The Scorpion EXO-R2000 is the company’s top-of-the-line racing helmet and it’s packed with features and technology.
For its first all-out racing helmet, Scorpion worked with MotoGP racers to re-think every aspect of motorcycle helmet design and they’ve come up with a winner.
The helmet comes in 4 shell sizes and 6 EPS liners and it includes the Scorpion “AirFit” inflatable cheek pad system, all of which mean a better fit for many owners.
The shell is also claimed to be one of the trimmest in the industry for each head size.
It is made from the Scorpion “Thermodynamic Composite Technology”, which consists of five layers of fiberglass, Aramid and other fibers. This gives the EXO-R2000 both a DOT and Snell M2010 rating in the U.S.A.
Many other useful features have been included to benefit motorcycle racers and street riders, including a face shield lock that also flips open the face shield for defogging.
Also, a special neck roll pad to reduce wind noise and specially designed contoured cheek pads that fit more comfortably and accommodate eyeglasses.
The build quality, comfort, ventilation and overall feature set make the EXO-R2000 a leading contender in the premium helmet market.
Indeed, probably the most difficult thing for Scorpion is getting motorcyclists to take a close look at the EXO-R2000 to realize it’s not just another EXO-series helmet with a new paint scheme.
But once you start to study the details, we think you’ll be impressed. And the best part may be that all of this starts at just $369.95 (list), which is a bargain for this type of helmet.
Scorpion EXO-R2000 Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality
This EXO-R2000 in the yellow version of the “Dispatch” graphics is a looker and there are a total of five different graphic designs with their own colors and a bunch of solid colors to choose from also.
This one is beautifully done and the photos don’t do it justice.
The red is actually a sort of orange-red metallic and the yellow gives it some nice visibility. The paint and graphics are perfectly applied and the helmet has a shiny clearcoat also to keep everything protected.
All of the moving parts have a solid feel, with the possible exception of the brow vent, which does feel a bit wobbly when it’s fully opened.
But overall, the EXO-R2000 holds its own among the top-end helmets and once you start looking over the features of this helmet, you’ll probably start to wonder what the extra $300-$400 for those high-end racing helmets really buys you.
Scorpion is renowned for giving a lot of bang for the helmet buck and the designers really went all out on this one, re-thinking every single part.
For example, the cheek pads aren’t just a coupla slabs o’ foam; they’ve been 3D sculpted to fit the human cheek/jaw shape and they have an open ventilated backing rather than a piece of solid plastic, which allows the sweat to evaporate.
Scorpion said they went through many designs with MotoGP racers to get feedback and the cheek pad design is one of them.
Scorpion also said they control all aspects of their helmets, from design through manufacturing. The helmet shell is a Scorpion-developed five-layer composite with fiberglass, aramid (like Kevlar) and other “organic poly-resin fibers” they call TCT, for Thermodynamic Composite Technology.
The EXO-R2000 shell comes in four shell sizes (XS-S; M; L; and XL-XXL) with EPS liners to match.
Six different cheek pad sizes and additional liners are also optional, as are tinted face shields, Pinlock inserts and tear-offs.
The helmet comes with a clear face shield and a dark tinted face shield is included in the box also, about another $50.00 bonus.
It’s rare to find as many as four different shell sizes in a helmet at this price range and Scorpion also said the outer shell dimension is the most compact in the industry. Note, however, that the EXO-R2000 has a race fit; i.e., it’s tight.
The XL shown here is really the equivalent of a size L and the fit is “Narrow”, as noted in the next section of this review.
The padding in the liner is generous and the fabric has a lux feel also and there’s even a separate neck roll addition to help keep noise levels low. Other features include titanium D-rings on the chin strap, which feel warmer to the touch and also resist corrosion caused by sweat.
Bottom line on this one? If it matches your head shape, the EXO-R2000 holds its own among the best of breed motorcycle racing/sport/street helmets currently available.
Score: We rate the EXO-R2000 as “Outstanding” for overall quality and feature set. See the Summary Table at the end of this page for a description of our rating system.
Scorpion EXO-R2000 Helmet Fit, Internal Shape and Liner
Scorpion calls the EXO-R2000 a “Long Oval” or “Narrow” fit and we definitely agree.
