That has to be the best review for a helmet ever! not that I have one...but I would be lying if I said I hadnt ever looked at one and thought...mmm I could get this....Great job Del and the camera work Penny! :-)
Cheers for that. You 100% covered the two main points I needed to know! I ride all year round and lots of night riding, so you just saved me from an expensive regrettable choice.
Thanks Mike, well it's a lot of money for a daytime lid, and many people only have enough money to buy one for every day and you could easily make a choice on looks and then be sorely disappointed... good to hear from you buddy!
Hi Del and Penny. Thanks for this. Another thing to consider and that many forget is the effect of colour on the internal temperature of a crash helmet. A black helmet worn in full Summer sun will heat up very quickly and can become almost unbearable, even if vented. A white helmet will be much cooler in the same conditions. This is because black and other dark colours absorbs heat and white or other lighter colours will reflect it. It's easy to test this out. Paint a couple of small boards, one white and one black, and place them on the ground and put a thermometer under each. Leave them in the full sun for 15 minutes and then note the temperature differences between them.
Good points well made, specailly for those who live in really hot climates..not a problem we have in England..but valid elsewhere for sure... cheers buddy..
Real review of a Boxer Del - cheers for that. Had one when I was a DR in London donkeys years ago and thought it was great - some scroat nicked it out of the office (that's another tale) Bought one a few years back from Helmet City at a bargain price and have had all those same issues - I thought it was just me! So yes, there's a full face in the stable too. They do look the part though:)
Saw this video and bought one anyway. Happy I did. I don’t go to the track, so this lid is enough for me, and it’s a real head-turner. Also, mine doesn’t leak in the rain.
del boy i am a old biker now getting back in to bikeing for the last good few mouths I have been watching pretty much every video u have put up mate , I am going for the full test soon and with the really good help form you and penny i feel that i am so ready to do it now to be sure i live in scotland the roads up here are great for bikes and i WOULD JUST LIKE to say a big thank you for all your help mate keep posting the videos you are doing a great job the two of you and i am looking forward to many more vids mate P.S I AM LIKEING how the tiger is comeing on bud
the BOY henderson HI there mate, Firstly welcome back to biking,its good to see people joining the family later in life, and good luck with your test. Id love to have some quality miles up in Scotland, specially the highlands and Islands, such stunningly beautiful country...If you like Rat Bikes then you're in the right place with all the wet weather you get up there, its one of the main reasons i love them, you can enjoy a rainy wet day out as much as a sunny one...even more so sometimes coz the roads are empty lol.... Thanks for your kind comments my friend, good luck with your test and let us know how you get on.. all the best from the South Coast... D&P..
Hi Penny and Del! Really good follow-up review and comments. Sharing your experience with products over time is very useful. I'd be interested in you doing more product reviews. I think it would also be cool if you'd occasionally bring-in local guest bikers who have issues that you might help them sort-out.
Hi Byron, always great to hear from you... the guest rider problem fix would be brilliant, it's just being careful not to open the flood gates and obviously, the security concern as we do this from home... we've always said that if our ship comes in some day, we could make this a commercial venture and then we'd have a proper unit workshop and this would be a perfect thing to do!... Oh, and amazing news, keep an eye on TV for this commercial... being shown in the US for a year, here it is, we 'appear' at 8seconds !! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SkSZMWlaHEE.html Best wishes to you and the family, ride safe, Del & Pennyx
Moonfleet41 That's cool being included in the TV commercial! Regarding a guest fix segment, maybe you could pick-out someone you already know from the Idiot Collective. I think it would also be interesting if every once in awhile you had someone with a unique or special bike come by and you discussed it with them... What work did they do on it?... What they're happy with... What they'd do differently..... Like at Jay Leno's garage, where he sometimes does segments on cars that people bring over.
