I've been riding with the Arai Contour-x for 4 weeks now after a gruelling search for my new lid, so I'll give you all the highs and lows... Highs: 1) This thing is SOO unbelievably comfortable. It's like pushing your head into a velvet condom. (And that's a good thing!) 2) It's light. Real light. The reviews say the weight is on the higher side, but I find it remarkably light. Almost AGV light. 3) The ventilation is crazy good. You live in a hot climate? This thing is going to keep you cool. 4) My glasses go in with ease and sit on my nose. In fact, easier than any other AGV, Shoei or Shark helmet I've worn in the past. 5) It's got a smaller footprint than my old GT-Air... no bobblehead effect in a size XL. 6) It is beautiful. The Arai craftsmanship is stunning. I got the Face graphic, and I find myself just staring at the thing. 🙂 Lows: 1) Hot dang, it's expensive! The most money I have ever spent on a lid, but I keep them a long time so that's life. 2) WITH ALL THE VENTS OPEN, there is a lot of wind noise. But you see, ventilation requires moving air. Moving air is not quiet. When you close the two small top vents, it quiets down considerably. If you want a silent lid, go with the Shoei GT-Air 2 or 3. 3) The visor mechanism takes some getting used to. I have an old Arai Vector-2, so I'm used to it. Not a deal-breaker. 4) No photochromic shield available as of writing this. It's okay, I own sunglasses. ------------- Regrets: Zero Wallet: Hurting
Can i ask loud they are. Ive heard people saying the agv k6s are so loud they cant hear their own thoughts. Is it the same with this one and if so, how much do the earplugs help?
It’s nowhere near as loud as my AGV K3, but not as quiet as my Shoei GT-Air. With earplugs, I have zero issues. I also purchased the Arai extended chin curtain to cut more wind & noise.
I’m a rider training instructor. I have a few Arai helmets and I love them. I have other helmets but I always put on an Arai when teaching or ripping up to Whistler on a beautiful Sunday morning. The fit and finish is awesome and every piece is replaceable. Thanks Arai!
In case this helps anyone… I have an intermediate-oval head and a large chin. Bought the Corsair-X and had to return it to Cycle Gear because it was absolutely crushing my chin, and when in a tuck I was unable to close my mouth. Even my AGV K6 has far more chin-room by at least 1/4”. Read that the Signet’s long-oval fit should have more chin room-tried it, and it really was no better than the Corsair in my opinion. Happened to try on the Contour-X, and it was night and day. Way more chin room than any other helmet I’ve tried except the Shoei X-15. Even in a full tuck, my chin wasn’t touching the bar. Strange, but even the salesman at CycleGear wasn’t aware of the drastic difference in chin-room on this model. The difference between all of the Arai helmets I tried on is substantial. Unfortunately, I prefer the Corsair in every other way-especially its firmer cheek pads. The upside is that the Contour feels slightly lighter than the Corsair. Anyway, if you have a big chin and want a Arai, this is the lid for you. You’re welcome :)
I agree completely that Arai also fit me better than any other helmet on the market and I love, love, love their commitment to safety; however, why are they all seemingly so damn LOUD????
Love my Contour-X. I’ve had a few Signets prior, so if you’re worried if this lid will fit a long oval, it will except for the most long ones. Even though I’ve had my share of Aria’s, this one requires some training. The visor is very hard to pull up and down, not as easy to use as the previous lids. BUT, it locks down much better than before. It’s way comfortable, even with glasses. The ventilation is amazing but a little noisy. Still I can hear comms and music while riding. The venting requires a little training as well, the vent behind the logo is for low speeds, the upper ones more for high speeds. The chin vent needs to be put at the middle position for riding or you get wind directly on the eyes. But I’m impressed by how fine tuned the venting is. Easy to attach a comm unit, and the pro shade visor works quite well in place of an internal visor. But with one of my bikes, I get a fair amount of drag if the shade is up. It’s lighter than my modular, so tends to be my trip helmet. It’s spendy, but it’s a hand made product. Anything handmade is more expensive. I love my Contour-X and recommend it.
