Review: Forcite MK1S Smart Helmet

What an interesting lid, it’s a sign of the times when you have an intercom and camera built into your helmet. Considering how long AGV, Bell, Shoei, etc. have been in business, I’m keen to see how the Forcite MK1S holds up against the major brands.

What an interesting lid, it’s a sign of the times when you have an intercom and camera built into your helmet.

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Part of my job is testing riding gear, I have my favourite helmets in rotation but I’ll rarely wear a lid daily for more than a couple of months before it’s time to move onto another one. Enter the Forcite MK1S, Forcite as a brand are relatively new. Starting in 2013, A couple of Australian industrial design academics got together to develop a lid that has all the tech and safety you need in one package.

Developed over six years, the MK1S is the second rendition of Forcite’s smart helmet.

Developed over six years, the MK1S is the second rendition of Forcite’s smart helmet. It is claimed that it has taken $5.8 Million to develop the lid to this point, pretty impressive numbers. The MK1S starts at $1299 and Forcite also claim that they’ve shipped out over 2300 of them!

Awesome packaging!

Plenty of gadgets.

The lid rocked up at my house in a box twice the size of a conventional helmet box! Unboxing it just straight up feels special, there’s plenty of goodies inside to learn how to use including a controller that you strap to your ‘bars.

Built in front camera!

Built in front camera!

Now, I will preface this with the fact that I didn’t find it difficult to set the lid up with my phone, however, I give most of my old test stuff to my dad after I’m done with it and I let him go in blind to the helmet connection. If you’re in your 50s, you can read about the set-up from a 55-year-olds perspective in the second opinion section.

Forcite app.

Forcite app.

The app will pretty much walk you through everything you need to know, the only real issue I had with the setup was the fact I couldn’t find the power button for a good 20 minutes. It’s hidden under the chin section. The app uses a Waze based system, I do prefer the actual Waze app so it’s a shame that you can’t have helmet control while using the Waze app. Other than that, it’s pretty straightforward software, it’s one of the better navigational apps I’ve had on my phone.

Despite having a camera and intercom built into the MK1S, the Forcite feels like a normal lid while riding around.

Riding around with it on my head proves to be comfortable. Between the camera and the intercom, it doesn’t feel like there’s any overwhelming weight gain. Those who have strapped a go pro to their lid know how noticeable the weight is, especially the older ones, the opposite can be said about the front mounted camera on the MK1S, it just feels like a normal lid with the XL weighing in at aprox. 1.6kg. Yeah it’s on the heavier side but not bad!

Forcite MK1S boxing.

Simple looking lid!

Internally, the Forcite MK1S feels like a top quality lid, four eyed people like myself can rejoice at the fact that the MK1S doesn’t press your glasses arms into your skull. The XL fits as it should, similar to an AGV or Shark lid, it’s not cramped inside but my big nose does just slightly brush up against the little nose spoiler inside.

Plenty of internal space for glasses wearers and big heads. Zane opted for the XL which fit similar to an AGV XL.

The pre-built intercom system is a treat, I absolutely hate installing intercoms, like proper hate it. It has to be in my top ten least favourite things to do with motorcycling, I can never get the cushioning back in with the wires, stuff comes unstuck and its just an all-round awful installation experience, not to mention the box on the side of the lid always looks bad.

“Internally, the Forcite MK1S feels like a top quality lid, four eyed people like myself can rejoice at the fact that the MK1S doesn’t press your glasses arms into your skull.”

Anyway, the Forcite MK1S does away with all that. You don’t have to pull the lid apart and shove wires up in it. Just chuck the helmet on and go. It works pretty well, I rarely use the phone for calls, as I’m in the generation of people afraid to pick up the phone, but Siri responds well to it and has no trouble listening to my voice to text messages.

The Forcite MK1S has an inbuilt intercom system. You don’t have to pull the lid apart and shove wires up in it. Just chuck the helmet on and go.

For music, I have no complaints. It only really falls short of my Cardo Spirit HD system in the volume compartment. I don’t wear earplugs and I’m leaning towards the hearing impaired side of things from a lifetime of motorsports and tinnitus, it either gets jarringly loud while stopped or I can only just hear it while on the freeway.

