First Look: SHOEI J•O Classic Open Face Helmet

[MotoNews]

Published in: Gear

The retro/vintage-styled SHOEI J•O helmet has been available in Europe for the last two years where it’s enjoyed much success. Now, after a little U.S. compliance tweaking, the three-quarter lid makes its way to America—set to arrive in dealerships next month (November 2018).

The handmade J•O is built with unmistakable attention to detail. From its premium and choice-select materials to the extra-comfortable suede and smooth leather inside, this lightweight helmet is made for all-day comfort, especially in dry and warm conditions. And features like the retro gold stitching; a sculpted back neck area; sized cheek pads; and a built-in, pop-down visor that’s adjustable to different nose sizes (along with optional colors), are nice touches, too.

Styling

This is where the SHOEI shines. The J•O exudes a nostalgic vibe, but with modern safety features built in. The Sequel version I tested was one of their glossy finished models, with a nice black, patent leather-like shine along with some cool graphics. There are also flat color choices available with or without graphics. The J•O comes in a total of 11 different flavors including various graphics. For fit, there are three shell sizes as opposed to the usual one with most open-faced helmets. And the shell is constructed utilizing SHOEI’s almost impenetrable Advanced Integrated Matrix method, also found on many of their race helmets.

The J•O exudes a nostalgic vibe, but with modern safety features. Think of the days when Steve McQueen was the poster child of coolness on his bikes—when bobbers, classics, trackers, scramblers, old-school choppers, sidecars, classic scooters, and brat-styled motorcycles roamed the earth.

Testing

I didn’t feel any hotspots or irritations after strapping the double-D chin strap around my noggin. Without glasses or goggles, the J•O is a slow to medium speed helmet due to its open face design. For higher speeds or longer distances, I’d still wear riding glasses or goggles.

The visor is optically correct, so there’s no visual distortion. It’s easy to deploy and retract with the flick of a finger. And, it doesn’t vibrate or rattle at any speed. An unusual feature is that it’s adjustable for those different nose sizes. On either flank of the fitted cheek cushions you’ll find visor adjustment tabs to control its position. Once you get the hang of it, it’s an easy “set it and forget it.”

Final Thoughts

With premium helmet manufacturers, you generally get what you pay for, and the SHOEI J•O is no exception. At first glance, the J•O seems simplistic, but the value is delivered through comfort, safety, style with lots of attention to detail. The J•O comes with a five-year warranty from the date of purchase or seven years from the date of manufacture (whichever comes first).

I’m looking forward to spending more time in the helmet and will be sporting it at this year’s Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride on my Moto Guzzi V7 Stone. MSRP: Solids $379 | $449 SHOEI-Helmets.com

https://vimeo.com/291953020

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PROS	CONS
▲ All day comfort	▼ Attachable full face mask would be cool
▲ Quality build	▼ Visor only blocks wind up to highway speeds
▲ Numerous options including visors and graphics

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