MTR Vintage MX Evo Helmet Review: Style on a Budget
We’ve been testing out the retro MTR Vintage MX Evo off-road lid and it turns out it's a retro MX bargain
It’s not often I browse a brand’s website and spot a retro MX lid that makes me exclaim “I want that one” in an Andy out of Little Britain voice.
The MTR Vintage MX Evo, which you can pick up from Louis Moto, was one of those moments, though, and less than a week after spotting it online I found myself cruising the mountain roads above Palm Springs on the new Royal Enfield Bear 650 wearing what might be one of the coolest retro lids I’ve ever owned.
All things told I’ve used the helmet for the last month or so, riding mainly naked bikes and scramblers and I have covered around 500 miles while wearing it.
Price, colours and sizes
Probably the most attractive thing about the lid, styling aside, is the price. The RRP is just £149.99 although at the time of writing it’s available for the bargain price of £75.15 - that price is subject to change at any time, though.
Sizing-wise, you have six options covering XS through to XXL. I’m normally a medium in an AGV, Arai, Shark or Shoei (circa 57 to 58cm) so opted for that with the MTR. The fit is very snug and I could perhaps have opted for a size larger and still been safe, but I’m not averse to having closely fitting helmets so I’m happy with my choice.
The lid is available in two colour options, either the matt white with black stripes (as worn) or a matt black version complete with ‘edgy’ yet oh-so-European ‘MTR True Passion’ graphics.
Included in the box you get the obligatory pop-on peak and soft carrying bag. You don’t get any goggles though, so you’ll either need your own or be happy enough riding in sunglasses once it does arrive.
You may also like to read our guide to buying the best motorcycle helmets.
Comfort
One area where a budget lid will normally show you its true colours is in the comfort department. All too often, cheap and cheerful lids can be let down by ill-fitting interiors and materials that leave a lot to be desired. Happily, that isn’t the case with the MTR, as the interior liner is extremely soft and comfortable with a kind of faux velvet covering. You even get a nice soft leather surround covering the visor opening of the lid and the bottom aperture. The leather trim is a small feature and while it doesn’t add to the comfort when you are wearing the helmet, it does give it a premium look and feel, which is a nice touch, especially on a product at this price point.
Out on the road, it’s obviously not the quietest helmet I’ve ever worn - given the open front aperture and stubby peak mounted on the front - and ear plugs are a must if you are going to go above 50mph (although that’s generally advisable with all lids). Below that though, it’s actually not too noisy, possibly helped by being such a snug fit meaning there are no interior pockets of air where the noise of wind turbulence can be amplified.
I did encounter quite a bit of buffeting at motorway speeds, again, the peak is the most likely culprit here, but you only have to look at the helmet to realise it’s not going to be as silky smooth when piercing the air as something like an Arai Quantic will be.
Further comfort enhancements come in the form of gill-slit vents on the chin-bar of the lid, but given the open and airy design of the MTR, you’ll be hard pushed to feel the benefit of them - I couldn’t even when riding in near 30-degree Celsius Californian sunshine. With that in mind, this isn’t going to be the helmet you reach for all year round unless you are some kind of weapons-grade cold-weather lover, that is.
Should you buy an MTR Vintage MX Evo?
For me, this is the lid I’ll wear on summer and early autumn evening rides, when I’m less worried about going fast and instead looking for something that looks cool and is very comfortable.
It’s also extremely good value for money, either at the RRP or the ridiculously low price it is currently listed at. Given how great it looks, how comfortable it is, and how little you’ll have to spend to get one, there’s really not a lot to dislike about this relative newcomer to the retro helmet sector.
You can find out more information and up-to-date pricing for this helmet on the official website.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