I have the ECE one in Diamond Black with dark tint visor. Badass looking helmet imho. Only downsides are wind ingress through crack in front vent as mentioned and the visor latch is a bit cheap and hard to use with gloves on. The top vents also whistle when open sometimes. All trade offs I’m prepared to make for Arai safety.
For me performance is far more important than looks when it comes to safety equipment so if that ducktail spoiler makes the helmet work better at speed I'm OK with it
Over 20 years ago, (2001-2002,) I only wore Arai Quantums. I still like Arai's build quality, but cheaper, (arguably less safe,) more practical helmets like the AGV K3SV ended up getting more everyday use. But as my AGVs age out, (and the last one I got seemed to have significantly lower quality than the first,) I find myself looking back at brands like Arai. Seems like the visor is never going to be an easy swap, but the removeable liner and pin lock address two of the issues I had with the old helmets. I'm ambivalent about the duckbill, so it might be a tough call between the Quantum-X and the Contour-X
I've been using this helmet for a year (EU version - Quantic) and can tell that this is an amazing helmet... with one hidden flaw. With visor opened all the way up - it whistles. Loud. VERY loud.
Shit! I have a Rapide with a flat shield and the same problem. I wear -25dB earplugs even on slow, short rides to dim the whistling. (Even -25dB isn't enough to block it entirely.) I literally opened this video to see if switching shields will fix it. For safety reasons, I don't wanna put anything that can snag on the outside, but I'm seriously tempted to get a mohawk or cat ears or something to break up the whistling.
Pinlocks are great for the daytime but they're a significant hindrance at night or during sunset. You get a significant loss of contrast and the flare that it causes at night and sunset make it less worth it for me. I personally only use it on my tinted visor
I had no problem with the pin lock visor on my GT Air from Shoei, but it’s awful on the proshade on my Regent X. I get 4 reflections for every light, in a square pattern. It also makes everything look hazy.
@IOwOI the flare is worst when there are sharp points of light such as at night with headlights and street lights, and when the sun is in direct view like at sunset or sunrise. So I use it on my tinted shield since I use that during the day when these things don't usually happen
I’m in the market for a road riding helmet. I’m getting back into riding after 20 years. I’m guessing I want something ventilated or adjustable ventilation.
Waiting for the Corsair-X Rea red instead of this weird green color they have released in the states but world wide they have both colors. Might just buy the euro version the RX-7V evo
Non-removable as in there isn't a system to take it out and put it back in. The chin curtain itself is just glued into place so anybody can modify it however they would want to choose.
With ear plugs in the noise levels are both minimal. Without plugs they are both somewhat loud (as all helmets are without plugs) but I'd say the Arai edges out the Shoei. But again, wearing ear plugs will have you thanking yourself in 20 years.
@@patrickmchugh8039 I've had the RF-1200 for several years, and I always ride with earplugs. I'm looking for a new helmet soon, and I definitely want the quietest helmet available.
used to work at cyclegear and my customers usually reported the RF-1400 to be quieter than any of the Arai’s, but like someone else said, you should probably be wearing ear plugs anyways.
@@shivamarya5225 Not that it's a competition in graphics, but nobody looks twice at a boring white helmet with bugs all over it. Not saying go buy an Icon, but this color is boring and so are Arai's helmet graphics. Just seem phoned in and not thought out.
@@59thfsaviation79 only bikers look at a helmet with graphics and go that's a nice helmet. 99% of the general public will look prefer a clean white helmet with leather jacket over graphics, they look cheap and childish even when they're more expensive. Most of the high end products these days, are minimal, look at anything TVs, iphones, ipads, other electronics etc look best in metallic grey. Everything is going minimal designs and graphics helmets just look too edgy, what do the random lines and cuts even mean, a plain round helmet will always be more classy
Can this be considered a replacement for the Defiant X which is no longer listed on Arai America's website? ... i.e. a more touring, cruiser oriented lid?
