After a strange and difficult journey, Norton announced that the first 40 motorcycles to officially roll off the production line will be Commandos.
After a year-long hiatus, Norton is cold-starting and firing on all cylinders after TVS – and Indian transnational – acquired the brand in a £16m deal last April. The company has built a brand new manufacturing facility in Solihull and plans to utilize that among other key assets to fulfill the Commandos that have already been pre-ordered by older customers. CEO John Russel stated that there will probably be a few units left over after fulfilling these previous orders.
Russel also added “We want to change from a cottage industry to a credible motorcycle manufacturer. We have set up an interim factory in Solihull and are laying down the production lines now. Even though it is temporary (probably for the next 4-5 years) it will still probably be the best facility Norton have ever had”
“That bike still needs some development and we will be sourcing some of the components from different suppliers. It’s a bike that has the right weight and riding position to suit the less experienced and those wanting a bike without too much drama.
“That should see us through the next 18 months and then we will start looking at new opportunities. We want Norton to be quintessentially British. Self assured, sturdy, an Aston Martin rather than a Ferrari.
“We want there to be substance and we won’t just be sticking Union Jacks everywhere. We want to make great products that just so happen to be British and they will be manufactured in Britain. But we won’t always be buying British parts. The motorcycle industry is multi-national and you can’t always get the best tech in the UK.”
The company is planning on growing at a very fast pace; after TVS acquired the brand only 55 employees remained. Russel speculates that the company could grow to a total of 200 employees now that the brand’s walking has turned into a brisk running pace. We hope the best for this heritage start-up and look forward to the new Commandos coming to fruition.
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Honda released a CB350 H’ness (Highness) in India not long ago. Almost as soon as it was revealed people began discussing scrambler and cafe racer versions of the motorcycle.
The H’ness was envisioned as a challenger to Royal Enfield’s Classic 350, and in order to do that, it does indeed look like Honda will craft some other versions of this bike. According to GaadiWaadi, Honda has plans to introduce a new cafe racer model in India.
An unnamed source told the publication the motorcycle is currently in the works, and will likely come out sooner than many people expect. That’ means it will likely hit the market sometime in 2021.
I’d expect it to have the same 348cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine but sport some minor updates and feature a slightly higher price tag than the standard CB350 H’ness.
At the moment, the new CB350 is an India-only model, but I would love to see this come to other markets, and I think the bike could be a hit in Australia and in North America. If it goes anywhere after India, though, I bet Honda will release it in the UK, and then expand from there.
The surgery, carried out by a team made up of doctors Samuel Antuña, Ignacio Roger de Oña, Juan de Miguel, Aitor Ibarzabal and Andrea García Villanueva, consisted of the removal of the previous plate and the placement of a new plate with the addition of an iliac crest bone graft with a corticoperiosteal free flap.
The rugged nautical majesty of Maine’s historic Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick frames the Chieftain Elite. Story and photos by Phil Buonpastore.
My cousin Jim Pace, an avid motorcyclist and native of New Hampshire, and I had long discussed touring New England from his home in Barrington, and our bucket-list ride was finally planned for last summer. Indian Motorcycles arranged for me to borrow a 2020 Chieftain Elite from Motorcycles of Manchester, so with all of the pieces in place, I flew to New Hampshire in July. The ride to Barrington gave me an opportunity to get accustomed to the bike.
A stop at a scenic overlook on the ribbon-like Mt. Washington Auto Road.
Not long after cousin Jim and I embarked on a loop ride around Lake Winnipesaukee. Leaving Barrington on New Hampshire Route 11, gradual sweepers punctuated by a few tight turns took us along the western side of Bow Lake. Here, towns and traffic gradually disappear and the road begins to elevate to the Lake Winnipesaukee Scenic Islands Viewing Area, cresting a high embankment revealing elevated views of Diamond, Rattlesnake and Sleeper’s Island in the lake below, with rolling foothill mountains in the distance.
