Scorpion has upped their build quality to bring you the EXO 500 in their line-up of models, but as a value oriented one. Gauging the mood of the market and recognizing the importance of the feature set available in the higher end models like the EXO 1000, Scorpion has attempted to bring those extras in and cram them in the sub premium helmet category.
Does it work? Let us see.
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 Would You Love?
The helmet has DOT as well as ECE 22.05 ratings, so you know you are getting a quality product.
The ventilation system has been revamped to increase the air flow. This might worry the serene and the silent, but it’s either wind noise or air flow. In this case, it is air flow. Deal with it; wear ear plugs or a Bluetooth communication unit.
It feels like a subtle upgrade from the EXO 400 with additional features at a minute increase in the cost. The design cues are there, but the creases and cut lines increase the modern style many fold.
The entire helmet seems to be like a solid piece, with finishes normally found in exotic and premium products. The construction has a rigid feel to it which seems to whisper a silent assurance about the build quality of this helmet.
The Top Features to Look Out For
So you open the box and you have your surprise. What is this surprise really made of? Check it out.
Shell
The shell is made of polycarbonate, which is what everyone appears to be using nowadays, before moving on to tri composite as a standard. But that’s reserved for some premium helmets at the moment. The fit is an intermediate narrow, which is fine for people with oval shape heads. But riders with slightly round or wider heads may find it a tad too tight. The inflatable ballasts in the cheek pads won’t do you any good in that sense. Had it been the opposite, however, you’d just have filled up the cheek pad ballasts and have had a snug fit thereafter.
This will also cause your chin to touch the air pump for the ballasts in some cases.
The helmet weight has been misreported on some sites as 11 pounds, but that is not the case. Perhaps the item with its box and all the goodies inside weighs that much. The helmet itself stands at about 3lbs. 10-11 oz. and is a bit on the heavy side of things.
Visors
The EXO 500 is provided with the Scorpion EverClear faceshield with an anti-fog treatment as default. Its locking mechanism is spring loaded which is supposed to pull it in against the visor gasket, preventing any rain. A lever assists in the locking and unlocking of the visor to seal you in completely. An extra setting of the lever lets you use the face shield in the ‘cracking’ position to have a gap for allowing some fresh air in if needed. The Speed Shift release mechanism makes it as easy as twisting a knob to pop the shield out. Quite literally.
A sun visor is also included. It is operated with a simple lever behind the face shield mount on the left hand side. However, it can only be adjusted in the ‘on or off’ position.
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
Dual top vents and a chin vent take care of letting in fresh air in the ‘Aero-Tuned Ventilation’ system. The chin vent is responsible as the main inlet and allows an impressive amount of air in. It is supplemented by two jaw line vents that route the incoming air around your lower jaw. A breath guard not only deflects your breath down, but redirects the incoming air over the face shield and up the brow for added anti-fogging effect.
A chin curtain helps prevent chilly air in if you decide to let it be.
There are not two, three, four, or even five, but six exhaust vents on this helmet, in total. Always open, you can be sure that they work over time in getting that warm, moist air out the lid by operating on the basis of the Venturi principle.
Padding and Lining
KwikWick 2 fabric keeps your skin comfortable in all kinds of weather. The fabric is anti-microbial, removable and washable in cold water, which is always a plus. It is a bit tight near the temples, so anyone wishing to wear sunglasses with this lid on is in for a poky surprise.
The AirFit inflatable cheek pad system allows you to inflate or deflate the ballasts in order to fit the helmet as tight or loose as you want it to, on your cheeks. It saves you from buying a separate set of cheek pads or fillers, so there is value in this system.
Customer Reviews
Many customers found this helmet spectacular, but reduced a star for some water leaks in the rain, outrageous wind noise without ear plugs, flimsy visor system and less than functional dark tint on the sun visor.
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
This is as close as you can get to the EXO 1000 with a cheaper substitute. It is robust, stylish and chock full of features that you can boast about in your circle of riders. So if you need that premium feel in a value for money helmet, this is the one to go for.