Amazes me how everyone has missed the two switches, on and off , left side and right side inside the visor , how do you not talk about it as it's so important
It's a nice review and I'm an owner and a fan of the original GT Air bought from the Sportsbike shop. BUT.... it recently came time to upgrade and I was going to go for the GT2. I've already got a pair of of Cardo Pactualk Bolds and they won't fit neatly to the new helmet because of the prep for the Sena coms. What an awful decision for Shoei to try and force one make and model on you.. Also scrapping the double D is another poor decision, the final thing that makes this helmet worse than the original is doing away with the ability to close the rear exit vent.
Thanks for getting in touch, and your interesting feedback on the lid. I guess it's a commercial decision to a degree to have an integrated intercom, but seems it's backfired in your case and potentially cost Shoei a sale or two. I'm anticipating more manufacturers to behave similarly in future, though. A new helmet safety standard is coming - ECE 22.06. If I've read the draft standard correctly then fitting a non-approved intercom will nullify the safety approval. Essentially, intercoms will have to be fitted when the helmet is safety tested - and an integrated one is likely to be the only one that is tested. It'll be interesting to see what happens. As for ditching the D-rings, that's always a matter of taste but it definitely moves the helmet away from sports and towards touring. Cheers, Tony
@@Banditmanuk I have installed a Packtalk Bold to my GT Air 2 with no issues whatsoever. The new ratchet style strap is much more convenient than the D ring, and so far feels absolutely solid and reassuring. Hope you found a helmet that works for you 👍
Interesting that you say the UK version comes with D-Rings. My GT Air has a micrometric fastener and I'm not a great fan. At least with D-Rings you fasten it tight every time and there's no place for slippage as with micrometric fastener.
The only issue with this helmet is the size, we have 2 GT air 2's (me and my fiance), and fitting both of them into a top box that is designed for 2 helmets is not possible. We have the givi monolock 47 and can only fit 1 of the 2 helmets which are not ideal. Does anybody have 2 of these and a top case that fits 2 helmets?
Hi, and thanks for getting in touch. If we take it that both fit you and make you comfortable then I believe either would be suitable for touring. In my opinion the Shoei is the slightly superior lid and is a bit more touring-focused than the RPHA 70, because of the quick-release strap fastener and the ability to integrate a comms system more neatly. If one fits you more comfortably than the other than I would go with that as it's the most important factor - especially when touring. I hope that helps. Cheers, Tony
Hi, I couldn't say for sure as the riding position on a sportsbike is different from the Tracer 700 I rode for the review of this lid. Being tilted forward means looking through the top of the visor on a sportsbike. That's the only unknown as I reckon it'd otherwise be fine. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
I can't comment personally as I don't wear specs while riding, but all customer reviews from bespectacled riders say their glasses fit in. One suggests that deep spec arms might not fit in. Hope that helps. Thanks for getting in touch, Tony
would this make a good first bike helmet i was also looking at shoei nxr but wondered if this one is more comfortable for say touring and countryside/towns thanks great video
Hi, thanks for getting in touch. Comfort is always subjective and will depend on your head shape. The GT Air 2's main advantages over the NXR for touring and town riding are the internal sun visor and the speedier nature of the strap fastener, which is a buckle rather than the D-rings of the NXR. As for whether it makes a good first bike helmet - yes. It's easy to assume that new riders will start out at the budget end of things, but if you can afford a more premium product then you should feel the benefit. You've got enough to think about already when you're just starting out, so if you can have high-quality kit then you have more attention left to put into all the other stuff. I hope that helps, and good luck with starting out and kitting yourself out for life on two wheels. Cheers, Tony
They both do a similar job, though the Shoei is a more premium product than the Shark, with a composite-fibre shell and a better quality comfort lining. The Pinlock insert on the Shoei is a higher grade than the Shark's for better protection against visor misting. The two helmets weigh almost exactly the same as each other, based on size medium lids we weighed here. The Shoei costs about twice as much. If you've got a limited kit budget, the saving on going for the Shark would give you extra money to invest in the rest of your kit. If that's not so important then the Shoei is very well made helmet that has lots of qualities to recommend it over the Shark. I hope that helps you - and good luck on your journey into the world of biking. Cheers, Tony
Thanks for getting in touch. That's not something I tried while reviewing the lid and I wouldn't think Shoei expected the helmet to be used in that way, so I wouldn't expect it to be capable of that. Perhaps there's a GT Air 2 owner reading this who'd be able to comment. Cheers, Tony
I had a GT Air (1) and the visor can be left in any position without rattling, not sure about vibration at very high speeds. Even the internal sun visor is the same, solid fit. Something I noticed on a Schuebeth S4 the sun visor half way down rattles a little. Shoei are awesome in quality.
