Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/641289
SHOEI X-FOURTEEN HELMET PRODUCT REVIEW P98 The battlefield of MotoGP has spawned many of the safety fea- tures we as riders now take for granted – traction control, good tires, better suspension, and, life-saving riding apparel. Shoei has long been at the forefront of helmet design and this area of motorcycle safety is every bit as competitive as the next electron- ic invention that we, in time, will again take for granted. This is a company with an incredible history of rider satis- faction. Helmets are funny in that way—once a rider picks one they like, it can take a lot for them to change—and Shoei hopes this new X-Fourteen continues that brand loyalty for years to come. The X-Fourteen is the product of thousands of miles of MotoGP racing and even more hours of testing and design. Marc Mar- quez has been instrumental in the finished product, as has fellow MotoGP pilot, Bradley Smith. So what's new with the X- Fourteen? Well, pretty much everything. Read on. >>THE RUB Compared to the outgoing X-12, the X-Fourteen's shape is far more aggressive. The dimensions have been drastically altered, with a taller frontal area offering more chin protection, wider field of vision from larger center and a sharper rear profile. This comes down to one thing—aerodynamics. The X- Fourteen's shape was largely developed in the wind tunnel with the end game being greater high-speed stability, and you can easily see the product of this with the massive rear spoiler. Those grey rear flaps you see on the spoiler edges are replace- able, designed to fine-tune the helmet's high-speed stabil- ity—wider ones for high-speed, thinner for low-speed riding. The spoiler also acts as one of the exhaust vents to channel hot air away from the rider's head that enters through chin and forehead vents. The X-Fourteen is constructed using a fiberglass mix with six different layers to ensure the overall shell is lighter and more comfortable at speed than the outgoing X-12. The new dual- layer, multi-density EPS liner has been redesigned to allow for greater cooling, with air enter- ing the chin and forehead vents and exiting out the back of the spoiler. Interestingly, you can change the angle of the inner liner up to four degrees – this allows for a wider field of vision when in a full race tuck. Finally, the X-Fourteen utilizes a new face shield that's 99-per- cent resistant to UV rays. The shield itself rotates on a tradition- al ratchet system that's actually quite stiff, so you can easily lock the visor in place at any point The new inner liner: you can change the angle inside the helmet up to four degrees upward to allow for a better field of vision when in a race tuck.