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Modular Flip-up Motorcycle Helmet
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The
complex global
economy of our 21st Century has proven to be tough
on manufacturers but beneficial to consumers.
Fortunately, motorcyclists have benefited from the
intense competition for market share, and the days of
poor quality are virtually over.
Anyone who's roughly 40
years old or more knows that the expectation of good
quality is a relatively recent phenomenon. When I
was young, products made in Japan were considered to be
a joke. In the '50's, Japan was still in the early
stages of rebuilding from the devastation wrought by
World War II.
Much of the light industry that was
developing in Japan centered around products that could
be designed and manufactured quickly, cheaply and
easily. I distinctly remember the cheap tin toys
that flooded the market; toys with such poor quality
that "Made in Japan" entered the vernacular as short for
"cheap junk".
Well, times have sure
changed. Products from Japan are now known for
exquisite design and ultra-high quality, thanks partly
to Dr. Deming and largely to the drive, ambition and
motivation of the Japanese people. Those born in
the late 1960's and beyond probably have no idea that
history has changed so dramatically.
But we owe a
tremendous debt to Japanese manufacturers, for they
raised the bar so high that everyone else had to catch
up or go broke. Manufacturers around the world are
still trying to play catch-up to this day.
The competitive pressures
that resulted from the Japanese manufacturing revolution
are largely responsible for the huge increases in the
quality of just about every consumer product available
today.
The ability to achieve high quality levels
was at one time a distinctive manufacturing advantage,
but today near-perfect levels of quality are a given.
An OEM will no longer
spend the time and resources to develop a suppliers'
quality and capabilities; they'll just look elsewhere
for someone who can meet their needs.
Distinctive
advantages today are the ability to forge strategic
alliances, network with competitors on concurrent design,
provide just-in-time delivery and keep costs and prices
low. And forget about any altruism regarding domestic sourcing -- global manufacturers will
contract with a supplier anywhere in the world, as long as
the price is right and the specifications are met. This Vega Summit XPV helmet
is a perfect example of the type of benefits that
motorcyclists have reaped from the last few decades of
global competition.
To be perfectly frank, Vega helmets used to be known for
one thing only -- low price. Quality didn't really
enter into the equation. The Vega brand could be
found on the shelves of motorcycle dealers who were only
interested in equipping their customers with the most
basic lids available at the lowest price in town.
But that strategy just
doesn't cut it any more. Quality is like a rising
tide that brings everything with it. As consumers
experience quality in one area, they expect it
everywhere. I don't know much about the
anonymous Chinese company who manufacturers Vega
helmets, but I have to give them credit for seeing the
handwriting on the wall and rising to the occasion by
vastly exceeding all of our expectations for this Summit XPV. Our opinion is that
as of this writing,
the Vega Summit XPV is one of our favorite modular, or
flip-up, helmets, regardless of price. Other than its
weight, which is fairly significant at 1749 grams (3 lbs.
13-3/4 oz.) measured on the webBikeWorld electronic
scales, the helmet has a lot to offer. First of all, as many of you
have told us, flip-up helmets for some reason seem to
run very short in their internal front-to-back
dimensions. This is a common complaint among
flip-up helmet owners, and I'm not sure if there's
something about the design compromises in a flip-up
helmet that make this necessary, or if it's lack of
attention to detail.
A short front-to-back
dimension can mean that the rider's chin, depending upon
their head shape, can press up against the inside of the
chin bar, which can get painful in no time at all.
The Summit XPV bucks the trend and seems to have about
as much internal chin room as a full-face helmet.
This internal distance is hard to measure, but we
estimate it at about 10-3/8" in our size XL Summit XPV
versus, for example, about 9" in the (size Large) Jarow Mono X2. This makes a huge difference
in comfort and can be a make or break decision for some
riders.
The Summit XPV's chin bar
has another nice feature that's missing from many of its
competitors -- the air vents allow air to pass directly
through and on to the rider's
face.
Most flip-up helmets don't allow air to come
directly through the chin bar, directing it instead
on to the back of the visor, if at all. Vega went
one better and also
designed a passageway for the incoming air to vent up on
to the visor from in back of the small breath guard.
