Arai XD-4 in Hi Viz

ADKsuper10

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Love this helmet - fits well, has great ventilation (can actually feel air on scalp when riding), visor seals well, peak works well and doesn't scoop air when I'm riding (I'm 6'3", have seat on low position and windshield on highest setting). Looks great too Arai's fit and finish is great.

Hi viz color - not my first choice but I actually like it. I also believe the color works as I can actually notice people see it when they are about to pull out in front of me, etc. I guess I am old enough now where I would rather be seen than look pretty!

For me it was between this helmet or a Shoi Qwest, which also felt great. I would miss the peak too much though.

One other thing for those of you who wear eyeglasses or sunglasses while riding - my eyeglasses fit perfectly in the XD-4. No pressure on the temples and can put them on/take off as easily as no helmet. Also helped make my decision.
 

arjayes

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Interesting that you like both the Arai and the Shoei. I've found that I have a Shoei head and that Arai just don't work for me fit-wise, as much as I wish they did. This is not based on a large sample size but has been consistent over the 3-4 models of each brand that I've tried on.
 

Checkswrecks

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Thanks ADKSuper10


arrays - Arai has distinctly different head shapes in different lines of helmets, while Shoei seems to keep to variations on roughly the same shape.
 

HBLQRider

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ADKsuper10 said:
Love this helmet - fits well, has great ventilation (can actually feel air on scalp when riding), visor seals well, peak works well and doesn't scoop air when I'm riding (I'm 6'3", have seat on low position and windshield on highest setting). Looks great too Arai's fit and finish is great.

Hi viz color - not my first choice but I actually like it. I also believe the color works as I can actually notice people see it when they are about to pull out in front of me, etc. I guess I am old enough now where I would rather be seen than look pretty!

For me it was between this helmet or a Shoi Qwest, which also felt great. I would miss the peak too much though.

One other thing for those of you who wear eyeglasses or sunglasses while riding - my eyeglasses fit perfectly in the XD-4. No pressure on the temples and can put them on/take off as easily as no helmet. Also helped make my decision.
I also have this helmet and really like it. My only complaint is an occasional whistling from the visor that I have yet to solve.
 

ADKsuper10

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Had helmet for a few months now - would buy again it is great. Hi viz color works - can tell that people pullling out from driveways and intersections see the helmet and stop. You would think headlights would be enough right? But they aren't are they I guess.

Very comfortable can wear all day

Ventilation features are awesome - especially the brow vents - can feel air on your scalp when they are open. Very cool.
 

Cycledude

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HBLQRider said:
I also have this helmet and really like it. My only complaint is an occasional whistling from the visor that I have yet to solve.
I have owned 3 of the Aria XD's my current one is a XD4, none of them ever whistled until the XD4 and the only time it has ever whistled was while riding my Tenere in Montana but man it was crazy windy out there, the whistling wasn't that bad but if it did it everyday yes I can see where it would become very annoying, it has never ever whistled while riding my Goldwing .
All mine have been the silver-aluminum color but I wish I would have bought the last one in hi viz.
 

ADKsuper10

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Still diggin' the XD4 and would buy again. Sometimes I regret the hi-viz color choice but then I go for a ride and I get prook that people actually see the thing and change my mind. Good for safety for sure.
 

Stridey

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ADKsuper10 said:
Still diggin' the XD4 and would buy again. Sometimes I regret the hi-viz color choice but then I go for a ride and I get prook that people actually see the thing and change my mind. Good for safety for sure.
Great helmet. I have the same past couple of years. It gets serviced for free every year by Arai UK at NEC bike show and other than keeping the shield(visitor) clean that's it! 7 year warranty too. Expensive but worth it in the long run. No issues with wind really depends on where it's coming from. I have owned Tx 2, and 3 prior and will stick with Arai.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Sierra1

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arjayes said:
Interesting that you like both the Arai and the Shoei. I've found that I have a Shoei head and that Arai just don't work for me fit-wise, as much as I wish they did. This is not based on a large sample size but has been consistent over the 3-4 models of each brand that I've tried on.

You're right about the Arai vs. Shoei shaped heads. I have been wearing Arais for decades, even before I learned about the shape difference, because of the fit & finish. Oddly enough, my 3/4 helmets are a full size larger than a full face. The airflow on my Tenere is such that if I tilt my head upwards about an inch, the air enters the top vents enough to feel quite well. I was able to get a highly discounted Arai Corsair with all kinds of venting.
 

