Here's the response from Shoei when I asked about them building an Arai XD style helmet. If you have a SHoei head and want a helmet like the XD. Call or email Shoei and we might get them to take notice of a potential market. From: sshc@shoei.com [mailto:sshc@shoei.com] Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 3:28 PM To: Reimler, Mark Subject: Re: New Shoei styles? Shoei has no intentions at this time to make a "dual sport" helmet. Best Regards, Shoei Safety Helmet Corp Patrick Houlihan Customer Service (714) 730-0941 ext 101 ----- Original Message ----- From: Reimler, Mark To: <SSHC@SHOEI.COM>,<HELP@SHOEIHELMET.CO.JP> Sent: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 14:55:37 -0500 Subject: New Shoei styles? When is Shoei going to make a helmet similar in style/function to the Arai XD? Arai helmets don't fit my head plus the crappy Arai visor vibrates annoyingly at speeds over 50mph. Shoei makes great products, I'm on my 6th Shoei helmet, but I would like a dual sport helmet and the market is pretty limited as of now. Mark Reimler
You mean like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Shoe...003QQitemZ130022363620QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
It's OK for me to not know the Shoei helmet product line but it's not good when Shoei doesn't know their own product line. I think I'll send this link to the guy at Shoei. Thanks for the info.
To be fair.....I don't think it's a US market model. I know it's certainly not available here in the UK.
It's not available in the US market and this is not the "gear" forum, please take the post there you'll have a much better response,...........maybe.
A lot of my friend have the Shoei Hornet which is the same thing as the XD. No idea why they would send an email out like that :huh It is actually a lot lighter as well.
On a business trip a almost 2 years ago I went to 'Motorcycle Town' just outside Tokyo. The Shoei helmet you are looking for was readily available and I tried a couple on. It's a nice helmet, but has a decidedly different support mechanism/design than the XD. It wraps around the lower part of your skull giving steady pressure and support. Kind of cool, but also feels kind of weird. Personal preference I suppose. Anyway, I bought an Arai while there instead. Called the Tour Cross, but it's an XD. One surprise was that nice helmets were more afordable in Japan than in the US. That was about the only thing that was more affordable! So, if your hell bent on getting this helmet get yourself a bargain basement ticket to Tokyo. Hop a train to 'Motor Cycle Town' in Ueno and pick one out. They will even haggle a little. That and some Sushi the whole thing shouldn't cost you more than a $1,000
Patrick Houlihan's full-time job probably involves answering 100s of emails a day and the answer to 99% of them is "No."
This sort of thing happens A LOT with companies that have branches in other Countries/Markets. I contacted PIAA on something similar and PIAA USA did not to what PIAA Japan has in their line-up. A US sales rep probably won't have a clue what the Japan has unless he actually uses the product and stays on top by watching the Japanese Corporate. Even though they're the same company, it's like their two different companies. I like the Shoei Hornet. I've been looking around and it seems you can get them shipped for $400 and change off a ebay store. They are shipped direct from Japan. Just a bit cheaper then flying to Japan.
Here's the reply I received after mentioning to the Shoei guy that they DO make the helmet I asked about. From: sshc@shoei.com [mailto:sshc@shoei.com] Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 4:29 PM To: Reimler, Mark Subject: RE: New Shoei styles? I am aware of all of our helmets, and in being so, I know that the helmet you are referring to is not a North American helmet. It is illegal to use that helmet on public roads in the US, because it is not DOT approved. I also know that Shoei has no intentions at this time to release that helmet in the US. Best Regards, Shoei Safety Helmet Corp Patrick Houlihan Customer Service (714) 730-0941 ext 101 ----- Original Message ----- From: Reimler, Mark To: <SSHC@SHOEI.COM> Sent: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 16:24:19 -0500 Subject: RE: New Shoei styles? Patrick, Seems Shoei already makes a "dual sport" helmet. You might want to bone up on the product line. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69818 Mark
No it isn't. The rep didn't want to send the poor guy down a long road of trying to track down a helmet not being imported to the US that isn't DOT approved.
Sounds like he's just covering his and the companies butt. He could have simplay stated that his company does make a 'dual-sport' helmet but because of lack of interest and/or little to no margins, they have not imported them and because of such, they haven't been DOT approved. If they can make a profit they'd jump into the market. It's not like they will need to spend a bunch of money to R&D the project from the ground up so it could be added to the linup fairly quickly if they get enough interest. Instead he gave a cut and dry no with his cut and paste reply.
After the recent Ca District court ruling, "DOT Approved" helmet was defined as non existant and useless. Any police jurisdiction attempting to write a ticket for use of helmet on public road not bearing a DOT sticker is asking for a law suit. I've been wearing helmets for several years that lack DOT sticker and have never been cited. As for the Shoei Hornet, I'd wear one if it fit. The X-11 is my preferred track helmet, a size L is a perfect fit. I tried both the size L and XL in Hornet and the fit was terrible. I couldn't begin to get the L on my dome and the XL was smashing my forehead. I was hoping Shoei's claims that Asian models use different shell shape than NA models was bogus, unfortunately it appears to be very accurate. If I had to relate sizing and shape, I'd say the Hornet is much closer to a Suomy or most of the Arai helmets I've tried (not XD however which fits me decently). Be sure you can get a full refund for improper fit before you buy that Hornet. I'd also warn potential buyers of the very gaudy "Hornet" label on rear section of helmet. Take care
I'm sorry, but after seeing those responses I think I will not be buying a Shoei product. I guess I shouldn't be harsh, at least there was a response!
I'm not a big fan of how Patrick handled this question. Wasn't the original question "does Shoei make a dual sport helmet?" Patrick flat lied "Shoei has no intentions of making a dual sport helmet at this time." They do make a dual sport helmet...just not available in North America. He should have tried something along the lines of... "Mark, to answer your question, Shoei does indeed manufacture a dual sport helmet meeting the discription in your email. It is called the Hornet. Unfortunately the Hornet is not offered in North America as it is not DOT certified. To my knowledge there is no immediate plans to make the dual sport helmet available in the U.S. Thank you for your question and interest in Shoei products. Ride safely, Patrick" Now that would have been customer service! And once you type that email once you just keep it in your sent file for future copy and pasting for others asking the same question. Patrick's method caused him to answer the question twice, and then got him all tripped up on his EGO. "Dear Patrick, please put customer before EGO."
