May 12 2007

Note to Sen. Sam Brownback   In Packer land, it's not cool to diss Brett Favre.

The GOP presidential hopeful drew boos and groans Friday at the Wisconsin Republican Party convention when he used a football analogy to talk about the need to focus on families.

"This is fundamental blocking and tackling," he said. "This is your line in football. If you don't have a line, how many passes can Peyton Manning complete? Greatest quarterback, maybe, in NFL history."

Oops, wrong team to mention in Wisconsin, once described by Gov. Tommy Thompson as the place "where eagles soar, Harleys roar and Packers score."

Realizing what he had said, the Kansas Republican slumped at the podium and put his head in his hands.

"That's really bad," he said. "That will go down in history. I apologize."

His apology brought a smattering of applause and laughter. He tried to recover, saying former Packer Bart Starr may be the greatest of all time, but the crowd was still restless.

"Let's take Favre then," Brownback said. "The Packers are great. I'm sorry. How many passes does he complete without a line?"

"All of them!" more than one person yelled from the back.

"I'm not sure how I recover from this," Brownback said. "My point is we've got to rebuild the family. I'll get off this."

A mysterious metallic object that crashed through the roof of a New Jersey home earlier this year was not a meteorite after all, but probably a piece of space junk, scientists said Friday.

The silvery object was made of a stainless-steel alloy that does not occur in nature and is most likely "orbital debris" — part of a satellite, rocket or some other spacecraft, said Rutgers University geologist Jeremy Delaney.

"There's huge amounts of material that have been left by the various space programs of the world," he said.

Srinivasan Nageswaran, whose family discovered the object after it crashed through the roof and dented the tile bathroom floor at his home in Freehold Township in January, was disappointed by the news.

"That's the nature of science," said the 46-year-old information technology consultant "If the conclusion from the test says it's not a meteorite, then it's not a meteorite. We have to move forward."

The object is slightly bigger than a golf ball and about as heavy as a can of soup.

Delaney examined it at the police station and initially pronounced it an iron meteorite based on its shape and density. So did other Rutgers geologists and an independent metals expert.

But in April, it was taken to the American Museum of Natural History in New York, where a new variable-pressure scanning electron microscope was used to establish its composition.

"I was wrong," Delaney said. "Sneaky little devil."

The following is the text of President Bush's weekly radio address to the nation:
Good morning. Next week, the Senate will take up an important priority for our Nation: comprehensive immigration reform. See related story.
Over the past few weeks, leaders from both parties have met at the White House and on Capitol Hill to find areas of agreement and iron out our differences. These meetings have been productive. We've been addressing our differences in good faith, and we're building consensus. Both Republicans and Democrats understand that successful immigration reform must be bipartisan.
Democrats and Republicans agree that our current immigration system is in need of reform. We agree that we need a system where our laws are respected. We agree that we need a system that meets the legitimate needs of workers and employers. And we agree that we need a system that treats people with dignity and helps newcomers assimilate into our society.
We must address all elements of this problem together, or none of them will be solved at all. We must not repeat the mistakes that caused previous efforts at immigration reform to fail. So I support a comprehensive immigration reform bill that accomplishes five clear objectives:
First, America must continue our efforts to improve security at our borders.
Second, we must hold employers to account for the workers they hire, by providing better tools for them to verify documents and work eligibility.
Third, we must create a temporary worker program that takes pressure off the border by providing foreign workers a legal and orderly way to enter our country to fill jobs that Americans are not doing.
Fourth, we must resolve the status of millions of illegal immigrants who are here already, without amnesty and without animosity.
Finally, we must honor the great American tradition of the melting pot. Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, an appreciation of our history, and an ability to speak and write the English language. And the success of our country depends upon helping newcomers assimilate into our society and embrace our common identity as Americans.
Coming together on a good bill that includes all five elements, we will make America more secure. We will make our economy more competitive. And we will show the world that America can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time.
Reforming our immigration system is an important opportunity to show that elected officials in Washington can work together to find practical solutions to the problems that matter most. I thank the Senators who have been working hard on this issue. I am optimistic we can pass a comprehensive immigration bill and get this problem solved for the American people this year.
Thank you for listening.

