Join us on Ride to Work Day by riding your bike to help raise awareness of motorcyclists on our roads. Photo courtesy RTW.
Mark Tuesday, June 11, on your calendar and join fellow motorcyclists as we saddle up for the 33rd annual Ride to Work Day.
Ride to Work is a nonprofit organization that advocates for “the use of motorcycles and scooters for transportation, providing information about everyday utility riding to the public.” The event was inspired by the “Work to Ride – Ride to Work” marketing materials from 1989-1991 by Aero Design and Manufacturing Company (now called Aerostich), with the first annual RTW Day taking place in 1992. Now, RTW takes place each year on the second Tuesday in June.
RTW Day helps raise awareness of motorcyclists on roads, and the purpose of the event is to demonstrate the following:
The number of motorcyclists to the general public and politicians
Motorcyclists are from all occupations and all walks of life
Motorcyclists can reduce traffic congestion in large cities
Motorcycles are for transportation as well as recreation
In keeping with these goals, the RTW website offers an extensive list of resources for both cities and advocates, from information about lane splitting laws and parking regulations to research and articles about the benefits of using motorcycles as transportation.
Rider fully supports RTW’s mission and efforts to get more people riding, make our roads safer for riders, and convince local governments to introduce more moto-friendly ordinances.
You can find more information on the RTW website, Facebook page, and Instagram account. Help us spread the news about RTW Day, and support the event by participating.
Honda has updated three of its middleweight motorcycles for the 2024 model year. Included in this announcement are the Honda NX500 adventure bike (formerly called the CB500X), the Honda CBR500R sportbike, and the Honda CB500F naked bike.
“Honda’s midsize lineup remains a core focus for the company, as these models suit a wide range of riders, in terms of skill levels and preferred riding experience,” said Colin Miller, assistant manager of public relations at American Honda. “The advancements made with the NX500, CBR500R, and CB500F are aimed at enhancing the experience for all riders, from casual commuters to lifelong enthusiasts.”
These models join the list of Honda motorcycles already announced for 2024, including the new Honda Transalp, the updated Honda Shadow Phantom, the updated Honda Africa Twin, the returning Gold Wing family, the Rebel family, the NC750X, the SCL500, and others.
The CB500X adventure bike has been renamed the NX500 for 2024. Powered by a liquid-cooled 471cc parallel-Twin, the NX500 has a claimed wet weight of 432 lb (7 lb lighter than the CB500X), a wheelbase of 56.8 inches, a seat height of 32.8 inches, a 4.7-gallon fuel tank, 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, and 7.1 inches of ground clearance. Suspension is provided by a 41mm fork with 5.9 inches of travel and a Pro-Link shock with nine-position spring preload adjustability and 5.3 inches of travel. Up front are dual 296mm discs with two-piston calipers, and in the rear is a single 240mm disc. ABS is standard.
Updates for the NX500 include a new ECU, lighter wheels, upgraded suspension settings, a new LED headlight, the addition of Honda Selectable Torque Control, and a new TFT display.
The 2024 Honda NX500 will be available in Matte Black Metallic with an MSRP of $7,399.
2024 Honda CBR500R
2024 Honda CBR500R in Grand Prix Red
The Honda CBR500R sportbike gets refreshed for 2024. The CBR500R is also powered by the 471cc parallel-Twin. It has a wet weight of 421 lb, a wheelbase of 55.5 inches, a seat height of 31.1 inches, a 4.5-gallon tank, dual 296mm front brake discs with two-piston calipers, a 240mm rear disc, and standard ABS. Suspension consists of a 41mm Showa SFF-BP fork and a Pro-Link single shock with nine-position spring preload adjustability.
2024 Honda CBR500R in Matte Black Metallic
For 2024, the Honda CBR500R receives sharper Fireblade-inspired styling, including a new fairing with winglets. Also included are new LED headlights, a new 5-inch TFT display, and Honda Selectable Torque Control.
The 2024 Honda CBR500R will be available in Grand Prix Red or Matte Black Metallic with an MSRP of $7,399.