Many webBikeWorld readers will be pleased at that, because we’ve received quite a few emails recently asking why the manufacturers seem to no longer make “Narrow” helmets.
We’ve addressed this in several reviews recently and it’s our opinion that motorcycle helmet manufacturers have pulled back from offering helmets at the outer ranges of the head shape graph (see the Motorcycle Helmet Shapes page). But the EXO-R2000 bucks the trend.
This EXO-R2000 is a size XL and it definitely fits one size small, so about a 60 cm head is max. The shell sizing and proportions appear very trim and the XL looks more like a size M, which will also please a lot of owners.
True race-fit helmets aren’t all that common, so we suggest a “try before you buy” approach on this one. As a racing helmet, the entry along the bottom is narrow also but once you squeeze it over your ears, you’re all set.
Otherwise, once it fits, it’s comfortable. The padding is generous, although the fit slightly masks the comfort.
During back-to-back rides with the EXO-R2000 and the Icon Airmada Elemental (review), the Icon felt more plush, with thicker padding and it’s also quieter, although it is designed as a street helmet and not a racing helmet.
Scorpion has a name for everything and the “KwikWick II” liner does seem to draw moisture away from the skin better than other types.
The Scorpion “KwikFit” curved cheek pads, which are tapered at the top to help eyeglass wearers, do a good job and make for a custom-fitted helmet feel.
The helmet also has the Scorpion “AirFit Liner Inflation System”.
This is a finger-operated pump inside the chin bar that fills the cheek pads with air to give a custom fit. You’d have to have a pretty narrow chin line to actually need to inflate the cheek pads, but it’s there just in case.
Although we’re calling the EXO-R2000 a “Narrow” fit, it will also fit “Slight Narrow” heads and it even fits the Editor’s “Round” head in a pinch, so “Neutral” shapes might work also, thus the wide range estimation in the chart below. Again, try it — you may like it.
More information on helmet fit can be found in the webBikeWorld Motorcycle Helmet FAQ page, along with the chart that lists the helmet weights of webBikeWorld reviewed helmets and also by shape on the webBikeWorld Motorcycle Helmet Shapes page.
Score: We’ll give the EXO-R2000 an “Outstanding” for an internal shape and comfort.
Top vents and brow vent on the EXO-R2000. Two-position chin vent directs air up through the top only or through the top and through vents inside the chin bar.Face Shield, Eye Port and Visibility
A trimmer shell fit and four shell sizes have the potential to improve visibility by keeping the shell closer to the rider’s face.
But the visibility in both the horizontal and vertical planes for the EXO-R2000 seems about average, which fits the racing helmet paradigm because the designers need to minimize the size of the openings to improve structural rigidity.
The face shield on the EXO-R2000 has an easy-to-use lever on the left that acts as a lock and also to lift the face shield slightly for defogging.
Push it down and the face shield pops open slightly for defogging; the center position is “neutral” and push the lever up with the face shield in the closed position to lock it closed to prevent opening at high speeds.
The Scorpion “Everclear” treatment means that the face shield is anti-fog and anti-scratch coated. It lifts through 5 detents with a solid feel. It’s very easy to remove by pulling on a small lever on each side.
Replacing the face shield is a simple matter of pushing the two tabs into the spring-loaded clips on each side.
The helmet comes with a clear face shield and they even throw in a dark tint face shield for free in the box in a fabric pouch.
The face shield is labeled as meeting VESC-8 standards and this one measures 2.17 mm thick. A Pinlock insert is listed as an option but we didn’t try it so we don’t know how it fits the EXO-R2000’s face shield, as it does not have a recess or Pinlock posts.
The eye port has a full surround gasket that seals tightly against the face shield to pass our water entry test.
Scorpion calls their spring-loaded face shield retention system the “Ellip-Tec Ratchet System” and it pulls the face shield closed tightly against the gasket.
The top vents, chin vent and brow vent also close tightly so the EXO-R2000 is a good choice for wet-weather riding.
Score: We’ll give the EXO-R2000 an “Excellent” for above average outward visibility and the sealing performance of the face shield.
