The Vulcan Modular Motorcycle Helmet is Firstgear’s sole, street-biased head protection offering. With that in mind, it seems that Firstgear’s philosophy was to make the model as versatile as possible. The helmet features a flip-up chinbar, a multiposition clear faceshield, adjustable ventilation, and an integrated drop-down tinted screen.
In the words of Henry Ford, you can have the Vulcan in any color you choose “as long as it’s black.” That being said, the gloss black helmet is quite attractive. The lines of the Vulcan are clean and aggressive. The aesthetic is accomplished with very little clutter. The Vulcan is devoid of decals and superfluous visual bells and whistles. The venting is integrated seamlessly, and the only splash of color is the red chin bar release button.
Safety is job number one in helmet construction, and the Vulcan offers a solid list of certifications and features. The shell is formed of injection-molded ABS, and there is a dual-density EPS impact liner. The helmet is approved both by the American DOT and the European ECE. It also features emergency release cheek pads and a double D-ring chin strap. The chin bar’s locking mechanism secures with a reassuring and solid click.
Ventilation is achieved via four adjustable intake vents and two fixed exhaust vents. The airflow is adequate but not overwhelming. The vents are easily manipulated with gloved hands. The clear shield can be partially opened for more ventilation and anti-fog situations. The Vulcan is a relatively quiet helmet with no notable whistling and only moderate wind noise.
The clear shield on the Vulcan is a bit of a challenge to lift due to a relatively stiff actuation and small central lift point. With time and practice, it gets easier. The dropdown sunshade is controlled via a slide mechanism on the bottom lip on the left side of the helmet. A nice feature of the tinted shade is that it can be dropped to a fully deployed position, unlike many other modular helmet shades that leave a gap at the bottom. It can also be dropped to a partially open position for easy viewing of motorcycle gauges. The flexible rubber nose shield is unobtrusive.
The removable and washable internal liner is comfortable and relatively plush. The helmet has a neutral shape that we would call an intermediate oval. There is adequate room in the ear area for humans, but we can’t vouch for its suitability for those long-eared Vulcans for which the helmet is named.
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All in all, the Firstgear Vulcan Modular is a quality motorcycle helmet at a competitive price. With its subtle styling and feature-rich design, it seems directly aimed at the sport-touring and touring market. It is available in sizes XS-2XL. The suggested retail is $320.
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Source: RiderMagazine.com
