Final yr, 509 expanded from its snow and off-road gear strains into road motorbike attire. Now we have examined the 509 @One motorbike jacket and the Mach III Carbon full-face helmet. Now, we don the 509 Mach V Carbon helmet and go for some rides.
The 509 Mach V Carbon motorbike helmet has a carbon fiber shell development that allows gentle weight and is a part of the affect safety system that meets the U.S. DOT FMVSS 218 helmet security customary and the a lot stricter ECE 22.06 customary.
With the Blacktop colorway and the clear gel floor that reveals the weave of that carbon fiber shell, the standard of the development is obvious and visual. The payoff of carbon fiber is gentle weight with nice power. Weighing in at solely 3.84 kilos, the Mach V is simple to put on all day lengthy.
The unconventional styling of the Mach V helmet is an attention-grabber. The usual clear face defend extends all the way down to the underside margin of the chin bar and has an easy-to-use carry tab on the level. There, it locks onto a small, molded catch that operates easily and simply, and stays within the desired place.
We included the elective Fireplace Mirror reflective defend on this 509 Mach V Carbon helmet evaluate. On days with extreme clear skies, it earned its hold by easing the necessity to squint and including a shimmering, high-tech look to the helmet. The sunshine smoke tint turns out to be useful, as there isn’t any inside drop-down sunshield. Altering shields is comparatively simple with out instruments, although not with out some issues; extra on that later. In all, there are 4 extra defend choices.
The twin-pane fog and scratch-resistant shields are marked as compliant with ECE 22.06 with the mark E-11 (11 indicating U.Okay.). Meaning the tinted/mirrored shields should enable a transmittance of ≥80 p.c of the usual for incident gentle. As well as, the tint or coating on the defend can’t alter colour notion. In consequence, they don’t seem as darkish as some non-ECE-approved shields. When the using climate turned a lot cooler, defend fogging was not a difficulty.
The purpose of the defend is flanked by the consumption vents for the closable venturi air flow system that echoes the looks of F-22 Raptor intakes. A large hood-scoop closable vent on the 509 Mach V Carbon helmet’s crown brings good topside airflow.
As an alternative of the everyday spherical curve all the way down to the rear from the crown, the road of the helmet tapers to a large and deep rear spoiler. Three purple automotive-style reflectors and twin outlet vents are tucked underneath the spoiler. Beneath them is a lateral rigidity ridge to strengthen the shell additional, and the underside fringe of the shell can be flared out.
The sculpted form of the shell works properly aerodynamically. On a number of days, I rode in excessive, swirling winds, and the 509 Mach V Carbon resisted buffeting and carry, even at interstate speeds.
The consolation liner is an opulent mesh of 85 p.c nylon and 15 p.c spandex. In measurement XL (61-62 cm), the match for me is comfortable, competition-grade, and comfy. To accommodate riders preferring a little bit roomier match, half-thickness cheek pads are included. Sporting glasses works fairly properly, though the padding isn’t recessed for eyeglass compatibility.
Air flow is efficient from the crown vent on the 509 Mach V Carbon. The vent opens with a single slide management that’s simply operated with gloves on. Though a small quantity of air influx happens when the shutter is closed, there isn’t any whistle or buzzing from the shutter in any place.
The facet venturi vents function with small slide controls contained in the chin bar. The effectiveness of the venturi venting system is a bit more difficult to evaluate. Utilizing the precept of the Venturi impact, the air influx with the vents open from the massive intakes to the a lot smaller air channels, one may anticipate the texture of high-volume airflow into the helmet.
Nonetheless, as occurs within the venturi of a carburetor, because the air strikes from a bigger opening right into a constriction, airspeed will increase, and air stress within the constricted channel drops. This creates a slight unfavorable stress within the constricted portion. This attracts heat, moist air from the helmet inside and exhausts it out the again of the vent.
In consequence, the massive intakes on the 509 Mach V Carbon don’t create a perceptible rush of air into the helmet. It’s delicate, utilizing airflow throughout the small inside openings to attract inside air out. The benefit of this method is that the impact may be achieved with out the stream of chilly air on chilly rides. General, in a number of days of using in unseasonably heat climate, the inside by no means felt overheated; you simply don’t really feel the inrush of air such as you do from the crown vent.
Helmet inside noise is about the identical with the vents all open or all closed and isn’t significantly bothersome.
As with the 509 Mach III Carbon full-face helmet, the Mach V has the magnetic Fidlock chin strap buckle. It’s a welcome development from the outdated double D-ring buckle. At first, utilizing the Fidlock appears a little bit, properly, fiddly. Nonetheless, when you do it a number of occasions, it actually buckles itself. Giving the chin strap a agency tug is crucial to verify it has locked as securely because the little audible click on suggests. It opens immediately with a pull on the purple textile tag on the latch. This all occurs along with your gloves on.
The brand helmet bag has an elastic opening as an alternative of the standard drawstring. Some homeowners might not like that it doesn’t utterly enclose the helmet, significantly in the event that they journey with it. The Mach III Carbon mannequin got here with a luggage-quality, zippered carrying bag. That bag is offered individually by 509 for $30.
The proprietor’s guide appears to be lacking some primary consumer info on a number of operation gadgets. It’s additionally onerous to learn—tiny print! For instance, the diagram on methods to use the Fidlock buckle is tough to see and interpret.
Directions on methods to change the defend are a little bit sketchy. Having carried out defend adjustments many occasions, I may work it out shortly, however new riders unfamiliar with hinge techniques might have issue initially. Switching to the elective Fireplace Mirror defend offered an uncommon downside not addressed within the 509 Mach V Carbon motorbike helmet guide.
Due to the defend’s design, the breath deflector is mounted on the defend, not the chin bar. The elective Fireplace Mirror defend doesn’t include a breath deflector, so in order for you one, you’ll must take away it from the usual clear defend and connect it to the elective defend or buy one from 509 for $10.
The screws securing the breath deflector are tiny and blunt-end. The mount level holes on the elective defend don’t seem like threaded, so getting the usual screws to begin proved tough. I obtained it carried out by substituting self-tapping screws. Presumably, the elective breath deflector will embody the right measurement and kind of screws to connect it to the defend. The very best answer is for the elective shields to return with a breath deflector connected. Whereas using with out the breath deflector is feasible, it’s lower than optimum.
References to avoiding frostbite make me marvel if the guide was produced utilizing a snow helmet guide as the premise, because it appears to solely have a obscure connection to the options and operation of the Mach V product.
There’s fairly a little bit of content material about common helmet do-and-don’t gadgets, although probably not a lot that’s direct how-to info on this particular helmet. Additionally, there isn’t any on-line how-to content material but. It’s early days for the brand new 509 road line-up, and that is an merchandise for enchancment.
The 509 Mach V Carbon full-face motorbike helmet is a sophisticated expertise product with room for enchancment within the guide and elective gadgets departments. Gentle weight, twin security certification, venturi impact air flow, handy magnetic chin strap buckle, and slick styling make the 509 Mach V Carbon helmet an all-around worth.
509 Mach V Carbon Helmet Specs
Sizes: S – XXL (55-56cm to 63-64cm)
Weight (measurement XL): 3.84 kilos
Shell: carbon fiber
Certifications: DOT FMVSS 218 and ECE 22.06
Faceshields: Clear, and 4 tinted/mirror choices. No inside solar visor.
Air flow: Twin closable side-mounted venturi inlets, closable crown vent, and non-closable outlet vents
Retention system: Fidlock magnetic chinstrap buckle
Colours: Blacktop; Burner Pink
509 Mach V Carbon Helmet Value: $400 MSRP
