Menus
- Six years of intensive use, from the Paris ring road to the peaks of the Himalayas
- An efficient, versatile and well-built jet
- True versatility
- Hard to evil !
Six years of intensive use, from the Paris ring road to the peaks of the Himalayas
An efficient, versatile and well-built jet
It was in 2010 that X-Lite doubled its X402 jet helmet with a GT version: on the program, it was above all the appearance of a removable chin bar that distinguished it from the first version.. The X402GT was thus positioned as a rather high-end helmet, as evidenced by its relatively high price and close to 400 €, but gave value for its money with a fiber shell, an internal sunscreen, a downshield rather low and having ” lugs for a Pinlock, three shell sizes, the possibility of receiving the N-Com communication system.
So I have been riding with this helmet for 6 years. And when I say I roll, I roll! Unlike many of my colleagues, I don’t mind jets on a daily basis, but also and especially on long trips. In fact the full body really only comes out when it’s freezing (say from December to February), when I’m riding on high-performance motorcycles or, of course, on the track. The rest of the time, it’s in a jet.
To do nothing like the others, I didn’t really use the chin bar that came with this X402 GT, nor the internal sunscreen. It was fitted with a smoked visor with which I rode constantly, summer and winter and at night, too … Do not try to understand, it’s like that.
The use was varied and too rich to remember everything, but this helmet was used on a daily basis (around forty kilometers round trip when I go to the office), during the great weekend trips (Morvan, Ardennes , we will say four or five per year), as well as during trips and long vacations. Twice in the Bardenas desert, a complete crossing of the Pyrenees from East to West, an intensive exploration of the Black Forest, a descent in Morocco on the edge of the Sahara and even a trip from New Dehli to Kardung La, crossing five of the highest passes in the world. In short, varied, but also and above all intense. As for the machines, this helmet has ridden on trails, customs, sporty roads, has done more than 13,000 kilometers in a Royal Enfield and even tamed the 57 m / kg of torque of a Boss Hoss V8..
True versatility
This Prevert-style inventory is indicative of one thing: if the X-Lite X402 GT has endured such intensive and extensive use, it is because its first quality lies in its versatility. Perfect in town thanks to its wide field of vision, I have never hesitated to take it for a long road trip, knowing that I can count on its wearing comfort and the protection offered by the screen that goes down really low, even in case rain or little frost. Ok, I take the whole thing out in very cold weather, but with a fleece-lined neckband, it would still be usable.
Among its other qualities, one notes a good behavior at high speed, with little turbulence and no disturbance of the vision when it becomes unreasonable (I took several times more than 240 km / h with … in Germany of course) . The only downside comes from the noise and the aero whistles, which become painful during a long motorway journey, even more with a machine that protects moderately and which sends air flows directly to the helmet..
Despite everything, the good aero qualities and the excellent comfort of this helmet mean that I have never felt the weight, high in absolute to 1550 grams, like a gene..
As for the practical aspects, I admit that I did not put too much strain on them: the internal sunscreen has almost always remained in its cap (at the same time, with the external smoked screen, what is the point?).
The vents are effective in summer and are always handled just as frankly. The double-D buckle works as on the first day and the "plip" to hook the end of the chinstrap is still present.
Hard to evil !
I have to make another confession: unlike my other high-end full-face models which hardly come out of their covers but are always pampered, this everyday helmet has benefited from the favors granted to objects so everyday that we end up forgetting them a bit. That is to say, in fact, none: I did not dismantle the screen, first of all because I only used this one and that apart from a few micro-scratches on its outer face, it still does the job well and his vision skills are intact. Then, because this screen is able to remain in the high position up to nearly 140 km / h without weakening. I still tightened the frames in 2014 because it started to descend on its own from 50 km / h. It happened once in 6 years and since then everything is back to normal and the notches of the screen are always so straightforward. Because yes, I like to ride with the screen open.
So certainly, 6 years later, he bears the scars of hard work. There are marks on the cap but the paint, overall, is not exploded, except at the level of the control of the internal sunscreen, control which dropped during the photo shoot.
With the exception of two small holes at the base of the helmet (they look like they are moth action), the trim and interior fabrics haven’t budged.
The seals are still in place, nothing has come off or torn, except for a few fibers at the edge of the chinstrap, which is starting to unravel.
We can see that he has lived, but he still does (well!) The job. The only clue that suggests a replacement is needed soon: for about a year, the foams have settled down well and it has probably gained half a size. The show must go on, but for the rest, full box.
The X-Lite X402 GT is no longer in the catalog. It is replaced by the X403 GT which still has a chin bar (with ventilation), a new ventilation system and, of course, N-Com pre-equipment. It is available from € 429.99. Always top of the line, then, but if the build quality is the same, the versatility is guaranteed for a long time….
Strong points
- Overall quality
- All-purpose / all-season versatility
- Good level of comfort and protection against wind and rain
- Quality and ease of disassembly of the screen
- Coating and painting rather solid in the face of everyday hazards
- Efficient ventilation
Weak points
- Foams that settle over time
- Internal screen blocked (but at the same time never used)
- Visible overall aging (but after downright intensive use), but it still does the job…
- Noise during long journeys at high speed
Test conditions
- Itinerary: daily for 5 years (except one or two months per year during winter), worn during all types of trips on all types of motorcycles. Went twice to the Bardenas Desert and even climbed to Kardung La, 5,602 meters above sea level, on the highest road in the world! An intensive test and little attention with the interview.
Related articles
-
Arai QV-Pro full face helmet test
18 colors, observed price from 639 to 759 € depending on the decoration A high-end sport-GT full-face helmet with external sunscreen In the family of…
-
Modular motorcycle helmet test: Shark Evoline
The first helmet approved for both Integral and Jet 6,000 kilometers with the Shark Evoline The Shark EvoLine helmet is not a traditional modular. At…
-
Shark Spartan Carbon full face helmet test
14 colors, 1290 grams, ventilations, internal sunscreen, from 320 € A racy full face, but comfortable and very stylish with its visible carbon Between…
-
Full face helmet test Nolan N87
34 colors and liveries available, from 209 euros, available from XXS to XXXL A well-built, well-finished, fairly efficient mid-range integral Things,…
-
AGV K3-SV full-face helmet test
7 sizes, two shell sizes, 23 colors, 1470 grams, from € 181 A stylish and affordable entry-level, which nevertheless has a few flaws In recent years, the…
-
Roof Boxxer Carbon modular helmet test
6 colors, 7 sizes from XS to XXL, double jet and full homologation, 529 € The French brand is finally changing its modular star Concerning them, there is…
-
Airoh S5 Line full face helmet test
5,000 km test Appeared in 1986 and then a service provider for renowned firms, the Italian manufacturer Airoh has, since 1997, been able to rise to the…
-
Scorpion Exo-R1 Air full face helmet test
Sport Class 5,000 km test There are road helmets and sports helmets. This is the case of the latest Scorpion with the full Exo-R1 Air , which replaces…
-
AGV AX9 Carbon full face helmet test
I am your helmet 5,000 km test Before, there were road helmets, sports helmets and cross country helmets. There are now enduro touring helmets, to…
-
Nexx X.WED2 full-face helmet test
A versatile trail-style crossover X-Matric shell, sunscreen, visor and modular cap, 1,550 g, 399 euros It is beautiful your helmet! . I also had Wow your…