Nicely done. I haven't worn a Neotec 3 but do own a Neotec 2 and C5. There are four factors I believe also merit consideration. First, the visor and field of view in the C5 are larger. I consider that an advantage. Second, the sun visor in the Shoei is significantly darker than in the Schuberth, so much so that I only use it in very bright light. I'd give the C5 a half point for a more usable visor. Third, I despise the Shoei connection system. I can remove or connect a Schuberth visor in five seconds (same with Arai); the Shoei takes a couple of minutes. I am constantly amazed that Shoei can't do better. The complexity of the visor connection alone led me to move away from Shoei. Fourth, while both use an integrated comms system based on the Sena 50 series, the Schubert installation is easier with the speakers pre-installed. Installing the comms system on the C5 takes five minutes at most. This isn't a huge consideration since it's a one time cost but does, I think, merit mention. You were correct about the Schuberth visor not staying up at speed. Schuberth USA told me that was to comply with German regulations. There is, however, an easy hack using rubber O rings. It's annoying to have to do this but it takes 30 seconds and fixes the problem.
The Schuberth has 1 fatal flaw. The "anti roll of system" is also responsible for the strp/clasp getting pulled into your adam's apple especially when looking down. No matter how much you extend the strap, it wont be able to go forward at all and makes wearing the helmet utterly uncomfortable if not impossible. It is so bad that several riders on ADVRider reported cutting the system off just to make it home from a trip, others returned the helmet. Myself and my wife both bought the Shcuberth C5 to replace our older Shcuberth E1's. We both returned them. I never thought I would have to look for another brand but I am now finding myself just doing that and will have give the Shoei a try. Hopefully that has a better designed strap system. Buyers, be sure to check this before you rip all the tags off and cant return it. I know this is a personal thing but it might just effect you too. Be safe!
Agreed. I had the E1 a few years back. Bought the Cardo system that uses the neck roll thingy. Pushed the helmet forward really hard. Went to go on a toy ride in Texas and it was COLD! I didn't have heated gear back then, so I bulked up a bit with layers. That was even worse. The helmet couldn't vent at all and after 2 minutes, the inside had fogged up so bad that I couldn't ride with the shield locked down and even popping it open the first click let in way too much of that cold wind that the moisture froze on the face shield. I just turned around and went back home. Sold that helmet and bought a Neotec 2. I also bought heated gear too later the next year.
Shoei and Schuberth make great helmets! It will always come down to personal preference. They’re both amazing helmets it will be difficult to choose from them!
Just about to replace my helmet and it’s a choice between these two so great timing for the review. The C5 is on offer at the moment so I can get the dedicated comms unit included for the same price as the Shoei. That’s the decider for me but thanks again for the comparison
I bought a C5 Four months ago - German to match my new BMW… ordered it to match my bike… your review is spot on… the visor mechanism isn’t the best… but it’s very comfortable and better than all my previous helmets - but it better be… with the plug and play Bluetooth connection ( Sena 2?) it was $1,100. US. That’s 3 times what I paid for previous helmets.
I went with the C5. Coming from C3 Pro, the C5 felt at home immediately. C3 Pro is slightly more quiet due to less air flow. C5 is a huge upgrade on warm days!!
I haven't had a chance to try the Neotec 3 but I'have been using Neotec 2 for 2.5 years and compared it with C5. There actually wasn't any comparison - C5 excelled in all aspects with shockingly better head (top) cooling - at 50 kmh it was way, way better than Neotec 2 at 150 kmh. And sciend thing was the comms: voice recognition and commands with very good speakers to top it off!
HI, you really do a fantastic job comparing helmets and testing them. As a "long oval" head I would really like if you somehow could measure and grade the helmets for head shapes. In US its common to adress that but in EU it can be really hard to get any data on different shapes of helmets. You would be the first company to have this service if you include that in your tests🙂
I have a C3 as well, but am reluctant going with the C5 mainly because of 2 things 1) Complaints on customer service. 2) I prefer a Cardo system to Sena.
