partial review, Nolan N70-2GT helmet

[Nails]

Short version: I think this is a swell bargain for a quality helmet. Something like $330, plus maybe $100 for tinted face shield and other accessories. The helmet is light, well-ventilated (possibly too great when it's really cold -- I might need one of those stretchy cap things), and provides exceptionally wide vision. It has a ratchet chin-strap attachment, which I actually like (didn't think I would). However, you need a separate t-bar to lock it to anything; and the t-bar only works for round helmet locks (one of my bikes has a larger lock that doesn't fit through the hole). The face shields use pin-lock inserts. I bought both clear- and dark-smoke setups; and the helmet has the drop-down sunglasses gizmo that actually seems useful (i.e., optically correct enough).

It's a "crossover" style, sorta like "modular" but parts go clear off and on rather than flip up. As a full-face helmet, it's quiet and warm (except maybe straight over the top of my head), with comfy padding including a nice adjustable and detachable neck roll. The chin piece detaches, leaving an open-face helmet if you also take off the face shield, or really great ventilation if you don't. The chin piece is easy to take off, and it all feels plenty tough enough. You can replace the face shield with a (small) beak/visor, like a motocross helmet. (Either face shield or beak, but not both. They make a similar ADV helmet that allows both beak and face shield together.) They sent little plastic things that you're supposed to stick in the open sockets, if you aren't using the chin piece or face shield -- hope I don't lose them.

Edit: at some sites, like Helmet Shop (where I bought mine), the $330 includes the beak. At others, like Revzilla, it doesn't.

Some photos &etc: https://www.nolan-usa.com/products/nola ... -dot.html . This apparently uses many of the parts marked for the N44 helmet.

I envision using the full face mode until I get to the National Park, and then going more naked for slow cruising through it. Using the face shield without the chin piece would be the bomb for high-fog or just hot situations.

I've only actually ridden in it once (why "partial review"), and then on a dirt bike. (Driveway has a glacier over it that I'm not ready to try on the XII.) I also intend to use this helmet for dual-sport traveling, where it'll be especially groovy. I can use it open-face with sunglasses until it rains, when I'd stick on the face shield. Then put the chin bar back on when I get off the dirt.

Downsides (that I can see so far) are trying not to lose bits that I'm not using -- have to stow the chin bar &etc, plus those little units that are supposed to plug unused holes. The t-bar is a minor hassle. Plus, I carry a spare face shield. For the XII, I think I can make a pouch for all of this to fit on my "dashboard".

For size, my old POS helmet was XXXL. The website put me at just L. I bought XXL, which fits pretty-much perfect. YMMV.

I definitely would buy it again. Especially since I got lucky with the fit.

FWIW, my neighbor was impressed, especially with the price. He retired from supervising city motorcycle cops; and he also rides in the dirt. He's bought hundreds of high-end helmets, so his opinion is worth more than mine.

[cbrfxr67]

Good read! I like how it looks. I don't like that price but quality costs right!?

[Nails]

I think quality usually costs $500 or more. But don't really know, since I've been in cheap helmets until now.

Regarding noise, it still needs earplugs for sustained superslab. I put my medium-height (16", IIRC) windshield back on, and that got rid of wind noise at the face-shield pivots. But it's still noisy over the top of the helmet. Based on hunching down, I'd need about 4" more to quiet that -- pretty close to stock windshield height.

First, I think all quality helmets are noisy. My cheap helmet was so noisy that I didn't notice any more noise with the low (9") windshield. (And I just can't stand looking through the windshield -- prefer to look over it.)

Second, I still like the low windshield because there's a lot less buffeting. I'll put the low one back on when it gets warmer.

I also put on the dark smoke face-shield, with a dark smoke pin lock. Then, with the drop-down sunglasses thing (which has excellent optics) I'll only rarely need to fuss with sunglasses. All that stuff is nowhere nearly too dark for this Western, high-elevation sun. My only other comment is that if you buy a second face-shield, also get the vent thingy -- it doesn't pop off very well to swap. You might also get a set of pivot rings, but these do swap well.

I'm still quite happy with it, even just using it as a road lid. Looking forward to trying it in ADV travel mode.

[cranky]

... I did a search on Amazon for a cheap helmet.. boy howdy, I'm talkin' cheap here!!!
I got it for $60... Yeah, noisy too... it IS DOT!!!! All I care about!!!!

[Nails]

I question whether DOT really means anything. https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2019/0 ... nce-tests/ (search "DOT helmet certification is meaningless"). But I think my last helmet was about $60 (at Cycle Gear), so far be it from me to get preachy.

[Nails]

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/21/80833356 ... ain-trauma

But I'm disinclined to wear my new Nolan against ballistic missiles.

[tnpete]

Good to know, and my last Nolan helmet I bought . Nolan N100 when they came out. Loved the flip up front. Make wearing glasses so easy. Plus I smoked back then also.
Have a Nice HJC full face now, and hate it. Putting on sun glasses are a hassle with the Full face. So going to look at the N70, also like the ideal of shades build into it.

[Nails]

also like the ideal of shades build into it.

Only when the optics are good. On my last POS helmet, I used a dremel to cut off the bottom of the shades and put black tape on the top. I used it like the sun visor in the car. I might put tape on the top again with this helmet, but I can use the shades as intended -- the optics are great. (I've been putting tape across the top of my face shields since long before shades were a thing.)

What I'm saying is with the "dark smoke" face shield and "dark smoke" pinlock, this helmet is about right with the sun behind me. If the sun is anywhere in front of me, I usually drop the shade. Driving right into the sun, I'll probably go for some tape somewhere. And I'll carry clear shield/pinlock for when the sun finishes going down.