No problem... This helmet comes in three shell sizes. The smallest covers XS, S and M, then L gets its own shell and XL/XXL share the largest shell size. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
I've not tried myself, but I've done a bit of digging on it and it seems you can, but Shoei's integration of the official Sena unit makes it either very fiddly or a bit ugly - or both. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
I've not worn an S2 myself, but colleagues have worn them and rate them very highly. The two models are similar in style, but the S2 has a D-ring strap fastener rather than the GT Air 2's ratchet so that's one factor to bear in mind. The other is noise. That's always a subjective issue, but Schuberth owners are more likely to describe their helmet as quiet. The big one is comfort and suitability for your head. I'd say that should be the big deciding factor, if you're able to get both on your head and compare them. Thanks for getting in touch and I hope that helps. Cheers, Tony
@@sportsbikeshop Hi Tony, thank you very much for taking the time to respond! I've tried the two and it seems the GT Air 2 is a bit more comfortable and I prefer the ratchet to the D-ring. Regarding quietness - I here mixed reviews. What concerns me is the communication systems options. With GT Air 2 you are tied with Sena SLR2, not the superior Cardo. With the Schuberth S2 - I am not sure. Finally, the Schuberth S2 looks a bit more "cool" and slim (I'm now sure I can find the external dimensions). Thanks again!
I think comms is definitely an interesting aspect with both of the helmets you mention. Both are designed to work with a dedicated intercom and that makes it tricky to fit anything else. They're both Sena systems, which seems to be unappealing to you. Extra problem with the S2 is that Schuberth have stopped making the S2 system. Our shop guys in Boston, who fit a lot of comms units, reckon a universal system will go on an S2, but it would need sticking rather than clamping to the shell and it might take a bit of fiddly cable routing. Not sure that really helps much, but thought you might want to know what I'd found out. Cheers, Tony
@@sportsbikeshop Tony, thanks a ton for the info! This did help me decide, I am leaning towards the GT Air 2. Probably Schuberth is going to come up with a new sport touring non-modular helmet, the S2 has been around for quite a with no significant updates in seems.
@@sportsbikeshop great info, from what I can see Schuberth seem to be standing still in their development since they we taken over a few years ago and it’s more amount maximising profit on its current products than making new innovations which they have done so well at in the past, it’s quite sad as they were and still are in some ways on the same level if not better than shoei but with its current ways of thinking they won’t be for long….
It's mostly a matter of taste. Many find D-rings fiddly, slow (and you generally need to take off gloves to use them). Micrometric fasteners do away with that. They pass the same safety test and I don't believe a company like Shoei would use a fastener like this if they didn't trust them completely. I've worn lots of helmets with both types of fastener and have no problem with either, but I find a D-ring fastener slightly more reassuring. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
Be careful on track days as No limits in the UK will kick you off track if you don't have double d. This would be the perfect helmet if it had double d straps
I've spoken to both No Limits, the trackday organiser, and MSV, who own or manage most British circuits. No Limits say they allow any ACU Gold helmet as long as it is not a flipfront. MSV's stance is that all ACU Gold helmets are allowed on track, even if it is one of the few flipfronts that has the sticker. I'd suggest anyone who tells you different on one of their trackdays is making their own rules up and you should seek a second opinion. Cheers, Tony
In my 19 years of riding motorcycles on the road I have never had a latch wear out. I have seen the straps on both wear out though. Nothing really to do about that and there is no difference between the straps on them.
I've been wearing a GT Air for the better part of a decade. I would probably be wearing it for another decade except for Shoei's mistake. They are requiring me to change from my great Cardo comm system to an ok Senna comm system. Cardo is just technologically superior to Senna. in my and many others opinion. I'll miss Shoei when my current GT Air dies but there are quality options such as Arai, HJC, and. Caberg.
