Shoei Glamster 06 helmet Bivouac TC9 in black

The Shoei Glamster is the helmet that, back in early 2017, we asked Shoei to make. This is the new iteration released in 2023 to conform to the latest 22-06 safety standard. The Glamster is a retro-styled helmet. Of course, there are many, many retro helmets on the market, but most of them are pretty unsophisticated often with no venting, no seal between the visor and the shell, no chin curtain, no Pinlock visor, no scope for custom fitting, and so on. Many of these helmets are not cheap, but nearly always their focus is more on form than function. As you would expect from a Shoei helmet, the Glamster 06 is a proper modern helmet with retro looks. 

The Shoei Glamster 06 has a classic, smooth, round shell somewhat reminiscent of the helmets worn by the likes of Sheene, Schwartz, Rainey et al. back in the day. But the Glamster is, in every way, a modern helmet with all of the features you might expect from a manufacturer like Shoei. Its nearest, and in truth only, direct competitor, is the Arai Concept-XE, formerly known as the Rapide. The Shoei is lighter, a little smaller, and has a more traditional profile, in contrast to the Arai's more aggressive 'Streetfighter' stance.

The Shoei has an adjustable brow vent, a rubber seal to between the shell and the visor to prevent water ingress, and to reduce noise. It comes with a Pinlock visor in the box and, as with all Shoeis, dealers will have the ability to custom fit the helmet by changing the head liners and cheekpads. A chin curtain also comes in the box.

The Glamster is a thoroughly modern helmet in every respect. Designed for riding on genuine classic or retro bikes, the helmet presents few compromises. But, in an attempt to be period faithful the Glamster does not have a drop-down sun visor. If you want one, the obvious alternative would be the Shoei GTAir2, but if you ride a faster bike, perhaps a sports-tourer, an option might be the superlative Shoei NXR 2. Like the 06 Glamster it is 22-06 rated, and does not have a drop-down sun visor. Both the GTAir2 and the NXR will be quieter than the Glamster, however, as the rounder-shaped chin bar of the Glamster does allow more air to enter the helmet; and air, obviously, equates to noise!

One final point. We had previously been told that the old Glamster passed 22-06 without any changes. And it turns out that this is not quite the case, and might even have been a little disingenuous. Now, in anybody's book the 22-05 Glamster is a protective helmet that anybody would be prepared to ride in. But the 22-06 version is not the same. Well, it is, and it isn't. It is the same, but in any given helmet size the shell will be larger on the 22-06 version than it was on the 22-05. There were, and still are, four shell sizes on the Glamster. XS/S, M, L, XL/XXL. But in the new helmet the XS/S helmet will take the shall from the old M. Now the M helmet will take the old L shell. And the L helmet will take the shell from the oldXL/XXL shell. There will be a new, larger shell for the XL/XXL helmets. Clearly this is because the eps in each helmet is going to be thicker and therefore more protective. What we do not know, of course, is whether Shoei has done this to meet 22-06 or because, as ever, Shoei wants to market helmets that significantly exceed the statutory standard. We suspect the latter.