The new Touratech Aventuro Carbon dual-sport modular (convertible) helmet is also what we call a true modular.
That’s using the webBikeWorld definition of the word, because it easily converts to a full-face or off-road helmet that can be used with goggles.
Touratech is known for their luggage and accessories and the Aventuro is a new venture; their first motorcycle helmet.
It’s always a surprise when a newcomer beats the establishment at their own game and Touratech may have just done that with this impressive new carbon fiber helmet.
Truth be told, we were expecting a generic, re-branded dual-sport design; perhaps something like the FLY/AFX dual-sport format we’ve seen a dozen times.
But the Aventuro impressed us upon first sight, with its light weight and host of useful features.
It’s immediately obvious that someone who knows dual-sport riding and adventure-touring had a hand in the design.
The Aventuro is one of the lightest dual-sport helmets you’ll find.
It also has a sturdy “flow-through” peak to reduce lift and a large eye port for goggles.
Included is a large Pinlock-ready face shield that locks (rare to non-existent on a dual-sport helmet), a chin vent backed by removable foam filters, a large chin curtain and a nicely padded and comfortable liner.
The webBikeWorld definition of a “modular” helmet means it can be converted from one form to another. Remove the peak and the Aventuro converts from a dual-sport to a street helmet.
Remove the face shield and add the peak and you have an off-road helmet for use with goggles.
There’s a lot more to this helmet, including a novel idea: side plates and a top mount that act as a base to attach an action camera. Let’s take a closer look…
Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality
We didn’t know what to expect when the box with the Touratech Aventuro arrived.
This isn’t an inexpensive helmet but we’ve seen too many dual-sport helmets that are basically a re-branding of an existing generic design.
Most of those have been disappointing in one way or another.
Compound that with the fact that Touratech is mostly known for its rugged adventure-touring luggage, along with other dual-sport technical gear.
Would they really know how to design a helmet? All signs pointed to a “slap a logo on it and call it done” effort.
Those thoughts evaporated faster than a quantum singularity as soon as the box was opened. The Aventuro is one serious piece of work and the more we dug into it, the more impressed we became.
The first thing you’ll notice is the light weight, courtesy of the carbon fiber construction. There may be another carbon fiber dual-sport helmet out there, but it doesn’t come quickly to memory.
Not that carbon fiber is the only solution for light weight.
As an example, the AGV AX-8 Dual EVO (review) is the current dual-sport featherweight champ, weighing in at a svelte 1514 grams. But that’s only 57 grams less than the Aventuro…and the AGV helmet isn’t a modular.
The Aventuro is available in unadorned carbon fiber construction or painted with one of several complimentary color patterns.
This one is the “Rallye” version with white panels outlined in yellow over the carbon fiber. It looks great and the fit and finish is top-drawer, commensurate with the asking price.
All of the moving parts have a solid feel and you wouldn’t know the peak is removable, because it feels sturdy and secure.
Touratech throws in a bunch of accessories that allow an easy swap between dual-sport, full-face and off-road but our feeling is that the Aventuro will probably be kept in its dual-sport configuration most of the time.
The liner and padding also comes in for kudos; the fabric is of excellent quality and the patterns at the bottom of the helmet look exceptionally nice and compliment the overall color scheme.
The overall fit and finish of the liner and fabric, along with the gasket along the bottom of the helmet shell, have a quality appearance.
Score: We’ll rate the Touratech Aventuro as “Outstanding” for overall quality. See the Summary Table at the bottom of the page for a description of our rating system.
Aventuro Helmet Fit, Internal Shape and Liner
The Aventuro helmet size range runs from XS to XXL.
We assume there are at least two shell sizes for this range but we’re waiting on confirmation of that. This helmet is a size large, listed as fitting a 59-60 cm head and that seems correct..
The internal shape feels “Neutral” to “Slightly Narrow”, according to the webBikeWorld motorcycle helmet shapes naming conventions.
It should fit a variety of head shapes with no problem.
The internal shape feels similar to the Arai RX-Q (review) but maybe shaded a touch more toward “Round” or “Neutral” than that helmet. I say this because the Aventuro fits my (Rick) round head, which is widest at the temples.
The Aventuro helmet shell has a slight taper towards the bottom, which provides a secure fit but makes the cheek pads feel slightly tight for a wider jaw. We’re not sure if cheek pads with different widths are available as an option.
The padding is thick and the liner is comfortable; it feels something like a cross between, say, an HJC and a typical Arai or Shoei liner — all good things.
The ear pockets are sized for speakers and the EPS has a molded speaker recess.
There’s a nice speaker pocket made from thicker fabric underneath and thinner fabric on top with holes, so this has been specifically designed for speaker placement, another simple but nice feature.
The liner and cheek pads are removable and Touratech includes some stick-on pads that can be used to customize the internal shape of the helmet (see the video).
UPDATE: Eyeglasses or sunglasses with straight temples fit with no obstructions. The cheek pad/liner split doesn’t interfere with the eyeglass temples as it can with some other helmets we’ve reviewed.
