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Airoh J106 modular helmet (removable chin bar)

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stinkwheel
Bovine Proctologist



Joined: 12 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: 20:52 - 08 Sep 2014    Post subject: Airoh J106 modular helmet (removable chin bar) Reply with quote

Saw these discussed in another thread and thought "This is the helmet for me.". I sometimes want a full face, sometimes an open face and frankly, I need a clear-out in the helmet department. This looks like it could be a "one lid does everything" deal.

Trouble is, nobody is importing them into the UK. Thankfully, ze ever efficient Germans are happy to.

It's made in Italy so it looks good. This latest model is however approved by ze Germans as both a full face and open face lid. Previous models only had approval as an open face.

Arrived today and frankly, it looks cool as hell. I opted for the Matt black option but they do a variety of top-gun style colour schemes too.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1639_zpsce925f29.jpg
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1640_zpsab29864f.jpg

First impression of it on was "There's not lot of padding". Second impression was "It's a pretty good fit though.". Third impression was "I hardly know I have this thing on."

It is very minimal in shell-size. Smallest I've tried. I think because they have pared down the padding so they can fit more impact layer into a smaller size shell. This is exactly what I'm looking for in a lid, it hardly impinges on your peripheral vision at all, very wide visability aperature. Probably better than my current carberg open face in that respect.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1644_zps1e23a440.jpg

It has the,-seemingly obligatory these days- pop-down sunvisor which is operated by sliding a lever on the side of the helmet. I've never got on with them so it'll probably stay there (might even remove it, it is removable).
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1641_zps71ac97b6.jpg

The visor is a funky bug-eye affair. Optics don't seem bad on first impression, not too much distortion. It's very chunky, solid visor which will take pinlocks if you get them sent over from europe. A replacement is around the £40 mark. The visor mechanism is behind two fairly positive feeling locking pods and it meets properly with the rubber seal on the removable chinbar. On the downside, it seems to be either fully open or fully closed. I like to ride with my visor cracked open a little so I might need to tape a little spacer in the gap to hold it open.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1642_zpse1db2293.jpg

Chin strap is by a remarkably positive feeling ratchet detent. Easy on, easy off.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1643_zps41047c88.jpg

The chinpiece itself looks enormously long. Reminds me of shredder out of the mutant ninja turtles. It actually extends down covering more of your neck than protruding up into the vision area. Again the compactness of the lid is apparent. The chin bar is very close to my face, I wouldn't be able to fit a microphone in there for example. Rather than making it clostrophibic, this has the opposite effect, it's more like having something stuck to your face than over your head, you don't feel like you're inside something.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1645_zps0361a4b7.jpg
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1649_zpse5f67f9b.jpg
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1648_zps2f34d395.jpg

And the bit you've been waiting for. Push down those two red levers either side of the visor opening and you can pull the chin bar completely out.. You now have an open face helmet.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1650_zpsed0cc02a.jpg
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1652_zps3926237c.jpg
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1651_zpsc3050be7.jpg

You can remove the chin bar with the helmet in situ. You can't easily refit it again because you need to spring the edges of the helmet together. If you have a beard, there would be a high risk of getting it caught in the mechanism.

I'm very pleased with it so far. It has a feel of quality, with solid fittings that don't seem like they're going to ping off at any second. I wasn't necessarily expecting that from the Italians. The design is innovative and I really like the minimal shell size. While not light, I think a lot of neck fatigue comes from windblast, the smaller frontal area should be very helpful in this respect. It also does a good job of maintaining your peripheral vision, if you can see the crash coming, sooner, you might not need the helmet in the first place!

I do not think this is going to be a very quiet lid but I always rock a set of earplugs anyway.

I'll report back following some road testing.

Oh. I got it from https://www.fc-moto.de/ for around £150 delivered
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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nowhere.elysium
The Pork Lord



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PostPosted: 21:07 - 08 Sep 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/airoh/1CIMG1651_zpsc3050be7.jpg

Technoviking trying out his Bertstare there Laughing
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Rogerborg
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Joined: 26 Oct 2010
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PostPosted: 21:57 - 08 Sep 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blimey, that is neat. Thumbs Up

Right, I know what Mrs Borg is getting me for Xebusmass now.

And I may buy myself one of those helmets as well.
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bikertomm
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Joined: 03 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: 22:47 - 08 Sep 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote

Won't somebody think of the kittens chins.
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Knacker
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Joined: 31 Mar 2008
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PostPosted: 22:52 - 08 Sep 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just imagine the sheer girth of that beard bursting the chin guard off and rendering it completely useless.
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stinkwheel
Bovine Proctologist



Joined: 12 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: 21:47 - 09 Sep 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote

Had a (short) go on the bike in it tonight.

As suspected, it is pretty noisy with the visor open. Quieter than expected with it shut.

No nasty noises/whistles/vibrations in use and it doesn't do anything stupid like press on my forehead or try to lift-up at speed.

The chinpiece keeps a remarkably large amount of the windblast off my face even with the visor up (how I normally ride), covers me from the tip of my nose to all the way down to the collar on my leather jacket. My safety specs fit just fine with the helmet on so glasses wearers should be ok too.

In fact, the cover of the chinpiece and safety glasses is so good, I found myself wondering if I could do without the visor entirely.

There is a fair amount of distortion through the very edges of the visor but I suppose that's the price you pay for a shaped visor.

Copes with three figure speeds perfectly well.

Still entirely delighted with my purchase. Off on a longer run at the weekend.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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