I have a passion for riding motorcycle, be it grocery runs or daily commuting riding really puts me in a good mood. Safety is another concern when owning a motorcycle and i think first and foremost the most basic and important piece of gear one needs when riding a bike is helmets. Also, a helmet is a style statement on its own and says something the Bike and its wearer. Cue in SCORPION EXO- COMBAT MOTORCYCLE HELMET.
INTRODUCTION
It is a hybrid full face/ three-fourth helmet that has been designed for casual riding.
To my North American Counterparts its called as the Scorpion "Covert"
Both the EU And American models have the same build but the only difference is that the american model can be converted into a full face, a 3\4th and a skull helmet. The Eu safety standard makes It illegal to ride around with skull helmets and hence lack the third option!! (i found out about this when the vendor had to stop me as i was trying to break open the 3\4th into a skull helmet cause i had always seen the NA ones in videos, haha )
I live in India and this helmet at that point of time wasn't on sale anywhere in the Entire Country ! Recently i had to travel for a conference to Netherlands and i picked this up from a store called Biker Outfit in Amsterdam. Their Store is a treasure cove for Bikers. They even do worldwide shipping if aren’t passing by but need this in your life.
I have been using this helmet for the past 5 months almost everyday as i commute to work and its time i gave my opinion on it.
EXTERIOR
On the Outside its a sturdy helmet and has a very very mean look to it (i call it the dark version of Storm Trooper). Build is premium and the finish is excellent as with all scorpion products.
Its a hybrid helmet and cannot be consider as complete full face helmet and maybe its most eye catching feature is its detachable face mask.
The face mask is inserted into the helmet proper and is held on by a pair of strong magnets with a lock/unlock latch.The magnets are quite handy in guiding the mask in whilst wearing the helmet and the lock has no problem holding on even at high speeds.
(The button, to unlock the mask. The visor must be first put up before the mask can be removed )
The Mask as such is made of polycarbonate just like the helmet and is quite sturdy but couldn't be compared to the safety of a full faced helmet. It has steel mesh framing on the front to prevent any particles from entering the confined of the helmet and also provides adequate ventilation in hot environment ( where i live summers are 38 degrees celsius and humidity is 70%, Take my word for it.).
(Mesh)
The mask also has these rubber sealing on top for the visor to fit in which is quite helpful in blocking wind noise and during rains. Kudos to Scorpion for a job well done !
(Rubber Sealent)
Ventilation is pretty adequate even during summer and also has a ventilation entry port on top of the symbol which can be closed/opened according to your liking. There is no exit ports as such but air does flow out the rear of the helmet quite easily. The inner most lining is also ribbed and hence allows for easy air flow.
Weighs 1.1 kg. Feels quite sturdy and aerodynamically stable at high speeds as well.
It comes with two shades of detachable visors which is quite nice since you dont have to spend extra on another spare visor or a darker shade. You have options between a clear (Which isnt actually clear, haha ) and a black smoke visor. visibility is quite good and me having a rather big nose did not any problem with the visor obstructing my visual field.
(Vision through the clear visor)
INTERIOR
The Dimension of the helmets are a bit different from my previous helmet and has a rather snug fit. especially around the ears. My head size is 60-61cms and the large was snug (fits perfectly after its worn down). Still, its a little uncomfortable at the ears so if youre planning on using earphones or audio devices better check on its compatibility before buying.
The inner lining is quite plush and also has a neck guard which prevents wind noise upto a certain extent. It has a combination of both velcro and buttons for holding down the lining so that's a plus. The lining is antibacterial and for once actually does its job ! i dont have any helmet odour problems until now !
So to sum it up
PROS
- Looks Sinister , Makes people look twice.
- Premium build
- Versatile
- Multiple Visors and Economic.
CONS
- Not For Track as its Considered a Half Face Helmet
- Wind Noise is Still a Factor at High Speeds.
Hope this review helps you in your quest for an awesome Helmet. Please feel free to comment if you have any queries and also share, upvote and let me know what can be done to improve my posts :)
I wrote about this helmet in my blog , you can check if you want.
@daumantas ! I’ll be sure to check it out thanks :)