INTERIOR SHAPES

       One major reason for Arai's legendary reputation for unmatched comfort and fit is our belief that the shape of a rider's head (the relationship between its length and width) is as important as head size in getting the best helmet fit. That's why we go to the considerable time, effort - and expense - to create more than one interior shell shape. (Arai was the first and only helmet manufacturer to acknowledge and address the fact that not all heads are shaped the same.)

       Shown are the two basic head shapes: the far left is a Round Oval (the front-to-back and side-to-side dimensions are very close); near left is the Long Oval (front-to-back dimension is greater than side-to-side). Both shapes illustrated are the same dimensional size, but obviously different shapes.

       The Arai Profile uses the Long Oval shape. (The Round-Oval shape is used in our Quantum-2 model.)



SHELL CONSTRUCTION

       These days, there are almost as many "revolutionary" shell-construction materials as there are new helmet brands. Arai's decades of experience, research, testing, comparison and evaluation has led us to conclude that fiberglass-based construction is best at performing a motorcycle-helmet shell's main job - spreading and dissipating impact energy through strength, structural integrity and impact-flexibility. The Profile's Super clc (Complex Laminate Construction) shell utilizes the latest generation of Arai's proprietary aerospace fiberglass technology to achieve an exceptionally strong, flexible shell in an extremely lightweight package.



ONE-PIECE LINER

       Arai's EPS liner is like no other, comprised of several material densities molded into a single piece. Arai pioneered this technology more than 20 years ago and is still, to our knowledge, the only helmet offering a single-piece hybrid liner and its unique benefit: the direct-fused contact area that each EPS cell shares with it neighboring cells creates a mutual support - as one is crushed under impact, the surrounding cells assist with the energy absorption. (Liner pieces that are simply fitted or glued together cannot rely on such a high-level support bond.)



VENTILATION

       Arai's quality is so singularly advanced that it reaches the world's highest level of racing, a place so technical, so demanding, that most other helmet makers can't even imagine it, let alone compete in it. The world of Formula One auto racing.

       (In fact, Arai not only competes, but is chosen by more than half of the F-1 grid! Including the new 2006 world champion and three of the top-five drivers.)

       One of the benefits of Arai's F-1 involvement is that we learned the best way to ventilate a helmet is to pull the hot stale air out rather than pushing new air in. (This led Arai to introduce the world's first diffuser-mounted motorcycle helmet, the RX-7 series, one of our most-copied features ever.)

       Using this, the Profile's vents are designed to flow and exhaust the maximum amount of air and are recessed into the shell to reduce drag and wind turbulence. Plus, our patented, dual-pivot chinvent gate allows adjustment to provide fresh air to either the mouth area or up to the inner-shield surface to help clear occasional fogging. Yes, all this costs more to produce. But we think it works better and feels better.



VENTILATION-EXCLUSIVE FREE-FLOW SYSTEM

       The FFS FreeFlow System combines a number of the helmet's components (cheekpads, neckroll and extended pull-down chin spoiler) to further reduce wind noise and turbulence while increasing the exhaust of hot air from the face area for more rider comfort.



VENTILATION-PATENTED DUAL-PIVOT CHIN VENT

       First introduced on the RX-7 Corsair, Arai's patented Dual-Pivot® chin vent is a two-position dual-pivot hinge mechanism that allows for increased airflow capacity to two areas. The first vent position directs air directly to face, through a carbon-coated foam filter; the second position directs air to shield to aid occasional de-fogging.



VENTILATION-EXCLUSIVE BROW VENT FACESHIELD

       Our exclusive brown vent faceshield brings fresh air in through the shield and directs it into the forehead area. Arai prefers this method rather than punching extra holes in the critical forehead area which reduces both outer shell and inner EPS liner material where it's needed most.



LRS SHIELD REMOVAL

       Arai's LRS tool-less shield-removal system has to be one of the most misunderstood shield systems on the planet. But watch racers Nicky Hayden and Kenny Roberts, Jr. swap Arai faceshields on video while wearing the helmet and you see for yourself how really easy it is.

       Riders ask us why Arai continues to use side pods when others have gone pod-less? After all, pod-less systems are easier to make, requiring a simple flat surface beneath the pivot point. Yet Arai's experience says that flat spots in the curved shell shape diminish shell integrity, whereas continuing the shell's three-dimensional curve beneath the shield pivot-points (that nobody sees) maintains shells integrity.

       Our way is complicated and costly, requires a significant commitment of R&D resources, and is possible only with the experience and talent capable of creating a system of pod components that must incorporate extremely difficult compound curves in order to work with the shell's "natural" curvature.

       But the Arai Way is about building motorcycle helmets the best way humanly possible. If it were easy, everyone would do it.



ORGANIC SHELL SHAPE

       Arai's "organic" shell design not only looks smaller and more natural (instead of big and round), but by design it helps the Profile fit the human head shape more closely. This organic design also moves through the wind more easily while maximizing air intake via five strategically-placed vent areas on the frontal surface alone.

       Arai's unique FFS (Free Flow System) design works with the new Organic shell shape to help further reduce wind noise and turbulence by eliminating bulky shell elements.



REMOVEABLE LINER

       First introduced by Arai in the late '80s, removable liners have evolved into extremely-comfortable and convenient features .The Profile's fully removable, washable, and replaceable interior comfort-liner components also permit micro-fitting of a helmet in between-size scenarios.