Byron Anderson Ah i see,m yeah, i watch those videos from Jay, love his shows, we don't get them on TV, but i can just plug the laptop in and its no different... I like that thought, we could do something just like that, the collective is pretty spread out but its totally achievable and would work really well. thanks for that inspiration, and perhaps thats a good direction for this year to add something new to the channel. The real shame is, i can't make the first person 'you', id love that so much, bring the Dyna over, get the beers out, and shoot the breeze 'porch style' with a few tech clips included.. One video i really want to make, and have done since i sold my Fatboy, is the 'Purge oil change' on a Softail...its so important to get that last pint of oil out of the pipes and oil ways...the dealers wont do it unless you ask and pay extra, which means you never really get a proper oil change....but hey ho, same old thing, "dont have the bike to use for the filming"...maybe the first candidate will have to be a Softail owner..!! Thanks for that thought Byron...i have a feeling that's going to happen one way or another this season... Take care and keep in touch.. Del.
Moonfleet41 Just something I've noticed if you're concerned about security, might want to make sure you don't catch other vehicle's number plates in your videos. Or vans with business names on. I've noticed in a few videos you've caught other vehicle's reg plates in your clips. Anyone that wants to track you down, probably could using that. Ride safe Del.
I think you'd be hard pressed to call any fliptop lid a 'full face' helmet. In a front-end crash I can't imagine the chinguard doing a lot of good and I suppose people buy one of these lids knowing that. But..... it is a seriously cool lid - absolutely icebox! if you happen to like that F-15 fighter pilot Top Gun Imperial tie-fighter kinda look.... which I do. Nice vid and worth knowing. Cheers Del & Penny...
Thanks for the update. I have been toying with replacing my aging lid with one of these, but awesome as they look, I really can't bring myself to sacrifice full face protection and weather proofing for style. I hope that Roof will come out with something that combines the the look of the Boxer with improved safety and comfort features.
Well rather ironicly the Roof RO10 is belived to be the best face protection on the market and they do look cool... I think the Boxer will always sell because it looks so cool irrespective of it's practicalities!
I have this helmet & he's spot on with the problems. Don't forget your earplugs either! However, to avoid the fogging & water leakage issue on dreary days, I purchased anti-fog goggles with a green iridium lens. Problem solved & the helmet looks just as aggressive. Also, if i get caught riding in the dark I don't have to remove the chinbar; just switch the green lens for a clear one in 1-2 mins. If you're going to stick with Roof visors & need to change them while on the road, you can use a coin to loosen off the side bolts of the chinbar. No need to ride around with tools if you haven't the space on your ride. The extra visor will fit around a person's mid-section (most of us) hidden under a jacket. I would buy this helmet again if I had to!
Just purchased a Roof Desmo and i normally take a large in a Shoei but i ordered a Desmo in xl (61) after some reading and it is a great fit and its slightly longer in the front as my chin is now not resting on the chin bar as there is some space .The mechanism is so simple to raise and lower the lid and snaps shut one handed The visor also rests tight on a rubber seal so hopefully no water ingress .I will do a short video in the months ahead . Dark visor ordered for track days !!.
I have one and totally agree with everything, but there is one other thing. There is tuns of wind blast from your chest straight up under the lid, resulting in your eyes streaming most of the time. So its basically a lid to look good in and goes with my new Ducati Monster 821 very well :-) but the helmet is more likely to cause an accident than prevent one due to you inability to get a chin curtain!!
Thanks man, appreciate your advice, was originally quite keen on sourcing one, but as you say, only good for day and dry riding, so too limiting for me :) Also I believe full face protection is very important, don't want broken jaw on frontal crash.
Just trying to give honest advice, a lid is a big expense and it does a hugely important job... so the least it can do, is deliver what we expect from it!
Moonfleet41 totally :) having the lid leak would be the last straw, lol. Do you have a vid on protecting inside the petrol tank or some advice on product(s) to use? Have an 81 Suzuki GS450 and see some surface rust appearing inside some places. (Only noticed it in weekend with the sun shining into tank at right angle.) Don't think it's bad enough to need painting inside as use a tank full each week and refilled with fresh petrol, but is there something to keep it from getting worse?
pixelfreeway Hi again mate, there is help for that....first you should flush out the tank and strip the tap out to clean it all as much as you can...once its flake free and clean, let it dry right out, and then use this.. www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313.TR6.TRC1.A0.H0.Xpetseal.TRS0&_nkw=petseal&ghostText=&_sacat=0 Finally, ad a fuel line filter between the tap and carbs to stop any particles getting in the jets .. hope that helps mate.. good luck with it.. Del.
