The Merlin Torres adventure helmet is a full-face lid aimed at riders who either spend their time on adventure bikes or simply like that rugged ADV look. I wore it for more than 1000 miles on my Kawasaki Versys 650 Grand Tour through winter and spring, covering everything from short daily commutes to longer two-and-a-half-hour rides. Over that time it came across as a comfortable, well thought-out lid with a strong spec for the money.
Fit & comfort
For me, the Torres was very comfortable from the outset. The padding was firm enough to feel supportive without becoming tight or tiring, and it remained easy to wear whether I was just riding to work or heading further afield for a longer run.
During the May heatwave, the Coolmax liner also helped keep things feeling less sweaty when I got stuck in motorway traffic, which added to the helmet’s overall comfort.
In a size medium, it matched the sizing of my HJC RPHA 11 in the same size, with a snug but comfortable feel around the cheeks and a secure hold around the top of my head.
The general fit and shape worked well over distance, and I had no complaints about pressure points or awkwardness. It's a helmet I can put on and forget about, which is exactly what most of us want from a lid.
Noise & aerodynamics
The Torres was on the noisy side compared with some other helmets I have used, though not to the point where it is a serious issue.
I could still listen to my intercom on motorway rides, though on windier days I sometimes need to turn the volume up. I tried it with my touring screen in both middle and high positions, but that made no obvious difference to noise levels.
In terms of stability, it generally behaved well at all speed. The only time it felt less settled was on windier days, particularly when doing shoulder checks, where I could feel the airflow catching the helmet and making it slightly harder to turn my head. Even so, it remained stable in normal riding and never felt unruly.
Vision & visor
Vision is a strong point. The eyeport is large, which gives plenty of peripheral vision both horizontally and vertically and reduces the amount of head movement needed to check what is going on around me. That contributes a lot to how easy the helmet feels to live with on the road.
The visor itself is effective in use, even if the removal system is not quite as quick or simple as some lever-operated alternatives.
It is a screw-in set-up that also secures the peak, so it is more involved than some rivals, but once the Pinlock is fitted it is not something most riders will need to keep taking apart anyway. There is also a central lug that allows the visor to be propped slightly open, which is useful for extra airflow.
Mist protection is excellent. The supplied Pinlock 70 worked flawlessly throughout my test period, including a very cold and very wet two-and-a-half-hour motorway ride in February.
The internal sun visor is more of a mixed bag: it’s fine for bright but cloudy days and drops low enough to be useful, but it is not quite dark enough for very sunny riding and leaves me squinting when heading directly into the sun.
Ventilation
The Torres has a fairly simple but useful vent layout, with one adjustable chin vent, one adjustable top vent and two exhaust vents tucked under the rear spoiler. The top vent slider is positioned behind the peak, which makes it easy to find and operate with gloves on.
Photography: Jose Mas
In practice, the top vent works well and brings in a noticeable amount of cooling air. The chin vent is less obvious in use, although that may be influenced by the height of my bike’s screen rather than the helmet itself.
Most of the time I find myself riding with the visor propped open, only fully sealing it in the worst weather, which suggests the Torres offers usable ventilation even if not every vent feels equally effective.
Fastening & safety
The helmet’s D-ring fastening works well. It’s easy enough to use, and the strap is slightly longer than usual, which is helpful when securing it.
The extra strap length did initially create a small issue with my jacket’s high collar, occasionally catching on it during shoulder checks. Once I got used to leaving my collar slightly open and making sure the strap was sitting clear before setting off, that problem disappeared.
From a safety point of view, the Torres carries the current ECE 22.06 approval, and the snug fit adds to the feeling that it would offer good protection if needed. It does not currently have a SHARP rating, but in use it feels secure and inspires confidence.
Intercom compatibility
The Torres is very accommodating for an intercom. I fitted a Cardo Freecom 2X easily, although the width of the lower trim means an adhesive mount was needed, rather than the clamp. The unit’s 40mm speakers were an almost perfect fit in the helmet’s speaker recesses, avoiding any rubbing when putting the helmet on or taking it off.
The wired microphone was also straightforward to fit inside the chin area, and cable routing was simple thanks to a gap behind the rubber trim. Overall, it feels like a helmet that has been designed with real-world intercom use in mind, which is becoming increasingly important.
Final thoughts
The Merlin Torres is a likeable and very usable adventure-style helmet that gets a lot right for the price. It is comfortable, well equipped and practical, with a fibreglass shell, internal sun visor, included Pinlock and straightforward intercom compatibility all adding to its appeal.
It is not the quietest helmet I've worn, and the internal sun visor could do with being darker for bright summer riding. But those are relatively minor drawbacks in the context of what is otherwise a well-rounded package.
For riders after an adventure-style full-face helmet with a strong feature list at a very reasonable price point, the Torres makes a convincing case.
