Been riding 33 yrs and worn everything from Bell to Shoei. Absolutely the most comfortable helmet I've ever owned. Its a shame that i had to wait til I was 46 to be able to afford one, hee hee. Thanks to Wingstuff for offering it at such a discount. You know what they say..."If you have a $10 head you wear a $10 helmet." Don't skimp. This is really comfortable. Shield change takes some getting used to.

This review is actually for an '07 orange one. The color match was impeccible. I don't care what people say about other helmets, here are the facts:
1. Arai helmets are HAND MADE in JAPAN. Other than Shoei, all other Asian helmets are machine made in Korea. This means you can go to your local dealer, get fitted for an Arai, then order one from here for a pretty good savings and KNOW that you are going to get the exact same fit. This is not true for other Asian helmets where you have to try on 3 size larges to get the proper fitting one.
2. Your helmet is the most important piece of safety gear you own. Arai makes the world's best helmets (and yes, Shoei does too, but I prefer the Arai due to fitting options). No, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles, like retractable sun visors and the like, but what it does do better than any other helmet, is keep your head protected in a crash.
3. Arai helmets have versatile fitting options. You will want a snug fit, as break-in is quick and makes the helmet uber comfortable. Cheek pieces are cheap and quick to replace for a custom fit.
4. No other helmet has fully functional cooling ports. When it's hot and I'm at a stoplight, I start to sweat in the helmet. As soon as I get going, it feels like an air conditioner has been installed in my helmet.
5. When you see professional riders with Arai helmets on, they took them out of the box, the same as you will. Arai designs every helmet with the same standards. The helmet Nicky Hayden uses is the EXACT same helmet you buy off the shelf, with some paint on it.

DO NOT SKIMP!!! You can buy this $500 helmet now and have it last you for 5 or so years (my last 2 did) or you can buy a second rate helmet and WONDER if it will protect you as well in a crash. My friend almost lost an eye when his Icon full face broke at the chin during a crash and almost poked his eye out. Another one of my friends who rides exclusively with Arai helmets had a crash that broke 11 bones in his body, but his head didn't have so much as a blemish on it. What is your head worth to you?

We purchased two of these when we got our '08 Wing back in October... Never paid this much for helmets before, but well worth every penny! D.O.T. and Snell approved... fantastic fit... low wind noise... only wish Arai offered a sun visor to fit the shield... ordered two of those from www.super_visor.com... and they work great on any full face shield!

I ordered two of these (for myself and my "co-rider") and, while these are not inexpensive (even at the great WingStuff price), I am really impressed. The COMFORT is absolutely unbeatable and the integrated headsets definitely supply superior performance when compared to "clamp-ons".