Many motorcyclists and motocross riders swear by the helmets of the X-lite series. Since the company was founded in 1972, no fewer than 54 winners of a world championship title have enjoyed the backing of Nolan. One of these is Ken Roczen, who put his faith in the qualities of the X-lite at a very early stage in his career. Since 2017, this successful manufacturer has been lending its support to the ADAC MX Masters as a premium series partner and helping to bring on new talent in the ADAC MX Youngster Cup and the ADAC MX Junior Cup by donating attractive non-cash prizes.

Marc, how did the partnership with the ADAC MX Masters come about, and what do you hope to gain from it?

I have been involved with the ADAC MX Masters for several years now as a team owner, so it was clear to us that, as Nolangroup Deutschland, we have an excellent platform here for showcasing our new X-502 motocross helmet. With our presence in the series, we are obviously hoping to place our top product optimally in the market.

What sort of support do you offer?

We support every regular contestant who is happy to wear our helmets with very lucrative offers with regard to our products. And of course, our role as a premium series partner works to the ultimate benefit of every contestant in the ADAC MX Masters Series one way or another.

One of the things you do is provide a sponsorship package - including trackside service - to the best qualifier in the Youngster and Junior classes. What precisely does this service package comprise?

Yes, we offer that. Our racing service truck is present in the paddock for all race events and available to any rider who wears our helmet. For example, we provide individual helmet fitting with the use of padding and special racing inserts. In the specially converted truck, there is a helmet drying unit which can be used by the riders between practice sessions and races so that they return to the track with a helmet that feels really fresh. What's more, we always have plenty of spare parts and spare helmets on board.

Why is the promotion of young talent so important to you?

Because we're thinking of what comes later. It's very important to us to win young racing drivers at an early age for our brand. Because when they eventually make it to the top, they become our brand ambassadors to the wider public.

What aspects of motocross racing fascinate you most?

It's the combination of physical fitness, motorcycle control and the necessary will to achieve something. It is especially the case in motocross that you will never get to the top unless you manage all the attendant details systematically and professionally.

To what extent is the ADAC MX Masters a standout race series for you?

To the extent that the ADAC MX Masters is simply a series that has no equal. There is no other series in Europe that has such an international field of riders. For me, it is an unofficial European Championship.

What makes the X-lite helmets so special?

It's actually quite rare nowadays to find a motorcycle helmet on sale that is one hundred percent 'Made in Italy'. Most of the helmets now on the market are from the Far East, which at the end of the day is apparent from the quality. In addition, our X-lite helmets are all handcrafted and go through a sequence of highly complex production stages. For a few years now, we have been offering helmets with a floating inner liner made of EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) which is more effective in absorbing dynamic impact forces. In addition, we are able to manufacture this EPS liner as a single part in a single process in different degrees of hardness.

What makes the Nolan X-lite a must-have for everyone on the motocross scene?

We currently have over 300 different helmet models in our entire range, so it makes obvious business sense to supply our premium helmets to this particular market. In this way, everyone can benefit from our expertise.

Which riders are sponsored by X-lite and how did you make the choice?

We are currently the official helmet partner of the Suzuki World MX2 team. With Bas Vaessen, last year's ADAC MX Youngster Cup winner, as well as Hunter Lawrence and Zachary Pichon in the squad, we can always rely on getting useful feedback, because after all, helmet development never stops. In addition, all the riders on the marXparts by Motocenter Hegau team are conducting what we call an 'active endurance test' on our products. This makes a significant contribution to further development and quality assurance.