My NEXX Helmet review

Got a NEXX in this morning. Thanks Lance!

Unfortunatly I wear a large and got a medium in the shipment so I cant tell you how it fits, if it's quiet or how the ventilation works.

This I can tell you:

Finish is beautifull. It is an very nice looking helmet.
The visor works very well. The detents are very positive and it looks like it seals up nicely. It is not a quick release shield though. You need a screwdriver to swap shields.

Liner: Velcro in cheekpads are nice. Kind of confusing on which flap goes where and if you get it wrong the velcro lets you know as it goes across your ear.

Weight:

This is where NEXX is putting their emphasis. NEXX claims 1200 grams. WebBike world claimes 1200 grams. I put it on 2 different scales (1 is my Postal scale) and got 1460 and 1450 grams. My Suomy Spec 1 R's came in at 1540, Bell RS-1 at 1600 and Shoei RF-1100 at 1700. It is extremely light but I dont know where they are coming up with 1200 grams.

The front vent has a little sloppiness in it. When fully closed you can open it slightly before it hits a detent.

The NEXX logo on the back is glued on rubber letters. I'm thinking those could start to come off and have to be re-glued. It is a cool look though.

My biggest WTF with the helmet is the metal trim pieces. It has a triangular trim piece on the bottom of each side that appears to be metal. The pieces are glued or riveted on. I dont want triangular pieces of metal an inch from my neck in a crash.

Overall: 1-10 10 being kickass

Looks: 10
Fit: ???
Finish: 9
Liner: 8
Visor: 10 for the track 5 for the street
Price: 7
Overall: 7 (I knocked them for putting sharp objects by my jugular).

Give me a year of guys crashing this helmet at the track with good results and I would wear it. The reality is that the customer base who is looking at helmets in the $600 + price range are either looking for something really attractive or they are shopping for a name that carries decades of R&D and real world results with it like Arai or Shoei. The guys looking for something attractive or different will flock to this helmet.

Unfortunatly I have to send this back so I cant do any crash/impact testing on it. We have a nice metal pole in the shop that I love to swing helmets against. I have Shoei's, Scorpions, Arais, HJC's, Joe Rockets and Suomy's here that have gone up against the pole. It's not scientific but it will tell you how a helmet shell holds up under initial impact. Our Joe Rocket Carbon Helmet test produced a cracked shell with a fairly minor shot.

 

Kinda cool looking. How would you stack it up against a Suomy extreme or Spec?

 

Kelly, S-L are the same shell; there is a large liner & cheekpads in the helmet that you received. The cheekpads are adjustable- the flaps allow a custom fit in the area around the ears. the tri-composite XR1R do not have the metal pieces and weigh approximately 4 ounces or 110 grams more.
give me a call 610.592.4284

 

That's a slick looking helmet!:up:

Whats the cost on something like this?

 

Hey, I wear a medium. Send it to me and I'll tell you how it fits.

 

The XR1R Carbon is about $600, the Tri-Composite models begin at $429

 

Ya I pulled them out and they are large. Unfortunatly it doesnt fit me at the crown. I'm guessing I would be an XL in this helmet. I'm a Large in Arai, Scorpion, Suomy and Shoei. I put on a new Spec 1R Medium and it fits nearly the same.

The cheekpad thing is cool, just takes a little time to get it right. Like I said, if you dont the velcro lets you know.

DaveK, I would put the helmet right up there with Suomy. Even fitting very tight it is more comfortable than a Spec 1R. The liner is better and the balance of the helmet is better.

 

They did a lot of work with the ergonomics on the helmet. Most lids will pull your head forward & down somewhat; the NEXX is very neutral. It really shines at speed, especially in a tuck.

 

I'm going to go ride it a little later when it warms up.

 

Kelly,

How long do I have before you send it back?

 

I can promise a year or racing it, but not a year of crashing it... hopefully!

 

It will go back this week.

 

I did a review on them as well, and i had to go to the XL (bigger shell) for it to fit front/back.. I got a bad hot spot at the front in anything less, and for reference i wear a Med in Arai Corsair V/Suomy Spec 1R/Vandal, etc.. I really liked everything they did with it though.. the eyeport is HUGE and is great on the track.. no more of that shelf hanging down over your eyes.. Bang for the buck, they are definitely worth a look.

 

Claussen I had the same fitment issue. Really tight front and back and the helmet wanted to creep up on my head. I would recommend anyone looking at these to really try them on before you buy.

I'm going to ride in it today, got way busy yesterday.

Overall I think it's a very nice helmet, just a couple things I didnt like and those are mostly cosmetic. Little things that I am sure will change as the brand evolves.

I hope nobody thinks I'm bashing the helmet, I'm not. Everyone who came in the shop yesterday thought it was an beautiful helmet. Everyone who normally wears a large had the same fitment issue as I did so it's just a sizing/try it on deal.

 

Tyler has been racing with the NEXX Tri-Composite. That is a bit lower priced and heavier helmet than the Carbon. I just checked it on my postal scale at work and it weighed in at 1568 grams and his Scorpian EXO weighed in at 1757 grams. I don't have any of his older helmets here to weigh.

 

I weighed a Med. Suomy Vandal and it came in at 1540 g.
My Shoei RF1100 was 1710g.
Bell RS-1 Large 1630 g.
AGV S4 Large 1480 g
NEXX Carbon Large 1460 g
Arai Corsair V Large 1540 g
Scorpion EXO 750 1634 g
Shoei X12 1720 g

Those are all on my Postal scale. The helmets I am using are all new out of the box. No funk to weigh them down. I put them on both scales with the same results. Both scales are identical with the calibration weights.

 

Helmet is on it's way back.

I rode it, had a few other guys from the shop try it out. We rode sport bikes and some street fighters... no fairings makes a huge difference.

Very neutral, doesnt lift much and buffeting is minimal.
It is noisey like a Suomy.
It fogs badly and doesnt really have a defog detent on the shield.
Shield will NOT close with 1 finger on the visor latch. You have to facepalm it to close it all the way.
The front vent is junk. After using it a few times it just flops around and rattles when you close it all the way.
Top vents are better than my Shoei's. At least I know when they are closed or open by feel.
Venting is good, chin curtain is fair.
Liner is very good.
Balance is excellent.
It's very light but not as light as they claim. Turns out their claimed weight is for the shell and EPS... not for a complete helmet.

I think it's a good start but needs to be refined. The fitment is the big issue... and not just on my head. I had 25 customers play with it and most had the same response.

At this point I think there are better options in that price range. Try them on, if they work for you then they seem to be a good helmet.

I'm not sponsored by any helmet companies and I sell nearly every brand out there. I have no bias.

 

Good, honest review.

Thank you.

 

I had the same observations when I rode with one: great looking, nice liner, added visibility, lighter, noisy and lacked refinement.