Shoei Hornet DS

With dual-sport motorcycling increasing in popularity, helmet manufacturers are beginning to provide for the unique needs of those riders. Never a company to be left in the dust, Shoei has introduced the Hornet DS. Designed to function equally well on the road and in the dirt, this entry has proven to be one fine multi-purpose helmet. With the easily removable wind-tunnel tested visor and three-dimensionally curved shield, the DS can be configured in three distinctly different ways. Should higher-speed on-road duties be in the offing, the visor can be jettisoned, making it a pure street hat. For hard-core dirt duty, the shield can be stowed in favor of goggles. And should the gravel roads call, riders can leave both the visor and shield in place for the best of both worlds.

In the south, summer riding, especially off-road can quickly become a torrid affair. But with the DS's ventilation system, those days have become much more tolerable. Because dual-sport riding is often done at lower speeds, the engineers designed the visor to help force air through the upper ducts. The cool thing is that the system really works. In the protection column, the DS has all the boxes checked as well. Shoei incorporates their AIM (Advanced Integrated Matrix) outer shell with a three-piece, varying density EPS inner safety liner. The removable and washable 3-D comfort liner is composed of varying densities of foam that conform to the rider's head and coupled with their Max Dry liner, it's said to absorb 35 times its weight in moisture.

Since receiving the DS, I've been happy with it. Whether I'm blasting out for a quick ride across the creek bottom, or setting off for a distant dual-sport romp, this Shoei has been a great companion. Forced to come up with a negative, I'd have to level a complaint at the limited color options. Also, the interior noise does call for earplugs at highway speeds, though it's not nearly as bad as with most other off-road styled lids. On the whole, the Hornet DS performs its many duties with such aplomb that you'll soon forget about the few extra bucks required to walk out the shop door with it.

Hornet DS Helmet
Sizes: XXS-XXL
Colors: Black, Crystal White, Light Silver, Matte Black, Matte Deep Grey
Price: $482.99, $456.99 (Black)
www.shoei-helmets.com