The Supertech R10 Launch Edition is easy on the eyes. Production is limited to just 200 helmets, but look for more S-R10 options down the road.

It’s not wrong to call Alpinestars a clothing company, but strictly speaking, that’s not right either.

Alpinestars can best be thought of as a multi-disciplinary group of companies under one roof: leather suits, airbags, shoes, urban wear, mountain bikes, helmets and more. Once you understand the pitfalls of being a jack of all trades, not a master, you’ll understand why this approach is key to Alpinestars’ success. Integrating everything and distributing development resources thinly limits the possibilities of products like the all-new Supertech R10.

The S-R10 is the work of Alpinestars’ growing helmet ‘Arm’, which has been making motocross helmets since 2018. This is Alpinestars first full-face road racing helmet and, importantly, the final part of his package for the complete road rider. It is the result of over 10 years of research, development and testing and, like all Alpinestars products, its purpose is to provide as much protection as the latest materials allow.

The Supertech R10 is more than 10 years in the making.

Of course, helmets have more than just protective properties. As such, Alpinestars has divided helmet development into areas beyond pure protection. Aerodynamics, visuals, breathability, fit and weight.

The result is a helmet that is not only “suitable for the first try” but also sets a new standard for full-face helmets. To understand how far this goal has been achieved, we traveled to Italy to speak with the team and test his S-R10 Launch Edition, the first product in the Supertech R10 range. 200 of these helmets were manufactured, with more colors and versions available later.

The R10’s shape is the result of countless hours spent in a full-scale wind tunnel. Notice the bottom edge of the chin bar, which has been sculpted to reduce the chance of collarbone injury. A softer EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) liner extends beyond the shell and is covered by a rubber compound.

Protection

The S-R10’s exterior and interior design is what you’d expect from a top-of-the-line full-face helmet. For energy dissipation his 3K outer layer made of high density carbon is used. 3K says he uses 3,000 filaments per roving. This is a carbon fiber yarn that contains many individual filaments. The next layer is a unidirectional carbon composite layer designed to prevent compression and limit impact energy transferred to the rider’s head. Underneath are aramid and glass fibers to prevent penetration. All these are then bonded together via epoxy resin.
“MotoGP has a lot of crashes and crazy things can happen,” Alpinestars communications director Heath Coughlan explains of the shell construction. “By placing the different layers exactly where they are needed, it provides the highest level of safety and answers the questions ‘What if? The helmet should be as safe as possible, but it should be easy.”

Inside, it has eight of his EPS materials in six different densities, plus a low-friction coating to reduce rotational impact forces.

An outer layer of 3K high-density carbon is the star of the show, but underneath is a unidirectional carbon composite layer and layers of aramid and fiberglass. It has 4 sizes of bowls.

The result is a helmet that complies with ECE 22.06, DOT and FIM standards. Moreover, there is more to it. Alpinestars claims impact performance is 37 percent below standard 22.06 ECE requirements for straight impacts and 65 percent below standard requirements for oblique impacts.
Across the platform he will use four grenades. Sizes XS and S have the same shell as XL and XXL.
We were lucky not to have to test the structural integrity of the S-R10. What we can say is that the helmet is actually very light. Our medium size weighs only 3.4 lbs and fits very well right out of the box. Compared to Shoei and Arai competitors, this helmet has a tighter fit in the cheek area but a little more room on the crown. We’ve always had headaches from wearing helmets with too tight a crown for too long, and we’re glad the S-R10 didn’t pinch the top of the dome. The helmet fits well without being too tight.

The S-R10 uses eight pieces of EPS in six different densities, for an ideal balance of protection and weight. Cutouts are incorporated for speakers.

Aerodynamics

Alpinestars recognizes that while protection is the main focus, aerodynamics plays an equally important role in modern helmet design. Proper air management means less stress on the rider’s neck and more comfort for longer. Developing the helmet in a serious wind tunnel helps too, and just looking at the S-R10 shows how much work Alpinestars has put into making this helmet as aerodynamic as possible. The problem, however, is that the helmet wasn’t designed solely to work at full height.

