Gear: MT Thunder 3 Ray helmet

Rs 5,750 
spartanprogear.com

Recently, I had to retire my Icon Airmada. The Icon had seen a good three years and it was time for an upgrade. Hence when Aninda headed out for the Triumph Street Triple ride earlier this year, I requested him to bring along an AGV K3 that I had ordered. Now that is one brand that all my motorcycling heroes have adorned. Hence, that helmet is reserved for shoots and trackdays.

But that left me without a helmet to suit my daily needs. I had heard about the MT brand (particularly the MT Blade) and received no major complaints as such from various dependable sources; I thought it would be a good idea to invest in one. Thanks to DS Moto owner – Manish Lakshmanan, who suggested that I try on a new shell from the company, the Thunder 3. After trying out both in the store of course, the differences allowed me to put my safety in the hands of the Thunder 3 Ray.

Well the Thunder 3 to begin with is a slightly more rounded shell than the others and that suits my big fat head quite well. The shell is made from injected polycarbonate and gets the ECE R-22.05 and DOT certification. The bottom part of the lid has been modified to extend the protective portion, at the rear, to the middle part of the neck, something which the Blade lacks.

The helmet is a snug fit all round and doesn’t really squash my cheeks into my jaws. And that thankfully is a good thing, considering my daily commute of 30km. I am really impressed with the ventilation quality that the helmet comes with as it helps me keep my cool, especially with the mercury and traffic soaring these days. In such conditions, the padding is quite comfy and helps absorbing the perspiration quite well. The visors have an option of attaching pin-lock layers which come in dark smoke and mercury finishes. The helmet comes kitted with a sun-visor. The helmet also has provisions for speakers that come for your communication systems.

At Rs 5,750 the MT Thunder 3 Ray is good value and apt for the new buyer. It is 500 bucks cheaper than the Blade which is one rung lower on the certification scale.