2024 Honda CB500F
2024 Honda CB500F in Matte Black Metallic
The Honda CB500F naked bike shares an engine, brakes, suspension, and dimensions with the CBR500R, but with a lighter wet weight of 414 lb. Updates include new styling, a new 5-inch TFT display, and Honda Selectable Torque Control.
The 2024 Honda CB500F will be available in Matte Black Metallic with an MSRP of $6,899.
The 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo offers more power, sophistication, and capability than its predecessor. (Photos by Francesc Montero & Sebas Romero)
KTM is celebrating “30 Years of Duke” this year, and we’ve already reviewed two updated models, the 390 Duke and 990 Duke. We’ve saved the best – and biggest – for last, the 1390 Super Duke R Evo. Known for years as “The Beast,” the Super Duke gets a displacement bump from 1,301cc to 1,350cc (hence the evolutionary name change from 1290 to 1390) and other upgrades for 2024. KTM says it’s 60% new.
With an extra 10 hp and new cam shift technology, the KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo’s engine delivers more performance throughout the rev range.
To achieve the larger displacement, KTM bored out the Super Duke’s twin cylinders from 108mm to 110mm but left stroke the same at 71mm. There’s also a new cam shift system that alternates between two different valve lifts above and below 5,700 rpm, allowing for both a deep well of low-end torque and a screaming top end rather than having to compromise between the two. The 1390 Super Duke R Evo’s liquid-cooled, 75-degree LC8 V-Twin now makes a claimed 190 hp (up from 180) at 10,000 rpm and 107 lb-ft of torque (up from 103) at 8,000 rpm, all while meeting Euro 5+ homologation.
The KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo is available in KTM’s signature “Ready to Race” orange as well as black. The black bike on the left is closest to stock, while the two orange bikes are fitted with many accessores from KTM’s PowerParts catalog.
Other engine changes include a redesigned airbox with a reduced stack height due to shorter throttle bodies, a larger throttle body inlet diameter (60mm, up from 56), a repositioned top-feed injector for better atomization of the fuel-air mixture, and revised 5th and 6th gears. Improvements in durability have enabled longer service intervals, with valve inspection checks now required every 60,000 km (37,282 miles).
2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo in stock trim
The redesigned air intake and airbox allowed KTM to increase the volume of the fuel tank from 4.2 to 4.6 gallons. Refreshed bodywork includes revised tank spoilers with new winglets that produce downforce at speed, a slimmer subframe cover, and a new, 1.5-lb-lighter LED headlight unit that’s shared with the 990 Duke.
New winglets on the tank spoilers add downforce at speed.
As before, the 1390 Super Duke R Evo has a chromoly-steel trellis main frame that uses the engine as a stressed member, and holding up the tailsection is a cast-aluminum/composite subframe. The updated WP Apex semi-active suspension consists of a 48mm inverted fork and a rear shock with multiple modes (Auto, Comfort, Street, Sport, and Rain). The optional Suspension Pro package adds Track and Pro modes, automatic preload leveling, anti-dive, and Factory Start, which reduces rear preload when coming to a stop to lower the seat height.
Updated WP Apex suspension with Semi Active Technology provides real-time damping adjustment with multiple modes. Nope, that triple clamp isn’t a stock item.
Throttle-by-wire and a 6-axis IMU allow for a full suite of electronics, including ride modes (Sport, Street, and Rain), cornering ABS with a Supermoto mode that disables ABS at the rear, lean-sensitive traction control, and cruise control. The optional Tech Pack adds Motor Slip Regulation, Quickshifter+, Suspension Pro, and the Track Pack, which adds Track and Performance ride modes, engine-brake control, wheelie control, telemetry, and a lap timer.
The KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo has top-shelf brakes and new stickier, lighter Michelin Power GP tires.
Top-shelf Brembo Stylema monoblock calipers squeeze 320mm discs up front, and they are controlled by a Brembo MCS (multiple-click system) radial master cylinder. A self-venting Brembo clutch master cylinder eliminates the need to bleed the hydraulic clutch system. The Super Duke’s 17-inch wheels are shod with new dual-compound Michelin Power GP tires, which save 1.2 lb of unsprung weight over the previous tires. Claimed wet weight for the Super Duke is 441 lb.
The KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo has a 4.6-gallon fuel tank, which adds 0.4 gallon compared to the 1290.
We tested the 1390 Super Duke R Evo at Almeria Circuit, a racetrack in southern Spain. The English translation of the track’s website describes the 2.5-mile, 15-turn circuit as “expectacular” with “more hours of sun of Europe.” Actually, it’s a tricky track with multiple blind corners. And when we were there, it was cold with “more hours of clouds” and, after the first few sessions, “tears falling from the sky” (rain).
The KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo is a light, compact machine, but it has a reasonably spacious cockpit with a comfortable riding position.
As a naked bike, the 1390 Super Duke R Evo has agreeable ergonomics, with an upright handlebar, adequate legroom, and a well-padded seat. Despite its “Beast” moniker, in today’s world of sophisticated electronics and refined tuning, the Super Duke is quite civilized, or at least it can be. Our slow-speed riding was limited to pit lane, but during our tests of previous models, the Super Duke has been well-behaved on city streets.
An updated 5-inch TFT display with new menus and graphics simplifies navigation through the 1390 Super Duke’s many settings. KTMconnect Bluetooth smartphone connectivity adds navigation, music, and phone functions.
While learning an unfamiliar track on a cold day, the 1390 never felt edgy or twitchy. It was easy to modulate the bike’s throttle, and its handling characteristics were neutral and reassuring. After a couple sighting laps, I started to figure out Almeria’s layout and dial up my speed through the bends. It’s on corner exits that The Beast really comes alive, with heaps of torque at the ready. On the circuit’s two straights, I was able hold the throttle WFO and feel the remarkable amount of thrust the Super Duke is capable of.
A beauty of a beast, but definitely not stock, especially those slicks.
Approaching the end of those straights, a firm squeeze on the right lever threw everything into reverse, returning man and machine to more manageable speeds, and a light push on the handlebar quickly initiated a lean into the next corner. As my confidence increased, the Super Duke was right there with me, always ready to give more without ever crossing that invisible line into the abyss, where things go from great to oh-shit in the blink of an eye.
Judging by the speeds at which the former racers and track rats in our group passed me, the 1390 Super Duke R Evo is capable of much more than I was able to wring out of it. Then it started raining.
We huddled and shivered in the unheated paddock as dark clouds dumped sheets of rain on the track, glum faces all around. After a while, when the downpour gave way to drizzle, the KTM guys asked if we wanted to go out on the track to do rolling burnouts and wheelies. Not being a wheelie guy, normally I’d pass, but this was the perfect opportunity to test the new adjustable wheelie control, which can be set to one of five levels, from very low to very high, or it can be turned off.
The 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo makes more than enough power to loop a ham-fisted wheelie, so the adjustable anti-wheelie function provides a reassuring safety net.
Ripping a stylin’ wheelie turned out to be easy. The Super Duke makes so much low-end torque that no clutch work is required. I selected the medium wheelie setting, got going in 2nd gear, rolled off the throttle to compress the fork, then wacked the throttle open. The front wheel came right up but wouldn’t go higher than the set lift angle thanks to intervention from the IMU-based traction control system. From zero to hero with the press of a button.
Up, up, up to the desired height and then no more.
Later, I ventured out onto the track for one last session on damp pavement, but when another ride low-sided into the gravel ahead of me, I tucked my tail and returned to the paddock.
The KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo is a potent machine, with more power, sophistication, and capability than before. While its full potential can only be unleashed on a track in the right hands in the right conditions, it’s also a helluva streetbike, provided you can resist the temptation to go too far on the wild side.
Spring means the days are getting longer and the weather is warming up. Motorcycles that have been on trickle chargers in the garage are coming out into the sunshine and getting ready to hit the road. We know you are too!
