Fine Italian craftsmanship has always existed. But now you can find it in the form of helmets made by Caberg. One such offering is the Caberg Riviera ‘Jet’ helmet in metal white.
Caberg is becoming known for their moderately expensive, yet good quality helmets. The overall finish and build of this helmet actually shows.
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What Would You Love?
If face planting is not your concern then this helmet has quite a few features to offer, which can only be found in some of the higher end lids.
Even though this is an open face helmet, Caberg has made it ready for their own Just Speak S communication system.
There is a visor provided which fits quite snugly and comes with rain protection. The fitting is unique in the aspect that it won’t allow any rain drops to leak in through the sides. But you’d have to be travelling at considerable speed for the visor to do its job properly.
A micrometric buckle makes it an effortless thing to open up the chin strap with one hand. It might not be considered safe by some hard core riders who prefer Double-D rings. But safety is subjective regardless of ratings, specifications and approvals. Here’s where the quote comes into effect: “You can never be too careful”. It has two meanings, but that’s hardly the crux of the matter.
Caberg has probably kept that in mind and included a visor quick release system in the Riviera. So in the event of the improbable, the emergency medic can relieve you from an uncomfortable, trapped position.
The Top Features to Look Out For
So an open face helmet with Just Speak S and a few noteworthy features. What else does this helmet have?
Shell
Caberg has opted for a thermoplastic resin or polycarbonate to construct the helmet shell. It is unclear though if it is from Lexan or some other brand, but the feel of the helmet is quite solid.
Available in two shell sizes, you have abundant choice to make sure the helmet you get is a proper fit for your melon.
The shape of the helmet is nice, with simple design cues and 60 degree angled edges at the brow, eye port and the neckline area where your jawline ends. Caberg has used rivets sparingly which actually works to add classy looks to the silhouette.
There are no major ridge lines to suggest any form of aerodynamic considerations; rather subtle chamfers and extrudes that do not deviate the shape too much.
Visors
The helmet comes with double visors, one clear and one smoke. The face shield is clear while the drop down, inner sun visor is smoked. The lever for the drop down visor is conveniently placed at the extreme top so it’s easier to find even with your glove on.
The face shield is wide enough not to restrict your view and should stay true to the open face nature.
The visor attachment system is very stylish and characteristic of the some of the recent helmets from Caberg’s line up. It looks easy enough to remove the face shield outright, once you uninstall the circular protective plate on each side. But keep your screwdriver ready.
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.
Ventilation
It is an open face helmet, so you get all the ventilation you need from the air coming in from the front directly, even if you have the visor on. With the visor off, you can welcome air, rain, hail and even bugs. If you swallow one or two, you risk being an insectivore.
You will not find any chin vents or any ventilation scheme on the top or at the sides. Likewise, you won’t find any exhausts on this helmet too.
Padding and Lining
The fabric and liner feel really smooth once you plop the lid on your head. The fit is comfortable and the cheek pads do not create any pressure points on your jaw line. The lining is breathable, which means it is going to soak up your sweat real quick. And Caberg has also given it anti-microbial treatment so that the soaked up unmentionable does not allow any microbes to procreate.
The cheek pads and entire lining can be removed and washed safely and then dried out naturally as mentioned in their user manual.
There is enough space near the ear pockets to allow any spectacle users to slide their glasses or specs through with minimal effort.
Customer Reviews
Most customers have given 4-star or 5-star reviews to this helmet and openly recommend getting one. Annoyances like wind noise and inadequate padding around the head bothered some of the owners, but not much.
But other than these issues, everyone who purchased this helmet appreciated the superior build quality, simple design, comfort and sufficient visibility with the visor on. A few of them have experienced crashes while wearing this helmet and reported excellent protection as well.
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.
Bottom Line
There is a can of worms somewhere, waiting to be opened when anyone mentions the risk quotient of an open face helmet. It you are confident about your own safety, no matter at what speed you travel (a few unfortunate have managed to fall off a stationary bike), the Caberg Riviera open face helmet is just what you might be looking for.
It may even help with your claustrophobia of the closed lids.