I just wish Shoei would work on making the helmet lighter... Sitting in an upright position it is no problem, but when you ride a sportbike and your head is leaned over you really feel that weight. I had an AGV Carbon Modular and the weight was incredible but it was not made as well or as comfortable as my Shoei.....
You never seem to talk about shell shape; round and oval. I can't get my head in a Schuberth but it is a perfect fit in a Shoei. A great helmet in a test doesnt mean anything if it doesnt fit your head.
Thank you for your comment. We've start doing this more and more, but we willmake sure to do it in all individual videos. Most of the helmets sold in Europe and the US are intermediate to long oval (as this is the most common caucasion head shape). Thank you for commenting
I am of northern eu descent and usually try XXL or larger because of a longer head, but have enjoyed the Neotec 2s fit, visor and D ring strap closure more than the Schuberths
Schuberth offers a set of internal padding on the sides and back for round or extremely oval head shapes, so the C5 helmet can be adjusted very comfortably. But it's gonna cost some extra money
Had a c4 after c3 and a neotec 2, the c4 was fragile, the sun visor just broke and the windscreen is shutting when driving more than 50kmh. The Shoei is very durable. This time I will have the Shoei. It’s too expensive to roll the dice.
I’m very happy with my C5 except for the visor mechanism even after being returned under warranty to be ‘fixed’. The C5 was very comfortable from day one compared to my C3 Pro but it had a better visor mechanism.
Schuberth C5 has a couple of problems. Visor falling down @50 kmh Water ingress through the top vent Schuberth does not have the fix for these serious flaws. Shoei is a much more quality made with Harman Kardon audio system far superior to Schuberth.
I'd love to see a Neotec 3 VS HJC RPHA 91 carbon test. The HJC is already the quietest and in carbon the lightest of the group, by a mile. Wonder if it has enough shortcomings to lose that advantage.
I have recently upgraded from neotec 1 to 3. N3 is much much more quiet than N1. The visor opening is also improved . However where N1 excels N3 is ventilation. The chin vent on N1 provided much more air than N3. With the added chin curtain in N3 I find N3 stuffy with just chin vent opened and visor locked. Another downside is that the new opening of visor in N3 in comparison to N1: in N1 the first stable gap when opening the visor was much smaller than in N3 which opens much wider. Summing up, I am only partially satisfied with N3 and am looking for alternatives
How is the bottom protection of both helmets to heavy rain? I have Neotec and C4 pro. Neotec protects the bottom part of inner liner while Schuberth does not. The result is that Schuberth in the rain absorbs humidity via bottom part and humidity expands inside inner liner. A detail which may be useful for those who are riding also in the rain.
Just bought me a new Neotec 2. Today. Since the new Neotec 3s have entered the US, they are only in warehouses and you cannot enter those warehouses to try one on. There is one in my home town and I was not allowed in there to test fit one. And the people who have bought one tell us all that the sun shield comes down way too far and hit their noses. So now, since the Neotec 2s are all being sold for around 2-300 dollars off, I just got another one of them. If they want me to pay a thousand dollars for a new helmet, put them in stores where I can try one on. And if you buy a new 3, you will have to buy the new Sena SRL 3 to put in it if you want the com system made for it. That's another $350 dollars. So no, I'll pass on the new Neotec 3. Might get one in a couple of years when they finally reach the shelves and I can try one on. But for them to ask me to shell out that kind of money on a helmet I can't test fit? Not gonna happen. Shoei should have sent them out to the stores first instead of all the warehouses. I've been to 5 major motorcycle dealerships that sell Shoei products. None of them have the 3s in stock. They can order you one! I can do that myself. And if it doesn't fit, I have to go through the hassle of sending it back. Trying on different sizes of cheek pads by mail order??? Not gonna happen. Thanks for the review though. But this is a major fail by Shoei.
