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The Shoei Company is a Japanese manufacturer and distributor of high-tech motorcycle helmets which compete internationally at the high end of the market. Shoei helmets are famous for their aesthetic qualities, their toughness and durability and, in recent years, for their versatility as well. As an example of the latter, the Shoei helmet product line now includes the Hornet-DS, a rider-configurable helmet which makes this single helmet suitable for both on-road and off-road riding.

Shoei helmets are noteworthy as objects of industrial design, that is, these helmets not only perform the functions of providing protection for the rider’s head while providing adequate ventilation, they are also strikingly beautiful. Once again, the Shoei helmet, the Hornet-DS, is noteworthy. There is something rakishly elegant about the aerodynamic design of this helmet. When looking at this particular Shoei helmet, one is tempted to think that it has been purpose-built for looks rather than function. It projects forward from the cranium and terminates in a nose-piece in a way that would seem to make it suitable to be a Star Wars prop. However, this Shoei helmet looks the way it looks because it is scientifically designed to: 1] maximize protection of the head; and 2] provide optimal air flow in the service of the functional purposes of keeping the face and head cool and dry.

Furthermore, beyond design and function Shoei Helmets are also extremely durable. This is not surprising since their ancestry lies in helmets manufactured for the Japanese construction industry. When Shoei began producing helmets specifically for motorcycle use in 1960 they immediately met the industry standards in Japan for durability and ability to withstand an impact. To this day that remains the foremost concern of the manufacturer. The first use of carbon fiber and Kevlar in a motorcycle helmet was the GRV, a Shoei product. Now many Shoei Helmets even meet the guidelines of the Snell Memorial Foundations M2005 rating. The Snell Memorial Foundation has sometimes been criticized for how stringent it’s safety standards are and the helmets that meet these standards are therefore easily the safest helmets available for motorcycle riding.

Shoei helmets have received many awards for design as well as safety features. The sales of the Shoei helmets have been greatly boosted by the fact that the Honda Motor Company linked these helmets to its motorcycle product line in 1965.

An astonishing fact regarding this company is that even with such a strong support and the popularity of its Shoei helmets in the United States, it has a worldwide workforce of only 500 people. The company highlights the fact that even though the world famous Shoei helmets could be manufactured in places at a lesser cost than in Japan, all the helmets are made in the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Iwate, Japan. A small firm-Shoei Company has been able to manufacture such a top-quality product that has thrilled the motorcycle riders all over the world.

Tags: Auto

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