Shoei Company, Ltd. is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and has been in the head-protecting business for well over 40 years. They are heavily involved in motor sports, from dirt-track racing to asphalt racing, and are considered to be one of the best companies in the business. The North American headquarters for Shoei is located in California.

North America has a more lax standard, called the DOT standard, for helmet safety than other parts of the world. For this reason the Snell Memorial Foundation, named for William 'Pete' Snell, was founded in the 1950s and provides a more stringent requirement for Snell certification. Most, if not all, Shoei helmets you will come across will comply with the Snell certification, but you should still check.

Shoei's helmets get better with each generation, such that newer helmets offer more protection at lighter weights. They achieve this by using advanced composite materials that are lighter than cotton, but impressively strong. These composites are sandwiched between the hard outer shells and layers of fiberglass and other materials, which provide for comfort as well.

Shoei helmets are all subjected to various batteries of stringent quality control. From impact tests and roll-off tests, to comfort and ventilation tests, Shoei is one of the world's leaders in helmet research and development. Shoei's helmets are on the more expensive end of the helmet spectrum, but their years of experience producing some of the highest quality helmets in the world make them worth their higher prices.