Suomy Vandal Helmet | MC Tested

Suomy’s Vandal helmet was a favorite of three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss, but that doesn’t mean it’s only suitable for the racetrack. I’ve been wearing mine for nearly 1000 miles and it’s proven to be an excellent street helmet as well.

The Vandal’s intermediate-oval shape fits my head perfectly, with the comfort liner and cheek pads pressing firmly yet gently from all sides. Suomys tend to run small, so order one size larger than normal. At 3.4 lbs. in size XL the helmet is very light, and comes with a coated faceshield that no amount of heavy breathing can fog. Constructed in Italy with a fiberglass and Aramid shell, the Vandal is DOT-certified and received a five-star rating in the British government’s stringent SHARP helmet safety test.

Venting is excellent and airflow is managed via a chin vent, two rotating brow vents and two sliding rear vents. There are also two screened vents at the lower rear of the shell. Deep grooves in the one-piece EPS liner provide crush zones in the event of a crash, and also serve to channel cooling air across the scalp. A thick neck curtain helps seal out wind and road noise, resulting in a fairly quiet helmet.

My only complaint with the Vandal is the short eyeport. On motorcycles with an upright riding position the field of view is excellent, but when tucked-in on a sportbike vertical vision is limited.

I guess now we know why Bayliss had such an upright riding style!

Suomy Vandal Helmet **
**Price: $349.99-$399.99 **
Contact: Suomy Americas
www.suomyamerica.com
**Verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Lightweight, comfortable and full-featured, but a neck-bender on sportbikes.