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The helmet under review is my Suomy Spec 1r Bostrom
I bought it at the beginning of last season and about now i have ridden with it for about a year. i figure this was a long enough time to do a review rather then just doing a review after a couple days. It seems like Arais and Shoeis get a majority of buyers and there was not much in the review department for the Suomys when i was in the market, so maybe this will help someone looking for their next lid.
THE BAD
The helmet is claimed to be one of the lightest helmets in the market. This is not the bad but the lack of sound deadeners is the bad. While a racer may not mind the noise for the few hours they are out on the track, normal mortals who do all day rides tire of this noise. After a few long rides, i started finding the wind noise to actually start giving me headaches at the end of the day. Important to keep in mind that I am not doing mach 3 all day either, mostly a moderate mix of highway and twisty stuff. This problem has been remedied by the use of ear plugs this season but i find ear plugs kind of a pain but i still wear them.
Changing the shield also takes a little practice. The Spec 1r and extremes come with covers over the ends of the shield to cover up the latching mechanisms that hold the shield on the helmet. In order to change a visor, one must use a tool provided to pop off the covers, and then a bit of patience is needed to "feel" the cover back on. It was frustrating the first few times trying to get the covers to click back on the lid. Again its not really a problem anymore since ive gotten pretty good at knowing where the cover should be so clicking it in isnt too much of a challenge anymore. BUT do not lose the tool that pops them off or youll be searching for kitchen knives or anything else to stick in there to pop it off.
Lack of dealers. the only dealer i know of is Seacoast. Tried to buy a shield for it, and i couldnt find any local dealers in the mass area. Also had to take a gamble on sizing. Had to measure my head and just order based on their size chart. luckily it was perfect. It would be nice if they had more dealers so people can actually try this stuff on.
THE GOOD
Weight: The helmet is extremely light. After a long day of riding your neck and back muscles will thank you. I had an older shoei that was noticeably heavier. I have not had the chance to try any of the newer models but this lid is very light and comfortable. Turning your head to check blind spots or looking back is effortless.
Interior comfort: Liners are made from Alcantara. After a year, all the lining material is still very soft even after multiple washings. There are not clumping, lint balls, or ripping after a year. pads are easy to take off the clean. everything is labeled as to which side it goes on, so even if your not einstein you can figure it out.
Ventillation: Again i have not been able to experience any other helmets, but i will say the ventilation is pretty darn nice. I rode with it on a few colder days and felt exactly where the air was going. The spec1r has vents that are open all the time. This maybe a bad thing for those of us that ride in the cooler months, but i didnt find it overly bad. overall lots of air flow.
Graphics: I take very good care of my things. After every ride, the helmet gets the shield cleaned as well as the rest of it wiped down. I never put my helmet on the bike and its always stored in the same place out of the way of any traffic in the house. The paint is still as flawless as the day i got it. no peeling or fading of colors.
Overall: In general, id say it was some of the most worthwhile dollars ive spent on something. Yes they are expensive, but you do get a very good quality helmet. I am sure shoei and arai and some of the other big names are comparable but if your in the market, do add suomy to your list of lids to try on.
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