The Alpinestars Supertech R7 joins the more extreme Supertech R10 in the Alpinestars helmet range, and is a slightly more road-focused proposition. It still has a sporty outlook and a wide, deep visor that works well on a sportsbike, but the overall shape is less aggressive than the S-R10 and there are practical touches that make it easier to live with on the road.
It is also much cheaper than the S-R10. At the time of review, the S-R7 starts at £449.99, while the S-R10 starts at £850.
Fit & comfort
The S-R7 has a snug, race-style fit, which is exactly what I would expect from a helmet like this. I felt a fair amount of pressure around the head and cheeks, but not in a way that felt wrong or uncomfortable.
I wore a medium, as I do in almost every helmet, and the sizing felt consistent with other brands. The S-R7 comes in sizes from XS to 2XL, and the fit feels true to what I would usually expect.
Inside, the padding is made up of four parts: two cheekpads, a top pad and a crown-and-neck pad. The cheekpads use a brushed fabric where they rub against the skin, while a lighter fabric is used higher up to help with sweat management.
The separate top pad allows Alpinestars’ A-Head fit adjustment system. Each corner of the pad has three possible mounting positions, allowing the angle and height of the helmet to be adjusted on the head. The owner’s manual includes a diagram to explain what each change does.
There is no obvious glasses-friendly channel inside the helmet, but I was able to get my spectacles in place. It took a little effort to slide the arms in, but once they were there, they stayed where I wanted them.
A chin curtain is supplied in the box. It clips into the front of the chinbar port and attaches under the cheekpad loops. I found it made a difference to airflow and noise, so it is worth experimenting with depending on the weather and bike.
The size medium I reviewed weighed 1490g on our scales. That is respectable rather than featherweight, but it feels lighter than the number suggests, both in the hand and on the head. That matters more to me than the figure on the scales.
Noise & aerodynamics
I found the S-R7 stable through the air and had no issues with noise.
Most of my riding was on a Suzuki GSX-8R, and I also used it on a GSX-S1000S. In both cases the helmet behaved well, with no stability problems and no excessive noise. It was quieter with the supplied chin curtain fitted, but even without it I did not find the noise level too much.
As always, that comes with the usual caveats... I wear Auritech earplugs, which filter out a lot of noise, and the way air reaches the helmet depends heavily on the bike, screen, rider height and riding position. I can only say that in my circumstances, the S-R7 worked well.
Vision & visor
The visor is a new version of the visor used on the Supertech R10, and S-R10 visors will fit the S-R7. It has six steps from fully open to the cracked-open position, and I found the hold in those intermediate positions to be strong.
I like the cracked position. It lets in a useful amount of air without feeling excessive, and it holds firmly in place for me, even at motorway speeds.
The final closing step pushes the visor fully shut and locks it down. Releasing it means pushing the lock lever back up before lifting the visor. It is not the simplest lock release, and I think it could be fiddly with thicker gloves.
I got into the habit of unlocking the visor straight after it locked, which left it shut enough for normal riding but meant I could flick it open quickly if needed. In rain, though, the visor needs to be fully locked down to seal properly.
Peripheral vision is excellent. Alpinestars quote 220° of lateral vision and 57° in the vertical plane, and I didn’t need a protractor to feel impressed by the view.
The visor is easy to change, has tear-off posts on the outside and comes with a Pinlock 120XLT in the box. That is the level of anti-mist insert I would expect on a helmet like this.
There is no internal sun visor, so glare protection means buying a tinted race visor. I fitted one from an SR10, and that costs around £90 at the time of review. It is worth remembering that race visors are not legal for UK road use, though used sensibly in daylight the chances of trouble are slim.
Ventilation
Alpinestars say there are 10 vents in total, made up of six inlets and four exhausts. At the chin, two of the three inlets are operated by pivoting switches, while the central one is revealed by removing a rubber bung before riding.
The chin vents channel air through the top or sides of the chinbar, refreshing the visor area or allowing stale air to leave the interior. None of them vent straight through the chinbar towards the mouth or face, so while I could feel some airflow, it was not as noticeable as I would like from a sporty helmet.
Photography: Helen Meeds
With the chin curtain removed, I could feel plenty of air swirling in from the base of the helmet. That made it harder to judge exactly what the vents were doing, but in warm weather I would be tempted to leave the chin curtain out and let air come in from underneath. That is not how I usually ride, but the helmet felt a bit stuffy with the chin curtain fitted.
The top vents are opened by sliding back a single switch, exposing three inlets. Again, I did not feel much direct airflow to the head. Air can move through the helmet and exit through rear outlets, but the overall effect was only OK rather than impressive.
The ventilation works, but I expected more from a helmet with this kind of sporty brief.
Fastening & safety
The S-R7 fastens with D-rings, which feels right for a helmet with this level of sportiness. The strap covers can also be removed for washing.
The cheekpads have obvious emergency-release loops, allowing a paramedic to remove them more easily if the helmet needs to come off after an incident. Each cheekpad also has a port for a hydration tube, which is another nod towards track-style use.
The helmet meets the ECE 22.06 standard for road riding and is ACU-approved for use on UK tracks. On early helmets, the ACU Gold sticker may be tucked inside the owner’s manual rather than already fitted to the helmet.
Intercom compatibility
The Supertech R7 has been designed around Alpinestars’ forthcoming A-Connect comms system.
A-Connect uses Sena technology and has Sena’s top-end specification. It was not available in the UK at the time of review, but I have seen how it fits. The control module attaches where there is a cover on the left side of the helmet, while the main unit mounts in a port at the neck. The fitment looks very sleek.
Photography: Helen Meeds
At £429.99, A-Connect will be expensive when it lands, but it is a top-end intercom and the integration looks smart.
For universal intercoms, I think the SR7 should still work well. The left-side port is flush enough to host an adhesive intercom plate, and the area is clear enough to take most control modules. Inside, the speaker recesses are large enough for 45mm speakers.
Nothing aftermarket will fit as neatly as the A-Connect, but the S-R7 looks much easier to work with than the more extreme S-R10.
Final thoughts
I think the Alpinestars Supertech R7 is a very impressive addition to the sports helmet category.
It feels more refined than the Supertech R10, with a less extreme look and a more road-friendly approach, but it still has enough sportiness to feel purposeful. It is also much easier to fit comms neatly, whether using Alpinestars’ own A-Connect system or a universal intercom.
The biggest weakness for me is ventilation. It works, but I wanted more airflow from a helmet with this kind of sporting focus. I would also have liked a tinted visor in the box, especially as the S-R10 includes one.
Everything else is strong. It feels lighter than its measured weight, stability is good, noise caused me no problems, the visor gives excellent vision and the fit has the snug, secure feel I expect from a sporty road helmet.
At the time of review, plain colours cost £449.99, while graphics range from £539.99 to £599.99.
For riders who want an Alpinestars sports helmet but find the SR10 too extreme or too expensive, the S-R7 makes a lot of sense.
