The last helmet I purchased was an HJC CL-12 in the summer of 2001. It went *so* well with my ride at the time, a 1988 Gold Wing 1500. Not.

My ol’ HJC is gettin’ a little gamey inside, plus, protective gear does have a shelf life. Anything that’s protecting me from becoming an uncommunicative bed-ridden sack of meat is a thing that needs to be changed out every so often, in my opinion at least.

So, let’s see… There are $500 helmets, and there are $100 helmets. I can’t spring for the former and I just don’t trust the latter. Finding a good mid-priced lid with good features and that looks good is a heady task. I believe I succeeded with my recent purchase of my Scorpion EXO-700 ‘Predator’ helmet.

I was considering, at the end, the EXO-400 model, a Sparx (primarily cuz I dug the graphics) and a Bell. The contenders, left to right:
Bell Sprint Mako	Scorpion EXO-400 ‘Tsunami’	SparX-S07 Platinum

In the spirit of patronizing local businesses, I shuffled down to my nearby dealership to see if the had one of these. Alas, they carried HJC, Arai,Shoei, and some no-name helmet I’ve never heard of. They could however order me one at a price that was pretty spot on with prices I’ve seen on the intertubes.

Turns out, alas, that the helmet I decided on that day, the Scorpion EXO-400 Tsunami in black and red, was sold out or unavailable in my size. The sales fellow recommended that I consider the EXO-700 instead, as it was an exponentially better helmet than the 400. Ordering a 700 through their supply chain, however, would have run me $250. Before plunkin’ down two and a half Benjamins, I wanted to do a little research.

Well, the salesman was spot on. I’ve read a number of reviews from users at various sites and while the EXO-400 is a fine helmet at its price-point, the EXO-700 was superior in comfort, features, and quality. But it came at a higher price than I was expecting to spend.

Of the700 models, I had decided on the Predator style. I ride a swinging ‘02 Honda VFR and want to wear a lid that at least looks somewhat in the ballpark like my scoot. I narrowed my choices down to the exo-700 Predator in Black/Red or the Silver/Red. I decided on the Black / Red one.  And I found a great price on one in my size from a seller on Amazon.com. $208 including free shipping.

Fit / Finish

The Scorpion exo series of helmets I’m told have a very similar sizing/fit compared with HJC helmets, and I agree with this. The Large size exo 700 provides the proper snug yet comfortable fit all around my noggin. Helmets should be just a tad tight to get on at the beginning but comfortable when your head is properly inside the helmet.

I am also very satisfied with the external quality of the EXO-700 Predator. The graphics are very sharp (crisp) with no flaws. The control parts of the ventilation ports are mostly good, though the front lower open/close ’switch’ doesn’t have a distinct click as the other ports.

Once my bean made it inside the helmet, it was snug as a bug in a rug – and if you’re like me and have chubby cheeks, they’re going to be even chubbier. The cheek pads are full, so your cheeks will get a little smooshing as a result.

Features

The interior padding is removable and washable, a great feature that you should consider. The visor is renown in resisting fog, and the venting system is well engineered to suck the warm air out the back (assuming, of course, you have the rear/top vents open to accomplish this.)

I can’t offer any opinion regarding noise either way. The Scorpion EXO-700 is probably one of the quietest helmets I’ve worn, but then again, I’ve never worn an Arai. I’ve had a few Shoeis and this Scorpion isn’t any louder than a mid-level Shoei, in my opinion. In a follow-up post I’ll provide more thorough results regarding wind noise.

Summary

Excellent value for the money – if you can find a graphic that you like. Plain color Scorpion EXO-700 helmets are available, too.

Scorpion EXO-700 Predator

Scorpion EXO-700 Engine

Scorpion EXO-700 Solid Colors

In a previous article, I illuminated the benefits of a motorcycle cover. Essentially, motorcycle covers protect your bike from the elements when parked outside but they also keep your bike from standing out for would-be thieves. I must admit, I decided to carry no motorcycle insurance. I don’t use my motorcycle for regular transportation, just as a recreational vehicle. As such, I don’t leave my bike parked for hours at a time unattended in the public while I’m at work or at the mall. I usually ride just to ride. I may stop somewhere to get a bite to eat, but I don’t leave it unattended for more than an hour at a time. Yep, it’s plenty of time still for someone to rip my bike off – there’s nothing stopping some miscreant and a partner from lifting my motorcycle up and into the bed of a truck if they’re not inclined to break my Kryptonite disc lock in situ. But that is a risk I’m willing to take instead of paying $75 a month for motorcycle insurance with theft protection. I believe risk of theft in my case is relatively low. Knock on wood.

