Summary The Reevu MSX1 is the fist motorcycle helmet with a rear view mirror system!
This is an amazing development in motorcycle helmets and it's obviously an
excellent safety feature. But the helmet is also good enough to stand on
its own even if it didn't have the rear view system, because the MSX1 is
beautifully finished with exceptional quality.
Background
We were honored to publish the
first review of the Reevu MSX1 rear view mirror
motorcycle helmet back in 2005. We actually had a prototype of the MSX1
delivered in 2004, but it had to be returned to the company and it wasn't until
almost one year later that we were allowed to publish the story.
The MSX1 was a remarkable development and the feedback we gave Reevu was
about the front part of the rear view mirror system, which was non-adjustable.
They promised to work on it and get back to us -- obviously, we were excited and
couldn't wait to see the concept fully developed.
But, for several reasons, the helmet never made it into full production and
the company faded into the background. At one point, even their website
was not accessible. So, life went on until suddenly in 2009 we received a
message from Reevu: the MSX1 was a go!
They sent us a brand new, 2010 version of the MSX1 a few weeks ago, and it
looks very similar to the original from the outside. The internals have
all been greatly improved, however, with a comfortable and fully removable liner
that even has mix-and-match cheek pads and liner that are available to custom
fit the helmet to the owner's head.
But let's face it: a rear view mirror system alone isn't enough. The
helmet -- the entire package -- has to be good enough to want to own and wear.
And this may be the biggest surprise of all, because the Reevu MSX1 is a very
solid helmet with excellent quality. It feels solid and it's well made and
the fit and finish are all first-rate.
The helmet is currently ECE approved and meets British Motorcycle Sport ACU
Gold standards. It has also passed
INMETRO (Brazil) safety
requirements and it can be used in all of South America. The MSX1 is also
currently undergoing homologation to North American DOT standards and other
worldwide motorcycle helmet safety standards, and Reevu plans on selling the
helmet in all major markets worldwide.
The rear view mirror system is unobtrusive and it works, but it does take a
bit of practice to learn how to use it. So let's roll up our sleeves and
take a look!
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Reevu MSX1 Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality This MSX1 is currently available in three colors: "Blackmetal", "Gunmetal"
and "Titanio". The helmet shown here is the "Titanio" color, which is a
dark gray metallic.
It is covered by a thick clearcoat and the finish is outstanding and nicely
polished, without imperfections or dust particles of any kind that I can see.
The clearcoat feels substantial and I'm expecting it to do a good job at
protecting the helmet for some time to come.
I'm not sure why the helmet is only available in the limited array of colors
at this point, because in keeping with the safety aspects of the rear view
mirror system, a nice metallic orange, yellow or red would probably be
appropriate. Nevertheless, the finish on this one does actually complement
the unique design of the MSX1.
The internals and the fittings on the helmet are also very well made;
everything fits tightly and the liner and bottom gasket are especially
noteworthy.
One exception is the fit of the clear face shield, which has about 1 mm of
play between it and the eye port gasket, across the entire length of the face
shield.
It appears that the
face shield has the correct curvature to match the profile of the helmet, but
it seems as if the eye port gasket isn't quite thick enough to make a full
seal. Alternatively, it is also possible that the face shield rotating
mechanism on either side needs to be adjusted towards the rear to pull the face
shield tighter to the gasket.
In any case, this doesn't seem to have much of an affect on the overall
operation of the helmet or the face shield and doesn't generate additional noise
from the slight gap (which may indeed close from the air pressure on the front
of the helmet when riding). But I have noticed that water can leak
down between the gasket and the face shield.
Otherwise, the helmet has outstanding overall quality and feel and the face
shield itself operates with precision. The vent covers have a solid feel
and the liner is made from a good quality fabric.
Score: The Reevu MSX1 gets an "Outstanding" rating
from me for overall
for quality. See the Summary Table at the end of this page for a
description of our rating system.
Reevu MSX1 Helmet Fit, Comfort and Internal Shape This MSX1 is a size XL which feels just about correct to perhaps 1/2 size
small with regards to sizing. It has a neutral to slightly round internal
shape that should fit the majority of head shapes and it fits my round head very
nicely.
