An affordable helmet with photochromic visor.

I find myself doing more and more adventure riding, and finding the right helmet is tough. I relied on dirtbike helmets with goggles for years but decided I should step it up and try out the CKX Atlas helmet, a dual-sport/ADV helmet that touts numerous features to create a comfortable and versatile helmet. The helmet is stylish and has many features like a photochromic visor, five-way adjustable peak, numerous adjustable vents, ProClip quick-release strap, removable “muzzle” mouthpiece, and the Pinlock-ready visor can be easily removed to accommodate goggles if needed. 

As mentioned earlier, the Atlas helmet comes standard with a photochromic visor, meaning that it will automatically darken in sunlight. It takes about 30 seconds to adapt fully to the sun, but tunnels can be a problem because of the time it takes to lighten. I often find myself riding with my visor open or cracked for airflow, and this becomes an issue, because the peak of the helmet has a large cut-out for maximum airflow to stop buffeting at high speeds. This means that, if your visor is up, the top half of the visor will have more sunlight on it than the bottom half, which is in the shade of the peak, leaving half of the visor dark (from the adjusted photochromic) and the other shaded half clear. This halfway point unfortunately sits right at eye level when the visor is down, but this only lasts for about half a minute until the rest of the visor adjusts to the sunlight.

An apparent design flaw of the helmet itself is that, with the peak in any position, it rubs on the visor when it’s fully opened. After seven long ride days in the helmet, my line of sight with the visor down is now obstructed by the scratches caused by the peak. 

The outstanding airflow of the peak itself offers great protection against buffeting while riding at speed, and can be adjusted up and down into three different positions and locks into place. The peak also has a wonderful peak extender offering two more additional adjustments, achievable by pulling the bottom sliding piece out of the front of the peak to extend it. I haven’t been successful doing this while riding yet … that may take some more practice. 

The Atlas helmet also has a removable “muzzle” mouthpiece — a rider can either flip it down from the helmet to offer more air to the mouth area or remove it fully. Its easy removal did make me realize how much dirt gets into the mouthpiece, and how easy it is to clean because of this feature.  

Fit is the most important aspect for any motorcyclist. When I first donned the helmet, I found it felt a bit odd on my head, which was because the cheek pads sit quite low and back over the jaw rather than resting just below your cheekbone. Over the years, I’ve grown used to having my cheeks pressed in, giving me that sense of safety. I have spoken to a few others who have the helmet and they say they really like the lower positioned cheek pads because it makes wearing a helmet less claustrophobic. Over the time that I’ve used the helmet, I’ve become accustomed to the more relaxed location of the padding and have come to enjoy the fit, although I still feel somewhat exposed overall.

The CKX Atlas helmet would not be my first choice, if only for the visor rubbing on the peak of the helmet; call it an idiosyncrasy, but I like to feel the wind on my face any chance I get, meaning that my visor on this helmet will suffer because of it. The simple rubbing of the visor on the peak seems like something that could’ve been remedied while doing R&D. However, if you don’t ride with your visor up often, then this helmet becomes a great contender for an extremely adaptable helmet that will help get you anywhere safely and comfortably. The Atlas helmet offers a slew of features to make adventuring extremely comfortable for riders at a fair price.

The Atlas offers three fibreglass composite shell sizes for the helmet (XS-S, M-XL, 2XL-3XL) and exceeds ECE 22.06 and DOT standards and it is easy to fit with communication systems. I decided to go with the Bedrock colour scheme. The CKX Atlas helmet ranges in price from $311.99 (at Kimpex) to $519.99 (weighing approx. 1,700 grams), and the Atlas also comes in two Carbon Fibre shell versions retailing for $699.99 and $719.99, both weighing approx. 1,600 grams. For most riders, the standard fibreglass shell version is more than adequate and with the minimal weight loss and additional cost, I would stay with the base model offering. You can find CKX products at any retail store that offers products from Kimpex distributing, or order online direct at Kimpex.com