At Glendale, NHR3 and NHR25 wind for 26 miles along the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. The lakefront town of Weirs Beach, location of the annual Laconia Motorcycle Week rally that brings thousands of motorcyclists to the area each June, is also a popular spot for tourists. After stopping for some locally made ice cream and people watching, we continued northeast on low stress two-lane country highway through mild curves, rolling hills and forest until reaching NHR16, also known as the White Mountain Highway, then turned south through the towns of Ossipee, Wakefield and Milton. A detour on First Crown Point Road for a quick jaunt through Blue Job Mountain State Forest and it was back to Barrington, completing a 3.5-hour, 150-mile afternoon ride.
An abandoned Indian Motocycles truck trailer offers a surprise photo-op in Milton, New Hampshire.
The next day’s plan was to ride 60 miles north on a loop that would encompass both the Franconia and Crawford Notches, the well-known valley passes through the White Mountains. Heading north on NH16 through scenic countryside, we passed through the town of Milton, and happened upon the most surprising photo op of the week — an abandoned truck trailer painted bright yellow, with the classic Indian Motocycles logo painted in red and a rendering of a 1940’s vintage Chief motorcycle. It was an absolute must stop for photos of the new Chieftain.
A stop for a roadside break at the Ossippe River near the town of Effingham Falls.
At Union, NHR153 is the preferred route, offering taller hills and tighter curves than the highway. Once to Conway, we headed west on the must-ride Kancamagus Highway. The first 20 miles of the highway begins leisurely and sedate, paralleling the Swift River to the Sugar Hill Scenic Vista, featuring hiking trails and the opportunity to take a cool dip on a hot summer’s day. But the fun for a rider is in the second 20 miles, where the valley between Mount Hancock and Mount Osceola offer major changes in elevation and a sequence of increasingly challenging twisties, topped by a 200-degree classic hairpin turn around the Hancock Overlook.
The Ride up the Mt. Washington Auto Road was blanketed by thick fog for most of the ride to the summit. Cousin Jim cautiously surveys the road ahead.
At the town of Woodstock, the Kancamagus ends. Turning north on U.S. Route 3, the Daniel Webster Highway is a relaxing ride that leads through Franconia Notch State Park, a focal point for hiking trails that go up to five mountains: Lafayette, Liberty, Flume, and the Cannon and Kinsman Mountains that surround the park. North of Franconia Notch, U.S. Route 3 goes east toward U.S. Route 302 and Mount Washington. Here the skies clouded, and intermittent light rain began to fall, putting a damper on the enjoyment of the day. A quick stop to don rain gear and take photos of the magnificent Mt. Washington Hotel on a cloudy day, and we continued through the Crawford Notch to Conway, where sunshine and blue sky returned. After a stop for bygone-era photos at the Conway Railroad Museum, we returned to Barrington through broken clouds, completing 205 miles and 4.75 hours of ride time. The loop was spectacular, but we would need another opportunity to fully enjoy the Crawford Notch and Washington Hotel in better weather.
At the summit, the Sherman Adams Building houses the Mt. Washington Observatory and Museum, and chains anchor the Tip-Top House to the mountain. Wind velocities here have been recorded as high as 231 mph.
By midweek, the days had become sunny, clear and blue, perfect for a ride to the top of Mt. Washington State Park. Taking NH16 north for 75 miles brought us to the park entrance at about 1 p.m. After paying the $20 entrance fee and getting our “This Bike Climbed Mt. Washington” bumper stickers, we started up the very twisty, ribbon-thin 7.6-mile Auto Road to the top of Mt. Washington. The road is hardly wide enough for two cars, and the ride to the summit was made all the more interesting by a heavy fog that settled on the mountain about halfway up, sometimes limiting vision to less than 50 feet, with a road section under repair reduced to dirt and gravel. Keep calm, and keep moving. Still, I couldn’t pass up opportunities for ghost-like photos, with headlights appearing and disappearing as they passed in the fog.
At the road’s end is Mount Washington State Park, a 60-acre site topping the 6,288-foot summit of the Northeast’s highest peak, surrounded by the 750,000-acre White Mountain National Forest. Mt. Washington is famous for having the highest recorded wind velocity ever measured in the U.S., an astounding 231 mph, and the summit building built in the 1930s is chained to the ground in order to withstand the sometimes very high winds. On clear days, summit views extend as far as 130 miles to Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Quebec and out to the Atlantic Ocean. Breaks in the fog allowed for some amazing views into the Tuckerman Ravine. The well-known Appalachian Trail also crosses the Auto Road about halfway up to the summit.
