While I would have loved to spend a whole week doing deep dives into all the cool products I saw at AIMExpo, I had to get back to California to write more words (and our video team was fed up from trying to get me to talk slower).
So instead, I picked five brands at the show that I thought were showing some of the most interesting products that I knew I'd want to dig into more when I got home. Check back next year for product reviews to see how they stood up to our testing.
Scorpion has quietly become one of the best deals in motorcycle gear, an honor once held by ICON. Their EXO full face helmets were the Mazda 3s of the helmet world, offering better performance and nicer finishes than any other helmets at similar price points.
My first helmet was a hand-me-down Scorpion and, while it was nice, the brand has come a long way since then. They snagged a designer from KLIM and started making killer adventure gear. They realized some people don't want to be billboards and released unbranded riding apparel. And the last time I visited their office, they nailed the open face helmet (well, almost).
I was incredibly impressed when I first held a Belfast ($199.95) prototype. The thick and premium paint applied to the exterior, the supple leather on the interior, the internal headshape designed around the human skull instead of a bowling ball. The whole thing felt great (minus that silly drop down sun visor).
They finally have the thing for sale, so I went by their booth to check it out, which is when I saw the Covert ($209.95). I don't know what to call the Covert, and I'm not even sure if I love it or hate it, but it definitely drew a crowd in the Scorpion booth. It's technically a half helmet as far as DOT certification is concerned, but you can add a neck role for comfort and then a face mask "to help keep dust and debris from hitting you in the face." Or, if you're reading between the lines, to look tough like that Vin Diesel fella.