I was hit by a car which pulled out in front f me. It resulted in a broken leg and a broken hand. My head hit the side of the car. But until I looked at my helmet months later and saw the damage on the outside I hadn't realised how much of an impact my Neotec 2 had saved me from. I had no head injuries at all. Not even a bruise. Totally recommended. I think it saved my life, or at least saved me from serioud head injury.
Like the reviewer, I found myself laughing through much of this "review." I've got thousands of miles on my Neotec-II and pretty much disagree with everything he said here. The only thing I would agree with is that the original Sena SRL2 sound quality is not the best. However, they now have the upgraded SRL-MESH with new JBL speakers and sound logic. It's noticeably better than the original SRL2.
I have the same 2 helmets and I agree with some of your points. Besides the modular part of the Neotec 2, the Arai is better in most ways. I bought the Neotec 2 because of the headset integration and I suppose it’s fine if you don’t rely on it for communication with other riders on comms but the software on the Sena is just bad. Myself and the regular guys I ride with all ditched the SRL for Cardo units. Got tired of constantly hearing Sena Interrupt our convo with “Say a command.” Also the process to reliably reconnect was very poor. Cardo Pactalk has removed all those for us. Despite the Arai not being a modular, it does a much better job with airflow and while I haven’t tested it on my Multistrada yet, when on the 1250 GS I had, I couldn’t ride with the XD-4 because the beak constantly vibrated and was miserable to ride with. Also, the the speakers from my Cardo don’t quite fit as well as they do in the Neotec. And I can’t quite agree that there is no distortion with the XD-4 face shield. Otherwise, the XD-4 is more comfortable in terms of fit, feels lighter and flows more air. Nice review!
This is why I always take reviews with a grain of salt. Your criticisms barely rate on my list of concerns and as an owner, I am pretty chuffed with the lid. For those doing a little 'research' be sure to get your hands on one, don't buy it sight unseen or off the back of a youtube review alone. Check the sizing chart and try one on. Fit and safety is paramount....the other things then follow suit afterwards.
Totally agree with you! 🙂 Why should you listen to people who pay for the helmets themselves (me), use the product, in this case helmets, for months (me), ride for thousands of miles from very cold to very hot and humid conditions (me), and on many day long trips brought two different helmets along in order to swap back and forth between the helmets to check for differences between the helmets during equal conditions (me), etc., etc... Naw - why should you listen to me? 🙂
@@orbsurfer8195 Well people shouldn't listen to you, not you alone at least. We are all different, with different wants and needs, live in different climates, have different shaped heads. My point was, people need to be open to varying reviews and form their opinions based on smatterings of online research and hands on testing. Funnily enouh, my second lid is also an Arai, and they both have their pros and cons.
Shoei such a great helmet , i have the older model ( modular 2010 amd i have hard time to let him go ) However it’s about time to change it but rest sure i’ll get another one ( shoei ) . I just love it.
You are correct, they are different style helmets. The reason I used the Arai XD4 | Tour-X4 as a comparison has more to do with the difference in philosophy between the two helmets manufacturers, Arai and Shoei.
finally someone who has the courage to speak the truth! I am searching for a new helmet and everyone says shoei is the best of the best of the best, sir! .... but on most on-line stores it gets 4 out of 5 stars from the customers. What I noticed is that the visor is very small. Customers complain it is very noisy. I want a good helmet but tried to find a reason to avoid buying a shoei because I can feel it that I will be sorry for the money.
I used to use Arai Quantum's but they changed the head profile a few years back in the UK so I bought Shoei at the time as the Arai would just not fit anymore and was very impressed I have three now the GT air white very light, NXR slightly heavier with drop down shade and the Neotec 2 and I do not need to wear ear defenders anymore as they are miles ahead of Arai in that respect I have only just bought the Neotec but used it on a 530mile trip a couple of days after getting it and found it was excellent even though it is heavier than both of the others it was excellent on a hot day and no ear defenders needed. In UK they are not really that expensive now as they are selling off stock ready for the Neotec 3 and starting at £360 for plain colours is a steal ( that's all I paid too )
I tried on the arai with the weird shape lens and I absolutely noticed distortion. Also why did you go to shoei instead of your dealer for the breath guard. They have agreements with each other I would have 100% gone to cycle gear first.
Nice comparison. The neotec is far superior to the arai. To each their own. I usually run the sun shield with the outer up. The arai is a dirt bike helmet that wants to be a tourer. So running the sun shade in the Deep South during the day with the outer open would be far superior.
