We finally got the helmets!
First impressions are good and the fit feels comfortable (for the 10 minutes I stood around in store with it on). We brought them home and immediately did an inventory. I think that we got what we supposed to, except that my helmet didn’t have the ventilation bit on the chin piece :cry Two pinlocks were included, I’m happy to say. The instruction booklet is comprehensive, but the photo quality is dark and the text is hard to read (or I’m getting old)
Pinlock: I’m not even sure what the discussion is about regarding this. What we received are the standard pin lock system that we’ve had for all of our other helmets. Anyway, it was installed without issue and fits the same as any other pin lock.
We then did the arduous task of moving our Senas from the old helmets – god, I hate this stuff. End result: transfer complete and with overall success. It is a little awkward when clipping the unit onto the base on the helmet, as the undulations on the helmet keep it from being a smooth fit. We still need to do some further investigation as to sound quality and microphone placement, but it looks positive.
And now, some pictures:
The new NEXX and my old Arai XD
Arrangement of stuff. I like the visor sleeve that was provided
The helmet, fresh out of the box
Me, sporting the new lid
Internal sun visor – deployed!
The husband showing off his helmet
Tomorrow will be a day ride where we can give the helmets a much better test ride and put them through their paces.
After the ride we had the following comments to make:
We went out for about five hours today in a mix of motorways and country roads. Temps ranged from 7-16C and the sky was bright. Since we both were enjoying the new helmets, I put together both of our opinions:
Dan:
– raved about how absolutely silent the helmet was
– complained about the sizing (a little too big); came home and installed some of the spare padding provided and says “it’s better”
– great field of view
– tinted visor “ok”
– light weight
– excessively long chin strap
Me:
– my windscreen sucks and it doesn’t help keep down the wind noise, so I’m still complaining about it 🙁 (this has been true no matter what helmet I wear while riding the F800)
– left ear doesn’t fit properly – there’s a weird bit of pressure. Nothing earth-shattering, but mildly annoying. Not sure how to fix it.
– Senas work really well inside, but wish there was a better way of mounting the base (maybe there is; we haven’t had time to investigate too much)
– drop down visor: almost too light tint and I keep having trouble finding the mechanism to drop/raise it
– no wind pull with the bill, even with the extension or sideways head turns
– when clear visor is lifted, it is completely out of line of vision
– fit goes further down the neck, causing some trouble when turning my neck for extreme over-the-shoulder looks (might just take getting used to)
Overall, we’re pleased. I think that most of the issues are small or we just haven’t tried hard enough to overcome. I plan on visiting TT this spring to test out a windscreen extender to hopefully reduce the wind noise.
Nice write up on the helmet. It’s so new I can’t seem to find much real world tests with it. I can relate with your buffeting problem. I have a Triumph Explorer and now use the MRA x-creen touring spoiler, works wonders for me.
Hi Jim – I hope to have more feedback after this weekend, as we’re taking a bit of a ride and will put a few more hours on it. Unfortunately it’ll be without the spoiler on the windscreen, so a bit more time with the noise (but no buffeting).
Thanks for sharing your experience with the Nexx XD1! I’ve got one on the way and looking for any experiences attaching the Sena 20s. It looks like it might be a challenge.
hi, how is the nexx xd1 after some months of use ? what are the differenceis between the xd1 and the arai ? thank you for your comment.
emanuele – verona IT
Hi Emanuele
Funny that you ask this now, because I just did a back-to-back ride with both helmets and I have to say that the Nexx is the preferred helmet. Mind you, the Arai is much older so that puts it at a disadvantage.
As for the key differences, let me list the pros and cons of the Nexx:
– drop down sunshade: it is a little light, but it is nice to take the glare off on a bright day. Also nice that it can be retracted easily for the frequent tunnels here.
– the extended visor is a good length and does not catch the wind
– the helmet extends down around the neck much further than the Arai. This is good (safety-wise), but bad because it hinders the head swivel when wearing full winter gear
– speakers fit in well into the padding
– vents well
My husband had the same helmet and didn’t like it (due to fitting issues) but he said that it was the quietest helmet he’s ever had. I can’t say the same, but I put the blame squarely on the bike. It doesn’t matter what I’m wearing, the F800GSA has horrible wind noise. My husband also had an issue with where the buckle fitting was located (too far from the helmet), that hurt his Adam’s apple, but this hasn’t been an issue for me at all.
