Review: Shoei Neotec II Helmet
Unfortunately, I recently totaled a helmet and needed a new one. After my search, I landed on the Shoei Neotec II, and I’m happy—not for needing a new helmet, but for choosing the Shoei!
The Neotec II is comfortable, quiet, and versatile. Its feel and fit were great right from when I put it on my head. No breaking it in, no hotspots; just perfect and comfortable right off the bat. The aerodynamics—at least on the bikes I’ve used it on—are on point. The Neotech II is very stable and seems to cut right through the air, even on a motorcycle with a windscreen. It’s either that or the fairly significant mass (and thus high inertia) that helps keep wind turbulence down.
An interesting feature is Shoei’s integrated communication system that uses the Sena SRL/SRL2, a comm setup that is tailor-made for the Neotec II. I have not tested the integrated comm or even installed the system, as I swapped in my previous communicator from the destroyed helmet that had served me valiantly for several years. I’m glad it survived.
Like most things in life, the Shoei is not without fault. Being modular, it’s certainly not the lightest lid, coming in at more than four pounds. The heft comes with the territory when you opt for a modular helmet, though. I’d also quite like to see a locking mechanism for the face shield (especially after the slide that led to me trying this helmet on in the first place). Overall, however, these are small issues.
I love that the Neotech II is feature-rich. Shoei is not exactly a budget brand, but you get a decent bit of stuff for your $799.99, like a Pinlock EVO Lens, a flip-down sun shield, and a large breath guard. The Pinlock is one of those things that, once you try, you can’t live without. I put it on all my helmets now, so it’s nice that the Neotech II comes with it. The integrated sun shield is great, as I don’t always want to tote around two pairs of glasses and keep swapping them. The shield’s tint level and color are perfect. The optics are excellent, too. Even with the Pinlock in it, I noticed no visual distortion whatsoever.
In other, less quantifiable things that I love, Shoei offers a wide range of colors to match the helmet to any gear and motorcycle. You can choose a more standard color or, for an upcharge, get a paint job with groovy designs. I’m boring, so I opted for the matches-everything Matte Black. The opening latch and vents are chunky and easy to operate with gloved hands. The vents do a decent job, but the Neotech II doesn’t offer the most amazing airflow. Very importantly, this helmet works well with my glasses due to the inner side channels for the arms.
Overall, if you’re looking for a modular helmet and you sport an intermediate oval-shaped noggin, it’s hard to go wrong with the Neotec II.
Shoei Neotec II
Sizes: XS-XXL
$799.99-$929.99