Thanks for the honesty. This just begs a much larger discussion about helmet quality or the lack there of. I log a lot of high mileage days when seeking ADV tracks in the Canada and the USA. By far the most disappointing part of my gear is the helmet. I upgraded from a $300. modular which I liked, to a $600. modular by the same company only because the old one was showing signs of aging (to be expected). The new, twice the price helmet was/is very disappointing and sometimes dangerous (fogging, leaking rain, whistling and poor built quality) Makes my com system unusable. I tried to connect with the company and there is no Canadian Rep and the dealer was of no particular use. Now I’m not a cheap person by nature and when it comes to my bike gear I spare no expense if the product is what I need. This helmet world is completely unregulated and leaves the consumer with no choose other then to discard an expensive helmet for yet another possibly better more expensive helmet. I’ve often regretted not buying the NeoTec 2 but after seeing your review now think what’s the point. Man o man is this frustrating. BTW I can only wear a modular.
The European Union test for protective motorcycle gear is pretty substantial, and part of the tests is for functionality and quality. Most of the mileage logged with the Shoei Neotec II was in the "colder" (High 30's Fahrenheit and up, not Canadian Cold!) months of the year, and then the lack of good; i.e. adequate ventilation is not that noticeable, but when the heats sets in... I might be a little bit more picky than most people, but when I spend $748.55 including tax on a helmet I except a better product and customer support! I LOVE products where you can really see and feel that the company is doing their best (the ability of integrating the SRL2 Bluetooth system is Awesome!), and Shoei is not in that category. Shoei is more in the "Good Enough" category... Unfortunately I only have a non-graphics version of the Shoei helmet, but the craftsmanship it takes to apply the graphics on the Arai helmet is stunning! I am the kind of person who spends time just looking at details like this... :-) The graphics is placed on by hand and is a good representation of the whole Arai helmet company and its attitude. Good Luck finding a decent helmet!
Why compare 2 completely different helmets with different purposes ( touring/street vs adventure). The Shoei Neotec2 is an incredibly good helmet….just read the many reviews….
Interesting review Ray. I have recently brought a Schuberth C4 Pro here in the UK having owned both a Neotec 11 & Schuberth C3. The Neotec 11 was a multi coloured version so cost plenty but because it didn't go with the Harley I brought I sold it losing lots of money. The Harley followed soon after. It was a great helmet but too expensive to replace. When looking for a new helmet when I brought my GS I did think about buying a XD4 So I was interested in hearing your opinion of it. Why I didn't was because I never go off road and like the option of being able to flip it up at traffic lights. I just wish I could remove the sun visor and its mechanism as like you I don't use it and it would make the helmet lighter.
I have ridden for nearly 40 years and only ever had Arai or Shoei since I could afford a cheap, non coloured Rapide bought at the Ally Pally show.I have an Arai RX7 Corsair in Isle of Man Ltd colours which is more ornament that practicle everyday lid. I have owned the Neotec 2 since 2020 and it is so bad it has made my try cheaper alternatives. It is poorly ventilated when down, the visor has no useable low opening and the integral Sena is the worst £200 I have ever spent. In the last year I have bought a carbon HJC RPHA70 and a carbon LS2 modular together they cost less than the Shoei and they are both far better helmets. The cheapest Cardo Sprint is immeasurably better that the Sena SRL2. I will never buy another Shoei or another Sena.
I have a 2 month old Neotec II. My previous helmet was a Neotec. To me the II is a downgrade from the original Neotec. No adjustable rear vent, louder for sure in any configuration, hard to mount anything other than integrated intercom which means adding a lot more money, and the biggest sin of all is the visor will not stay in the detents when moving. Really annoying in heat. Every helmet I've ever owned including the plain Neotec, the visor will stay open in the first detents at any speed. I pretty much hate the new Neotec II but because of the expense I will wear it for 3 years or so.
The difference is that I have paid for both helmets myself, have ridden thousands of miles with both helmets from very cold to very hot weather, and spent many long days riding while swapping back and forth between the two helmets on the same ride. Never noticed that the helmets are different, but that explains why I am not able to open up the front of the Arai helmet... :-)
Just bought the neo tec 2 . Overpriced. It was really no better than my old Nolan N104 . The vision is not as good .the view looking down is blocked by the chin bar. Wished I would have bought a nother Nolan. For 1/2 the price.
Compared to the Arai XD helmet I also use. Yes, I know they are different style of helmets... The fit and finish, ventilation, optical clarity through the shield etc. is on another level on the Arai, but I absolutely love the integration of the Bluetooth communication system on the Neotec II, it is Awesome! 🙂
I was hit by a car which pulled out in front f me. It resulted in a broken leg and a broken hand. My head hit the side of the car. But until I looked at my helmet months later and saw the damage on the outside I hadn't realised how much of an impact my Neotec 2 had saved me from. I had no head injuries at all. Not even a bruise. Totally recommended. I think it saved my life, or at least saved me from serioud head injury.
