These days, everyone is looking for an intimidating helmet, and in this regard the AGV AX-8 Evo Naked CARBON doesn’t disappoint. The design caters a new type of rider that spends more time on the highway. The Italian designed AX-8 gives you a tapered look from the chin bar to your forehead, delivering a style that’s highly reminiscent of your typical off-road helmet, or even a sport touring helmet if you’re really looking at it closely.
It makes sense though- after you take off the glass, the Naked version is a stripped down off road helmet; which is nice when you’re looking for simplicity and ease of use in a more modern, contemporary helmet. We’re going to take the time to examine a few of the most important features on the AX-8, as well as what its major downfalls are. We’re taking a more critical look at the sleek and rounded helmet, looking into safety as well as appeal.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
What to Look for in This Helmet
We really like the design of this helmet. Right away, you can feel how light and sturdy it is. The AGV AX-8 was put together piece by piece to ensure that you get the aerodynamics that you need, as well as the safety that you need. As long as you’re wearing the helmet correctly, you can ensure that you’re comfortable with the design if you’re a new or old rider alike because it was built to “cut through the air.” The face glass on the AX-8 really stands out.
The capacity of the eye-port is almost overwhelming because the design from the top of the eye-port is very drastic, and the bottom is jutted out to cover the tip of the chin. You almost get to feel like a space age shooter or fighter pilot, because the AX-8 is that pointed, which is great if you’re looking to spend more time racing your friends on the street market with an aggressive, low seated sports bike.
The fit is incredibly light for a protective helmet made from Kevlar, carbon fiber and fiberglass. In fact, that’s what they’re being called- Super Super Light (SSL) layers. The helmet comes in a wide variety of sizes (from extra small to triple extra large), and it’s DOT and ECE 22.05 certified. This means that you don’t have to worry about your noggin cracking open on the road if you get in an accident. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been Snell certified, so the safety ratings are limited to the department of transportation.
The AGV AX-8 is being pegged as having a better fit for narrower headed riders, so riders with more hair or rounder heads might find the sides a little more snug around their ears than they might have thought, rounding your ears and making it hard to hear. Many riders have commented that this pressure goes away after riding, because the cushioning makes room for your head after you’ve gotten comfortable with it, especially if you’re taking routine breaks for gas, food and beverages.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
What We Like About the AGV AX-8 Evo Naked CARBON
The AGV weighs in right around 3.0 pounds, which is perfect for a rider looking for something sleek, yet safe. After wearing the helmet for a while, I really started to appreciate the eye port, because it offered a lot of padding that acted as a shock absorbent when I was on the road. When other helmets are resting on my chin, I’ve had problems in the past wearing my glasses because the eye port was too small to accommodate for them, so I could almost never wear my eye shield down.
It was also relatively easy to change the visor from one color or shade to another, but you have to make sure to fully seat the screw before you move the visor (or you could easily scratch it). The metal that seats the screwdriver is soft and malleable, so you need to make sure it’s firmly in place before making any adjustments or it could chip. Additionally, the screw can chip when you move the visor, letting you know that you put it in wrong.
The build quality is great, the fit is workable, and the performance is definitely on par with previous options. It’s not all that expensive either (at $379.95) for its aggressive look and aerodynamics. A matte black edition has been presented in full carbon (for about $500.00), and you’re sure to get the ladies with a helmet like that.
We’ve Listed the Features and Specifications of the AX-8 Evo Naked CARBON to make them easy for you to find:
Shell: Carbon Fiber and Kevlar
Helmet Style: Open Faced
Peak: Completely removable peak
Weight: 3.0 lbs or 1.36 Kg
Internal Padding: Fully washable and removable
Ventilation System: 3 front, 2 back extractors
Certifications: ECE, DOT, ECE, 2205, NBR, AS/NZS
Retention Systems: Double D retention
Unfortunately, there are few things that we think you should know about.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
The chin vent works great, but the foam filter that it’s made with is too thick, and it doesn’t let air through. Instead, it blocks it from the rider. The other ventilation areas are of average quality, and they’re easy enough to open when you’re wearing gloves, but they don’t force as much air through the helmet. This can be forgiven when considering that the Styrofoam inserts are used to prevent dirt and dust from being inhaled or ingested when a biker is traveling down the road at 70+ miles per hour.
Additionally, the aerodynamics of the helmet are just a little bit off if your bike doesn’t have some form of wind protection. We took it out on the road in a few different bikes with our friends last weekend, and when we got up to high speeds (over 75 MPH) I noticed that my head had to work a little harder to stay straight when I was driving. The AGV (which is praised for it’s aerodynamics) just couldn’t cut a very fluid hole through the air.
Our Overall Impression of the AGV AX-8 Evo Naked CARBON
One of the things that the AGV does well is balance the form of your helmet with what it can do. While there are some definite things that the AX-8 could improve on, it’s build, fit and construction are solid enough to last and will keep you safe.
It looks pretty slick, and the prices aren’t that high for a helmet made out of Kevlar.
AGV AX- 8 Motorcycle Helmets for sale (not carbon fiber)