My helmet has D-rings not the interlocking helmet straps shown in the photo above.
Morning winds made the helmet seem as loud as my Shoei RF 1000 was. It is not any louder, but is not as quiet as my initial perceptions. There are certainly no weird whistles. I'll still be wearing earplugs on longer rides.
Unfortunately, the sun shield had an oily film that I did not notice before. So I had starbursts on the morning ride. The film washed off with soapy water. A re-check revealed no more starbursts. I don't know where the film came from. The sun shield is easy to remove and install, but it is impossible to reinstall without leaving fingerprints. The tinting seems perfect.
The main shield installs and removes like would be expected for a Shoei helmet. It is not the same shield as my RF and the procedure is slightly different. But the overall result is 10 seconds on and off with no tools.
Impressions of venting remain great. The vents seem to completely seal up when closed, but I'll wait until colder weather to verify this. Amazing airflow, in my opinion. More airflow than any other helmet I've worn.
The Pinlock brand anti-fog screen mounts at the edge of the visor kept attracting my attention. I'm sure I'll get used to them being there. But I kept looking right and left to see "what was over there?" I can't wait for colder temps to give the Pinlock shield a try.
The helmet does have more aerodynamic drag than my RF did. I attribute the drag to the "hood scoop" vent on top. The venting is worth the drag. The helmet does not develop lift at speed and seems to deal with turbulence normally when behind a big vehicle.
This is my first modular helmet and I absolutely love being able to don and doff the helmet without removing my glasses. I really liked flipping up the shield at the gas station last night.... Much nicer than standing there rebreathing my own breath while I filled up. I've already gotten into the bad habit of flipping up the chin bar at stoplights and flipping down after leaving.
20 miles of cloverleafs (ahem, to catch the sun at all angles) did not reveal any faults or deal breakers. The sun shield is awesome, awesome, awesome... everything I hoped for. It will be perfect now that the film is washed off.
I bought my large, light silver helmet through Motorcycle Superstore for $596.69.
I've owned the Shoei Synchrotec, and the Duotec and liked both of them when they came out, but when I saw the Schuberth with the flip down sun shield I was sold.
I've been waiting for Shoei to come out with a modular with a sun shield, and was thrilled with the looks, fit, and finish of the Neotec, but pulled up short at the price tag. Almost $600 for a helmet!! I just couldn't talk myself into spending that much money, which is also why I don't have the latest Schuberth. It also is around $600 or over. I'm wearing a Nolan NCom-103 which set me back less than $300. I just can't convince myself that I want to spend twice the money on the Shoei. Just color me an old tightwad.
I'm glad to hear that it's a great helmet, and maybe when they drop in price, say when the new models come out in a few years, I'll get one. IMO Shoei's are a great helmet.
Just got back from a 20+ mile ride with a combination of surface streets and divided higway. I like this helmet more with each minute I wear it. The sunshield is exactly what I hoped for. There is no more evidence of the oily film that I washed off. Optics are perfectly clear with no distortion, like every other Shoei I've owned. There are no halos, starbursts or wavyness of any sort.
I am quickly growing dependent on the flip up chin bar. Already, I can't imagine not having that feature in any future helmet I would buy.
At the time of my ride the temperature was over 90°F, on it's way to over 100°. Air flow was good enough, even at city street speeds, that I did not get overly hot or sweaty. At higway speeds, the airflow was great enough to allow for a very comfortable ride. One of my errands that I accomplised today was to renew my driver's license. I was able to walk in, and get my photo taken without looking like I had been riding a motorcycle on a near 100° day. Being able to flip up the chin bar definitely helped me maintain a civilized temp during my brief red light stops.
Since helmets are dying from the day they're bought, I somewhat budget for helmet replacement over the expected 5-6 year life of a helmet (I got 6.5 years out of my RF 1000). In my convoluted accounting ledger, I'd already budgeted and saved for an RF 1100, so the Neotec was only a ~$200 expenditure. Your accountant may disavow this accounting style, mine does not.
Another +1 on Shoei pinlock shields...they are really great in the winter. For my modular I went with a much cheaper Scorpion 900. I like it much, although I'm sure it's not as nice as your Shoei. I'm an RF-1000 guy most of the time, but for my 100 mile commutes to work (when I don't carpool), starting out in the dark and riding east into the rising sun, there is no substitute for being able to flip down that dark shield!
