’t offer Snell certification, which limits its use at track days that require Snell, but for road and sport-touring use the ECE 22.06 certification is entirely appropriate.

Sport-Touring Features

The RPHA 71’s key appeal is including features usually found on pricier touring helmets. The internal sun visor is a genuine highlight at this price point — it deploys smoothly and adds real convenience for touring in variable light, though the tint could be a touch darker for the brightest conditions. A Pinlock insert is included, giving strong anti-fog performance out of the box. These are features that elevate it above budget sport helmets.

Noise and Ventilation

Noise isolation is good for the category — quieter than budget full-face helmets and competitive with more expensive sport-touring lids. It won’t match the RF-1400’s class-leading quiet, but for the price it’s impressive. Ventilation is well-judged, moving good airflow at speed while maintaining the noise performance — a sensible sport-touring balance rather than extreme cooling.

Comfort and Fit

The interior is comfortable and well-finished — good, though not quite at the premium tier of Shoei’s 3D Max-Dry System. It’s genuinely comfortable for long-distance touring. The fit runs slightly narrow, so riders with wider heads should try before buying, but for most it’s a comfortable intermediate oval fit consistent with HJC’s accommodating reputation.

Verdict

The HJC RPHA 71 is a genuine value sweet spot for sport-touring riders. A carbon-reinforced shell, an internal sun visor, an included Pinlock, and good noise performance at a price well below the premium Japanese rivals make it one of the best-value sport-touring helmets available. It’s not as refined as an RF-1400 at the very top end, and the lack of Snell limits some track use — but for road-focused sport-touring riders who want premium features without premium pricing, the RPHA 71 delivers exactly that. It sits comfortably between HJC’s i71 and RPHA 1 as the all-rounder of the range.

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Most adventure helmets are compromises — loud, buffet-prone, and rough around the edges compared to road-focused lids. The Shoei Hornet ADV takes a different approach, bringing Shoei’s road-helmet refinement to the adventure category. For riders whose adventure riding is road-biased with occasional off-road, it aims to be the most civilised option available. After testing, it largely succeeds.

Build and Certification

The Hornet ADV uses Shoei’s AIM+ multi-composite shell and carries ECE 22.06 certification. The build quality is immediately apparent — every vent, the peak mounting, and the visor mechanism operate with the precision Shoei is known for. It feels more like a premium road helmet with adventure features than a rough-and-ready off-road lid, which is exactly the point.

The Aerodynamic Peak

The standout engineering feature is the peak design. Most adventure helmet peaks catch the wind and generate significant buffeting and neck strain at road speeds. Shoei designed the Hornet ADV’s peak with aerodynamics in mind — it’s shaped and vented to reduce lift and turbulence. It’s not entirely drag-free at high motorway speeds, but it’s noticeably better behaved than most adventure peaks, making the Hornet ADV far more comfortable on long road sections between the trails.

Visor and Vision

The Hornet ADV uses a road-style visor rather than a goggle setup — a wide, clear visor with an excellent field of view and Pinlock compatibility for strong anti-fog performance. This makes it more convenient for road-biased riders who don’t want the hassle of goggles, but it also means it’s less suited to serious off-road use where goggles excel at debris protection. It’s a clear positioning choice: this is a road-biased adventure helmet.

Ventilation and Noise

Ventilation is good — better than most road helmets, appropriate for the varied speeds of adventure riding, though not matching the extreme airflow of pure off-road lids like the Fox Speedframe Pro. Noise is well-managed for an adventure helmet, benefiting from the aerodynamic peak and Shoei’s refinement — quieter than the Klim Krios Pro at motorway speeds, though still louder than a pure road full-face.

Comfort and Fit

The interior uses Shoei’s excellent moisture-wicking, removable liner, and the comfort over long distances is among the best in the adventure category. It’s genuinely suited to full days of road-biased adventure touring. The fit follows Shoei’s intermediate oval template, consistent with the rest of their range.

Verdict

The Shoei Hornet ADV is the adventure helmet for riders whose riding is road-biased — long tarmac stretches with occasional gravel and trail. Its aerodynamic peak, road-style visor, Shoei refinement, and long-distance comfort make it the most civilised adventure helmet available. It’s not the choice for serious off-road riders who need goggle compatibility and maximum ventilation — the Klim Krios Pro or Fox Speedframe Pro suit that better. But for the large number of adventure riders who spend most of their time on the road, the Hornet ADV is arguably the best-judged helmet in the category.

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The Scorpion EXO-Combat II is one of the more distinctive helmets on the market — a tactical-styled lid with a removable front mask that gives it an aggressive, unconventional appearance. It’s aimed at urban riders who want to stand out, and it occupies an unusual space between open-face and full-face. Understanding exactly what it offers — and what it doesn’t — is essential before buying.