“Everything in position has an aerodynamic effect, but when you get off the bike and look around the corner, the wind is blowing from different angles,” says Coughlan. “We found that controlling the aerodynamics of the helmet off the bike puts less strain on the rider’s neck and gives them more control. The helmet doesn’t pull.”

Alpinestars’ solution was to not only develop a compact, aggressively shaped shell, but also incorporate winglets into the design and offer two of his spoilers, a standard and a long racing version. Both have patented release systems (winglets are fixed). It’s attached with glue, but is designed to dislodge all its limbs on impact. A further advance comes in the form of a visor “turbulator” that calms the airflow around the visor, reducing the whistling that can occur when dirty air flows around the visor and passes through the ears. Designed to eliminate noise.

Airflow is everything in the world of MotoGP, which is one of the proving grounds where Alpinestars developed the S-R10. Jack Miller and Jorge Martin have so far been impressed with the helmet in race situations.

The results are as advertised, at least I should say that this helmet is definitely stable at speed. When we say speed, we mean it. On the track we tested his S-R10, we had speeds ranging from 140+ mph on straights to 115+ mph in corners, and drag was minimal regardless of head position. There is very little wobble when sitting and braking or facing a gust of wind. The air cutting quality of this helmet is really impressive.

The benefits are not limited to track driving only. This is evidenced by the hours spent traveling to and from Mugello’s circuit on the A1 Italian motorway in windy conditions. Maximum stability and limited resistance make the helmet feel even lighter and provide excellent comfort over long distances.

All available visors for the S-R10 have turbulators. This design helps control the air moving around the top part of the visor and limits any “whistling” that might happen around the rider’s ear.

In some ways, helmet technology can be compared to electronic rider aids on modern motorcycles. Just as the traction control system works when traction is lost, so does his S-R10’s winglets when there’s a gust of wind. You will feel the helmet flap for a short time and quickly stabilize, as if the winglets were suddenly controlled. It’s a unique feel you can’t get with other helmets.

Ventilation.

The S-R10’s ventilation system consists of a slider-controlled top vent with three large vents and perforated channels that emerge when the slider is pushed backwards. The advantage of this setup is that the slider can be moved to an intermediate position, thus allowing less air to flow through each of the ports above. Perhaps more interestingly, when the vents are open and the helmet is upside down, you can see directly through the shell of the helmet, showing just how large the vents are.

Beneath the visor are two independently operable intake ports that can be adjusted closed, half-open, or fully open, and a centrally located chin bar vent that can be accessed with by removing a rubber cover.

The S-R10 has a total of 11 ventilation ports: seven intakes and four exhausts. Extractor vents on the chin bar pull humid air from the helmet and are instrumental in visibility regardless of weather conditions.

With the intake vents open, you’ll notice an incredible amount of air flowing to the top of your head, creating excellent circulation to the front of the helmet. This advantage is most effective on the track or fully clothed, but even on the road you’ll feel the air rushing over your head more than a similarly equipped full-face his helmet. The benefits go beyond comfort, as this airflow prevents sweat from accumulating within the pad, preventing the lining from feeling damp after long sessions in high heat.

If you’re concerned about your setup, you’ll find it nearly impossible to adjust the chin bar vent from fully closed to half open while riding. The best way is to go from fully closed to fully open and put the vent back in half position. Another complaint is that you have to keep your eyes peeled when removing the rubber chin bar vent cover. This poses a particular problem if you decide you need to keep the vents open during your road trip. Where are you going to put the cover this time?

A slider opens and closes the large, multiport top vent. Glancing through the helmet when the vent is open gives you an idea of just how large the ports are.