Please let me know if you have any further questions and I’ll do what I can to get you an answer!
hi, thank you very much ! …and merry xstmas !
so at the end, do you think that if you was in a helmet shop now, you buy again the nexx or a new tour-x4 from arai ?
i have the x4 and i want to change…the shoei is too big for me so i likethe nexx but with a lot of dobt.
thanks again !
emaniele
That’s a tough question. I really liked my old Arai when it was new (I’ve had it for over 10 years, for reference). I honestly don’t know which one I’d chose if I suddenly had to go helmet shopping today. Likely price would have a factor in it, but if that wasn’t the issue, then I would probably lean towards the Nexx. They’re both good helmets, but that drop down visor (as light as it is) is soooo nice. I also like the venting on the Nexx. Oh, and when the visor is up, it is completely out of sight. On the Arai (again: “old”) the visor doesn’t stay up very well and hangs at the top of my line of sight.
The big thing we have going for us is that we have Arai/Nexx heads – I can’t wear a Shoei for any length of time because they just don’t fit me right.
Good luck, and Merry Christmas!
Colleen
damn ipad keyboard !
thank you ahain, and if you came to the Garda lake in italy contact me !
I’ve read elsewhere that the chin strap is extra long so you can take the helmet off and on without fully disengaging from the douoble d rings. It’s a comfort/ease of use feature.
One question: I tried one on in the shop yesterday and it seemed flimsy and plasticky compared to an Arai or my X-lite X 551 both of which seem much more solid with more plush, high quality interior. However this was a quick first impression just in the shop. What’s your expereince with more use?
Hi Aha
Yes, I’ve heard that about the chin strap as well, but it is a feature that I wasn’t interested in. I tried it once or twice (not fully unbuckling the strap) but it was just too awkward for me.
I will say that my Arai felt like it has a slightly higher level of quality than the Nexx but I am comfortable with the level of protection and comfort that the Nexx gives me. With the price difference between the two manufacturers, any slight improvement in the build quality wasn’t enough to have me pull out the extra cash.
Does the Nexx XD1 fit in the BMW vario top case? I have an ARAI Tour X3 and thinking of converting to XD1 but I’ve heard that there were issues with the cheek pads and other similar quality control issues. I am considering Tour X4 as well but the NExx seems to be considerably lighter -is it?- than the X3 and a bit quieter. In terms of size which is bigger? The X3 fits the vario top case very snuggly and I fear that if the XD1 is bigger it won’t fit. Thanks in advance.
Hi there!
I don’t mind answering, but I honestly don’t know how helpful it will be. Here are my answers 🙂
– I don’t have a Vario top case, so I can’t say if it fits.
– I have never had a problem with the cheek pads coming out. I did have an issue when I removed them to install my Sena, but that was my own clumsy hands.
– The Nexx did seem lighter, but minimally so
– My bike is noisy, so it doesn’t seem to matter what I wear and I hear the wind noise. That being said, I did not notice much of a difference between the two helmets
– I have no idea which helmet is “bigger”. I mean, as far as fitting, they are similar. The Nexx is a tighter fitting helmet, with a lower fit around the neck which can make it a little snugger to pull on/off. But as for the physical outside measurements, I am not sure. I might GUESS that the Nexx is a little bigger but only because the bill extends further out. However, since the bill is adjustable/removable, that might not be an issue.
I’m sorry that I don’t have any firm answers for you. If you have the time and really want to get a broader range of opinions, I suggest checking out ADV’s Nexx thread. I’ve posted my opinions on there, as have dozens of others. Good luck!
Thanks a lot! Your input is valuable to me. I think I will stick to the well known Arai recipe…unless I get a chance to test the XD1. Thanks again.
The Vario Top Case is the BMW F800GS stock top case…In the photos the F800GS has a Vario Top case.
That is not my bike, so therefore not my case.