Reevu has made different sized cheek pads and helmet liners available for a "bespoke" fit. Information about the helmet and
ordering information is rather scarce on the Reevu website, so I'm not sure how
the parts and accessories ordering system will operate -- I assume through
authorized dealers and distributors, and I'm waiting to hear back from Reevu on
a list of those also.
The liner and padding is very comfortable and the helmet fits without
idiosyncrasies. The padding may be very slightly on the thin side, but the
quality of the fabric, which is very comfortable, makes up for that.
The ear pockets are rather shallow, which means I have to fuss slightly to
get my ears to "seat" correctly and it doesn't bode well for speaker placement
unless the speakers are very thin. The rear edges of the ear pockets press
up against my ears, which causes some discomfort after about 45 minutes or so.
The MSX1 is heavy, there's no getting around it (and I'll cover that in the
Helmet Weight section). So fit is important to ensure that the helmet
doesn't move around on one's head when riding. I think the internal shape
is a good choice though and the helmet feels surprisingly well balanced,
considering the extra height and mechanism on top to enclose the rear view
mirror system.
The helmet is available in sizes ranging from XS to XXL. The XL shown
here is designed for head sizes of 61 to 62 cm circumference, which I think is
correct. I may have been able to fit into a size L, rated for 59 to 60 cm,
although I'm not sure how the shell size breakdown matches the internal head
size.
Deciding on where to put the "X" in the Shape
Estimator table above was
difficult for this helmet; it really is just very
slightly biased to round from neutral, so I'll call it
"Slight Round".
More information on helmet fit can be found in the chart that lists the helmet weights of webBikeWorld reviewed helmets
and also by shape on the webBikeWorld
Motorcycle Helmet Shapes page.
Score: I'll give the Reevu MSX1 an "Excellent"
rating for overall comfort and fit.
Reevu MSX1 helmet liner is comfortable and removable.
Simple face shield removal mechanism is easy to use.
Reevu MSX1 Face Shield
I discussed the face shield fit to the eye port gasket in the "Quality"
section above. The face shield also has excellent optical properties and
it is labeled as meeting VESC-8 impact standards and it has a marking that reads
"FF-MHR-33". I'm not sure if that is an impact standard or not; I did some
searching but came up empty, so perhaps our readers can help.
The face shield operates smoothly and it has 7 full detents, the first of which
is a small opening for defogging. Each detent has a good feel and there is
no observed lateral flex in the face shield as it is moved up or down.
The
lifting tab in the lower left-hand corner is slightly smaller than average and
may take a second or so longer than normal to locate, but it works without
problems.
The face shield removal system is very easy to use; lift the shield all the way
and pull down on the lever and the shield comes right out. It is held in
place by a small molded tab on the circular rotating post and another tab that
slides under the moving lever that holds it in place. See the video for a
demonstration.
The eye port gasket appears to be well made and it's perfectly placed and
aligned in the eye port, but it doesn't quite feel thick enough to make a tight
seal as described above. This could potentially be an easy running
production fix by Reevu, by using a different type of gasket or possibly by
tightening up the tolerances on the face shield placement.
In all fairness though, this is a very minor issue and only presents itself
because it's really the only slight flaw in what is overall an outstanding
design and execution. [UPDATE: Reevu said there is 4 mm of
adjustment in the face shield rotating mechanism plates, so we'll experiment
with that to see if it tightens up the fit and will report back.]
The weather is currently too warm to evaluate the anti-fog properties of the
face shield, but I'll put in a plug here for the easy-to-use and very
inexpensive
Clarity Defog It (review)
anti-fog coating that overcomes any fogging problem.
The visibility out the eye port is average, with no problems to report in the
vertical or horizontal planes.
Overall, the Reevu MSX1 has an excellent face shield design that is easy to use;
the face shield has excellent quality optics and it is easy to remove and replace and it feels sturdy.
Only the slight gap between the face shield and the eye port gasket lowers the
score slightly.
Score: I'll give the overall face shield and its operating
system an "Excellent".
Front section of the rear view mirror system.
View from up underneath the chin bar looking at the rear view mirror.
