What is an ADV helmet: Arai XD 4 vs Shoei Hornet X2 

Had the Hornet since it fit me better. Flew at least 3m in the air landed on my ribs smashed my head on the asphalt. Thing saved my life so I said Shoei for life. Guess they re both pretty great since they do the job in the real world huh? Good to know you are ok.

I’m glad you guys are both ok. Man that’s a scary event to live through. I haven’t gone through a major crash like that (just stupid sh*t at low speeds) and I’ve been on team shoei. Now the helmet is getting tired so time for a replacement. Thanks for sharing your stories.

Good to hear you guys are ok! Spread the word! I ride in a small city with seasonal traffic swings. Locals mostly know their way around but the hammerheads are arriving. Three near hits this past week, although full moon might be a cause. Have a SS, but saving for arai or shoei, as they have a great rep! Drive like you're invisible, fellas!

Probably the most important factor when choosing a helmet, David. Very surprised Bret didn’t mention this!!

@@matthewabbott7221 he is reviewing helmets, not teaching how to choose a helmet.

For him probably both fits ok. Most likely if one fits you the other will as well. For me definitely wont work, so far I found for myself only AGV makes helmets which fits well enough.

100% agree. My head fits into an Arai great, Shoei not so much.

Totally agree. As someone who went in to buy the Arai, it simply didn't fit. XL was too floppy and L wouldn't even squeeze past my ears. Tried the Hornet on and BOOM. Perfect fit. It's my favourite helmet to date whether I'm dirt riding, adventure riding, or just commuting to work.

me2

😄

I too rewound that a couple of times to check the magic involved, and when my wife heard my exclamation asked me to send it to her. It reminds me of the famous Chinese face changing magicians. Instant change.

What head shape you have ?

​@@vladdehtyar7535Shoei shaped.

Unfortunately, they discountinued the photochromic shield 2 years ago

Me too (fogging issue)

Adventure Mule, can you tell me which position is closed and which is opened on the XD4 vents located on the top of the helmet toward the back. there's 3 positions but I don't know if inside, middle, or towards the outsides are open or closed. All other vent controls are easy to see opened vs closed. Thanks in advance!

@@jkagsl4129 Center is closed, middle is half open, outside is full open.

I am going to do some more budget gear in the future

I'm very happy with the Bell MX9 Adventure helmet I bought last year. I also bought the photochromic face shield to go with it.

Is the XD4 quieter than theKlim Krios?

I wore my Neotec through Nepal

I've got the Arai tour x4 and Tenere700 aswell but I have no buffeting, when I'll wear my streethelmet I'm getting dizzy really fast because of the buffeting.

i have an xd4 and t7, I'm 6'3 and had crazy amounts of buffeting. I switched to the short windscreen by powerbronze and it made all the difference. not sure why the short one works so well but it was night and day in terms of noise.

not to mention a $100 windscreen is a hell of a lot cheaper than a new helmet

@@blkmagic4 I’ve got the same windscreen (and several others) and it was just yesterday that I found the culprit (for me anyway): the bark buster hand guard plastic component. I took off the plastic part leaving just the frame and it’s now a pleasure to ride. Only took me a year and over $1,000 in parts to find out it was the first part I added to the bike and the cheapest option 😂

I’ve got a ktm adventure and the Arai and the buffeting at high speed is terrible. I’ve tried moving the windshield up and down and also tried riding without the helmet peak. Nothing has helped. But I’m going to try a taller screen because if I drop my head down just a couple of inches it’s really quiet.

Coins…what are they again?

I absolutely love my XD4 as well, but I do definitely hate the adjustments, so many other manufacturers just have much better systems for switching visors, I like switching between a tinted and non tinted one but I've stopped doing that just because the fastening system sucks so bad.

@@hkeg80 Yeah but I don‘t mind that. I ride with an lightly tinted visor all year round :)

Mine has a pinlock too, and change between smoked or clear visors on my longer trips. Never had an issue changing, because it usually gives me time to take a shorter rest while doing it. Love my XD!

I tried on all three. Shoei felt like a vice. I went with Krios. Koroyd, pin lock, transition faceshield to name a few of the advantages. Let alone pound lighter than the xd4. Big omission not to include that as these are the main ADV helmets.

I found the krios to be uncomfortable for someone with a oval or intermediate oval head. You pretty much need to be a Lego man for it to be comfortable.

