[Video Transcript]
Hello! I’m RyanF9 and these are the best helmets ever to be graced with a Snell sticker.
So , for Snell helmets under 200 dollars we have the Scorpion EXO-R410 versus the HJC CL-17 . Please excuse the ridiculous graphic … it’s what they gave me.
Both of these helmets are polycarb, but the HJC is lighter. My neck could have told you that, as it’s down a full 100 grams from the Scorpion.
And both of these helmets have pretentious venting systems. HJC calls theirs ACS – for advanced channel system – and there’s absolutely nothing advanced about it except for the brow vent, which we don’t often see.
Scorpion, on the other hand, comically over-promises. They say it has six intakes and ten exhausts, which is a bit like claiming to have a 16-inch penis. In reality there’s only one, two, three, four, five of them.
So far as I can tell, Scorpion was referring to the 16 holes on the inside of the EPS liner. Either that or they just can’t count.
For visors I give the edge to Scorpion. They use something called Ellip-Tec, meaning the hinge is on a spring-loaded pivot point that pulls the visor tight with the rubber gasket. Also it has a visor lock that doubles as a hinge to crack the face shield and clear fog.
The CL-17 has a visor lock too, but it does not double as a fog-clearing lever. I suppose HJC did supply a pinlock lens to deal with humidity. But on the whole, no, this a crappier visor. It doesn’t seal as tight, has less detentes and feels cheap.
Padding goes Scorpions way as well. It’s softer, cooler and has emergency quick releases. Meanwhile the CL-17s padding is exceptionally forgettable.
The R410 is also quieter than the CL-17. And an atom bomb is also quieter than the CL-17.
However , HJC did produce the more aggressive helmet. It has a racer’s neck line – meaning it’s drawn upwards to save weight, to pose less risk of breaking your clavicle, to make it easier to go into a full tuck and to check on Johnny Trackday behind you. In general, the CL-17 is a faster lid.
Fitment-wise, the Scorpion is a neutral head shape with nothing to report. But the CL-17 tends to the rounder side of neutral. Also its only DOT rated in sizes 3XL-5XL, which is something to keep in mind if you have an enormous head. Recall that Snell began to favour smaller helmets after the 2005 scandal, and you have your case in point.
Next match up – Scorpion EXO-R710 versus Bell Vortex . Our weight class is Snell helmets under 300 dollars.
The 710 is one of the cheapest ways to get a fibreglass bucket. And it’s not even cheap fibreglass – Scorpion blended some aramids in here for a better strength-to-weight ratio.
By comparison, the polycarbonate Vortex is a chubby 1770 grams… over 100 more than the R710.
For ventilation I’m calling a draw. The R710 is special because these forehead tabs are spring loaded – you need only graze them with your glove and they’ll flick open or closed.
On the flip side, these Vortex vents are harder to find with gloves but they flow more air. Partially because the exhaust ports look like they came off an Airbus. And partially because the Vortex takes its DNA from the legendarily breezy Bell Star.
Round three – face shields. The Scorpion seals with its usual lethal force, plus it locks shut and cracks open . Meanwhile the Vortex has two weak detentes and moves with all the fluidity of nails on chalkboard. I haven’t seen a face shield this bad since 1999… a fact Bell covers up by claiming to be “ the reigning world champ in shield ease of use .”
I wasn’t aware there was a world championship for visor quick releases, but yeah, that was easy.
In the battle of cheek pads, the Vortex can match the R710 for comfort. But alas, Scorpion still has a secret weapon in their emergency quick releases.
Noisiness? Well the R710 is louder than the cheaper R410, maybe because of the wind-sail vent cowls, maybe because of the mesh buffeting zones behind each ear. But either way, it’s still quieter than the Vortex.
At this point I’d tally the results and tell you to buy the Scorpion, but there’s a fitment issue. The R710 has a couple throw pillows for cheek pads, meaning it presses really tight on the lower portion of my face and is actually too loose on the upper crown of my head. So the R710 is perfect if you have an inverted teardrop for a noggin, otherwise you’ll be happier in the neutral-shaped Vortex. Of course that’s a disappointing helmet in general, and I actually prefer the cheaper R410 and CL-17 we saw earlier.
Now when it comes to expensive Snell Helmets, we have a Mexican standoff.
The Shoei RF-1200 comes to battle with a 600-dollar pricetag and a veteran’s experience. This has been the go-to racing helmet for ages, only recently challenged by the HJC RPHA 11 Pro which inexplicably forgot to earn a Snell sticker, so here we are again.
The RF-1200 is special because it’s quiet . Shoei tightened the visor shutter and threw in more soundproofing over the years, which supersport helmets rarely bother with.
They also molded a rigid rib into the shield, to prevent it from warping in the wind. And they piped the rubber gasket independently on the top and sides, so pressure on one won’t deform the other.
All that to say, the RF-1200 locks out wind noise and rain better than anything on my list. It’s also the lightest helmet here – 1575g for this fibreglass and organic fibre bucket. Plus it has emergency release cheek pads and a racer’s neckline like the CL-17 we saw earlier. This is pretty close to a perfect helmet in my opinion. Only the ventilation is sub-par, especially when I ride slowly.
Next shooter is the Bell Race Star – middle child of the Star family and the most bang for your buck out of its siblings.
Highlights include a massive viewport – big enough to shame everything in this video both horizontally and vertically. Also we have the most technical EPS liner with three free-floating layers of different densities for reactive impact absorption. Then the liner is made with real jade minerals, which brings some good luck feng shui as well as a natural cooling effect. Plus the cheek pads and chin strap release with rare magnets , so when you conk yourself out the paramedics will be impressed by how much you spent on this helmet.
Speaking of which, Bell throws in a duffel bag with your 850-dollar purchase. Nice.
Weirdest thing about the Race Star is that it’s freaking massive. My size large is 1800 grams and longer than an aircraft carrier, which is strange for a carbon-fibre helmet. At least it’s as pretty as it is big. I should mention that the Race Star has a neutral fit, with a racer’s tightness around the face. It’s the best ventilated helmet on my list and it’s quieter than the Bell Stars used to be, although the visor still whistles in any position that isn’t totally shut.
And finally – the Arai Corsair-X . If spending 1000 dollars on a helmet is a good idea…
Debatable
Then this is the best way to do it.
Ventilation is clever – these visor vents are actually channels, moving air to cool the blood flow at your temples. Also it’s aerodynamically adaptable for half or full tuck with this adjustable wing. Then safety is streamlined – the side pods sunk flush with the shell, the cowls made to snap off, the visor hinge pivoting to sit lower down. All that allows more of the helmet to be perfectly round in a crash, which is both stronger and less likely to throw torque at my neck.
In the end our Corsair-X is the best-engineered helmet. But who cares! All I can think about from the inside is how bloody brilliant it feels. You might think I’m in a cramped 1600-gram bucket, but I’m actually wearing an aristocrat’s veranda. Spacious, luxurious… with every nerve on my face I know this is something special.
And that’s it for the best Snell helmets – thanks for watching.