Unfortunately, the flip-up module uses small plastic
latches rather than metal. The latches seem balky,
and the central release button under the chin bar
doesn't operate very smoothly on our example.
We're hoping that after some break-in time this will
improve.
The helmet has four
horizontal slits up along the top of the visor opening,
and these allow air to flow up over the
rider's head and out the low pressure exhaust vents in
the rear. The rear vents can't be
closed, but we've found that we don't take advantage of
the ability to close rear vents on any other helmets we
own anyway, so this really isn't a problem. The front top vent is in the shape
of a big stylized "Flying V", and is simple enough to
open or close with the push of a hand. No fumbling
for little tiny levers or buttons, the Flying V "door"
is big enough to find every time and it has a positive
shut-off. Note the attention to detail
along the sides of the Summit XPV; Vega did a very nice
job of blending the rotating side plates into the
helmet, which helps keep the wind noise low. The
helmet has another great feature that helps keep the
wind noise down -- a quick-release, flush fitting visor,
which is rare indeed on flip-up helmets.
Many flip-up helmets are
noisy, and much of the noise is generated from the visor
mounting systems that stick
out into the air stream. Vega's flush visor
greatly reduces one of the primary sources of wind noise
while also allowing the visor to be easily removed for
cleaning or changing.
Don't forget that we always wear earplugs when
riding, and suggest that you do also. Riding a
motorcycle with (or without) a helmet is a noisy
endeavor, with a high risk of hearing loss. It's
our opinion that there is no such thing as a quiet
motorcycle helmet -- the scale runs from loud to louder.
See the wBW
Earplugs and Hearing Protection page for more
information. The
release mechanism is easy to use. Flip up the
visor, push the lever (white arrow, photo left) and pop
out the visor. Most flip-up helmets use complex visor retention systems that
sometimes even require special tools for visor removal. Vega even installed some
tight-fitting covers over the pivot screws that attach the
flip-up front to the helmet, which help to keep a smooth
look and is another way to help eliminate wind noise.
The visor also has 8 detents that are strong enough to
hold it open and offer more adjustment options than many
other motorcycle helmets.
I usually don't find much
difference in helmet liners, regardless of the marketing
hype that the manufacturers churn out. A
liner is pretty much a liner as far as I'm concerned,
and as long as it cushions my head and offers some
protection during a crash, I'm happy.
But the Summit XPV's liner is noticeably different; it's very soft and cushy,
with a high-quality feel somewhat like a polar fleece
pullover.
The liner of the Summit XPV is removable (Note: we
previously reported that the liner was non-removable,
which was an error), which is a rare feature in a
flip-up helmet, especially at this price. We
always wear helmet liners, which help to keep the
insides of our helmets looking (and smelling!) brand
new.
I found the Summit XPV to be very comfortable, and it fits my round shaped head very
nicely with no hot spots or pressure points. The
combination of the cushy lining and the smooth air flow
made possible by the flush visor system means that it is one of
the quieter flip-up helmets we've tried. The chin
strap uses the tried-and-true D-ring system, with
padding that includes the same soft liner fabric.
The strap has a button retention system that holds the
extra strap after it's cinched up. Finally, the finish
on this example is another pleasant surprise. The
deep "Black Cherry Red" metalflake paint has an excellent shine
and finish with no orange peel and is nearly flawless, with the
exception of a couple of minor spots just over the top
of the visor opening where it looks like perhaps the
base coat wasn't quite prepared correctly. But
this is barely noticeable and overall the helmet shows
very high quality and attention to detail. Conclusion
We really like the way the Summit XPV performs and we
consider it to be one of the better flip-up helmets
available, regardless of price. It is on the heavy
side, and the size XL feels slightly top heavy in use,
but it's not objectionable. It's relatively quiet;
it has more internal room than many other flip-up
motorcycle helmets; and it includes a comfortable and
removable liner,
decent air flow and nice-looking paint. Factor in
the flush-fitting, quick-change visor and a price of
only $129.99 including shipping (U.S.A.), and this is a
super bargain.