In my experience, so many variables affect wind noise that it's impossible to say. What's quiet on one bike, one rider's head, might be really noisy on another bike and another rider's head. I did a noise experiment a few years ago and the dB level inside a helmet changed depending on the bike and the head shape. Reading through customer reviews of helmets suggests the same thing. Some people will call a helmet really noisy and some will say they can ride without earplugs. Sorry to not have a definitive answer for you. Cheers, Tony
Hi Dwayne, thanks for getting in touch. Yes - it's ECE 22.05 for road riding and is also ACU Gold so it can be worn for trackdays or racing. It's not been tested for the additional SHARP impact ratings yet, but these are not required for a helmet to be road legal. Cheers, Tony
It's ACU Gold so you can use it on track, and if I was doing one or two track days a year and this suited the rest of my riding then I'd stick with it as it'd be fine - but for frequent track days then I'd be looking elsewhere. From Shoei, the X-Spirit 3 or NXR are better suited to track riding. Thanks for getting in touch, and I hope that helps. Cheers, Tony
The big differences are the GT Air's sun visor and micrometric buckle strap. If you like ease then that wins. If you prefer simplicity then the NXR 2 wins. Cheers, Tony
This is one of our older reviews and we now routinely remove the comfort padding from helmets as part of our reviews. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
Amazes me how everyone has missed the two switches, on and off , left side and right side inside the visor , how do you not talk about it as it's so important
It's a nice review and I'm an owner and a fan of the original GT Air bought from the Sportsbike shop. BUT....
it recently came time to upgrade and I was going to go for the GT2. I've already got a pair of of Cardo Pactualk Bolds and they won't fit neatly to the new helmet because of the prep for the Sena coms. What an awful decision for Shoei to try and force one make and model on you..
Also scrapping the double D is another poor decision, the final thing that makes this helmet worse than the original is doing away with the ability to close the rear exit vent.
Thanks for getting in touch, and your interesting feedback on the lid. I guess it's a commercial decision to a degree to have an integrated intercom, but seems it's backfired in your case and potentially cost Shoei a sale or two. I'm anticipating more manufacturers to behave similarly in future, though. A new helmet safety standard is coming - ECE 22.06. If I've read the draft standard correctly then fitting a non-approved intercom will nullify the safety approval. Essentially, intercoms will have to be fitted when the helmet is safety tested - and an integrated one is likely to be the only one that is tested. It'll be interesting to see what happens. As for ditching the D-rings, that's always a matter of taste but it definitely moves the helmet away from sports and towards touring. Cheers, Tony
@@sportsbikeshop That's really interesting, thanks for the reply. I wonder what the new safety standard thinks about my chin mounted Gopro.
Cheers.
@@Banditmanuk I have installed a Packtalk Bold to my GT Air 2 with no issues whatsoever. The new ratchet style strap is much more convenient than the D ring, and so far feels absolutely solid and reassuring. Hope you found a helmet that works for you 👍
@@gpzfan5272 I bought another GT Air 1.
Interesting that you say the UK version comes with D-Rings. My GT Air has a micrometric fastener and I'm not a great fan. At least with D-Rings you fasten it tight every time and there's no place for slippage as with micrometric fastener.
The only issue with this helmet is the size, we have 2 GT air 2's (me and my fiance), and fitting both of them into a top box that is designed for 2 helmets is not possible. We have the givi monolock 47 and can only fit 1 of the 2 helmets which are not ideal.
Does anybody have 2 of these and a top case that fits 2 helmets?
Hello sir....
HJC RPHA 70 ST or SHOEI GT AIR 2 which would u suggest for touring???
Hi, and thanks for getting in touch. If we take it that both fit you and make you comfortable then I believe either would be suitable for touring. In my opinion the Shoei is the slightly superior lid and is a bit more touring-focused than the RPHA 70, because of the quick-release strap fastener and the ability to integrate a comms system more neatly. If one fits you more comfortably than the other than I would go with that as it's the most important factor - especially when touring. I hope that helps. Cheers, Tony
Would you recommend it for an CBR 600rr for only Street use? Not Track use
Hi, I couldn't say for sure as the riding position on a sportsbike is different from the Tracer 700 I rode for the review of this lid. Being tilted forward means looking through the top of the visor on a sportsbike. That's the only unknown as I reckon it'd otherwise be fine. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
@@sportsbikeshop Thnx for the response
Danny
Will this helmet work with glasses on? I'm concerned the internal sun visor will clash?