The Sherman Adams Building houses the Mount Washington Observatory and Museum, and the Tip-Top House, a hotel built in 1853 and renovated in 1986 for historic tours. While Covid-19 restrictions had closed these facilities to the public, the Mt. Washington Cog Railway was operating. Built in 1866 by Sylvester Marsh, these unique and beautiful period trains use a giant cog-style gear and rack system to pull railcars up the mountain at angles from 25 to as great as 38 degrees, transporting visitors from the Marshfield Base Station near the Mt. Washington Hotel to the top of the mountain.
One of the few operating in the U.S., the colorful Mt. Washington Cog Railway uses a gear and rack system to operate on inclines from 25 to 38 degrees.
As rainy weather had previously kept us from experiencing the Crawford Notch and Mt. Washington Hotel in all their brilliant glory, we took a detour on U.S. Route 302 to make another pass through the notch and a get second look at the hotel. This time, we were not disappointed. Closing in on the golden hour, the late afternoon sunlight bathed the steep mountainsides in deep amber as we rode through the notch.
The Crawford Notch runs through the White Mountains some 4,000 feet overhead.
The Mt. Washington Hotel is a massive and beautiful structure of the grandest design built in 1902. Its history boasts the signing of the agreement for the creation of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in 1944, and the filming of scenes from the movie “The Shining,” as well as supposedly being haunted by a ghost named Carolyn, the wife of the hotel’s builder and first owner, Joseph Stickney. I am not sure, however, if any of this information recommends a night’s stay there! After a walk through the hotel to take in the building’s beautiful interior and the large semi-circular patio that overlooks the golf course and mountains behind, and we were riding once again.
The spectacular Mt. Washington Hotel, built in 1902, has hosted presidents and world dignitaries.
Passing through the town of Freedom, we saw an old rustic barn with a sign reading “Freedom Farm” above its double doors, an obvious final photo-op of the day. With the afternoon spent on Mt. Washington, we arrived home after dark, completing a 225-mile loop.
The “Freedom Farm” in the town of Freedom affirms both the New Hampshire motto and the rider’s resolve: “Live Free or Die.” Center: U.S. 1A, or Long Beach Avenue, runs through the seaside town of York, and within yards of the Atlantic Ocean.
The next day it was time for something completely different — a seaside ride on the coast of Maine. Taking NHR9 and Dover Point Road to Portsmouth then crossing the Maine border, we rode out toward the Atlantic coast on Maine Route 103, a lovely Maine low-country ride along small rivers and waterways and through coastal communities, serene and peaceful. MR103 changes road names from Shapleigh to Whipple to Tenny Hill to Brave Boat Harbor Road before crossing the York River, leading to a right turn onto U.S. 1A, also known as Long Beach Ave. Within a few miles, the road turns parallel to the coast and within feet of the Atlantic Ocean, often separated only by public beach and sidewalk. The day granted perfect riding weather — clear blue skies, low 80-degree temperatures and scattered cumulus. A detour on Nubble Road through spectacular oceanfront residences led to the Nubble Lighthouse, perched on its own island and picture-perfect. North of the lighthouse, we continued through the York Cliffs, Bald Head and Ogunquit areas, with the road becoming less populated as it reached the coastal Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, then to the beautiful town of Kennebunkport, vacation spot of presidents. Maine Route 9A to New Hampshire Route 9 served for a fine open-country ride on the one-hour return to Barrington.
Built in 1879, The Nubble Lighthouse, also known as the Cape Neddick Light, is still in use today.
My arrangements with Indian included returning the motorcycle in Florida, and later that week I began the ride south. New Hampshire and Maine had been new territory for me, and there is a lot of riding there yet to be done. Looks like I’ll need a bigger bucket.
Built in 1879, The Nubble Lighthouse, also known as the Cape Neddick Light, is still in use today.
