The Schuberth M1 Pro is the latest helmet from Germany's Schuberth, and it's a company that's won rave reviews from motorcyclists throughout the world for their extensive helmet research and development.
The M1 Pro, however is a bit of an oddball- technically it's a new take on the Giro Switchblade, which was Schubert's first foray into modular helmets. But actually this is an upgraded version of the previous Schuberth Pro.
Schuberth is a company that has been in the motorcycle helmet industry for almost 50 years, with the iconic G-1 being their most famous helmet design.
The M1 Pro has been the most successful helmet in Schubert's line, with over 40,000 units sold so far. The M1 Pro is a full-face modular helmet that can be configured with different modular components, including a face shield, interchangeable cheek pads and an optional chin curtain.
In this review article of the M1 Pro, we’ll be taking a deeper look into the helmet to let you know all the good , the bad, the typical and surprising points of the unit.
Ratings
Comfort:
Visibility:
Coolness:
Ventilation:
Quietness:
Overall rating:
Specifications
Outer shell material : DFP Glass fiber heat-formed shell
Shell size : 2XS-XXL
Liner : EPS
Weight : 2.31 lbs
Pinlock : Pinlock and Visor
Ready
Strap System : Loop Chin Strap
Safety Ratings
DOT : Yes
ECE : Yes
SNELL : No
SHARP : Not tested
Overall comfort
The M1 Pro's modular components make this helmet much more comfortable for a longer period of time. The M1 Pro has a proprietary collar that goes around the back of the helmet that allows the user to shift their helmet's weight over their head in the heat of the moment.
This comfort element is not standard on any other helmet that is on the market. Both models of the M1 Pro come with a Memory Foam Bi-Directional Seatpost Pad that is interlinked with the head retention pads that fit into the interior of the M1.
Fit is a difficult thing to judge. It varies from rider to rider, and that includes helmet fit. The M1 Pro comes in two shell sizes ranging from XS all the way to XXL, so there should be a fit for you. We found the M1’s comfort was superior to that of other full face helmets.
The helmet comes with a pair of removable cheek pads and a chin strap that can be adjusted by loop to your helmet. The leather chin strap that comes with the helmet is adjustable, and Velcro is used to adjust its length. The chin strap is flexible, but it doesn’t provide a lot of stretch. Since the helmet is a true open face, there is no chin bar.
If you don’t use the chin strap all the way, the helmet will be too tight in the back to put the helmet on your head.
The M1 Pro has been developed with a modular approach, the helmet can be either shell, with the ballistic mesh fabric, or with the flexible EPS liner that is used in the outer shell.
This enables the operator to specify what's right for their needs. The choice is all in the matter of taste and comfort.
The helmet is a close-fitting type, with a very tight padding (Schuberth calls it a nose bridge) that is, by Schuberth's own account, much firmer than a soft shell helmet. The EVA foam liner can be removed from the helmet through a series of snaps.
Visibility
The M1 Pro features polarized side reflectors, and its visor is interchangeable, making it a great helmet for when the weather is particularly clear.
Things I liked
Things I don’t like
Being an open-face helmet, naturally vision is quite good. The visor is quite large. Schuberth also offers additional visor options if needed.
We like the fact that this helmet has a built in adjustable sun visor, which should comfortably come down far enough for most riders. The main visor comes off fairly easily by depressing two buttons. The helmet has an extreme field of vision which importantly should help drivers see the vehicle ahead.
According to the Schuberth team, users are more likely to notice the impact of oncoming vehicles. Driving - According to the Schuberth team, the M1 Pro has better driving dynamics than the Nomo TS1, Goggles and Ventum helmets, and it’s lighter than those.
The M1 Pro has three compartments. The lower and upper shell is made from Nylon and are interchangeable, as are the front and back top rails.
The visor slider is useful in two scenarios. It allows the M1 Pro to be removed without removing the EPS liner. The EPS liner is velcro-attached to the visor, so if you pull it off, the liner would pull out and the visor would fold in half and possibly pop out.
The visor slider can be used to detach the EPS liner from the helmet.
Quietness
The M1 Pro is loud. We just thought we’d put that out there right now. With an open face design, riders who purchase this helmet already know this.
The foam padding on the outside of the M1 Pro ensures the rider is well protected. The modular design of the helmet allows the addition of the pre-installed communication components such as the speakers and dual microphones.
The sound is hard to ignore so you shouldn’t be surprised. But the helmet is quieter than some of its competitors. That said, it’s not for the faint of hearing.
We also were able to wear additional hearing protection rather easily, what we did find strange was that certain ear buds were not all that comfortable underneath the helmet.
The M1 Pro does come pre-wired for communication. It has a set of speakers and two built-in microphones located at the lower sides of the helmet.
Ventilation
The M1 Pro features an extra large ventilated intake to the top of the helmet and what Schuberth refers to as "a sporty look". Gone are the large metal rear vent caps. Schuberth opted to integrate several vent tracks within the inner helmet. It’s a true evolution on the helmet design.
Schuberth utilizes an EPS (Evacuated Tube System) to allow the helmet to adjust depending on the wind conditions. The EPS system can be tuned using this free M1 settings app, which allows you to fine tune the ventilation to your liking.
The M1 Pro uses the ‘double-cross-cleared’ EPS material. The EPS material allows Schuberth to utilize the outer portion of the EPS tube and provides two separate channels in the outer area of the EPS to allow for a wider range of airflow and cooling.
The ventilation is actually phenomenal on the Schuberth M1 Pro, particularly on a relatively hot day. The helmet never gets too hot, even during the midday heat in Los Angeles. You just have to wear your shades if you want to block out the sun.
Safety
The M1 Pro comes equipped with a number of safety features. There are three cable-release devices on the sides of the helmet, in addition to standard head adjustment holes for the EPS liner.
The EPS liner was a helmet staple in the past, but a number of helmet manufacturers dropped EPS liners from their helmets. The new Schuberth M1 Pro has two EPS liners, as well as a visor puller.
The M1 Pro received a relatively new carbon fibre-like flexible material that forms the M1 Pro's chin area. Schuberth calls this part of the helmet a "skull cap". and the chin strap system works very well to keep the helmet in your control. There’s no actual chin bar.
The Schuberth helmet is DOT certified for sales in the United States. It is also fully ECE certified for sales in the European Union. The helmet has not been SNELL or SHARP tested.
Conclusion
The Schuberth M1 Pro is as close to being “finished” as any full face helmet can get. It does a great job of protecting the rider while going down the road.
It is light, packs a lot of safety features, and fits even with the most aggressive riding. It’s one of the most comfortable helmets we’ve ever tried. It really is that comfortable.
Is the M1 Pro perfect? Not a chance. That said, the helmet will perform exactly like Schuberth says it will, although the road noise will turn some riders off almost immediately.
We still highly recommend picking one up. You’ll be looking awesome and feeling safe at the same time.
Where to buy this helmet :