Here is the story how the ‘Kevin Schwantz Special Arai’ came to life.

Part 1: Wednesday 31^st May. I have always been a massive Schwantz fan from way back when. I started collecting memorabilia once Kevin retired. I had t-shirts, videos, posters, photo’s and all the other usual stuff.

A few items from the collection

I then stumbled across an old red, white and blue Pepsi style Arai Giga on the Internet. Never worn, new and signed I had to have it. The deal was done, the helmet arrived and the journey began. Being a biker, I had always worn Arai helmets, as far as I was concerned they were the best, they more importantly fitted my head the best and their quality and designs always stood out, an easy choice. Had the Giga been my size I would probably have worn it.

Hand signed early Giga in Pepsi Colours

With the new helmet in my possession and thinking I had more or less exhausted Schwantz things to collect, I thought how about collecting Schwantz’s replica helmets that he has worn over the years? Low and behold, a quick check on eBay and there was a new KS version of his Lucky Strike colours for sale, done deal, do you see the pattern forming?

Over the years, I managed to source all of his helmets. From old red, black and silver Arai F1, blue version of the same, the KS, Kevin#1 and 34+1 versions of the Lucky Strike era, Giga’s, Signet’s, Quantum’s and RX7’s you name I got them, seventeen to total.

Early Red/Black F1, Giga, Lucky Strike designs, Camouflage replica and New RX7 design.

Along the way, I made contact with fans around the world and people close to Kevin via his race school/website. I was able to source some quality photo’s to allow me to have helmets that were one off specials for Kevin copied. The Camouflage Gulf War tribute helmet, the flowery design he wore when he retired etc. I was stuck though on his very early designs.

The only reference pictures I could find of Kevin’s pre-Pepsi style helmets were from his book. Schwantz’s race school couldn’t help, couldn’t find anything decent on the web so off to Arai UK I went. I emailed to ask if there were any old reference pictures anywhere in the world. I waited, but it didn’t look good. I tried again, but it looked like the only photo’s I had were from the book and some poor quality pictures from the Internet.

Then unexpectedly I received an email from Arai Europe. They had heard of my request and the photo’s started flowing thick and fast. Derk from Arai Helmet Europe HQ in Hoevelaken, Holland was on the case, sending me reference pictures a plenty. I had what I needed. I had more than I needed. Service like you wouldn’t believe. So paint wise my collection was complete. Still in touch with Derk, swapping stories, emails and pictures I was kindly offered spares to make my collection as complete and realistic as possible. I was sent visors, stickers, diffusers, cheek pads etc. Some of my older helmets all of a sudden became like new.

Derk kindly invited me go visit Arai HQ in Holland to have a look at the facility, talk to the technicians and collect any parts I was still missing. I jumped at the chance. One cold morning at the end of May, I flew from Luton to Amsterdam, took the train to Amersfort and Derk kindly picked me up for the short journey to Hoevelaken.

HQ in Hoevelaken, The Netherlands

I didn’t know what to expect, but I was blown away. Generosity beyond belief. As I previous said I had always regarded Arai as a quality brand and from the restoration of some of the older helmets in my collection, I was an Arai fan nearly as much as an Schwantz fan. On arrival at the factory we sat and talked, went through old catalogues and brochures, filled in the missing parts of how and when we made contact. I had the tour, the old original helmets hanging from walls and in display cases were fantastic. Schwantz, Doohan, Mamola, Damon Hill, bikes, F1 and powerboat helmets galore. I would love to have some of those in my personal collection.

Mamola, Spencer, Dunlop, Doohan etc – all the real deal!

I met Marcel whom gave me a technical what’s what, how the internals work, how to replace parts and a demo into how the quick/easy helmet removal tool works – grown men laying on the office floor in crash helmets! You had to be there, funny but valuable. I was given more spares, old visors were sourced from beyond, and I must have more parts and accessories that Arai themselves.
I had a great afternoon, the following morning I was to meet Ferry Brouwer the Managing Directory of Arai Europe.

The next day I was introduced to Ferry, we spoke for hours on all things bikes, racing, helmets and business.

Chatting with Ferry

I was kindly invited to visit Arai’s purpose built AIC/Paintshop facility just down the road. On entering, my jaw nearly hit the floor, speechless, like a kid in a toyshop. Helmets everywhere, all original, most signed, some crashed, some not, from every rider across all types of motor sport. I stood looking for the helmets I knew, Hopkins, Haga, Schwantz, Alonso, Dunlop, I couldn’t keep count. An awesome collection of helmets. Ferry and Derk looked on as I said nothing, but by all accounts I looked ‘quite impressed’ they weren’t wrong!

The facilities and just a few of the helmets!

Next door, I met Pierre whom worked in the paintshop. He was creating some special helmets by hand, adding the world famous Arai logo to a pre-painted helmet. Looked like a job for someone with patience and a massive eye for detail. I later learnt he has both. They hand paint helmets for racers and the public from here. After a quick look around, we left Pierre to it and via the Aladdin’s Cave of helmets left for HQ.

On the way back Ferry offered me a very special present, very special indeed. My own helmet! I had mentioned earlier about a Schwantz replica with his four main helmets designs on each quarter. Ferry had given me the chance to create this! Thanks again Ferry, you made my day. We said our goodbyes and I returned home to the UK, a fantastic trip where I met some of the nicest, passionate and professional people you will ever meet. Nothing was too much, top guys, thanks once more. The whole way back to the UK ideas flying around my head on how ‘my helmet’ would look along with what a fantastic trip I had had.

