Is the Arai Tour-X5 adventure helmet worth upgrading to?

If you’ve seen Long Way Round, you’ll know that Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman each wore the original version of the Arai Tour-X helmet. And while that set the bar for a cross-over helmet that integrated on- and off-road competence back in 2004, we were never fans of the visor retention system, which made cleaning and maintenance awkward and complicated.

But helmet technology has come a long way in the last two decades, and now we’re on the fifth generation of the popular helmet with the Arai Tour-X5, which we reckon is a substantial improvement on the previous model.

So, if you have an earlier version of the helmet, or perhaps you’re thinking of switching to Arai, is the Tour-X5 worth upgrading to?

To help answer that question, we took a closer look at Arai’s flagship adventure helmet, including examining the standout features of the Tour-X5, and visiting the factory in Japan to witness the craftsmanship that goes into making each helmet by hand.

Arai Tour-X5: what’s new?

If you’re familiar with the Tour-X4, then this is what’s been improved upon with the X5:

• new and improved ventilation configuration
• lower position for the visor mounting points, which is a huge improvement and reduces the amount of faff required to change, clean, and remove the visor
• rounder front-end shape and visor to aid fit and reduce visual distortion
• wider at the cheeks and redesigned cheek pads to improve custom fitting
• the peak has a new shape to improve airflow, aerodynamics, and shielding from low sun
• recesses for comms speakers and intercom tidies at the chin

Thankfully, many of the features we appreciated about the previous Tour-X4 have been carried forward to the X5. These include a large, easily-removable visor and wide aperture which can accommodate goggles for riding off-road. Then there are the eight ventilation ducts that provide excellent airflow. The inner pads offer plenty of adjustability to create the right fit for your head, and there’s an effective and aerodynamic peak.

All these features add up to create a helmet that is great for road touring, extremely capable off-road, and one that can cope with changing conditions whether you’re kicking up dust in a desert or cruising along the blacktop to Nordkapp.

Arai Tour-X5 safety

One thing we haven’t spoken about yet is safety. Now, we know that all reputable helmet manufacturers adhere to strict safety standards, but Arai has a particular reputation for taking safety incredibly seriously. After all, when ABR Founder Alun Davies visited the Arai factory in Japan last year, this is what he wrote:

“It does not take long when walking around the factory to conclude that Arai helmets are made with the single dedication of protection at the fore. Michio Arai (son of company founder Hirotake Arai) and Akihito (Michio’s son and current CEO) display nothing short of religious fanaticism when it comes to the safety aspect of motorcycle helmets.”

While we’re not in the position to independently verify whether or not Arai can outshine its competitors in terms of safety, outside of meeting ECE 22:06 certifications, we have full confidence that Arai cuts no corners in the pursuit of protection.

How does the Arai Tour-X5 perform?

So, on paper, the new Tour-X5 is a step up from its predecessor, but how did it perform when we tested it? Let me defer to Alun’s thoughts when he put the helmet through its paces in Japan.

Here’s what he said:

“I absolutely love the fact that Arai helmets are still made by hand, and that has a value I’m prepared to pay a premium for. But I’m not a charity, and when it comes to spending £599 (or £699) for a helmet, I demand quality, useful features that work well, a great fit, and it needs to come with style and a look that appeal to me. The versatile Arai Tour-X5 ticks all those boxes, and if you can live without a drop-down sun visor, this is as good as an adventure style helmet gets.”

So, overall, the Tour-X5 is a feature-rich adventure helmet that looks fantastic, feels great to wear, and comes with a reassuring commitment to safety. But, to loop back to the question I posed at the start of this story, is it worth upgrading? The answer is a resounding yes. It really is a hugely capable adventure touring helmet.

And yes, at £599.99, it’s a premium product, but the Tour-X5 matches that price with impeccable build quality and thoughtful design that make it one of the best choices for adventure bikers.

Two decades on from the original version that appeared in Long Way Round, and the Tour-X5 has only become an even better choice for around-the-world adventures. We reckon it offers everything needed to be an excellent choice, not just for world-famous bikers, but, more importantly, for you.

Whether you’re upgrading from a Tour-X4, buying your first adventure helmet, or thinking abut trying an Arai, we thoroughly recommend the Tour-X5.

You can find out more about the Arai Tour-X5 here.