Our HJC AC-12 Carbon fiber helmet finally arrived! We first reported on this helmet during our live web cast from the 2006 Power sports Dealer Expo in Indianapolis, held in February.

We had a nice conversation with George Hong, the President of HJC America, Inc. at the Indy show. The helmet was just about to go into production at that time and as soon as the show was over, we placed an order with an online dealer, assuming the helmet would arrive in a few weeks.

March passed, then April, then May... When June arrived with no sign of the helmet, we cancelled our order with the first retailer and finally secured an AC-12 Carbon from the folks at Extreme Supply.

It's our understanding that these are not easy to produce and they're rather a loss-leader for HJC, both of which add up to limited availability. So if you want one, act fast!

The AC-12 Carbon is based on HJC's very popular flagship helmet, the AC-12, which is used by AMA Super bike and Super stock racers Jason Pridmore and Aaron Yates, while AMA Super bike and 600 Super sport racer Ben Spies wears the AC-12 Carbon painted with his custom "Elbowz" graphic.

Helmet Weight
There are two reasons why a motorcyclist would want to own an AC-12 Carbon helmet: style and weight.

In my opinion, they don't get any better looking than this, especially in the raw carbon fiber look with the graphite-colored vents, which are perfectly suited to the coloring of the helmet -- or lack thereof.

The AC-12 Carbon is a flyweight, measuring in on the .. Polder scales at 1489 grams (size XL), or 3 lbs., 4-1/2 oz. That puts it right down there with some of the lightest helmets we've tried.

See the .. Motorcycle Helmet Weights page for our helmet weight comparison table and chart to get a better idea at how the AC-12 compares with the 50 other helmets in our database of reviews.

Pick up the box containing the AC-12 Carbon and you'll swear they forgot to insert the helmet, it really does feel that light. And by the way, the AC-12 Carbon also comes with a cool helmet carrying bag (see photo), much nicer than those hard-to-use helmet socks that are so common.

Internal Shape
We never did quite get around to reviewing a plain ol' HJC AC-12, so I don't know if the Carbon version has a similar shape and fit, but I'll assume it does. My feeling is that the AC-12 Carbon has an internal head shape that falls on the long oval side of round. HJC is probably striving for a neutral middle ground that will fit the most head shapes possible.

The helmet is comfortable for most round head shapes but it does feel slightly tight at the sides and cheeks, which means that it should fit most round oval head shapes also. Also, based based on our example, my feeling is that the helmet runs about 1/2 size small.

Matching your head shape to the way the helmet fits is crucial for both comfort and safety; see the .. Motorcycle Helmet FAQ page for more information on finding the right fit.

And by the way, we occasionally receive emails asking why we don't review a size small, medium or large helmet. It just so happens that everyone except Burn (large) and Lori (small) have a big noggin, and the XL's seem to fit us best.

But the size really shouldn't matter, as all of the comments pertaining to any particular helmet are relative across that model line and are normally valid (that is, they can be scaled up or down within the same brand and model), regardless of the helmet size.

Although it may happen, to date we have never found a helmet manufacturer that makes, for example, a helmet model that fits round heads in size XL but then switches the internal shape to long oval or otherwise for a large or medium sized head.

Helmet Fit and Comfort
Other than the light weight, which is not as noticeable as you'd think once the helmet is on, the AC-12 is comfortable but doesn't really break any new ground, in my opinion. It feels pretty much like any other motorcycle helmet and the liner feels very similar (other than head shape) to the HJC CL-14 we reviewed several months ago.

Putting the best spin on it, I'd say this is a good thing, because it proves that a helmet can be made very light weight yet pretty much act like a "normal" helmet.

One thing I did notice is that I do think the liner in the AC-12 Carbon feels a bit thinner than I'd like and I can notice this around the top of my head. The liner material feels similar to the other HJC helmets we've reviewed, including the very nice (and round-headed shape) HJC CL-SP.

