We’re not a race shop, nor do we pretend to be. So why are we talking about this helmet?

The short story: it’s an absolute sleeper of a street helmet. It’s better vented than any other helmet Shoei makes, yet stays quieter than most. And it carries no fewer than four safety certifications, making it the safest rated helmet we’ve seen in 10 years of hawking helmets.

The Long story starts with “Safety First” (…and 2nd, 3rd, and 4th)
Helmet buffs will say this helmet is old news, and is actually the same as the X-SPR Pro that’s been available in Europe publicly for a couple years. And such skeptics would be nearly 100% correct.

Truth is, the X-15 is a bit heavier than its Euro doppelgänger, and that’s because the U.S. version is built to pass *all the tests* — DOT, of course; plus the latest ECE 22-06, and the rigorous SNELL standard, which demands a “double-hit” event in the same spot on a given test helmet, a test that leaves most ECE-only rated helmets chucked into the “Fail” bin at the Snell lab.

But there’s more: beyond those better-known safety standards the X-15 also hits the full quadfecta by also passing the vaunted FIM certification.

We’re not going down the rabbit hole of parsing the particulars of the various helmet testing agencies’ nuanced strategies for ensuring safety. We instead maintain that the more safety cert stickers on back of a helmet the better, and that makes this the easiest helmet to endorse ever—it’s got em all.

Whether you’re on the racetrack (safest place to ride) or cruising local back roads, or dodging urban or suburban traffic (arguably the least safe place to ride), the X-15 is ready for service.

If the point of a helmet is to protect your melon in the event of a get-off, then this helmet is certified to be the the safest option on the market.

There are other aspects to note here that are not covered by the impact standards, like a latch to keep the shield firmly locked down; and extra safety switches at the hinges, to further keep the shield from going anywhere, even while hurtling down the road face first.

Wind-Tunneled up the Wazoo
In what might seem like a contradiction, the X-Fifteen offers superior protection, but it’s also very good at going very (very) fast, if that’s your thing.

The helmet got an extra dose of wind tunnel testing to boast X and Y claimed gains of decreased drag/increased efficiency. It’s even got multiple fastener positions built into its cheek pads, so it can be adjusted to full-on race/track mode, or left in its stock configuration, for upright-position, heads-up street riding.

But here’s the thing: ignore the Marquez pedigree, skip the flashy race graphic livery options, and the X-Fifteen is an absolute sleeper as an everyday street helmet.

This seems somewhat intentional from Shoei, as the helmet comes with pockets built into the interior to house speakers. And the fact that it’s offered in a short pallete of solid color options—classic white, gloss black, and matte black.

Get Mic’d Up
Because the X-Fifteen it doesn’t have the “hip cut” on the side of its shell like like the RF-1400 does, which confounds the use of most bluetooth communications devices, the X-15 helmet is a bit quieter. And importantly, because the design presents a classic clean/flat edge, it’ll easily accept almost any type of aftermarket bluetooth comm system clamp.

Not only is this helmet quieter than the RF-1400, it’s also got even more vents—seven in total; with an optional extended chin curtain spoiler to quell wind noise from incoming air. We always say that how well any communications device works is actually a function of how quiet your helmet is, and the X-15 is going to give you Town Car quiet for enjoying full phone functionality and audio streaming while on the go.

See Clearly, Now
Replace the tear-off posts with standard issue PinLock posts (a free option we’re happy to make happen) to achieve a cleaner look. Because let’s be honest you’re likely never going to be using tear-offs . Or even upgrade to a transitions shield for 24/7 auto-tinting versatility. And if you select a gloss black or white, the big Shoei decal can even come off if you’re looking for a more anonymous look. (This doesn’t work for Matte black. Don’t ask us how we know…)

Fine-Tuned Fit
The X-Fifteen follows Shoei’s intermediate-oval fit pattern—which is to say it fits most folks here in the North American market quite well, right out of the box.

Furthermore, like we do with all our Shoei helmets, as an authorized dealer we can set riders up with custom head and cheek pads as needed. We offer all these pads aftermarket, but if you’re getting them along with a new helmet, we can swap them out at no charge.

Like other Shoei helmets the X-15 comes in four shell sizes. That’s one less than the Arai platform, which comes in five, but we think Shoei wins with less, because it provides dedicated shells for medium and large, respectively (Arai makes medium and large, the two most populars sizes by a long shot, share the same shell.)

Each of the X-Fifteen shells come with a standard 9mm head liner, but can be swapped for a thinner 5mm or thicker 13mm option. The head-liners are shell-size specific. The cheek pads are universal between shells, and are offered in four sizes.

Why are premium helmets so expensive? This is part of it—all the infrastructure and engineering to offer so many different supporting accessories.