However, I do leave my house for hours at a time, and I do not live in a house with a secured garage, just an open carport. And I would really like for my bike to remain out of the field of vision of thieves. And a great way of doing that is to cover it up. Don’t buy a motorcycle cover with a make or model emblazoned on the outside – you’re still advertising what you have underneath the cover, right? Keep that shit secret. You have a great bike, you know it, there’s no reason for douchebags to know it.

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Find a great, affordable, fitted motorcycle cover for your motorcycle:

Honda motorcycle covers, Kawasaki motorcycle covers,

Harley Davidson motorcycle covers,

Suzuki motorcycle covers, Yamaha motorcycle covers

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I got a cover for my 2002 Interceptor from the seller CoverCentral. It was $36.49 and that included free US Postal Service Priority Shipping. It’s mostly black but dark blue is also available. It has a stylish silver band of fabric on the bottom. Yeah, it’s made in China. What isn’t nowadays?

It also has grommets at the base of it so you can run a lockable cable for an additional layer of work for them to surmount. But remember, a locked covered bike doesn’t advertise itself. Thieves have no idea what you have under there. Heck, it could be a stupid auto parts store 50cc kids pocketbike. By running a cable and lock through the grommets and cinching it up, a thief has to expend more effort and time.

And, these motorcycles are somewhat fitted/sized to your bike. Their VFR800 cover fit mine perfectly. It’s easy to put on, and it covers my bike in a shapely manner, it even fits my hard luggage bags attached. Pay attention to the FRONT tag on the cover: If you put it on the wrong way, it just won’t look right or provide the best sight deterrence.

At the time of writing, Cover Central carries 375 different, fitting motorcycle covers. Chances are they’ll have one for your bike! Click here for Honda motorcycle covers, Kawasaki motorcycle covers, Harley Davidson motorcycle covers, Suzuki motorcycle covers, Yamaha motorcycle covers. Got a Buell, Ducati, Indian, BMW, KTM, Triumph, Aprilia, Hyosung, Moto Guzzi, there’s a cover to fit your motorcycle model.
Though CoverCentral isn’t the only seller of motorcycle covers (I’ve not purchased from any of these sellers)

If you are lucky enough to have an attached garage with room to park your ride in, I would say that a motorcycle cover may not be a terribly necessary piece of equipment.

Motorcycle covers protect both bike and rider in two ways: They protect the motorcycle from damage, dings, dust, when the bike’s not being used. Hell, we know that sometimes idiot passers-by can sometimes throw garbage, beverages, or whatever at things when they walk by – and motorcycles make fine targets for undeserved vitriol.

I do not have comprehensive motorcycle insurance. So when I read the American Motorcycle Association article online “Lock It or Lose It” recommending that a cover is a good theft deterrent, I looked into getting a cover for the upcoming winter (non riding) season.

Pretend you’re a no-good, waste-of-DNA thief, amblin’ your worthless self down a street, checkin’ out what’s what.

Which looks like the juicier target?

This late-model Honda Interceptor…

Or whatever the hell this is?

Now, if a thief wants what you got, he or she is gonna do their darndest to get it, no doubt nor argument. But, as the AMA article author points out:

“…plenty of motorcycles are stolen by opportunistic miscreants.”

Don’t give the slugs the opportunity. Which bike is going to get more attention, the absolute known quantity (a shiny red sportbike with aftermarket sideluggage) or… whatever is under that plain old cover?

(And, for the record, this motorcycle usually is parked far in the carport. The bike was taken out for photographic, illustrative purposes. Which brings up another reason you need to read AMA’s article:

“Some people are so proud of their bikes that they park them in the front yard for everyone to admire. That just makes it easier for thieves to case your ride.”

