motorcycle gear reviews: Shoei TZ-R Helmet

The TZ-R is Shoei's newest full-face model. Modeling after the successful RF-1000 series helmets in the area of aerodynamics the TZ-R is excellent at reducing noise. In addition, the TZ-R is a very comfortable helmet with a padded foam liner and chin strap. Although it is Shoei's lower-end helmet it is an excellent lid with exceptional value.

style

The TZ-R is a sleek and simple design that demonstrates that beauty can be simplistic. The graphics are fantastically designed and the solid colors come in a great enough variety, including "safety orange", that the only problem will be deciding which one to choose.

features

The lining of the helmet is very comfortable and is also removable and washable. The chin strap is also fitted with a removable and washable padding to help protect against abrasion with your chin.

The visor uses Shoei's patented, and often copied, Quick Release Base Plate System - which allows for fast and easy visor changing. In addition to this, the replacement visors available are priced fairly unlike some other helmet manufacturers.

The helmet is smack in the middle in terms of weight. The XL size weights in at 3lbs or 1606 grams, slightly lighter than the RF-1000 which weights in at 1610 grams.

Being a middle weight helmet, you can hear your own thoughts when wearing the TZ-R. It is one of the quietest helmets around, most likely due to it's shared architecture from the RF-1000. However, the lack of noise does come with a price.

The venting system on the TZ-R is a bit different than most helmets in that there is no rear exhaust vent. This does help in reducing the amount of noise - but also takes away from the amount of hot air flowing out of the helmet. There are two parallel brow vents located at the front of the helmet which are controlled by a sliding mechanism. The sliding cover can be found quite easily even when wearing gloves (something that we feel helmet manufacturers forget to test in terms of ease of use). The chin vent on the TZ-R draws air up and onto the back of the visor. This does a good job of keeping your face cool on hot days, however, in cooler temperatures it also causes the visor to fog up rather quickly.

Although it may be susceptible to fogging, Shoei has implemented on the TZ-R a visor feature also found on their X-Eleven race helmet. The visor has an adjustable lever with three-positions located on the left side of the helmet. This locks the visor into place at each position level and allows the rider to easily crack open the visor to allow for de-fogging, talking to a passenger, etc. The distance of each position can be adjusted using a Phillips screw driver when the visor is in the upright position. The visor has a quick release base plate configuration for easy replacement of visors.

safety

The TZ-R is both DOT and Snell approved in the U.S.A., and ECE 22.05 and ACU Gold approved in Europe.

quality

Shoei's helmets are always made out of the highest quality materials and the TZ-R is no exception. The shell utilizes their AIM+ construction. The CX-1V face shield is a high grade distortion free visor.

Shoei offers a 5 year warranty from purchase date or a 7 year warranty from helmet manufacture date. Shoei is confident in their craftsmanship and such a bold statement is evidence of that.

show me the money

The TZ-R is Shoei's lower-end model and starts at USD $329 for solid colors and increases for the graphic designs.

overall

The TZ-R is great at reducing wind noise and is an extremely comfortable helmet. The sleek design is the perfect weight balance to ensure a quite ride. The wide variety of colors and graphics ensures that they will have the colors you like. The main chink in TZ-R is the visor - fogging is an issue especially in colder temperatures. Keeping the visor cracked open using the locking position mechanism or using an anti-fog prdouct is a must in certain riding conditions. Also, the graphic versions of the helmet can become a bit pricey, especially considering this is Shoei's entry level helmet. We definitely recommend the TZ-R for the beginner rider or someone who is looking to upgrade from one of the lower-end helmet brands.

rating

• Style: 7/10
• Features: 8/10
• Safety: 9/10
• Quality: 9/10
• Price: 7/10
• Overall Value: 8/10