Airoh Commander - Brutally Honest Review - Long Term!
Vložit
- čas přidán 26. 09. 2021
- Will I buy it again?
In this video, I will be brutally honest and I will tell you what I think about this motorcycle helmet. Keep in mind that I bought it in December last year.
10 things that you have to learn before you start your motorcycle trips - free PDF file: rtw-adventures.com/let-me-hel...
Grab your free e-book: rtw-adventures.com/grab-your-...
Online course "The Essential Guide to Any Motorcycle Traveler": rtw-adventures.com/online-cou...
Become my Patron to get access to exclusive content: / motorcycleadv
Join this channel to get access to exclusive content:
/ @motorcycleadventures
Most watched videos on my channel:
• The most viewed videos
Support my channel: rtw-adventures.com/support-1.html
Amazon Shop (Affiliate): amzn.to/2OKfzd2
Books: rtw-adventures.com/books-1.html
Merch: rtw-adventures.com/shop-1.html
Smart GPS Tracker:monimoto.com/uk/ride/6/
Website: rtw-adventures.com
Facebook: / rtwmotorcycleadventures
Instagram: / motorcycleadventures
![O'Neal Sierra II Helmet - Brutally Honest Review after 6 Months [20,000 km]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lejka3Tu8t0/mqdefault.jpg)
![O'Neal Sierra II Helmet - Brutally Honest Review after 6 Months [20,000 km]](/img/tr.png)
I wanted to buy this helmet, but now I won't. Thanks for the honest review. What will the next helmet be?
Thank you for this review: it’s always nice to see/hear authentic and honest opinions from people with experience 🙂
My pleasure!
I have the same halmet for 7 months, and it is like new. I think it's great. One diference is that you use it every day, and I use it almost every weekend. ;)
Great, honest review! All motorcycle helmet review videos should be done like this.
I appreciate that!
Nice and honest review of the helmet. I am still with my Arai Debut.
About a year ago I bought this helmet from an on-line store. The build quality felt solid and lightweight, but it was absolutely too small for my head. Size XL was like a medium or large at best, so I sent it back for a refund. After seeing this review I'm happy I did, saved me from allot of grief (And money, in the long run).
Hey
I am very satisfied with my Nolan .... fits well and after years of use it still looks excellent!
Just a point: Pavlin uses the helmet everyday and for long days, so when he says “seven months wear” that’s exactly what you get. For those who ride “occasionally” and never during the winter (there are THOUSANDS of those!) owning a helmet for seven months isn’t the same - it probably gets about a week of wear during that time. So…..you pay your money you make your choice. By the way - I don’t own one of these lids and now never will.
Great review.
True! I use it a lot. Thanks for taking the time!
Good review as always. Safe travels.
A no-nonsence honest review of the helmet. Was considering this helmet but will look for your next choice to finally decide. Another great video by the Maestro
It’s a brilliant lid
I got the same helmet and its one of the best I have ever had
Folks buy the best helmet you can afford. I see so many people with €200 helmet but €800 aftermarket exhausts, wrong priorities... I have never owned a good 'cheap' helmet. At the end of the day you're compromising your safety and riding pleasure. You only have one life, so keep your head in a safe place!
yet and luckily 200 or 800 € is not about safety any more, the 90s are over. it's about warranty, fitting, comfort, equipment, durabilty and in the best case noise
Thanks Pavlin for this great review! It's a big difference between brand new helmet review vs. long term review. Anyways, this helmet did the most important thing that it should do - saved your head from severe injury during heavy road incident! Just for this it already deserves few stars :-) Looking forward to know which helmet will you choose next. Safe ride!
Any helmet is going to do that, and suvivorship bias is no reason for anything.
Not true I have a cheap O,Neil Serra 2 that’ does 400km per week off road adventures , it’s 3 years old and still has nothing at all wrong with it . A vine got court around my visor at 60 Km per hour and it didn,t break the visor ,it stopped me & the bike weighting over 280 kg in total, quality Is quality . @@flippy66
Thank you so much for this review. I was considering buying this helmet and i always had in the back side of my head there is something wrong about it. Just by holding it. But your review helped me become clear and make my decision.