Which brings me to one of the only flaws of the Forcite, the wind noise. I understand that heads come in plenty of different shapes and sizes but it seems to be a general consensus across customers and speaking with a few fellow journalists who also have the lid, that the wind noise needs to be addressed.

Rear spoiler.

Pull down visor.

The LED warning lights work in conjunction with the Forcite app maps. Flashing when there is a speed-camera, road hazard,  police marked ahead and etc. It’s not as distracting as I thought it would be, instead came in pretty handy to warn me of any hidden roadworks or marked potholes. An awesome feature for people who keep losing their licence too…

Internal warning lights.

Internal warning lights.

I’m not a huge fan of the carbon styling, I think it’s been done so many times by so many other brands. It would be good to have a few other colour options in the future but this is just personal preference, I like being seen with heaps of bright colours!

The usual carbon isn’t a favourite of Zane’s. He prefers bright colours which we will hopefully have the option of soon…

There’s so much to write about the lid, I almost forgot about the camera. Now, you can’t go into the Forcite thinking it’s going to be anything like a GoPro, they’ve been developing just the camera in that brand for something like over two decades and they don’t have to focus on anything else. Forcite on the other hand have so many aspects to hit and a pricepoint to keep low. That being said, it’s easy to use and provides a relatively high res video, the quality is lost in the screenshots below but it gives a good indicator on resolution. It’s more of a dash-cam style of camera rather than something you’d film sports clips on.

Screenshots from the Forcite MK1S Camera.

Screenshots from the Forcite MK1S Camera.

To be a competitor with action sports cameras, I would like to see some adjustability in the camera position. With my riding style, I feel like the camera points too upwards to capture an exciting video. That being said, my next track test I’ll probably chuck the lid on for a few laps, track day rules in Australia don’t allow the camera to be mounted to be mounted anywhere on the rider, I’m sure they wont mind if it’s built into the lid. A video stabiliser would be awesome but modern editing software sorts the shakes out quick smart.

“The little triangle that controls the helmet is a cool solution to control the helmet without needing to go on your phone or put buttons on the helmet.”

The little triangle that controls the helmet is a cool solution to control the helmet without needing to go on your phone or put buttons on the helmet. They’re tactile enough to press with gloves on, the only issue with not having buttons on the lid is you can’t really control the volume or skip songs without it, so someone like me, who’s always on a different bike, I had to go without any on-the-fly music control while on test bikes.

“I’d definitely part with $1299 of my own money for one, considering a GoPro is $500, a decent intercom is $300-400 and then the cost of a lid plus all the other features, you’re not really losing on it!”

Overall, I’m pretty chuffed with the lid. A few little things to iron out, but it’s great to see more Aussie innovation, I’d definitely part with $1299 of my own money for one, considering a GoPro is $500, a decent intercom is $300-400 and then the cost of a lid plus all the other features, you’re not really losing on it! Unlike other new-age helmet designs that disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived, smart helmets like the Forcite MK1S are probably here to start. As the technology improves, so will their popularity. Head here if you want to buy one!

SECOND OPINION – Chris Dobie
For years I have ridden with a small camera mounted somewhere on my bike or my helmet, I see it as an extra insurance policy against driver who may have trouble remembering what happened should I be involved in a collision. It also provides a constant supply of content for my social media account that highlights the lack of driving ability some people possess. The camera built into the chin guard of the Forcite MK1S records in 1080P at 60fps. It’s this feature that originally attracted me to the design, but I soon found there is so much more to this helmet than a camera.

Both Zane and his dad found the Forcite MK1S plenty comfortable! (Zane pictured above, they don’t look that similar).

As always, the first thing to do with a new helmet is slip it onto your head to check the size and comfort. I’m an XL and the Forcite fit my large melon quite snuggly. The pressure from the padding was evenly distributed, with no noticeable tight spots threatening to become uncomfortable during a  long ride. At a reported 1600g (XL), the Forcite MK1S is light when you consider it has a built in intercom system and camera. Thankfully, Forcite chose to fit the age-old double-D system for the chin strap instead of a plastic ratchet system. A further rummage around in the box uncovered the triangular control pad with a handlebar mount that can be adjusted for different handlebar thicknesses.