Good job. I much prefer long-term use reviews. Reviews right out of the box don't tell the whole story. I've never heard of Roof here in the States. We have Schuberth which is a top modular helmet.
I used to have a flip lid Davida Lunar years ago. Had similar issues as you've mentioned, didn't really have much faith in the chin protection if it ever came to a, face meets road situation, and the visor would fog up sub 30 mph. It's a bummer its to uncomfortable to wear sunnies with the roof, that would rule me out being a specy 4 eyes. Cheers for the update RSM.
Hi mate, I think glasses are fine provided they have slim frame arms, it's just those chunky biker style shades can get a little bulky down the side of the seal... RSM8
I think that first ever helmet(maybe still the only one) that have been officially rated as both, open face and full face helmet is Shark evoline (series 3 i believe).
Thanks mate, I didn't know about that, the very best open front helmet for practicality is the BMS System lid, but I wanted something that looks a bit cool at the same time! Thanks for the heads up!
"personally, it's not a full face helmet" But it is! It's certified E22-05 and 4/5 stars in the SHARP test. Other than that ... agreed with the fog/rain/tinted visor assessment. Try the reflective iridium visors. They're not as dark as the 50% black but keep onlookers out ;-)
Never used the Boxer, but: According to the manufacturer it actually is certified as both an open and full face helmet (ECE 22.05 standard). Looking at the inside of that chin-piece, I gotta agree with you though. Doesn't look like it's gonna offer much in the way of protection. Oh well.. guess I'll just stick with my open lid for now - even though I'm getting kinda worried about my face. I must be getting old .. :( Sad thing is that Roof used to make a helmet that seemed to offer a pretty good balance of looks and protection: The "Rats", which looked like an old-fashioned motocross- or American Football helmet, complete with a sort of crash-bar chin-guard.
I remember those....very cool lid.. and like the Boxer, if you consider it an open face thne any face protection it gives you is a bonus... cheers matey.. take care.Del.
Great review, so glad I caught it before going to buy this very model. You need these tried and tested reviews to really understand a helmet. Lets face it, while aesthetics is important for me and many others, its the fundamental aspects such as safety, weather protection, quietness etc that are really important, and I'd rather have them. Though, I'd rather have them all but do they produce a helmet of such calibre......million dollar question.....
I bought a newer gen model, x09 i think, i find that the visor does not close properly it catches in the top part of the chinbar on that rubberized gasket above the chin bar. I wonder if the two screws on either end is too tight.
Thanks for the honest feedback. What is your opinion on the Desmo? Any long term information about it. I’m considering it as my next helmet. I live in Los Angeles, rain is never a problem.
Hi Johnny, good to hear from you, jealous that you live in LA, what a cool place ! I still prefer the original Boxer V as it's a little smaller than the Desmo and still retains the fighter pilot look, the Desmo imo looks a little boxy and over-sized, they're practically an inch wider in diameter, but I haven't worn one on a bike so I can't give a detailed review on it, I simply didn't buy it for the reasons stated... hope that helps
Good review and spot on .I had one and sold it after 1 months use i found the side locking tabs a nightmare to close when riding and the front to back size is just a tad small.I was contemplating a Roof Desmo but never tried one so untill then i will stick to full face .
Just love your style of video making. I have the new Boxxer Fibreglass helmet but the problem I’m having is, it’s hard to lock the chin bar when wearing it. Also the visor when hand closing it the rubber seal tends to fold down, instead of staying on the outside like when you close the chin bar it closes the visor as well but the rubber this time stays on the outside.
