Icon Variant's & Wind Drag

[RoAddiction]

Hey guys, quick question! I see what seems to me to be the common helmet amongst vloggers is the Icon Variant. Now in South Africa we don't even have Icon, yes we have all the main brands and currently I'm using a HJC Ben Spies replica which is great. I've had Shoei and Shark and so far the HJC is my best. What i would like to know is because I'm a gear slut, how does the Icon handle on sport bikes? What's the headlift like with the peak? How flimsy is that peak at high speed? Are they really good helmets overall? If I order one online is the fit the same as other helmets? Anyway, any info helps, thanks in advance and greets from South Africa.

 

[Riding Joburg]

Hey Thirdworld

Also from SA, JHB.

Have a look at the MX Alliance website. They sell Icon gear. Its slightly expensive but its something we have to put up with living in SA. You could try import it but the price will be the same once shipping and import duties/VAT are applied. I usually use the FC Moto website to import my gear, however, their pricing on the Icon gear is a little high. Their A* gear is usually cheaper. Also, with FC Moto, once you add the item to your cart and go to checkout, they remove the European VAT of like 20 something % so that helps in bringing the price down.

http://www.mxalliance.co.za/browse/street-helmets1-icon1

Also, ordering a helmet without the option of returning it is kind of scary. Why not call up MX Alliance and see wether they can provide you with some guidance regarding fit and the possibility of a return if it doesnt fit well.

 

[RoAddiction]

Hey Thirdworld

Also from SA, JHB.

Have a look at the MX Alliance website. They sell Icon gear. Its slightly expensive but its something we have to put up with living in SA. You could try import it but the price will be the same once shipping and import duties/VAT are applied. I usually use the FC Moto website to import my gear, however, their pricing on the Icon gear is a little high. Their A* gear is usually cheaper. Also, with FC Moto, once you add the item to your cart and go to checkout, they remove the European VAT of like 20 something % so that helps in bringing the price down.

http://www.mxalliance.co.za/browse/street-helmets1-icon1

Also, ordering a helmet without the option of returning it is kind of scary. Why not call up MX Alliance and see wether they can provide you with some guidance regarding fit and the possibility of a return if it doesnt fit well.

AWESOME!!! Another Motovlogger from SA??!! Thank you for all the info bro, i'm afraid to buy one of these helmets as they look sick as hell but lets be honest they shaped for duel sports and not sport bikes, yet i see so many vloggers on sportbikes using them and raving how great they are! What doesn't make sense to me is the visor would surely create drag the minute you lifted your head or it would be really flimsy in wind? I saw Migg7170 raved about his Icon and seeing Mizshift with his one and DS83 on his R1 makes me wonder?
I,m am going to subscribe to your channel right now!!!

 

[Riding Joburg]

Haha...thanks for the sub. Not much content yet. I've realised that average content is just not worth it. So I'm holding out for really interesting things. I haven't been on the bike as much as I would like to due to the annoying rain and the fact that I'm a lazy ass.

As for the Variant, as far as helmets go, it isn't really my cup of tea in the looks department. A mate of mine in Jhb imports Premier helmets. Italian made and used by a few of the pro racers. All carbon for R4k. Extremely light, comfy and good looking. Check out www.juicebiker.co.za. As a fellow "gear slut", you will enjoy the Spidi gear they have. Top notch!

Whereabouts in SA are you?

Have you checked out Miggs7170? He's an American living in CT who does motovlogs and is quite active on here.

 

[RoAddiction]

I'm in Durban bro!! I have quite a bit of free time in the day as I work early mornings and evenings so I often go for rides, see stuff I wish I was recording then I found motovlogging and now I'm trying to get a set up going. As I said I have the HJC Ben Spies Monster replica but it's such a nice helmet I wanna keep it for track days only really. I like the Variant look, it's aggressive and apparently works amazing for vlogging (suppose I gotta get the camera first HAHAHA) I have watched all of Miggs stuff, our community is small, but once I'm up and running at least we covering our 3 major cities!! I'll take a look at your friends site now

 

[Meifesto]

I use a ICON variant as my standard helmet.
To be honest, it is in most specs the best helmet i ever had.
Only the scorpion had a better defog visor.
Looks, feels and vision is great, specially your vision is so wide and broad with the variant.