No, I'd expect something more touring and cruiser appropriate to eventually replace the Defiant in the US. This is definitely a new model around the same time, but I wouldn't call it a direct replacement since it's so Sporty.
I think the regent was more of a replacement for the defiant. I miss my defiant cus it was super quiet on my cruiser so i almost bought the regent, but i have a sport touring bike now i found this helmet so im waiting for it to drop
I don't know man, I have a feeling that arai is like nokia... It's like 10 years behind in design and inner pading. And the shape is like 40y old nasa helmt. Did ride arai one time, and man rhat was loud helmet compared to agv K6. BUT everyone has his to go helmet. 😊
@@tl924 every single other maker offers it. I understand why you don't have them on a track helmet, but there's really no real reason to not offer it on other models.
Arai has the same mindset about the space created with an internal visor as SNELL does, it compromises safety in their opinion. Thus introducing the VAS-V Pro Shade system. So what's preventing you from getting an external sun visor?
The Corsair-X has a different shell construction, 1 extra shell size (5 total), completely different ventilation setup (improved for full tuck race applications), and an adjustable rear spoiler. But yes, they do share the internal headshape.
I'm an Arai fanboy (and they fit me perfectly), but there's no way I'm buying a helmet with such a silly design. Who in the world greenlit that dumb duckbill spoiler?!
Why would potential buyers care what you think about the looks? They'd be purchasing the helmet for themselves, not you. Puzzling why you'd even include such a subjective opinion.
some people like the plain looking design, I don't mind it, but their design is based off of the R75 round shape, like an egg, which they believe is the best shape to glance off impact. So the design isn't going to change.
@@athomasbom6295 Just for the record, the shells do change from the EU to US models just like with most brands. So while, yes, the Quantic does meet 22.06 and this helmet shares a lot of features with it, they are not identical based on DOT testing requirements.
@@patrickmchugh8039 Not in this case, both Shoei and Arai like to rename their helmet designs for the North American markets. If I'd has to guess as to why, it's probably safety certificate related. Since generally people in europe don't really give a hoot about DOT or snell, and vice versa in America.
@@athomasbom6295 FWIW - I know the two shells are different based on both markets, weight was the main difference between the two shells. Shoei's are 100% different models between the two markets too, not just because SNELL requires the different name per market. As for the Arai, I had the ECE version for a few month before the DOT got here and was able to side by side compare them. That side by side comparison aside (ha, that was not intentional), I'd also highly doubt Arai waited 12+ months to bring a helmet to the US just because the name had to be different. It was a different production line of helmets. But that was also based off conversations w/ Arai US and Arai Japan.
@@patrickmchugh8039 I'd say google it, I haven't been able to find any source or website claiming that the Arai RX-7V is any different from the Corsair X, The Quantic from the Contour X, The Shoei NXR-2 from the RF-1400, the Shoei X-Fourteen from the X-spirit etc. I have found that a lot of legacy european and japanese models are still in the American Shoei/Arai lineup. So I can see how that could cause confusion. Really doesn't make financial sense to redesign helmets for the American domestic market either, since DOT is one of the less stringent safety certificates. Especially since the ECE got updated back in 2021. Update: Turns out I was completely wrong, and there are minor changes from country to country, I stand corrected.
It's based off of the R75 round shape, in their opinion it is the best shape to glance off impact, so they don't care how it "looks", as long as it protects.
Learn more about the Arai Contour-X Helmet! rvz.la/3ZKqVTL
I've been riding with the Arai Contour-x for 4 weeks now after a gruelling search for my new lid, so I'll give you all the highs and lows...
Highs:
1) This thing is SOO unbelievably comfortable. It's like pushing your head into a velvet condom. (And that's a good thing!)
2) It's light. Real light. The reviews say the weight is on the higher side, but I find it remarkably light. Almost AGV light.
