Lou Girardin
31st August 2006, 08:27
In the interest of consumer confidence I tried out one of the new Schuberths. I know, I know, my job is a terrible burden.
I took the C2 Flip Front, basically because I use a Nolan flip and wanted to have a direct comparison. A couple of qualifiers first though. I dislike loud noise, so I wear Alpine earplugs always when riding, and the Bandit screen is not the best for quiet airflow. It directs windblast straight at the base of the helmet, my Nolan is quieter on a naked bike than on the Bandit.
So, is it as quiet as they claim?
I didn't do a Db test, but it sure is quiet. Exhaust noise was more pronounced, compared to Nolan plus plugs, but engine rattles couldn't be heard, there is a slight wind rustle but nothing annoying. Anyone who uses a normal helmet without earplugs will be very impressed.
The fit is very snug, but with the amount of padding inside I'd expect it to loosen noticeably, so aim for snugger rather than looser fit when you try one.
The field of vision is brilliant, you only just notice the visor opening in your peripheral vision.
Up to 100 k's it remains quiet, a short spell at 120 increased the wind noise slightly. I'd probably still wear earplugs on a long ride, Most people wouldn't.
It's also very stable at these speeds, no buffeting at all.
The Schuberth also has vents that work! Open the front vent and you feel a strong draught over your face, open the top vent and you get a chilled scalp. This is the only helmet I've tried that gives you that 'wind in the hair' feeling.
This morning wasn't really cold up here, but the visor didn't fog up, no matter how hard I tried. Even thinking about Angie didn't work.
Because it was overcast, the sunvisor wasn't needed. But I played with it anyway. It's easy to activate on the move and it gives coverage down to the road immediately ahead while leaving the instruments clear. And being internal, it won't get bugged and scratched in use.
So, is it worth a grand?
That's up to the buyer, but you get a helmet that lives up to the claims, it has a quality feel to it, will no doubt gives years of service and it's in the same ballpark as topline Shoeis and Arais, but with more features.
I took the C2 Flip Front, basically because I use a Nolan flip and wanted to have a direct comparison. A couple of qualifiers first though. I dislike loud noise, so I wear Alpine earplugs always when riding, and the Bandit screen is not the best for quiet airflow. It directs windblast straight at the base of the helmet, my Nolan is quieter on a naked bike than on the Bandit.
So, is it as quiet as they claim?
I didn't do a Db test, but it sure is quiet. Exhaust noise was more pronounced, compared to Nolan plus plugs, but engine rattles couldn't be heard, there is a slight wind rustle but nothing annoying. Anyone who uses a normal helmet without earplugs will be very impressed.
The fit is very snug, but with the amount of padding inside I'd expect it to loosen noticeably, so aim for snugger rather than looser fit when you try one.
The field of vision is brilliant, you only just notice the visor opening in your peripheral vision.
Up to 100 k's it remains quiet, a short spell at 120 increased the wind noise slightly. I'd probably still wear earplugs on a long ride, Most people wouldn't.
It's also very stable at these speeds, no buffeting at all.
The Schuberth also has vents that work! Open the front vent and you feel a strong draught over your face, open the top vent and you get a chilled scalp. This is the only helmet I've tried that gives you that 'wind in the hair' feeling.
This morning wasn't really cold up here, but the visor didn't fog up, no matter how hard I tried. Even thinking about Angie didn't work.
Because it was overcast, the sunvisor wasn't needed. But I played with it anyway. It's easy to activate on the move and it gives coverage down to the road immediately ahead while leaving the instruments clear. And being internal, it won't get bugged and scratched in use.
So, is it worth a grand?
That's up to the buyer, but you get a helmet that lives up to the claims, it has a quality feel to it, will no doubt gives years of service and it's in the same ballpark as topline Shoeis and Arais, but with more features.