The Scorpion EXO-700 Helmet in black and white Dahlia designs among others.

The following review is by guest contributor Melissa. Melissa rides a Vespa ET-4 daily and started riding earlier this year. Melissa is also an active member of the NY Scooter Club. If you’d like to contribute to NYCScootering.com, we’d love to hear from you.

As a new female rider, I’ve been searching for the perfect helmet since I started riding earlier this summer. I’ve been looking for one that merges my need for protection and my desire for something feminine. I started out with two half shell helmets for the summer heat and then purchased a copter style helmet for commuting. After purchasing my third helmet, I realized that I needed more protection for crossing the bridges and tunnels and to protect my skin during the winter months ahead. My online search led me to the Black Dahlia model full face helmet from Scorpion.

As soon as I received my new helmet, I tried it on at home and felt claustrophobic. I was warned that this would take some getting used to. I also noticed that I felt like my face was being compressed which I wasn’t used to. Although I did feel safer, I did feel a little claustrophobic.

Air Flow
I wore the helmet on a warm day on my daily commute to work over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and immediately noticed less of a drag on my head and neck from the wind. Turning my head to change lanes was also easier. The helmet has a good ventilation system with adjustable vents in the front and rear which helps keep you cool without any noise interference.

I also noticed that on a warm day my head didn’t sweat as much as I expected it to in an enclosed helmet. I credit the dry fit to the KwikWick moisture-wicking helmet liner.

Fit & Weight
The Black Dahlia weighs about 3.5 lbs which makes it the heaviest helmet I own and have ever used but it does not make it uncomfortable to wear nor does it create any pain in the neck muscles.

I was a little concerned when I first purchased this helmet because it felt claustrophobic given my inexperience with wearing full face helmets. I’ve been wearing this for a couple of weeks now and have become used to the full face helmet feel.

Noise Levels
The helmet does reduce the amount of wind noise I experience with my other helmets but the lack of a chin skirt does allow more wind to travel through the helmet which can be corrected if I purchase the additional chin skirt for an additional $7.99.

Decoration
As a fashion conscious female rider, I wanted to be sure I had a feminine helmet that wasn’t pink or ridiculously girly with copious amounts of butterflies or predictable female designs. The Black Dahlia is a matte black helmet with a tasteful dark flower pattern without going overboard. The design nicely captures the name of the helmet.

Pros

• Fog free and quick change shield
• Removable cheek pads for easy cleaning
• Relatively lightweight
• Matching jacket can be purchased to match the Black Dahlia design
• Price

Cons

• Lack of chin skirt
• Lack of reflective material

Overall this is a good helmet for the price and the feel of a full face helmet is growing on me. I’m about to purchase the matching jacket for winter because it not only coordinates nicely but it comes with a removable winter lining and has plenty of vents to assist with the transition from the summer to the fall season.

MSRP $219.95

I purchased the Black Dahlia Motorcycle Helmet made by Scorpion online from helmetcity.com because they offered free 2 day shipping via FedEx and didn’t charge.

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