CruiserCustomizing Staff Pick:

Overall Rating: (5).
Reviewed on 12/08/05 by CruiserCustomizing Staff: Kyle Bradshaw (ManyBikes) from Escalon, CA for a 2003 VTX 1300 Retro:

Z1R makes a great helmet! November 12th, 2004 I was fortunate to be wearing my ZIR Duke full face helmet when I had a horrible encounter with a cager. That accident resulted in three days of lost memory and a titanium tibia. Ouch! Luckily due to this helmet and other protective gear I have recovered completely. The Duke helmet worn during the accident was scraped and ground smooth by the road in three places (the chin bar, the forehead, and the back right corner) as I flew, landed, rolled, and slid... coming to rest just over 100 feet from the point of impact. If not for the helmet, I would most likely not be here today. If you question the quality of the Z1R, please take a look at this article in Motorcyclist magazine... the Z1R has the best crash rating of all the helmets tested: http://motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/hatz/ Z1R has replaced the Duke style helmet with the Strike Blade and the Stance. The Strike Blade is DOT approved and the Stance is both DOT and SNELL. I now own the Kawasaki Green Strike Blade for use on my ZX12-R, the Rubatone Stance for use on my VTX and the Red Stance for use on my VFR. These helmets have GREAT fit and finish (very comparable to my Arai). Venting is good, but could stand to be a bit better. I would recommend these helmets to any helmet purchaser looking for a great helmet at a great value.
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