So at home after boring everyone with my stories and pictures, I set about designing the helmet. I ended up combining from all Schwantz’s main designs, not just the main four as I had earlier suggested. The red, black and silver Pepsi design. The red, white and blue Pepsi. The red, black and yellow Lucky Strike (all three versions), the flowery design he used after he retired and the new version. Pieces from each one combined to make an awesome tribute to Kevin and a design fit to grace any Arai. After Derk had told me to be as precise as possible as Pierre won’t correct anything once it’s done, I sent an army’s worth of reference material to Derk. Pictures I had drawn and coloured (just like being a kid again), photos and a very detailed description.

My designs, I enjoyed the colouring part!

I hoped it would be possible and made sure I left no stone unturned. I soon got that the news that Pierre thought it was achievable. It would be a few months but we were on our way.

Over the months we kept in touch, checking if Pierre had started the project, then one day the answer had changed from the usual no to yes. Derk informed me that it was to be harder than first expected as I had designed designs within themselves meaning tensai’s couldn’t be used. A few non-Dutch words from Pierre were mentioned, but it was still achievable albeit the whole helmet would need to be airbrushed by hand! What turned out to be a week’s work, hit 2 weeks finally taking more than 4 weeks to finish. Photos were taken along the way for a history of how my helmet was made and for Arai to use for demonstration purposes on ‘what can be achieved if money is no object’.

Each star hand painted and who did it belong to?

It was perfect, Pierre following my design exactly using the original helmets as reference. Aldo Drudi even dropped by and said how much he liked it and whether his name would be a part of it. It would be, ‘Drudi Performance’ is a part of all Kevin’s designs.

Ferry and Aldo, whose name can be found on so many great helmet designs.

It would however be alongside ‘Pierre Performance’ though as a tribute to an amazing artist. The amount of time and effort that goes into making these helmets is incredible and I can’t wait for it to be completed. I will then be on back Arai HQ to thank everyone involved personally.

Part 2: Monday 20^th November. I had been in touch with Derk over the last few weeks and the helmet was complete! I had not seen the finished product, as Derk refused to send me any pictures – how unfair was that! So, off to Luton I went for the crack of dawn flight to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. It was a horrible day, dark, cold and raining but knowing what was at the other end, I couldn’t wait to get there. Flight on time, train caught, next stop Amersfoort.

Derk kindly picked me up from Amserfoort station for the short drive to HQ. On arrival, after saying hi to John and Sandera few of the guys, a world famous Arai box with my name on the side was pointed out to me my Derk. Didn’t take long to open it and unpack the helmet. Awesome, gob smacked, it was stunning! My design had been followed to the letter, not a single thing missing and the detail was incredible. 100% better than I could ever have hoped for or imagined it being. Numerous guys passed by and came to say hi, each one checking out Pierre’s masterpiece. A month plus worth of airbrushing, resulting in a helmet worth a fortune.

We drove off to AIC to meet up with Ferry. I thanked Ferry, he too was impressed on seeing the helmet for the first time. I then met Sugi-sanSan, Arai’s long time service technician that used to look after Schwantz back in the day and still works with the Arai’s riders today. After a brief chat, off to catch up with Pierre. He was in the spray booth working away. I thanked Pierre, he said he really liked the helmet and had enjoyed working on it, although it was by far the most complex design he had ever done and had to just leave it alone every now and then to let his eyes and brain get back to normal! He thought it was worth the wait as I obviously did. Pierre had airbrushed the design using all the original helmets as reference for dimensions etc. We joked about mass-producing them, not likely to happen I think!

We chatted about numerous other helmet designs etc and how they all come to life. I was also introduced to Mario whom had helped Pierre with the work. It really is eye opening what goes into design and manufacturing of crash helmets. You just wouldn’t believe it until you saw it for yourself, ultimately designed to save lives and that doesn’t mean just producing a rock hard helmet.

So, after more chat, more thanks and a few more laughs I asked all the chaps to sign the visor to make it complete. White pen at the ready, Ferry, Sugi-san, Pierre, Mario and Derk all signed away. I will be getting Kevin to sign it too, hopefully that shouldn’t be too far away. It turned out to be one of Nakano’s used visors. Was there nothing normal on this helmet?

Ferry and Pierre signing the visor.

I said my goodbyes and we went back to HQ for some photos of the finished signed helmet for later use. Derk kindly showed me around the rest of the premises, an Aladdin’s cave of goodies if you like that kind of thing. I picked up a few more things along the way.

It was time to leave after a great day. I surely am the luckiest man alive. Christmas really did come early. I cannot thank the guys at Arai enough, Ferry for his generosity, Derk for everything, Pierre for being a great artist and all the other guys too. You will not find a group of more helpful, friendly, passionate employees anywhere. Incredible atmosphere wherever you turned, nothing too much, thanks guys you really are the best. The whole thing has been a dream come true.

So I made it back to the UK safe and sound, thanks Easyjet for not too bumpy a flight, the helmet went as hand luggage, I would have gone in the hold if need be, with the helmet taking my seat! I have since shown the helmet to numerous people, everyone has been amazed at the finished product and the story of how it came to be.

The helmet now takes pride of place in my Arai Schwantz collection. Next time I see the Arai helmet guys racing F1, bikes or anything else I now know and appreciate what goes into them and how they too came to life.

The collection is now complete, with the exception of Kevin’s real helmets, I have them all and the one-off he doesn’t…

“Arai, there is a difference” ….

….there sure is! Thanks Guys