This is the Shoei X-Spirit III, the newest iteration of the company’s X-Spirit race helmet. And as we’ve seen in the latest race lids from AGV, Schuberth, Arai, and ICON, aerodynamics is the name of the game. In this case, your head is about to grow wings.
The reasoning behind the massive wing added to the rear of the X-Spirit III is ostensibly to help improve stability at high speeds. The helmet will come with the fairly wide wings pictured up top, which is a pretty drastic change from the X-Spirit II shown to the left. Narrower wings will be available for use at tighter tracks where top speeds might not be reached as much and where the rider has to turn their head more often.
This video goes dives into each of the details of the new helmet, and shows Marquez both wearing the helmet as he rides a CBR1000RR around the track and holding the X-Spirit like a gorilla with a new toy.
So far, no word as to if or when this helmet will make it to the US, but it’s set for release in Europe early next year at £549.99 for solids and £649.99 with graphics ($838 and $990 respectively).
Expect Marquez to debut the X-Spirit III this weekend for the race at Aragon, hopefully without seeing how well it does in a crash.