Australian Road Rider — August 2017

TESTING,TESTING

SHOEI HORNET ADV HELMET

A

dventure lids are the new black;

I’m seeing them all over the shop.

Is it a gimmick? Well, if you’re

at all interested in dualsport

running, the answer is a resounding “no”.

I’ve given this Hornet a thorough test riding

through India, Nepal and Bhutan in March

and I’m pre y much convinced that, for most

applications, an adventure helmet is the go. If I

had to own just one helmet for all the diff erent

riding I do, it’d be this one.

Why? Well, the biggest drawcard for me

is the extended peripheral vision the shell

shape allows. When you’re dodging goats (I

didn’t actually manage to dodge one goat in

particular, but let’s not get caught up in who

killed who), dogs, scooter mayhem and just

about everything you can think of, you wanna

be able to see. The vision window here is

second to none.

It’s packed with the usual Shoe i good gear, of

course, and it oughta be — it ain’t cheap. There’s

a stack of technology that has gone into it, like

its Multi-ply shell, a wind-tunnel-tested peak, 3D

Max-Dry interior system that allows the interior

padding setup to be removed and thoroughly

cleaned, and Shoei’s Emergency Quick Release

System, which allows emergency personnel to

safely remove the cheek pads from an injured

rider’s helmet.

There are three visors available: clear, dark

tint and iridium. I’ve been using the clear

because I can get the arms of sunglasses to fi t

inside. Check that when you buy a helmet, by

the way — it’s important.

Look, there’s a lot going on here and I

haven’t taken it off since I got it. Lucky I

haven’t got a girlfriend, but that’s my problem,

not yours. Adventure helmets rule, OK?

Greg Leech

THE GOOD OIL

The stuff : Shoei Hornet ADV helmet

How much: $999.90

Get yours: http://www.mcleodaccessories.com.au

82 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

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