The liner and cheek pads are removable, although HJC does not list cheek pads of different thicknesses (as far as I can tell), so I don't think the cheek pads can be custom tailored to provide for different fits.

Quality
We've been very impressed with HJC quality in every one of their helmets that we've tried, and the AC-12 Carbon is no exception -- it's outstanding and comparable with the best helmets made, in our opinion. For example, the look and feel of the liner and the way it's sewn together is as good as they get.

The helmet's surface finish, the vents...everything about it just reflects a high-quality product. We see a lot of helmets in every price point during the year, and the HJC is equal to the best and, we think, better than Arai quality, which in our experience is highly over-rated. Unfortunately, some riders still have a perception that owning an HJC helmet doesn't offer the same prestige as other brands.

HJC AC-12 Carbon - Top Vents

Venting and Air Flow
The fittings on the AC-12 Carbon helmet are beautifully done and are, I think, a perfect match for the dark carbon fiber coloring. Almost all of the helmet manufacturers seem to skimp on the quality of their vents, in our opinion. And price doesn't necessarily correlate with quality -- there are some awfully flimsy vents on even the most expensive helmets.

But I have to say that the vents on the AC-12 Carbon helmet function with precision. The chin vent folds down to let in air and it has a firm feel that gives the impression that the plastic won't break off in the owner's hand after 2-3 tries.

Unfortunately, the vent does not direct the flow of air through the chin guard and on to the rider's face; HJC opted instead to direct the air from the chin vent up on to the back of the visor, where the air flow is much less noticeable, especially in the 90+ degree weather we've had lately.

The two top vents are also simply executed but work well. Each vent has a sliding "door" that is pushed back to expose a hole that flows air directly through the liner and on to the rider's head. This is probably the only helmet where the top/front vent holes vent the air directly through the liner fabric without first channeling it in and around the liner. Look inside the helmet through the vent hole and you can see directly through, right to the outside!

There are two exhaust vents on the sides of the chin and one up on the back of the helmet; these are permanently open.

Unfortunately, even though the vents look great and seem robust, they only seem to flow a "normal" (there's that word again) amount of air. The hot weather here recently makes it difficult to tell, but I'd say that the AC-12 Carbon is about average for its cooling abilities.

Noise Levels
The helmet has slightly elevated noise levels. I'd say that on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being the quietest, 4 average and 7 the noisiest, I'd say the AC-12 Carbon is about a 5. It seems slightly less noisy than the CL-14 but not as loud as, say the Suomy Vandal we're currently in the process of evaluating.

When I first handled the AC-12 Carbon, I assumed that it might transmit a lot of noise because of the stiffness of the carbon fiber, but this doesn't necessarily seem to be the case. I realize I'm being vague here regarding the noise levels of this helmet, but it just doesn't impress me one way or the other with regards to its volume.

Note also that the top front vent holes can create the "blowing over a soda bottle" whistling noise when the head is turned sideways under certain conditions or while riding or in some crosswinds.

there's an MP3 file illustrating the noise levels of the AC-12 Carbon fiber helmet. If you compare this MP3 file with others on the .. Motorcycle Helmet Noise page, the AC-12 does compare favorably and sounds quieter. This may be due in part to the tighter sides of the helmet and the liner, which allow less turbulence induced noise to reach the microphones.

Remember also that we always wear correctly fitted ear plugs when riding. See the .. Earplugs and Hearing Protection page for more information on choosing and wearing ear plugs and for a list of ear plug reviews.

HJC AC-12 Carbon - Visor Opening

Visor
The AC-12 Carbon (and the other AC-12 helmets) use HJC's quick-release system. This system, a version of which I believe was first developed by Shoei, is the easiest to use visor release system around. HJC adds a twist, with their rocker switch on the left-hand side of the visor, which locks the visor in place to prevent it from flying open at high speeds.

I am surprised though at the clarity of the visor on our example, which shows some fairly significant distortions. I'm assuming that it must be the visor on this particular helmet, because the visors on the other HJC helmets we've reviewed do not have this problem. HJC claims that the visor has an anti-fog treatment, but it's been too hot to tell if it works or not.