Reevu MSX1 Rear View Mirror
System
Let's get to what is certainly the most interesting feature of the MSX1 -- the rear view mirror system. What started as an interesting
concept back in 2004 at first seemed to fade away but is now a reality.
The mechanics of the system remain mysterious and that's probably the way Reevu
would like to keep it, although the system does have an international patent
granted in 2000 (here). We removed the rear cover to take a peek inside,
but it was too difficult to photograph due to the series of obliquely mounted mirrors,
and we didn't want to give away all the secrets.
The rear view system is located inside of a tunnel over the top of the EPS foam
liner. The floor of the tunnel is covered with an anti-reflective fabric and the top is a series of
polycarbonate moldings coated with a mirrored finish. The rear of the
helmet is a large mirrored cover, designed to mute headlights at night but
provide enough transparency to allow the system to work.
There are no batteries to replace; the system is entirely mechanical. The
front of the rear view system consists of a mirrored polycarbonate surface that
has a viewing area of approximately 87 mm long and about 17 mm tall. This is the mirror that is
located at the top of the eye port, out of the direct line of sight but
available to the rider's vision when looking upward.
The mirror on the 2010 version of the MSX1 is of much better quality than the
original. Also, the new mirror can be rotated back and forth and there's a
small hex screw that allows the entire front part of the rear view mirror to
move up and down to custom-fit it to the rider's preference. It has a
limited range of movement in both directions, but it should be enough for any
rider to get the mirror situated to the optimal position.
To see the rear view, the rider must look upwards. The mirror is not in
the direct line of sight, so the rider makes a deliberate effort to look at
it, and there is also a parallax issue when doing so. The eyes can't
resolve the complete mirror width in the short distance, so the ends of the
mirror on both sides appear duplicated. This isn't a problem, just
something to be noted and illustrates that it is not like looking into the rear
view mirror in a car (although parallax issues can arise there also).
The location of the mirror is correct, because it does not hang down too far
into the rider's line of sight and the mirror does not become a
distraction when riding. In fact, the rider must take care not to stare into
the mirror for too long -- eyes should be focused where the bike should go, not where it's already been!
It does take a bit of adjusting and a small amount of time to get used to the
new view; I had to adjust the mirror once or twice to find the optimal position that allowed me to get the rear view
I was looking for without a lot of head movement. The first time I used
it, I found that I had to move my head up and down and side to side to see, but
some judicious mirror adjusting made it much better.
Comparison of rear views with and without the Reevu system. Photo courtesy
Reevu.
The view out back is narrow in the vertical plane, due to the narrow vertical
height of the mirror. Depending upon how the mirror is adjusted for the
individual rider, the view in back can range from directly behind the motorcycle
to about the horizon, or from approximately 6 meters behind the motorcycle to
well above the horizon, or at least enough to see behind as far back as
possible.
Moving the head up and down just slightly can also bring both fields of view
into the line of sight, so practicing this is important. We estimated that
the width of the view is about 2 meters on either side of a standard U.S.
two-lane road, which is approximately 24 feet. So the width of the view
starts at approximately 36 feet (11 meters) wide at about 6 meters behind the
motorcycle out to an angle that shows virtually the entire rear, but at a narrow
vertical distance as described.
It's also important to note that the image in the mirror is not a perfectly clear, perfectly lighted
view like you'd get from looking at a rear view mirror in a car. It's
about 2-3 stops darker than the ambient light, due to the mirrored rear cover and the
deliberate use of tinted material to mute headlights at night. Also, the
surface of the polycarbonate isn't as perfectly smooth as a glass mirror, so
there is a slight distortion in the image.
Because the mirror is out of the direct line of sight, headlights at night are
not a problem, it's similar to looking into the rear view mirror when driving a
car.
It's a revelation to glance up in the top of the
helmet and see what's going on behind. I still use the rear view mirrors
on the motorcycle itself, because one can never have too much situational
awareness, but even the best rear view mirrors will not give you a 180-degree
image of directly behind the bike -- the view that you get with the Reevu.
Close-up of the new magnetic strap keeper on the 2010 Bell Star helmet.
We were able to roughly illustrate how the rear view mirror system works in the
video, but it's very difficult to duplicate the view with a camera.