Thanks
I can't comment personally as I don't wear specs while riding, but all customer reviews from bespectacled riders say their glasses fit in. One suggests that deep spec arms might not fit in. Hope that helps. Thanks for getting in touch, Tony
Yes glasses work well with this helmet and the drop down visor does not hit them either
would this make a good first bike helmet i was also looking at shoei nxr but wondered if this one is more comfortable for say touring and countryside/towns thanks great video
Hi, thanks for getting in touch. Comfort is always subjective and will depend on your head shape. The GT Air 2's main advantages over the NXR for touring and town riding are the internal sun visor and the speedier nature of the strap fastener, which is a buckle rather than the D-rings of the NXR. As for whether it makes a good first bike helmet - yes. It's easy to assume that new riders will start out at the budget end of things, but if you can afford a more premium product then you should feel the benefit. You've got enough to think about already when you're just starting out, so if you can have high-quality kit then you have more attention left to put into all the other stuff. I hope that helps, and good luck with starting out and kitting yourself out for life on two wheels. Cheers, Tony
I’m new to riding and looking at 2 helmets. How would you compare the Shoei Air GT 2 against the Shark Skwak 2.2. Venger ? I’d appreciate any comments
They both do a similar job, though the Shoei is a more premium product than the Shark, with a composite-fibre shell and a better quality comfort lining. The Pinlock insert on the Shoei is a higher grade than the Shark's for better protection against visor misting. The two helmets weigh almost exactly the same as each other, based on size medium lids we weighed here. The Shoei costs about twice as much. If you've got a limited kit budget, the saving on going for the Shark would give you extra money to invest in the rest of your kit. If that's not so important then the Shoei is very well made helmet that has lots of qualities to recommend it over the Shark. I hope that helps you - and good luck on your journey into the world of biking. Cheers, Tony
When the outer clear shield is in the up position while riding can it be left up at higher speeds without it rattling or excessive vibrating?
Thanks for getting in touch. That's not something I tried while reviewing the lid and I wouldn't think Shoei expected the helmet to be used in that way, so I wouldn't expect it to be capable of that. Perhaps there's a GT Air 2 owner reading this who'd be able to comment. Cheers, Tony
I had a GT Air (1) and the visor can be left in any position without rattling, not sure about vibration at very high speeds. Even the internal sun visor is the same, solid fit. Something I noticed on a Schuebeth S4 the sun visor half way down rattles a little. Shoei are awesome in quality.
Would be good to know how many shell sizes and what sizes each covers please?
No problem... This helmet comes in three shell sizes. The smallest covers XS, S and M, then L gets its own shell and XL/XXL share the largest shell size. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
can you use other intercoms with the GT air 2? like a cardo pactalk slim?
I've not tried myself, but I've done a bit of digging on it and it seems you can, but Shoei's integration of the official Sena unit makes it either very fiddly or a bit ugly - or both. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
Hi and thank you for the nice review! I'm trying to devide between the Shoei GT Air 2 and Schuberth S2. How would you compare the two?
I've not worn an S2 myself, but colleagues have worn them and rate them very highly. The two models are similar in style, but the S2 has a D-ring strap fastener rather than the GT Air 2's ratchet so that's one factor to bear in mind. The other is noise. That's always a subjective issue, but Schuberth owners are more likely to describe their helmet as quiet. The big one is comfort and suitability for your head. I'd say that should be the big deciding factor, if you're able to get both on your head and compare them. Thanks for getting in touch and I hope that helps. Cheers, Tony
@@sportsbikeshop Hi Tony, thank you very much for taking the time to respond! I've tried the two and it seems the GT Air 2 is a bit more comfortable and I prefer the ratchet to the D-ring. Regarding quietness - I here mixed reviews. What concerns me is the communication systems options. With GT Air 2 you are tied with Sena SLR2, not the superior Cardo. With the Schuberth S2 - I am not sure. Finally, the Schuberth S2 looks a bit more "cool" and slim (I'm now sure I can find the external dimensions).
Thanks again!