The visor on the AC-12 Carbon appears identical in its operation to the visor on the CL-SP. It snaps shut and seals well, but has fewer detents so that when raised, it only seems to open at the half-way mark and then two more clicks until fully opened. I prefer a smaller first opening position to allow just a small amount of air to flow in when necessary.

Chin Strap and Miscellaneous
The helmet has the classic "D" ring adjustment system and adequate padding for the chin strap. The strap itself feels slightly thinner than normal, and it is positioned very slightly back from what I'd consider to be the optimum location, although this doesn't seem to bother once it's fastened.

HJC claims that the eye port opening is larger than normal, but it actually seems a bit smaller than normal to me. Not that it gets in the way, but I can see the top and bottom of the opening and both sides if I move my eyes in that direction.

HJC also claims that the helmet has a "built in communication cavity speaker system", but I'm not sure what this means. There is a strip of fabric on the back of the chin bar that may allow the attachment of the "hook" part of a hook-and-loop fastener for a speaker, but I don't see any speaker cavities anywhere in the helmet.

Finally, the HJC AC-12 Carbon fiber helmet meets DOT and Snell M2005 standards.

Conclusion
I really like the HJC AC-12 Carbon fiber helmet. It looks great and the quality is outstanding. Its light weight can make a difference in reducing rider fatigue. It's fully 300 grams lighter than, for example, the Schuberth S1 (size XL), which is exactly 300 grams, or 10.58 ounces heavier.

The best part about it is the price, which is less than one-third of the list price of the BMW Sport Integral carbon fiber helmet. In fact, the AC-12 Carbon is priced less than most mid- to high-range helmets.

HJC SYMAX SILVER The HJC Symax incorporates the benefits of a full-face helmet with the advantages of an open-face helmet. Flip up the shield or, with the touch of a button, open the entire front. Lightweight shell design. Aerodynamic fiberglass shell with ABS/Polycarbonate Alloy chin bar. Large eye port opening for greater visibility. Dual-density lightweight styro liner. Flip-up chin and face shield. Single-button release allows chin bar/face shield to be opened with one hand. Central locking mechanism can easily be operated with either hand. Flip-up chin bar makes communicating with your helmet on easier, and wearing glasses more comfortable. Flow-Through Ventilation System. Three position forehead intake and venturi exhaust super vent. Adjustable chin-bar vent. Anti-Fog System. Adjustable chin vent directs air upwards across the inside of the shield to help prevent fogging. Removable pre-formed air guard deflects breath away from the shield. Removable/Washable Interior. Cheek pads and upper liner are easily removed to allow for cleaning. DuPont(R) Cool Max liner, with mesh trim, channels moisture away from the skin. Removable padded ear panels to allow for communication system speakers and noise reduction. Wrap-around neck roll reduces wind noise. Padded chin-strap design. Nylon Strap-Retention Band neatly secures chin strap. HJ-05 Face Shields. Aerodynamic flush-mounted fit. Quick and easy removable tool-less shield. Scratch-resistant coated polycarbonate. Optical-correct one-piece design. 100% protection from harmful UV rays. Exceeds VESC-8.

Lightweight Aerodynamic fiberglass shell design with ABS/Polycarbonate Alloy chin bar. Flip-Up Chin and Face Shield with single button release and central locking mechanism. Flow-Through Ventilation System with three-position forehead intake and venturi exhaust super vent. Anti-Fog System with adjustable vents direct air across the inside of the shield. Removable/Washable Interior to allow for easy cleaning. Nylon Strap-Retention Band neatly secures chin strap. HJ-05 Face Shield is a quick and easy removable

Noisy, but a good all-around helmet
Feb 03 '05

Author's Product Rating
Product Rating: 4.0

Pros
hinged chin bar is great, light weight, good price

Cons
noisy, not Snell approved, air flow under chin guard

The Bottom Line
A good all-around helmet for nearly everybody. Just bring along the earplugs.

Full Review
I've had my HJC Symax for about 18 months and use it exclusively when I ride.