The Concept and Styling

The EXO-Combat II’s defining feature is its removable front mask, which clips across the lower face to create the tactical look the helmet is known for. Removed, it functions as an open-face helmet; fitted, it takes on the aggressive military-inspired appearance. For urban riders who want a helmet unlike anything mainstream, the styling is genuinely distinctive and well-executed. Build quality is good for the price point.

Protection: An Important Distinction

This is the most important thing to understand about the EXO-Combat II: it is certified as an open-face (jet) helmet, not a full-face. The removable mask is a styling and wind-protection element — it does not provide the chin protection of a true full-face chin bar. The helmet carries ECE 22.06 certification for its open-face configuration, meaning it meets the standard for that category — but riders should not mistake the mask for full-face chin protection. If chin and lower-face protection is a priority, a true full-face is the correct choice.

Features

The EXO-Combat II includes an internal sun visor, a useful practical feature for the urban riding it’s designed for. The mask is removable and swappable, and the helmet can be run in different configurations depending on the look and the conditions. The interior is comfortable and the fit is consistent with Scorpion’s range.

Noise and Ventilation

As an open-face-derived design, the EXO-Combat II is loud at speed — the mask reduces wind blast somewhat compared to a bare open-face but doesn’t approach the noise isolation of a sealed full-face. This is fundamentally an urban helmet. Ventilation is adequate for city riding. For motorway use, the noise makes it tiring and earplugs are essential.

Comfort and Weight

The interior is comfortable for urban riding durations. The polycarbonate shell and the mask assembly make it heavier than a conventional open-face, though not dramatically so. The fit is consistent with Scorpion’s other helmets — check sizing against your head shape as with any helmet.

Verdict

The Scorpion EXO-Combat II is a distinctive urban helmet for riders who want the tactical aesthetic and the flexibility of a removable mask. It’s well-built, ECE 22.06 certified as an open-face, and includes useful features like the internal sun visor. The crucial caveat is protection: this is an open-face helmet with a styling mask, not a full-face — the mask does not provide chin-bar protection. For urban riders who understand and accept that trade-off in exchange for the distinctive look and open-face freedom, it delivers. Riders wanting full-face protection should look elsewhere.

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The Bell Bullitt is a love letter to the racing helmets of the 1960s — modelled on the original Bell Star, the first full-face helmet, but built to modern safety standards. It’s unashamedly a style-led helmet, aimed at cafe racer, classic, and custom riders who want period-correct looks. The question worth answering is whether it’s a genuine helmet or a costume piece. After testing, it’s firmly the former — with clear compromises that come from its retro form.

The Styling

There’s no helmet that nails the vintage aesthetic like the Bullitt. The smooth, round shell, the metal trim, the flat or bubble visor options, and the leather-trimmed interior all evoke 1960s racing perfectly. On a cafe racer, scrambler, or classic bike, it completes the look in a way no modern helmet can. This is the entire reason the Bullitt exists, and it delivers on that promise completely.

Modern Protection

Crucially, the Bullitt is not a novelty helmet — it carries full ECE 22.06 certification. The retro shape houses a modern multi-density EPS liner and a genuine protective structure. This is the key distinction from actual vintage helmets, which offer minimal protection by modern standards: the Bullitt gives you the classic look with contemporary safety. The build quality is excellent throughout, with the metal trim and leather interior feeling genuinely premium.

Visor and Vision

The wide, flat visor is one of the Bullitt’s genuine functional strengths — the field of view is expansive, better than many modern helmets. A bubble visor option is available for the most authentic vintage look, though it distorts slightly at the edges. The visor seals reasonably but the retro design doesn’t achieve the tight modern seal that keeps out wind and noise.

Noise and Ventilation: The Retro Tax

Here’s where the retro form exacts its price. The smooth, round 1960s shape was designed before aerodynamics and ventilation were understood — and it shows. The Bullitt is loud at motorway speeds, noticeably more so than any modern full-face. Ventilation is limited, with none of the channelled airflow of contemporary helmets. For urban riding, short spirited rides, and cruising on classic bikes, this is acceptable. For motorway commuting or touring, the noise makes it genuinely tiring — earplugs are essential.

Comfort and Fit

The leather-trimmed interior is comfortable and feels special. The fit runs snug and the classic shape is on the smaller side — many riders size up. It’s comfortable for the shorter, style-focused rides the Bullitt is designed for, though the limited ventilation makes it warm in summer.

