Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

PRODUCT EV ALUATION ;MM ... c' .. .. , .. ~ Arai Superli te S L80 helmet Over the last few years there seems to have been a few new helmet lines that hit the market, sponsor a few riders. Some even stay for a while. Arai is one of those ~' n ew " companies. The SL80 that we e~aluated is quite similar to the unit that Fast Freddie Spencer uses while too ling on his Honda in the GP wars. ~ In actual fact , Arai is not a new co mpa n y, and the SL80 is better than th e helmet Freddie wears. The Superlite SL80 lives up to its name. The first time' that anyone liefts it, th e weight difference between ii a nd a n all fibergl ass helmet is quite o bvio us. Kevlar, stra nd s of polymer and fiberglass are all combined in th e shell construction. Kevlar is strong, light, exotic, very expensive and very tri ck. Flawless silver and black paint with red pinstriping adorns the SL80. A glossy black trim finishes the shell. The trim appears to be glossy plastic, b ut is quite soft. Pl astic covers on each side of the shell blend in well and form a hinge and rachet mechan ism, quite well we might add. The sh ield ope ns and closes tight with o ne hand and no sna ps or buttons. \\'ind noise is less of a problem on th e A;ra i than any helmet in our expen ence. , Inside, th e she ll is finished in plush material, satin and leather. Leather for the top where the helmet contacts tlie rider's head. A strap with D-rin gs fastens the helmet, but the D-rings are flattened to close in a smaller bundle that is less obtrusive. s The paintwork matches th e most expensive custom work and is tough and d urable besides. Every part looks a nd feels expen sive. T hat 's because it is. Reta il is suggested to be $325. Is it worth it? O n th e plus side, th is h el met m eets all applicable standards, p Ius Snell 80 - th e latest a nd toughest standard. It 's the lightest Sn ell 80 helmet on the market and it weighs a half pound less than an identical fiber glass helm et. Comfort is very good, but the Arais come with a lot of soft padding on the inside. It did make , the hel met fi t a wide range of sizes, but even a correctly sized helmet p ush ed on o u r testers' cheeks. That was disconcerting on long rides. The helmet was one of the quietest we've tried, and the lightness was definitely an asset in the comfort department, and , Arai believes, in safety also. We wo uld have to say that it is an excel lent helmet, but even for a head we value as much as our own, that is a lot of money. O n that point, the decision rests with the prospective buyer. Arai sells nearly identical helmets, with the excellent shield closure in a fiber- . glass/polymer combination and an all fiberglass shell. The combination helmet is one-quarter of a pound heavier. The combo shell is th e GP series , the same as Freddie Spencer wears. They reta il for a suggested $235. T he all. "glass" models ar e designated Astro a nd retail for $ 160175 depending on th e paint scheme. T o buy one, see your dealer. For information and stickers send $1 to: Arai Helmets, Ltd., Dept. eNI , P.O. Box 421, Tenaflite, NJ 07670. Helmets are guaranteed and warranteed for one year . Karel ,K ra m er ". .., , ... '" .,..", ~ ...~ ~SeeALL ~ - ~ , .... ~ >-:--. . 4- -. fd' __ 0 ' __ ----=- ---::.,~ -;: "", _ _ - = ~ <, "' test S't~;~ ' ~'~~~-=---::::~~:'"~'.-:~ '~j 'I : ' \ ' ~\ - ... :::-:':~ -- '" --. ~ , , ~ ~. ~j, -;, . t. ~fessional Mot~roSS"' . ~ '~ iF ~... : Including· . . " i-::~ ~r fthe Grea : ?tij)j;' ~~~eJ:~~.ah ~aD9l·e r· -~·:-~·~;~· ~~, '" . ~'" _ " .. JohnnyOt-.-hll a Jeff War?, Chandler "Magoa Broc Glav~r en Ron Lechl R ick Johnson _ ~v _( SUPER SERIES - -" 125-~ - 500 cc '''50 . ~ "- "\ ---. ----'" -, ';- ,' .~ / ' Goat Breker' B~\l Liles . '<, ',; $25, .00 000 1 Balley\ David \. NATIONAL ~:~~g~~~l~nd ' " . <:> ~ ... :~, l~ . ,,: ;:.. , PRO PURSE & CONTINGENCIES SADDLEBACK PARK, ORANCE, CA <> ~-, : , SUNDAY,'APRIL 10:83 @\ fii DIRECTIONS Take Santa Ana or Newport Fry. to Chapman Ave. East; Go to Santiago Cyn. Road. Right on Santiago approx. 2 miles to Park on leCl. GATES OPEN 6 a.m. PRACTICE 10 a.m, RACES START 1 p.m. FOR INF O. (213) GENERAL ADMISSION: $12 .00 at GATE $10 .00 TI CKET RON 868-8 112 ~~

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