Got the new Neotec in last week and thought I'd post up some info for anyone thinking about this lid. First off, let me say that Revzilla is awesome! This was my first purchase from them and will definitely be buying from them again. I ordered on a Sunday afternoon, and got a shipping notification at 8:30 am Monday morning - two days later my new lid was sitting by the front door. On to the helmet...
Weight:
For reference I'm coming out of a Joe Rocket 101 Carbon helmet, which is very, very light. The Neotec is noticeably heavier in my hand, but balanced so well, it's not evident while on my head.
Shield:
The shield mechanism is a quality affair, with nice detentes throughout its range, and rewards you with a satisfying 'ping' when you move it to the closed position. It seals up nice and tight, and I think will withstand any water-borne conditions thrown at it without allowing leakage. The Pinlock assembly is standard and a simple install, for which I wouldn't want to be without after having one for the past two years - they simply will not fog up.
The view out is wide in both the vertical and horizontal planes, so wide that it took a bit of getting used to - zero claustrophobia inside this lid. The added benefit is that the Pinlock insert is large enough the lines aren't in your immediate field of view, and I forgot it was even there. (I could see it on the visor of my JR)
Fit and Finish:
Fit and finish of the helmet are top-drawer, and the silver metallic paint gleams nicely in the sun. The internal visor comes down far enough to serve its purpose well, and is dark enough I didn't find myself missing my sunglasses at all. Even though I measured at the very edge of the range for a medium size, I went with it, and am very pleased with the fit of the helmet. It was, of course, a bit snug at first - but broke in nicely after only a few hours. With the plush interior lining, it is simply the most comfortable helmet I've ever owned. It just fits my head...
Ventilation:
Okay, I must admit I'm always dubious of claims of great venting from a helmet. I've owned many over the years, and quite frankly have never been impressed. This is the first helmet I've ever owned where I can actually feel air flowing through with the vents open. Pop the simple, but elegant front vent back two clicks and you've got some air moving through there! The chin vent supplies additional flow, and like all mechanisms on this helmet, has a quality feel during operation.
Noise:
I've ridden with earplugs for longer than I can remember, but the Neotec is certainly quiet. I installed my Sena SMH-10 with zero fuss, and rode with my usual background music piped in - except now it's not background music - I can actually hear the songs in living color. I found myself reducing the volume on the Sena in fact - something I never did with the JR. For reference: I could clearly hear Neal Peart's intricate hi-hat work at the beginning of La Villa Strangiato at 75MPH indicated. With the music turned off, I was pleased with the ambient noise levels. Wind noise was evident, but nicely muted, and only slightly increased with all of the ventilation flowing. (Did I mention you can actually feel the ventilation - not just hear it?)
Chin Bar:
This is my first modular helmet - I've always been a full-face guy. I must admit it's nice to pop the front up for some additional cooling while in stop-and-go riding. The red latch button is easily operated with a gloved hand, and the mechanism clicks nicely into place when moving to the up or down position. I rode for a while with the chin bar in the up position to experience it, and noticed no adverse effects below 50 MPH. Above that I could feel the wind pulling back on my head.
All in all I couldn't be more pleased with the helmet, and if it has a downside I haven't found it yet. I did over 250 miles on my first outing with it, and was quite pleased. I'm under no illusion that even at Revzilla's price this helmet is a major investment - $596 delivered. It's certainly the most expensive helmet I've ever owned, but after riding it, I feel justified in the investment. Can you get a helmet that provides equal (or greater) protection for less? Sure. But I appreciate the quality Shoei built into this helmet, and the bells and whistles sure make for an enjoyable riding experience...
Weight:
For reference I'm coming out of a Joe Rocket 101 Carbon helmet, which is very, very light. The Neotec is noticeably heavier in my hand, but balanced so well, it's not evident while on my head.
Shield:
The shield mechanism is a quality affair, with nice detentes throughout its range, and rewards you with a satisfying 'ping' when you move it to the closed position. It seals up nice and tight, and I think will withstand any water-borne conditions thrown at it without allowing leakage. The Pinlock assembly is standard and a simple install, for which I wouldn't want to be without after having one for the past two years - they simply will not fog up.
The view out is wide in both the vertical and horizontal planes, so wide that it took a bit of getting used to - zero claustrophobia inside this lid. The added benefit is that the Pinlock insert is large enough the lines aren't in your immediate field of view, and I forgot it was even there. (I could see it on the visor of my JR)
Fit and Finish:
Fit and finish of the helmet are top-drawer, and the silver metallic paint gleams nicely in the sun. The internal visor comes down far enough to serve its purpose well, and is dark enough I didn't find myself missing my sunglasses at all. Even though I measured at the very edge of the range for a medium size, I went with it, and am very pleased with the fit of the helmet. It was, of course, a bit snug at first - but broke in nicely after only a few hours. With the plush interior lining, it is simply the most comfortable helmet I've ever owned. It just fits my head...
Ventilation:
Okay, I must admit I'm always dubious of claims of great venting from a helmet. I've owned many over the years, and quite frankly have never been impressed. This is the first helmet I've ever owned where I can actually feel air flowing through with the vents open. Pop the simple, but elegant front vent back two clicks and you've got some air moving through there! The chin vent supplies additional flow, and like all mechanisms on this helmet, has a quality feel during operation.
Noise:
I've ridden with earplugs for longer than I can remember, but the Neotec is certainly quiet. I installed my Sena SMH-10 with zero fuss, and rode with my usual background music piped in - except now it's not background music - I can actually hear the songs in living color. I found myself reducing the volume on the Sena in fact - something I never did with the JR. For reference: I could clearly hear Neal Peart's intricate hi-hat work at the beginning of La Villa Strangiato at 75MPH indicated. With the music turned off, I was pleased with the ambient noise levels. Wind noise was evident, but nicely muted, and only slightly increased with all of the ventilation flowing. (Did I mention you can actually feel the ventilation - not just hear it?)
Chin Bar:
This is my first modular helmet - I've always been a full-face guy. I must admit it's nice to pop the front up for some additional cooling while in stop-and-go riding. The red latch button is easily operated with a gloved hand, and the mechanism clicks nicely into place when moving to the up or down position. I rode for a while with the chin bar in the up position to experience it, and noticed no adverse effects below 50 MPH. Above that I could feel the wind pulling back on my head.
All in all I couldn't be more pleased with the helmet, and if it has a downside I haven't found it yet. I did over 250 miles on my first outing with it, and was quite pleased. I'm under no illusion that even at Revzilla's price this helmet is a major investment - $596 delivered. It's certainly the most expensive helmet I've ever owned, but after riding it, I feel justified in the investment. Can you get a helmet that provides equal (or greater) protection for less? Sure. But I appreciate the quality Shoei built into this helmet, and the bells and whistles sure make for an enjoyable riding experience...
8)