3) The ventilation is crazy good. You live in a hot climate? This thing is going to keep you cool.
4) My glasses go in with ease and sit on my nose. In fact, easier than any other AGV, Shoei or Shark helmet I've worn in the past.
5) It's got a smaller footprint than my old GT-Air... no bobblehead effect in a size XL.
6) It is beautiful. The Arai craftsmanship is stunning. I got the Face graphic, and I find myself just staring at the thing. 🙂
Lows:
1) Hot dang, it's expensive! The most money I have ever spent on a lid, but I keep them a long time so that's life.
2) WITH ALL THE VENTS OPEN, there is a lot of wind noise. But you see, ventilation requires moving air. Moving air is not quiet. When you close the two small top vents, it quiets down considerably. If you want a silent lid, go with the Shoei GT-Air 2 or 3.
3) The visor mechanism takes some getting used to. I have an old Arai Vector-2, so I'm used to it. Not a deal-breaker.
4) No photochromic shield available as of writing this. It's okay, I own sunglasses.
-------------
Regrets: Zero
Wallet: Hurting
Can i ask loud they are. Ive heard people saying the agv k6s are so loud they cant hear their own thoughts. Is it the same with this one and if so, how much do the earplugs help?
It’s nowhere near as loud as my AGV K3, but not as quiet as my Shoei GT-Air. With earplugs, I have zero issues. I also purchased the Arai extended chin curtain to cut more wind & noise.
@@TommyD37 thanks man. Appreciate the reply. Be safe.
i bet that chin vent closed position air leak is intentional to mitigate co2 build up.
I’m a rider training instructor. I have a few Arai helmets and I love them. I have other helmets but I always put on an Arai when teaching or ripping up to Whistler on a beautiful Sunday morning. The fit and finish is awesome and every piece is replaceable. Thanks Arai!
probably the best helmet i have ever owned.
In case this helps anyone… I have an intermediate-oval head and a large chin. Bought the Corsair-X and had to return it to Cycle Gear because it was absolutely crushing my chin, and when in a tuck I was unable to close my mouth. Even my AGV K6 has far more chin-room by at least 1/4”.
Read that the Signet’s long-oval fit should have more chin room-tried it, and it really was no better than the Corsair in my opinion.
Happened to try on the Contour-X, and it was night and day. Way more chin room than any other helmet I’ve tried except the Shoei X-15. Even in a full tuck, my chin wasn’t touching the bar.
Strange, but even the salesman at CycleGear wasn’t aware of the drastic difference in chin-room on this model. The difference between all of the Arai helmets I tried on is substantial. Unfortunately, I prefer the Corsair in every other way-especially its firmer cheek pads. The upside is that the Contour feels slightly lighter than the Corsair. Anyway, if you have a big chin and want a Arai, this is the lid for you. You’re welcome :)
I still love my corsair x, gonna get another one after this one hits 5-7 years. Cadillac of helmet comfort with the best interior imo.
I have a Signet-X and absolutely love it. Super comfortable!
My arai dtx saved my life a few weeks ago. Absolutely getting another one
I agree completely that Arai also fit me better than any other helmet on the market and I love, love, love their commitment to safety; however, why are they all seemingly so damn LOUD????
Love my Contour-X. I’ve had a few Signets prior, so if you’re worried if this lid will fit a long oval, it will except for the most long ones.
Even though I’ve had my share of Aria’s, this one requires some training. The visor is very hard to pull up and down, not as easy to use as the previous lids. BUT, it locks down much better than before.
It’s way comfortable, even with glasses. The ventilation is amazing but a little noisy. Still I can hear comms and music while riding. The venting requires a little training as well, the vent behind the logo is for low speeds, the upper ones more for high speeds. The chin vent needs to be put at the middle position for riding or you get wind directly on the eyes. But I’m impressed by how fine tuned the venting is.
Easy to attach a comm unit, and the pro shade visor works quite well in place of an internal visor. But with one of my bikes, I get a fair amount of drag if the shade is up.
