Six-time World Superbike Champion Jonathan Rea, who hails from Northern Ireland, wears an Arai helmet in competition that is the inspiration for the Arai Corsair-X Rea-5 full-face helmet built for the rest of us. In his career thus far, Rea has scored 118 WSB victories, so he knows a thing or two about the best gear for the highest level of performance.
While I am confident nobody is going to mistake me for one of the world’s foremost professional racers, no matter how great-looking my helmet is, I do like the idea of wearing head protection that has the same protective performance credentials as that worn by a rider of Rea’s caliber. Plus, the Arai Corsair-X Rea-5 is DOT FMVSS 218 and Snell Memorial Foundation standard M2020D certified.
Visually, the Rea-5 design is but one of 20 Corsair-X graphics and color options. Inside, the Corsair-X has the intermediate oval fit shape and is available in sizes x-small (53-54cm) to xx-large (63-64cm).
My head circumference, measured per the Arai sizing instructions, is 60cm, so I went with a Large. That has proven to provide an excellent, snug fit in exactly the way I prefer. In size Large, by direct measurement on a digital scale, the Corsair-X weighs 3.52 pounds (1598g) with the standard clear faceshield in place. That’s not the lightest helmet on the market, but it is in the mid-range of the many standard full-face helmets I’ve used. In all-day use, that weight is well within my comfort zone.
The shell is what Arai calls a PB-SNC2 design, constructed with proprietary fibers and resin compounds. The company says its “super fiber” has 30 percent greater tensile strength than conventional fiberglass. A layer of woven Zylon material backs up the crown area of the shell, and a lightweight, non-woven AR Mat layer sandwiched between layers of super fiber adds strength to the entire shell.
This multilayer construction, in conjunction with the R75 (75mm radius) helmet shape and multi-density EPS (expanded polystyrene) impact absorbing lining, allows mitigation of rotational impact forces through Arai’s “glancing off” design philosophy as well as impact attenuation. The retention system is a traditional nylon chinstrap with a double D-ring buckle and a snap to keep the strap from flopping around.
That sophisticated shell could be a hotbox without adequate ventilation. Fortunately, Arai covers that with three closable crown vents, two closable shield brow vents, and a large chin bar vent. All the vents have three positions. The shield also can be set in a slightly open demist position.
Because the removable comfort liner includes a removable chin curtain, when all the vents are closed and the shield is locked down, the face portion of the helmet has very minimal air infiltration. Moderate airflow is delivered with the vents clicked to the half-open setting, and substantial air inflow is provided when the ducts are set to the fully open position.
While the vent shutters can be opened with gloves on, thicker riding gloves make finding the opener tabs a little tricky. None of the vent shutters rattle, buzz, or whistle in any position, and wind noise inside the shell is minimal.
I most often ride with the shield in the “demist” position, slightly open, though this causes a slight misalignment of the shield brow vents relative to the air inlets at the top of the eye port. Those are fully aligned when the shield is in the locked-down position. When locked down, the shield is firmly seated against the neoprene gasket around the eye port and is very secure.
The chin curtain is designed with a unique pivot mount to allow it to be lowered to act as an airflow spoiler, presumably to reduce drag at the helmet opening. Pulling down the small ridge located against the back of the chin bar extends the chin curtain about three-quarters of an inch down from its non-extended position.
There is a critically important feature that can easily be missed—an emergency pull tab at each end of the chin curtain. The tabs enable emergency personnel to quickly remove the cheek pads to make removing the helmet easier. This reduces the likelihood of complicating a possible neck injury. However, the pull tabs are tiny, hard to grasp, and completely concealed by the comfort liner, making it possible for rescuers to not even know they are there. Other manufacturers providing the feature make the tabs into loops that are easy to see and grasp.
Another interesting feature is what Arai calls an “air wing” on the back of the helmet, which sits between the crown vent outlets. The air wing is adjustable through five positions by pressing the wing forward to allow it to click from one detent position to the next. Designed to minimize buffeting and help manage airflow, the wing doesn’t seem to have a noticeable effect at my street riding speeds. Presumably, it is helpful at a track day or competition speeds.
Riding my vintage Honda CB350F, which is not equipped with any windshield or fairing, riding upright or down on the tank at Interstate passing speed, with the air wing and chin curtain each fully extended or fully retracted, the result was the same. The Corsair-X was quiet, and I did not experience any buffeting.
The Corsair-X Rea 5 accepts the Arai Pro-Shade shield system, which we had a look at in our review of the Arai Signet-X helmet. A Pinlock lens is also provided. Changing the faceshield is covered in illustrated detail in the owner’s manual; while it doesn’t require tools to accomplish the task, the process is not intuitive.
As with the faceshields for the Arai Signet-X helmet, the shields for the Corsair-X have a very small lift tab, making it somewhat difficult to open once locked down. Having experience with the Signet-X makes the system easier to manipulate on the Corsair-X.
The lift tab is adjacent to the shield latch with two settings—a lock-down position and a “demist” position. To unlock the faceshield and simultaneously move to the demist position, just lift the latch lever once to move the shield up and off the lock peg. The demist position holds the shield slightly open across the bottom to allow some airflow into the eye port. To open the shield, you need to slightly pull it out to clear the post for the demist position.
Along with the comprehensive owner’s manual are an instruction sheet for the use of the adjustable chin curtain, a general helmet user manual, an instruction sheet covering the air wing and uses for the special multi-purpose tool that is included, the Pinlock lens user manual, a sheet with Arai decals, the warranty registration card, and silicone lubricant for use on vents and eyeport trim dressing.
There’s a lot to the Arai Corsair-X Rea-5 helmet, from race-inspired precision graphics and multiple comfort and ventilation options to a five-year warranty and dual safety performance certifications. With a price tag tickling $1K, there should be a lot of features, and this helmet delivers.
Arai Corsair-X Fast Facts
- Sizes: x-small to xx-large (53 to 66cm)
- Weight: 3.52 pounds (Large shell)
- Certifications: DOT FMVSS 218 and Snell Memorial Foundation M2020D
- Shell: Multilayer fiberglass; Peripherally Belted – Super Complex Laminate Construction
- Warranty: 5 years
- Colors: Four solid; 16 graphics
Arai Corsair-X Price: from $870 ($1000, as tested, with Rea-5 graphics)
