‘This is my go-to helmet’
Tested by Michael Guy for five years / 8400 miles Billed by Arai as one of the ‘most versatile helmets ever’ the Tour X4 has been my go-to helmet for a significant chunk of riding I’ve completed over the last five years. While Arai claim it works as a grand tourer, adventure helmet and for use on naked bikes with the peak removed, the vast majority of my riding has been using it for off-road and adventure. From events in Italy, to riding the Trans Euro Trail in Northern Spain and most recently a trip to Iceland, it’s been my helmet of choice for when I need something I can trust and rely on. After all, a helmet is the most important piece of safety equipment we all wear.
This is actually my second Arai adventure helmet, I ran the previous X3 model for the five years prior to getting the X4. One of the key factors that keeps me coming back for more is the fit. I wear an XS and, unlike some rivals, Arai offer different outer shell sizes meaning that I’m not wearing a helmet with a large outer shell and lots of padding to make it fit correctly. This in turn makes the helmet look and feel better.
Despite the smaller outer shell the X4 is a heavy helmet, weighing in at 1.73kg even in XS. It actually takes me by surprise whenever I pick it up, especially compared to the allcarbon Klim Krios I’ve also been using. But while the X4 feels heavy when you pick it up, it is incredibly well balanced so the moment you put it on your head the weight becomes largely irrelevant. I’ve done some long days wearing the X4 (including a 12.5-hour day off-road in Iceland recently) and the weight and balance of the helmet was never a factor – it was the rest of my body that was aching!
I’ve used the helmet with both clear and a light smoke visor and both give excellent vision and minimal glare. The light smoke visor offers the same quality and contrast as a decent pair of sun glasses.
Compared to a motocross helmet the peak is short but it’s enough to act as a sunshade when the sun is low in the sky or give protection from rocks roosted up by the rider in front by simply dropping your head.
Despite the peak the smooth lines of the outer shell make it more than acceptable for sustained motorway speeds. I always expect the peak to make it feel worse than a regular road helmet but in reality, when riding a big adventure bike, it’s the flawed aerodynamics/ screen of the bike that are the issue rather than the helmet itself.
My only real gripe is that changing visors is a laborious task which requires the removal of the peak and four easy-to-lose screws.
Quality ★★★★★ Value ★★★★★ www.araihelmet.eu