MC Tested: Scorpion EXO-1000 Helmet

Motorcycling has gotten more from basketball than Michael Jordan's National Guard Superbike team. Taking a cue from the pump technology employed in Nike sneakers, Scorpion has equipped its EXO-1000 helmet with AirFit.

Simply press the red bellows inside the chin bar with your thumb and bladders behind the cheek pads inflate to create a snugger fit. Press the little button below that and the air bleeds out.

The EXO-1000's other neat feature is its SpeedView flip-down internal sun visor. Add to that Scorpion's EverClear anti-fog coating, KwikWickbreathable/removable/washable liner and SpeedShift tool-less shield removal and this helmet has all the bells and whistles imaginable.

In a random sampling of users and sizes, most found the EXO-1000 fit their head well. Some applauded AirFit; others found themselves "chewing their cud." The internal sun visor proved great for commuting, touring and riding through tunnels, though some found the lever flimsy. The shield-removal and ventilation systems work well and are fairly easy to operate.

As for nits, we have a few. First this lid is heavy, promoting neck strain on long, high-speed runs. Second, vision is a little distorted with both the faceshield and the sun visor down. Third, removing the liner isn't intuitive as the forward snaps will pull out of the EPS if you don't slide them forward first. Last, the rear spoiler shattered when our test helmet fell off a helmet lock from a height of about one foot; fortunately the company sells replacement parts.

Made from a fiberglass/Kevlar matrix with an EPS-lined chin bar, the EXO-1000 is Snell/DOT-certified and available in sizes XS-2XL. The solid-silver helmet shown here retails for $299.95, while solid-black sells for $10 less and multi-color designs cost $10 more.

Scorpion has packed a lot of features into this mid-priced helmet. One big, AirFit-pressing thumb up!

**Scorpion Exo-1000 Helmet
Price: $289.95-$309.95
** Contact: Scorpion Sports, Inc.
www.scorpionusa.com

Verdict 3.5 stars out of 5
Too many gimmicks to work-except it does.