It’s lighter than my modular, so tends to be my trip helmet.
It’s spendy, but it’s a hand made product. Anything handmade is more expensive. I love my Contour-X and recommend it.
Glad to see this added to the Arai lineup. Go for this over the regent. I had a regent. It had awful airflow. Hot as hell.
What I want is a helmet where the visor stays solid at any position I leave it, especially the quarter inch open position.
I have the ECE one in Diamond Black with dark tint visor. Badass looking helmet imho. Only downsides are wind ingress through crack in front vent as mentioned and the visor latch is a bit cheap and hard to use with gloves on. The top vents also whistle when open sometimes. All trade offs I’m prepared to make for Arai safety.
I didn't have any issues using the Arai logo vent except when using the Pro Shade in the high position (it gets in the way then)
For me performance is far more important than looks when it comes to safety equipment so if that ducktail spoiler makes the helmet work better at speed I'm OK with it
Yes exactly
Over 20 years ago, (2001-2002,) I only wore Arai Quantums. I still like Arai's build quality, but cheaper, (arguably less safe,) more practical helmets like the AGV K3SV ended up getting more everyday use. But as my AGVs age out, (and the last one I got seemed to have significantly lower quality than the first,) I find myself looking back at brands like Arai. Seems like the visor is never going to be an easy swap, but the removeable liner and pin lock address two of the issues I had with the old helmets. I'm ambivalent about the duckbill, so it might be a tough call between the Quantum-X and the Contour-X
Shoei is a great brand as well . As is some higher end bell
@jason dabs and therefore you disagree with me or?
For some reason with that little spoiler I'm reminded of Astro Boy 😜
In some markets this helmet is called the Astro Gx. Haha
I've been using this helmet for a year (EU version - Quantic) and can tell that this is an amazing helmet... with one hidden flaw. With visor opened all the way up - it whistles. Loud. VERY loud.
I was about to buy the quantic from germany bcus im impatient and cant wait for the US release lol. Im glad to hear thats the only issue
I've been using it too and haven't had that issue, but I am using the pro shade.
Mine doesn’t whistle. I have the tinted shade visor as well.
What speed are you going with it open?
Yes I have the quantic since release and it really annoys me but luckily I always ride with my visor shut
Shit! I have a Rapide with a flat shield and the same problem. I wear -25dB earplugs even on slow, short rides to dim the whistling. (Even -25dB isn't enough to block it entirely.)
I literally opened this video to see if switching shields will fix it.
For safety reasons, I don't wanna put anything that can snag on the outside, but I'm seriously tempted to get a mohawk or cat ears or something to break up the whistling.
I like the small spoiler but not how they made the logo
Pinlocks are great for the daytime but they're a significant hindrance at night or during sunset. You get a significant loss of contrast and the flare that it causes at night and sunset make it less worth it for me. I personally only use it on my tinted visor
I had no problem with the pin lock visor on my GT Air from Shoei, but it’s awful on the proshade on my Regent X. I get 4 reflections for every light, in a square pattern. It also makes everything look hazy.
@IOwOI the flare is worst when there are sharp points of light such as at night with headlights and street lights, and when the sun is in direct view like at sunset or sunrise. So I use it on my tinted shield since I use that during the day when these things don't usually happen
@@aluisious I wonder if it's helmet specific, or based on which series of pinlock it is, i.e. pinlock 120 etc
Get a yellow visor for night riding
I’m in the market for a road riding helmet. I’m getting back into riding after 20 years. I’m guessing I want something ventilated or adjustable ventilation.
Spurge looking like that dude from Good mythical morning
I agree with you about the styling. The duck tail and kitty ears are definitely a step back.
Great now i cant unsee the cat ears... thanks a lot
I don't get it . I think this helmet look is stunning 😍
Waiting for the Corsair-X Rea red instead of this weird green color they have released in the states but world wide they have both colors. Might just buy the euro version the RX-7V evo
8:45 the chin curtain isn't removable? Fortnine just did a video on CO2 buildup caused specifically by chin curtains...