UPDATE
wBW
reviewer "B.C." has been using the Vega Summit XPV
for a couple of months and he had this to say: "I
have a wide head that is oval shaped on top. The
Vega Summit feels like it sits high on my head, and the
center of gravity feels higher than normal. My
chin has enough clearance behind the chin bar, but my
chin also feels like it sticks out underneath the chin
bar a little bit. This also makes the helmet feel
like it is sitting too high. I feel like the
opening for the visor is too high, like my eyesight gets
blocked slightly by the small breath guard at the bottom
of the visor.
I have the same too-high feeling when wearing my HJC
Sy-Max modular helmet, so I'm not sure if it's my head
or this design. One result of the helmet sitting
high on my head is that the padding shape inside the
helmet presses against my temples and it can get
uncomfortable after a while at high speed.
The Summit also feels heavy to me, especially
compared to other race helmets I normally wear.
However, I agree that for the money, this is probably
one of the best modular bargains around and it seems
well made, I haven't had any problems with the quality
so far."
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Product
Review: Vega
Summit XPV Modular Flip-up Motorcycle Helmet |
|
|
| Available
From: Vega
Helmets |
Suggested Retail Price: $129.99, including free shipping
(U.S.A.) |
| Colors: Black, White,
Pearl White, Titanium, Red, Blue, Yellow, Magenta, Candy
Red, Black Cherry Red (shown here) |
Made
in: China |
|
Product Comments: Roomy interior compared to other
flip-up motorcycle helmets. Comfortable, plush liner.
Relatively quiet, due in part to the flush-fitting visor
which also has a quick release, unusual on flip-up helmets.
Nice paint quality with deep shine. Decent air flow.
The chin bar vents direct air on to the rider's face.
Plastic flip-up module latches. Removable liner. DOT approved. Vega Helmets U.S.A.
distributor website. |
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►Reader Comments and
Owner Feedback
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comments to
Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.
Not all comments will be published ( details). Comments may be edited for
clarity prior to publication.
From "J.G.": "I recently purchased a new, white,
Vega Summit XPV and it is a different kind of animal. I am
used to the ease of use of the HJC helmets, though not an HJC
Modular. I bought the Vega because of the glowing review
you had. I have not worn it enough to know if I want to do
a trip with it yet, but I have found a few things that concern
me.
The Face Shield is very very difficult to remove
and replace, even after practicing several times. Also it
is quite easy to put it on incorrectly, seemingly correctly, so
that it can pop off. The helmet is quite noisy and
whistle-y at highway speeds always requiring good ear
protection.
The cheek padding hopefully will relax somewhat
as now it forces my cheeks into the sides of my teeth.
Although the vents seem to open quite readily, the holes to
allow the air to enter the helmet are very small and covered by
protective foam so that there is little to no air flow over my
head.
This is a detriment in hot weather and crossing
the desert. I'm very disappointed in the quality of the
Vega for comfort and head protection. It also seems easy
for the wind to move the helmet side to side. I do not
like the D rings on the chin strap, they seem flimsy, and the
snap for the end of the strap is difficult to snap."
From "A.N.": "...I have to say I
was a little nervous buying a helmet I hadn't even had a chance
to try on. When I first put it on, I was immediately
struck that it was more round in the upper portion. My
head is a little more like a Shoei or Arai helmet. The
first couple of times I wore it, it was uncomfortable.....but I
seem to have that feeling with most helmets....so I kept on
riding with it. I've now worn it at least 6 times and have
come to appreciate the feel of the helmet.
I absolutely loved my Schuberth when I first
received it....but as time wore on I became more displeased with
it. It seems like the Vega is just the opposite. It
feels lighter then any of the flip ups I've owned...which
includes Shoei Syncrotec, Nolan 100 and the Schuberth. The
noise level is still there....but unlike the others, it's not a
roaring noise....it seems like it flows the air easier and as a
result noise doesn't seem as annoying.
Most short rides I won't use the ear plugs for
and that's when I'm able to get the best analysis....in my book
it's a great helmet. On my K11RS, I've only had two other
past helmets that handled wind turbulence as well as the
Summit....and they are long gone. So over all I'm very
pleased with the helmet's performance!
