In this day and age of high gas prices, skyrocketing inflation and major layoffs, most motorcyclists are lucky to own one quality motorcycle helmet let alone several so when you are parting with your hard earned money, you want to make sure you get a good helmet that will last for a long time. Unlike many of the high dollar brands that have a couple of gimmicks or selling points, the Shoei RF-1000 is just a quality helmet that is designed to fit a high percentage of riders very well.

Shoei Fit and Function

The RF-1000 is the latest in the RF series that Shoei has been building on for years. The RF-1000 has a new aerodynamic design that was bred from hours of testing in the windtunnel to make it cut through the wind like a knife through butter. The RF-1000 also incorporates Shoei's proprietary helmet shell technology that is known as AIM. AIM stands for Advanced Integrated Matrix system and ensures that you will have a strong outer shell to protect your helmet in the event you go skidding down the road.

The helmet is outfitted with the Shoei CX-1V face shield that uses Shoei's proprietary Quick Release Base Plate (QRBP) system. This visor system works really well and is the same unit found on teh Shoei X-Eleven helmet that we reviewed previously.

The liner is a quality piece that has removable cheek pads that will allow you to customize the fit to your individual head size as well. A very nice feature on a very nice helmet.

Shoei Wind Noise and Function

Shoei helmets are designed in a wind tunnel to give you a helmet that will feel great on the motorcycle and keep the wind noise to a minimum. I am not much of an engineer but one press release I read about the RF-1000 claims that they have been able to reduce drag by 24% and have achieved an 18% reduction in lift on this version of the RF helmets versus previous versions. I don't know if this is fact based or not but I can tell you that the Shoei cuts through the air nicely and is a quiet helmet, so I would have to say they got it right.

The helmet is nice and light coming in at a hair over 1600 grams or around 3 lbs 9oz which makes it a very light helmet in my opinion. Weight doesn't matter as much to me as does the way it feels on the bike. I have ridden some very light helmets that "felt" heavy on the bike due to poor design and then I have ridden some heavier helmets that felt like a feather going down the road.

It should also be mentioned that the Shoei RF-1000 carries both DOT and Snell certifications for the USA riders and ECE 22.05 and ACU Gold certifications for the Euro riders. A sure sign of quality.

Shoei RF-1000 Appearance

One thing you can always expect from Shoei is a very high quality paint and graphic package. Appearance is personal so you will have to find the right combination that suits you but you can be assured it will be a quality job on the Shoei.

Our test model was the Shoei Diablo Model and the graphics are way cool. I lean towards the matte black and carbon fiber look and this design incorporates that look but with a little bit of pizzaz added in a cool graphics package.

Shoei RF-1000 Venting

I live in Georgia so needless to say, venting and cooling is very important here as it is 90 plus degrees for 7 months out of the year at least. It would seem that the wind tunnel work is paying off as this helmet did very well in the cooling arena as well

The venting system on the Shoei is very simple and very effective. Some helmets try to be too gimmicky in this aspect and while they might look good, they don't work that great. The chin vent on the RF-1000 flows a ton of air, which is directed up onto the visor to keep it clear on those humid summer mornings.

The simplistic design is consistent when you move to the top of the helmet and the top vents are also simple but effective. Incoming air is vented directly into the helmet, through the liner and down on to the riders head. It is then exhausted out the rear of the helmet along with the excess heat and moisture.

It should be mentioned, even though it is common sense, the RF-1000 is a quiet helmet but the noise increases significantly when the top vents are open. This is no different than most helmets and shouldn't come as any surprise. I will trade a little noise for a vent system that flows a ton of air and the Shoei RF-1000 does not disappoint in that department.

Shoei RF-1000 Visor

I already mentioned the visor system but it should be noted that the RF-1000 uses the CX-1V visor design. I found the CX-1V to be a great visor that functioned well. It was clear with very little if any noticeable distortion and is rated to block nearly 100% of the UV rays. It wraps around the helmet nicely and fits against the helmet very smoothly and securely.

The RF-1000 also includes Shoei's patented visor locking lever on the left hand side of the helmet.  It's the same system as the X-11 and some of the other Shoei models.  If you move the lever to it's topmost position, then the lever locks the visor in place to prevent it from blowing open at highway speeds. A quick flip down on the the lever and the visor cracks open just a touch to allow quick de-fogging or a bit of ventilation. It has 7 detent positions to allow you some flexibility in air flow and operates firmly and feels like a solid unit that will endure a long time.

Shoei RF-1000 Summary

The Shoei RF-1000 is one of those helmets that just does everything right. It looks good, feels good and functions well. It carries the right certifications and the right pedigree. It isn't the best helmet that money can buy but it may very well be one of the best values for your money because it does just about everything pretty darn well.
If you are in the market for a quality motorcycle helmet then you won't go wrong with a Shoei RF-1000 as your choice.  MSRP ranges from 350 to 450 dollars depending on the model so look at the deals you can find below.