Changed my response a bit. Didn't like my own tone lol. Anyway, my local cycle gear now has every Neotech 3 size in stock, in one color or another. The only thing that concerns me is the visor possibly hitting my nose so will be going in today to try one on, other than that I would be confident buying a large online (my Neotech 2 is a large and my Hornet X2 is a large.... Shoei's fit me the same it would seem. As far as the Sena, mine took a crap in my Neotech 2 after just a few years, with limited use. I put a Cardo packtalk Edge second helmet kit in my Neotech 2 (when I bought the Cardo for my Hornet), and it will be transferred to the Neotech 3 if I buy one. I'm done with Sena. Edit two hours later… just tried the Neotech 3 at my local cycle gear. Sure enough the sun visor just hit the tip of my (slightly long pointy) nose. Bummer. Could maybe not put it down all the way but then I noticed bleed through on the side. The helmet felt lighter than it’s 4lb weight.
C5 flip mechanism red button is easier to find with gloves on. Im sure you would get used to the Shoei one with time. C5 also available in the E2 version with peak that has a bigger top vent that would be better if hot climents is where you ride and also available in that nice grey col that i like. Shoei was super comfy on me though in the Large where i need an XL in the C5 so bigger on my head.......Hmmmmmm still cant decide.
A question more about the communicators than the helmets. 1. Can it pair with Cardo mesh yet? My brother has Cardo, and making connection proprietary instead of open will decrease the enthusiasm factor, as Cardo is trying to make theirs open. 2. I have a C5/SC2 combo and the speakers aren't very loud. Is the SRL3 better than the SC2? It'd cost me about $300 more to get the Neotech3/SRL3 combo compared to another C5/SC2 combo. I want to know if the SRL3 is that much better.
Depends where you buy and what design colours. On SBS the cheapest of both helmets is about £100 difference. Personally I'd rather but the right helmet for me and pay whatever that choice costs than compromise for the sake of £100... or even £200-£300. That's why I paid around £500 for my NXR and I have never regretted it... It is over 7 years old now and really should be replaced, but having replaced all the internals early this year, I'll stick with it for another year or 2 at least. (Yes, I know the 5 year recommendations)
Was told by the local helmet shop I don't have the right shape head for a Schuberth! So looked at the Shoei...probably give this a miss as they opt to use Sena and I have a packtalk Bold.
Shoei if you read this as you should, pay attention: We need future neotec3, nxr3 and gtair4 or a new model to have: Much Better multi stage adjustable ventilation where its fully open position leads to a -1 degree Celsius inside temperature vs outside temperature instead of the same inside and outside like this gtair 3. A drop down sunvisor that goes lowdown not to get on our field of view BUT with a dropdown button next to the base of the helmet not the side as it ruins the Aesthetic completely not to mention its aerodinAmics! Pay attention to the competition HJC's dropdown sunvisor system and Arai ESPECIALLY Arai's interior lining at it is the absolute best in confort it slides down our heads butter smooth every single time and That is all we dream of in a top of the line sport touring helmet. As for 2023 me and my club rider friends all went for te better sport touring helmets of the moment hjc rpha71 and rpha 91.
Had the first neotec and was going to the store to buy the III. In the end I didn’t because the fit was nowhere as comfortable as the neotec I. Thought it would be a slamdunk, but I guess it wasn’t.
Schuberth makes it more difficult to install a good comms system (not Sena) since you have to remove the built in Sena speakers and microphone. That's why the Shoei is better.
i own the neotec2 and will stay with Neotec for Canada , its seam the the schubert feature are not the same for north America and lower certification.. not sure why ...
I just bought the Neotec 3, it has (for me) an much better fitting to my head, the C5 didn’t fit me that comfortabel comparing to the Neotec 3. Besides that I do my first tours and after that I do a measurement test and if needed add inner padding, but the helmet fits great already, much better then my old Neotec 1
How do these two compare in exterior size, L, W, Dia? I noticed that in the past the Schuberth’s were difficult to fit in my side cases, but that the Neotech fit inside better.