Now, I was taken by the logic of the article. Heck, I’d want to put something over my bike to keep my cats and all the neighbors’ cats from gettin’ their muddy little paw prints on my bike. As much as they’d like to think, my Interceptor is not their park bench. How much is a good motorcycle cover? You may be surprised…

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Honda HRC Repsol replica

Textile motorcycle protective jacket BLOWOUT $99

(click image for all details)

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AR600 level abrasion protection for under $100	CE-approved protective pads are removable
Very well vented for warm weather	Lots of sizes even for us big boys

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Being a newly-returning motorcyclist, I needed a good protective riding jacket. Since I don’t have $350 just taking up space, a full leather jacket was out of the question. MotorcyleSuperStore has this Honda Collection Repsol Jacket, and in all sizes too. I’ve found that their sizing is quite generous. I ordered a 3XL size when I think a 2XL could have sufficed – but pay attention to the sizing chart on the product page. Fieldsheer in comparison makes some great jackets, but their sizing is pretty limited – this Repsol-replica jacket in 3XL would be a 5XL to Fieldsheer, according to their size chart.

I like that this Repsol replica jacket is relatively brightly colored; I was actually looking for a day-glo yellow color (I’ve seen cagers drive and I am all about being seen now) but I liked the racing style of this one. Also, this jacket is vented quite well. The two zippers underneath the Repsol patches on the shoulders unzip, and there are two similar zippers on the back that reveal a mesh for air circulation. Also, there are zippered vents on the sleeves, in the bicep area, and the sleeve cuffs can be unzipped yet secured with a snap button, giving even more air flow there. This jacket provides abrasion and protection as well as air circulation. And come on… a hundred bucks? Normal list price was $229.
I bought a Joe Rocket textile jacket ten years ago for one hundred bucks, on the closeout rack at Cycle Barn in Lynnwood. Ten years ago. continued below…

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Support Seattle-Motorcycles by buying this or any of thousands of motorcycle items

and get Free Shipping at Motorcycle Superstore!

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This Repsol replica jacket also comes with a zip-out vest liner (sleeves are not lined). I don’t plan to ride in cold weather meself – I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt, thank you – so I’m not sure the liner is necessary for me. The jacket has elbow pads, shoulder pads, and back pad. All CE-approved protective pads are removable. There’s an adjustment around the sleeves at about the elbow, so you can constrict the sleeve from wind flap, if you prefer.

There’s also a zipper at the bottom of the backside, inside the jacket. It took me a little researching to find out that zipper is for attaching riding pants.

Folks, your riding gear should absorb all the impact of an accident. If and when you go down, if your gear suffers any sort of contact with terra firma, that piece of equipment is now done and should be retired. Bonk your head on the ground? Your helmet is now a trophy. Get a new one. Same with a jacket. The protective integrity approaches zero when a jacket absorbs impact. Scrape it up in a slide? Get a new one. Today.

There’s reflective piping stitched along the sleeve, extending down the back. continued below…

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Download a free 4 page report on choosing motorcycle protective gear

at GearUpProject.org

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I wish there was an interior pocket for cell phone and wallet. Alas, there’s no pocket, save the two zippered exterior pockets. And since the outer shell is AR600 (abrasion resistance construction rating), I wouldn’t wear this to the track. As I understand it, 600-level abrasion rating is only good for sub-highway speeds, so if you’re going to do some really fast work on the sweeping turns in Texas hill country, you should opt for a higher level of protection.

Additionally, this Repsol-replica HRC jacket does not have a CE-approved back armor plate; it’s just a (very firm) foam pad. I’d recommend simply getting a CE-approved back armor plate and install that in its place of the factory-installed foam pad. Hey, it’s more protection than wearing a regular jean jacket by Dockers. But if you’re reading this, I suspect you’ve moved past that.

It is advised that your protective jacket should fit you snugly. Take out a tape measure and measure your chest at the armpit level to get the widest measurement for a good fit. Don’t go by the “I’m an XL, and I’m buying an XL jacket” crap. An XL by one maker might be a 2XL to another maker.