Verdict

The Bell Bullitt succeeds completely at what it sets out to do: deliver genuine 1960s racing helmet style with modern ECE 22.06 protection. For cafe racer, classic, and custom riders who want period-correct looks without sacrificing certified safety, nothing else comes close. The noise and ventilation compromises are real and inherent to the retro form — this is an urban and short-ride helmet, not a tourer. Bought with clear eyes about its use case, the Bullitt is a genuinely special helmet that happens to also be properly protective.

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Icon makes helmets for riders who want to stand out. The Airflite is the brand’s signature urban helmet — aggressive, angular, with a distinctive shield design that looks like nothing from the mainstream Japanese or European brands. It’s a helmet built around an aesthetic, but after testing, there’s genuine substance behind the styling — within a clearly defined use case.

Styling and Identity

There’s no mistaking the Airflite for anything else. The aggressive streetfighter profile, the distinctive shield shape, and Icon’s bold graphic options make it a statement helmet for urban and naked-bike riders who want their gear to match the attitude of their machine. For the streetfighter and urban scene, nothing else looks quite like it. This is a helmet bought first and foremost on aesthetics — and it delivers on that promise emphatically.

The Shield System

The Airflite uses a distinctive shield that drops down over the face, combined with a separate internal sun visor. The main shield’s unusual shape is part of the helmet’s signature look, and it provides a wide field of view. The trade-off is that the proprietary shield shape limits aftermarket visor options compared to mainstream helmets. The internal drop-down sun visor is a genuinely useful feature for the urban rider moving between bright streets and shaded underpasses.

Certification and Build

The Airflite carries ECE and DOT certification. The shell is polycarbonate — heavier than composite alternatives, but meeting the certification standards robustly. Build quality is good for the price point, with solid mechanisms and a well-finished interior. It’s not a premium-tier helmet in construction, but it’s honestly priced for what it offers.

Noise: The Key Limitation

The Airflite is loud at motorway speeds. The angular streetfighter styling that defines its look creates significant wind turbulence above 60mph — this is fundamentally an urban helmet, and using it for sustained motorway riding will be fatiguing. For its intended use — urban riding, naked bikes, shorter spirited rides — the noise is acceptable. For touring or regular motorway commuting, it’s the wrong tool. Earplugs are essential for any extended higher-speed use.

Comfort and Fit

The interior is comfortable for the price and urban riding durations. Ventilation is good for stop-start city use. The fit runs slightly small — consider sizing up if you’re between sizes, and always try before buying. The internal sun visor and overall comfort make it a practical urban companion despite the noise compromise at speed.

Verdict

The Icon Airflite is exactly what it sets out to be: a distinctive, aggressive urban helmet for riders who want their gear to make a statement. The internal sun visor, good urban ventilation, and ECE/DOT certification back up the styling with real usability — within the urban use case. The noise at motorway speeds is the defining limitation, and it clearly marks the Airflite as an urban and naked-bike helmet rather than a touring lid. For the rider it’s designed for, it delivers style and substance in equal measure.

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Most riders add Bluetooth to their helmet with a retrofit unit. The Sena Stryker takes the opposite approach — the intercom is built into the helmet from the factory, with speakers, microphone, and antenna purpose-positioned rather than fitted into a shell designed without them. For the connected rider, this integration promises better audio and a cleaner setup. After testing, it largely delivers.

Integrated Electronics

The Stryker’s headline feature is its fully integrated Sena communication system. Both Bluetooth (for phone, music, and sat-nav) and Sena’s Mesh intercom (for rider-to-rider) are built in. Because Sena designed the helmet around the electronics, the speaker placement sits correctly over the ears, the microphone is optimally positioned, and there’s no external unit clamped to the shell. The audio is tuned by Harman Kardon and it’s genuinely excellent — clearer and richer than most retrofit installations.

Intercom Performance

Sena’s Mesh intercom is among the best in the business for group riding — it self-organises connections and handles riders joining and leaving the group dynamically. For solo use, the Bluetooth handles phone and music seamlessly. Noise cancellation keeps audio intelligible at motorway speeds. The limitation, as with all integrated systems, is ecosystem lock-in — the Stryker communicates best with other Sena systems, and switching brands later means replacing the whole helmet rather than just a unit.

Safety and Build

The Stryker carries ECE 22.06 certification. The shell is composite and the build quality is solid, though the integrated electronics add weight compared to a non-comms full-face. The battery is replaceable, which is important for the helmet’s longevity — integrated batteries that can’t be replaced limit a helmet’s usable life to the battery’s lifespan.