For “Neutral” to “Narrow” head shapes, eyeglass fit shouldn’t be much of a problem with the Aventuro, although the recent Arai helmets seem to be the current champs when it comes to eyeglass placement.
More information on helmet fit can be found in the webBikeWorld Motorcycle Helmet FAQ page.
Also, see the chart that lists the helmet weights of webBikeWorld reviewed helmets and also by shape on the webBikeWorld Motorcycle Helmet Shapes page.
Score: We rate the Aventuro as “Outstanding” for shape, comfort and padding and the nicely designed speaker pockets.
Face Shield, Eye Port and Outward Visibility
The eye port of the Aventuro is wide and tall, typical of a dual-sport helmet, although the outward visibility appears to be slightly less expansive than the Shoei Hornet DS (review) or most off-road (no face shield) helmets.
The dual-sport “beak” doesn’t interfere too much with visibility either.
UPDATE: On the road, the Aventuro’s large eye port provides outstanding visibility in the horizontal plane.
The “drops” or cutouts on either side of the central dual-sport “beak” are especially noteworthy, as they provide better visibility to the sides when doing over-the-shoulder head checks for traffic or looking for cross traffic when you’re at a stop sign.
Visibility in the vertical is excellent, about the equal of the best full-face helmets in this regard.
The optical quality of the face shield is also excellent and combined with the center face shield lock, the system is among the best of any dual-sport helmet we’ve reviewed.
It’s actually better than the Arai system, which doesn’t lock and has somewhat of a loose feel when the face shield comes to the end of its travel as it is closed.
The face shield has excellent optical qualities and it moves through a couple of soft detents. It does not have a recess or molding for the Pinlock insert, which is a plus (a Pinlock insert is apparently included but wasn’t included with our helmet for some reason).
So if you’re not using the Pinlock insert, there’s nothing to block the view. It does have a slightly flared edge all the way around. The face shield measures 2.25 mm thick.
The face shield also has a locking tab at the center; rare or non-existent on most dual-sport helmets (off-road helmets with face shield).
It’s handy and it works as a lift tab and the face shield can be opened slightly for defogging when it’s lowered to the lock but not snapped shut — another plus.
There are secondary lift tabs on either side of the central lock, which make it easy to manipulate the face shield with either hand.
A gasket fully surrounds the eye port and this, combined with the face shield lock, prevents any water from entering the helmet. This is another plus and one of the weak points of other dual-sport helmets.
We tried a couple of pair of standard size off-road goggles, which fit the eye port.
Score: The visibility and face shield operation of the Aventuro is outstanding.
Aventuro Vents and Ventilation
The Aventuro’s chin vent has an interesting design, with a rocker that forms a recess on top when pushed and allows air to flow through a removable foam filter. The bottom part of the rocker has a small horizontal hole that should add to the ventilation.
The rocker can be removed to clean the filter.
There’s a removable plastic grid on the inside of the chin bar, held by four Phillips head screws.
The grid holes were filled with plastic flashing from the mold in our helmet but it was easy to scrape away the excess.
Side vents on either side of the chin bar appear to be more for show than go. There’s an opening towards the rear but it doesn’t appear to have any way to let air flow into the helmet. The air possibly flows over the top of the EPS in the chin bar.
Two top vents have flush-mounted slider covers. The covers are stiff and slightly difficult to open but perhaps they will become looser over time.
The vents have a large intake passage through the EPS and there are channels molded into the EPS on the inside, so there appears to be a good potential for air flow.
There are also three large holes on either side of center in the EPS inside the helmet, along with channels in the rear that flow the air out the dual exhaust ports in back of the helmet.
UPDATE: On the road, the Aventuro has excellent ventilation in the lower half, with good control over the amount of air flow via the rocker-type chin vent (description below). The foam filtration system doesn’t seem to affect the amount of air coming through.
The top vents bring in fresh air but the air flow is subtle, the helmet doesn’t get hot (at least in the cooler Spring temperatures we’ve been experiencing) and there’s a sense that air is flowing through the top of the helmet and out the exhaust ports in the rear.
We’ll give it an “Above Average” rating.
It will still be 2-3 months before we get the really hot and humid weather typical of summer, but at this point we can say that the ventilation in the Aventuro is probably among the most efficient of the dual-sport helmets we’ve reviewed.
Score: Overall excellent ventilation. Outstanding in the lower half and excellent on top.
Touratech Aventuro Sound Levels
UPDATE: The Aventuro is about average to slightly better than average for noise control compared to other dual-sport helmets we’ve reviewed.
This is highly variable, of course, depending on the type of motorcycle, windscreen and other factors. One of the most important of those factors is helmet fit.
If the internal shape of the helmet doesn’t match the rider’s head and/or leaves gaps along the bottom, noise levels can vary quite a bit and this goes for any helmet.
But overall, the Aventuro’s build quality and plush interior does a good job to dampen noise. There are no unusual noises generated by the flush-fitting top vents either.
