The already familiar Italian make X-Lite X – 802 RR helmet is being made available in all sorts of decorations by X-Lite in their effort to cater to the creative audience. And one of their offerings is the X – 802 RR Ultra Carbon Checa Replica, handmade with care.
Carlos Checa retired in 2013 and with it Nolan Group decided to dedicate one of their top of the line helmets to him in acknowledgement of his association with them since 1993, reflecting accurately on the graphic of that helmet.
This helmet too, only comes in with a DOT rating, so chuck those ECE rating hopes out the back.
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What Would You Love?
The cool thing about the Checa graphic is the shifting of the tint from bright orange or a redder tone throughout coating. Not only does this graphic has shapes of continents in its design, but also the names of all the tracks that Carlos Checa managed to win in his 20 year career of GP and World SBK.
The years have been marked down either sides of the helmet – with 2011 in red to acknowledge the fact that he won the 2011 Superbike World Championship. At the rear of the helmet, above the spoiler is the cool Bull-7 logo that Carlos had going for him, right in the middle of the Mohawk carbon fiber weave.
The absolute top has a circular hub in the shape of a wheel which looks like a badge recognizing 20 years of motorbike racing with passion, excitement and speed.
Top Features to Look Out For
Shell
With an intermediate oval shape, the helmet should fit everyone without any issues. But people have already commented about X-Lite’s size charts being somewhat wonky and recommended buying a size extra than your natural one for a comfortable fit, should you decide to go for it anyway.
Weighing 3 lbs. 4 oz. on a standard size (lower on lower sizes), it should not give you any neck problems if all you are going to do is rest it on the tank of your SBK, but the pickier among you may consider this before going in for the bite.
The shell is the same carbon fiber that you expect from the X-802 RR being the same base with just the different graphic. There is no apparent upgrade or hidden Easter eggs in the helmet on account of it being decorated with the Checa graphic. But you can, of course, keep looking.
Visors
The visor on the X-802 RR is an ultra-wide, double action one with a silicone sealed profile or Full Silicone Border (FSB). A PinLock anti-fog lens is included in the box which can be attached with minimal effort, thanks to pre-installed PinLock compatible pins on the inside.
The fitting system comes with a press release mechanism, which feels tougher to remove but easier to install, like a snap – lock system.
As you’d expect, no drop down sun visors, since this is a racing helmet at its heart.
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
The Racing Air Flow system, developed after extensive testing in wind tunnels and on track, really creates a massive airflow in the enclosed compartment. So even if the helmet gets hot in a hot environment, which is true for any helmet out there, the airflow should keep the sweat off your head with quick precision.
Vented EPS makes this process even more efficient with its wide air channels and 10 mm vent holes. They’re still behind Schuberth’s super massive 15 mm ones, but the additional vents on both sides of the central roof scoop, a big chin vent and a visor vent make up for the belittled size factor.
The exhaust vents are also very efficient in maintaining a continuous flow without letting that air get stuck in any part of the helmet.
Padding and Lining
An anti-bacterial liner makes sure that there are no infection causing things stuck after wicking up your sweat and an anti-static interior takes care of any static electricity that your hair might pick up, travelling at triple digit speeds.
The active carbon filaments remove all odor and smell in the helmet to keep the insides as fresh as possible before getting saturated, which is when you can remove the pads and comfort liner with relative ease for an easy wash.
The X-802 RR may feel too snug for comfort because of the cheek pads hugging your jaw and cheek bones a little tight, but this is supposed to keep the lid stable at the desired speeds.
Customer Reviews
The X-Lite X 802 RR Ultra Carbon Checa Replica is quite popular with the masses, barring a few complaints about tight cheek pads and a lack of an emergency release system for a premium helmet like this. A few of them also had issues with the visor attachment.
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
One would think that the Checa Replica would have addressed those issues because it is special, with it being a tribute to Carlos Checa and all. But sadly it is the same X – 802 RR from Nolan and X-Lite, just with the Checa graphic for showbiz.
But it is not necessarily a bad thing. It is still a premium helmet and does what it is supposed to do with commendable effort; so your decision should alter based on functionality, but rather the user-friendliness of it.