Arai XD-5—Versatility and Ventilation for Adventure Riders

Helmet Review: Arai XD-5

When it comes to helmets that balance off-road grit with on-road refinement, Arai’s latest dual-sport design, the XD-5, delivers on both safety and versatility. This fifth-generation evolution of Arai’s XD intermediate-oval series brings key improvements in airflow, visibility, and modularity. The helmet carries on the brand’s signature “priority for protection” philosophy. Arai believes in uncompromising commitment to rider safety over everything else—including convenience, trends, or cost-cutting.

Whether you’re carving through twisty tarmac or exploring remote trails, the XD-5 is designed to adapt to every leg of your journey. Riders can feel confident knowing the helmet is certified with both DOT and Snell M2020.

XD-5: Three Helmets in One

One of the most practical—and rider-friendly—features of the Arai XD-5 is its ability to easily switch between three distinct riding configurations: Adventure, Off-road, and Street. Each setup offers advantages for different terrain and conditions, and the transitions are completely tool-free, making it easy to customize your helmet on the fly.

Street

Street mode strips away the peak visor, leaving the faceshield only in place. This is ideal for highway or sport-touring riders who don’t need the sun-blocking function of the peak and prefer less wind drag at higher speeds. It offers a sleeker profile and reduced lift on the freeway, making the XD-5 function more like a traditional full-face helmet.

Adventure

Adventure and dual-sport riders will likely use the default configuration. In this setup, the peak visor is attached to help block sun glare and roost, while the full faceshield provides wind and weather protection for highway and long-distance rides. It’s ideal for riders who transition between pavement and dirt in a single day—or a single hour.

Off-Road

For dirt days and trail riding you remove the face shield entirely to use goggles. The peak visor remains in place to deflect sunlight and debris, while the large eyeport accommodates most goggle brands. This setup gives riders better airflow and visibility in rugged terrain, especially at lower speeds where fogging and heat buildup are common.

Whether you’re commuting, racing through backcountry trails, or embarking on a multi-state ADV journey, the XD-5 gives you the flexibility to adapt without buying multiple helmets.

Tool-free visor swaps make it easy to change your setup on the go—from peak-and-shield combos to a sleek, goggle-ready shell.

Engineered for Airflow

Arai gave the XD-5 a serious ventilation overhaul—something any dual-sport rider can appreciate when trails get tight and slow. The redesigned chin vent boosts intake airflow by a whopping 200% over the previous XD-4 model. This means better cooling when you're working hard on the pegs, and more efficient defogging, with airflow that can be directed either to your face or your shield.

The helmet also features Arai’s newest 3D logo duct, Delta Duct 6, and AR spoiler—a trio of smartly placed vents that work together to keep you cool without compromising protection. As with all Arai designs, the vents are built to shear off in an impact, enhancing glancing-off performance and reducing rotational forces.

The XD-5’s advanced vent system helps you breathe easy. Air intake vents are included in the forehead logo, an open/shut port on top, and exhaust out the rear spoiler and lower vent exhaust ports.

A large closable vent in the chinbar helps dramatically in warm weather, offroad riding, and while using the face shield.

Built for Real-World Riding

True to Arai’s heritage, the XD-5’s shell is handmade using PB-cLc2 construction, a production method blending lightweight “super fiber” (high-strength fiberglass), a strength-enhancing belt, and new resins. This technology lends to a tough, flexible design that improves impact deflection and field of view. Combined with a multi-density EPS liner, the helmet is designed to redirect crash forces rather than absorb them all in one spot.

Even with all its rugged protection, the helmet still feels light and balanced on the head—even with the peak and visor attached.

The Arai XD-5 includes an emergency cheek pad release system that allows first responders to remove the helmet quickly and safely in a crash. This is not a quick-release system for rider convenience—it’s meant strictly for emergencies.

Inside, the fully removable and washable liner includes adjustable padding at the rear and temples. The FCS cheek pad system adds even more customization with 5mm peel-away layers. Arai also redesigned the cheek pads with speaker-ready pockets and hook-and-loop panels, making it easy to install a Bluetooth communication system.

For everyday comfort, the XD-5 features peel-away layers in both the cheek pads and liner, allowing for fine-tuning the fit. Riders can choose from a variety of cheek pad thicknesses (15mm–40mm) to dial in their comfort. The liners are odor- and stain-resistant.

Vision That Matches Your Ambition

Adventure helmets need to offer a clear wide field of vision and the XD-5 does just that. Its new Max Vision shield comes Pinlock-ready with the anti-fog insert included in the box. With the Pinlock, the XD-5 is ready for variable weather or altitude changes.

While it doesn’t include a built-in sun visor, the XD-5’s easy visor swap system lets you quickly go from clear to tinted shields. For many riders (myself included), this tradeoff is worth it for the optical clarity, lighter weight, and simpler mechanics.

Whether you're rolling through high-elevation fog or blasting into the sun, the XD-5’s wide viewport has you covered. Since this helmet doesn’t include an internal drop down sunvisor, I opt to run a dark tinted shield. Other options include a mirrorized ‘green’ and silver.

Ready to Communicate

The Arai XD-5 is designed with comm-ready features that make it easy to stay connected on the road or trail. The helmet includes a flat area specifically engineered to accommodate Bluetooth and other communication devices, eliminating the hassle of awkward mounting. Inside, built-in speaker pockets provide a clean, secure space for audio components. Cable management channels in the neck roll keep wires tucked away.

The XD-5’s comm-ready design includes speaker pockets and a flat surface for easy mounting of Bluetooth devices—perfect for staying connected on the go.

Final Verdict: Premium Performance in Every Configuration

The Arai XD-5 is built for riders who want to choose between safety, comfort, and versatility in a single helmet. Its redesigned shell and visor system provides peace of mind, while the improved venting and modular design make it adaptable for any adventure.

I use it mostly for ADV. As easy as it is, I don’t feel like swapping the parts constantly, and don’t need that much ventilation for regular street riding.

If you ride both pavement and dirt—or dream of riding from one to the other in a single day—the XD-5 is a helmet that will keep up with your spirit of exploration. At almost $900, it’s premium-priced, but offers premium performance, durability, and craftsmanship in return. (photo by Jeremie Sloan)

More Info

The Arai XD-5 starts at $889.95 and is available in 6 solid colors and 10 graphics. Go to AraiAmericas.com for more information.

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