[RideApart] - Borderless launches kickstarter for CrossHelmet X1 Smart Helmet

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Borderless launches kickstarter for CrossHelmet X1 Smart Helmet

After just a few days, Japanese helmet start-up Borderless has met its kickstarter goal, and then some, ensuring some trick smart helmets are on the way.

Last year, Skully Helmets folded after it allegedly blew the $2.4M of investment funding raised on IndieGoGo on strippers, Lamborghini rentals, and other non-motorcycle helmet-related stuff. Skully also managed to squander an additional ten-plus million in funds from other investors, a feat that would almost be impressive had it not left the moto-tech industry with something of a black eye. Since the Skully fiasco, there has been a measurable decline in investors' willingness to fund super high-tech helmets. Luckily a lone dude in Japan – who almost certainly possesses exponentially more discipline than Skully’s CEO – has seemingly turned things around for smart-motorcycle products, and is introducing one hell of a product while doing so.

READ MORE: Founders of Skully AR-1 Helmet Depart Company


Enter Arata Oono, founder and CEO of Borderless. Oono is a seasoned designer who has spent years working in the motorcycle industry, including on projects such as Yamaha’s MT-09. In addition to seeing a place in today’s market for a connected smart helmet, the avid motorcycle enthusiasts and designer also felt that the majority of full-face helmets tend to squeeze riders’ faces, resulting in a less than comfortable helmet-wearing experience.

His solution to this problem came in the form of several years of development that ultimately resulted in the CrossHelmet X1, a trick brain bucket that offers sound control, a rear-view camera, twin heads-up displays, and smartphone/bluetooth connectivity. All of this is wrapped in a sleek package that gives its wearers – and their faces – a more spacious interior.

READ MORE: Introducing the World's First Noise-Cancelling Helmet - The SENA Smart Helmet

To bring these sexy high-tech lids to market, Oono went with Kickstarter to get his space-age offering off the ground. The campaign was launched September 12, and has since hit over $190K – almost double its goal – and it’s even gone up several thousand since I started writing this.

The CrossHelmet X1 reportedly will retail for $1,799, though an early-bird special is still available to another 175 backers in which they can get their hands on one for $1,399. Based on the massive success already experienced in the previous 48-hours, it looks like Borderless has a bright future that will almost certainly include additional helmet models and, as a result, the current high price for this technology should come down overtime. Something that every rider should be happy about.

READ MORE: Maltese College Kids Design a Smart Helmet to Aid Riders


The CrossHelmet X1 manages to deliver a plethora of new technology, inside a stylish modern design. The start-up's helmet includes new proprietary technology, some practical features, and a whole lot of fancy techno-wizardry. Though I could ramble on about the specifics of this trick new moto-offering, it’s probably best to just check out Borderless’s kickstarter page and the extremely well produced video on it.

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