X-lite X803 Ultra Carbon Helmet in Nuance Red.
Does a rider really need a race-bred, made-in-Italy carbon fiber helmet with a translucent wash of subtle color splashing across it in the sun" Maybe not, but sometimes a guy or girl?s gotta splurge. X-lite, in case you?re not familiar with the brand, is a division of Nolan Helmets that?s been well known in Europe for some time (three-time MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo wore X-lite helmets for the first five years of his GP career), but it has only recently been made available in the U.S. As soon as I laid eyes on the X803 Ultra Carbon in silky Nuance Red, I knew I had to have one.
Like Nolan, X-lite helmets are made 100-percent in Italy, from raw materials to finished product, but unlike Nolan helmets which use Lexan polycarbonate shells, X-lite helmets use “multi-axial hybrid fabrics” (carbon fiber and aramid fiber) bonded with a thermosetting resin. The Ultra Carbon is X-lite?s top-of-the-line series, engineered for reduced weight and an exclusive look thanks to the visible fiber weave. As a race- and sport-oriented helmet, the X803 isn?t N-Com-ready (though one could install a Bluetooth headset if so inclined), nor does it have convenience features like eyeglasses slots or a drop-down inner sun shield. What it does have is one of the most plush, softest liners I?ve ever put my cheek against, with high-value green contrast panels and stitching, emergency quick-release cheekpads and venting that works well in ...