Product Review: Arai Profile-V, full-face street lid

Over the past nine months I’ve been testing the new Arai Profile-V, a premium full-face street motorcycle helmet. It’s been a comprehensive test with the Arai used on both the road and track and in all sorts of weather conditions, from heavy rain to blistering heat.

Paul Bailey put the Arai Profile-V to the test on the track and found that aerodynamics and vision are great!

It’s been some time since I have used an Arai. I simply haven’t changed my helmets that often apart from racing and those helmets have usually been part of a deal with leathers or the like. So to get an Arai was a real change for me, and I’m going to admit it right here that it’s been a change for the better.

I spend a lot of time on track at Sydney Motorsport Park; I manage the ride days there and also ride on track most days. Doing a lot of laps on track can show just how good or bad a helmet can be very quickly. Because of the environment of a track, speed, noise, awareness of surroundings, stability and comfort all come into play very quickly. A good helmet stands out and a bad one is just not enjoyable.

Arai Profile-V.

Arai Profile-V.

Arai Profile-V Black Frost

Arai Profile-V Black Frost

On the road things are a lot different with comfort and quietness playing key roles and the factors relating to speed aren’t always as high on the list of attributes when looking at a helmet. So to be able to test in both environments was a great opportunity to really test the helmet fully.

Comfort of the Profile-V is terrific from the moment you first put it on. It was snug but not restrictive, and it didn’t create pressure points on the skull. It was light to wear and it fit well, with features such as a replaceable cheek pads/ear cups and Arai’s Facial Contour System adding to the comfort of this lid.

There is enough ventilation on the Arai Profile-V to keep you cool in some of the hottest conditions.

The Profile-V has replaceable cheek pads/ear cups with a semi-removable and washable interior to keep your helmet fresh for longer. It also features speaker pockets, incase you want to install a communications system.

Vision is vital to road riding, and the Arai Profile-V has a wide unrestricted visor opening that has no blind spots limiting peripheral vision. The opening is high enough to allow you to tuck down on the tank and still see clearly when looking ahead. Some helmets limit your vision but not so with the Arai Profile-V, it’s excellent.

Paul tested the Profile-V a lot on his Harley, road and track, in many conditions.

Stability at speed is also very good – it offers a clean, smooth passage through the air at speed and features a pull down chin spoiler for good aerodynamics. This is even more important on naked bikes, and when I used this helmet at speed it was perfectly stable, even on my Naked V Rod track bike.

The Arai Profile-V is very quiet inside, there is next to no wind noise. The visor fits snugly with an easy to use and undo locking device that really helps to keep the visor shut at high speed. There is nothing worse than turning your head slightly at speed and have the visor open up.

Arai Profile-V Copy Black

Arai Profile-V Regent-X Bend Blue

Arai Profile-V Regent-X Bend Red

Arai Profile-V Regent-X Bend Silver

It was also excellent on the road in all the different weather conditions. It kept me cool in the heat with it’s excellent ventilation system that features dual intakes, brow vents and a three position chin vent up front, and with a neck exhaust vent, one-piece rear exhaust and side exhausts at the rear. It kept me dry in the rain and with Arai’s standard VAS Max Vision visor, I found it easy to keep the visor clear in these conditions where fogging can be a problem. The helmet also comes standard with Arai’s PRO Shade System to help prevent sun glare.

Arai’s Profile-V proved to be a really good helmet, and it’s been a long time since I’ve had a helmet this good from the very start. At $649.95RRP for solid colours and $749.95RRP for graphics, it’s an affordable price and it’s definitely worth the money, the helmet is quality all the way through.

For more information on Arai’s Profile-V full-face lid, please see the Arai website.