KBC Force Helmet Review

It's no secret that KBC has been gaining immense popularity in the past couple of years, mainly because they build good quality helmets at a price point that is attractive to most buyers. Following the success of the KBC VR series which included the VR-1, VR-2 and VR-3, KBC has done it once again and produced another exceptional helmet, the KBC Force RR.

For most consumers, KBC quickly gained ground quickly simply because of their attractive price, but in terms of quality, we can't say that they are consistently as good as some of the bigger players. We're not talking about huge quality issues, or design flaw, but just small issues that have more do to with quality control as opposed to actual poor quality. If the company stepped up their quality control slightly, they could easily compete against the more established brands in the industry. Like our review of the KBC VR-3, we noted quality issues with the paint and also with the vent, and little problems like this, that could be easily corrected seem to be an issue for KBC. Still, they do build good helmets and should certainly be kept in mind if you're out shopping for a new one.

The KBC Force RR, though a great helmet, would appear to be build with the same shell as the VR series, leaving one to wonder if it's different enough to warrant a new name since it's based on a shell that's over 5 years old.

KBC Force RR Helmet Weight

If you want to compare size XL helmets, an XL KBC Force RR seems to be sized somewhere between a large and an extra large, if compared to other brands. For some this may cause an issue finding the right fit, but if your usually a size L, you may need to go up to an XL for a proper fit.

In terms of the weight of the helmet, it weighs in at 3 lbs, 12 1/8 ounces which is comparable to similar Shoei and Arai helmets. Although the design looks similar to the VR-3, obviously it's not identical since there is a different in the overall weight, with the KBC Force RR weighing a few grams more. The helmet seems to be balanced well, from front to back so you should be free from the top heavy feeling that sometimes accompanies helmets.

For those with a more round head, you're going to love the KBC Force RR as the inside shape seems to be suited well to a round head. Often this is something that bikers normally complain about, so this is great news if you're more spherical about the shoulders. The helmet fits tightly around the cheeks, which may or may not work well for you. The interior has a removable liner which works well and appears to be made of quality materials, but it feels thin in some parts of the helmet where you can feel some of the harder spots inside the helmet. KBC has left the ear pockets without lining, so if you're so inclined, you can easily fit speakers in.

KBC Force RR Helmet Visor

It would appear that KBC has ironed out the closing and sealing issues that related to the VR-3 and the visor on the KBC Force RR opens and closes smoothly without catching on anything. Attractive dimples are fashioned into the side, which give the visor an overall nice look and feel. As for removing the visor, KBC has made some adjustments to previous designs and this time the visor can be easily removed. The visor seals tightly at the top thanks to a molded rib on the top side, along the inside, however does not seal tightly along the bottom. It leaves about 1mm opening at the bottom, which can rattle at times, but didn't seem to cause any real concerns.

KBC Force RR Helmet Noise

The KBC Force RR over is a quiet helmet, easily blocking out noise from wind, rain and other road noises and even the vents are quiet, which is a surprise as this issues plagues even the most expensive helmets at times. Of course if you choose not to wear earplugs and a helmet liner, you may not find the same results as we did, but for the most part, the noise suppression was impressive.

KBC Force RR Helmet Ventilation

If you read our review on the KBC VR-3, you learned all that you needed to know about the chin vents and the rest of the ventilation system in general. There's a vent in the top and also a small vent located right at the chin. Air is directly through the chin and up to an opening located right behind the visor. Air flows in the direction of the breath guard and then toward the rear of the visor.

If we look at vent size in general, they're relatively small and the mechanism that is responsible for opening and closing the vent is hard to find, especially when wearing gloves. It's simply too small to find and doesn't provide enough airflow in general. When looking at the chin ventilation, the on/off switch only moves back and forth by about 5mm, which is inadequate to provide enough airflow.

If you think this helmet sounds a lot like the VR-3, it's because in many ways, it is similar. One of the issues that was present in both the VR-3 and also presents itself in the KBC Force RR is the short front to back or side profile. Depending on the size of your head, it's quite possible that you may feel slightly cramped, where you chin will come close to touching the rear of the chin bar. This of course won't affect everyone. One item that seems to be missing from the Force RR is the wind blocker which was built in to the VR series helmets.

KBC Force RR Helmet Style & Overall Quality

Lets face it; these graphics are hot! One model that we tested was called the Speed Demon, which was gold in color. The graphics were attractive and modern and overall gave the helmet a sort of edgy look. The addition of a skull and speedometer graphic that was marked at 300km/h certainly gave this helmet a sporty look.

Just like the paint issues that seem to be present in other KBC helmets, upon close examination, small dimples appear under the paint. If you've ever tried spray painting in your garage and didn't properly clean the item, you know what we're talking about. It just appears that KBC didn't clean the helmet well enough, or paint it in a dust free environment. It's too bad because the design and graphics are so cool, they just need to work on the paint application part of the process.

From a safety standpoint, the KBC Force RR is Snell and DOT approved and as an added bonus, it even meets European ECE 22.05 standards.

Yet another handy feature, which helps to finish this helmet off well is the addition of a D-ring system that attaches the loose part of the chin strap.

KBC Force RR Helmet Summary

Overall this is a great helmet. It looks cool, it's built with quality materials and it's quiet. Depending on the size of your head, it may feel a little cramped, and the ventilation system is certainly not perfect. At it's core it is somewhat disappointing that the KBC Force RR seems to be a dressed up version of the KBC VR-3. For many this will be a solid helmet that will do the job just fine as it provides a good value for the money, but we'll be interested to watch if KBC can build a totally new helmet in the future.

KBC Helmets come in a variety of shapes and colors as well as other styles....you can check out the whole lineup of KBC Motorcycle Helmets here.