Helmet Hair Magazine

Giving in to my love for all things dirt, I recently acquired a SuperMoto XF200 dual sport motorcycle, which for some who may not know, is a bike that can go both on and off road. So when the road less traveled looks more enticing than the paved tarmac… I am just a zip away to blowing dust, communing with nature, and then back again to the hard road home with none the wiser. But with this new acquisition, comes the need for a new lid that would not only match the style of my new beast, but also be able to safely perform in harmony with it as well. After doing some research, I spotted the Fulmer ADV helmet on some of the adventure touring forums and my interest was piqued: affordable, functional, and stylish? I had to find out for myself.

Take a motocross helmet add a clear shield and viola! My first impression of the Fulmer ADV helmet was overall joy. The helmet is black with silver trimming and vents. The graphics on it I could live without as the metal flake tire tread marks across the top are a bit juvenile, but I think they were going for a rugged-adventure look. The other Fulmer logo pin striping graphics are hip and stylish. The paint job is good quality and application with no flaking or fraying. The construction of the helmet is well built and sturdy for the price. The fit of the helmet is tight on the sides at first, but wears in comfortably as it should. The durable interior padding is removable for washing and easy to place back in with a comfy plush-ness that doesn’t leave seam lines on your face. Since the helmet is the MX shape, the chin area has more room than a street lid, which I found to be a bonus as it was less claustrophobic. The chin strap uses the tried and true D-ring and is very comfortable with extra cushion to keep the strap from digging directly into my skin. It also has the handy little snap to keep the tail of the chin strap from beating me to death in the wind.

When it comes to these crossover helmets, some may worry of optical distortion due to the curve of the shield because it is made to fit the traditional MX style. During my excursions, this distortion was moderate only when I was looking through the very bottom where the shield meets the helmet. I would have to be looking directly at my front fender for it to be a major problem. The shield is also water tight with an easy open tab big enough to grab with gloves on. As for the traditional MX visor on top, I found it to be a blessing in the Texas sun as it kept the rays from directly shining into my eyes. The one drawback to the visor is that it does catch wind at about 60mph or above, but with a slight tilt of my head the drag was noticeably alleviated. If you find that an issue, the visor is easily removable and can be stowed in your pack until you need it again.

Ventilation is abundant, perfect for warmer climates and weather! The ADV has four intake scoop vents, two on top and one on each side, with an exhaust vent in the back providing adequate circulation. Not to mention, the ample chin space allows more airflow up from underneath. There is also a chin vent which can be rocked on or off, but I could not tell if it made a difference in ventilation whether it was opened or closed because of the updraft from underneath. Also, another benefit of extra chin space is that the breeze from underneath acts as a natural defogging system for the shield. The overall noise level of the helmet is high compared to a regular full face helmet but quiet compared to my MX helmet. And at higher speeds, the sun visor on top has a rickety sound as the wind blows through it. While wearing earplugs, these noise issues weren’t as annoying.