One other note.....I usually order a
EX-large....with the Vega I ordered a Large and while it is
tight right now, I can feel it giving and forming to my head, it
seems to form or give more then some of the other helmets I've
owned in the past. I hope that will prove to be a good
sign with time. I will send another note if there is any change
in the performance or quality of the helmet!
P.S. I also ordered a X-small for my girlfriend
and it fit her like a glove...she is absolutely tickled to death
with it!!!
From "A.T.": "I just want to say
that I love your site and use it frequently, it's nice to have a
central database for moto goodies.
I want to tell you about my recent experience
with a Vega helmet.
Last Saturday I took delivery of my new Vega
SummitXPV helmet, I put my super cool Mirrored shield on and
away I went. The first thing I noticed was an incredible
whistle over 40mph, I reached up and tipped the shield open to
see if that cured the problem. It did fix the problem but
I noticed that the shield was so flimsy that it waved and flexed
at just over 60 mph, I got to a stopping point and decided to
give the helmet a good going over, as mentioned by another
reader the release button was quite stubborn and took a good
amount of force to get it to open.
The next and biggest thing I noticed was that
the left side of the chin guard latch was defeated by gently
tugging on the front of the helmet, that lead me to further
inspection of the mechanism itself which revealed that the only
ting holding that chin piece down were 2 small pieces of cheap
plastic. needless to say I was disappointed, I returned the
helmet to the dealer where they took it upon themselves to test
the helmet out further. They closed the helmet and gave it
a solid tug which resulted in both of the latches failing,
leaving the helmet with 2 broken latches. ( I got my money back
before the testing took place)
On the up side I agree that the finish and
interior were nice but it truly felt like a toy helmet.
After my last wreck (900 RR into a deer @ highway speed) I
certainly take my head protection seriously, I was hoping for
one of those deals that you run across every now and again where
the quality far exceeds the price, unfortunately I don't feel
this is the case."
Editor's Response: Thanks for the feedback, A.T. Our
helmet doesn't seem to have that problem, I wonder if perhaps
there is some variability in the manufacturing tolerances?
From "O": "Short version - best flip front for the money - a REAL bargain - I
would've guessed it cost $275 - $300. One of two flip-fronts
that fit those of us with a long face and a prominent chin.
Highly recommended!!!
Long(er) version -
Keep in mind that I wear an white Arai Quantum in size small
and have worn them for as long as they've been around. My
comments are somewhat jaundiced by my Arai experience. I've
hobby-raced flat-trackers, 250cc 2 stroke road racers and some
desert sleds. Yes, I'm, ahem, mature and experienced - but NOT
old!!!! Also, keep in mind that I've been searching for a
flip-front that fits for a couple of years and I have done
extensive product comparisons. Also, I street-ride a Beemer and
you know how anal we are!!!
Finish - beautiful (Almost as good as my Arai - the white
color on the Vega is whiter than my Arai and the clear coat is
nearly as hard as my Quantum. This is a nice looking helmet. The
Vega decals are under the clear coat which is a bummer for me as
I always put checkered flags and other such doo-dads on my lids.
The lining is almost as nice as my Arai and snaps in VERY
tightly. So tight in fact that at first I thought the liner was
not removable.
Function - vents and shield worked statically much better
than I expected. The shield is VERY easy to change compared to
my Arai and the firm detents would seem to allow riding with the
vent open a bit. I imagine that the Vega might be quieter than
my Quantum too (What isn't?) because the shield fits smoothly
and snugly. I liked the eye port shape and size also.
The D
rings and strap are clearly copied from Arai - too close a copy
actually. In fact they would not fit through an Echo quick
release buckle just like my Arai doesn't. Unlike others who have
reviewed the Vega, I found the flip-front easy enough to open
with one hand, but it is tighter than any other flip-front I've
tried. I personally believe that tightness is a good thing and
it might keep the front closed in a crash. I've ground down a
few helmets here and there over the years so this is a concern
to me.