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SW-Motech Micro WP Tank Bag
SW-Motech’s most popular product is now available in a waterproof version. This tankbag is made from thermo-welded TPU material backed with shape-preserving EVA elements, and it attaches to the tank with SW-Motech’s PRO Tank Ring System and magnetic guide. The bag’s MOLLE-compatible lid features a magnetic closure. The bag holds 5 liters, the zippers are lockable, and reflective details provide nighttime visibility. It is available for $204. The bike-specific Tank Ring starts at $30, and riders can find the correct ring for their motorcycle by using the bike filter on the SW-Motech website.
The Roadsmart IV tires feature a revamped formula with a claimed 23% more mileage for the front tire and 26% more for the rear compared to the previous generation. The new compound has Hi Silica X and Fine Carbon technology for better grip and stopping performance in wet conditions, and a new sidewall construction improves handling. The rear tire features Multi Tread Technology, which allows the center compound to last longer while compounds on the shoulders provide better grip. Dunlop says the tires have 15% lighter steering on turn-in than their predecessor. They have a ZR speed rating and start at $227.95.
The RPHA 12 is built with HJC’s Premium Integrated Matrix EVO construction, which provides a light weight with a robust structure. The helmet prioritizes aerodynamic performance with an optimized rear spoiler and a shell shape that reduces lift and drag for stability at high speeds. Also reducing drag and noise is the HJ-42 curved faceshield (Pinlock-ready) and two-way pivot ratchet system. The interior is fully removable and washable, and the cheek pads can be changed for a custom fit. A pull tab allows quick removal of the helmet in an emergency. It comes in solid and graphic colors starting at $479.99.
National Cycle Yamaha Ténéré 700 VStream Windscreen
National Cycle’s VStream windscreen for the Yamaha Ténéré 700 offers excellent wind protection in three sizes. The patented V shape and advanced dimensional contours push wind away from the rider’s helmet for a peaceful, quiet ride, and the passenger also receives some wind protection. The screen is made of polycarbonate for better optics, and it has 23 times the impact strength of acrylic. The screen also includes a Quantum hardcoat for scratch resistance. The Sport size (12 inches tall) is available for $134.95, the Sport/Touring size (15.5 inches) is $154.95, and the Touring size (18 inches) is $164.95.
The Hair Glove prevents knotting and tangling while keeping hair protected from dirt, dust, and other damaging elements, and it provides a sleek and stylish look with its cylindrical design. Snap buttons running the length of the Hair Glove keep hair in place, and the built-in Flex-Hook attaches to an elastic band to prevent it from sliding off even at high speeds. Simply hook it, wrap it, snap it, and go. The American Flag Angel Wings with Gems design ($33.99) pictured here is available in 4-inch and 8-inch (shown) versions, and some designs offer 12-inch sizes and smaller 1.25-inch bands.
The Contour-X full-face helmet features a new Peripherally Belted Complex Laminate Construction shell that’s thinner and lighter thanks to a new fiber material and resin. The shell flares out 5mm around the opening to make the helmet easier to slide on and off, and the bottom of the shell also features Arai’s Hyper Ridge, which improves strength and shock absorption. The helmet includes a new odor-resistant, brushed-nylon interior that’s removable and washable and features adjustable Facial Contour System cheek pads. It includes seven intakes and six exhausts for airflow. Available in sizes XS-2XL starting at $739.95.
These adventure and dual-sport tires focus on off-road performance with some on-road capability as well, with a 20% on-road and 80% off-road bias. The tires’ profile and tread pattern excel in aggressive off-road riding while being predictable on-road with consistent wear and comparatively low road noise. These tires are available in a Standard version and a Dakar version with a yellow stripe, a stiffer carcass, and a longer-wearing rubber compound. The XT+ tires are available for both tubeless and tube-type applications and in various sizes starting at $103.95.
The new Nelson-Rigg Hurricane Tail Bag comes in adventure (28 liters) or dual-sport (12 liters) sizes and is constructed from heavy-duty UV-treated PVC tarpaulin material with electronically heat-welded seams to make it 100% waterproof and dustproof. The bag is mounted using heavy-duty tension lock buckles and web straps. Two adjustable cross-straps inside hold your gear in place, and the bag includes reflective piping, a rubberized carrying handle, and a MOLLE panel on the lid. The adventure size is priced at $159.95, and the dual-sport size is $139.95.
