The Arai Axces-II Motorcycle Helmet
For an entry-level motorcycle helmet, the Arai Axces-II packs some serious punch. It uses a Super Fiber Laminate (SFL) shell that is lightweight yet very strong. It features excellent venting with chin, top and brow vents with a rear exhaust port as well.The Arai Axcell-II also gets one of the widest aperture openings among helmets with a Super AdSis I visor that Arai claims only takes a few seconds to change. Like all Arai motorcycle helmets, it has removable cheekpads and a washable interior.
How does it feel to use? The liner is super soft and the Arai Axces-II helmet itself is one of the most comfortable helmets I've worn. It is not a light helmet and at around 1.5 kilogram, it is much heavier than my own motorcycle helmet. But the Arai Axcess-II masks its weight very well. IT is incredibly balanced and you never feel any strain on your neck. The five vents flow large amounts of air through the helmet. The chin vent need special mention, as it had to positions which direct air to either your face or onto the inside of the visor.
The Arai Axces-II, and all other Arai helmets, have the best quality of paint I have ever seen. I have the Tribute design, but some other other colors, especially the Flow Green, are quite striking.
Now the complaints. The first grouse that I have with the Arai Axces-II is that, thanks to the side pods sticking out of the shell, the helmet can get a bit noisy. This is easily sorted out with ear plugs though, so I won't cry about it too much. The second is the visor changing mechanism. As much as Arai claims that it is a super quick mechanism, it is still very complicated for me.
Theoretically, all you have to do is lift a tab at the base of the side pod, pull the visor out, slide the visor in between the side pod and shell and shut the visor. In real life, since you can't really see inside the side pod, you never know whether the mechanism is aligned properly or not.
Over the time that I have been using the Arai Axces-II, I have gotten better at it, but it is still a lot slower than the HJC or Shoei visor changing mechanisms.
On the whole though, for an entry-level motorcycle helmet, the Arai Axces-II doesn't feel like one at all.Tag: Arai Axces-II Helmets Full-Face-Helmet Safety Gear Entry-Level