Glad I could help!
Instead of the usual Dot and other marks of quality the helmet mnf's should introduce the "Pavlin" test of quality :)
Thanks for the information Pavlin
I can say the same words for Icon Alliance GT - its was my first helmet in my live and for less then an year few plastic in the helmet broken it self. I didn`t crash and never drop it to the ground. for a 5000km riding (one season). Now i use AGV k5 and i have 41000km (for 3 years) and the helmet stay like brand new. But i have 1 summer Icon glove and 1 winter they are perfect for now.
Finally, an honest opinion about this helmet!
I almost bought this helmet, glad I didn’t. Thank you for your honest review.
Great and very clear review!! I was consider buying it and I will look for alternative adventure helmet now!
Glad I could help!
Hi Pavlin
I to bought one after your first review on this helmet months back.
I wear mine every day to work, 1.5 hour commute. Yours as you ride all day on trips ,take a hard life for a helmet . Average 3 years use in 6 months ,a good test for one.Im very pleased overall with it ,only gripe was the peak vibration, creaking,just mins ago I took the side pods out and 1 screw not tight,hopefully be ok now and used a threadlock on it, hopefully last another year or so.
Thanks for posting up and be interesting to see what you use next.
R
Some threadlocks destroy plastic. Keep an i on those screws if they aren’t metal.
I thought about this helmet very seriously, but after this movie I have even more serious doubts if it is a good choice;) Thanks Pavlin!
Not about the helmet… I just realized we may be missing the healthy sound of your bike in the background when this one is gone. It did become integral part of your videos over time. ❤️👍
I lost a screw and the big plastic washer that keeps the visor on, after 3 months. I have done some in a leathe out of aluminium - works perfectly since then. I also used locktite on the screws inside that drop the tinted visor as they were kida lose. Also don't try to screw them tight as the plastic will break. Use some glue-gun for the back part that falls off. Also the leather cracked, in my case, after 1 year in the same places. Some minor cracks also developed on the visor where the pinlock shall be mounted. Overall I would give it an 8 out of 10. A little bit noisy too.
I wear a head sock, keeps the helmet clean inside. Nice vids Pavlin.
Very good review thanks for the information it has helped me make a decision on my next helmet. Nolan for sure.
Glad I could help!
to secure the clipping in this helmet, insert some rubber between it and the interior, works very well.
Thanks for detailed review. Shame this helmet didn’t deliver the quality you’ve expected.
’m definitely sticking to my trusty Arai and Shoei helmets.
Fair enough!
Excellent review I nearly bought one today but I will be avoiding it if that's the case !!
Thank you 🙏🏽 for sharing my Man
Great review. Thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful!
I had my RPHA 70 for more than 2 years and a half now (about 25k kms) and that helmet was about 100-150 euros more expensive (judging by online prices) but I have absolutely no issues with it. The padding for example, looks perfectly fine even after 3 or so washes. The only wear and tear things I see is the embossed silver HJC logo fading a bit and some scratches on the visor where the retention mechanism is, from raising and lowering it. When a product has a low price, things need to be cut from somewhere ....And, I don't think smashing a helmet to see the result is a good measurement of its protection. A modern helmet is primarily supposed to dissipate the impact forces, not be strong while the "contents" inside get to be marmelade :)
Thank you for your opinion
Thank you! It was really worth to watch it, and your review helped me in my decision, I ain't gonna buy it. The quality after such a short time is really horrifying, and that's exaclty the kind of thing that would irritate me. So yeah, thanks.
Glad I could help!
Thank you again. It seems this helmet might be very good for someone who doesn´t ride nearly as much as you do. I mean.. you ride a lot =) Cheers!
Wearing an Airoh Commander Carbon Size XL in the 2nd year now.
when I bought the helmet spring 2020 I tried a lot of helmets.