The
photograph above was taken of a house across the street, approximately 125
meters distant. Since the house is white and the background is neutral, it
shows on the mirror, although the width of the image is shorter than it is when
wearing the helmet, due to the constriction inside the helmet for the camera.
Overall, the Reevu rear view mirror system is an outstanding feature that has a real safety factor for
motorcycle use.
Reevu MSX1 Ventilation and Air Flow
The mechanism and the extra space required on top of the helmet for the rear
view mirror system must have created quite a puzzle for the designers to solve
as they also fit the intake and exhaust vents on the MSX1. But the tunnel
itself acts as a Venturi that is supposed to pull air up through the helmet and
out the back.
Whether or not the dust and pollen in the air that is flowing through the tunnel
will affect the reflectivity of the mirror system is unknown.
The helmet has a chin vent and top vent with small openings. The chin vent
does not have a passageway through the chin bar, but directs the air on to the
back of the small breath guard. A small volume of air can be felt when the
chin vent is open.
The top vent also has a very small opening and I can't find a direct inlet
through the EPS foam under the helmet liner, so I assume the air enters the
helmet, travels over the top of the EPS and out the back. Two exhaust
ports are cleverly hidden on either side of the mirrored polycarbonate in the
rear of the helmet that hides the rear view mirror system.
So overall the ventilation on the Reevu MSX1 is average to below average.
This hasn't been a problem so far during Spring weather and temperatures.
webBikeWorld
Ventilation
Opinionator -
Reevu MSX1
Location
Poor
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Outstanding
Top/Upper
X
Chin/Face
X
The chin and top vents are covered by small sliders
that open and close with a push. They're a bit
difficult to operate because they don't provide a good
gripping surface, so the best method is to use a couple
of fingers to push them open or closed.
Score: Overall, the venting system on the Reevu MSX1 is below
average, but this is somewhat overcome by the other features and the utility of
the helmet. I'll give the MSX1 a "Neutral" rating for ventilation.
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Reevu MSX1 Sound Levels The smaller vents and the overall smooth shape of the MSX1 apparently
contribute to the low noise levels; we think the helmet is quieter than average
in a variety of riding conditions.
The internal padding and shallow ear pockets probably contribute to this also,
as they form a snug fit. The high quality material used on the bottom of
the helmet liner covers the thick neck padding and the helmet also has a nice
chin curtain that helps keep noise levels down.
The design around the bottom of the helmet also helps reduce turbulence-induced noise
in that area and the helmet is quieter than average also when riding behind a
selection of motorcycles with windscreens.
Note that our helmet evaluations are
normally a combined effort of several riders over time,
on different types of motorcycles with and without
windscreens. We always wear correctly
fitted, high quality earplugs (even when evaluating
motorcycle intercom systems) and (usually) a helmet liner.
We strongly recommend that you always use hearing protection when riding
a motorcycle. See the
wBW
Earplugs and Hearing Protection page for more
information on choosing and wearing earplugs.
Note also that noise levels will most
likely differ from rider to rider. Noise levels
are caused by many factors, including the rider's
head shape and the how well the helmet fits; the type of
motorcycle and windscreen; the individual rider's noise
level tolerance; and even prevailing winds and the type of clothing that is being worn. For more information on helmet noise, visit the wBW
Motorcycle Helmet Noise page.
Score: I'll give the Reevu MSX1 an "Excellent" score for
low noise in all conditions.
wBWVideo: The Reevu MSX1 Rear View Mirror Helmet
Helmet Weight The size XL Reevu MSX1 shown here weighs a hefty 1839 grams (4.0 lbs., 7/8 oz.).
This isn't the heaviest helmet we've reviewed by any means, but it puts it in
flip-up weight territory. Some of the other helmets in this weight range,
all flip-ups, include the
Schuberth C2
at 1827 grams; the
Zeus ZS-3000B at 1842
g; the Nolan N102 at 1850 g; the
Nolan X-lite X-1002
at 1855 grams; the KBC FFR
at 1867 grams and the Vemar Jiano
at 1884 grams.
For comparison, other non-flip-up helmets in size XL are the
Bell Sprint
at 1688 g; the
HJC CL-16 at 1702 g and the
HJC CL-14 at 1704 grams.
