Nolan X-552 review | Discounted adventure helmet tested

Date reviewed: December 2025 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £314.99 (street price) | nolan-helmets.com

The carbon-fibre Nolan X-552 adventure helmet on review here was discontinued shortly after we received it for review, which would usually mean that we wouldn’t put the resource into covering it. However, as stock remains in stores and with prices hovering around £300 to £315 (down from the £429.99 original retail), it could well be a helmet that seems a tempting proposition if you’re in the market. I’ve been using it in various weathers on my 2019 BMW R1250GS, the 2001 Honda VFR800 and a 2025 BMW F800GS to find out if it’s a bargain or not…

Outer Shell

The Nolan X-552 was previously the X-Lite X-552, but the brands (which were the same company) have been combined. This adventure-style helmet is basically the X-903 – which is available for about £300 – with a peak screwed on.

The ‘Ultra Carbon’ shell is a carbon-fibre skin over an aramid/glass fibre resin shell, and while a yellow swing tag on the strap warned that “This helmet features an exclusive manual processing, therefore, any irregularity or cosmetic imperfection are not to be considered a defect, rather the significant characteristic of its uniqueness,” I’m impressed with the excellent lay-up. Some of this plain helmet is painted matte black, which can hide cosmetic irregularities in the carbon-fibre, but it’s actually the small bits of oozing glue that I noticed at a couple of points around the bottom edge of the shell. These aren’t a safety issue, and they’re not glaringly obvious but while relatively good value for a carbon-vibre helmet, this isn’t in the budget end of the market.

Typically available for £299.99 in gloss carbon-fibre, £314.99 for this ‘Carbon/Black’, or £299.99 to £349.99 for graphics, this is quite a drop from the £429.99, £469.99 and £499.99 original retail pricing.

The X-552 has three outer-shell sizes – one covering up to and including Medium, another for Large and the third for Extra Large and above – so it won’t look overly big on smaller head sizes.

The X-552’s peak is removable by unscrewing the top fastener and rotating to two bayonet fittings at either side, but Nolan doesn’t include any blanking plates for those, which leaves the helmet looking a little untidy and rather cheap. The side fasteners are retained in the peak, but the top screw isn’t. You could screw it back into the helmet, which would probably be fine but it does press into the expanded polystyrene (EPS) inner shell a little. It’s a plastic screw, but it still makes me slightly nervous if there was a direct impact at that point in a crash. Realistically it doesn’t protrude much at all, and there’s a lot of EPS below it.

Interestingly, the instructions do not mention riding without the peak fitted, merely saying that “When riding on the road, the peak should be adjusted to the highest position.”

It’s worth pointing out here that no printed instructions are supplied with the helmet, which is disappointing: they’re accessed via a QR code that you have to scan to reach this link to the Nolan X-552 owner’s manual.

The peak is indeed adjustable over a height difference of 26mm, which can help with the aerodynamics but do keep in mind that any peak will cause some degree of drag, and that will be affected in different ways by your riding position, height and the screen fitted to your bike.

I’m 5’10” and have a Puig racing screen on my GS, and a Pyramid Double Bubble screen on the VFR, and have found this Nolan’s peak to be very good with no shaking or noticeable drumming. That’s very impressive compared to other helmets I’ve tested, though you must of course expect some drag. On the GS I noticed that the wind sometimes tried to push my head down a little, which might be a problem over long rides, but otherwise I only had it when turning or lifting my head over about 60mph. This will vary depending on the rider and their motorcycle; Tony Hoare noted in his excellent review that it caused him neck ache on some bikes.

Weight

On my scales the Nolan X-552 weighs 1,724g (1,591g with the peak removed). While many expect carbon-fibre helmets to be light, the carbon-skinned construction means that it’s still got the resin fibre underneath. It’s 12g lighter than the Arai Tour-X5 and 123g heavier than the Shoei Hornet ADV, though keep in mind that that’s for the old ECE22.05 version. The new 22.06 Hornet will be available in 2026 so we don’t know what that will weigh yet.

Aerodynamics play far more of a part in how ‘heavy’ a helmet feels in use, and it’s the drag from a peak that has the biggest impact. How well this will work for you on your bike is, unfortunately, impossible to say.

Ventilation

Off-road helmets tend to have more powerful ventilation than many road-based designs, but being basically a road lid with a peak there’s no direct-to-mouth venting on the X-552, and of course as it can’t really be worn with goggles, you can’t gain additional cooling around the face this way.

