Royal Enfield Optimus Helmet Review: Best Dual-Sport Helmet Under Rs 7,000 In India?
To facilitate the growing trend of off-road adventure motorcycles, Royal Enfield has introduced the Optimus dual-sport helmet. Can it compete with similar offerings from traditional helmet manufacturers like Axxor, Axxis, and LS2? We test it out.
By Karan Mathur
Photography By Aakash S Paul
When Royal Enfield introduced the Himalayan, it showed the world how serious the company was when it came to adventure-ready motorcycles. Naturally, to keep riders within the ecosystem, they have also introduced the new Optimus dual-sport lid. The company claims it to be a lightweight, aerodynamic, motocross lid that has been specifically designed for hard adventure riding.
The first aspect of the helmet that grabs your attention is the design and colour options available. Although RE sent an all-black test unit to the office, my personal favourite is the black and gold version which is designed to imitate the Himalayan's Hanle Black paint scheme. The helmet features a sunpeak as standard and it can be taken off whilst using it in urban conditions too. The sun peak also gets an extendable lid for further adjustability.
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For ventilation, you have a front and upper air intake system, in combination with an exhaust outlet at the back. The helmet can also be used in combination with motorcycle goggles from Royal Enfield but the visor port is a tad small to perfectly fit off-road-ready ones from traditional brands. In terms of safety, the Optimus helmet features a high-impact grade thermoplastic construction, along with a dual EPS line inside to help absorb impact forces. It has been ISI and DOT certified, to further give you peace of mind. Furthermore, you have a double D-ring enclosure with a magnetic lock.
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During my time, what I really appreciated was the light weight. It measures just about 1350 grams and never felt cumbersome for long days of hard riding. The price for this helmet is Rs 6,500 and in my opinion, it has a lot to offer for an off-road-ready dual-sport helmet, including value for your money. The RE Optimus goes up against the likes of the Axxis Wolf DS, Axor X Cross, and LS2 Pioneer. While it does well against these options in terms of features and comfort, its USP is the fact that it is more affordable than all of them.