Obviously, the internal rear view mirror system accounts for a
lot of weight in the Reevu MSX1, but the helmet does feel nicely balanced, all
things considered.
Score: I'll give the MSX1 a "Neutral" rating
for its weight and
balance.
Miscellaneous
The MSX1 has a micro-adjusting style ratchet chin strap on this ECE version,
despite the Reevu product information on their website claiming that the helmet
uses the double D-ring system.
[UPDATE: The helmet uses two shells with three different
liner sizes for each head size. The XS, S and M use the medium shell and
the L, XL and XXL use the larger shell. Reevu said that both the front
face shield and rear mirror cover is available in clear, smoke or mirrored as
options.
The helmet has a lifetime warranty on the shell which is an
advanced "Trifibre" composite. The parts are warranted for 5 years for
breakage. The liners are considered a consumable and carry a 12 month
defect and wear policy.
Parts are made in Europe and Asia, as is the assembly.]
The
wBW
Overall Opinionator - Reevu MSX1
Picks...
...and Pans.
Outstanding quality.
Outstanding face shield
operation.
Rear view mirror capability!
Comfort.
Slight gap in face shield to eye
port gasket fitment.
Weak ventilation.
Conclusion
The Reevu MSX1 rear view motorcycle helmet system is both unique and
revolutionary. While it does have some limitations with regards to weight
and the less-than-perfect rear view, it's certainly an interesting product that
will hopefully make an impact on the evolution of the motorcycle helmet and
motorcycle safety.
Colors: Black, Gray, Light Gray.
Sizes: XS to XXL
Shell Sizes: XS, S and M use the medium shell and the
L, XL and XXL use the larger shell.
Made
in: Europe and Asia.
Review
Date: April 2010 Notes: Helmet provided
by manufacturer for this review (more).
Ratings Scale: For
reference, our ratings scale is subjective and ranges from Unacceptable
to Poor, Neutral, Very Good, Excellent and Outstanding. Note: the
middle "Good" rating was changed to "Neutral" in November of 2009.
Please
send
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.C." (5/10): "I have had a new silver Reevu helmet
since January 2010 -- the same model you have just reviewed. Just a quick
question - did you not find that when in a slightly more sporty position your
head is inclined such that you end up seeing mostly sky rather than what's
behind you?
Unless I purposefully straighten myself up from my BMW K1300S then I really
don't have a very useable image. On my BMW R1200GS it's fine because of
the naturally more upright riding position.
My view after 5 months with the Reevu is it cannot be recommended without a
strong caveat for Sports riders. For riders of standards and dual sports
bikes the Reevu is excellent. Would be interested to know if you noticed
this characteristic of the helmet.
Love your site and avidly read all the reviews. You are a credit to motorcycling
and the internet."
Editor's Reply: Although we did not try it on a full Sportbike,
with a correctly fitted helmet the mirror has quite a bit of range of view with
sport-touring (leaned forward) riding positions. It doesn't take much
movement to get the view of what's behind, but even on a touring bike it may
take some minor head movements to align the mirror and this happens almost
intuitively with practice.
The mirror system is obviously not designed to give a complete 100% view of
everything behind the bike in all situations at all times; occasionally it takes
some head movement to get the scope or range of the view behind. The
mirror may also need some slight adjustment to find the best compromise for rear
view for the specific rider, helmet fit and motorcycle type.
Here's a photo from Reevu of a racer using the helmet:
From "J" (4/10): "I purchased one black Reevu in Singapore
in 2006, I found the fit and finish quite nice. However the weight and
lack of good ventilation made it difficult to operate with in the slow traffic
and heat of Singapore.
So since 2007 it has been in my storage in the USA and used in winter, and
cool days when returning for vacations. Operationally for the rearview
system it really provides a good view of behind you. I use it to check
blind spots, HOWEVER, you must remember you actually look the opposite way when
looking the direction you want to check.
I did get used to it quite well and enjoyed not trying to crane my neck
around to look around and no mirror twitching to check mirrors often.
Overall I like the helmet enough not to get rid of it, and only wish there were
some replacement back clear covers. If not careful it gets scratched up."
Editor's Note: The new version described in this review
is available with accessory rear covers.