Other than the Airoh Commander (light, good ventilation, comfy, in parts mediocre build quality, unique go-pro-clipper) I tried
Arai Tour-X 4 (comfy as a couch, quite heavy, sits far too deep, I need more conehead),
both Touratech Helmets (my head is obviously crooked),
Klim Krios Pro & Karbon (nice fit, light, cheap visor, cheap build quality, far too expensive),
AGV AX-9 (yes I have a nose),
Nishua Enduro Carbon (cheap feel, light, not comfy, loud)
I do share most of your experience, but have a totally different conclusion:
Thats why I will start with the most important fact (besides overall safety) of a helmet for me:
Fitting/Comfort.
I think one the most important things in keeping fit, awake and concentrated for the whole ride...
- after changing the cheeck-pads to the XXL Version this was by far the most perfect fitting helmet for my head.
Therefor the Airoh was my only real option, although I could have spend more time in tuning an Arai at the dealer.
They offer a lot of customizing options with all paddings, which then will take you in completely different
pricing-spheres well above 800 €.
As well I agree with you on comfort, noise, overall design, I am a bit ambivalent about the Visor:
Very nice handling, good low-open-position, but not as fog-safe as you experience from Arai Shoei or Shubert Helmets at all.
Negatives - in my eyes too - are all in relation to the build quality of the helmet.
I have the same problem with the back-sides of the padding-covers, more on one side than the other, but it will come out each time I take the helmet of.
I haven't had any problems with the durability/decay of them or the sun-visor, but I don't ride half as much miles as you do and I am quite carefull where I lay my helmet down.
(Have had an ant-incident some years ago)
So my final conclusion is, that the Commander is a not very well made but overall good helmet.
But it's light, comfy, quite silent and good ventilated budget touring helmet.
It's far cheaper than anything as light and comfy.
If it fits you like no other, go for it.
Will I buy it again? If there are no new models that fit my crooked head as good or even better? YES.
I tried this helmet and it fit the best out of all.
I bought a Caberg Tourmax helmet last year in similar price category. I have not run many km's yet but expect similar cons. Pros though are for me: comfort(it fits MY head), system-enduro helmet, integrated sunglass and pin-lock shield. Already I noticed the loose peak as you did but I removed it on longer high way trips and then it is fine. Price/quality so far is very good. Next year I will put it to the test on a roadtrip on my XT660ZA
Thanks for sharing!
You helped me indeed, thanks!
I think you helped more than one person.
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for video, it helped me to make decision
Glad I could help!
Replaced the lining on my Nolan N90 that has about 10 years, feels like new. Bought it for about 150 euros at that time, Pinlock included. Sure, Nolan is not a luxury brand like Shoei, but it does the job.
I had one , had an accident with it on , I received a head injury which ended in brain 🧠 surgery. The raised part on the back of the helmet ⛑ ( the base ) we’re a say neck brace would sit on - that’s the part that hit a log after I got thrown off , in my opinion it’s a sharp edge that’s DANGEROUS. I will be using a complete round helmet next like the Arai XD4
Thanks for the review, i buy your ideas on the helmet,
Glad to help!
A good honest review. Your comments have helped me to decide not to buy, even though, to look at, it is the nicest design.
Glad I could help!
Thank you. Very helpful. Not getting this helmet. I was seriously considering it and it's 400 Euro in my country. That would have been a waste. Sticking with my X-Lite this season out.
Glad I could help!
Thanks for the Review
Any time!
I was looking at your previous review and had in mind your opinion. I found great price for this helmet 180chf (approx 170eur) in such price range I still consider this helmet as a great choice. It has its pros and cons, but guys look at the arai or shoei prices... this is very reasonable piece of equipment for the price that you can have now.
Thanks for sharing!
good review, thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
thanks for the video
You're welcome!
Thanks for the info. Will avoid this helmet. Currently have a Schubert helmet, been used almost daily for 1 year now and still in good condition. It was expensive tho.
Great review. You save me money my friend !!!!!
Glad I could help!
I decide to go straight to Arai tour 4 and not think how much cost my head......
Good, very good. Honesty. Cheers from Nesebar….
Thank you. I was about to get one the same.
Any time!
you just saved my money :D, many thanks
Glad I could help!
Thanks for review. Sad the quality is bad because the helmet looks so good.
Thanks for watching!
I really like and enjoy your helmets reviews, very illuminating.