New England Loops: A Bucket-List Ride in New England Photo Gallery:
Open-face helmets are popular options for riders who want increased airflow, unobstructed views, and moderate protection. Unlike full-face helmets, they won’t offer all-round protection and will leave areas of the face and skull vulnerable in the event of an accident, however, the majority of models are designed with your safety in mind.
Even so, we’ve put together a list of our favorites, separating the wheat from the chaff, with a goal of matching you with the best open-faced helmet for your needs.
But how do we decide what makes the list and what doesn’t? Well, a good open-face helmet will offer the best level of protection possible. It should also offer distraction free-riding without any annoying whistles or loose hardware.
And it shouldn’t pinch or hurt anyone wearing it! Of course, different budgets can afford different levels of quality, but we always ensure that our selections offer the best return for your investment, whether you’re spending a hundred dollars or a thousand.
So without further ado, let’s look at the best open-face helmets you can buy this year!
The Biltwell Bonanza is a cheap open-face helmet that offers DOT-approved protection with a price tag that literally anyone can afford. It’s a no-frills open-face lid that ticks the right boxes and features a few nice features to elevate it above the really cheap models. If budget is your primary concern, this is the helmet for you. It just happens to offer decent protection too.
So why do we recommend it? Because if you’re going to buy a cheap open-face, you might as well buy one from a reputable manufacturer that knows how to make a great value-for-money product. Biltwell is a name that we trust, and even these cheaper helmets are made to a respectable standard. The shell, for example, is made from a tough molded ABS material and paired with a custom-shaped EPS inner shell. It even has a hand-stitched inner liner with Lycra paneling.
For a product with such a low price tag, you get a good return for your investment. The Bonanza is comfortable to wear, looks cool, and performs its primary function well enough. It has plenty of positive reviews that support those claims. But even if you’re left disappointed by it, it only cost a hundred dollars, so you can’t really complain!
The LS2 Verso is an affordable open-face motorcycle helmet that’s ideal for lightweight touring and commuting. Comprising of a Kinetic Polymer Alloy shell and tough EPS liner, the LS2 Verso is DOT-approved, offers a comfortable snug fit, and has a surprising number of plus features that give it great value for money.
The Verso uses a full-face shield to keep riders comfortable. As standard, it ships with a fog-resistant shield, with an air diffuser that’s designed to help combat fogging-up and provide adequate ventilation. This helmet also includes a drop-down sun visor too, though it’s not as effective as it could be and has an annoying habit of retracting when you lift the main face shield. It can also cause a whistling noise at speed too.
That being said, this is a budget helmet, and you do get an excellent return for your investment, minor quibbles aside. The build quality is excellent, it’s comfortable to wear, the airflow is great, and the addition of a quick-release chin strap and drop-down visor elevate this helmet above the usual budget products. You get a lot of helmet for not a lot of money.
If you’re looking for a lightweight and inexpensive retro-themed half-face helmet, then the Bel Custom 500 has long been an obvious choice. It’s smart, stylish, comfortable, and well-made—all for an affordable price tag.
The latest version of the legendary Bell Custom 500 has a number of new improvements over its already successful predecessors. It now features a new headform for a closer and more comfortable fit. The new shell sits lower on your head. And thanks to a selection of shell and EPS sizes, it’s easier to get a better fit than ever before. Still, it’s worth mentioning that those with larger and rounder heads might find the Custom 500 line to be too uncomfortable, and tight in all the wrong places.
However, if you’ve got a narrower oval head, the Custom 500 should fit like a glove. The helmet includes a strong multi-density EPS liner, a padded strap with a stainless steel D-ring closure, a leather D-ring pull tab and a five-year warranty. Plus, this helmet comes in four different color options: black, matte black, white, and silver flake.
Next up, we have another Bell model. This time, it’s the Bell Mag 9 Sena helmet. The Mag 9 has been on the market for quite a few years now, and it’s always receiving great reviews. Not only is it a strong, secure, and comfortable open-face helmet, but it also features bold styling and the ability to accommodate a Sena SMH 10 Bluetooth Stereo Headset and Intercom device.
