"Spaze" (spazegun2213)
02/09/2016 at 14:50 • Filed to: None
2
12|
"Spaze" (spazegun2213)
02/09/2016 at 14:50 • Filed to: None | 2
| 12 |
Sometimes having friends in the motorcycle industry has its perks. For instance getting a new Shoei X-fourteen for a few days and them telling you “to send it back in the same condition.” While most people would keep this amazing piece of equipment under lock and key, we had other ideas. After receiving the “you break it you bought it” speech I was handed the box containing Shoei’s newest flagship. I was so giddy to try this helmet out I nearly ripped the box open. But I took a breath and opened the pristine box and carefully extracted the beauty which laid inside.
With the helmet in my hands I can’t express how light it felt. It felt like a feather compared to my RF-1200 which was sulking in the corner. Before taking it for a ride I swapped over the tinted visor from my RF which always provides ample protection from the sun. Walking out to the bike everything seemed routine and once I put on the helmet it felt like I was wearing nothing. Nothing that oddly smelled like new helmet. I noticed right away the pads fit differently between my RF and this X. The pads felt more supple, and I felt like they did not extend as far down my jaw as the RF’s do.
I headed home and opened up the vents almost immediately. It’s 80 degrees here in southern California and even this white helmet was getting toasty. All the vents functioned in perfect Shoei fashion, and the cheek vent did a great job cooling all of my face rather than just the front. At this point I was thinking about keeping this helmet and trying to ship my RF back in it’s place! That changed once I was doing highway speeds. While the helmets lightweight and serious aerodynamic design meant that it just slipped through the air without hesitation but once you turned your head, it was all over. Even the smallest deviations from straight forward would cause the helmet to become a giant sail that would strain my neck.
On my commute home I began to think about this serious downside, and how Shoei designed this helmet. The X is a pure, unadulterated race helmet that cuts through the wind with serious ease. While that design is great on a racetrack it’s terrible for the street when you are constantly looking over your shoulder. It was by this point I was nearly home, with just a few miles of surface streets left. I really started to enjoy the cheek vents at low speeds and hope this technology makes it into the RF-1300. By the time I was home I was grinning from ear to ear having loved every minute of wearing this treasure. Even with the design so narrowly focused, the X is still an amazing helmet.
Pros
:
Featherweight
Amazing Aero that cuts through the air
The cheek vent Rocks!
All the Shoei features you’ve come to expect
Cons
:
The “Sail” effect
Price
StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8
> Spaze
02/09/2016 at 15:01 |
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Was just watching STG’s video review of this lid. He mentioned that the wings were ok up to 90, but at higher speeds on a track they might be a problem. I guess Shoei is going to have some replacement ones that would allow more of a head turn, not sure when though.
Some really good helmets coming out this year for sure.
DrJohannVegas
> Spaze
02/09/2016 at 15:02 |
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What shape is it inside? I have one of those “Arai heads”, which means I have the long-oval problem. I’d love a Shoei at times, but...you know...skull problems.
Future next gen S2000 owner
> Spaze
02/09/2016 at 15:14 |
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I seriously can’t wait for spring to get here. If you are up for some “research”, how is it at sub highway speeds, i.e. canyon carving? Still a sail effect?
fennelbreath
> Spaze
02/09/2016 at 15:24 |
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Cheek vents sound really uncomfortable to me. Granted, I’m pretty new at the helmet thing, and just got my first full-face a few weeks ago but I haven’t ridden with it yet because I don’t ride when it’s cold. Do the cheek vents make a lot of noise inside the helmet? That’s all I can imagine.
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Spaze
> DrJohannVegas
02/09/2016 at 15:28 |
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Its 100% shoei shaped. This was a Large and fit me as perfectly as my RF does.
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Spaze
> Future next gen S2000 owner
02/09/2016 at 15:30 |
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at *cough* 85 , I mean “highway speeds” the helmet was VERY stable looking straight, but it was nearly neck snapping when you looked around. At 65ish it was ok, but still not as comfortable as the RF. Lower than 55, it wasn’t really a problem. I’d say if you are “putting around” its great, but you dont need a nearly $700 helmet for that. For Track stuff or anything more athletic I’m sure it would be great.
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DrJohannVegas
> Spaze
02/09/2016 at 15:31 |
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See, that’s the problem. Some Shoei’s are slightly narrow, some are neutral-ish, and some approach round. I guess I’ll just have to try one on...
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Spaze
> fennelbreath
02/09/2016 at 15:32 |
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This was my first time wearing a real race helmet, and it was noticeably louder than the RF. That being said EVERYONE I spoke to said race helmets are just louder because of their shape. As for the cheek vents, I don’t think they added any noise at all, or none that I could tell with the vent open verses shut. That said its the same material as the rest of the padding, there is just a vent molded into the helmet. So it just moves a little bit of air into your cheek through the padding. Its not a “hard” vent or anything pressed up against your cheek.
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Spaze
> DrJohannVegas
02/09/2016 at 15:33 |
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I’d say it fits exactly like an RF1200, not that you’d know what that feels like, HA! I’d probably go and try one on as well before I told you it would fit.
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fennelbreath
> Spaze
02/09/2016 at 15:36 |
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I’ll never need a race-specific helmet so I’ll file that away under “good to know.” Thanks!
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Future next gen S2000 owner
> Spaze
02/09/2016 at 15:53 |
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Would you buy the RF or the X-14?
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Spaze
> Future next gen S2000 owner
02/09/2016 at 17:37 |
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For everyday riding the RF hands down only because of the sail problem. If I had the need for a track/high performance helmet the X-14 is impossible to beat.