I think comms is definitely an interesting aspect with both of the helmets you mention. Both are designed to work with a dedicated intercom and that makes it tricky to fit anything else. They're both Sena systems, which seems to be unappealing to you. Extra problem with the S2 is that Schuberth have stopped making the S2 system. Our shop guys in Boston, who fit a lot of comms units, reckon a universal system will go on an S2, but it would need sticking rather than clamping to the shell and it might take a bit of fiddly cable routing. Not sure that really helps much, but thought you might want to know what I'd found out. Cheers, Tony
@@sportsbikeshop Tony, thanks a ton for the info! This did help me decide, I am leaning towards the GT Air 2. Probably Schuberth is going to come up with a new sport touring non-modular helmet, the S2 has been around for quite a with no significant updates in seems.
@@sportsbikeshop great info, from what I can see Schuberth seem to be standing still in their development since they we taken over a few years ago and it’s more amount maximising profit on its current products than making new innovations which they have done so well at in the past, it’s quite sad as they were and still are in some ways on the same level if not better than shoei but with its current ways of thinking they won’t be for long….
Nice info 👍👍🇨🇦
I like double d ring fasteners. They are simple, secure and don’t wear out. Are these alternatives as good?
It's mostly a matter of taste. Many find D-rings fiddly, slow (and you generally need to take off gloves to use them). Micrometric fasteners do away with that. They pass the same safety test and I don't believe a company like Shoei would use a fastener like this if they didn't trust them completely. I've worn lots of helmets with both types of fastener and have no problem with either, but I find a D-ring fastener slightly more reassuring. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony
Be careful on track days as No limits in the UK will kick you off track if you don't have double d. This would be the perfect helmet if it had double d straps
Interesting insight. I'll do a bit of digging on that. Thanks for letting us know. Cheers, Tony
I've spoken to both No Limits, the trackday organiser, and MSV, who own or manage most British circuits. No Limits say they allow any ACU Gold helmet as long as it is not a flipfront. MSV's stance is that all ACU Gold helmets are allowed on track, even if it is one of the few flipfronts that has the sticker. I'd suggest anyone who tells you different on one of their trackdays is making their own rules up and you should seek a second opinion. Cheers, Tony
In my 19 years of riding motorcycles on the road I have never had a latch wear out. I have seen the straps on both wear out though. Nothing really to do about that and there is no difference between the straps on them.
I've been wearing a GT Air for the better part of a decade. I would probably be wearing it for another decade except for Shoei's mistake. They are requiring me to change from my great Cardo comm system to an ok Senna comm system. Cardo is just technologically superior to Senna. in my and many others opinion. I'll miss Shoei when my current GT Air dies but there are quality options such as Arai, HJC, and. Caberg.
You don't have to use Senna, I have Cardo Bold on my helmet and have done for over a year.
which is queiter? GT AIR 2 OR RF1400?
In my experience, so many variables affect wind noise that it's impossible to say. What's quiet on one bike, one rider's head, might be really noisy on another bike and another rider's head. I did a noise experiment a few years ago and the dB level inside a helmet changed depending on the bike and the head shape. Reading through customer reviews of helmets suggests the same thing. Some people will call a helmet really noisy and some will say they can ride without earplugs. Sorry to not have a definitive answer for you. Cheers, Tony
Does it meet all UK legal requirements? (certs)
Hi Dwayne, thanks for getting in touch. Yes - it's ECE 22.05 for road riding and is also ACU Gold so it can be worn for trackdays or racing. It's not been tested for the additional SHARP impact ratings yet, but these are not required for a helmet to be road legal. Cheers, Tony
Any good for track day riding?
It's ACU Gold so you can use it on track, and if I was doing one or two track days a year and this suited the rest of my riding then I'd stick with it as it'd be fine - but for frequent track days then I'd be looking elsewhere. From Shoei, the X-Spirit 3 or NXR are better suited to track riding. Thanks for getting in touch, and I hope that helps. Cheers, Tony
NXR 2 or GT AIR 2 please. Harley rider.
The big differences are the GT Air's sun visor and micrometric buckle strap. If you like ease then that wins. If you prefer simplicity then the NXR 2 wins. Cheers, Tony
Please remove padding.....want to see helmet interior
This is one of our older reviews and we now routinely remove the comfort padding from helmets as part of our reviews. Thanks for getting in touch. Cheers, Tony