The Mag 9 features a tough but lightweight polycarbonate ABS shell, a choice of visor and shield options, a unique design that sets it apart from the crowd. The helmet can be worn with or without the visor, and with or without the face shield too. On the inside, it boasts a practical drop-down sun shield, contoured cheek pads, an antibacterial microfiber liner, and comfortable airflow thanks to the use of velocity flow vents.
Why most riders recommend this helmet is the fact that it accommodates Sena communication technology. It saves the hassle of having to adapt a helmet to use third-party equipment or pay inflated prices for a helmet that can only use a company’s own proprietary system. As you can guess by the price tag, the Sena SMH10 has to be purchased separately. However, the Bell Mag 9 is a cool and inexpensive helmet even for riders who aren’t looking for Bluetooth tech.
The Nolan N21 is a safe and secure helmet with a very stylish look. It’s compact and lightweight without compromising its safety rating or integrity. The N21 uses a wide shield that covers the face whilst offering a wide field of vision, making it an ideal choice for commuters and city riders. Featuring a polycarbonate shell, a snug interior with a removable and antibacterial lining, and a smart micro lock retention system, the Nolan N21 is the full package.
You’re either going to love or hate the VPS sunscreen. It’s quite cool that it retracts into a special recess on the helmet, but some riders simply prefer wearing sunglasses instead. However, if you like the look of this Nolan, we recommend leaving your sunglasses at home because you’ll have a hard time getting them to fit on your face with this helmet.
The only real negative point is the lack of ventilation. Though, on an open-face helmet, it’s not such a big deal. However, a vent or two would have been a nice addition. Still, that’s hardly a complaint because apart from that, this helmet is one of our favorites.
The Schuberth M1 Pro is a premium open-face helmet. As Schuberth is a German company, you can rest assured that no feature was left untested in the development of this helmet. It has been wind-tunnel tested, aerodynamically sculpted, and designed to provide a luxury fit at a mid-range price point.
The shell is constructed using Schubert’s Direct Fiber Processing technique, an innovative process that uses glass fiber and resin with a heated mold to create a strong but lightweight shell. It features a tough and secure inner shell, and a high-quality and allergen-free removable antibacterial liner. The M1 Pro has good airflow thanks to a rear vent but without too much noise thanks to the helmet’s optimized aero acoustics.
Other cool features included a visor peak, an integrated sun shield, and the option to upgrade to a Pinlock-ready face shield. It does have space to accommodate Schuberth’s own proprietary microphone and audio system (SC1M) but it’s not universal. If it could use third-party Bluetooth technology and come with a Pinlock shield as standard, this helmet would be almost perfect.
At the premium end of the open-face helmet spectrum, we have the Shoei J-Cruise. The most up-to-date model, the J-Cruise II, is one of the most advanced open-face helmets on the market. Using Advanced Integrated Matrix technology, the shell is compact and lightweight without compromising its overall strength. It also uses a multi-piece EPS liner to assist cooling whilst offering optimum protection.
The inside of the J-Cruise II is made up of a 3D Max-Dry washable interior liner and cheek pads made using a five-layer foam construction. The Pinlock- ready face shield is made with a scratch-resistant coating with a wide, cured construction for increased peripheral vision. The helmet also uses an inner sun visor that blocks up to 99% of harmful UV rays.
It’s a comfortable helmet and one of the best on the market. Riders love the fact that it’s compatible with Shoei and Sena’s SRL Bluetooth Headset, and because it comes with an industry-leading seven-year warranty. Available in a range of shell sizes and color options, if you’re looking for a premium open-faced helmet, start your search here.
If money is no object, then the Arai Ram-X is worth looking at. Yes, it is expensive for an open-face helmet but it is DOT and SNELL certified, packs some of the most advanced technology in the segment, and will give you the best protection possible from an open-face lid. They call this one a premium open-face touring helmet, and for good reason.
Built around a Z-compound enriched Super Fiber Laminate shell, the Arai Ram-X is both tough and lightweight. Inside, the helmet boasts multiple-foam interiors, removable and replaceable cheek pads, and a practical VAS-Z Pro Shade sun shield. Ventilation is provided by Arai’s celebrated Corsair X ventilation system, complemented with side cowl exhausts for optimized airflow.
