ThatMotoLife: Shoei RF1200 Helmet Review

The Intro:
    In the world of motorcycle helmets their is always some debate regarding which brand is the best, which helmet is worth its price tag and of course which helmets are the worst of the group. We motorcyclist, are a very opinionated bunch and rightfully so. Two things are happening when we’re shopping for the right piece of gear. The first is that we are looking for a brand that we know and trust our lives to deliver on their promise of safety and the other thing is style. A piece of rider gear becomes an expression of who this rider is, just as much as a motorcycle becomes an extension of their limbs and five senses. That being said; Shoei is one of the premier helmet brands that have recently introduced the successor to their Shoei RF1100, the Shoei RF1200.
The Review:
    If you follow any of my posting on Instagram, Facebook, Blogger or Tumblr (which I hope you do, wink wink) you’ll see that I’m a proud owner of a Matte/Black Shoei RF1100. The RF1100 has been one of the best helmets I’ve owned and when the Shoei RF1200 was release I jumped at the chance to try it on. The Shoei RF1200 is huge upgrade from its predecessor in terms of weight, profile, ventilation, and safety.
 
    One of the things I love/hate about the RF1100 is its ventilation. I’ve had many conversations with other RF1100 owns and we all seem to agree that the RF1100 breaths a ton of air when all the vents are open. The downfall to this is at highway speed. The helmet is very noisy when all vents are open forcing the riding too close some of the vents or to wear ear plugs. For the new RF1200, Shoei reworked the exhaust vents with a single open/close switch with a spoiler covering its ports. This dramatically reduces wind noise and improves the helmets aerodynamics.
 
    The Shoei RF1200 has a new slimmer profile that looks great and weighs in at an impressive 3lb./8oz., that is 2oz. lighter than the RF1100 which make a big difference if you’re planning on making any long trip. A welcomed  improvement in the RF1200 is in its wider eye port that hosts a new CWR-1 faceshield and sold separately a CWR-1 transitions photochromic faceshield . Every new RF1200 come with a Pinlock shield system that by itself is usually about $100.00, which further adds value to this product.
 
    So here comes the important question, “How does it fit?”. The RF1200 is an odd ball of a helmets. I wear an XL helmet and have an intermediate oval head shape.The RF1200 fits like an intermediate oval helmet, that wants to fit like a long oval helmet when it’s all grown up. When I tried it on, it felt great!! But soon I noticed slight pressure points going linearly from my eyebrows to the top of the crown. It was still a great fit and would probably feel better once the helmet is broken in from uses.
The Conclusion:
     I will be buying a Shoei RF1200 and I will tell you why. Every shoei helmet is handmade and takes 7 full days to construct. The Shoei RF1200, at the starting price of around $450.00 with a PinLock Shield is a great bargain for a premium helmet. If you’re in the market for a new helmet I highly recommend visiting Motochanic and checking out the Shoei RF1200 for its overall value, color options and great graphics.

-ThatMotoLife by Abe Cardona,

Clean lines

A leather jacket with clean lines and excellent stitching. Ladies and gents this is the Spidi Ring Leather Motorcycle Jacket. 

Black leather motorcycle jacket

I want to introduce everyone to the Spidi Ace leather jacket. A black leather motorcycle jacket with a removable thermal that hooks on to your belt strap.....This right here, is all types of awesome.

For those track days

Gotta love those track days!! Especially when wearing this Andrea Dovizioso Spidi wind track pro replica race suit.

The long way down

The Long Way Down

Marco Simoncelli, Motogp legend , Rest in peace

MOTORCYCLE GEAR REVIEW +thatmotolife.blogspot.com

working on a motorcycle gear review +thatmotolife.tumblr.com  

Nightrider

Thatmotolife

my commuter ( suzuki bandit 600)

Just me and my girl

Moto Guzzi V7 or Triumph Thruxton

2013 Triumph Thruxton 

                                                                   2013 Moto Guzzi V7stone

The Intro  

Within the last couple of years, their has been a resurgence of the classic +cafe racer style motorcycle that was widely popular in the 1960's. I think that some of attributing factors to the cafe racers return is that more and more motorcycle enthusiasts started to build them out of older bikes. Over time these motorcycles found their way into movies, popular tv shows and into our imaginations helping elevate its popularity to where it is today. When you look at a cafe racer, you are looking at a pure, bare bone motorcycle and that's absolutely why we love them. They have a nostalgic "old Soul" feel to them, that is reminiscent of famous Hollywood icons, like +James Dean and Steve McQueen. Here are two excellent motorcycle option if you are in the market for your very own Cafe Racer/Time Machine.

http://thatmotolife.tumblr.com/

The Review

    I read reviews on motorcycles and riding gear all the time and to be honest; sometimes I wish they just get to the point. This ladies and gents is the point, "why would I choose one bike over the other". That being said, I will provide facts and my opinions about those facts. When your selecting a motorcycle, you "the rider" assess what is important to you, power, torque, efficiency, looks, or function. I hope this helps. 

    

    The 2013 Triumph Thruxton is a beautiful bike that is a testament to  classic British style and excellent design. This beauty has an 865cc air-cool Parallel Twin 4 stroke engine with 68Hp and 51 Pounds of torque. These engine characteristic give the Triumph Thruxton smooth power through out the gear box promoting a plush riding experience for the every day commuter with an estimated 43 MPG City / 57 MPG Highway. Starting MSRP for the 2013 Triumph Thruxton is at $8,779.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/

  

    +Moto Guzzi has a rich history of creating beautiful, high preforming motorcycles dating back to the companies founding in March 15, 1921. The Moto Guzzi V7Stone has a 744cc 90 degree V-twin 4-stroke engine with 50HP and 42.7 pounds of torque, slightly less then the Triumph Thruxton but don't let these numbers fool you. Because of the nature a 90 degree V-twins, the V7Stone has significantly more low-end "off the line power" then the +Triumph Thruxtion. This gives the motorcycle a slightly more aggressive response and feel but can be a little encumbering in controlled city riding. Starting price for the 2013 Moto Guzzi V7stone is $8,390.

http://www.motoguzzi-us.com/

The Conclusion

    Since both of these Motorcycle are within a similar price point; the deciding factor between the two will be base on personal preference. If you are looking for a gorgeous commuter bike that is comfortable and has a luxurious feel; I recommend the 2013 +Triumph Thruxton hands downs. But if you're looking for a something with great looks and low-end bite, I highly recommend the 2013 Moto Guzzi V7stone. Both of these are great motorcycle and I suggest test riding them to see which one of the two steal your affections.  

-Abe Cardona, ThatMotoLife