I started wearing a modular helmet about 5 years ago and will never go back to a traditional helmet. I lusted after the Shoei but the high price always kept me away. I ended up buying one made by AGV (Miglia) and one made by Vemar (Jiano) and have been very happy with both although I am very partial to the Italian made Vemar. How does the Shoei feel weight wise?
[image: View Post]2thdr, on 20 July 2012 - 07:33 PM, said:
there is no substitute for being able to flip down that dark shield!
Amen to that. I will never be without again.
[image: View Post]RollinAgain, on 20 July 2012 - 07:36 PM, said:
How does the Shoei feel weight wise?
Noticeably heavier than my RF 1000. The weight is a non-issue to me. The aerodynamic drag, however, does create some fatigue. I'm still of the opinion that the the ventilation justifies the drag..... but I'm only ~50 miles into this helmet. A trip to SumSum may change that opinion after dragging the helmet through the air to Colorado and back..... but I doubt it.... air flow in a Kansas summer can justify quite a bit of neck strain.
The Neotec is physically bigger than my RF. I could just toss the RF into my JC Whitney knock off of a Givi trunk and close the lid. The Neotec only fits (just barely) with one specific placement. (That was almost a deal breaker)
Thanks for the review(s). I'm looking to replace my 8 yo RF1000 and you had me on the Shoei up until the price. I'll probably look at some of the others mentioned.
But, does the Neotec have a standard face shield w/o the pinlock?
[image: View Post]bayarearider, on 20 July 2012 - 08:34 PM, said:
It's nice to have options,
That's certainly not my style. I aim to own gear that I can grab, go and know it will cover all the situations I will encounter. I chuckled at your "warm ride", "cooler run" helmet choice options. Kansas certainly doesn't hold the patent on crazy temperature swings, I'm sure most riders from the central states and high plains have a story of leaving the house in sweat inducing temperatures only to return home in a snow storm. This is why I mentioned the "The vents seem to completely seal up when closed" in my inital review. It is just as important to me that the helmet be air tight in the winter as it is for it to flow large amounts of air in the summer.
[image: View Post]vfrcapn, on 20 July 2012 - 08:48 PM, said:
But, does the Neotec have a standard face shield w/o the pinlock?
I don't think so. The Shoei website only shows the CNS-1 shield equiped for a Pinlock.
[image: View Post]RollinAgain, on 22 July 2012 - 08:50 AM, said:
What about the helmet noise on the new Shoei? Some modulars I have tried have been unbearable without ear plugs.
[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on 20 July 2012 - 09:42 AM, said:
Morning winds made the helmet seem as loud as my Shoei RF 1000 was. It is not any louder, but is not as quiet as my initial perceptions. There are certainly no weird whistles. I'll still be wearing earplugs on longer rides.
Since I originally posted that comment I've flipped back and forth. I can say that the Neotec is not any louder than my RF1000 was and may actually be quieter. I do know that the tighter-sealing neck pads eliminate the "popping" from screen turbulence that had been developing on my RF. I can't give you a definitive answer other than to say that it is not louder than my RF. Sorry.
Let me add some information regarding my earplug comment. I have to get tested regularly at work and can get "dinged" on performance reviews due to hearing loss. So I find myself taking pro-active measures to limit hearing loss that otherwise I probably would not consider due to the threat of a "formal communication" at work. (I don't think it's fair, but I like to eat and it doesn't seem worth fighting, so I play by their rules)
As others have said, you will not be disappointed in the pinlock shiedl! It just plain works! Heck, I haven't even taken my pinlock off this year. Guess I ride all year long with it...LOL.
After a little over a week of commuting and some small amount of pleasure riding I've come to a few conclusions....
1) the Neotec is quieter than my RF 1000 was... but the neck padding on my 6.5 year old RF was shot... I can't remember how the RF sounded when new.
2) any future helmet I own will, without a doubt, have an integrated, flip down sun shade.
3) as a corrective lens wearer, I love the ability to put on the helmet without removing my glasses. Due to this, I suspect future helmets will be modular.
