Helmet advice please!

Take a look Here

Mine's an Arai. You are right in that it costs a bundle BUT how much would you pay to fix your face or head if your helmet failed you in a crash? I'm probablly cheaper than most but I do believe you get what you pay for. (Most of the time)

gabentx said:

I bought a HJC Symax II Modular helmet about a month or two ago because I wanted the modular functionality & a built-in sun-shield, etc. I like the helmet overall but just this week I've started having problems with the visor and the fact that it won't stay up once I hit around 60mph or so. I tend to ride with the chin-bar down (of course), the internal sun shield down and the visor itself up. I've never had a helmet with this problem but due to whatever (wind, etc.) it just slams down anywhere over 60mph or so like the mechanism to hold it up is worn down.

I'm calling HJC tomorrow, will let you know how it turns out. Other than that, I really like the helmet.

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I too have a Symax II. Got it for the same reasons and as with yours I can not keep the face shield up at hwy. speeds. Thought I would just remove shield but there are times I may want to use it would be interested in what HJC has to say about it.

thompsonr said:

I too have a Symax II. Got it for the same reasons and as with yours I can not keep the face shield up at hwy. speeds. Thought I would just remove shield but there are times I may want to use it would be interested in what HJC has to say about it.

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Hey...so just to restate the problem...after about 4 months of riding it seems that the face shield won't stay up at any speeds over about 45-50mph now and is getting worse. I went to HJC's website and all warranty work has to be done through the dealer.

I went to Lone Star BMW (where I bought it) and after telling them the problem they tried to tell me face shields weren't meant to be up at speed I said well then all the helmets I've had for 15 years must've been unique. Anyway, they're really nice there so we were talking about it and she called up HJC. After confirming the problem HJC said they would do an RMA for it but that means that I'd be without helmet for a while so no riding. As a compromise, what Denise & Crew did was have HJC send them a new shield & side piece and then she got a new one off the shelf and we swapped those pieces out with the ones on mine to see if that will solve it.

I looked at the old parts and didn't really see that much wear down on the parts other than on the faceshield knob itself so I'm concerned it's just a bad design but I'll test it out with the new parts and see if it happens again.

I'd love to know if others have the same problem......

Shoei and Arai

Yes, it could be that Shoei and Arai are just ripping us off by charging a big premium for helmets that are no better than the lower-priced brands . . . but I have been wearing Shoei helmets for 20 years and I have NEVER had a faceshield mount break or "wear out" so that it would not stay open. I'm taking an 1,800 mile trip this weekend with my new Shoei Multitec. I'm anxious to compare it to my Shoei X-11.

I have heard that Scorpion helmets are very good -- and reasonably priced. I've never owned one, though.

Most of my helmets have been Italian -- Bieffe (one of my race sponsors in olden days before they -- and I -- went out of business) and AGV. The reason I have an Arai Profile now is because the fit is the best I've ever gotten from an off-the-shelf model. Plus, you can buy different sized liner bits for it to really customize the fit.

I have, Mike

My Arai has a broken shield latch, a year after I got it. Somebody else mentioned, get what you pay for! Snell rates all of these "beyond" most scenarios of what could happen to us riding down the road and crashing. The tests are quite well done, if you want to read up on the science of it at Snell. The 200$ ones test out just like the 500$ ones, as I see it to get the rating at Snell. I know from my racing days, that I've not seen any helmet fail a rider, after some serious crashing on the track. Mine too! There are, I admit, catastrophic crashes where NO helmet will save you, but this is not our discussion here. Buy what you can afford and be happy with it as long as it has been approved. The high dollar ones have some farkles that are really neat, but look hard, because they are cheap plastic fixtures in most cases added to a nice hard shell and they break. My Arai did, so go figure. Happy Trails, Randy"Polarbear"

Polarbear said:

My Arai has a broken shield latch, a year after I got it. . . . The high dollar ones have some farkles that are really neat, but look hard, because they are cheap plastic fixtures in most cases added to a nice hard shell and they break. My Arai did, so go figure.