Ventilation and Exhaust
The top vents on the EXO-R2000 have a different design that incorporates a sort-of Venturi exhaust system out the back. Each of the two vents has a two-position slider that positively closes the vent or opens it for air intake.
The vents work exceptionally well and provide outstanding upper ventilation, especially when the head is tilted forward as it would be for racing or on a sportbike. Lots of air can be felt flowing through the helmet and out the back.
The brow vent directs air down through two openings along the top of the eye port (and possibly elsewhere in the helmet).
The chin vent opens to two positions; the first position flows air along the top of the chin bar and the second position does that and adds air flow through two large vertical intake ports that come through on either side of the chin bar towards the rider’s face.
Scorpion says there are a total of 6 intake vents and 10 exhaust vents in the helmet and overall, the ventilation is outstanding compared to other helmets we’ve reviewed.
Score: We’ll give the EXO-R2000 ventilation system and operation of the parts a score of “Outstanding”.
A chin curtain, emergency release pulls for the cheek pads and reflective material in the liner.EXO-R2000 Sound Levels
The EXO-R2000 seems about average for noise levels. It’s possible that the tighter fit of the trimmer shell size means less padding and/or EPS, bringing the ears closer to the outer portion of the shell.
We’re not sure, but it seems like engine noises are slightly more noticeable wearing this helmet than others.
There is a fairly deep ear pocket on each side for a speaker (do MotoGP racers listen to music while riding?!). It’s lined at the outer portion but the narrow fit puts the ear pretty close to the helmet shell and this makes some wind rushing noise apparent.
Turbulence from a windscreen seems well controlled however and the EXO-R2000 is probably quieter than most racing helmets.
Overall, we rate the EXO-R2000 as about average for noise control which, considering that this helmet is designed for racing, is actually pretty good.
Score: We’ll give the EXO-R2000 an “Excellent” for average noise levels.
wBW Video: Scorpion EXO-R2000 Helmet
Helmet Weight
This EXO-R2000 in size XL weighs 1658 grams (3 lbs. 10-1/2 oz.), which is about average to slightly less than average for a size XL. The air bladder system undoubtedly adds a few grams and to be honest, it’s probably unnecessary.
For comparison, the Icon Airframe (review) in size XL weighs 1657 grams; the Arai Profile (review)in size XL weighs 1658 grams; the AGV Skyline (review) in size L weighs 1661 grams and the HJC FG-17 (review) in size XL weighs 1667 grams.
All of these weights are available on the wBW Motorcycle Helmet Weights page, along with a chart that lists the helmets by weight and shape on the wBW Motorcycle Helmet Shapes page.
Score: The EXO-R2000 gets a “Very Good” for its weight and excellent balance.
Miscellaneous
Scorpion has a five year warranty from date of purchase or 7 years from date of manufacture. Face shields have a one year warranty from original purchase date.
The EXO-R2000 meets the DOT standard and it is Snell M2010 certified in the U.S.
| webBikeWorld Overall Opinionator: Scorpion EXO-R2000 | |
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| Picks… | …and Pans |
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Conclusion
The Scorpion EXO-R2000 is a fresh new design that brings a rich feature set to the racing helmet arena. Typically, this type of helmet focuses on function, not features, but the EXO-R2000 has everything a street rider needs.
Outstanding ventilation, the four shell sizes, a comfortable liner, vent hardware that seals tightly and a positive-feel city defogging position capability for the face shield are a sportbiker’s dream.
The EXO-R2000 is a direct competitor to ultra-high-end helmets like the Arai Corsair V (review), theShoei RF-1200 (review) and others.
Yet it has more features and a much lower price.
That it can do so while also marking the path as Scorpion’s first true racing helmet is a credit to the designers and the way they have re-imagined just about every aspect of the helmet in their quest to beat the competition at their own game.
| wBW Product Review: Scorpion EXO-R2000 Helmet | |
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| Manufacturer: Scorpion Sports | List Price: $369.95 to $389.95 |
| Colors: Solids and graphics. | Made In: China |
| Sizes: XS to 2XL. | Review Date: October 2014 |
| Shell Sizes: 4 | |
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Rating Scale is subjective: Unacceptable, Poor, Neutral, Very Good, Excellent, Outstanding.
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