I was excited to try Touratech’s new Aventuro Carbon 2 Plus Adventure and Dual Sport helmet for many reasons: it’s good-looking, well-ventilated, and extremely lightweight, to start. But for me, the top-selling features are its removable sun visor and its versatility as an on-road/off-road hybrid.
The Aventuro with sun visor on.
First, let’s discuss the removable brim: some ADV/dual sport helmets offer this, but few look as good as the Aventuro does without its beak. I ride with a Shoei GT Air but have always liked the look of the more ADV-specific helmets—the brim, or sun peak, can be a lifesaver when that glowing orb is setting in your face. The trouble is, brims catch in the wind or at speed, and my head gets whipped around. Having suffered from neck issues in the past, I didn’t want to add the extra tension to my upper body, so I settled for a peak-less lid.
Will the Aventuro be my new helmet of choice?
The first thing I did in testing the Aventuro—besides admire the carbon lay inside the somewhat transparent black shell—was head out on the I-5. I kept the sun peak on to see if I could feel the wind catching—I could, but it was far less severe than some of the other beaked ADV helmets I’ve used. Openings cut out of the visor allow wind to flow through, even when turning your head side to side, which is ingenious.
When I removed the sun visor, it made all the difference for smooth cruising. My head didn’t get pushed around nearly as much. Keep in mind, how much wind you feel against your face and head has a lot to do with whether you have a windscreen or not, and what height it’s set at. Also note windscreens help play a role in how quiet your helmet is.
Which is a good segue into noise factor: the Aventuro is touted as one of the quieter full-face helmets out there. As the helmet juts out at the chin for that classic ADV look, I did find some of the wind gets past the chin skirt and into my ears. I tried riding both with and without earplugs, and with vents opened, then closed. While it’s obvious that using plugs and having all vents closed gives you a quieter experience, we don’t all love to use ear protection, and some days, we need those vents wide open. In fact, this is one of the other bestselling points of the Aventuro—it’s a superb choice for hot-weather riding due to its ample venting. Still, the wind noise was noticeable.
The Aventuro has excellent venting, with 6 intake and 4 exhaust tabs.
When I grabbed the chin bar, and moved the helmet up and down, or pulled it forward, that helped cut the noise, which made me wonder if the helmet wasn’t fitting my head well.
Disclaimer: I have a hard time fitting helmets. Whether I’m looking for a motorcycle, mountain bike, or ski helmet, a lot of time is spent searching for the perfect lid. Encased in the Aventuro, the cheek pads pressed on my jaw joints in a way that was so uncomfortable, I had to stop and pull them out. (Not recommended for obvious safety reasons.) When I contacted Touratech USA in Seattle about this fit issue, they tried to help me come up with a solution. Unfortunately, I couldn’t swap out the cheek pads for smaller ones, as I already had the small-sized helmet. The extra small shell used the same-sized cheek pads. My other options, suggested by Touratech, were to wet the pads and go for a ride on a hot day. Or I could wait until they packed out, as most padding does. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to withstand the pressure points in my jaw to wear the helmet longer than an hour or two at a time, which means packing out will take a while. I also haven’t tried wetting the cheek pads yet. I’m reluctant to, but this may be my only solution. I’ll give an update here in a few months on where the cheek pads are at.
Please note that just because this helmet didn’t work for my head, doesn’t mean it’s not a great helmet. In fact, my husband Dave liked mine so much, he bought one himself. He currently has no fitment issues with the Aventuro. He also wears an Arai, which didn’t fit me well, either. Helmet manufacturers are sometimes known more for the shape of their lids, than the features. For example, one company might suit more oval-shaped faces, while another is better for round. My comments about fit shouldn’t sway you in one direction or the other.
Let’s move on to the more specific features for the Aventuro Carbon 2 Plus Adventure and Dual Sport helmet.
Sun visor removed.
Sun visor on, with peak extension.
Face shield removed to allow for goggles while off-roading.
PROS
My favorite and most notable pro is the removable visor, as mentioned above. There are three screws: one on the top, two on the side. The side levers have plastic screws, and it’s very easy to mess them up. I had to bring my helmet into Touratech and they luckily gave me new side levers, as I jacked mine up pretty good. The side screws can be a bit counterintuitive, even though there’s an arrow pointing the way. I managed to install the levers backward and bent them.
User error resulted in broken plastic screws for the visor’s side panels.
That aside, the visor removal process is relatively easy. But… where do you put it when not in use? For those of us who do more long-distance riding, overnights, or multi-days/weeks/months, I can see an issue with the visor getting damaged when off the helmet.
