A new helmet is a wonderful thing. And a new Arai helmet ranks a long way up on the wonderfulness scale. That special Arai smell when you open the box is almost as good as fresh coffee or even a virgin jar of Nutella. But perhaps I'm getting a little beyond myself here.

Back in the mid 1980s, helmets were pretty, well to be honest they weren't very good. Impact protection was OK but there wasn't the level of understanding about padding and stress absorption that the is now, and things like ventilation, quick change visors and the like weren't even thought of. Then, in quick succession, two manufacturers came along and blew the market wide open. Both were Japanese. One was Shoei, who brought in an innovative, stylish helmet with a spring mounted visor that sealed properly and was easy to operate. The other was Arai, who introduced something called the Supervent. Even now, twenty five years or so later, you'd recognise the shape, with the chin vents and side pods that characterise Arai helmets.

The Supervent was a revelation - you could ride without steaming up or boiling your brain. It was comfortable, the visor worked properly and it had that Arai smell. Plus Freddie Spencer wore one, and tested it regularly, as did almost all the notable racers of the period. Over the years Arai have expanded their range, and around fifteen years ago they launched the RX7. Made of a complex laminate of fibreglass and carbon, the RX7 had vents galore, a quick release visor that also locked properly, a removable, washable lining, basically everything that the racer or serious road rider could want. And, apart from name changes and the occasional very minor refinement, it remained unchanged as arguably the best helmet in the world. You can see our review of it here.

Now the RX7 wasn't without its critics. it was noisy, for sure, and some people thought that the visor aperture was a little narrow compared to later designs. To answer those critics, Arai have introduced the RX7 GP. And here's something I never thought I'd say. It's a far better helmet than the Corsair I have sat on the shelf in my garage.

At first glance it's a case of spot the difference. The overall shape is still standard Arai RX7, there are still a couple of diffusers on the top of the helmet with the central intake and the side pods. There's an aerodynamic wing between the diffusers, but we'll come to that in a second.

It isn't really until you put the new helmet next to the old one that the differences become more apparent. The chin piece is slightly longer, making the front of the helmet a little more sloped. The aperture might be a little wider, though it isn't obvious. The vents are restyled and seem somehow smoother. But that's about it. Definitely evolution rather than revolution. The story stays the same when you put it on. There's no chin deflector to pull down, but that doesn't mean much. The straps and buckle are the same, too. It's a little lighter, perhaps, and yes, the aperture does seem bigger. But that's it, really. Even the vent controls are in the same place.

So what's the fuss about?

I'll tell you what the fuss is about. In fact even better, stop mucking about indoors and get on your bike. Go for a ride and within ten minutes I won't need to tell you what the difference is. Because it's massive.

The new RX7 GP is one of the quietest helmets I have ever worn. At urban speeds, where its predecessor was just starting to get uncomfortable I can ride along all day without earplugs and not suffer any ill effects. And out on the open road, while earplugs are a given, the inside stays a pleasant place to be. You can hear just enough to be involved but there's none of the aural battering that used to accompany a high speed jaunt. Not only that, but stability - never a weakness with the RX7 range anyway - is further improved by that little wing. Though I confess I couldn't make it behave very differently when I adjusted it. But it certainly does something as buffeting is almost completely eliminated. The new visor aperture may only be a little bigger but the difference it makes is huge. It's a light, airy, well ventilated place to be and visibility is brilliant.

So it's simple really. Arai have made a few small but hugely significant changes to what was already one of the best helmets on the market, and have improved it more than I'd have believed possible. So much so that I bought one with my own money and consigned my almost new RX7 Corsair to my spare helmet store. Quite simply, I honestly believe that, provided it fits you properly, this is the best helmet money can buy. And I don't give praise like that lightly.

SB