AXR 806 Review

Our take : High quality lid with excellent design and pricing.

Features: Well Ventilated, Quick release visor, Detachable Washable liners, EPS Padding.

Also See: Vega Axor, LS2 FF351/350, THH TS41, SOL SL-68S/68S II

 Available in India through Ryder Helmets the AXR series is all set to take on the middle weight champions dominating the Indian helmet industry.

I was spending my day as usual at my store pushing papers around. My phone rang and the voice on the other end said "your parcel has arrived". I was anxiously looking forward to a new lid sent by Ryder Helmets. Just the other day I had received a call from them informing me of the launch of a new range of helmets called AXR. When I heard that the helmet will be better than the mid range brands available in the market I was a bit doubtful, nevertheless I called for a demo piece and after 5 days of wait the helmet had finally arrived.

I rushed out to collect the parcel and few minutes later I was sitting with the lid in my hands.

First Impression:

The model we received called AXR 806 looks and feels solid. Made from High Impact ABS the quality of the shell looks top notch. The swept back design reminds you of MT and Shiro range of helmets. The sharp lines running from the jaw to the back of the helmet and the swept back  portion on the rear encasing the vents gives the helmet a sporty look and puts it among the other imported brands available in the market.

The company has also worked well on ventilation  by placing an adjustable vent near the riders mouth , another adjustable inlet near the forehead  and four fixed exhaust vents at the rear to push out the heat.

The poly carbonate vents and sliders to close them feel sturdy. As the new generation of riders believe in using all the possible protective gears while riding the sliders of the vents are large enough to be easily operated with the gloves on. 

A reflector is also incorporated between the rear exhaust vents which will provide added visibility in poorly lit areas.

The next on the list was the visor. You pull up the visor and the clicks you hear pushing the visor into the slot gives you the feeling that the product is premium. Though we would have liked a few more slots the two stage adjustable visor doesn't disappoint at all.  

We also liked the quick swap mechanism which involves just a press and twist and the visor comes off, it is much easier to use than the ones found on brands like LS2,SOL etc.

A peek on the inside of the helmet and you will realise what premium grade material is all about. Right from the perfectly fitted beading at the bottom and the stylish EPS interiors everything oozes quality. 

AXR 806 comes with a fully removable and washable liners in order to keep your helmet fresh post hitting the dirt. One of the things we normally do is to pull of the removable cheek pads to see how the company has worked on the product in areas that do not meet the eye (it speaks volumes of quality) like the area behind the removable cheek pads.Fortunately the manufacturers have managed to keep up the promise and it puts some of the much expensive brands like SOL to shame.

The lid comes with a breath guard, chin curtain and a micro-metric quick release chinstrap.

We were happy to see that the helmet carries a dual certification (ECE and DOT) and hence we are confident that it will be able to handle the worst possible situation. We took the Lid out for a spin to test the stability and noise levels. The fit is really good (but then again it varies from person to person) and high speed stability is top notch. We rode for a good 80kms and the vents do their job to keep you cool. Noise level (turbulence)  kicks in around the 100 kmph range (please note we are not using balaclavas while testing) and shoots up once you cross the 135 kmph mark which is common in the mid-range helmets and a notch better (thanks to the chin curtain) than some other lids in similar or more expensive bracket. A special mention that the visor stays put even when open halfway unlike the few other expensive models we have seen.

The AXR 806 is available in both Solid colours and graphics.The manufacturers have promised a lot of new graphics and models to hit the market soon.

Affordability: The helmet retails for MRP Rs.3980 inclusive of taxes.

Final Verdict: The AXR 806 is an excellent display of High quality and precision engineering. The product is definitely well designed and the quality does exceed few of the other much expensive lids. Though the helmet might not be in the affordable range, with the increase of disposable income in India this will be a smart investment. So if you have the budget and are looking out for something different the AXR 806 is one hell of a lid to go in for.

Russel J
Prostreet Motorcycle Gear

www.prostreetstore.com