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ADV/ Dual sport Helmet?

Joined
Dec 26, 2006
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Austin
Wich helmet are you guys running? I like the arai xd4 but it is a bit costly.....the bell mx-9 is looking like a decent helmet for the price. Any thoughts or feedback?
 
I have a Bell MX-9 Adventure with MIPS.

It is great! A lot louder than the Shoei GT-Air I also own.
 
Wich helmet are you guys running? I like the arai xd4 but it is a bit costly.....the bell mx-9 is looking like a decent helmet for the price. Any thoughts or feedback?

I too am looking for a new dual sport helmet. Been looking and looking for the last week or two. Can't pull the trigger.... they are ether right price and not enough stuff or wrong price and all the right stuff.
Anyone know anything of the 509 helmet?
 
I got the bell mx-9 and like it a lot. Not very much wind buffering with the visor even at 75mph. It fits snug, I normally wear a large but had to get a xl to be comfortable.

My next pick would be the scorpion at-950 modular. Haven’t heard a lot of reviews but I like the idea
 
I need a new helmet.

What are the pros/cons of going ADV versus modular versus standard full face?

I'm not off road as much as I'd like to be.
 
I walked in to my local gas station with my full face on and the lil cashier asked if I was going to rob her. Modular may have been less stressful for her. Also it’s easier to talk to each other at stop signs.

The at-950 gives you the visor which can be removed and modular but still the adventure style for chin room. Plus it’s kinda in my price range
 
Yeah, that's why I was thinking modular as well. I feel like it freaks people out when I walk into the store with the full face helmet on.

In Arkansas, there were few pay at the pump options, so it required going into the store quite a bit. Felt weird with helmet on, but **** to take it off for that 5 second interaction.
 
XD4. Worth every penny.

:tab I am on my second XD-4. While I love the fit and light weight, there are a few things about it I do not like.

:tab The visor bill on my vibrates pretty bad when I am sitting on my GS. If I stand in clean air, it is better. I have even tried sticking wheel weights on the underside right at the front where it is thinnest. No joy. This has been the case with both helmets. If the material were just a bit stiffer, that would probably fix it. To be fair, not everyone has this issue apparently.

:tab I get a NASTY whistle on the helmet somewhere around where the bill meets the helmet shell. Adjusting the bill does nothing. If I turn my head at an awkward angle it will stop. Even though I wear ear plugs, it is still very annoying at any speeds over about 35-40 mph. Looking online, it would appear that some folks get this and some don't. It does not matter which bike I ride, standing or sitting.

:tab I wish the visor could be changed with less effort, more like a Shoei. It is a pain having to disassemble the bill mounts to change or clean the visor. Also, the visor does not clear well in rain, even when I get in the wind flow and turn my head to the sides. I am not sure what is up with that. All of my Shoei's cleared really well. It does not fog, it is just the spray on the outside of the visor that is a problem. It is bad enough that I try to avoid riding in rain if at all possible.

:tab The helmet does vent pretty well when it is in the air flow. Sitting behind a big screen, it is going to get warm. That is the case with most helmets though. When it is venting, it is not that loud, but I wear ear plugs so my view on that may be skewed. I have a SENA 20S installed with the speakers mounted in the helmet. I have to keep it at full volume if I am at highway speeds, but it works okay up to around 75mph. On back roads and dirt roads, it works fine. There are pads with the 20S that let you adjust the distance between the speaker face and your ears. The 20S clips to the side of the helmet and I am using the boom mic that bends around underside of the helmet and has the mic right in front of my mouth.

:tab I've used the helmet in temps in the mid to high 20s F and also in the 105-110 F range. When the vents are closed, there is still a good bit of wind up the neck/chin area and on the back of the neck, but not really any worse than any other helmet I've used. For the cold, my solution is a Klim Balaclava that goes down inside my jacket and I can pull the opening up over my nose leaving only my eyes exposed, I can leave my eyes/nose exposed, or the whole face. This makes a HUGE difference in comfort. In the heat, if I am on my GS, I either have to stand or occasionally lean out from behind the big windscreen to get some air through the helmet. On my KTM, I get plenty of air through the helmet.

