SHOEI X-SPIRIT III
TESTED BY: Bruce MILES: 7,000 TIME: 9 months PRICE: £699.99 WEB: www.feridax.com TEL: 01384 413841 I’m an utter helmet snob, but why wouldn’t you be? After all, you’ve only got the one noggin, so it makes sense to guard it with the best option available. In my opinion, lids don’t get much better than the X-Spirit III. It’s rammed with safety focused technology such as its shock absorbing double-inner shell, which sees varying levels of expanded EPS in place to achieve specific impact absorbing qualities in predetermined areas of the helmet. It’s clever stuff, just like the super tough multi-fibre outer shell, which is produced in different sizes according to the helmet size it’s being produced for – rather than them just making a larger outer shell and packing the inner to take up the slack.
This is a premium grade lid, and that’s supported by the long list of features that you’ll find attributed to the X-Spirit III. It’s also a fantastic helmet to ride in. I’ve worn my Shoei almost daily since the start of this year, taking on all different kinds of climates, on all different kinds of bikes. It’s a very comfortable lid, with great ventilation (thanks to its six vents and exhausts) and it’s not too noisy either... considering it’s a race focused helmet. The visor changing system has got to be the simplest on the market, taking seconds to effortlessly detach and reattach visors as you desire, and I’m also a big fan of the huge amount of vision on tap – both vertically and peripherally.
My helmet came with a Pinlock, so fogging has never been an issue, and the standard visor’s also primed for tear-offs, if you’re feeling a bit ‘Rossi’, this lid will accommodate you. Because of my excessive use of the helmet, I’ve started to feel the cheek padding getting a little slack, but Feridax (the UK distributor for Shoei) stocks a comprehensive range of inner padding so I know it’ll be a doddle to get my hands on firmer and fresher replacements. For cleaning purposes, I’ve had the interior out a few times and it’s a nice and simple procedure. I’m trying to think of areas to fault, but nothing’s springing to mind. If you want the best, you know where to go. And if you want an awesome custom paint job doing, drop Clive at Rapier Paintworks a line on 01482 212690 – or visit www.rapierpaintwork.co.uk