Viewers have asked for more reviews.
Here is a long term review of the Arai XD4 helmet used by one of our riders.
This is arguably the best helmet for dual sport and adventure riding.
We will cover two other options later that might suit you better.
There have been no major changes since the XD4 was introduced in 2012.
But many argue it was so advanced they haven't had to update the helmet.
What do we like about the Arai XD4?
The overall quality is brilliant.
Many manufacturers now rely on cheap Chinese manufacturing, but Arai is still handmade
in Japan...
and it shows!
How many manufacturers give you a five year warranty?
It's very quiet.
A big issue with cheaper adventure helmets is the wind noise.
But the Arai XD4 has managed to keep noise levels very low.
This is great news for riders who hate ear plugs.
But we would still recommend ear plugs with this helmet for extended highway riding.
See our video about hearing damage.
The Arai has great ventilation, given its quietness.
There are vents for the chin, brow, the top of the head, and four exhaust ports.
These can be closed if needed.
You can even adjust the chin vent to direct air upward or downward.
Helmet standards.
The Arai XD4 complies with the European standard which we think is the best of the unfortunately
mediocre standards available.
Unfortunately the Sharp testing group has not assessed this helmet yet.
The EPS liner uses five different densities of foam to protect the rider from varying
degrees of impact.
The visibility is great.
The eye port is very large and can even accommodate goggles...
although you may need to remove the visor.
There are five shell sizes.
Cheaper helmets often have only three shell sizes but adjust the thickness of the foam
to suit.
It has emergency releases for helmet removal after an accident.
What don't we like about the Arai XD4?
Zero complaints, except for perhaps the price.
Yes, you always need to pay for this level of quality.
But there have been few changes to the design in 10 years.
And some argue Arai could possibly lower the price if they aren't developing a new model.
Our rider was quite lucky to buy his Arai XD4 for only AUD$600 on special.
I want to buy one and they are AUD$900 now.
As usual, I googled around to see if other riders had complaints.
It was hard finding anyone who had issues with the Arai.
One rider complained about the weight.
The medium size weighs 1.6kg.
Personally I find this acceptable.
Lighter helmets are invariably noisier.
And there can possibly be a tradeoff with safety if the protective EPS shell is thinner
to reduce weight.
Another rider said the chin strap was too short and thinly padded.
There were no issues with our helmet.
A few riders report a whistle or humming sound from the helmet peak at speed.
We couldn't detect this on our helmet.
Riders who found this issue said they needed to adjust the peak position or add tape in
various spots to prevent the sound.
What are viable alternatives to the Arai XD4?
We won't include Chinese made helmets like the Bell MX9 or the Klim Krios.
We have seen too many issues with Chinese helmets in recent years.
Another Japanese made helmet is the Shoei Hornet.
The price is around the same as the Arai.
It is a bit heavier, less ventilated, but even quieter.
A good option in cooler climates or if you do a lot of highway riding.
There is also the Schuberth E1, probably the quietest adventure helmet due to wind tunnel
testing.
These are made in Germany, and are actually cheaper than the Japanese helmets.
There is not much ventilation though and the Schuberth is more designed for cold climates.
What do you use for adventure and dual sport riding?
Are you happy with the helmet overall?
Do you think it's best to spend a lot on helmets?
Keen to hear your thoughts.