Gloss black is the version where the shell's shape does the talking — the revised spoiler, the reworked intakes and the aperture line all read as one continuous surface rather than as separate features.

What this helmet is — and what changed for the R

🔵 What separates this from a typical entry-level full-face is a short list of features that usually appear two price brackets up: an integrated sun visor, tool-free visor changes, intercom preparation with dedicated speaker pockets, and a Pinlock lens in the box.

None of those is exotic. All of them are normally charged for.

About the gloss black finish

The Thunder 4 R SV carries more visible structure than most helmets at this price: a spoiler that was genuinely reworked for this generation, enlarged air intakes and a defined chin bar. Gloss black draws a highlight along all of it, which is what makes an inexpensive helmet look considered rather than plain. The practical case is the familiar one and it cuts both ways: road film against dark clear coat is maximum contrast, and dry-wiping leaves permanent swirls, so wash it wet and dry it with a clean cloth. 🔵 It is also the least conspicuous version here, on a helmet designed for daily commuting.

The SHARP stars that belong to a different Thunder

🔵 If you have found a four-star rating for a „Thunder", check which one. SHARP's four-star entries are the MT Thunder and MT Thunder 3. The Thunder 4 R on this page has no SHARP entry at all.

What it does hold is full ECE 22.06 homologation — a pass mark against the current European standard rather than a comparative rating.

HIRP, two shells and ECE 22.06

🔵 What a thermoplastic shell means in practice: it is injection-moulded rather than laid up by hand, which makes it cheaper to produce and heavier than a composite of equal strength. It also makes it very consistent, because the process is machine-controlled.

That is the entire reason this helmet costs 157 € rather than 400. Two outer shell sizes cover XS to 3XL.

MT-QVSS, the visor lock and the Pinlock in the box

🔵 The Pinlock code for this helmet is DKS435, and one is supplied rather than sold. Most helmets at 157 € leave you to buy an insert for another 30–40 €, so factor that into any comparison.

„MaxVision" means it covers the full width of the aperture rather than leaving a clear border top and bottom — which is where fogging actually starts at low speed.

The integrated sun visor

🔵 An internal sun visor on a 157-euro helmet is not a given, and it is the single feature that makes this a genuinely all-day helmet rather than a fair-weather one. Deploy it climbing into the sun, retract it in a tunnel, and never stop.

The slider is sized to be worked in gloves.

Enlarged intakes and a revised spoiler

🔵 Read the generation carefully here. The ventilation criticism you will find in reviews belongs to the Thunder 4 SV, the model this one replaces. MT enlarged the intakes for the 4 R in direct response.

No independent test of the 4 R has been published, so we cannot tell you how much it improved — only that it was changed.

Interior, fit and retention

🔵 A new helmet should feel firm but never painful. The lining beds in over the first few hours and again across the first season, so a helmet that is perfect in the shop will usually be loose by the end of the summer. Start tighter than comfortable.

Everything comes out for washing, and seven sizes across two shells cover XS to 3XL.

Intercom preparation and speaker pockets

🔵 Dedicated speaker pockets are the specification to look for, and most helmets at this price do not have them. A speaker resting against the lining presses on your ear; one sitting in a recess does not.

The Thunder 4 R SV is prepared for MT's MT-B01 Rider Sync system; the electronics are a separate purchase.

Where it sits in MT's range

🔵 Against MT's own Braker SV and Targo S, all three are HIRP full-face helmets at similar money. The Thunder 4 R is the newest of them and the one with the reworked intakes and spoiler.

All three carry ECE 22.06; none has a SHARP rating.

When something wears out

🔵 The Pinlock lens is a consumable rather than a permanent part — the silicone seal loses grip and the surface clouds after a few seasons, and a fogged Pinlock is worse than none at all.

Order replacements as DKS435. One is supplied with the helmet.

In the box

• MT Thunder 4 R SV helmet — Pure A1 gloss (HIRP shell)
• Clear MT-V-28C visor, fitted
• Pinlock® DKS435 MaxVision anti-fog insert
• Nose deflector
• 🔵 No intercom — the helmet is prepared for the MT-B01 Rider Sync system; the system is a separate purchase

Size guide

Specification

• Model — MT-Helmets Thunder 4 R SV
• Part number — 137500PA1103
• Colour — Pure A1 gloss — Gloss black
• Homologation — ECE 22.06 — the current European standard
• 🔴 Safety rating — none. SHARP's four-star „MT Thunder" and „MT Thunder 3" are different, earlier models; the Thunder 4, 4 SV and 4 R have not been tested. No ADAC or Snell result either
• Independent verdict — MOTORCYCLE NEWS 4/5 — 🔴 for the predecessor Thunder 4 SV („surprisingly good for less than £120"), which named ventilation as its main weakness. No test of the 4 R exists yet
• Helmet type — Full-face, everyday / commuting
• Shell — HIRP (High Impact Resistant Polymer); two outer shell sizes
• Weight — approx. 1500 g ±50 — 🔴 MT publishes no separate figure for the 4 R; this is the documented Thunder 4 SV / HIRP-platform weight
• Sizes — XS to 3XL (seven sizes)
• Visor — MT-V-28C on the MT-M-28X mechanism, with MT-QVSS tool-free quick swap and a lock against unintended opening
• Anti-fog — Pinlock® DKS435 MaxVision included as standard
• Sun visor — integrated drop-down, single slider, retracts fully into the shell
• Ventilation — enlarged intakes and a revised spoiler for this generation — MT's answer to the criticism levelled at the Thunder 4 SV
• Retention — micrometric ratchet buckle
• Interior — fully removable and washable, with dedicated speaker pockets
• Communication — prepared for MT-B01 (MT Rider Sync) — system sold separately
• Also supplied — nose deflector
• Impact liner — expanded polystyrene — crushes once and does not recover; replace the helmet after any real impact
• Serviceability — visor, Pinlock lens, lining, cheek pads, sun visor and nose deflector all available separately
• Replacement guidance — after around five years of use regardless of condition, and immediately after any impact
• Manufacturer — MT-Helmets (MT Helmets, Spain)
• Sizing note — measure around the widest part of your head, about 1–2 cm above the eyebrows. With two outer shell sizes, try the size the chart gives you rather than ordering by tape alone — the fit at the shell boundary is less precise than on a three-shell helmet
• Made for — commuting, everyday riding and country roads at ordinary speeds — not a long-distance touring or track helmet
• Care — wash the lining by hand a few times a season; never wipe the visor or the sun visor dry, as road dust scratches both permanently

• 1x MT Thunder 4 R SV helmet
• 1x MT-V-28C clear visor (Pinlock Max Vision ready)
• 1x Pinlock DKS435 anti-fog insert
• 1x nose deflector
• Integrated drop-down sun visor (built in)