4) I think modular helmets lead to the very bad habit of flipping the chin bar up at stoplights. I'm now very guilty of this habit that I doubt I will ever break. While it is nice to have cooling air at lower speeds and stops, I think it is a negative due to the increased risk and work load and distraction it creates at stops and starts. But on a hot day I'm not thinking of that.
Perhaps I purchased a defective pinlock visor for my RF1000 but I've had the worst luck with it not fogging up in rain or freezing up during the winter.
Thanks for the report Lee. Being a motoring picture taker I've often wanted to get a modular so I could use my dslr without having to pull my helmet off. This one has potential.
[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 28 July 2012 - 04:57 PM, said:
Perhaps I purchased a defective pinlock visor for my RF1000 but I've had the worst luck with it not fogging up in rain or freezing up during the winter.
Thanks for the report Lee. Being a motoring picture taker I've often wanted to get a modular so I could use my dslr without having to pull my helmet off. This one has potential.
I'm hopeful on the Pinlock insert. I'll report back when much cooler weather arrives.
I would think that a modular would be great for a person who always has a camera at hand. I'll let you take a spin at SumSum if it happens to fit your noggin.
I picked up a modular helmet and thought it marvelous... at least at first. It was a HJC CL-Max. Ended up only using it in town because of the helmet's distressing windflow pattern that invited wasps, hornets, yellowjackets and their friends INSIDE the helmet at highway speeds.
Even so, I thought the helmet really handy. Even had an integrated sun shield - that was also very cool. Decided it was the perfect helmet for in town use. That was until the day that the flip up mechanism broke.
When I took it apart to investigate to my horror I discovered that a microscrew (One of the tiny ones that require the use of a precision screwdriver) and plastic stem were all that were holding the helmet's latching mechanism to the helmet. I realized that the helmet was likely not as safe as I had initially assumed. Simply opening and closing the helmet had stressed the plastic where the hinge connected - normal wear.
Investigating this particular helmet on the internet I discovered that many people had hinge failures during normal use - it was a common break point. Given the construction around the hinge I seriously doubt that the helmet would hold up during a crash, turning into a 3/4 helmet rather than a full face.
I'm not sure how your Shoei is constructed, but it might be something to investigate.
(If you have a HJC CL-Max be aware that in an accident you only have 3/4 helmet guaranteed, and a possibility of a full face depending on how you hit).
Last year when I first started looking for a modular the first helmet maker I looked at was Shoei (my brand of choice), but I didn't like the Multi-tech so I looked at the other makes. Nolan was next, then, HJC, etc., etc. Long story short, I somehow found the Schuberth C3 and read all the reviews I could and was convinced it was going to be the best of the modular helmets (I believe it is/was). The only thing that was giving me any hesitation was the cost. That being said, if Shoei had the Neo-tech out when I was first looking I would have bought it hands down without hesitation. (I tried one on and loved the fit, feel and features immediately). Speaking of features, all of the features the Neo-tech has are almost identical in function to what the Schuberth has, I think Shoei did some homework before releasing the Neo. Although the Neo is not inexpensive helmet, it is a little bit less than what I paid for the Schuberth, but then again cost means less to me if what I'm paying for gives me everything I want without major compromises and lives up to the quality you expect for said price.
I can say this, I now have two helmets, Shoei RF-100 & Schubert C3, that have the pin-lock visor and both perform flawlessly, so I think you'll be a fan too and If/when I need a replacement helmet it's good to know that Shoei (unless they change things dramatically) now has something more to what I wanted in the first place. Thanks for the review, although too late for me, it's good to know it is the quality helmet I would expect from Shoei.
[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on 28 July 2012 - 04:35 PM, said:
After a little over a week of commuting and some small amount of pleasure riding I've come to a few conclusions....
1) the Neotec is quieter than my RF 1000 was... but the neck padding on my 6.5 year old RF was shot... I can't remember how the RF sounded when new.
2) any future helmet I own will, without a doubt, have an integrated, flip down sun shade.
3) as a corrective lens wearer, I love the ability to put on the helmet without removing my glasses. Due to this, I suspect future helmets will be modular.