Spot on review agree with it all... To be honest I have a twelve year old one and it is better than the new one I bought... I've went caberg duke... But keep old boxer for a we run on good day
live in the south of Spain: Summer Hot! winter smooth, not much rain... (but when it rain. RAINs like buckets) "jealous" I was allways about De Guardia Civil white helmets I have an Integral one for long trips.. and one my bro. gave a Summer one for "in doors" LOL My opinion is like Glasses one 4 far away eyes... one 4 shor term... keep going Penny and Del Saludos/regards from a clog-gie
Hi buddy, haha 'far away eyes', that is a wonderful way to put it...! Glad you enjoy the videos, as long people watch, we'll carry on... ride safe in that sunny place, we're not jealous lol lol - all the best, Del & Penny
I really fancied one of these as an 'all weather/long distance rides' alternative to my Bell 500, but it's pretty pointless if they leak in wet weather. Surely in the 21st century it's not beyond Roof to put some weather sealing around the visor? Shame... Cheers for another helpful review though guys :)
Hellequin70 I think they're a style trade off mate, Roof make some very good all weather lids in the Ro10, but the Boxer is a style icon these days, and this was just to prove that, cool as they are, they still have thier flaws..
Moonfleet41 It's definitely a looker mate but then the French usually do style quite well! I'm wondering if the new 'Desmo' version has improved things on the leakage front but I haven't found a review that mentions it yet; they all seem to concentrate on the new 'one hand opening' and looks (again) although it does have some decent looking vents in the front...
Cheers del, another informative vid. I have a similar type of helmet with a removable face piece, it's a Bell rouge. Give it a quick google. Not many people have them in the uk, had it sent from the U.S. Was not sure about the standards as it is the D.O.T standard from the states. But Bell don't sell shite so I'm confident with it, and also it looks the biz thrashing along on my rocket 111. All the best with the new season!!
Nice looking lid, havwent seen them for sale here... i like the Shark Streetfighter too...but just not practical for daily use in all weathers... i imagine the Rouge would look great with the right goggles.. and on an R3....ooh yes.!
Thanks for this great review, I was going to buy this model (with dark smoke visor of course, like you said otherwise there's no point!). Now I realise I would have to have another helmet for nighttime AND rainy days... Looking cool ain't everything I guess, so I'm actually going to buy something else. It won't look badass on my MT 125, but oh well :)
Hi could you resolve the leak issue with some strips of door draft? You can get some either sponge type or flexi rubber type they have a self adhesive backing as well . Would that solve the leaking problem? Excellent videos by the way.
+JonnyBgood41 Hi mate, innovative thinking there, but sadly, no... the issue isn't sealing the gap between the chin bar and visor, as that's easily sealed, even though the visor tucks 'inside' the chin bar leading the rain down in to it... it's the fact they have zero vents to speak of, so you have to have the visor slightly open and the rain pours in! Otherwise it just steams up and you can't see where you're going... they really are quite rubbish in the rain !
+Moonfleet41 Ohh shame, ok, defiantly a summer helmet then! I still may get one as they do look the "business" even just use it 2 weeks of the year(summer). They remind me of the 80's Simpson's that everyone wanted. Ps, they do a light tint visor on ebay for this helmet now.
+JonnyBgood41 Yeah, tey are still worth buying, i wear mine 9 months of the year and it only stays home on the wettest days...like you say, its kewl enough to put up with just like a Simpson was..!
Hiya mate, Any chance you could do some simple "electrickery" videos? Stuff like wiring things into the ignition (Heated grips, 12v sockets etc). I dont mind having a bash at mechanical stuff but wiring and electrics are a bit daunting, not even sure if I know how to use a multimeter properly :s
Hi mate...these days, things like heated grips come with 'inteligent' controllers that switch them off if you forget....so you can just tab them directly to the battery...if you really arent converse wityh electrics, then why risk causing problems with your bike... a simple video can help to connect things together...but its important to know the basics of automotive wiring before you go cutting it about...if i have cause to do a given job of wiring an item in, then of course ill video it...but tutorials on that subject need to be really detailed and consise, and you can still make mistakes that can then cost you money to fix..this is also why i dont make internal engine work videos... i just dont want to lead people down a path they cant back out of and cost them money..
Off topic, but want a similar workbench/vice setup. Looking at ebay and machine mart gear. Any advice or recommendations appreciated. Particularly with regards to flimsiness factor. Mucho appreciage for the channel BTW, Reg.
As long it's rated for over 400kilos it will be fine for a bike... and work within your budget mate... Machine Mart are a great company and will give you all the advice if you call in! Cheers Del
hey, can you do a video on how to reduce mud/water splash on wet roads or rainy days? I ride a MT-09 and the rear hugger doesn't seem to be doing much in keeping the road splash off my back, and my rear suspension is always full of dirt. any ways to imporve this mess?
