“Why should adults have all the fun?”, your kids might have said at some time. Well, it’s not that kids don’t have fun but serious motorcycle riding is limited to adults, and so are the helmets. But as more kids take up mini motorcycles (battery powered or otherwise), they are going to need that protection as well. Especially at that age when their bone structure is malleable and prone to serious injury.
So Voss has taken it upon themselves and arranged for a helmet line up specially for the kiddos. And one of them is the VOSS 970Y Youth / Kids Full Face Helmet. This one has a pink lily graphic on it to match a mother-daughter rider attire. On top of that, the helmet has been certified by DOT and ECE. Nice!
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?
Everything about this helmet screams glossy and shiny. The paint job is glossy black with the pink graphic breaking up the reflection at places. The glossy finish mixed with matte black plastic parts definitely makes this helmet look nice. And the pink lily graphic makes it stand out. A black and pink combination catches the attention of everyone at once. The lilies are beautifully done and the stalks have a circular design all over the place, like a minimalistic art theme.
The aesthetic design is modern enough. There’s none of that bubbly nonsense and big round things anywhere on the helmet, which is a nice change. Voss has done a good thing moving away from stereotyping (although the pink lilies graphic drops a hint).
The shell has a nice, angular design with a single ridge starting from the jaw line, going round the back and over to the other side.
A gasket covers up the shell edges on the other side. A quick release clasp is a great addition, so that your kid will be able to operate the chin strap with just one hand, gloved or not. This will keep the fuss pots calm.
The Top Features to Look Out For
The attractive design and catchy graphic does its job well in appealing to the kids. But does it satisfy you about its safety and other features? Have a look.
Shell
The shell of Voss 970Y is made from ABS, which means extra strength and protection against cracks as well as abrasion. This is better than fiberglass which is needed for heavy loads. The ABS shell weighs about 1300 grams for the large size, which equates to about 2.866 pounds. This is as lightweight as it can get at this point for your kid, so the neck muscles will not have it hard even if worn for extended durations.
Voss has made the 970Y available in three sizes – small, medium and large, even for kids. This shows how much thought they have put in the lid design. They even mention that this helmet can be worn by adult men or women with XXS or XXXS sized heads as well. Why should kids have all the fun?
When you look at the overall shape from the underneath, you’ll find that the outline is somewhat long oval. This is fine, because the padding will take care of the fitting correctly, and work for most kids out there. But some children with wider heads will need help adjusting to the profile and reduce the wobble on the horizontal axis. Luckily, they have provided a sizing chart which can be referenced before handing out this bundle of joy to the apple of your eye.
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.
Visors
The Voss 970Y comes with a clear face shield with a spring loaded locking mechanism to make its popping up or down easy for them.
A single metallic screw holds the retention mechanism on each side. So if you are planning to replace the shield with a new one or a different tint, you’d better have your screwdriver ready.
There’s no internal sun visor in this helmet. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway because your kid can’t play Robocop with this thing on.
Ventilation
There’s a chin vent at the front which can be shut off or kept open. This is connected directly to the channels in the stylish looking breath guard at the front. The channels bifurcate and blow air directly on the kid’s face as well as the inner side of the face shield to provide it a bit of an anti fogging boost.
Two chimney vents let the air in over the scalp of your child’s head which are connected to the air channels in the EPS. These route the incoming air towards the Venturi exhaust, sucking the stale air out.
A chin curtain is also provided that can be removed or installed back depending on the preference of air coming in from underneath.
Padding and Lining
The padding on this helmet is super thick and comfortable, which is essential for kids.
The lining is smooth, wicking and hypoallergenic. The cheek pads and the comfort liner can be removed for washing.
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.
Customer Reviews
Customers love this helmet, because their kids love this helmet. Most of them reported perfect fits and no problems whatsoever.
Bottom Line
A robust and stylish helmet which has DOT and ECE ratings for safety, the Voss 970 Y will make an excellent gift to your child who is into motorbike sports.