After all these years of motorcycling and helmets tried, is there any dual sport helmet will you suggest? I am struggling trying to find the good compromise between a silent and good helmet, yes dual sport but more street oriented.
Thank you for your time and keep up the great work!
Thanks, will do!
I have same helmet. I was so annoyed by wind noise from peak that I just removed it. I have same problem with the padding behind the neck. Its always out :D. I'm soooooo looking for your crash testing. It will be good to see what I have on my head in terms of safety :-)
I have this helmet now for 3 years. The only thing I can confirm from my side is the cracking artificial leather padding after about one year. The losing screws for the beak i fixed once with light loctide
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks you for this sum up so clear
Like you i’ll never bye it to.
Glad to help!
Thank you so much
Any time
I have this helmet for over 2 years now and it looks good as new, there are literally zero cracks in the leather bottom part and the screws do not get loose - even if they did, I'd use a loctite on it.
In regards to the leather cracking, they have either started to use lower quality material in the later productions years, or this helmet had a really rough life.
It is what it is!
I bought a middle-class helmet around every 3-4 years. Then they were worn down, the padding broke down. My husband got himself a Shoei 5 years ago. It is still in perfect condition. So I decided to get one, too (also, it fits my head perfectly). Now I am curious if this expensive lid lasts longer than its predeccessors...
fit, I think, is the most important criteria when going for a new helmet.
@@noideafilm Yes, that is right. One shop absolutely tried to sell me a Schuberth. I tried Schuberth several times, and my head just doesn't want to grow into a shape that these helmets fit ;). They may be really great otherwise, but it I just had the feeling it wobbles on my head. But I think Shoei is fine, too. The Scorpions I used until now still fits me really well, but the open styrofoam starts to fall apart after 4 years of normal use (small pieces coming out). I do not think that I sweat that heavily...
Over the years i owned a few helmets, my personal favorite was the uvex helix 750, too bad that uvex not fabricate motorcycle helmet anymore. Now i have a cheaper nolan, and it is remarkable good.
Same here...I really miss the UVEX helmets - very good quality and extremely comfortable at the same time.
My check list for a helmet.
1. You need a comfortable helmet that fits you
2. You want longterm quality. Usually better with more expensive brands
3. Pinlock and sun visor make life easier
4. I like Microlock, Double-D-rings are more of a hazzle in daily life
5. Simple colours like white are often cheaper
Günter from Nürnberg/Germany
PS: I chose a Caberg Adventure helmet (XTrace). A good helmet for a reasonable price.
Thanks for taking the time!
I actually bought the helmet because of your review. But since I don´t rack up even a quarter of your milage, I kinda hope, my helmet will last at least four times as long as yours. :D
Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks. What make is your GoPro Mount and is it good or bad?
Yep will got LS2 explorer, same with Nolan N87, it was twice of price of my old ls2 Stream but basically than Ls2.
Good!
I live in a tropical country. Sweat destroys the lining, pads and strap rivets. The more the liner/pads are washed, the faster they degrade. For safety, they need changing every 18 months maximum.
Hello Pavlin. I bought the helmet used last year for around 200 EUR and mainly because of the weight and the KTM Design (color). I like it a lot especially with the dark visor. The Pinlock was trouble free but as you say:
The paddings are cheap, the Chin guard falls off and my notch/clip that closed the visor broke off after a while. Now my helmet is not sealed anymore in heavy rain which is very annoying. And also I cannot say that the helmet is quiet, I can only ride it with ear plugs.
I will not buy the Helmet again, even if it is cheaper than the most other brands that are well known and have a good design.
So my Conclusion is almost the same as yours.
do you know any adventure helmet as light, as comfy and well equipped that is more silent?
@@noideafilm i think ill try the Touratech Carbon2 Plus as my next Helmet. It is the Basis of Nexx Val but Touratech made it 200g lighter so it is the same weight as the Airoh. Important: its more expensive and there is no Sun Visor in the Touratech Version (not a problem for me....).
My friend i have to say that this helmet is one of the best balanced helmet i ever wear!!
And this is very important for your neck!!
Dont forget it!!