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I said my SHOEI helmets never had a faceshield failure!

The Arai faceshield mounting system always caused me a little concern due to way you have to "pop" it open to release the faceshield, which just seems to put stress on the plastic pieces. The Shoei spring-loaded rotating latch seems much more sturdy, plus easy to replace if it does break. The Arai system is probably OK (although apparently not in your case), but Arai helmets just never seem to fit my head. I do generally like Arai graphics better than Shoei . . . Shoei is just way too much into claws and dragons now. Shoei really needs to work on this (they used to be much better in their graphics). My new Multitec is just plain white, and I'll have some decorative touches added myself (I'm thinking Motorsport stripes).

I looked around on ebay and found an rf900 in new condition, it came in as described.Since it is an older model no one wants them ,but they are great hlemets mine closed with shipping for 130.00. a great bargain. I have a blue multi color in xl if you want to deal.The cl-max is junk I have one and it sits on the shelf

I bit the bullit and bought a Arai quantum 2.

http://www.araiamericas.com/helmets/features/quantum-2.html

I will have to see how it is on the bike but it did seem to fit my head well. Wish me luck! I will be really pissed if I spent all that money and I am not happy with the helmet. This week is so crazy I won't even be able to try it out until next week. Thank you all so much for your help!

gabentx said:

Hey...so just to restate the problem...after about 4 months of riding it seems that the face shield won't stay up at any speeds over about 45-50mph now and is getting worse. I went to HJC's website and all warranty work has to be done through the dealer.

I went to Lone Star BMW (where I bought it) and after telling them the problem they tried to tell me face shields weren't meant to be up at speed I said well then all the helmets I've had for 15 years must've been unique. Anyway, they're really nice there so we were talking about it and she called up HJC. After confirming the problem HJC said they would do an RMA for it but that means that I'd be without helmet for a while so no riding. As a compromise, what Denise & Crew did was have HJC send them a new shield & side piece and then she got a new one off the shelf and we swapped those pieces out with the ones on mine to see if that will solve it.

I looked at the old parts and didn't really see that much wear down on the parts other than on the faceshield knob itself so I'm concerned it's just a bad design but I'll test it out with the new parts and see if it happens again.

I'd love to know if others have the same problem......

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Mine is only a few weeks old and I bought it over the internet Thats going to be the rub here I will also contact HJC and see what awaits me...Mine stayed up fine till last ride then couldnt make it stay up at any speed over 40. Visor that is...........

I'm happy with my Scorpion

I have a Scorpion full face and I'm pretty happy with it so far. Comfortable, good vision (although I had to put an electrical tape sun visor on the shield) vents are ok, just a tad noisy.

Last year I replaced my Arai Quantum/f with an HJC AC-12 Carbon. I swore I'd never get another Arai until they make replacing the faceshield significantly easier. The HJC is lighter (carbon fibre construction), DOT and Snell 2005 certified, and has an incredibly easy system for changing faceshields. It's also less expensive than an Arai and has very good fit and finish.

I believe you get what you pay for, but if two competing helmets are each DOT/Snell certified, is the more expensive one "safer" than the less expensive one? I don't think so, but it may be better built, with more features and fit better. No helmet is a bargain if it doesn't fit properly, or is uncomfortable.

thompsonr said:

Mine is only a few weeks old and I bought it over the internet Thats going to be the rub here I will also contact HJC and see what awaits me...Mine stayed up fine till last ride then couldnt make it stay up at any speed over 40. Visor that is...........

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I'll let you know what happens if you keep me informed....I'm thinking that's its a design flaw but only time will tell....

gabentx said:

I'll let you know what happens if you keep me informed....I'm thinking that's its a design flaw but only time will tell....

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I have the HJC CL-SP and I just bought the CL-MAX modular on closeout and both of them slam shut at anything over 40 or 45 mph. I like the helmets otherwise they are comfortable for me and they fit my fat head but the shutting is starting to get really annoying.

