For those of you who aren’t familiar with the importer AMP (After Market Products), they are the company behind some of the brands that we all drawl over at our local motorcycle accessory shops and Linex Yamaha dealers. AMP strives to bring in motorcycle apparel that holds a certain reputation across the waters for unmistakable design and quality—brands that serve everyone from weekend riders to professional athletes. We are talking about brands like Shoei, UFO Plast, RK Chains, Progrip and a list of other fantastic motorcycle accessories and marine products.
With a host of products at hand, we turned a fine eye to AMP’s Shoei VFX-WR and Progrip goggle range.
The name Shoei needs no special introduction, they are a cherry on the cake helmet manufacturer who is known for their feature-packed, supremely safe, comfortable and stylish helmets. Yes, Shoei is known for well-built helmets that sit at the top end of the market and we think the all-new Shoei VFX-WR is no exception.
Just when the dirt lovers thought they had it all, Shoei takes the VFX-WR to a whole new level. This new lid is fully loaded with next-level performance, safety, style and progression. Shoei has been able to do all of this without sacrificing any of the qualities that have made their motocross and off-road helmets the top pick for many championship-winning riders in the last decade.
What Shoei prides itself on, is safety, and for 2023 the VFX-WR gets their latest safety technology called M.E.D.S (Motion Energy Distribution System). In short, this is a very advanced system with a double inner shell. How it works is, the primary layer of the EPS shell is optimal impact absorbing, while an extra middle layer of the EPS liner reduces rotational acceleration energy to the head—offering riders that extra bit of security.
The front of the helmet has also been updated with a more aggressive look, fitting perfectly within the segment of high-end dirt helmet designs. Working with the aero of the helmet, Shoei has placed a plethora of ventilation points to make sure their riders are kept cool on the trail and track. I’m really not lying, you can find vents and extraction points on the brow, upper head, chin, rear and neck—plenty to keep the rider cool.
When it comes to comfort and general fit, the VFX-WR comes in four outer shell sizes (XS-S/ M/ L/ XL-XXL), a super soft 3D Max-Dry centre pad and cheek pads. The helmet fits snugly and if it is a tiny bit loose, you’ve got a selection of cheek pad thicknesses (31, 35, 39, and 43 mm) to help create that perfect fit. We think the Shoei VFX-WR is probably, if not the best Dirt bike helmet you can buy, but when buying the best it comes at a price and this price is R10,500.
What a top-tier helmet deserves is a good set of goggles and in this case, we’re looking at Progrip. Progrip products have been around for over 45 years, with their racing DNA continuously striving to produce high-quality products used and tested by world champions. Progrip’s product range is as diverse as you can imagine, but in our case finding a set of goggles for the Shoei VFX-WR was the challenge. We opted for the Progrip 3205 and 3300 goggles.
Many people think choosing the right goggles is left to personal preference, but actually, it is firstly dependent on your helmet’s shell shape. With Progrip we know it fits the Shoei just right, but which one should you go for? Budget wise and if you like the more traditional look, you should slide on the 3300.
Although more traditional the 3300 goggles lose nothing in quality. Right out the bat, you’ve got two choices when it comes to these goggles, you could go for the clear or the fluorescent lens—both are equally spec’d. The goggles are spec’d with a 1 mm thick lens that is both anti-UV and scratchproof. Additionally, you’ve got pins incorporated into the lens for tear-offs.
The goggles are soft to the skin with a dual-density sponge and on this pair, you’ve got an awesome red-coloured water-repellent velvet material on the rim. On the bands, you’ve got a triple silicone strip which helps secure the goggles onto the helmet in dusty and wet conditions. The 3300 offers great value for money at R575 for the transparent and R675 for the fluorescent.
Then we get the stylish Progrip 3205 magnet lens goggles, which are hands down the best-looking of the bunch. For many, these will remind you of slopestyle skiing goggles and yes, you either love them or you don’t. Fortunately, I think they are the dog’s bollocks of goggles (super cool).
So, what sets these goggles aside from the rest? For me at least it’s the wider field of vision, allowing you to worry less about turning your head and using your eyes instead. The wider field of vision is thanks to the magnetic lenses and on top of this Progrip has thrown in some new technology in the form of fog proof lenses—this lens technology patented “NO FOG” holds the best performance on the market. Additionally, they come equipped with anti-UV and are scratchproof.
Interior wise they are similar to their more affordable siblings with the same dual-density sponge with water-repellent velvet and triple silicone strips on the elastic band. Overall, the fitment is tighter, they fill more surface area on the face of the helmet, which in turn allows less dust to enter. We see the 3205 competing with the best in the market for a very competitive price of R1,175.
Shoei VFX-WR & Progrip Riding Goggles
For more information on the products featured in this article, click on the links below…