@@kBIT01 The problem is, the Krios only has two shell sizes. I'm a oval/intermediate and found it the most comfortable out of the three. The XD4, I'm a small and there was pressure point on my forehead, the Shoei (having an RF1200 small) in the Hornet, I'm a medium and it felt like concrete. The Krios, I'm a XS and it is Goldilocks. Hopefully it doesn't break in too much.

I get the same also when it rains it leaks through and then gets between the fog insert

arai does have different shell sizes as well. i think for the xd-4 it's only two different shells, whereas the street helmets have 4+ different shells

Arai has 5 shells in all models

check out the nolan n70-2x

My 5 cents on a Scorpion AT950….I’m on a second AT950, both of them have rattle @higher speed inside my left side visor assembly, or maybe both sides, hard to tell…. Spoke to customer service, they told me to tightened visor screw, I did, nothing changed. I learned to leave with that rattle. BTW, Scorpion customer service is great and very helpful, they replaced helmet when sun shade mechanisms broke! I drive KTM 1190 adv R, with tall windshield; I think that AT 950 catches a lot of wind. Helmet is “loud”, I meant, it allows a lot of noise to come to your ears. I realized, I barely ever use that modular system, probably next helmet would be without modularity. Now good things about AT950….it has good cut out for speakers, original visir is great, could lift up just a little bit more in fully opened position. It fogs in a rain, but you can buy pin-lock visir separately. It has integrated sun shield in a helmet. It have enough space that you can instal camera mount on a side of a chin, on left side I have Sena Intercome. Venting is moderate. I almost forgot, you CAN NOT beat the price of that helmet with all those features, and I think that AT950 is cool looking helmet, especially for a Adventure riding!

@@cardesavas the forehead vent is likely the vabration source when closed. Scorpion will send you a new one to pop in if you contact them.

One of a kind, sets himself apart 😊

Not sure about overseas, but here in Aus the xd4 come standard with a pin lock shield and a pinlock. It still has the brow vents.

Here in Italy, pinlock came standard and still had vents.

Same here in the UK

How did you find the airflow on the E1, in comparison? I’ve had a C3 pro and now a C4 Pro Carbon. Sometimes I’d like better airflow.

@@rmack255 I am not able to compare the three helmets in depth. I tried them all on bike but only for limited time. I took Schuberth because after... let´s say half an hour on the bike with every helmet... it felt best on my head (and I liked colours, integral sunshield, etc. the most). After buying it and riding about 6000km in weather from cold (about 3 degrees Celsius) to hot (up to 35 degrees of Celsius), sun, rain, mud, tarmac, slow and fast riding, up to several hours per day, I have to say I have absolutely no problem with Schuberth E1. One problem occured though. Well, problem, I can understand why it is happening and I can´t compare this to other helmets, because I don´t have them and it didn´t occur on neither of the three when I tested them. When riding slow, especially on the beginning of the ride when helmet is warm with head inside and there is colder climate outside, water condensates on the lower part of visor (I am talking about like 5mm of the bottom edge). I guess difference of temperatures and breathing causes this. But the moment I start moving in some pace, usually the time I leave the town, all circulates inside well and condensate disappears. Quick solution is to open visor just a little (I guess I have vents in kinda closed position mostly, amybe opening them more would help). I have to say it never came on my mind, that the helmet is not ventilating enough, I am sweating or I need more vents. Actually I do close the helmet a lot when it gets colder, because wind is everywhere when vents are opened. Even when others raise their chins when riding slow (town, collumn) I do not, because I dont overheat in it. Maybe the different perception is all about head shape :-) Maybe the helmet size coresponding to the head size? My first helmet was very tight and I was sweating all the time while others refered it was venting fine.

Never been able to use the e1

The X2 is fixed

in my sleep (really) I remembered another favorite aspect of the XD-4…. The black matte underside of the peak of my solid white model. It really reduces glare as from bright sun on sand or any bright surface like a concrete road. Replacing the peak after cleaning is awkward and not quick, but almost any coin or a washer will do the trick.

I am always perplexed when I get a "what is the best... "question without the application and other necessary details

The Shoei is past its lifespan and I need to helmets (I have gear on both coast) I will look at the Krios again.

@@BretTkacs Looking forward to your Reviews.