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SHOEI RF 1000 CASTER FULL FACE HELMET NEW Size XL    US $279.00

SHOEI RF 1000 CASTER FULL FACE HELMET NEW Size Large    US $279.00

SHOEI RF 1000 EXTRA SMALL WHITE HELMET DOT    US $237.15

SHOEI RF 1000 X 11 TZ R VISOR HELMET SHIELD LIGHT SMOKE    US $37.79

Shoei RF 1000 Flutter butterfly Womens Small    US $375.00

SHOEI RF 1000 MOTORCYCLE HELMET CARBON FIBER ASHTRAY BK    US $9.99

Shoei RF 1000 Sever Full Face Motorcycle Helmet Large    US $150.00

Light Smoke Shield Visor Shoei CX 1V X 11 RF 1000 TZ R    US $29.99

Shoei RF 1000 Black Full Face Motorcycle Helmet XXXL    US $150.00

Shoei RF 1000 Diabolic Nightwing Motorcycle Helmet LG    US $150.00

Shoei RF 1000 Flutter Motorcycle Helmet Blue Medium    US $159.47

Shoei RF 1000 Helmet Szoke    US $245.99

NEW SHOEI RF 1000 X 11 TZ R HELMET SHIELD SPECTRA GOLD    US $63.89

NEW SHOEI RF 1000 X 11 TZ R HELMET SHIELD SPECTRA BLUE    US $63.89

SHOEI DARK SMOKE CX 1V SHIELD X 11RF 1000TZ RMULTI    US $35.99

SHOEI RF 1000 TZ R RF1000 TZR CHEEK PADS 33MM 33    US $21.20

Shoei CX1V CX1 Dark Smoke Shield X 11 RF 1000 TZR    US $32.90

Shoei CX 1V Shield RF 1000 X 11 TZ R Spectra Chrome    US $69.99

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Womens Motorcycle Helmets

Sadly the world of motorcycles is still a mans world and much of the riding gear on the market is designed for men and men's physical attributes. The little bit of gear out there that is designed for women, was probably designed by a man for a woman. So for the ladies, I am sorry about that but what can you do. Women are one of the fastest growing segments of the motorcycle industry so maybe the manufacturers will smarten up soon.

My wife is kind of like me, she likes to try a lot of different things and changes up her gear pretty often. The helmet she is currently riding is a Shoei TZ-R Vogue motorcycle helmet and so far she loves it. It's only been about a month so we don't have any long term results but in the short term she really likes it, so let's discuss.

Now being the manly man that I am, I shouldn't find myself liking a girly helmet like the Shoei TZ-R Vogue. This helmet is decidedly girly but that's probably what makes it attractive to the women. The other thing that I wasn't a fan of was the top vent. It just looked awfully noisy, however my wife claims it to be one of the more quiet helmets she has ever owned.

Shoei TZ-R Vogue Helmet

If you aren't familiar with Shoei helmets then you should know that they are very well known in the cycle world for making some excellent quality helmets and I think you would be hard pressed to ever go wrong with a Shoei helmet. Even their low end stuff is better than some other brands top of the line helmets. The TZ-R is one of those helmets, it is on the low end of the Shoei price scale but is still an excellent quality helmet. Shoei does not sacrifice quality for price.

I know some helmet snobs will always think that no other helmet brand can stand up in comparison to Arai but I am not in that camp and nor should you be. Arai makes some great quality helmets but pound for pound I would take a Shoei any day of the week. Do not feel like you are sacrificing a thing compared to an Arai helmet because you aren't. I find far more issues with Arai helmets than I ever have with Shoei, at least that is my own personal experience.

Helmet Weight

Let's get into the meat and potatoes of the review. The Vogue is not what I would call a lightweight but certainly not a heavyweight either. It was simply decidedly average when it came to weight. Our scale was not working correctly when we wrote the review but we can confidently say that the TZ-R is very similar to other Shoei helmets we have ridden. The helmet has a good feel on her head and balances well, especially under speed.

Helmet weight is way overhyped anyways. I know a lot of riders want an ultra low weight helmet because they have been tricked into thinking that the lighter the better but that simply isn't the case. You want a helmet to be as light as it can be without sacrificing fit, comfort, noise or balance. These factors are what make a helmet a joy to ride, not being super lightweight.

Just light enough is more than adequate and the Shoei Vogue easily fits into that category. My wife can ride all day without reporting any fatigue that would be attributed to her helmet.

Shoei Vogue Comfort

The TZ-R has a super nice liner that is made out of a very comfortable feeling fabric. It's touches like this htat separate Shoei from some of the others. This is their lower end helmet but they still make sure to use quality materials that fit and feel great. Again, it is worth noting though, that Shoei's low end helmet is still a fairly expensive helmet compared to some brands. You get what you pay for, no question about it.

