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- 8 years of heavy use and a tragic end in a ditch
- A helmet that seduces with its comfort, versatility and build quality
- Autumn 2009, Portimao, Portugal
- This is the end, my friend
8 years of heavy use and a tragic end in a ditch
A helmet that seduces with its comfort, versatility and build quality
Discussion between friends: "Me, helmets, I find it really expensive, I prefer to take something cheap and change every two or three years"; "well I am not rich enough not to take quality. I pick a good one and make it last. And unlike you, I don’t spend my time with mediocre stuff on my head ".
Everyone will have their own opinion, but I prefer quality, because it lasts. Moreover, without a tragic end in a ditch, this helmet could still render many services as its durability is to be praised. Obviously, this Shoei XR 1100 is no longer in the catalog of the Japanese manufacturer who offers, as integral, the RYD at the entry level, the NXR as a versatile helmet (and successor to the XR 1100) and the X-Spirit III, more typical racing. Nevertheless, such a long-term test makes it possible to identify the strong points and possible weak points of the brand….
Autumn 2009, Portimao, Portugal
I remember it as if it were yesterday: this helmet was worn for the first time for the launch of the sulphurous BMW S1000RR, on the Portimao circuit, in 2009. Besides its perfect fit to the shape of my skull, this first test made it possible to highlight two qualities: the efficiency of the ventilations (4 in number at the rear) allows the head to be ventilated (which quickly gets hot with a monster such as the S1000) and the stability at high speed, since we take more than 280 km / h in the long straight line of Portimao.
Back to the office, where, a privilege of the profession, the XR 1100 joins a beautiful collection of helmets on the shelf. However, it will come out more often than the others both for tests or also for personal runs. Because this helmet multiplies the qualities: it is quite silent, it cuts through the wind in a slight muffled rustle, without parasitic whistling. Its field of vision is very wide, which is really pleasant and safe in the city, but it is also open at the top, which allows it to be used without ulterior motive on the circuit. Even the blue tinted screen lasted the life of the helmet; it was he who was worn most often, because even at night, I rarely ride with transparent screens.
It is also comfortable and over the years the foams have never settled down. This makes tourism use quite recommendable. If you can do tourism in Dorsoduro !
Finally, thanks to the original pinlock, it is properly ventilated and we do not suffer from fogging. If necessary, the helmet allows the screen to be lifted by a few small millimeters and to block it in this position, in order to benefit from a small stream of air. We also note that the screen is super easy to remove. Some brands should take the seed. So, when I decide to spend the whole night on the road during the winter solstice and go have breakfast in Brittany, just to be at the point where the day will rise the latest, it’s still certain the XR 1100 that is my choice to fulfill this mission.
This is the end, my friend
In short: efficient, comfortable, straightforward, the XR 1100 goes through the years without flinching. 8 years later, nothing has changed to the point that the XR 1100 passes the fastidious technical checks of the FFM with flying colors and I therefore find myself at the start of a road rally at the end of May 2017. This is where it gets spoiled..
An error in judgment (looking at the road or your road book, you have to make choices in life) and that’s the end. An honorable end, in view of the kilometers traveled, the landscapes crossed, the motorcycles discovered, but above all because it has fulfilled its mission. Admittedly, the screen flew in the shock as well as one of the vents and it will forever bear the scars of this adventure, but, like the Alpinestars GP Plus R gloves, it played its role in perfectly protecting its pilot..
So long, XR 1100, you were my favorite, you know…
Strong points
- Build quality
- Comfort
- Silence
- Versatility
- Efficient ventilation
- Easy-to-dismantle screen
Weak points
- A tragic end in a ditch sucks…
Test conditions
- Itinerary: 8 years of use, of the track, of the road, of everyday life. Tens of thousands of kilometers
- Problem encountered: An exit from the road. End of the story
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