Behind the relatively small windscreen of the 2014 Suzuki V-Strom 1000 (Blog), there is some buffeting and just a touch of the “droning” noise that is common with dual-sport or off-road helmets, due to vibrations on and around the peak.
This also will depend on the height of the rider and where the most turbulent air coming off the top of the windscreen hits the helmet.
Bottom line here though is that the Aventuro is about as good as it gets for a dual-sport helmet, compared to other helmets of this type we’ve reviewed, including the Shoei Hornet DS (review), the Arai XD4 (review), the AGV AX-8 Dual EVO (review) and others.
Note that our helmet evaluations are a combined effort of several riders over time on different types of motorcycles with and without windscreens.
Evaluators wear correctly fitted, high quality ear plugs (even when evaluating motorcycle intercom systems).
Always protect your hearing when riding a motorcycle. See the wBW Earplug Reviews for more information on choosing and wearing earplugs.
Note also that perceived noise levels will vary, depending on the individual.
Noise can be caused by many factors, including helmet fit, the type of motorcycle and windscreen, wind speed and direction and even the rider’s clothing.
For more information on helmet noise, visit the wBW Motorcycle Helmet Noise page.
Score: The Aventuro is about average along the top half of the helmet and quieter towards the bottom, so we’ll give it an “Excellent” rating overall.
Aventuro Helmet Weight
The Touratech Aventuro carbon fiber helmet in size large weighs 1571 grams (3 lbs., 7-3/8 oz.), making it one of the lightest dual-sport helmets we’ve reviewed, bested only by the AGV AX-8 Dual EVO (review) at 1514 grams.
The Aventuro feels light and nicely balanced, even compared to most full-face helmets. As a comparison, it weights the same as the off-road (no face shield) Arai VX Pro4 (review).
The X-Lite X-551 (review) in size large weighs 1594 grams, while the Arai XD4 (review) is a hefty 1642 grams in comparison.
The Fly Trekker (review) in size large weighs in at 1795 grams; the AFX FX-41DS (review), also in size large, weighs 1845 grams and the Shoei Hornet DS (review) in size XL weighs 1861 grams.
Helmet Lift and Buffeting
UPDATE: The peak on the Aventuro is said to be specially designed to provide good aerodynamics and minimize lift. This is true at lower speeds, below about 80 km/h, where the lift is noticeably absent.
Over about 80-90 km/h or so, the lift is noticeable and this probably wouldn’t be the helmet you’d want to take on a high(er) speed cross-country interstate ride. But you knew that, right?
As is the case with any dual-sport or off-road helmet (and we can make this general statement with confidence), there is more buffeting with the Aventuro than you might find with most full-face helmets, when riding behind or without a windscreen; it’s just the nature of the design.
The Aventuro is among the better-performing helmets in this regard, but helmet lift and buffeting is something you’ll have to get used to if you have never tried a dual-sport helmet before.
Fortunately, in slower-speed off-road riding, you won’t notice it. But then again, if you’re doing a lot of that, you’re probably on a true off-road bike and wearing a true off-road helmet anyway…
Score: The Aventuro is better than average for lift and buffeting, especially at lower speeds, but it’s still there.
Miscellaneous
The Aventuro a double D-ring chin strap attachment system with a snap to secure the loose end. The chin strap padding feels comfortable.
The Nexx XD1 (review) is a version of the Aventuro, identical in many ways except it has a different shell construction but it includes an internal sun visor.
- Outstanding overall quality.
- Modular design.
- Comfortable liner.
- Very light weight.
- Outstanding visibility out the eye port.
- Designed to fit action camera mounts.
- Buffeting on the peak at higher speeds.
Conclusion
UPDATE: The Touratech Aventuro carbon fiber helmet is very nicely made with a high level of quality. In fact, we’d have to say that this is one of the nicest dual-sport helmets you’ll find at any price.
The feature set is both impressive and useful and it is rider-focused.
The thoughtful addition of flat surfaces to mount an action camera (with double-sided stickies) is a great idea.
We’re pretty much convinced that most owners will use the helmet in the dual-sport and off-road formats, because like every other dual-sport modular we’ve seen, the street conversion looks a bit different. But any way you wear it, the Aventuro looks stylish.
The on-road evaluation is complete and the Aventuro performs as good as it looks.
It’s among the best of the dual-sport helmets considering the entire range of its performance.
And when you combine this with the helmet’s light weight and outstanding build quality, we’re convinced that Touratech (Nexx) may just have beaten the Big Guys at their own game.
Also: Touratech Aventuro Mod Dual-Sport Flip-up Review
Owner Comments and Feedback
See details on submitting comments.
From “E.Y.” (March 2015): “In the summary box above, it does note that the helmet is made by Nexx in Portugal.
But contrary to the comment from ‘H.S.’ (below), I don’t think it’s an exact copy of the NEXX X.D1, as the latter helmet appears to have an internal sun visor.”
Rick’s Reply: Yes, the Nexx X.D1 (review) has an internal sun visor.
From “H.S.” (March 2015): “About this helmet, it’s probably made in the same country of the NEXX XD.1, since it as exactly the same design.”