Like the reviewer, I found myself laughing through much of this "review." I've got thousands of miles on my Neotec-II and pretty much disagree with everything he said here. The only thing I would agree with is that the original Sena SRL2 sound quality is not the best. However, they now have the upgraded SRL-MESH with new JBL speakers and sound logic. It's noticeably better than the original SRL2.
I have the same 2 helmets and I agree with some of your points. Besides the modular part of the Neotec 2, the Arai is better in most ways.
I bought the Neotec 2 because of the headset integration and I suppose it’s fine if you don’t rely on it for communication with other riders on comms but the software on the Sena is just bad. Myself and the regular guys I ride with all ditched the SRL for Cardo units. Got tired of constantly hearing Sena Interrupt our convo with “Say a command.” Also the process to reliably reconnect was very poor. Cardo Pactalk has removed all those for us.
Despite the Arai not being a modular, it does a much better job with airflow and while I haven’t tested it on my Multistrada yet, when on the 1250 GS I had, I couldn’t ride with the XD-4 because the beak constantly vibrated and was miserable to ride with. Also, the the speakers from my Cardo don’t quite fit as well as they do in the Neotec. And I can’t quite agree that there is no distortion with the XD-4 face shield. Otherwise, the XD-4 is more comfortable in terms of fit, feels lighter and flows more air.
Nice review!
This is why I always take reviews with a grain of salt. Your criticisms barely rate on my list of concerns and as an owner, I am pretty chuffed with the lid. For those doing a little 'research' be sure to get your hands on one, don't buy it sight unseen or off the back of a youtube review alone. Check the sizing chart and try one on. Fit and safety is paramount....the other things then follow suit afterwards.
Totally agree with you! 🙂 Why should you listen to people who pay for the helmets themselves (me), use the product, in this case helmets, for months (me), ride for thousands of miles from very cold to very hot and humid conditions (me), and on many day long trips brought two different helmets along in order to swap back and forth between the helmets to check for differences between the helmets during equal conditions (me), etc., etc... Naw - why should you listen to me? 🙂
@@orbsurfer8195 Well people shouldn't listen to you, not you alone at least. We are all different, with different wants and needs, live in different climates, have different shaped heads. My point was, people need to be open to varying reviews and form their opinions based on smatterings of online research and hands on testing. Funnily enouh, my second lid is also an Arai, and they both have their pros and cons.
Shoei such a great helmet , i have the older model ( modular 2010 amd i have hard time to let him go )
However it’s about time to change it but rest sure i’ll get another one ( shoei ) . I just love it.
I have an Arai XD4 but i wouldnt compare it to a modular Neotec 2 for whatever reason. There are two different helmet style. I love them both.
You are correct, they are different style helmets. The reason I used the Arai XD4 | Tour-X4 as a comparison has more to do with the difference in philosophy between the two helmets manufacturers, Arai and Shoei.
finally someone who has the courage to speak the truth! I am searching for a new helmet and everyone says shoei is the best of the best of the best, sir! .... but on most on-line stores it gets 4 out of 5 stars from the customers. What I noticed is that the visor is very small. Customers complain it is very noisy. I want a good helmet but tried to find a reason to avoid buying a shoei because I can feel it that I will be sorry for the money.
I used to use Arai Quantum's but they changed the head profile a few years back in the UK so I bought Shoei at the time as the Arai would just not fit anymore and was very impressed I have three now the GT air white very light, NXR slightly heavier with drop down shade and the Neotec 2 and I do not need to wear ear defenders anymore as they are miles ahead of Arai in that respect I have only just bought the Neotec but used it on a 530mile trip a couple of days after getting it and found it was excellent even though it is heavier than both of the others it was excellent on a hot day and no ear defenders needed. In UK they are not really that expensive now as they are selling off stock ready for the Neotec 3 and starting at £360 for plain colours is a steal ( that's all I paid too )
I tried on the arai with the weird shape lens and I absolutely noticed distortion. Also why did you go to shoei instead of your dealer for the breath guard. They have agreements with each other I would have 100% gone to cycle gear first.
Always gonna find someone who has silly gripes like the gears being visible. Ya know like every single modular helmet ever made lol.
Nice comparison. The neotec is far superior to the arai. To each their own. I usually run the sun shield with the outer up. The arai is a dirt bike helmet that wants to be a tourer. So running the sun shade in the Deep South during the day with the outer open would be far superior.
Thanks for the honesty. This just begs a much larger discussion about helmet quality or the lack there of. I log a lot of high mileage days when seeking ADV tracks in the Canada and the USA. By far the most disappointing part of my gear is the helmet. I upgraded from a $300. modular which I liked, to a $600. modular by the same company only because the old one was showing signs of aging (to be expected). The new, twice the price helmet was/is very disappointing and sometimes dangerous (fogging, leaking rain, whistling and poor built quality) Makes my com system unusable. I tried to connect with the company and there is no Canadian Rep and the dealer was of no particular use. Now I’m not a cheap person by nature and when it comes to my bike gear I spare no expense if the product is what I need. This helmet world is completely unregulated and leaves the consumer with no choose other then to discard an expensive helmet for yet another possibly better more expensive helmet.