PROS:
--Hinged chin bar: I think this is the big selling point of the Symax. On most helmets, the only moveable piece is the plastic window the rider sees out of. On the Symax, the chin guard (area below the plastic window spanning the length of the jaw) lifts up also. You can do this with one hand, but it is much easier with two. When the chin guard is up, the Symax looks like a 3/4 helmet (covers the head, but leaves the face exposed). When the guard is down, the Symax looks like any other helmet that covers the head and face.

The big advantage of raising the chin guard is that it makes it much easier to breath and talk when wearing a helmet during a non-riding situation, like getting gas. A movable chin guard also makes it easier to put on prescription eyeglasses.

The Symax is not the only helmet that has this movable chin guard feature. I know Shoei makes one and I think Arai may make one also.

--Price: I paid about $180 for my Symax new. I consider that a good price since the comparable model from Shoei runs about twice that. Motorcycle helmet prices vary wildly (less than $100 to almost $1000).

--Weight: I've tried on other helmets before but have only ever worn my Symax for actual rides. You won't ever completely forget you're wearing the Symax - it does, after all, weigh something. However, in all the rides (one lasting 10 hours) I've done, I've never had any neck or back pain resulting from the Symax's weight.

--Appearance: I think the Symax has attractive lines. Most helmets are incredibly curvy and you end up looking like you have your head in a bubble. The Symax is curvy also (out of necessity), but it also has angled lines that make it look nice.

--Vents: Most full face motorcycle helmets I've seen have air vents so your head won't sweat. The Symax is no exception. I can't say that the air flow through these vents is strong enough to notice, but I have noticed that I've never arrived at a destination with a head full of sweat --- no matter how hot it was.

CONS:
--Not Snell approved: The Symax is DOT approved for low speed accidents, but is not Snell approved for higher speed accidents. The Symax will still protect you in a crash (within reason) so it not being Snell approved wasn't a big deal for me. I think the lack of a Snell approval has to do with the hinged chin bar and how it makes the Symax a bit weaker compared to a helmet with a non-hinged chin bar. The Highway Patrol motorcycle officers in California wear 3/4 face helmets (essentially Symax's with the chin guards up) and I suspect that the Snell foundation wouldn't approve them for the same reason.

--Noisy: The Symax is incredibly noisy. I have to wear earplugs when I ride on the highway although I sometimes forget when I'm on city streets. I think the noise problem has to do with the hinge for the chin bar. This hinge is mounted on the side of the Symax (near where the rider's ears are) but has an open edge that faces the motorcycle's direction of travel. Oncoming wind literally blows right into that open edge and past the rider's ear.

If you look at a full face helmet with a non-hinged chin bar, you'll notice that this open edge is not there. I've never worn a helmet with a non-hinged chin bar, but my girlfriend does and she says it's pretty quiet.

--Chin air dam: I find that air tends to blow up and under the Symax's chin guard when its down. Its not so bad during the day, but on colder nights and evenings, my nose, mouth, and chin get noticeably cold. I've taken to wearing an old headband around my chin and mouth to help out with this.

--Sizes: I'm not sure why HJC does this, but the largest size the Symax comes in is an XXL. HJC makes another hinged chin guard helmet called the CL-Max that goes up to 3XL, although the CL-Max weighs more than the Symax, is made out of different materials, and has fewer vents. My Symax is an XXL and I've been thinking lately that a 3XL would fit better. But alas, no luck.

Awesome Helmet!!!
Oct 15 '05

Author's Product Rating
Product Rating: 5.0

Pros
Fit & Finish, Comfort, Features Overall Quality.

Cons
Some wind-noise at high speeds.

The Bottom Line
If you are looking for a good quality helmet for a reasonable price, this is it.

Full Review
I received my helmet last Thursday and proceeded to take it on a 125 mile test ride.

I could sum up my thoughts about this lid like so:

Best. Helmet. Ever.

But that won't give you the detail required to appreciate this particular lid, so I'll break it down into General specs, Fit & Finish, Ventilation, Comfort and Features.

