Shoei GT Air II

Anyone here have experience with the Shoei GT Air II? Interested in their opinion of the positive and negative aspects of the helmet.

I have one and have installed the Sena SRL bluetooth system. Unfortunately it won't be for at least five, maybe six weeks before I can ride and report on it. However, if it is as good as my original GT Air, I will be thrilled with it. The original was super quiet.

I actually bought two GT Air IIs, a small as was my original, and a medium. The new small was too tight, the medium, not tight enough. Supposedly the shells are all the same, just the cheek pads are different. When I swapped the pads, the medium was a much better fit with the small cheek pads, but still a bit loose for my comfort zone. The small, with the medium cheek pads was a perfect fit, which is somewhat puzzling as the medium pads now made the small shell, a medium.

The GT II has groves in the helmet shell for speaker and microphone wires, making the install easy, especially if the Sena SRL bluetooth systemi is used. Side pieces pop off to allow for a quick and easy installation.

One new feature that I don't like and hope to adjust to is the replacement of the D rings with a ratchet chin strap. For me, this feature is bit of an irritant.

However the company I dealt with paid for the return shipping for the medium and told me to keep both sets of pads. They will deduct the price of the medium pads, less than retail I was told, from from my refund of the returned medium GT II.

The original GTAir with the built in sena system is awesome. Been using it for several years. When I have to replace it, it will be with another GTAir.

Thanks for mentioning Sena. I currently have an 10S mounted on my RF-1100. I am happy with it, but may opt for the built in system on the GT Air II. That will enable me to keep the RF-1100 as a back up/loaner with Sena.

Any opinions on the drop down visor. Does it do a good job of covering your field of vision? Is there distortion looking through a double visor system?

bluehole said:

Thanks for mentioning Sena. I currently have an 10S mounted on my RF-1100. I am happy with it, but may opt for the built in system on the GT Air II. That will enable me to keep the RF-1100 as a back up/loaner with Sena.

Any opinions on the drop down visor. Does it do a good job of covering your field of vision? is there distortion looking through a double visor system?

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I've never had a problem with the drop down visor with the road view. However, in order to read my GPS, i keep the drop down at a position to be able to read the GPS through the clear shield. Keep in mind, I am ancient and your eyes may not have a problem reading the GPS through the drop down sun screen.

I do not have trouble reading my GPS...yet. I did not know the visor can placed in an intermediate position. Thanks Paul.

Love the tinted inner visor. Easy to use and is way better than sunglasses when riding in and out of shadows or tunnels. Works great.

As a long-time Shoei wearer, I like most aspects of the GT Air II. Previously, I wore a medium in Shoeis, but now a large fits best. I like the fit and the drop-down sun shield, and I've even gotten used to the ratcheting chin strap (although I wish it were easier to adjust initially). What I don't care for is the air flow. It's just not enough on warm days. Fortunately, it's possible to crack open the face shield one notch to improve the flow. I'm on an R1200GS wethead with the seat in the highest position and a large Aeroflow windshield either positioned all the way down or up slightly, depending on the weather. The helmet is quiet enough, but I wear custom-molded earplugs.

When you say you don't care for the air flow, is that because the air flow is worse than on your previous helmets or not as good as you expected?

Both my wife and I own GT Air II’s. I previously owned a GT Air. There has been some great input on this thread consistent with my experience so I’ll try not to repeat too much. Fit is a unique thing but my head seems to be consistently a Shoei large and an Arai medium - I also own an XD4. To me both helmets fit well and are very comfortable. YMMV. The Shoei is quieter than the Arai but I would have to agree with the person who posted that the airflow is not as much as other helmets. Again only my opinion. This is perhaps part of the reason the helmet is so quiet. Even though I always still ride with earplugs.

I would also reinforce that I also prefer a d ring closure over the ratchet in the GT Air II. It’s padded but there’s just something about having a piece of metal right underneath my chin. This has probably been tested safe and it’s only in my head.

It is set up for the Sena but we use Cardo Packtalk Bold. I was still able to install the Cardo on the helmet with the mechanical clip, not the double stick tape. You have to position slightly more rearward and it takes a bit of finagling but with a bit of patience you can manage a clean installation.

bluehole said:

When you say you don't care for the air flow, is that because the air flow is worse than on your previous helmets or not as good as you expected?

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Both. Worse than my previous helmet, which was a detour into Arai (Vector-2). For the GT Air II, it was not as good as I had expected based on reviews.