The (limiting) problem with the intake system is compensated for by two brilliantly designed exhaust vents in the chin bar, sucking moist air out of the helmet. Even blowing hot air in the direction the visor was closed was not enough to cause fogging. This is by far the best performing helmet we’ve ridden in terms of airflow around the face and has the advantage of incredible visibility regardless of the weather. there is. Alpinestars lauded extensive testing in Thailand and backed up this claim based on rider feedback from the wet 2023 Argentine Grand Prix. The Astors riders found themselves among the only riders on the track who did not suffer from vision problems.

Vision

Two important things to note are that the S-R10 has a lateral field of view of his 220 degrees and a vertical field of view of 57 degrees. Our favorite feature, however, is the dropped sidelines on either side of the eyeport to maximize vision when looking through corners. It’s a small thing, but it’s important to remember that you should take advantage of every little advantage you can find while racing. A low sideline also offers some advantages when driving on the road. The large opening prevents the chin bar from getting in the way when scanning adjacent lanes.

Alpinestars notes that lowering the sidelines also saves some weight. The only thing lighter than a carbon fiber shell is the absence of a shell.

The combination of enhanced aerodynamics and large eyeport with reduced side line help the rider when off the bike and looking through a corner. Even in this fully exposed position and cornering at high speeds, there’s very little drag.

Fit

Alpinestars’ patented A-Head adjustment system allows you to customize the fit of the R10. The system consists of micro-adjustable pads that are glued to the helmet’s EPS liner. By repositioning his four pins that hold the system in place, the height and angle at which the helmet sits on his head changes, an adjustment he can make in less than a minute.

While this is theoretically beneficial for riders who need to fine-tune the fit of the helmet on their head (raising the helmet slightly may help relieve pressure around the top of the head), the maximum The advantage of the is that you can change the angle of the helmet. Trackcan street riding. When riding on the road in an upright riding position, the helmet should be tilted forward. Tilt the helmet back when riding in a tight position on the track.

Alpinestars’ patented A-Head fitment system is carried over from its motocross helmets and enables riders to customize the fit. Moving the microadjustable pad takes less than a minute, and the difference is noticeable.

Moving the pad is easy enough to do and you do notice a difference in the way that the helmet sits on your head (you can feel the pads’ contact points change on your cheek), but we’d argue that the adjustment range could be even wider, for even better visibility in an extreme tuck.

Show us the benefits of something, and we’ll ask for even more of it…

Other Features

While aerodynamics, ventilation, and fit are the star of the show, the S-R10 comes standard with a number of convenience and safety features.

  • Collarbone design: The base of the chin bar is sculpted in a way that’s meant to reduce the chance of a collarbone injury in the event of a crash. Rather than running the carbon shell flat across the bottom of the helmet, Alpinestars uses a softer EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) liner covered by a flexible rubber compound.
  • Removable lining: All linings are removable and washable, and feature fabrics with antimicrobial treatments.
  • Metal hardware: The R10 uses metal locking mechanisms for the visor and a metal lock on the chin area to keep the shield from popping up in the event of a crash.
  • Speaker cutouts: There are cutouts on each side of the helmet for speakers.

Alpinestars has developed two separate aerodynamic spoilers—a standard (right), and longer race version (left). Spoilers are attached via a patented release system.

Conclusion

The R10 is proof that Alpinestars didn’t rush the last part of their all-in-one road riding package and that the helmet product development department was serious about developing his best-performing full-face helmet to date.

What really worries us about the S-R10 is the chin bar vent’s removable rubber cover and visor system. This can be hard to understand for new owners, but both will get better the more time someone spends in the helmet.

Even more disappointing is that the S-R10 is currently only available in the Launch Edition version, the Launch Edition is only available in limited quantities, and the pricing for the S-R10 has yet to be announced. With more colors announced and availability increasing, any driver looking for a new cap should definitely consider his S-R10.

Metal hardware is used to attach and lock the visor, for durability and to ensure that the visor doesn’t pop up in the event of a crash. Most of our frustrations with the helmet center on getting comfortable with this visor setup, which takes a little time to get used to. Notice the rubber cover for the chin bar vent.

Source: cycleworld.com