Non-removable as in there isn't a system to take it out and put it back in. The chin curtain itself is just glued into place so anybody can modify it however they would want to choose.
How does the wind noise on this compare the the RF-1400?
With ear plugs in the noise levels are both minimal. Without plugs they are both somewhat loud (as all helmets are without plugs) but I'd say the Arai edges out the Shoei. But again, wearing ear plugs will have you thanking yourself in 20 years.
@@patrickmchugh8039 I've had the RF-1200 for several years, and I always ride with earplugs. I'm looking for a new helmet soon, and I definitely want the quietest helmet available.
@@KellinKingdom If quiet is your main focus you should look at Schuberth
used to work at cyclegear and my customers usually reported the RF-1400 to be quieter than any of the Arai’s, but like someone else said, you should probably be wearing ear plugs anyways.
@@trolltheburrito5123 Thanks for the answer. I always wear earplugs, but the wind noise can still start to affect me on longer rides.
The visor is small? Mine in huge
Man this new helmet is so much easier to put the cheeklads back in!
Remember when this is what revzilla used to be? With Anthony.. Wow things have moved along
Love RevZilla
Is it quiet?
Arai should have more graphics, and better, the ones they have for that model are very limited.
Trust me simple is the best looking and gets the most looks. That pure white round helmet is the best looking helmet youll ever wear
@@shivamarya5225 Not that it's a competition in graphics, but nobody looks twice at a boring white helmet with bugs all over it. Not saying go buy an Icon, but this color is boring and so are Arai's helmet graphics. Just seem phoned in and not thought out.
@@59thfsaviation79 only bikers look at a helmet with graphics and go that's a nice helmet. 99% of the general public will look prefer a clean white helmet with leather jacket over graphics, they look cheap and childish even when they're more expensive. Most of the high end products these days, are minimal, look at anything TVs, iphones, ipads, other electronics etc look best in metallic grey. Everything is going minimal designs and graphics helmets just look too edgy, what do the random lines and cuts even mean, a plain round helmet will always be more classy
@@59thfsaviation79 like just imagine a guy on a bike with a full graphics helmet, and then imagine the same guy with a completely plain white or grey
@@shivamarya5225 I'd think he's old or just bought the cheapest version he could.
Can this be considered a replacement for the Defiant X which is no longer listed on Arai America's website? ... i.e. a more touring, cruiser oriented lid?
No, I'd expect something more touring and cruiser appropriate to eventually replace the Defiant in the US. This is definitely a new model around the same time, but I wouldn't call it a direct replacement since it's so Sporty.
I think the regent was more of a replacement for the defiant. I miss my defiant cus it was super quiet on my cruiser so i almost bought the regent, but i have a sport touring bike now i found this helmet so im waiting for it to drop
I dunno, I kind of like the swoop look.
what happened to the guy with the purple shirt
Anthony is still the founder of RevZilla but doesn't shoot videos anymore, he deals with larger projects for the company.
Where can I order Arai helmets?
From our website
Who's this new guy with a familiar name
Rx7x or contour x/astro gx
hold on - is the arai logo embossed?
Its a vent!
yeah, it is so embossed that its another part separate of the shell ha.
Annoying that one cannot open the visor with the right hand.
Space man like
Is M.C Gainey your dad Spurgeon?
I don't know man, I have a feeling that arai is like nokia... It's like 10 years behind in design and inner pading. And the shape is like 40y old nasa helmt. Did ride arai one time, and man rhat was loud helmet compared to agv K6. BUT everyone has his to go helmet. 😊
Still waiting for them to FINALLY release a model with an internal sun visor.
Never gonna happen, compromises safety.
@@tl924 every single other maker offers it.
I understand why you don't have them on a track helmet, but there's really no real reason to not offer it on other models.
Arai won’t do it, don’t hold your breath.