The Shoei Neotec are a bit like the Bmw GS, they are a little better each time, they are not the lightest, they are not the quietest, but to try them is to adopt them. ! 😂👍🏽✌🏽
I was about to do a comprehensive review on my 2023 version of the C5… i’ll do it quickly here. It is not a good helmet. I would give it two out of five stars I WILL NOT EVER by this product again. For the amount of money I paid which was close to US$800. It is a piece of junk! The integrated COM system, although on the surface looked great it is not. The microphone placement is always in the way and rubbing on your face. It is not very secure to the helmet itself. The battery life is abysmal. The top vent cover has fallen off three times since I’ve had the helmet. You need to wash the visor with cotton balls, even then you will probably still get scratches. The only thing that’s positive is that it fits well. This is the most disappointing helmet I have ever purchased. My $250 HJC in my opinion is far superior to this helmet .
Warning to all re the neotech 3 . It fits differently to the 2. Big mistake on my part presuming it would be as comfortable and not have pressure points
can't beleieve I used this video to buy the hjc rpha 91 after i dropped my c5. it doesn't even compare. C5 is waaayyy quieter. the rpha is a good helmet but the neck roll is flimsy not thick and padded like the c5 so it lets in a lot of air/noise.
IMHO this is a way too positive review for the C5 considering all the issues people discover with this helmet in this premium price range. I got myself a C5 which I (un)happily returned and replaced by a Neotec3. The visor issues, the chin strap and the top vent that easily breaks. All this at a price point of 600+ euros, is a total NO-GO! What would you think, if you take off a maintenance part of your helmet in this premium segment, and it just breaks off easily? Not very trust worthy. No thank you from my side...
After testing Schuberth C5, AGV Tourmodular... X-1005 beats them by far and is a lot cheaper. Such a no brainer and such a shame on the two mentioned companies on how low quality and expensive they are. Try bending C5 and Tourmodular above visor and think of what would have happened if you had crashed. Sick they got 22.06 certification. C5 plastic instead of metal parts, so sad. C4 is better made than C5, go see it in person. Neotec 3 is way too expensive and has an annoying visor opening/closing system. X-lite X-1005 for touring and Arai RX-7V EVO for sport driving, that is what I recommend.
Dimanche 28 Juillet 2024 achat du neotec 3 grasp franchement très déçu. 769 balle pour un casque qui est bruyant qu’un shark ou ls2 je suis très déçu et je vous déconseilles vraiment Niveau confort c présent mais soufflerie a chier point négatif qui m’a vraiment décourager
Ho un Neotec 2 col quale ho percorso diversi Kilometri ,i difetti principali ; Scarsa aereazione la parte dell'imbottitura sotto le orecchie è fatta in un materiale che non lascia passare aria anche da sopra a casco chiuso non entra aria e nemmeno dalla feritoia davanti al mento , male l'apertura della visiera che ha il primo scatto troppo ampio e quando piove o c'è nebbia ti costringe a tenere tutta chiusa la visiera in oltre il visierino scuro è troppo corto , altro difetto il sena srl2 di cui è equipaggiato non funziona con la connettività di Triumph tiger ,ora volevo cambiarlo e sono andato a vedere il neotec 3 e lo Schuberth c5 , Il neotec ha peggiorato la visiera perchè ora in più davanti agli occhi c'è anche lo svaso di blocco a meta visiera , e non ha risolto il problema del primo scatto troppo ampio in apertura non ho avuto modo di provarlo in strada quindi non sò lato rumori e ventilazione se è migliorato ,ho provato lo Schubert c5 e ho notato che la visiera si ferma vicinissima all'apertura quindi bene ,il visierino scuro è molto più coprente ,ma non mi è piaciuto per nulla l'interfono che è meno inglobato nel casco sia la batteria che i comando e mi pare posticcio anche l'aggancio del microfono , quindi per ora mi tengo il neotec 2 . Ho un altro casco un ARAI RX-7 V quello si che è un casco peccato arai non faccia caschi modulari . Saluti dall'Italia