Totally agree, but quality is very poor.
Thanks for the review. I have a nexx x. Wed2 and it has almost the same issues. What's your next helmet?
Not sure yet.
I have bought recently an "expensive" Schuberth C4 Pro. As I have paid quite some money for it, I am MORE careful with it. With my cheaper stuff, I am usually more casual or careless when using them. Sometimes it is a self-fulfilling prophesy when cheap becomes cheap quality.
However, I agree with Pavlin's points and review. This one is a cheapo quality helmet.
Thanks for taking the time!
Just go to Arai tour helmet. I have it for 5 years and is it still in good condition.
Thank you! You just saved me 300Eur...
You should replace this helmet since it’s cracked. I cracked my 1st Airoh & replaced with another one. Love their dirtbike helmets, super light, good airflow & the interior is definitely washable, Ive done it many times. I also like the fit. But I understand why you won’t get another one. Thank you!
It is already changed.
If anyone is interested, I own exact same helmet, and I have all the exact same issues. I didnt think of glueing the wind protector and guess what - I lost it during a ride on the highway, it simply disconnected and flew away. The other thing that was not mentioned is if you plan to use intercom speakers, such as cardo - theres not enough room for them, there are holes left but they are not deep enough, I had to carve the padding to make speakers fit
It is what it is!
Cheers mate! Will cancel my order!
Okay
Good and honest video, thanks!
Speaking about this kind of helmets, a couple of months ago I bought a Nolan N70-2 X and I spent even less(slightly more than 200 €).
The comfort is great, and the build quality seems ok for me.
Compared to my previous AGV helmet it's less noisy and because it's modular (but not in the classic sliding way, the cheek protection can be easily removed but you need to use two hands so you can't while driving) it's extremely easy to remove the interior for cleaning or for installing option parts (and they don't fall apart when you reinstall them).
I also bought the basic N-com set and it's simply wonderful, it's not exactly cheap but it works so much better compared to any other communication solution I tried until now.
That's the same helmet i'm currently wearing... Good quality to price ratio. I installed a cheap Chinese Bluetooth headset so that I can answer the phone when commuting, and removed chin protection and visor during the week. When in weekend I ride a little longer, I put visor and chin protection on and ready to drive!
One issue, it is made of plastic and makes terrible noises.
@@MtbPoland yes it's policarbonate but honestly I don't know if there are modular helmets with such a big visor made with other materials.
Regarding noise are you talking about wind noise or noise from the plastic or joints between helmet parts?
I haven't noticed any terrible plastic or joints noise on mine in about 5000 Km, for the wind noise it's way quieter than my previous AGV which was a nornal street helmet with a smaller visor and no sun screen.
Have the same Commander, complete right what you say!!
Good!
Drove appr 5k km and have no problem with it. About speed and wind noise. It's noisy helmet. End of story. Based on your previous video about AC I can inform, that additional part of helmet (this down neck /wind protection) has been "repaired" by Airoh (I think). I do not loose it and it is in right place for those 5k km.
noisy? what other Adventure helmets did you drive? I didn't find any helmet this weight- and price class that is more silent.
Bad lucky for me. Order my on September 26. Based on your first review between others. That’s is life. Next time I will wait for long term.
I still like mine despite its flaws. At least the issues with the disintegrating leather i dont have after 12000 km and 4 months.
@@mathandoom1399 good to know. Thank Bro
What are your thoughts on it now that you have had it for a while?
Amazing helmet. Light and comfortable. The problems of construction mentioned didn’t happened until now, 40000km with it. Absolutely recommend!
@@marcosolano2737 that's great to know!
Good helmet for this price .
I was about to buy this helmet. I've tried it on several times in shops and liked it, but would have been very disappointed in that quality.
Fair enough!
I have Zeus Carbon fiber Modular 4 year now still in perefect condition and it is only 1.5kg
Just wondering if the Commander Caron is the same issues, or maybe they did it better.... Any feedback on that? Maybe somebody who has the carbon, can give us some light....
The commander was on my shortlist, but that flaky synthetic leather issue smacks of Chinese poor quality materials - glad I found your 6 month review.