The chin vent blows up across the visor. It’s easy to operate, with just an open or closed setting. It feeds air in fairly well, though if it’s behind a screen you’ll not feel much movement.

The top vent has two stages and closed. It’s a little stiff to operate but effective at moving air across the top of your head, through the channels and out of the two always-open exhaust ports, not creating any ‘pressure points’ of air-blast when open.

With the removable chin skirt fitted there’s still a bit of a draft allowed in, which is good in summer but not so great in winter.

Visor

The Nolan X-552’s visor can be cracked about 25mm open for more ventilation, though at higher speeds it will close itself, sitting just off locked.

Fully locking the visor shut seals it completely, but it’s a very stiff action, taking some serious pressure to close the front tab down fully. Fortunately, even when it’s in the ‘nearly’ shut position the top seal prevents rain getting past, and it leaves only a small gap above the seal at the front bottom edge.

There are four stages from closed before the fully open visor setting, with the ratchet being positive but a little cheaper feeling in its action compared to many others in this price range.

When open it’s best to reach up over the peak and flick the top of the visor to close it, as there’s not enough space to grab it. This is annoying at first, but credit to Nolan for creating a peak that offers such good coverage without restricting the opening of the visor.

A Pinlock is supplied and while there’s no label on it, Nolan tells me it’s a Pinlock 70, which is the mid-range of the common consumer models of 30, 70 and 120 (though a new 200 was released at EICMA this year). The number relates to how many seconds it takes to saturate during lab testing, so is a comparative indication of its performance in bad weather

In perhaps another nod to the X-552’s road helmet roots, a dark visor is supplied. This is despite there being a good drop-down sunshield that’s operated with a lever just behind the left of the visor. This is on a soft ratchet that makes it easy to set at a height you want, though most people will close it fully, where I find it leaves only a small gap of light above my nose: excellent.

The main visor is extremely easy to remove and replace – just open it, pull down on the tab on each side and it pops clear. Fitting is even easier as it simply pushes on and locks securely in place – this is among the easiest visor systems I’ve used. Or at least it would be if you didn’t have to take the peak off first to get at the visor.

Some user reviews suggest that the X-552 can be worn with goggles, but the aperture isn’t large enough for my Barstows. Straps should stay in place despite stretching over the sides of the rear spoiler, but they’ll likely pick up the grease that’s exposed on the visor’s ratchet mechanism. This Nolan clearly hasn’t been designed for use with Goggles, and there’s no mention of them in the owner’s manual.

Lining

Nolan says that the X-552’s liner is thermo-regulating thanks to its carbon filaments, breathable and anti-static. It certainly appears a well-made liner, and feels soft and comfortable against the skin. It’s fully removable for washing, and while it does at first appear that the cheek-pads are a fiddle to get back in, I found that by pressing on the pad’s upper front popper, then sliding in the lower front before popping on the rear, it became a lot easier.

The cheek pads also have an effective emergency-release system that would allow emergency responders to more easily remove the helmet in a worst case scenario.

Fastening

The X-552 has a double-D strap, which many people love for its always perfect fit, but in what’s arguably a more touring-focussed lid a micrometric ratchet might have been preferred by some.

The only real problem I have with the Nolan is that it’s really hard to fasten the popper that keeps the spare end of the strap from flapping about: far too many times I’ve given up in frustration and just had to put up with it dangling, or tried to shove it up in the side of the lid.

Fit

Fit is always totally subjective on any helmet – you must try them on for yourself, even if that brand or a previous model has seemed perfect in the past. Spend some time feeling for any pressure points, while also checking for a snug fit around the head and cheeks.

I found the Nolan X-552 to be a bit tight at the brow and the lower back of the head, getting a little painful after an hour and a half. Compression of the EPS at the front can help this, which happens over time or a dealer might be able to help you. Ultimately though, as there’s so much choice a good fit must be the first thing you look for when buying. And it is entirely personal: don’t take anyone else’s advice on fit.

The main crown liner has an adjustable strap in the rear that pulls it tighter and makes the helmet sit slightly higher on the head, which can help the fit somewhat – it’s an interesting solution that’s worth experimenting with when you try the helmet on as it did make it a little comfier for me.

In the instructions, Nolan says the foam can be removed for cleaning, but do take care. To pull out the part for a better fit with specs, you only need remove the top

If you wear glasses, you might be disappointed with the claim of ‘eyewear adaptive’ moulded into the side as I found the arms of my specs wouldn’t easily fit in. However, the tops of the cheek pads have pre-cut sections of foam in the top edges – pull these out and tear them free and a much clearer channel is left. While still a little tight, my glasses went in a lot easier once I’d done this.