As a premium option, we do with that Arai would consider branching out into using more advanced construction and safety methods, such as a MIPS system. Still, Arai is one of the most reliable names in the business with years of experience making quality helmets, so they do know what they’re doing. No matter which way you look at it, the Arai Ram-X is an advanced helmet that offers a premium riding experience to anyone who wears one.
When you’re out riding, you’ll want nothing less than the best gear available. Even if you prefer the wind on your face or an unobstructed view, there’s no denying that there’s nothing safer than a full-face helmet.
There’s no shortage of decent lids available on the market, but they are plenty of substandard helmets still being sold. To help point you in the right direction, we’ve got a list of some of the best full-face helmets you can currently buy, across the full budget spectrum.
Before we jump in and take a look, it’s worth noting how we came to these conclusions.
Firstly, there’s no such thing as a perfect helmet. What works for one rider won’t work for another. Some riders can’t ride with too much wind noise, while others don’t mind it. Some riders wear eyeglasses and need a helmet that accommodates them, while others might have other priorities.
For us, a good helmet is one that is safe, keeps distracting wind noise to the minimum, won’t put too much strain on your neck, and won’t bankrupt you if you invest. Of course, all of the helmets we list are at least DOT certified, generally receive favourable reviews, and try to keep the noise to the minimum where possible! As for the financials, well, the best gear is always the gear you can afford.
The Bell Qualifier has long been one of our favorite budget-friendly full-face helmets. It’s cheap and is an unashamedly “no-frills” lid, but while it lacks in top-end features, it doesn’t make any compromises when it comes to your safety. It’s DOT-approved, has an aerodynamic polycarbonate shell, with ample interior padding, and a D-ring closure strap.
It’s often described as a no-frills helmet, but the Qualifier does have some premium features. These include a removable anti-bacterial liner, contoured padding, adjustable ventilation, ClickRelease tool-free shield swapping technology, an anti-fog visor as standard, and integrated speaker pockets. It even has a five-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Just know that this is an entry-level helmet for entry-level riding. If you’re planning on undertaking some advanced maneuvers at speed, we recommend that you buy a more appropriate helmet. At high speeds, the Qualifier can get noisy, and in some cases, the visor can lift. However, for something cheap and affordable that you can wear for riding around town, it’s a great value lid.
If you’re looking for a comfortable, quiet, and safety-conscious helmet with great airflow, then the Shoei RF-SR is worth looking at. Shoei is one of the leading names in the motorcycle helmet game, with a proven track record for excellence. The RF-SF continues that trend: it’s a durable helmet that surpasses DOT and SNELL M2015 requirements. Plus, it’s full of top-tier features and functions too.
Handmade in Japan, these helmets feature tough dual-layer EPS liners encased in an aerodynamic shell for optimum impact absorption. The RF-SR is small and lightweight, taking the strain away from your neck and shoulders, and making for a less turbulent ride.
An advanced spring-loaded CWR-1 shield protects the eyes and keeps wind egress and noise to an absolute minimum. Emergency Quick Release System technology, comfort padding, breath guards, and a chin curtain, are all included as standard.
Take note that this helmet is optimized for upright riding rather than bunched-up sport riding. At high-speed, the noise level will become noticeably louder!
The Simpson Ghost Bandit is a full-face helmet with an attention-grabbing design, top-level features, and a great safety record. It’s DOT and ECE certified with a tough yet lightweight composite shell, but it has a design that’s chock full of attitude. It offers the perfect balance of protection and style, without compromising either of the two.
Now, you should never buy a helmet solely based on how good it looks. That’s a fact. This one just happens to look great and tick all the right boxes. It features a removable anti-bacterial liner, a drop-down sun visor, tool-free shield removal, and serious ventilation.
The dual chin vents are adjustable and work with the top and rear vents to promote airflow. There are removable air dams to help cut-down noise, but we do have to say that this helmet can get noisy at high speed. It’s a shame because this helmet has it all—it even has integrated speaker and microphone pockets, which is something that should be standard these days but isn’t. If the price was lower, or the noise problem wasn’t so bad at 60+ mph, this would be one of the best helmets out there.
