Shoei Neotec Refurbishment. Was it a Mistake?

Shoei wanted US$180 (£135) to refurbish my Shoei Neotec helmet. I spent US$50 (£40) on AliExpress parts.

I break down exactly what I bought, how well it fits, where quality differs from OEM, and whether refurbishing a Shoei Neotec on a budget is actually worth doing.

I have a Shoei Neotec (version 1) that has been a great helmet, but a little past its prime after thousands of miles in various climates.

The head liner was slowly disintegrating, the chin pads had seen better days, rear missing air-vent and the visor had a few battle scars. Besides this, the helmet was generally in good condition 🙂

Rather than retire the helmet to a shelf, I wanted to restore it as a second helmet. Ideal for occasional pillion use, commuting, or days when a flip up helmet makes more sense than my Shoei Hornet ADV lid.

I couldn’t find all the SHOEI replacement pads, plus a visor in the UK, but I did manage to find them from “Louis Moto,” a German retailer. The price with shipping totaled US$180 (£135), which felt unjustifiable for a lightly used spare helmet.

Hello AliExpress, for just US$50 (£40) or 3.5x cheaper, I could get everything I needed.

Below are the screenshots of the Louis Moto and AliExpress pricing.

AliExpress links:
Visor: https://genxrider.com/go/shoei-neotec-helmet-visor
Pads & Lining: https://genxrider.com/go/shoei-neotec-pads-linning
Chin Strap Covers: https://genxrider.com/go/shoei-neotec-chin-straps

Side-by-side comparison shows OEM parts are better finished, but the AliExpress parts are “very close,” especially the head pad and visor.

I had no issues fitting the AliExpress pads, they snapped into place just like their OEM counter parts.
No trimming, forcing, or modification was required.

The only difference I could see in the visor was the lettering on the side. Everything is the same, apart from the AliExpress version called “SHOEL”.

Fitment is identical. The visor locks into place correctly, seals properly, and operates smoothly.
Time will tell if the visor optical quality or scratch resistance is the same, but so far, so good.

Original:

AliExpress:

The head pad was good quality, comparable to the OEM and snapped into place.
AliExpress version shown below.

The OEM cheek pads are better quality, a little more refined. That said, the AliExpress version was more than adequate and snapped into place without issues.
AliExpress version shown below.

OEM version is better quality and more refined.

Tip: Fit the chin strap covers first, before any of the other pads. It makes it easier to clip in the covers to the pop-studs. See the photo below showing RH pop-stud.

All pads and covers fitted.

Somehow I lost the rear vent on my travels. OEM part was just under US$50 (£40) with shipping.
I 3D printed one. Not as good as the OEM, but it will work just fine.

Download the 3D print

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For US$50 (£40), the helmet is restored into a solid spare flip-up option.

While the AliExpress parts are not as good as the OEM versions, they are very close, fit just fine and offer excellent value. The helmet is comfortable and has a new lease of life.