SHOEI Neotec 3

[tgas]

On 2/6/2024 at 9:16 PM, 2and3cylinders said:

What can I say, I'm a Male Gear Whore.  In 1973 I was a founding member of the Cali Contingent of the ATGATT Cabal...

Let the flaming begin!

 

 

Wow, you are a gear whore!!  Hilarious

 

[Paddy01]

FWIW- I wouldn’t buy another Shoei. I have an MRA Vario screen (excellent piece of kit) on my 2018 900 GT and the Neo 2 helmet venting is non-existent. Do I blame the screen or the helmet?  I blame the helmet because Shoei and others should take into account that 90% of bikes have screens. A second point is that it’s noisy compared to my previous HJC which was around half the price and just as well made (it’s no wonder it’s the biggest selling brand in the US). Thirdly, it’s heavy. And finally, this is my biggest gripe 😡, the visor is so soft and scratches so easily it might as well be made of cheese!  And would anyone care to guess how much a replacement costs?  Well I’ll tell you, £76.00 (US $96.00, CA $130, AU$147)!!! For a piece of moulded plastic. Rant over.  
On a positive note, after 40,000 very happy miles I’ll be trading my 2018 GT for a new 9GT+ 😁

 

[2and3cylinders]

Paddy in Surrey UK

When I try to think back, which for me is never easy, about what things cost 50 years ago, compared to today, it just adds to the cranial memory bank overload.

Even more mind boggling is what myself and I'm sure my peers were making per hour in 1973, for example.  Full time as a architect intern, being the flunky "make 14 copies of this 48 x 60 set of 20. Then render 3 of the sets using this color number legend.  Then roll them up in sets except for the rendered sets, of which you roll on a tube 2 of the rendered sets and hop on your motorcycle and get them to the (then San Francisco) Airport.   Asa and Sam will meet you in front at 5 pm.  I heard on the radio that the 101 was jammed, so get crackin."

I looked at the clock in the blueprint room and it said three o'clock.  Obviously I didn't make all the sets and just made two sets and rendered them and split for the airport. First time I split lanes the whole f****** way. And if you knew the old 101, it was scary as hell cause half of it was elevated.

And as I clenched my teeth in my full face Shoei, the first full face they imported into the united states, I said To myself

"I'm doing this for $2.75 an hour?!!!

And that was after I got a raise after six month.

So is our buying power better now or then?

[Paddy01]

Hi 2 & 3

Your stories are always enlightening and entertaining in equal measure. It’s hard for a Brit to get the perspective on US costs and salaries; let alone in 1973 😳 but my point is that someone is getting screwed and it’s not Shoei. 

[motochick]

I have a BIG Head and my perfect helmet is Shoei RF1200 Large. No other helmet fits my Dome like that!

However I was interested in a Modular as my main Lid due to the warm weather and stopping for some hydration without having to go through the routine of removing full face helmet.  Neotec was top on my list after reading this thread and many youtube videos. Went to CycleGear to try on and fit is very different than RF1200, also has the dreaded RACHET. 30+ years of riding and no complaints with D rings on the chinstrap, Rachet's choke me out so this helmet is a No Go.

So I ordered an HJC i91 modular from Revzilla. That's the one for me! The sizing is weird compared to the other manufacturers, but the XL is better. I also wear a Balaclava under the helmet to keep my long hair out of the way. It is Quiet for a modular and has a place for Sena Integrated Bluetooth and feels more premium than the Shoei Neotec. 

Just my 2 cents. Sorry got too wordy, but advise to check out the HJC i91

Now my neck needs to get used to the lack of balance on a modular. The chinbar and mechanism needs to be strong so its heavier in the front. Puts some extra strain on your neck.

Edited April 12 by motochick

[OZVFR]

On 2/27/2024 at 8:41 PM, Paddy01 said:

FWIW- I wouldn’t buy another Shoei. I have an MRA Vario screen (excellent piece of kit) on my 2018 900 GT and the Neo 2 helmet venting is non-existent. Do I blame the screen or the helmet?  I blame the helmet because Shoei and others should take into account that 90% of bikes have screens. A second point is that it’s noisy compared to my previous HJC which was around half the price and just as well made (it’s no wonder it’s the biggest selling brand in the US). Thirdly, it’s heavy. And finally, this is my biggest gripe 😡, the visor is so soft and scratches so easily it might as well be made of cheese!  And would anyone care to guess how much a replacement costs?  Well I’ll tell you, £76.00 (US $96.00, CA $130, AU$147)!!! For a piece of moulded plastic. Rant over.  
On a positive note, after 40,000 very happy miles I’ll be trading my 2018 GT for a new 9GT+ 😁

 

Its fine to vent or rant, it's very therapeutic and good for your health.

I can also understand the use of a big screen in a country where it rains 380 days a year, and never gets above miserable 😆 (sorry, had to get that one in).

I built my own screen after trying a few options and not liking any of them. The problem here is that the weather is just too nice most of the time, when its not its bloody awesome. Only revving you, but it really doesn't get cold enough here to warrant a big screen and and if it rains more than a few days in a month we complain.

You need air flow for your helmet to get ventilated, so the helmet can't be blamed for a big screen stopping that. But some helmets are definitely better at moving air than others.

My old Shark Spartan Carbon had much better ventilation than my HJC RAPHA70, but it was also noisier.

The Shark screens however, were fantastic. Both the main screen and the sun visor are like new after 60,000km.

The HJC main screen is so far great (20,000km), but the sunvisor had very fine scratches after the very first clean which is very annoying. I keep meaning to get a new one and haven't checked prices.

I also find the small D rings on the HJC frustrating, as they're too small to fit my finger in when putting helmet on, hard to get rid of 47 years of muscle memory

I will be working on a version 2.0 of my screen soon, as the current one has worked so well regarding protection versus buffeting and noise, I want a bit more air flow on low setting to fix help the ventilation of my helmet without sacrificing a bit of protection in the winter or rain. I do prefer for my head to be out in the wind though.

 

 

[Heli ATP]

I have the Neotec 2 and while I like the fit I find it noisy. Especially the top vent, it causes a boom. Maybe it's related to my screen? I wouldn't consider it light either but it is well balanced. I don't think I would buy another, even at the discounted rate. I do like the rachet strap, hated fumbling with the D rings on my old lid.

I thought the Neotec 3 might fix the weight and 'Boom' but after seeing the review by RevZilla I'm not really interested.

Slight changes, Heavier, $100 more, USA version is only DOT approved and not ECE. 

Sheoi Neotec 3

 

[Paddy01]

You’re wrong that it rains 380 days a year in the UK; it’s 390 😪

If your homemade screen comes out well you should try marketing it in competition with MRA, Puig, etc. Look how well Joe Kelly did with the seat mod. “Made in Oz” could become a byword for quality 😁

[betoney]

On 2/27/2024 at 1:41 AM, Paddy01 said:

the Neo 2 helmet venting is non-existent. Do I blame the screen or the helmet?  I blame the helmet because Shoei and others should take into account that 90% of bikes have screens.

How could a helmet manufacturer account for every shape and style of bike ever made? every size of rider? or every make, shape and size of screen ever made to possibly make a helmet that will offer low wind noise and correct ventilation for even one rider let alone the majority?  The number of variables would be in the trillions.

[Paddy01]

Fair point betoney. However, my previous HJC allowed good ventilation even with the same screen on the same bike. My budget doesn’t permit me junking the Shoei and buying another HJC, so it looks like I’m just going to have to suck it up. You live and learn.