"can you do a video on how to reduce mud/water splash on wet roads or rainy days?"... seriously? I'm a mechanic mate, I would have no idea what it is you want... perhaps your bike just isn't suitable for wet muddy days... all bikes get dirty in the rain, I wouldn't know how to begin 'making a video' on how to reduce mud splash... perhaps avoid the puddles...
Off topic Del , but my 1989 Suzuki GSX 600F Vibrates so bad that it split the fairing! Could it be the Engine mountings are decayed and are they difficult to replace? Cheers.
Thats impossible to tell on a short single question email mate....what do you mean by vibration....is it with revs or road speed?. Also the motor is solidly mounted to the frame, it doesnt really have 'engine mounts' like a car...sounds like you need to do a bit of further investigation first, see whats actually broken, ..!
Moonfleet41 Cheers Del. Out on the Bike the other week, accelerated up to the red line of 11,000 and felt a sort of bump. When I got home the bottom of the fairing had cracked so I assumed the vibration caused it. The bike does not vibrate much in normal use for an old bike of 25 years old but a pal of mine suggested the engine mounts had perished over the years. Maybe its just old brittle plastic eh? Cheers Del, Tee shirts washing up well by the way, use them all the time!
fx02zbn Hi again mate, engine mounts are not plastic or rubber, later model Harleys have isolastic bushes, but Jap bike engines are solidly mounted, metal to metal, so wahetver bumped it wasn't an engine mount... is it possible that maybe you road over a piece of debris and it hit the fairing?? Either way, just give the bike a good check over, check all the engine mount bolts are done up and you've not sheered a bolt off or anything, and keep a close eye on it when you ride...!
Moonfleet41 Hi Del and thanks for your reply. I've given the bike a good once over and it runs well with no other damage other than the fairing crack. I suppose I must have hit something and not noticed, I was going quite quickly and I thought the Policeman had jumped clear, but I might just have clipped his camera or maybe his dog? Anyway, no harm done. I shall refer to your plastic welding vid once more. Cheers again Mate ;-)
+Moonfleet41 have you found a way of stopping them fogging? Honestly it's the worst I've ever had. So disappointing but I love everything else about the lid.
+Tris Hutchins Not all together, the best I have achieved is to ride with a buff or scarf right over my nose and mouth, and ride with the visor lightly open... also, I only ride with min on in nice weather..!!!
Moonfleet41 Wise ass! ... Let me rephrase the question. .. If you didn't own one, knowing what you know now, would you buy one of these helmets as an every day helmet as I assume you did originally?? ... I have read that the R021 Panther does a much better job of keeping the water out. ..
fivefootsixtriumph haha thought you'd like that ! As I am a bit of a 'victim' of image, I do like to look the part on my bike, happy to admit it, then, yes, I would buy one again... there are many helmets that open up at the front, and to be honest, it's a great facility for going in to gas stations to pay, or other shops, and not having to take your lid off.... but most, or nearly all, of the others are the kind of over-sized toffee-nosed 'system' helmets that Police and emergency services wear and that just ain't me ! I just love the 'fighter pilot' look and I've loved the Roof Boxer since they were first introduced about 20yrs ago... so, yes, I would buy one again! The little inadequacies are well worth it again...
I think most motorbike helmet makers live in nice warm dry country's, a helmet maker - designer should come live & ride in pissy old England for a full year then design a helmet that can cope with our four season in one day weather!!!
Helmet?? YOU don't need no stinkin' helmet!! .... Honestly, sounds like a lot of issues and irritating problems. .. You may as well ride without a helmet! Either that or buy yourself a Bell Custom 500 3/4 helmet. .... When are those wheels coming in? ;-)
Had a Bell helmet once, wrong shape for my head... noisy, and awful to wear (for me), and the wheels are sitting next to me at my computer desk, just need some time to fit them... can't wait!
Exactly those are my thoughts...awesome helmet...but i can buy a nice bike for that money....i can see only rich posers with cash to burn buying them..!
