New helmet

[bigsteveswing]

Just got my new helmet delivered yesterday. I know some will probably judge for buying HJC but honestly I have an HJC off-road helmet and have loved it for years. Not the most expensive but I really like it so far. I am going to do some custom made reflective vinyl designs and I am pretty happy with how close the color match is considering it is a stock HJC color. Hope to be riding soon after all the work on the rig over 2 summers.

[C-dub]

I've had a couple HJC helmets and they are good helmets at a good price. I have the modular MAX-II and would still be wearing it if I hadn't found out my head is more oval than round and the MAX-II is slightly round. It caused pressure on my forehead and headaches. My wife still likes hers and thinks it is quieter than the Neotec-2 I got for her after getting mine and REALLY liking it. Her head is also more oval than round and she says the Neotec is more comfortable, but insists the MAX-II is quieter. I don't get it.

[Happytrails]

Looks like a nice color match.

[Mh434]

Personally, I like HJC helmets. You can spend a breathtaking amount more money without any real increase in protection or more comfortable fit. Over the past 50 years, I've had dozens of helmets, from extremely cheap to extremely expensive. I'm still partial to HJC, as they're great value for money IMHO.

[CrystalPistol]

I and my wife have a few HJCs, good helmets.

I have one Shoei (spl) that matches the trike given to me by PO of trike, with headset. I have another that's like a big yellow bug light that has NO headset, but it too was a gift and matched my Triumph I had.

But we both have several HJCs and that is what we use. Lately, most recent, they are white with internal sun shields. I have headsets in them. Comfortable. I use FF, wife won't use but 3/4 style she says.

I have my '70s Bell Star 120 FF that saved my knoggin once, but it's beat all to hell.

[Mh434]

There's nothing like having your life saved by a helmet to make you a hard-core helmet proponent, is there? Been there - done that - no chance I'll even back the bike out of the garage without my helmet on!

[Mountain rider]

Absolutely no reason to put down HJC. The helmet you chose is one of the few that remained latched 100% of the time during Impact test. You don't have to pay $600 to have a quality helmet, good choice.

[Rambozo]

Thanks for the review. My sportbike helmets were a bit out of place on the wing, and I had yet to pull the trigger on something new. I had been looking for goldwing colormatch as I remember lots of helmet makers used to advertise that. Doesn't seem like many do anymore and apart from crazy graphics, black, white, and flat black are the common colors. That red is a pretty close match for the Candy Spectra Red, and lets me dip my toe in the modular segment without breaking the bank. What clinched the deal is Sena has a neat bluetooth system that is made for this where you just swap out the cheekpads and everything is built in. Makes for a nice OEM look, with no pod hanging on the side.

BTW I found this deal on XL if anyone is looking for that size. Only two left so act fast. $119 shipped!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/113772018047

[bigsteveswing]

Little update on the new helmet. I've only put about 50 miles on with it. I realized very quickly that the cheek pads were too tight for me even though the helmet fit very good, and also I couldn't put the visor down at all without it fogging up like crazy. I use the drop down sun shield almost all the time, but not having the visor down makes for a bunch of wind noise.

Revzilla stocks HJC cheek pads for a very reasonable price so I ordered a new set that is 10mm thinner on each side. I ordered a pinlock clear insert at the same time. I placed the order on Thursday and the box arrived on Saturday.

Everything is installed, ready for more rides to try it out. Cheek pads feel way better and I couldn't make the visor fog up no matter how much I tried when I put it on last night.

Lastly I got the first part of my vinyl reflective graphics put on. I'm pretty happy with it, might not be everyone's style, but my bike has a bunch of Native American artwork on it that my grandparents had painted. I also have a tattoo that is very similar style so it kinda fits me...

[detdrbuzzard]

I started riding again back in 2007 and the helmet I bought was an hjc. a few years later I thought I wanted a newer helmet and bought another hjc. to me it seemed like they narrowed the helmet, it was pinching my cheek bones so I returned it. I would get another hjc if it fit like my first one did and don't have a bad word to say about them

[Rambozo]

I also found the cheek pads a little on the large side, but after a few hundred miles it has broken in nicely. Head shape is a big deal for helmets, and at least most now publish that info, or good dealers like Revzilla will categorize shapes. There are some brands I just can't deal with. I really wanted to try the LS2 Valliant modular, but that head shape was just not gonna work for me.

[Rambozo]

One thing that really helped with noise was to install the optional chin curtain part # 0943-3705-00

[bigsteveswing]

One thing that really helped with noise was to install the optional chin curtain part # 0943-3705-00

Thanx for the tip, it definitely got better with the visor down (no fogging at all btw). I still get a pretty good amount of noise though. I guess that is to be expected on a modular helmet. I have not used my headset yet either because I am just getting used to riding and listening to the bike. Probably the noise won't be as noticeable with music going. If it isn't much better I will just get earplugs for longer trips.

Cheek pads feel way better even though I only road about 10 miles yesterday to work and back.

[CrystalPistol]

Thanks for the review. My sportbike helmets were a bit out of place on the wing, and I had yet to pull the trigger on something new. I had been looking for goldwing colormatch as I remember lots of helmet makers used to advertise that.
… etc …

I have one Candy Spectra Red helmet that matches our trike, it was a gift (it was new when given to me by PO of trike after I bought it), it's almost never been worn, it fits well, it has headset, it is a Shoei (spl), it's in the OEM box still. I have one bright "bug light" yellow Shoei (spl) that has a Gold reflective shield, no headset, but comfortable. It looked great on me on my Triumph.

All of my other helmets are White HJCs, "Refrigerator White" I guess you would say. White helmets show up well, so no need for extra high viz stickers. Wife and I typically wear White helmets. I do have them marked so I can identify if need be. They seem cooler. I take care of my helmets, we wear "Slicks" that are made of silk & cotton to absorb moisture, they are stored in light tight cabinet in cool dehumidified basement.

There was a helmet shop in Florida that sold various parts, shields, liners for a wide variety of helmets. Often two sizes share outer helmet, but the liners differ to tailer fit. I have bought different cheek pads or etc to adjust.

Never saw the need for colormatched.

[Rambozo]

Installed the Sena bluetooth system. Went in with not much trouble, except the interconnect wire was about 12 inches too long, so it took some creative wire routing to get it all tucked away neatly. Of course now I have new cheek pads to break in again, so it's a little snug. I do like the built-in look, and no chance of snagging an external pod on things.

Also added the gold iridium shield, just because. Now I just have to learn all the functions and go for an extended road test.

[C-dub]

Installed the Sena bluetooth system. Went in with not much trouble, except the interconnect wire was about 12 inches too long, so it took some creative wire routing to get it all tucked away neatly. Of course now I have new cheek pads to break in again, so it's a little snug. I do like the built-in look, and no chance of snagging an external pod on things.
Sena1.jpg
Sena2.jpg
Also added the gold iridium shield, just because. Now I just have to learn all the functions and go for an extended road test.

That looks good. I would have stayed with my HJC modular and gone this route with the Sena, but discovered my head is not as round as they are and that is what was causing me headaches when riding. Too much pressure on my forehead and there was always mark on it after taking the helmet off. I hope it works well for you and you like it.