Yeah and Honda is gonna release another two stroke enduro bike. Just keep waiting, any day now 😂😂😂😂
Arai has the same mindset about the space created with an internal visor as SNELL does, it compromises safety in their opinion. Thus introducing the VAS-V Pro Shade system. So what's preventing you from getting an external sun visor?
Wait this is intermediate oval and so is the Corsair? What’s the difference ?
The Corsair-X has a different shell construction, 1 extra shell size (5 total), completely different ventilation setup (improved for full tuck race applications), and an adjustable rear spoiler. But yes, they do share the internal headshape.
I'm an Arai fanboy (and they fit me perfectly), but there's no way I'm buying a helmet with such a silly design. Who in the world greenlit that dumb duckbill spoiler?!
Please ship mine!!! 😂
For that price it should have air conditioning........
No ECE or FIM safety rating. For a helmet manufacturer who's focused on safety, i'm disappointed they didn't put it to the tests for those too.
This exact helmet is ECE rated for sale in the European market under the Quantic name and why would a sport touring helmet be FIM homologated lmao
Why would potential buyers care what you think about the looks? They'd be purchasing the helmet for themselves, not you. Puzzling why you'd even include such a subjective opinion.
agreed. just talk about the product and not your opinion on looks.
do people really like the design? for me, it looks really bland and outdated
some people like the plain looking design, I don't mind it, but their design is based off of the R75 round shape, like an egg, which they believe is the best shape to glance off impact. So the design isn't going to change.
no ECE no buy. Period.
The quantic, which is the exact same helmet sold in europe. Is ece 22.06 compliant.
In fact it was the first helmet to ever wear that sticker.
@@athomasbom6295 Just for the record, the shells do change from the EU to US models just like with most brands. So while, yes, the Quantic does meet 22.06 and this helmet shares a lot of features with it, they are not identical based on DOT testing requirements.
@@patrickmchugh8039 Not in this case, both Shoei and Arai like to rename their helmet designs for the North American markets.
If I'd has to guess as to why, it's probably safety certificate related. Since generally people in europe don't really give a hoot about DOT or snell, and vice versa in America.
@@athomasbom6295 FWIW - I know the two shells are different based on both markets, weight was the main difference between the two shells. Shoei's are 100% different models between the two markets too, not just because SNELL requires the different name per market. As for the Arai, I had the ECE version for a few month before the DOT got here and was able to side by side compare them. That side by side comparison aside (ha, that was not intentional), I'd also highly doubt Arai waited 12+ months to bring a helmet to the US just because the name had to be different. It was a different production line of helmets. But that was also based off conversations w/ Arai US and Arai Japan.
@@patrickmchugh8039 I'd say google it, I haven't been able to find any source or website claiming that the Arai RX-7V is any different from the Corsair X, The Quantic from the Contour X, The Shoei NXR-2 from the RF-1400, the Shoei X-Fourteen from the X-spirit etc.
I have found that a lot of legacy european and japanese models are still in the American Shoei/Arai lineup. So I can see how that could cause confusion.
Really doesn't make financial sense to redesign helmets for the American domestic market either, since DOT is one of the less stringent safety certificates. Especially since the ECE got updated back in 2021.
Update: Turns out I was completely wrong, and there are minor changes from country to country,
I stand corrected.
Arai helmets look bad. The 60s called, they want their design back.
Your subjective opinion
@@x-ray3431 hey, you can like being bubblehead, not trying to stop you
Intentional. You don't have to like it, but there is a legit reason.
It's based off of the R75 round shape, in their opinion it is the best shape to glance off impact, so it's never going to change.
@@gwot @smcd5772 yeah I know, i'm just willing to trade a tiny bit of safety to avoid looking like Speed Racer.
It's pretty hideous. It looks like a space helmet from the 1960s.
It's based off of the R75 round shape, in their opinion it is the best shape to glance off impact, so they don't care how it "looks", as long as it protects.