Steelbird launched their SBA-2 helmet earlier this year, it is one of the very few full faced helmets to sport a full length visor, the helmet looked unique in its own ways. After using the helmet on my daily commute for about a month here are the findings. Looks and styling:
Man trust me, this helmet is one hell of an attention seeker, ever since I started using it, loads and loads of people kept asking me for its price and as to where I got it. Something really cool is that, when you open the lid, you feel like Iron man. The helmet looks unique with a large visor, with neat curves on its body and loads of vents for air to flow through.
The back side vents have a stainless steel mesh that lets air to flow through it easily. The model which we received was the falg model with a rainbow visor and a clear visor along with it in the box. The helmet is well built and feels very solid. The helmet is said to be designed in Italy meeting the European standards. It comes with an ISI certification here.
The helmet is available in several colors which helps a rider choose the color he wants for his motorcycle. The major drawback of the helmet is that it is totally impossible to mount a holder for an action camera, it is a very big draw back if you are a Motovlogger.Visibility and comfort:
I have two other helmets, SOL-SF2M and THH T76, trust me they are no where close to the visibility that the SBA-2 provides. It feels like a wide angle camera, everything is literally visible when you wear it. I can see the road clearly when I wear the helmet. The rainbow colored visor is good for morning and noon rides, provides great protection from sunshine and dust. But it isn't recommended for night usage, it will make the visibility zero, you can only see the light of the vehicle in front of you and nothing else.
I wore it once in the rain and it was a nightmare for me, nothing was seen at all, this is when the transparent visor comes into aid, it provides great visibility during day and night time, it is crystal clear. I would prefer sticking to the transparent visor during night time rides.
Coming to the comfort, the helmet feels very comfortable to wear, but lacks padding till the cheeks, the padding ends at the end of the ear and is totally empty from there. The cushions are pretty decent. The cushions for the top area are really good. Ventilation:
The major advantage of the helmet lies on the word ventilation, it is very well ventilated from every side, I've hardly sweat wearing this even under the hot sun. Huge air vents are placed on the center, top and bottom sides of the helmet. But the ventilation itself can get annoying at times since the wind noise post 70kms is very high, you can hear whistle noises caused by the wind.
But something good is that, it is really stable even at 140kmph, there is very very little movement of the helmet even at that speed and heavy wind. The air easily cuts off through its shape. The interior cushions of the helmet are removable and washable, a great advantage to avoid nasty smells protruding from the inside of the helmet.
Verdict:This is a very good helmet for city rides, it is very comfortable to wear and will always keep the head safe and ventilated. For a price tag of Rupees 2799, it is a bang for the buck.
By: Rishath Suresh
Photographs By: Yogesh