Arai has announced the introduction of what it says is not just a whole new helmet, but a whole new class of helmet, called the RX-Q. It's a helmet purpose-built to be the ultimate street helmet. The RX-Q is a helmet made for the masses, with a pure, focused, ground-up ultimate street helmet, one born from the concept of a Corsair-V for the street, borrowing and refining those proven designs to a new purpose. Arai aimed it at the "pro street rider" – riders who reel off miles over every kind of road, on every kind and style of bike. Arai says it significantly upped the levels of stability, comfort, and quiet.

The RX-Q has an evolved version of Arai's very popular Intermediate-Oval interior shape. Arai is the only company offering multiple interior-fit packages to better conform to consumers' head shape as well as size. Its interior fit shapes evolve and improve as company research recognizes trends based on consumer feedback. The RX-Q shape is similar to the current Corsair-V and Vector models, and the former RX-7 Corsair, but the RX-Q's shape represents a further refinement of interior shape configuration based on Arai's continual comparison, measurement and testing of human head shapes.

The RX-Q uses the same new wider-eyeport SAI faceshield as the Corsair-V for a better peripheral view of the world around you. The RX-Q's new cheekpad design has newly sculpted shapes that are made to cradle the wearer's head from underneath. The new cheekpad has more surface area, and moves away from the typical "pressure fit" to a more "comfort fit" based on the design's "cradle" support for the jaws. The result is a more secure fit in a more comfortable package.

The new cheekpad design creates a better noise seal, so noise is blocked from entering the helmet from underneath – the major source of helmet noise – by creating a better noise seal. This, combined with new sound-deadening foam in the cheekpad, gives you an extremely quiet helmet. Plus, the RX-Q has it's innovative Emergency Cheekpad Removal System and a removable neckroll.

The Q's advanced ventilation combines more efficiency with even less interior noise. While not very "aggressive" looking, the vents are extremely efficient, flowing huge volumes of air through the interior to improve ventilation at road speeds, not race speeds. The RX-Q doesn't have a lot of vent holes – rather, Arai says it has just the right ones, in the right size, in the right place.

Its smaller, more aerodynamic, hand-formed natural shell shape and size aids stability and stillness – not only in straight-line wind-tunnel stability, but it also minimizes the negative aerodynamic effect when turning your head to check traffic or in a cross wind. And it looks better on your head than other bigger, rounder balloon-style shell designs on the market. A uniquely-designed lower Hyper Ridge circles the shell bottom to improve strength and aerodynamics. It's also designed to lower the center-of-gravity for an exceptionally light feeling on your head. And a larger bottom opening makes for easier on-off without enlarging the helmet.

The Q's new more-aerodynamic upper and side exhaust vent cowling are sculpted to enhance stability while increasing exhaust efficiency, and are tailored specifically for the needs and speeds of the street. Compared to the Corsair-V, the Q's cowlings are larger and more aggressively styled, as lower street speeds require more surface area and a more refined shaping in order to deliver the increased stability. A retractable chin spoiler helps aerodynamics, enhances exhaust from the facial area, which results in diminished fogging and reduced buffteting. A brand-new, one-piece bottom edge trim, gives a clean look by eliminating the need for seams.

The new Arai RX-Q will be available in a variety of graphics and colors, in sizes XXS-XXL. To see what Arai's Brian Weston had to say about it, click here.