It has been a while since Shoei had a new lid, and the new V-Moto won't set any standards for style, with its onservative shell design. But the visor, with its raised center and resultant hump, have people talking. Although the style jury is still out, as a new design always takes some getting used to, putting on the V-Moto was interesting.
Immediately I noticed the helmet is light, but not so light as to feel unsafe. For those accustomed to typical motocross helmets, the fit is tight. The chinbar padding actually touched my forehead as I slipped it on, giving me the impression the front portion is smaller or narrower than what I'm accustomed to, a typical sensation on street helmets I've worn. Once on, the fit was just about perfect around my medium-sized head. I felt nice, snug contact without any pinching or poking, except for the cheek area, where it was a little squishy. The helmet comes with 35mm cheek pads, so I switched to the thinnest size, 33mm, which alleviated most of the squeeze. After about five hours in the helmet, I broke it in and got used to it.
The venting was on par with most helmets that use air channeling. The visor flows a little better than most helmets as long as you are looking straight ahead, but you have to be going fast to notice it. Roost and sun blockage and ducking branches/leaves were normal. Although most goggles fit in the eyeport just fine, some of the larger goggles that I use were a tad snug. Anyone wearing even-larger or over-glasses goggles should check the fit. Liner removal is pretty standard and easy to do once you get the procedure down with a little practice.
| Shoei: | 714/730-0941;
www.shoei-helmets.com |
| Gear | Max | Rated |
| Style | 20 | 15 |
| Comfort | 10 | 7 |
| Function | 50 | 50 |
| Wash/care | 10 | 10 |
| Price | 10 | 8 |
| Total | 100 | 90 |
The helmet did a fine job of keeping my head from breaking the ground. After minor falls, scratches were minimal.
The V-Moto is available in sizes XXS to XXL in quite a few color combinationseven the trendy new matte-black finish. Prices range from $324.99 to $424.99 depending on the graphics. The cheek pads added an extra $35.90 to the price, and a replacement visor runs from $12.50 to $40.