ADKsuper10

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Sierra1 said:
You're right about the Arai vs. Shoei shaped heads. I have been wearing Arais for decades, even before I learned about the shape difference, because of the fit & finish. Oddly enough, my 3/4 helmets are a full size larger than a full face. The airflow on my Tenere is such that if I tilt my head upwards about an inch, the air enters the top vents enough to feel quite well. I was able to get a highly discounted Arai Corsair with all kinds of venting.

Cant explain why both helmets felt goood to me. My head shape must be in-between or those models are suited to my head shape. Being able to wear my glasses with the helmet on withough the bows pinching my temples was another plus to the XD-4. My Ray Bans slip right in there and very comfortable with helmet on.
 
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RonH

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I like all Arai helmets, they always work great for me, and the XD4 is one nice helmet. This question is most likely kind of dumb, but what function does the peak accomplish on this or a dirt bike helmet?
 

BaldKnob

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RonH said:
I like all Arai helmets, they always work great for me, and the XD4 is one nice helmet. This question is most likely kind of dumb, but what function does the peak accomplish on this or a dirt bike helmet?
Blocking the sun, roost and rain.

Arai did a great job with the XD line, I'm couple years into this one. Luv the fit, ventilation and the shield quality. They could improve it by making it lighter and creating a tool-less shield change system. It is a bit fussy.
 

Cycledude

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The visor or Peak is the main reason I bought the XD ! No it's not 100% effective at blocking the sun but it 10 times better than no visor.

My first XD did not have a pinlock shield but the the next two did, the pinlock has advantages and disadvantages, it's fantastic when riding in rain no more fogging or if it does fog slightly it never interferes with vision. It's a pain to take the shield apart for cleaning but worth the extra trouble in my opinion. But on a clear day with no rain yes I can see better without the extra pinlock installed, if it wasn't for riding in the rain I wouldn't need a pinlock.
 
R

RonH

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Thanks for the info regarding the peak guys. I debated this helmet or the Signet X, but got the Signet for my long head. It works very well for me.
 

ADKsuper10

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Dude you have the 2017 in Cobalt Blue. Awesome love that color. I could only find one S10 iin my area and it was the candy red non-es model. Wasn't sold on the red until I saw it in person.

Would have loved either blue or the 60th anniversary yellow! Oh well....
 

Sierra1

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ADKsuper10 said:
Would have loved either blue or the 60th anniversary yellow! Oh well....
I wanted the 60th Anniversary, but an ES. Had to get the Cobalt Blue; and ended up liking it much more than the yellow & black! (And yes, I do keep it clean. Sorry. ;))
 

ADKsuper10

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Sierra1 said:
I wanted the 60th Anniversary, but an ES. Had to get the Cobalt Blue; and ended up liking it much more than the yellow & black! (And yes, I do keep it clean. Sorry. ;))
Hey I am the same way. I am a little OCD about care and upkeep.....never spent this mich $ on a bike before that's part of what makes me want to keep it cared for.

But then you think about what they are capable of - like watching what Nick Sanders did with the gen 1. Should last a guy like me a lifetime!
 

Mtbjay

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Just sent an email to ARAI asking to refund/replace my new XD-4 due to unique problem - at anything over 27mph the top vents vibrate at a high-frequency creating a very annoying sound (imagine loud radio/TV static). At my height and windscreen height (V-Stream medium) the wind blast hits the vents just so causing the vibration. It was so loud it bothered me even though I wear NRR -31 ear plugs! The sound reverberates in my cranium and drove me nuts on my first tour with the helmet (1,400 miles). Ducking, standing or switching bikes stopped the noise. So did holding the vent buttons down with a free hand at speed.

I don't want to replace my wind screen, so I asked ARAI if I could try another Corsair (I had the Corsair V for years, no noise issue). We'll see what they say...

Otherwise a nice helmet: great fit, nice materials, descent venting. My Corsair vent buttons broke, or fell out, as the chin vent lost it's indent after just a few years.... they really need to make them more robust like SHOEIs. The XD-4 vents seem very similar to the Corsair V - I don't have confidence they will last. I'm not at all hard on my equipment, so this is a design flaw IMO.

Note: Alternative KLIM Krios was neat, a great value with clear, smoke and pin-lock lenses included for $100 less than ARAI XD-4 which included only one (clear) lens. Unfortunately, they only offered two shell sizes: SM and LG; leaving the padding to accommodate the rest of the size range. The "Medium" was too loose and nearly spun around my head! I sent it back to RZA, bought the ARAI with high hopes. I'd have gone with the SHOEI if they fit... but they're too skinny, side-to-side for my (apparently) wider head.
 
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