VOLUME 56 ISSUE 44 NOVEMBER 5, 2019 P101
S TANDOUT FEATURE
Lighter weight means much more
comfort.
RIDER AN ALYSIS
I was one of the first to get an ATS-1
back in 2016, and I wished I liked it
more than I did. I absolutely loved the
tech, and I thought 6D's Bob Weber
really struck some gold with the ODS
system, but the execution for the
street lid just wasn't there.
Fast forward nearly four years, and
the ATS-1R is the helmet the ATS-1
should have been. It has a similar feel-
ing when you put it on your head, but
the big difference happens after about
15 minutes, especially on the track, in
that your neck muscles aren't sore.
The ATS-1R is a claimed 10
percent lighter, but at speed, it feels
significantly more than that. Not only
is it lighter, but it's also more stable
at high speed. There's not as much
buffeting, partly due to its slightly re-
vised shape, but more likely, I suspect
because it weighs less.
The first time I wore it at Buttonwil-
low, I did double stints for almost three
hours in the stifling summer heat, and
my head wasn't overly hot but instead
quite comfortable. In my book, the ATS-
1R flows air exceptionally well. There
are four adjustable intake vents, 15
transfer ports, and five exhaust ports
you because deceleration time is
the most significant factor in de-
termining how much energy gets
through to your head in a crash.
Imagine throwing a plate
against a wall. There's not much
energy absorption and very,
very fast deceleration time. Now
throw the plate against a net. The
result is more energy absorption
and longer deceleration time.
And probably a plate still intact.
Having two separate liners,
the core of what 6D does, allows
the helmet to uncouple itself
from the rider's head in a crash.
This shearing effect means the
inner and outer liners move
independently from each other,
which helps scrub off the angu-
lar acceleration force.
One of the main features with
the 1R is the overall size has
been significantly reduced. This
is partly due to the reduction
in ODS units used but also the
new shell sizing, which is split
between medium and large. As
such, the extra small, small and
medium helmets fit in the small
shell, and large, XL and XXL
helmet fit in the large shell.
By Rennie Scaysbrook
LOWDOWN
•LIGHTER WEIGHT REDUCES FATIGUE
•NEW COLORS
•CHEEK PADS ARE EYEWEAR
COMPATIBLE WITH MOST GLASSES
in the ATS-1R, and it does the job of
getting the hot air out very well.
And, at long last, the ATS-1R
comes in some more inspiring
designs, with three new colorways
to complement the traditional gloss
and matte carbon fiber colors.
This is a much, much more com-
fortable helmet than its predecessor.
As for the helmet's ability to absorb
the impacts, I have no real-world
idea, because I have no intention of
crashing in it. But it's good to know
it's there. CN
List Price:
$745 (as tested)
Website:
www.6dhelmets.com
•NEEDS A TRANSITION-STYLE VISOR
FOR RIDING DAY-TO-NIGHT
