Shoei J.O Sequel TC-5 Open Face Motorcycle Helmet

The Shoei J.O is the helmet that café racer riders, custom builders and scrambler owners have been waiting for Shoei to make. Clean lines, a low-profile shell, a subtle ducktail at the rear, Nubuck leather trim on the interior, and underneath all of that, the same AIM+ composite construction that goes into the rest of the Shoei range. This is vintage done properly, not vintage done cheaply.

The Sequel TC-5 is a black and white graphic that sits perfectly with the J.O's classic aesthetic. Bold enough to make a statement, restrained enough to work with almost any bike or riding kit. It's the kind of lid that looks as good hanging off a café racer handlebar as it does on your head.

What separates the J.O from every other retro open face on the market is how Shoei have resolved the fit problem. Three different outer shell sizes are matched with four different EPS liner sizes, meaning every size from XS to XXL gets a shell that's genuinely proportionate to the head inside it. On top of that, the cheek pads and centre pad come in four different thicknesses (31mm, 35mm, 39mm, 43mm), giving you a level of fit customisation that no other open face helmet at this price point comes close to matching. The result is a helmet that sits low and snug rather than sitting up like a dome on your head, the J.O's slim profile is a genuine differentiator in this market.

The integrated CJ-3 drop-down visor disappears flush into the shell when raised and is virtually invisible, none of the bulk you see on cheaper helmets with tacked-on visors. Three position adjustment means you can run it fully open, halfway, or fully closed depending on conditions. The interior is plush, with fleece and leather-edged trim that makes the J.O feel like a premium product the moment you put it on. Everything is removable and washable.

At 950g in the smallest sizes, the J.O is featherlight. On a naked bike or a classic, you barely know it's there.

Note: The J.O carries ECE 22.05 certification, the previous European standard, fully road legal in the UK. It is the earlier generation model; the J.O 2 carries ECE 22.06. Both are road legal.