Shoei Multitec

OK, I took my new Shoei Multitec on a 1,960-mile shakedown ride this past weekend (Houston to Orange to Anthony to Alpine to Del Rio to Houston).

Bottom line - great helmet . . . although of course not the cheapest helmet.

Very comfortable, with no hot spots right out of the box (seems to have a slightly different interior shape than my Shoei X-11, with a little more room in front of my nose). Probably will need little, if any, fine-tuning of the hard foam. The first day it was on my head for about 17 hours and still felt good at the end. Eyeglass frame cutouts (slots) in the interior side foam are very convenient. Uses the same facehshields as the X-11. Fit and finish, and quality of construction seem excellent. Good air flow, with a noticeable difference when you open and close the vents. Also, the vents are much more intuitive as to whether they are open or closed than some of the vents on the X-11. The flip-up mechanism works very well, opens easily (and stays open), and locks securely. The release latch (in the front near the bottom) is easy to find and use with gloves on, and released easily with no need to fidget with it to open helmet. Helmet is fairly quiet, even out in West Texas where the speed limit is 80 mph . . . I even got to comparison test it on one leg when I forgot to put in ONE ear plug (EAR Classic tapered foam), so I could easily compare the noise level with and without ear plugs.

BeemerMike said:

OK, I took my new Shoei Multitec on a 1,960-mile shakedown ride this past weekend (Houston to Orange to Anthony to Alpine to Del Rio to Houston).

Bottom line - great helmet . . . although of course not the cheapest helmet.

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+1 I recently "upgraded" from a HJC Symax to a bright yellow Multitec and am very happy with it. The latch mechanism is a major improvement, it is pretty quiet and the venting is really better. Before getting it, my favorite helmet was my Arai XD, but the Multitec is now my choice for any longer rides. The Shoei Multitec is the best flip-up helmet I've ever used. Expensive, but well worth it IMHO.

gabentx said:

Hey...so just to restate the problem...after about 4 months of riding it seems that the face shield won't stay up at any speeds over about 45-50mph now and is getting worse. I went to HJC's website and all warranty work has to be done through the dealer.

I went to Lone Star BMW (where I bought it) and after telling them the problem they tried to tell me face shields weren't meant to be up at speed I said well then all the helmets I've had for 15 years must've been unique. Anyway, they're really nice there so we were talking about it and she called up HJC. After confirming the problem HJC said they would do an RMA for it but that means that I'd be without helmet for a while so no riding. As a compromise, what Denise & Crew did was have HJC send them a new shield & side piece and then she got a new one off the shelf and we swapped those pieces out with the ones on mine to see if that will solve it.

I looked at the old parts and didn't really see that much wear down on the parts other than on the faceshield knob itself so I'm concerned it's just a bad design but I'll test it out with the new parts and see if it happens again.

I'd love to know if others have the same problem......

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Well I guess when you buy a HJC helmet and have problems your on your own and if you got it on the net. as I did bend over. My response from HJC was to go buy a replacement part from local store should cost me $9.99 they said. My lid has less than 200 miles on it and I am to go buy parts. My last HJC.

Here is their return email to me. Thank you for your enthusiasm in HJC.

In response to your inquiry, I have no base plates for this model as a replacement part at this time. Please visit a local HJC dealer and have them order a set from there distributor. It should cost you about $9.99 for the kit.


Thank You.

Sincerely,
Fritzie Pontillas
HJCA Customer Service

Shoei X-11

Gotta tell y'all.................I'm a BIG X-11 fan....great venting, very quiet, fit & finish impecable....will replace soon due to age of helmet, prolly Multi.

Lid tips

1. Don't buy a used helmet;

2. Brands matter. The big companies don't dare build junk.

3. Try them on at a dealer to find one that fits and looks right;

4. Somebody else's #1 choice may not fit your head at all;

5. Cycle World ticked off a lot of advertisers when they published a study that found minimal correlation between cost and safety.

6. If it's a solid brand, looks good, fits right, and is light enough to wear all day, I don't care how much it costs.

That's just me.