Again, it’s a shame that there’s no printed instruction manual with the Nolan – make sure you scan the QR code and read it.

Nolan X-552 Noise

Peaks can often cause an annoying drumming sound, but I haven’t found this on the X-552. Overall, the helmet doesn’t seem overly noisy or have any irritating sounds, but it’s impossible to quantify (even with lab equipment) as the noise from any helmet will depend on its fit around your head and neck, your height and riding position, the screen and fairing on your bike and even the jacket you’re wearing.

For more information on why earplugs are vital with any helmet, and advice on which are the best, click here.

Can I fit my own intercom to the Nolan X-552?

The X-552 is compatible with Nolan’s own N-Com Mesh and Bluetooth units, which are made by Sena. However, there is space to fit your own unit on the side, and popping off the silicone bung creates a flat surface for sticking it to. The speaker apertures are 38mm in diameter and 9mm deep.

As an outgoing model, the X-551 has not been through the SA (Specific Accessory) or UA (Universal Accessory) part of ECE22.06’s testing, so technically you’re not affecting its homologation by adding your own device that hasn’t met the UA requirements.

As with other brands, if you buy an intercom at the same time as the helmet from most stores, you’ll not pay VAT on the comms system, saving 16.66%.

The slightly rough glueing on the bottom of the shell is only noticeable if you go looking for it

Three alternatives to the Nolan X-552

Adventure helmets have become particularly popular over recent years, and many have found the benefit of having a peak in low sunlight. But they can be an inconvenience at speed too, so most riders will want a helmet that allows them to remove it. Here are some others you might be considering…

• Arai Tour-X5, £599.99 (£569.99 street price) | The benchmark in true adventure helmets, the Tour-X5 can be worn with or without the peak, and with googles or the visor. As with other Arais there’s no drop-down sunshield, but this is an outstanding piece of kit. Just note that the fit seems slightly different to other Arais, though good dealers will offer a free fitting service. Read the full review of the Arai Tour-X5 here.

• Schuberth E2, £569.99 (£512.99 street price) | The E2 is a Schuberth C5 flip-front helmet with a peak added. In fact, you can even convert a C5 yourself with a new visor and the peak. The beauty is that you can easily convert this back to a full road helmet, though you can’t wear it with goggles. The peak can shake a bit, but it’s easily removable so that’s a compromise I’m happy to make. This is arguably one of the most versatile helmets you can buy. Read the full review of the Schuberth E2 here.

• Shoei Hornet ADV06, £??? | The Hornet ADV was the main competitor to the Arai Tour-X4, but it’s only just getting an update to the safer ECE22.06 test standard, with release in the UK expected in Spring 2026. Like the Arai it has no drop-down sunshield, and in our interview we were told that it can be worn with goggles. We’ll be testing the helmet as soon as we can, but here’s the review of the ECE22.05-certfied older model from back in 2020.

These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the helmets we’ve tested here  and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.

The peak can be removed, but this helmet seems to be designed primarily with it being fitted

Nolan X-552 review: Verdict

This was the first Nolan I’d reviewed, and while it’s clearly not my favourite helmet, I was impressed with some of the details, like the excellent emergency cheek-pad removal system, the effective sun shield and the great visor release (when the peak’s not in the way).

It’s a little difficult to decide who the Nolan X-552 would really suit. You can’t use it with googles so it’s not suitable for off-road work, and the peak isn’t really designed to be removed neatly for road work. When riding into low sun a peak can’t be beaten so the Nolan is ideal for that, but for the rest of the time the majority of road riders will likely want to remove it.

The X-552’s peak is one of the best I’ve tried, but riding with it removed leaves the helmet looking unfinished. If you want a road helmet that always has a peak it’s well worth trying on, and the price is particularly tempting at the moment…

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Nolan X-552 complete strip down

While taking the chin skirt off the Nolan X-552, the plastic trim over the front inside came with it. That’s not a problem as it pushes back in fairly easily, but I noticed that the EPS section behind it wasn’t bonded in. Again, not unusual, but I got inquisitive…

After popping out one of the side EPS sections, the front dropped out easily and the other was then free. That only left the main EPS, which I was able to slide out by compressing the outer shell.

Even the most expensive lids don’t always have the EPS bonded in, but the is the first time I’ve been able to take one apart entirely.

It went back together safely and securely, and I wouldn’t recommend doing this, but it gives us a chance to have a look inside.