Comfort, Ventilation and Noise

Comfort is good for medium-length rides; the interior is well-finished without reaching Shoei premium levels. Ventilation is modest — adequate for typical road use but not a standout. Wind noise is well-managed for a helmet of this type, helped by the absence of an external intercom unit creating turbulence. For connected riders, the clean shell is both an aesthetic and acoustic benefit.

Verdict

The Sena Stryker is the helmet to buy if integrated communications are your priority and you’re committed to the Sena ecosystem. The Harman Kardon audio is excellent, the Mesh intercom is class-leading for group riding, and the clean integration beats any retrofit installation. The trade-offs — weight, price, ecosystem lock-in — are inherent to the integrated approach. For riders who want the best built-in comms experience and value audio quality, it’s a compelling package.

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HJC has built its reputation on delivering genuine value — helmets that meet current safety standards and include useful features at prices well below the premium brands. The i71 is one of their most accessible full-face helmets, and it includes a feature usually reserved for pricier lids: an internal sun visor.

Value and Certification

The i71’s headline is its price-to-feature ratio. It carries full ECE 22.06 certification and includes an internal sun visor, which most helmets at this price omit entirely. The polycarbonate shell is heavier than composite alternatives but meets the standard robustly. For new riders and commuters who want current certification and useful features without a premium budget, the i71 makes a strong opening case.

Internal Sun Visor

Finding an internal sun visor at this price point is genuinely unusual. The i71’s drops smoothly via a left-side slider and provides adequate tint depth for bright commuting conditions. Optical clarity is acceptable — not premium quality, but free of significant distortion in normal use. For a commuter riding into low morning or evening sun, it’s a meaningful practical benefit.

Ventilation and Noise

Ventilation is good for commuting — the vents move adequate air at urban and A-road speeds. Noise is the most significant compromise: at motorway speeds the i71 is noticeably louder than premium full-face helmets, reflecting the polycarbonate shell and budget-focused design. For urban commuting and shorter rides this is manageable; for regular motorway use, earplugs are advisable.

Comfort and Fit

The i71 uses an intermediate oval fit that suits a broad range of head shapes — consistent with HJC’s reputation for accommodating fit. The interior is comfortable for commuting and shorter rides; the liner materials are basic and the comfort doesn’t match premium helmets over long distances. The visor is Pinlock-ready, though no insert is included as standard.

Verdict

The HJC i71 is a genuine value champion for commuters and new riders. ECE 22.06 certification, an internal sun visor, and a comfortable accommodating fit at a price that undercuts almost everything with similar features. The compromises — noise at motorway speed, basic interior, polycarbonate weight — are all predictable at this price and none are dealbreakers for its intended use. For daily commuting and budget-conscious riders, the i71 is one of the best value full-face helmets available.

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Arai does things its own way. While competitors chase aggressive aerodynamics and internal sun visors, Arai remains committed to its core philosophy: a smooth, round shell shape designed to glance off impacts rather than catch them, and an obsessive focus on fit and protection. The Quantic is Arai’s sport-touring full-face, and it demonstrates both the strengths and trade-offs of that philosophy.

The R75 Shell Philosophy

Arai’s defining design principle is the R75 shape — a continuous curve with a minimum 75mm radius across the shell, with no sharp edges or protrusions that could catch on the road during an impact. The theory is that a smooth shell glances off and slides rather than snagging, reducing rotational energy transfer. The Quantic embodies this fully. It carries ECE 22.06 certification and Arai’s construction quality is, as always, exceptional.

Comfort and Fit

Comfort is where Arai excels. The Quantic uses a round-oval fit template — wider than the intermediate oval used by Shoei and most competitors — making it the natural choice for riders with rounder heads who find other premium helmets pinch at the temples. The interior is highly adjustable with replaceable, multi-thickness components, and the long-distance comfort is among the best available.

Ventilation and Visor System

The Quantic’s ventilation is excellent — Arai’s vent system moves air effectively without compromising the smooth shell shape. The VAS (Variable Axis System) visor mechanism lowers the visor pivot point, maintaining the R75 shape integrity while providing a wide field of view. The trade-off is that visor changes are fiddlier than the tool-free quick-change systems on some competitors.

Noise

Noise levels are good — the smooth shell manages wind noise well at motorway speeds, comparable to the Shoei RF-1400. The Quantic is a genuinely comfortable long-distance helmet in terms of both fit and acoustic comfort.

Verdict

The Arai Quantic is the premium sport-touring helmet for riders who value Arai’s protection philosophy and round-oval comfort above features like internal sun visors. It’s expensive and the visor changes are fiddlier than competitors. But for round-headed riders seeking the best long-distance comfort and Arai’s distinctive safety approach, nothing else quite matches it. It’s a helmet bought on philosophy and fit — and for the right rider, it’s exceptional.

