THE RIDE VERDICT

Good options for safety, low noise and comfort

WITH HELMETS YOU tend to get what you pay for and while there isn’t a bad helmet here, some are definitely better than others.

The Shoei GT-AIR II is a brilliant all-rounder that is incredibly well thought out. The quietest lid on test and with easily accessible features, the GT is a great example of a helmet that has been evolved into a nearfaultless product over the years. If you buy one, you most certainly won’t be disappointed, and it is most certainly deserving of a RIDE Best Buy award.

The HJC RPHA 70 also gets a RIDE Recommended award due to its high level of finish and feeling of quality. It is pricey but you pay for a top-end product that was lovely to wear as well as looking the part.

We were impressed with the bargain-priced Scorpion EXO-1400 too. The carbon Scorpion was the lightest lid tested and comes with a good number of features. The EXO’S vents work well and its lining is lovely and plush, but it is significantly louder than the other two ahead of it and so just misses out on a RIDE triangle — an example of why we go to the effort of measuring a helmet’s soundproofing performance.