I love the removable visor feature, however, storing the visor on longer trips could be awkward and it could get damaged easily.
There are also several loose parts you don’t want to lose. For day trips from home, removing parts from the helmet might not be a big deal, but long-distance riders could find this a pain. However, the pluses of this helmet might outweigh the negatives.
UPDATE: you can wear goggles with the face shield up. I tired the configuration and it works to do so.
The sun peak is also adjustable, and an extension piece is included. You can have it sitting higher for off-roading, or lower for highway (which can affect the wind-catch in either a good or bad way, depending on how you have it set)
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I did not install my Bluetooth headset in this helmet, but the Aventuro has another perk here in that there is a cut-out for the microphone, so it’s not right up against your lips or chin while riding.
Pros in summary:
Lightweight (SM—2lb, 13 oz/1280 g; 3X—3lb, 1oz/1380 g)
Removable sun visor, no tools needed
Excellent for hot-weather riding (top-notch ventilation)
6 adjustable intake vents, 4 exhaust vents
Vents are easy to operate with gloves
Liner feels nice, is removable, hypoallergenic, and washable
Wide field of visionFace shield is easy to open and close with gloves
Pinlock insert included
Face shield removable for goggles
Goggle stay strap on back
Intercom system ready
Helmet bag and face shield sleeve included
3 mounting plates for cameras included
Foam replacement kit included
DOT and ECE 22.05 certified
Double D-rings for chin strap
Microphone cut-out in chin bar
UPDATE: you can wear goggles without having to remove the face shield
CONS
The most significant downside to the Aventuro is how many little plastic parts need to tag along: camera mounts, quick strap supports, street, and peak covers, screws, and side panels… I can see someone like myself, who’s impatient fiddling with things, just leaving the helmet set in one position, and not allowing some of the other features to shine through.
Visor accessories that come with the Aventuro.
While testing the helmet, the top screw for the removable visor rolled off my tank bag. I spent ages looking for it in a gravel parking lot until I finally found it in my skid plate. Perhaps this is my own problem with organization, but I do think issues with these loose parts are worthy of note.
One feature I missed on this helmet, that I love on my Shoei, is the dropdown sunglasses. Yes, they’re super dorky looking, but you can’t argue the ease of flicking a lever and having instant shade for the eyes. I appreciate being able to put my sunshade up or down in altering light conditions without having to stop or take a hand off the bars to mess with sunglasses. There are tinted face shields you can buy from Touratech for the Aventuro helmet, but in low-light conditions, these can be problematic.
The Aventuro was not compatible with my existing EVS neck protector. When buying a helmet, keep accessories like this in mind.
I found it hard to see past the chin into my tank bag or panniers while wearing the helmet. Also, the chin vent only shoots air at your lower face, so opening it to defog the face shield (without a pinlock) doesn’t work very well. However, you can click the shield open one notch, and the visor should clear. Better yet, install that included pinlock.
Cons in summary:
Fit (again, this could just be the shape of my head)
Finicky (lots of loose bits and pieces to keep track of)
Sun visor, when off, is awkward to store and can get damaged
Removing and reinstalling parts means more chances for damage/grit
Expensive (aren’t most good helmets?)
Chin strap is a little long, but you can snap it into place
Chin is hard to see past when looking into tank bags or panniers
No dropdown sunglasses
All told, most of my cons comments are about fit and fiddling. If these aren’t a concern for you, then the Aventuro Carbon 2 Plus Adventure and Dual Sport helmet is an excellent option as a hybrid helmet for on- and off-road riding. I’m bummed it doesn’t fit me like a glove, though I’m not giving up on it and vow to put in the time to pack out the cheek pads. There is much to love: you can’t beat the strength and lightness of carbon. The helmet is top quality, made from Nexx (many Touratech helmets were formerly made from Schuberth), and it is one fine-looking lid.
Do you have an Aventuro, or are you interested in buying one? Let me know in the comments below.
Price: $600-650 (depending on color)
Sizes: XS, SM, MD, LG, XL, 2x, 3x
WHAT’S INCLUDED WITH THE AVENTURO CARBON 2 ADVENTURE AND DUAL SPORT HELMET?
- Helmet with extendable peak, chin skirt, and pinlock visor
- Anti-fog pinlock insert (clear)
- Camera mount (top)
- Camera mounts (right & left sides)
- 1 pair mounts for quick strap goggles
- 1 pair side covers for use without shield
- Helmet bag with Touratech logo
- Visor accessory pouch with Touratech logo
- Instruction Manual
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