Steelbird SBA-6 Helmet Review

Gallery Introduction On the go Is it worth the money?

Introduction

What What we have here is SBA-6, the newest model from Steelbird's 'Air' range of helmets. The open-face helmet comes in two variants, the Ela and Fuze which are targeted at females and males respectively with the interior pattern differentiating the helmets from each other. With prices starting at Rs 1,239 for the Fuze and Rs 1,289 for Ela, the SBA-6 is the most affordable offering from the Steelbird Air range which goes up to Rs 3,409. Now, let's dive into details.

The helmet's edgy design is attractive unlike most open-face helmets in the price range and is targeted at younger scooter and commuter motorcycle riders. It gets an air vent on the top with a toggle, eight inlet and four outlet ports that may look peculiar but help in keeping the helmet stable at high speeds. What is truly odd though is the ‘air vent covers’ which are all but practical and are a task to fix on.

On the other hand, the construction of the SBA-6 is simpler than it looks. The outer shell is made of polycarbonate plastic, the inner shell is an EPS liner or expanded polystyrene for all you science bugs. This shell is certified for safety only by the ISI and does not comply with international safety standards. While we are yet to crash test it, you surely wouldn't be coughing up a fine if the preposterous non-ISI ban ever comes out. Win Win!

On the go

Steelbird offers the helmet in six sizes starting right from XXXS (50mm) going up to an L (60mm). The helmet is light, weighing around 900-920gms depending on size. This not only makes it easy to wear but also eliminates the excuse of not wearing a helmet because of its weight. And for those worrying about storage, it fits perfectly in the underseat compartment of a scooter.

I used the helmet in dreaded Mumbai traffic and the SBA-6 is airy! No, not ONLY because it’s a open-face helmet, but also thanks to the air vents which do a wonderful job of cooling the back of the head.

The cushioning of the pads is soft and feels comfy and also wicks away sweat easily. The SBA-6 offers a micro-metric buckle system of good quality and locks on with a sense of surety. However, the quality of paint is questionable as it left scuff marks on a number of surfaces.

While this particular SBA-6 gets a dark smoke visor, the helmet can also be bought with a plain visor at no extra cost. On the down side, the manufacturer does not sell the visors separately as yet. Now the dark visor takes things quite literally. It is an absolute blessing under the scorching sun but even a little into the evening and the tint deems it fairly useless. However, you need not worry as the visor removal mechanism is easy to use.

Is it worth the money?

It is! The Steelbird SBA-6 has admirable quality for a helmet that costs under Rs 1,300. The helmet is comfortable and is ideal to wear for city commutes. It also may not save your jaw in a crash, but will try keeping your skull safe, and will do so in style. Nevertheless, we hope to see Steelbird offer a product as stylish as the SBA-6 with something like an ECE safety rating for those who don’t mind paying more for better safety.

You can order the SBA-6 online through Amazon.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi