Shoei JO Motorcycle Helmet Review

For those of you cracking your knuckles in preparation to comment on this article and explain that open-face helmets aren't as safe as full-face ones, save the effort. I know. Whether you like it or not, open-face lids have become much more popular in the past few years and not all options are created equal. Not to sound condescending, but if you're going to get a three-quarter or open-face helmet, it's a good idea to make sure the construction is the same as a full-face helmet. Just like cleaning your chain and checking your tire pressures, the right ingredients in a helmet will help keep you safer should the worst occur.

The Shoei JO checks a couple of those boxes right away. It uses the same, multi-ply blend of materials in the shell as the company's GT-Air touring helmet, as well as offering three shell sizes spanning the XS-to-XXL sizing. Total weight is a little less than 3 pounds, and considering there isn't much to the JO, it packs a lot of features. The most prominent one is the visor that slides down from above, covering your baby blues with a 3D-injection-molded plastic. Cleverly, the CJ-3 shield is also adjustable in how far down it drops when deployed. So if the typical, Shoei round-oval shape means the shield touches your nose, simply tweak the tabs on either side and correct the placement of the shield. I moved mine up a notch on account of my big nose.

The EPS liner uses two densities—a softer type along the top of the helmet and a stiffer construction across the forehead and sides. The liner, cheek pads, and chinstrap covers are all removable, washable, and replaceable. Cheek pads are 35mm stock, available in 31, 35, 39, and 43mm thicknesses for around $25. Chinstrap covers are $11, and the main liners (available in thin, thick, or standard) are $36. So if the fit of the JO isn’t quite right, you can acquire thinner and thicker pads, or simply replace all of the surfaces that touch your skin for less than $75.

Practically, the JO feels much more substantial than most open-face options. Not heavier, just a nicer fit. It's shaped elegantly and the interior is plush like a helmet should be, much more in line with the Arai Classic-V. The removable liners and pads proved useful for me, when my first mission in the JO was a weeklong scooter ride in a tropical location. An unfortunate amount of sweat and dust piled up and by the time it was unpacked in my garage it smelled pretty funky. A trip through the wash and now I'm happy enough wearing the lid around town.

The drop-down visor feels a little dorky at first, but the practicality of it cannot be denied. It pushes more air away from your eyes than a typical pair of sunglasses would—closer to wearing goggles, except you can't forget them. The only potential gripe is looking more like Top Gun than you ever meant to while riding a scooter. To be fair, the other complaint that's bound to come up is the number after the dollar sign. Pricing is currently set at $379 for solid colors and $449 for graphic options, which is steep considering how cheap some companies sell helmets, open-face or otherwise.

Shoei being one of the preeminent helmet brands in the world, it should come as no surprise that the JO is a cut above most of the brain buckets on the market today. So hopefully it comes as no surprise that it’s more expensive. You don’t have to agree with the use of an open-face helmet, but you’d be stubborn not to admit that if you do choose to forego a chin bar, it’s nice that there’s another quality option available. Just remember to slide that visor down.

MSRP: $379–$449
Sizes: XS–XXL
Colors: Off-white, black, matte black, matte brown, Rat Grey, six graphic options
Warranty: 5 years
Contact: shoei-helmets.com