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The AGV K1 S is the entry point into AGV’s sport range — a helmet that borrows styling cues and design philosophy from the brand’s flagship Pista GP series, used by MotoGP riders, at a fraction of the price. The question is how much genuine performance survives the cost reduction. After testing, the answer is: more than you might expect, with clear compromises in predictable places.

Styling and Shell

The K1 S looks the part — its shell profile and graphics clearly derive from AGV’s racing helmets, and replica graphics matching factory riders are available. The shell is polycarbonate rather than the composite or carbon used in AGV’s premium helmets, which means it’s heavier — but it carries full ECE 22.06 certification and the construction is solid. For riders who want AGV’s distinctive sport aesthetic without premium cost, it delivers the look convincingly.

Visor and Vision

The K1 S inherits AGV’s wide visor design, providing excellent peripheral vision — a genuine benefit derived from the racing range where seeing apexes and competitors matters. The field of view is among the best in its price class. The visor is Pinlock-compatible, though an insert isn’t included as standard — budget for one, as it’s the single most worthwhile visibility upgrade.

Ventilation and Noise

Five vents provide good airflow for the price — the K1 S stays reasonably cool at speed and during spirited riding. Noise is the most significant compromise: at motorway speeds the K1 S is noticeably louder than premium sport helmets, reflecting both the polycarbonate shell and the price-driven design priorities. For track and spirited road use this matters less; for motorway commuting, earplugs are advisable.

Comfort and Fit

The interior is functional rather than refined — the liner materials are basic and the comfort, while adequate for shorter rides, doesn’t match premium alternatives over longer distances. AGV’s fit runs slightly narrow at the temples, consistent with the rest of their range. For riders who find AGV helmets comfortable generally, the K1 S will fit predictably.

Verdict

The AGV K1 S delivers genuine value for riders who want the brand’s race-inspired styling, wide visor, and ECE 22.06 certification at an accessible price. The compromises — polycarbonate weight, noise at speed, modest interior — are all predictable consequences of the price point and none are dealbreakers for the helmet’s target use. For new riders and those wanting AGV’s sport aesthetic without the Pista price, it’s a credible choice. Riders prioritising noise reduction or long-distance comfort should look at composite-shell alternatives.

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The Shoei X-SPR Pro (known as the X-Fifteen in some markets) is the helmet Shoei’s MotoGP riders wear, made available to the public. It sits at the very top of Shoei’s range — a pure racing helmet engineered for the track, with aerodynamics, ventilation, and protection developed at the highest level of motorcycle competition. After road and track testing, here’s how that pedigree translates.

Racing Pedigree and Certification

The X-SPR Pro carries FIM Racing Homologation — the standard required for top-level professional road racing — alongside ECE 22.06 certification. The AIM+ multi-composite shell uses the same construction philosophy as the rest of Shoei’s premium range but optimised for the demands of competition. This is genuinely the helmet used in professional racing, not a road helmet with racing graphics.

Aerodynamics

The standout feature is aerodynamic stability. The four-position adjustable rear spoiler and carefully sculpted shell manage airflow to eliminate lift and buffeting at high speed — on track, at racing speeds, the helmet is remarkably stable and neck fatigue is minimal even in a full racing tuck. The aerodynamics are tuned for a head-down racing position, which means on an upright road bike the benefit is less pronounced, but the stability at speed is still exceptional.

Ventilation

Six intake vents and exhaust outlets provide extensive airflow — among the best of any full-face helmet. For track days in warm conditions, the X-SPR Pro keeps the interior genuinely cool even during sustained hard riding. The ventilation is optimised for the racing position but works well across riding styles.

Comfort, Fit and Noise

The interior uses Shoei’s premium multi-thickness replaceable components, allowing precise fit customisation. The fit is firm and race-oriented — designed to hold the head securely at speed rather than prioritise all-day touring comfort. The Emergency Quick Release System allows first responders to remove the cheek pads safely. Noise levels are higher than touring-focused Shoei helmets like the GT-Air 3 — the ventilation and aerodynamic priorities come at the expense of quiet. Earplugs are advisable for road use.

Verdict

The Shoei X-SPR Pro is a genuine racing helmet — and for track-day riders and those who want the closest thing to professional racing equipment, it’s exceptional. The aerodynamics, ventilation, and protection are all top-tier, and Shoei’s build quality is evident throughout. For pure road touring it’s overkill — the noise levels and firm fit make the GT-Air 3 or RF-1400 better road choices. But for track-focused riders who want the best Shoei makes, the X-SPR Pro is the pinnacle.

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