Now that spring is here, it’s time to roll your motorcycle out of the garage and knock off the accumulated dust. You can get your bike shining like new again with Spectro Performance Oils’ Motorcycle Wash and Suspension Cleaner. The Motorcycle Wash is a spray-on/rinse-off cleaner that tackles the toughest dirt, grease, grime, bug splatter, brake dust, and road film. The Suspension Cleaner is a fast-acting, deep-cleaning degreaser that removes stubborn suspension fluid, grease, dirt, and debris without harming your seals or O-rings. Available at your local dealer or powersports retailer.
This helmet is constructed with a durable and lightweight polymer shell, and inside is a dual-density EPS liner with one softer layer and one that’s firmer for progressive impact absorption. The clear faceshield comes with an antifog coating and a durable hardcoat for scratch resistance, and the shield lock ensures the shield will remain closed in all conditions. The faceshield can be raised and fully hidden under the visor, and it’s designed to accommodate goggles with straps. The helmet also includes a drop-down sunshield. Available in sizes XS-2XL and four colors for $219.95.
The 2024 Triumph Daytona 660 is a new middleweight sportbike powered by a liquid-cooled 660cc inline-Triple that makes a claimed 94 hp at 11,250 rpm, with redline at 12,650 rpm, and 51 lb-ft of torque at 8,250 rpm, with more than 80% of the torque available from 3,125 rpm. Its MSRP is $9,195.
To test the Daytona 660, we rode the bike on a variety of roads in Alicante, Spain, and we found it to be a versatile, exciting motorcycle that is affordable enough for entry-level riders but capable enough for those with more experience and buying power.
Our guests on Episode 70 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast are Paul Guillien and Ron West of the Backcountry Discovery Routes organization, which is a nonprofit that creates off-highway routes for dual-sport and adventure motorcycle travel and recreation. The newest Backcountry Discover Route is in Northern California and covers 940 miles off-pavement from Mammoth Lakes to the high desert of the Modoc Plateau at the Oregon border.
The IRM Moto Sahara highway pegs are simple to install and provide comfort for long-haul riding.
The IRM Moto Sahara highway pegs add a new dimension of sleek aesthetics and functionality to the usually dreary task of finding an alternate place to rest your feet on long rides. These pegs are designed to mount to the valve covers on BMW’s 2005-2009 Hexhead R-Series models, such as the R 1200 RT, R 1200 R, and R 1200 GS.
When not in use, these pegs can fold down to give the motor a stock appearance. The rider can deploy the pegs by swinging them outward with his/her boots, exposing a convenient 3-inch perch on which to rest weary feet.
When not in use, the IRM Moto Sahara highway pegs fold down and out of the way.
These pegs boast impressive mechanical engineering, which leads to a very simple installation process. The peg assembly consists of two pieces. A small, cube-shaped placeholder slides into the rear-facing valve cover recess, comes to rest on a ridge therein, and is shaped to allow the spark plug wire plenty of room. The main peg body then fills the hollow space in the valve cover over the ignition coil (where a black plastic protective cover normally lives) and mates with the aforementioned cube-shaped placeholder via four 7/64-inch stainless-steel hex bolts. After applying some blue Loctite to the bolts, they slide through the placeholder and into the main peg body. The bolts are then torqued down evenly in a star pattern with the included hex key, pulling both components together securely. Each peg takes about 10 minutes to install. The peg body components are all CNC machined and black anodized 6061 aluminum alloy. Quality of construction and materials is superb.
I tested the pegs on a scenic 2,500-mile spring tour of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona aboard my 2008 BMW R 1200 RT test mule and came away impressed. The placement of the pegs is in the ideal position, allowing a neutral sitting position for extended periods of time – just perfect for lengthy highway stints. Actuation is easy since the leading edge of the peg facing the rider is flared outward and easy to catch with boots.