:tab I have crash tested the XD-4. I had a nasty high side on some ice in Utah while riding my KTM 530 EXC. After a bit of flying, I landed on my head. The helmet had scratches across the top from one side to the other and some chips in the paint. It took me a few minutes to catch my breath, but otherwise I was fine. My neck and shoulders were sore, but I did not experience any concussion related symptoms beyond a mild headache that went away after a few advil. We were in the middle of no where, without any cell service, and I had to ride it out. I was able to do so without any issues. I have not tested it on pavement... I'll let someone else do that ;-)

:tab I think if I were in the market right now, I might try a different helmet, perhaps a Shoei. It is not that the XD-4 isn't a good helmet, but just that I'd like to try something else just to see. I might end up going back to it later.
 
The idea behind an ADV helmet is to have an opening big enough to wear goggles under the visor. The beak also allows for a little more room if you are trying to get a water tube into your mouth, etc. A poorly designed ADV helmet (like my old Joe Rocket) will have wind lift from the visor and a keel effect that makes the helmet turn on your head. The XD4 series does not have that problem. As far as features go, they all generally add weight, and it's a matter of personal choice how heavy a helmet you want to wear for long trips. There is one feature that is on my must-have list and that is a removable lining. The inner foam lining goes bad long before the shell and impact foam. Being able to wash or replace a sweaty foam lining will extend the life of the helmet and make it nicer to wear. I keep two linings for my XD4 so I can change them out.

Check out Tourmeister's photos of his XD4. It's been through some rough times.
 
Yeah, I forgot about the liner thing. That is a nice feature.

I don't have issue with the wind catching the bill unless I am running pretty fast and I really turn my head in a manner that I know will catch the wind. Otherwise, it is a non-issue.

The vent covers on the top rear are a bit fragile. I bumped the helmet when it was hanging on a passenger foot peg and it broke one of the covers. It is not a big deal, but those vent levers just feel a bit flimsy. I rarely close them so it hasn't been a problem.
 
The guy at cycle gear in SA did not recommend it. He said the pairing isn’t that great and the speakers are low quality

No surprise there given that the SENA 20S communicators run about $250 just for one. So whatever is in that helmet must be a cheap version to keep the price of that helmet so low.
 
I just did 1600 miles with my new AT950 helmet. There are definitely pros and cons with this helmet. Mostly pros.

I bought the XXL that fit very well except for the cheeks, which were very tight with the lid closed. This is a very common complaint about the helmet. I ordered XXXL cheek pads and that improved the comfort.

Next was the issue with my Sena slim speakers. Even though there are speaker pockets they just weren't deep enough for me. After my initial shake down ride of 100 miles my ears were KILLING me. No amount of adjusting or finagling fixed this issue. Id decided to give earbuds a try even though I'd always avoided them in the past due to the perceived hassle. Well they worked GREAT. Way better sound and noise reduction than any helmet I've had the Sena speakers in in the last 8+ years. I may upgrade the earbuds but I'm definitely sticking with them.

Finally the visor. I took it off. I found it too short to offer any shade at any angle and it created a light buffeting of the shell of the helmet that would blur my vision through the clear shield and tinted shield. The helmet is provided with decorative covers when the visor is off so it doesn't look unfinished. Never missed the visor the entire trip.

Overall I'd give the helmet a 7 based on it's value. If you want a modular ADV helmet there aren't many choices and this one is fine.
 
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Good info.
 
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:confused: ok so does anyone know anything of the 509 helmet? :rofl:
I'm between the AT-950 and the 509. I like the way the 509 visor pops off for goggles
 
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+1 for the XD-4. Cool in summer, warm in winter.

After some of the crashes I've had, I would never trust a modular helmet. Screw the people in the gas station, They will get over you wearing a helmet much faster than you getting over a missing jawbone.
 
:confused: ok so does anyone know anything of the 509 helmet? :rofl:
I'm between the AT-950 and the 509. I like the way the 509 visor pops off for goggles
With a quarter you can remove the AT950"s shield

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
I'm used to sport touring, and have always raved about my Shoei Neotec. However... Having just purchased a Super Tenere and starting to dive into the ADV world... I researched ADV helmets for a few weeks, and finally decided on the XD4.

That said... I'm also fairly cheap, so I didn't want to pay full price for one.

I ended up getting a barely used one on eBay for $300.

44370444055_c449980d0a_n.jpg


It's everything I thought it would be. I just road tested it on a 6 hour ride on the S10 this past week and it performed wonderfully. I had no buffeting and I didn't feel the peak drag at all. It is very lightweight as well, and it vents significantly better than my Shoei Neotec.

I also used FortNine's review... but it was the one from a few years ago.


I was going to go with the MX9, but when I found an XD4 for essentially the same price... I jumped on it.
 
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