Shoei Raid 2 Helmet - review
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Renowned as one of the finest helmet manufacturers in the world the Shoei Raid II does not disappoint, well constructed and thought out design means you get high levels of protection and ventilation along with the security of knowing you have the backup of Shoei's massive expertise.
Higher-level Noggin protection unit
Initial Thoughts
Excellent,a Shoei lid, now this should make for an interesting review seeing asthere seems to be 2 very distinct high flyers in the helmet sector. TheRaid 2 I received was the silver, black and grey tribal patterned modelwhich looks awesome and feels very well made indeed, all the graphicwork was nice and deep and the vents felt both usable and durable.Inside was plush against my head - certainly a very comfortable helmetso far and of course you get the Shoei brand 'bling'
Construction
Made from AIM which stands for:Advanced Integrated Matrix, the Shoei helmet is certainly no slouch interms of construction, as we have come to expect from this brand it hasa solid feel throughout. The internal padding is removable and washableto keep it all fresh and improve longevity and the helmet is wellvented with adjustable vents on the forehead and chin areas.
Interms of weight the Raid 2 tips the scales at 1360grams +/-50g so it isof a decent weight to be comfortable on longer rides. I found it to bequite a comfortable lid but did have a couple of issues worthmentioning:
Firstly, the forehead vent, I am not sure the causeof this but at high speeds or in colder winds I developed a cold patchon my forehead - even when the vent was closed off.
Secondly,the visor fastening system had a tendency to make its way loose and Ihad to replace the fixing screws once during the time I tested thehelmet.
Features:
Editor reviews
Reviewed by Leigh Godson July 05, 2008
Last updated: February 11, 2012
Top 10 Reviewer - View all my reviews
Conclusion
If you are looking for a top end helmet and the Shoei fits your head shape you will not really find much to complain about with this lid, it comes fitted with the standard Shoei reputation and boastability factor that comes from years of high quality and countless unit sales worldwide.
Ventilation seems to very good as does road noise, the build is good and other than the visor screw going missing (which lets face it could be an isolated fault) I had no cause to complain.
Price wise, I think this is priced correctly for the specification and also the company reputation - if you want the best you pay a little more than the rest which certainly seems to be the case here, compared to other comparable manufacturers models is is a little more expensive though so I have to give it one less point in value for money.
User reviews
Average user rating from: 1 user(s)
Shoei Raid 2 Helmet
Don't buy a Raid 2 unless you are already deaf! When I unpacked the helmet I found that the dealer had put a pack of ear plugs in the box, and I was soon to find out why. I was surprised at the noise level at 40 mph, and by the time I reached 70 mph it was like having a thunderstorm around my head. This helmet may be suitable for scooter riders or people who only ride in town, but if you are a rider who travels long distances at speed, then this helmet is not the helmet for you. I have been pleased with Shoei helmets in the past, but this one is poor.