Other peg options for Hexhead RTs are generally much more expensive and cumbersome, involving buying tubular metal crash bars and then mounting conventional highway pegs to those. (Most quality crash bars for Hexhead RTs, for example, are at least two times the cost of these pegs – and that’s just for the bars without highway pegs included!) No other highway peg solution I know of is as neatly integrated into the OEM styling ethos of the BMW Hexhead R-Series as these American-made Saharas are. For $250 MSRP, the long-haul Hexhead rider can’t go wrong with these!
Spidi Tour Evo 2 Motorcycle Suit jacket in Military Green. Other color options are Black and Black/Slate.
The Spidi Tour Evo 2 Motorcycle Suit promises three-season, foul-weather functionality for the discerning on-road tourer or commuter. After riding in it for a few months, including a 3,000-plus mile winter tour of the Southwest U.S., I can report that it delivers!
The jacket’s waterproof/windproof/breathable exterior shell is comprised of rugged Cordura fabric interspersed with 3D and Tactel fabrics. For storage, there are two waterproof chest pockets, two waterproof hand pockets, and two additional front pouches, as well as one enormous pouch on the lower back. The collar is soft neoprene and hosts a snap button whose position can be adjusted via hook-and-loop. All zippers are rubberized for weather protection, and fabric lanyards are included on exterior zippers for easier gloved operation. The matching pants feature the same materials and construction, include two pockets on the thighs, and zip to the jacket.
The Spidi Tour Evo 2 pants are available in black.
The suit’s interior consists of a fixed polyester mesh lining and hook points for armor or Spidi’s optional “Step-In Wear” line of base and mid layers. Both jacket and pants include removable insulated liners, and the jacket liner can be worn by itself.
On the jacket, Spidi’s CE Level 2 “Warrior Lite” armor is standard at the shoulders and elbows, while back and chest armor is optional. I outfitted the basic package with the optional Warrior CE Level 2 back protector and the optional “Thorax Warrior” thoracic protector. The pants are equipped with EN1621-1 Level 2 armor at the hips and knees.
The Spidi Thorax Warrior is an optional piece of protection that can be worn with this suit.
The cut and styling of the suit lives up to its European pedigree, namely understated yet sophisticated, with subdued branding throughout. Reflective material is present on the front, sleeves, and rear of the jacket, as well as the side of the pant legs.
Venting, too, is plentiful. The jacket features large vents along the front and rear biceps and laterally around the torso, and when open, a bright green fabric emerges as a visual cue to zip up if storm clouds are ahead. The pants have vents running about 10.5 inches down each thigh. Adjustment points are numerous. The pants even include a set of removable suspenders.
I’ve used this suit during commuting, pleasure riding, and a 3,000-plus mile tour of the American Southwest, where we encountered temps ranging from 28 to 84 degrees. With its insulating layers and a plethora of Spidi’s optional base layers to choose from, the Tour Evo 2 is the perfect suit for winter applications. However, above 82 degrees, even with the vents wide open and the insulation liners removed, most riders will be reaching for dedicated summer mesh gear.
With this hot-weather limitation in mind, the Tour Evo 2 is one of the most versatile motorcycling suits on the market today. It survived many a full day’s riding in torrential winter downpours without letting in a drop of water or the slightest draft of wind. The Cordura material and all snaps, adjustment straps, and zippers are wearing like iron, and I have no doubt that at least 5-10 years of hard use can be expected in daily commuting duty.
Cons are few: The jacket’s main zipper terminates a full 2.5 inches above the bottom of the jacket, and while some distance is warranted (so the jacket can “split” as the rider sits), this seemed excessive and made zipping up difficult. The pants feature a right-thigh storage pouch that’s sealed with hook-and-loop, but the abrasive hook half faces the rider’s thigh so that the back side of the rider’s hand gets scraped when reaching into the pouch.
Overall, the Spidi Tour Evo 2 Motorcycle Suit is one of the finer European-style riding suits available today, and it should definitely be on the serious foul-weather rider’s short list. Available in sizes M-4XL, the jacket is priced at $749.90, and the pants are priced at $599.90.
The Indian Scout lineup has been redesigned for model year 2025, ushering in a new generation of Indian Motorcycle’s best-selling platform. The lineup includes five distinct models, all featuring the new SpeedPlus 1250 V-Twin, a new tubular-steel frame, and other changes.