At this point I’d usually just swap out the clear visor for a tinted one and go for a ride. This time, however, I needed to charge up the battery built into the Forcite as well and the handlebar mounted control pad (One cable charges both simultaneously).

Forcite MK1S.

Visible Carbon.

Plenty of vents.

Streamline design.

While I waited, I downloaded the Forcite App into my iPhone. Being able to set up and access all the functions of the Forcite MK1S requires the helmet and hand control to be charged and the phone app to be installed. Once that was done, setting up and connecting the helmet and hand control to the app was relatively straightforward with easy visual instructions. I then mounted the pizza-piece shaped hand control to the handlebar of my bike, locked my phone into its mounting, entered my first destination into the Forcite app’s Sat Nav system and headed off.

In addition to providing visual direction, the maps page of the app features a button to start and stop the built in camera, however, the camera can also be controlled via the control pad (great for gloved hands). Once activated a voice will advise the camera had been activated, and a small LED light located on the inside of the chin bar – visible but not distracting – will blink red to advise recording is in progress. This same LED bar also delivers a range of notifications to assist with the navigation, including direction indicators and safety/police warnings.

Zane says the LED warning light system in the helmet could save some people their licence’s with the strict NSW speeding policies.

In addition to receiving audio direction instructions through the Harman Kardon speaker system, you can also listen to your favourite tunes through with the volume dipping whenever alerts are delivered. As I headed out onto the open road, I noticed the volume was not as loud as other intercom systems I have tested. I wear moulded earplugs and my hearing is not great so a few extra decibels of volume would be more comfortable for me.

“Placing a call to a friend, the clarity of the intercom is spot on, and the listener reported the same. I asked them to return my call which was answered easily via the hand control.”

I activated Siri via the handlebar-mounted control pad, and placed a call to a friend. The clarity of the intercom is spot on, and the listener reported the same. I asked them to return my call which was answered via the hand control. Again, the clarity of the conversation was top notch.

Zane with the Forcite MK1S.

Forcite MK1S.

However, not everything was hitting top marks with the Forcite, while all the smart functions work a treat, including crystal clear vision from the built in camera and excellent recording time, the Forcite does have one fault which is not related to new tech – wind noise. Halfway through my first ride I was so distracting by the sound of wind rushing through the helmet I stopped to see if I had left some of the eights vents open. I closed all the vents, reinserted my earplugs and fully closed the visor. While the wind noise was a little better, it remained very noticeable.

I wouldn’t be able to wear this helmet without earplugs. Word from someone in the know is that the issue is caused by the flip down sun visor. I’ve never been a fan of a built-in flip down visors. You either want a clear visor (probably 1 per cent of the riding population) or you want a tinted visor. Anyone wearing classes will need to look through three plastic screens to see where they are going – from experience this can lead to vision distortion.

Plenty easy to set up.

Zane with the Forcite MK1S.

Zane gave me the helmet to use a few weeks ago and I’m still using the Forcite as my daily lid. It’s light, comfortable and looks good. I ride a nakedbike and the shape is slippery enough to not suffer wind buffeting. I’m yet to catch anything too crazy with the built in camera, and I’m getting used to reading what the changing LED light is telling me. A friend has used his Forcite at a track day and the vision was spectacular. There’s also a built-in microphone so you can commentate while you ride, or record yourself mumbling to yourself.

Battery life of the helmet is equivalent to any other rechargeable camera. I recharge my helmet each evening to ensure I don’t run out of charge mid ride. I have only charged the hand control a couple of times during that period. However, a note of caution. Use a few spots of Loctite when attaching the hand control to the mount. The large round plastic nut that holds it on has a tendency to vibrate loose. A friend lost his hand control recently, prompting me to check mine and it was very loose.

Forcite MK1S Tech and Specs

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