4) I think modular helmets lead to the very bad habit of flipping the chin bar up at stoplights. I'm now very guilty of this habit that I doubt I will ever break. While it is nice to have cooling air at lower speeds and stops, I think it is a negative due to the increased risk and work load and distraction it creates at stops and starts. But on a hot day I'm not thinking of that.
+1 on the RF neck padding breaking down and causing a lot of noise.
Maybe I missed this but did you get the same size as your RF? And did it fit as well or do you notice differences? I'm a large size in the RF, wondering if the Neo large would fit the same?
[image: View Post]vfrcapn, on 28 July 2012 - 09:57 PM, said:
Maybe I missed this but did you get the same size as your RF? And did it fit as well or do you notice differences? I'm a large size in the RF, wondering if the Neo large would fit the same?
I did buy the same the same size that I had in the RF (Large). Around my head the fit of the Neotec is the same as my RF. (a little more snug due to the new padding, as you would expect) Around my jaw line the fit is quite a bit tighter. I think it actually feels a bit more secure because of the jaw line fit. I suppose that the more snug jaw fit is due to that area of the helmet being "unsupported", so to speak. I have to spring that area of the helmet open quite a bit with my thumbs to slip the helmet on.
If you've ever worn an old (see my avatar) 1970's 3/4 face Bell helmet the fit would remind you of that in terms of how it snugs up on the jaw line.
I'll definitely keep an eye on the mounting points of the chinbar and the locking mechanism. If, over time, I should notice any cracking or stress indicators showing I'll be sure to post up.... and be in contact with Shoei.
The helmet has the lesser of a five year warranty from the day of purchase or a seven year warranty from the date of construction. Be sure to keep a copy of your registration card per the registration instructions.
As a guy who's broken many things in his life I can say that the chin bar looks to be good for one really solid hit.... but I wouldn't put much money on a second hit.
Olive,
To me, what you describe is the very reason I have not purchased one yet. Safety. They are very attractive, but I just do not trust them for crashing.
C
[image: View Post]Olive, on 28 July 2012 - 06:38 PM, said:
I picked up a modular helmet and thought it marvelous... at least at first. It was a HJC CL-Max. Ended up only using it in town because of the helmet's distressing windflow pattern that invited wasps, hornets, yellowjackets and their friends INSIDE the helmet at highway speeds.
Even so, I thought the helmet really handy. Even had an integrated sun shield - that was also very cool. Decided it was the perfect helmet for in town use. That was until the day that the flip up mechanism broke.
When I took it apart to investigate to my horror I discovered that a microscrew (One of the tiny ones that require the use of a precision screwdriver) and plastic stem were all that were holding the helmet's latching mechanism to the helmet. I realized that the helmet was likely not as safe as I had initially assumed. Simply opening and closing the helmet had stressed the plastic where the hinge connected - normal wear.
Investigating this particular helmet on the internet I discovered that many people had hinge failures during normal use - it was a common break point. Given the construction around the hinge I seriously doubt that the helmet would hold up during a crash, turning into a 3/4 helmet rather than a full face.
I'm not sure how your Shoei is constructed, but it might be something to investigate.
(If you have a HJC CL-Max be aware that in an accident you only have 3/4 helmet guaranteed, and a possibility of a full face depending on how you hit).
Olive brings up some very good points regarding flip up helmets. I've seen the crash results of a Schuberth (side impact) and Shoei (face impact). Schuberth chin bar was completely detached on one side, which was forced into the wearer's face. The drop down visor also caused very bad cuts to the nose. Shoei chin bar fully detached and was found several yards away, injuries were extensive. If you're careful and don't crash too hard then they might be ok.
These two unlucky riders would likely still have had nasty facial injuries due to the nature of the crashes, but the condition of the helmets were truly horrifying.
[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on 28 July 2012 - 11:49 PM, said:
To address Olive's concerns.....
I'll definitely keep an eye on the mounting points of the chinbar and the locking mechanism. If, over time, I should notice any cracking or stress indicators showing I'll be sure to post up.... and be in contact with Shoei.
Lee - the kicker on the HJC is that it was not at all obvious until you started disassembling the helmet. Even when mine broke from "normal wear" the issue wasn't obvious until I started to disassemble. That is the point where I turned white.
End of thread · 26 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 2 Aug 2012
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