I’ve often regretted not buying the NeoTec 2 but after seeing your review now think what’s the point.
Man o man is this frustrating. BTW I can only wear a modular.
The European Union test for protective motorcycle gear is pretty substantial, and part of the tests is for functionality and quality. Most of the mileage logged with the Shoei Neotec II was in the "colder" (High 30's Fahrenheit and up, not Canadian Cold!) months of the year, and then the lack of good; i.e. adequate ventilation is not that noticeable, but when the heats sets in...
I might be a little bit more picky than most people, but when I spend $748.55 including tax on a helmet I except a better product and customer support! I LOVE products where you can really see and feel that the company is doing their best (the ability of integrating the SRL2 Bluetooth system is Awesome!), and Shoei is not in that category. Shoei is more in the "Good Enough" category...
Unfortunately I only have a non-graphics version of the Shoei helmet, but the craftsmanship it takes to apply the graphics on the Arai helmet is stunning! I am the kind of person who spends time just looking at details like this... :-) The graphics is placed on by hand and is a good representation of the whole Arai helmet company and its attitude.
Good Luck finding a decent helmet!
Why compare 2 completely different helmets with different purposes ( touring/street vs adventure). The Shoei Neotec2 is an incredibly good helmet….just read the many reviews….
Interesting review Ray. I have recently brought a Schuberth C4 Pro here in the UK having owned both a Neotec 11 & Schuberth C3. The Neotec 11 was a multi coloured version so cost plenty but because it didn't go with the Harley I brought I sold it losing lots of money. The Harley followed soon after. It was a great helmet but too expensive to replace. When looking for a new helmet when I brought my GS I did think about buying a XD4 So I was interested in hearing your opinion of it. Why I didn't was because I never go off road and like the option of being able to flip it up at traffic lights. I just wish I could remove the sun visor and its mechanism as like you I don't use it and it would make the helmet lighter.
I have ridden for nearly 40 years and only ever had Arai or Shoei since I could afford a cheap, non coloured Rapide bought at the Ally Pally show.I have an Arai RX7 Corsair in Isle of Man Ltd colours which is more ornament that practicle everyday lid. I have owned the Neotec 2 since 2020 and it is so bad it has made my try cheaper alternatives. It is poorly ventilated when down, the visor has no useable low opening and the integral Sena is the worst £200 I have ever spent. In the last year I have bought a carbon HJC RPHA70 and a carbon LS2 modular together they cost less than the Shoei and they are both far better helmets. The cheapest Cardo Sprint is immeasurably better that the Sena SRL2. I will never buy another Shoei or another Sena.
I have a 2 month old Neotec II. My previous helmet was a Neotec. To me the II is a downgrade from the original Neotec. No adjustable rear vent, louder for sure in any configuration, hard to mount anything other than integrated intercom which means adding a lot more money, and the biggest sin of all is the visor will not stay in the detents when moving. Really annoying in heat. Every helmet I've ever owned including the plain Neotec, the visor will stay open in the first detents at any speed. I pretty much hate the new Neotec II but because of the expense I will wear it for 3 years or so.
What do you think of schuberth modular helmets?
I have had many different brands of helmets, but have never used Schubert helmets yet; i.e. I have no opinion. Sorry!
neotec is uncomfortable and heavy. about to return
What a whiney review, really flies against many others who state how good the Neotech is and then you compare it to a helmet not even similar LMAO
The difference is that I have paid for both helmets myself, have ridden thousands of miles with both helmets from very cold to very hot weather, and spent many long days riding while swapping back and forth between the two helmets on the same ride. Never noticed that the helmets are different, but that explains why I am not able to open up the front of the Arai helmet... :-)
Just bought the neo tec 2 . Overpriced.
It was really no better than my old Nolan N104 . The vision is not as good .the view looking down is blocked by the chin bar. Wished I would have bought a nother
Nolan. For 1/2 the price.
To expensive?
Compared to the Arai XD helmet I also use. Yes, I know they are different style of helmets... The fit and finish, ventilation, optical clarity through the shield etc. is on another level on the Arai, but I absolutely love the integration of the Bluetooth communication system on the Neotec II, it is Awesome! 🙂
Sena over cardo? What you smoking man?
Just the mounting - Beyond Awesome! As for the rest...
Too
Unacceptable, so British. Are you British or American?
The noisy helmet have it!! Avoid it! Only marketing!
always turned off by people who cand spell correctly..
*too expensive