The comfort level of the helmet is reportedly kind of average other than the liner. My wife rides with a Shark Butterfly most of the time and she reported that other than a softer liner and that fresh new feeling, the Shoei Vogue was pretty similar. No real flaws but nothing that really WOW'd her either.

She does concede that again, it's a Shoei so you can expect it to be very comfortable. If it isn't then take comfort that the cheek pads are removeable and replaceable so you can tweak the sizing of it to customize it to your head.

Shoei Vogue Venting

I was skeptical of the top vent setup on the Shoei TZ-R as it just "looked" like it would be noisy but that did not prove to be true as I already mentioned. It's a very simple design and according to the wife, very functional and easy to operate. The vent has a sliding cover that opens and closes over two round vent holes. The cover is easy to operate with a bare or a gloved hand and opened and closed with ease.

The vent on the chin is a little different than most helmets that I have seen as it opens down. This forces the air to have to flow up and into the helmet and this is especially troublesome on a sport bike because you are hunched over at some tough angles sometimes.

I will say that the visor did not fog up on my wife at all, but again we've only been riding this helmet about 30 days. When the seasons change and the weather turns we may see more of that. I did a search on the net and found no complaints from owners of fogging.

The top vents blow onto the riders brow and provide a nice, unobstructed flow of air and a couple of molded channels in the liner allow air to flow over the top of the riders head as well. I found it odd that the TZ-R has no rear exhaust vents but admittedly my wife did not even notice that fact until we were looking it over to write this review.

We live in Georgia, where it gets really, really hot and while this helmet has adequate ventillation, we both lean towards the heavy side in our air flow requirements. It's a personal thing but for her, she would prefer a bit more air flow through the helmet.

Shoei Vogue Noise Levels

I noted above that the TZ-R is a pretty quiet helmet in comparison to some others we've road tested and I am surprised by that. The top mount vent just looks noisy but I also think that the lack of rear vents might contribute to the lack of noise as well. Combine that with Shoei quality construction and you have a very quiet helmet that goes down the road nicely.

It's amazing how different the riding experience can be when you go from a loud helmet to a quiet helmet and anyone that prefers their ride on the quiet side, will definitely be a fan of the Shoei Vogue helmet.

Shoei TZ-R Visor

Shoei quality is all over the visor and Shoei practically invented the quick release visor system. Shoei also adds a nice feature to the ratcheting mechanism that allows the first click to be just open enough to let cooling air in if you need a fresh breath or to defog a little bit.

Conclusion

To summarize, she loves this helmet and that is really all that matters. I love that the Shoei TZ-R meets DOT and Snell M2005 standards so it offers a high level of safety. I also love that she is riding a Shoei helmet because I have a lot of faith in that brand.

If you are looking for a quality built helmet from a premiere motorcycle helmet company and you want it to be girly, then look no further than the Shoei TZ-R Vogue. It's a great helmet and you should enjoy it for a long time.

It might be on the low end of the Shoei scale but you shouldn't confuse this with the cheap motorcycle helmets.

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NEW Shoei TZ R TZR Vogue Pink Ladies Helmet Medium    US $209.44

NEW SHOEI TZ R VOGUE PINK HELMET SMALL SM    US $209.44

NEW SHOEI TZ R TZR VOGUE WOMENS MOTORCYCLE HELMET SMALL    US $250.00

NEW SHOEI TZ R TZR VOGUE TC 7 LADIES HELMET MEDIUM    US $225.99

Shoei TZ R Helmets Vogue Motorcycle Helmet Sz L    US $329.99

SHOEI TZR HELMET VOGUE TC7 PINK LG    US $375.29

SHOEI TZR HELMET VOGUE TC7 PINK SM    US $375.29

Shoei TZ R Helmets Vogue Motorcycle Helmet Sz 2XL    US $329.99

Shoei TZ R Helmets Vogue Motorcycle Helmet Sz S    US $329.99

SHOEI TZR HELMET VOGUE TC7 PINK 2X    US $375.29

NEW SHOEI TZ R VOGUE PINK HELMET MEDIUM MD    US $209.44

Shoei TZ R Helmets Vogue Motorcycle Helmet Sz XL    US $329.99

Shoei Womens TZ R Vogue Helmet Large    US $349.99

SHOEI TZR HELMET VOGUE TC7 PINK XL    US $375.29

Shoei Womens TZ R Vogue Helmet XXL 2XL    US $349.99

NEW SHOEI TZ R TZR VOGUE TC 7 LADIES HELMET L LARGE    US $225.99

SHOEI HELMET TZR VOGUE TC7 XSM PINK WHT BLK    US $299.99

Shoei Womens TZ R Vogue Helmet XL    US $349.99

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