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I picked up my new RX-Q today. I had originally thought about getting the Vector-2, but after watching many online videos and getting some very good information from our Arai rep, I decided to go with the RX-Q. I don't do track days, so the race-oriented features of the Corsair-V would have been lost on me, and it wasn't too much more coin to step up from the Vector-2. My last new helmet was an RF-1000, and it's still in pretty good shape (damn near perfect, actually - I'm a bit obsessive about my gear). It's become a little loose, however, and new cheek pads haven't improved it much. It's still a good "short distance" helmet, and I will continue to wear it around town. For long distances, though, I have always reached for my Astral-X (with custom Radiohead bear sticker on the back). The interior of the Arai is noticeably more comfortable than the Shoei's, and that's saying something; the Shoei is a fantastic helmet. I had also considered getting an RF-1100 for a while, but the new Shoei's shell seems too big, especially when compared to the RF-1000. The older RF's smaller profile was one of the things I liked most about it.
The RX-Q's wider eyeport addresses one of the main shortcomings of my Astral-X. I'd always appreciated the extra peripheral view afforded by the Shoei; now Arai has brought it to the Corsair, the RX-Q, and the Vector-2. The Profile will get the new shield on its next update, so we are told. (Another tidbit of information for the curious - Arai may be working on a modular helmet - I'm very interested to see what their take on a modular will be, especially with Schuberth's return to the U.S. market) Anyway, back to the RX. This helmet is extremely light; I love putting one of them in a customer's hand, then putting a $100 polycarbonate shell in their other hand. That weight difference has a big effect over the course of a day's ride. The paint quality is stellar, as usual. I slathered some Meguiar's Gold Class wax over it today. It makes the helmet slippery as hell for a while, but I like the idea of a sacrificial layer of wax to keep errant scuffs at bay.
I'm not really keen on the graphics Arai's put out this year, especially for the Vector-2. The Flag UK and Flag Italy for the RX-Q are nice, as are the "DNA" graphics, both black and white. I had to make some concession to economic reality, however, and buy a helmet I could reasonably afford. I've got a Ninja 1000 waiting in the wings, and pissing off the wife with an extravagant helmet when I'm about to get a new bike won't do me any good. So, Diamond Grey it is: a subdued, elegant, deep color. It reminds me of the paint you'd see on a 7-series or SL500. I'll practically disappear during the rainy season; Stumptown camouflage, as it were. I might need to invest in a helmet Halo.
I'm really looking forward to testing the noise levels of this new helmet. I regularly ride with earplugs, but I may ride to work tomorrow without them just to hear the difference. One of the drawbacks of the RF-1000 was that there was a gap between the rear of the cheekpads and the headliner, right behind my ears, which let both noise and cold air enter. The cheekpads of the RX create a seal from the middle of my jaw all the way back under and around my ears, so I'm expecting great things.
Another big improvement is the venting, and the vent ducts themselves. I'm very happy Arai made the vent switches bigger; the tiny little buggers on my Astral-X were a) hard to find, and b) difficult to tell if open or closed. No such problem with the new vents, and much easier to operate than the cool-looking - but almost impossible to work with gloved hands - ones on the RF-1000. I hope that I'll get at least a few opportunities to test the ventilation this summer, although I will likely have to go to eastern Oregon to do so.
Overall, I'm extremely happy with the appearance and features of the RX-Q. Time will tell how it performs out on the road. I'm thinking I won't have much to worry about, given Arai's track record. Now, where's that extra Radiohead bear sticker?
I picked up my new RX-Q today. I had originally thought about getting the Vector-2, but after watching many online videos and getting some very good information from our Arai rep, I decided to go with the RX-Q. I don't do track days, so the race-oriented features of the Corsair-V would have been lost on me, and it wasn't too much more coin to step up from the Vector-2. My last new helmet was an RF-1000, and it's still in pretty good shape (damn near perfect, actually - I'm a bit obsessive about my gear). It's become a little loose, however, and new cheek pads haven't improved it much. It's still a good "short distance" helmet, and I will continue to wear it around town. For long distances, though, I have always reached for my Astral-X (with custom Radiohead bear sticker on the back). The interior of the Arai is noticeably more comfortable than the Shoei's, and that's saying something; the Shoei is a fantastic helmet. I had also considered getting an RF-1100 for a while, but the new Shoei's shell seems too big, especially when compared to the RF-1000. The older RF's smaller profile was one of the things I liked most about it.
The RX-Q's wider eyeport addresses one of the main shortcomings of my Astral-X. I'd always appreciated the extra peripheral view afforded by the Shoei; now Arai has brought it to the Corsair, the RX-Q, and the Vector-2. The Profile will get the new shield on its next update, so we are told. (Another tidbit of information for the curious - Arai may be working on a modular helmet - I'm very interested to see what their take on a modular will be, especially with Schuberth's return to the U.S. market) Anyway, back to the RX. This helmet is extremely light; I love putting one of them in a customer's hand, then putting a $100 polycarbonate shell in their other hand. That weight difference has a big effect over the course of a day's ride. The paint quality is stellar, as usual. I slathered some Meguiar's Gold Class wax over it today. It makes the helmet slippery as hell for a while, but I like the idea of a sacrificial layer of wax to keep errant scuffs at bay.
I'm not really keen on the graphics Arai's put out this year, especially for the Vector-2. The Flag UK and Flag Italy for the RX-Q are nice, as are the "DNA" graphics, both black and white. I had to make some concession to economic reality, however, and buy a helmet I could reasonably afford. I've got a Ninja 1000 waiting in the wings, and pissing off the wife with an extravagant helmet when I'm about to get a new bike won't do me any good. So, Diamond Grey it is: a subdued, elegant, deep color. It reminds me of the paint you'd see on a 7-series or SL500. I'll practically disappear during the rainy season; Stumptown camouflage, as it were. I might need to invest in a helmet Halo.
I'm really looking forward to testing the noise levels of this new helmet. I regularly ride with earplugs, but I may ride to work tomorrow without them just to hear the difference. One of the drawbacks of the RF-1000 was that there was a gap between the rear of the cheekpads and the headliner, right behind my ears, which let both noise and cold air enter. The cheekpads of the RX create a seal from the middle of my jaw all the way back under and around my ears, so I'm expecting great things.
Another big improvement is the venting, and the vent ducts themselves. I'm very happy Arai made the vent switches bigger; the tiny little buggers on my Astral-X were a) hard to find, and b) difficult to tell if open or closed. No such problem with the new vents, and much easier to operate than the cool-looking - but almost impossible to work with gloved hands - ones on the RF-1000. I hope that I'll get at least a few opportunities to test the ventilation this summer, although I will likely have to go to eastern Oregon to do so.
Overall, I'm extremely happy with the appearance and features of the RX-Q. Time will tell how it performs out on the road. I'm thinking I won't have much to worry about, given Arai's track record. Now, where's that extra Radiohead bear sticker?