By: Pete Clyne

With all the talk about motor modifications and go fast goodies, there is something that is often left out.  That something is safety.  Helmets are probably the most important piece of riding gear that you can wear, so we will be reviewing a brain bucket manufactured by Vega and supplied by C&D Racing out of Hershey, Nebraska.

I decided on a Vega model XR-II in red and black colors to match my 250R.  It arrived nicely boxed and even had an extra surprise, a helmet bag is included with the helmet.  While no super padded bag with handles, the bag still does a nice job protecting the helmet from scratches that come from storage and transportation.  Everything about this helmet breathes good quality, from the sturdy visor, to the aluminum CNC screws that hold the visor on, to the removable cheek pads (available in different sizes to fit the narrow faced to chubby faced person), removable liner, and air vents in the chin and forehead areas.  My head never got hot while wearing this helmet.

The XR-II is both Snell-90 and DOT approved, and on a recent trip to the Silver Lake Sand dunes in Mears, Michigan, I unfortunately got an opportunity to try the helmets protective properties out.  I hit a jump offcamber, and pretended I was doing a tail whip like the bikes do.  I landed on my left nerf bar, almost saved it, and then took a tumble.  I was able to stand up afterwards with nothing but a sore rear end, and bruised ego.  The helmet had a small scratch on the top of it, which came right out with a little waxing and elbow grease.

To conclude, this helmet has all of the bells and whistles of the more expensive helmets, with only a fraction of the cost. Unlike other budget helmets, the quality of the Vega is top-notch, as shown by its Snell 90 and DOT approval, plus it looks great! The Vega line of helmets are available from C&D Racing, they have the best prices I have found for many, many items. Surf on over to their website , or give them a call at (308) 368-7805.

For those of you wondering who and what exactly C&D Racing is, here's a little summation for you.  C&D Racing is a repair facility that specializes in high performance engine and chassis modifications for all types of off road vehicles.  They do all types of repairs from the minor to the major total engine rebuilds.  Their slogan is 'Why pay more when we sell for less' and I have found it to be true in almost every aspect.  I believe I have found a new parts distributor.

Vega Helmets
18638 72nd Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032