AWESOME!!! Another Motovlogger from SA??!! Thank you for all the info bro, i'm afraid to buy one of these helmets as they look sick as hell but lets be honest they shaped for duel sports and not sport bikes, yet i see so many vloggers on sportbikes using them and raving how great they are! What doesn't make sense to me is the visor would surely create drag the minute you lifted your head or it would be really flimsy in wind? I saw Migg7170 raved about his Icon and seeing Mizshift with his one and DS83 on his R1 makes me wonder?
I,m am going to subscribe to your channel right now!!!

The varaints are made for urban riders, and mostly naked and racerbikes instead of dualsport or dirtbikes.
They only gave that look, because a lot of riders like that.

About speed, i drove around 200 km/h with the helmet on, and i didn't feel any drag.
The "holes" in the sunvisor are quite arodynamic.
Only downside is when you do shoulderchecks at more then 120/130 km/h, then you do feel some drag on it.

 

[Riding Joburg]

I'm in Durban bro!! I have quite a bit of free time in the day as I work early mornings and evenings so I often go for rides, see stuff I wish I was recording then I found motovlogging and now I'm trying to get a set up going. As I said I have the HJC Ben Spies Monster replica but it's such a nice helmet I wanna keep it for track days only really. I like the Variant look, it's aggressive and apparently works amazing for vlogging (suppose I gotta get the camera first HAHAHA) I have watched all of Miggs stuff, our community is small, but once I'm up and running at least we covering our 3 major cities!! I'll take a look at your friends site now

Ah Durban...Wish I was by the coast now. Sitting in the office, everyone is on leave and the weather is shite.

If you dig the look of the Variant, go for it. 28 billion Americans cant be wrong

My next helmet is a Shoei but my Shark still has loads of life in it.

 

[RoAddiction]

Ah Durban...Wish I was by the coast now. Sitting in the office, everyone is on leave and the weather is shite.

If you dig the look of the Variant, go for it. 28 billion Americans cant be wrong

My next helmet is a Shoei but my Shark still has loads of life in it.

Don't stress bro, weather been sooooo shite here, raining nearly everyday! Dude, i found my next helmet, all i can say is start saving, i need, we need, a Skully Helmet!! Check it out on Google, i nearly died when i saw it! i have a Shoei Rogue i don't use because it's to big for me, i lost 26 kg's in 3 months, 2 years later i qualified as a personal trainer hahahaha! I also have a Shark Fost Lumi i don't use...yes...i am a gear slut O__O

 

[RoAddiction]

I use a ICON variant as my standard helmet.
To be honest, it is in most specs the best helmet i ever had.
Only the scorpion had a better defog visor.
Looks, feels and vision is great, specially your vision is so wide and broad with the variant.



The varaints are made for urban riders, and mostly naked and racerbikes instead of dualsport or dirtbikes.
They only gave that look, because a lot of riders like that.

About speed, i drove around 200 km/h with the helmet on, and i didn't feel any drag.
The "holes" in the sunvisor are quite arodynamic.
Only downside is when you do shoulderchecks at more then 120/130 km/h, then you do feel some drag on it.

Thank you for giving me a hands on review Meifesto! I was hoping an owner could give me a proper honest opinion on it! I absolutely LOVE the look but am now torn between saving for the Icon Variant and this Skully that's being launched next year! The choices are getting just to much these days!

 

[Meifesto]

Well, a skully is more original as a vlogger.
But i can only recommend to do a testfit with both of them, feeling is more important then looks.