Fit - the chinbar clears my beard by about an inch. The Symax
does this also, but all the other flip-fronts are pressed
against my chin or will not close at all. The size small Vega
was too large for me and it rotated on my head quite easily. I
measured my skull - though I really didn't need to - and used
the sizing chart provided to select my size. The Vega is a size
to large for me as compared to my Arai. The Vega would seem to
be sized like the HJC, in my opinion. On my head the Vega didn't
feel as heavy as the listed weight made me expect and it is
definitely lighter than any Schuberth I've tried.
I was disappointed that the Vega Modular didn't use two
different shell sizes as the other helmets on their website seem
to do. If the modular had a smaller shell available I could have
found an acceptable fit, but with the HUGE shell - compared to
my Arai - there would just be too much liner material for my
peace of mind. I've no doubt that - like other Vega helmets -
the Modular could meet Snell requirements.
Overall, I REALLY wanted to keep this helmet. It was that
nice (better than anything else for twice the price and as good
as helmets costing as much as $300.00). And it didn't strike my
chin!!! It would have been my primary helmet for commuting to
work as it would preclude me having to remove my lid for a
face/badge check. If you have a more normally sized and shaped
head than I do, the Vega is an EXCELLENT choice in a flip-front.
The service from MotorcycleHelmets.net was good. They replied
to my emails quickly, but it took a while to contact them by
phone. If anyone cares - I hate UPS and they managed (as usual)
to deliver my helmet about a week after it should have been
delivered and then left it outside during a brief break in the
thunderstorm and didn't bother to knock or righ the bell!
Fortunately, I was in the garage (Beemer appreciation time,
don't ya' know!) and I heard them drive away.
Hey Vega, please make this in two shell sizes like your Nitro
and Monterey lines and I'll order again!!!"
From "C.S.":
"I have now owned my Vega Summit XPV for a month and 900 miles
of riding. I purchased it from my local dealer and had the
opportunity to try different sizes. I have a long oval
head and this helmet is very comfortable for all day wear, no
pressure points.
The release latch was stiff at
first but I found that by pushing on the release button slightly
right of center, it releases with no problem. Ventilation
is very good and the defogging capability is excellent.
The ability to open the visor in various positions is a real
plus. The first notch offers excellent ventilation while
cruising in the hot Florida sun. The quick release visor
system makes it easy to change visors from smoke to clear and
and facilitates cleaning.
While it is heavier than my full
face helmet, the convenience of the flip up is worth it.
Even though one is not supposed to do so, I ride with the face
bar up in parking lots and heavy, slow city traffic for greatly
increased visibility.
I would definitely recommend this
helmet to others; but I would suggest that they try on various
sizes to ensure the correct fit. I normally wear a medium;
but the medium in this helmet was too snug and had pressure
points. My wife, who usually wears a small, selected the
medium and she says it is very comfortable for her. "
From "K.S.":
"I was rather disappointed with some aspects of the quality
of my Summit XPV when it arrived, mostly because I had
significant trouble getting the flip-up to open without
excessive force. The latch for the flip-up mechanism was
difficult, and I had to press it very, very hard, while
simultaneously pushing up much harder than is acceptable.
However, this shifted the helmet back uncomfortably, pulling
hard on the chin strap and causing neck strain. Now, I
happen to have strong hands, and I can forsee that some people
would be actually unable to open it at all. Vega will have
to improve this before I can recommend that anyone buy this
helmet!
Between this and the fact that
the shape of the helmet was totally wrong for my long oval head,
I immediately decided to sell it. On the positive side,
though, I will say that it is a very attractively designed
helmet, especially the classy "black cherry" color with black
vents and trim; the paint is very nice, and the liner is
well-made and plush. But for flip-ups, there's no point in
owning one if you can't open it smoothly, so I'll keep my Caberg
Justissimo (Editor's note - the Justissimo is known as the
Jarow Mono
X2 in the U.S.A.) and Roof Boxer instead."
Editor's Response:
We did note that the Summit XPV's flip-up is
slightly difficult to raise at first, but ours has loosened up
over time. Considering that the Summit XPV retails for
$129.99, compared to the Justissimo (aka
Jarow Mono
X2) at $299.99 and the
Boxer at $397.00 plus shipping from the U.K., we consider
the stiff operating flip-up of the Summit XPV to be a minor
inconvenience.
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