HJC’s helmets are often included in these kinds of lists because of their cheaper, budget-friendly models. This time, we’ve decided to include the RPHA 70 ST Carbon series. It’s not a budget helmet, but it’s also not a premium model either. For a mid-range helmet, it offers great value for money and impressive protection. Naturally, it’s DOT-approved and features many advanced safety features.
The helmet uses P.I.M Plus (Premium Integrated Matrix Plus) technology which uses a blend of carbon fiber and carbon-glass hybrid fabric for the outer shell. On the inside, the RPHA features an anti-bacterial moisture-wicking liner with removable cheek and crown pads. The HJ-26 anti-fog shield can be swapped without tools, and a separate tinted sun-shield is also included.
Ventilation is good on this HJC< with intake and exhaust vents and a rear vent switch. Unfortunately, this helmet can get loud when you’re gunning it. For most riders, this won’t be a problem, but if you plan on taking advantage of the HJC’s speaker pockets take note of the sound issue.
The wind noise is a negative point, but the overall quality of this helmet for the price cancels it out.
AGV is widely regarded as one of the best helmet manufacturers in the game, and the Italian brand’s Corsa R helmet is one of their best. Ideal for street riders and track racers alike, the Corsa R is professional-grade hardware. Though it’s a step-down from the brand’s flagship Pista range, the Corsa offers many of the same features in a more affordable package.
Built using a combination of carbon fiber and aramid, with a tough multi-density EPS liner, the Corsa R can withstand shock and impacts, but without weighing heavily on your head. It’s lightweight, weighing 3.45 lbs, but packs heavyweight features.
Inside, there’s an intelligent integrated ventilation system to promote airflow, adjustable vents, removable cheek pads, and a reversible helmet liner. The face shield makes a perfect seal with the helmet, and it’s locked in place with a dual-purpose locking system. It’s not a noisy helmet, but it does have a negative point: replacement visors can be quite expensive!
The Bell Star was an instant icon when it first arrived on the scene. Now, we have the updated version of that classic lid, but this time with added MIPS. MIPS, or Multi-directional Impact Protection System, is a special layer in a helmet between the shell and the EPS liner that reduces impact and rotational forces from damaging the brain. What could make the Bell Star even better? Having MIPS installed, that’s what.
Aside from the MIPS, the Bell Star uses a Tri-matrix composite shell made from Aramid, carbon fiber, and fiberglass. Inside, it features an advanced X-Static silver liner that provides top-level odor and bacteria protection. What we love about this helmet is that it’s eyewear friendly, with small recesses in the interior foam that can accommodate the arms of eyeglasses.
It can also accommodate communication devices thanks to the integrated speaker pockets and uses an advanced Panovision face shield with Class 1 optics. It also exceeds SNELL M2015 and DOT requirements.
Take care when ordering one of these though. Sizing it correctly can be difficult, and they have been known to be tight on larger heads.
Nolan’s N87 helmet is a DOT certified lid that has been in the game for a while now, but their MotoGP edition elevates the helmet to a new level. Made from a tough polycarbonate shell, the N87 features an ultra-wide Pinlock-ready face shield, an inner sun shield, Clima-comfort inner liner, and washable contoured cheek pads.
It’s comfortable to wear and easy to operate thanks to Nolan’s Microlock straps. There’s plenty of ventilation too, and with the added AirBooster technology, it rarely fogs up. However, it can get a little noisy when you’re traveling at high speed.
The drop-down sun visor, though rated with 400UV protection, is the only real negative. The deployment and retraction mechanism could be better. Also, the helmet is set up to accommodate Nolan’s N-Com communication system, but it may not accommodate devices from other brands. If communication is important, check that your device fits before pulling the trigger.
Otherwise, this is a comfortable and innovative helmet at an affordable price point.
The Arai Corsair X is a premium helmet that comes in a variety of finishes, with varying price tags. The standard Corsair X is remarkably affordable considering the level of engineering and technology involved. Made from Arai’s proprietary PB SNC2, a blend of resin and synthetic fibers, the shell is strong and tough, and designed to protect against direct impacts as well as “glancing” impacts too.