Glad to help!
Thanks for your review. One of the things you pay whan you purchase the typical japanese top brands (with top price) is the longevity as a result of the good materials, tested for more than 60 years. This Airoh is a nice helmet, with cool features for shure, but will it last adventure riding (on and offroad) for at least five years? I don't think so.
No guarantee that expensive helmet will last!
@@motorcycleadventures It's just my experience. I have had different models from Shoei and Arai since 1980. Please believe me, they last.
Good to know before buying it. i will still buy one but at least now i won't be disappointed when it stars flaking. they seem like easy issues to fix, maybe the production of the helmets have improved or maybe that's just wishful thinking. ether way if starts to flake i will just peal off the coating and hopefully some lock tight will fix the brim from coming loose.
Glad to help!
Hello Pavlin, good video. i was tryimg to film my trip with gopro 10. after 40 minutes the buttery was empty... how can you film all day long? thanks
czcams.com/video/Xx7Ny8lkuUo/video.html
I've had the BMW cloned version of this (GS Pure Helmet) and I can confirm that the plastic at the rear base of the helmet does detach from the shell. Luckily there's a 5-year warranty from BMW. Bought the helmet in May, so just over four months old. 🤦♂
Thanks for sharing!
gracias
De nada!
My problems with the helmet: the clip (notch) that locks the visor when it is fully closed broke after a week or two.
The pinlock wore out and become loose after 3-4 months. I never removed it after installing and it started to falling out
this is just a shame: another todays product that is not made to last long.
Same here for both
Same Problem here with the pinlock. It is moving and i ll have to glue it to the visor.
The pinlock is also full of scratches in the upper part, i guess because of the movement...
Yeah...the padding...It took but a few weeks for mine, to start acting up.
It is what it is!
Pavlin thank you,
Try the new Scorpion ADX 2
No interest to have modular helmet.
Hi Pavlin which brand of helmet do you recommend?
the one that builds the helmet your head fits perfectly into
I’ve got exactly the same helmet, actually few days before Pavlin got his.
I can confirm all the pros he mentioned: quiet, very comfortable, fairly light, very good field of view, etc.
Talking about cons, we should consider first the way Pavlin is using it - his helmet has rather harsh life. I’ve seen it.😉
Still, there are things that ruin the otherwise positive general feeling about it.
I questioned the built quality from the very beginning as the helmet I bought had two cracks in the paint. It was replaced immediately and the replacement was fine.
I can confirm the cracking artificial leather - after 7-8 thousand km and 6-7 km of use, but not yet like Pavlin’s. I took the helmet apart just once and had non problem putting the lining back. Chin protector that comes off is annoying, loose screws of the beak too, but these are small issues. The visor, however, has significant optical distortion and glares, especially when used together with the built in sunglasses. I assume the optical qualities of the plastics used are pretty low. I find that quite unpleasant, especially riding long hours in strong sunlight or at night.
The helmet is not a cheap one - I spent €300, but that is half of what a Shoei Hornet costs. High Shoei price was the reason to look for an alternative.
Next time, though, I will not be a cheap a*s and will go for the quality, considering my excellent prior experience with Shoei.
Saying all that, I will keep using my Airoch Commander until it gets ruined, but it is a pity that the built quality makes me consider replacing this rather not bad product.
Fair enough! Thanks for sharing, Vesso!
💞💞💞
I liked the look and price of this helmet but I was of off by the integrated sun visor, I don’t see the need for this in an adventure helmet and it seems like unnecessary extra weight. Saying that I’d like to get an Arai Tour X4 at some point, they are very heavy but from all accounts supreme quality.
I never buy a helmet without integrated sunglasses.
@@motorcycleadventures it does add some versatility, but I wear glasses when riding so if it's likely to be sunny I'll just wear my prescription sunglasses, I keep the case in my tank bag so it doesn't take too long to swap.
the optics on this helmet are amazing but it is incredibly LOUD. I don't know if I will crash while wearing this helmet, but I'm sure I will develop hearing loss if I wear this helmet.
Fair enough!
Airoh commander 2 is better! Grettings Michael 😊
Could be!