We got the chance to test all five models and came away impressed. Take a ride with us in the video below as we review the trimmed-down Scout Bobber, the traditional Scout Classic, the light-touring Super Scout, the spirited Sport Scout, and the top-of-the-line 101 Scout. Read our full review here.
Arai XD-5 helmet in the Discovery Blue graphic. (Action photos by Align Media)
My how time flies! It’s been 30 years since Arai launched its DS (dual-sport) helmet, which had a chinbar like a dirtbike helmet, a clear faceshield, and the round shell Arai is known for. When the first Arai XD arrived in 2004, it had the sun-blocking peak visor that has since been a signature feature of the dual-sport/adventure helmet.
New features on the Arai XD-5 include a more aerodynamic peak and a rear spoiler.
Arai’s XD-4 made its debut in 2012, and it has been a popular choice among ADV riders ever since. With a steadfast adherence to its “glancing off” philosophy, whereby the spherical shape of its helmets helps redirect impact energy, as well as its “priority for protection” prime directive, Arai does not release new helmets often nor does it chase fads. It’s been a long wait, but the new XD-5 is finally here.
The Arai XD-5 has a PB-cLc2 fiberglass shell with a super-fiber belt along the forehead.
The XD-5 begins with a Peripherally Belted Complex Laminate Construction (PB-cLc2) fiberglass shell, which has a super-fiber belt along the forehead to reinforce the area above the eyeport. The XD-5’s shell flares out an extra 5mm around the opening to make the helmet easier to slide on and off.
The Arai XD-5 has a new toolless shield/peak attachment and removal system.
The XD-5 has the latest version of Arai’s variable-axis faceshield system and the Pinlock-ready VAS-A, which maximizes surface area to improve its ability to glance off objects. Above the forehead is a new logo vent that was adapted from the Contour-X and enhances ventilation in a critical area. Also, the XD-5’s chin vent is twice as large as the XD-4’s, bringing much more air to the rider’s face. All vents on the XD-5 are adjustable, but the faceshield no longer has integrated vents.
The Arai XD-5 in the off-road configuration (peak on, faceshield off for use with goggles).
On the XD-4, removing the peak visor and faceshield required the removal of four plastic screws, two on each side. The XD-5 simplifies the process with a new toolless visor/shield attachment system, which makes it easy to switch between three configurations: adventure (visor on, shield on); off-road (visor on, shield off for use with goggles); and road (visor off, shield on). The peak visor, which is rounder in front and has less overall surface area, can also be adjusted up or down on the fly.
The Arai XD-5 in the adventure configuration (peak on, faceshield on).
Inside the helmet is a one-piece, multi-density EPS liner and a removable, washable comfort liner with adjustable pads at the cheeks, temples, and rear of the head. The cheek pads, which have an emergency-release design, have a new hook-and-loop fastener piece to facilitate easier installation of headset speakers in the ear pocket. There’s also a wire pocket in the neck roll.
The Arai XD-5 in the road configuration (peak off, faceshield on).
For everyday use, the factors that matter most are comfort, weight, and ease of use. My initial test of the XD-5 was two full days of street and off-road riding. As with other Arai helmets I’ve worn, comfort was good right away with no hot spots. The XD-5 has an intermediate oval interior head shape, which suits my noggin just fine, and the helmet is secured with a tried-and-true double D-ring chin strap.
The Arai XD-5 is more aerodynamic than the XD-4.
At 3 lb, 13 ounces for the size Medium I tested, the XD-5 isn’t the lightest ADV helmet on the market, but its average weight didn’t cause any fatigue. What was immediately noticeable was how much more aerodynamic the XD-5 feels thanks to its smaller, reshaped visor peak and new rear spoiler. There is much less buffeting, and the helmet slices through the air more cleanly when looking left or right at speed.
Thad Wolff gives the Arai XD-5 a thumbs up.
Overall, an already impressive premium ADV helmet has been made even better. The Arai XD-5 is available in XS-XXL in solid colors for $839.95-$859.95 and graphics for $949.95.
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