To do this, Arai uses a design that redirects energy rather than absorbs it. It’s one of many advanced features in this full-face helmet. On the inside, the helmet has an Eco-Pure Liner for antibacterial and comfort purposes, advanced ventilation for optimized airflow, peel away padding that can be removed in an emergency, and speaker pockets.
The face shield is an anti-fog VAS MAX Vision unit, held in place using a Variable Axis System powered shield pivot. It also included a special shield latch that prevents unexpected opening and keeps noise penetration to a minimum. The VAS system is one of the best features of this helmet, making for intuitive face shield operation when riding.
Unfortunately, it does have a high price tag, even more so if you invest in a race-replica paint job. But, if you can afford it, it’s one of the best tools for the job.
Officially Supporting the Performance Technical Racing Team
Triumph and Performance Technical Racing (PTR) team have partnered up to bring Triumph back to the English Supersport Championship. The team will be led by Simon Buckmaster, who has been in competitions like the Supersport World Championship and the Isle of Man TT.
Triumph will provide official support to PTR. The bike will be directly based on the Street Triple RS model, specifically the Triple 765cc engine used in Moto2. The team will be racing to win and to develop experience so Triumph can return to the Supersport World Championship in 2022.
“Triumph has a consolidated experience, built on numerous successes, in the Supersport category through the Daytona 675, and lately through the remarkable results achieved with the supply of 3-cylinder engines for Moto2. Supersport has always been a crucial category for training riders capable of competing at high levels in WSBK and MotoGP. For this reason, we are pleased that MSVR, Dorna, and the FIM are working on the evolution of Supersport regulations, also encouraging manufactures like Triumph to fall into this category,” said Steve Sargent, Triumph Motorcycle Chief Product Officer, according to Motociclismo.
It will be interesting to see how this goes for Triumph. All the ingredients seem to be there now the racing team just has to execute.
In the final Web reveal of the year for Ducati, the company showcased the new 950 Monster. This bike shares its engine with the latest Supersport 950 and should be one heck of a motorcycle.
The bike’s Testaretta 11-degree engine makes 111 hp and 69 lb-ft of torque, and Ducati did its best to make the most of that by making the Monster lightweight. The company said this is the lightest Monster yet. It managed to lose 40 pounds when compared to the outgoing 821 Monster.
The 2021 950 Monster gets a full-color TFT display, ABS, TC, launch control, wheelie control, three riding modes, and a quickshifter. There’s also a lighter and easier to use clutch.
Suspension on this motorcycle is 43mm USD forks and a rear mono-shock. Stopping power comes by way of Brembo M4.32 monoblock 4-piston calipers and 320mm discs up front and 2-piston Brembo calipers in the rear with a 245mm disc.
Service intervals are every 15,000 km or every 12 months and you can get this bike with either a Ducati Red or a Dark Stealth paint job. The price of this model in Australia is $18,200 ride away.
Vintage BMW motorcycles are elegant and beautiful pieces of artwork, no matter what type of riding you’re into. If you’ve been examining vintage BMW’s and haven’t had the perfect chance to get one; your time is now.
This 1965 BMW R660/2 is a refinished bike with paint so perfect it might trick you into thinking it just rolled off the dealership lot. Ozzie’s BMW dealership in Chico California did the restoration job in 2012, and the bike has seen limited miles since then (50). It comes with the same bill of sale and title that was originally gathered when the bike was purchased from Ozzie’s BMW dated 2013. The motorcycle currently sits at 25,000 miles displayed by the odometer, but the exact mileage will remain a mystery.
This R660/2 comes with the original 596cc opposed-twin engine (producing 30 vintage horses when new) with a four-speed gearbox. The paint has been redone in a gloss black with white pinstriping, and the two-up seat has been reupholstered in matching black leather with white accenting around the edges.
Don’t worry about rolling around on 50+-year-old tires, new period-correct Metzeler tires have been mounted to the wire-spoke 18-inch rims to keep the authenticity of this classic motorcycle as true-to-form as possible.
This piece of modern history currently sits at a comfortable price of $7500, despite the auction on bringatrailer.com only having 2 days remaining to bid. If you’re looking for a low-priced classic BMW for date nights with the wifey, this very well may be the bike for you.
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