In our game, it seems you’re always dragging your helmet on and off. Photo stops, filling with fuel, diving into businesses – for fear of someone hitting the panic button and screens dropping down or smoke bombs exploding, I’ve always found it pays to remove the lid.
But now I don’t need to, as the LS2 Valiant is a flip-front which, you guessed it, flips up at the front should you (a) want to frighten people less, or (b) fit a pie in your mouth in a hurry – the other important aspect of fuel stops.
LS2 have really upped their game in recent years to become one of the biggest players in the helmet game, and you can really tell the advances they’ve made when slipping on the Valiant. The interior is as luxurious as you’d expect from any top-end helmet, and the fit and finish is excellent. The chin bar can be opened up using one hand via the latch located centrally at the front, and it even tilts up the visor slightly as it travels up and over the top before locking into position at the back. Yep, it won’t slam shut should you suffer a sneezing fit.
The action of the internal dropdown visor is again quality, and the interior is designed so as to make wearing glasses an easy – and hopefully less painful – experience. The helmet is secured via a ratchet strap which, again, can be operated with one hand and the Valiant even comes with a Pinlock visor insert (essentially double glazing to reduce fogging).Doubly certified as an open face and full-face helmet means you can ride with the chin bar either up or down, and the wide visor opening affords plenty of lateral visibility giving you more of a chance of spotting a hazard before it becomes a problem. But the best bit is the weight. Traditionally, flip-fronts are heavy helmets, but the LS2 tips the scales at a featherweight of 1700grams.
Tester: Paul | Distributed by: Whites Powersports | Price: $549.00 | Check it: www.bits4bikes.co.nz