General Specs:

It is made of a Fiberglass shell with ABS/Polycarbonate Alloy chin bar, Weighs 3.5 lbs(approx) and meets The DOT 218 Standard.

Fit & Finish:

Everything about this helmet is done right. The latch mechanism closes with a solid *CLICK*. Tthe paint is flawless, the liner is well fitted and well sewn. The chin strap and D-Rings have no "extra" threads sticking out and the Visor opens & closes smoothly.

Ventilation:

The Ventilation on this helmet is top notch. In fact, I had to close the Top Vent to let my skull thaw out while I was on the freeway. The vent controls are simple & easy to use, even with my gloves on.

Comfort:

This is going to be my subjective opinion, because we all know that people have differently shaped noggins.

This is the most comfortable helmet I have had in the 5+ years I've had my Class M on my driver's License.

There are no pressure points or hotspots anywhere on my head with this helmet.
Overall, It's Light weight, cool and comfortable.

There is a bit of wind-noise at any speed over 50mph, but then I have yet to hear of any helmet that is perfectly quiet at freeway speeds.
I could easily wear this lid on an Iron Butt run.

Features:

This helmet has some excellent features, some of which I used to see only on helmets costing over $500.00
It has a fully removable coolmax liner with mesh trim, Removable padded ear panels so you can add speakers and/or additional noise reduction, a centrally mounted single button release for the chin-bar, and a 'No Tools Needed' Removable Visor.

Changing the face shield took me less than a minute, and I'd never swapped out an HJC visor before.

There is also a handy little snap that keeps the chinstrap from flapping around in the wind.

Now Here is the best part; I paid $186.50(including S&H)for it!
This was $40.00 cheaper than the Nolan N100e and $175.00 cheaper than the Shoei Syncrotec!
So overall, I am quite pleased with this helmet and I will not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who asks.

Pros
Flip Design, fit, venting and affordable

Cons
Heavy, a little noisy not Snell Approved

The Bottom Line
If your in the market for flip helmets, you can't go wrong with the HJC's SYMAX. Don't let the cheap price make you believe it's an inferior product.

Full Review
Last year when I returned to the wonderful world of biking I decided to buy the best helmet I can afford. The only criteria was it had to be a full face helmets.

When shopping around for helmets, I couldn't find a helmet that fits my huge head right, most of them, which were 2XL were too tight at the cheeks. At first I was hesitant in buying HJC just because of the brand but after further investigations through the net, I found that they maybe cheaper but the quality is as good as most helmets out in the market, plus they carry a 3XL. So I drove down to my local HJC dealer to try out their helmets, this is where I chanced upon the SYMAX, and the look was just love at first sight. So I asked the sales person to bring out a 3XL, but he told me that the SYMAX only came out with 2XL and smaller. So I asked for the 2XL, while they were getting the helmet out the pessimist in me was mumbling "this is going to be tight again". So when the Helmet came out I tried putting it on, and it was a tight fit going down, but when the helmet had settled, the fit was almost perfect. The flip design on the chin bar made them use smaller cheek pads contrary to other helmets I have tried which had a full size cheek pad. I wore the helmet for a few minutes to get a feel for the helmet, but when I taking it off I realized that it was almost torture to remove. That made me think, I was about to ask for the other models of HJC that came in 3XL, when I realized I can open the chin bar when putting the helmet on and off. So this time I opened the flip chin bar and put the helmet on, then closed the chin bar and before removing the helmet I tried opening the chin bar again before removing. It came on and off like socks to my feet, no pain and plain easy. "SOLD"

First thing I did when I got home was to remove the HJC on the top of the HELMET not because I didn't like the brand, but it just looked better all black. I even bought an extra wind screen which had a black tint, and when the tinted screen was on it the helmet looked awesome. Replacing wind screen was an easy task, no tools required, just open the wind screen flick the locks on both sides then pull, putting it back was just the reverse.

While riding the vents on top and on the chin gave ample air to cool my head. This was very important here in the Philippines since our average temperature falls between high 70's to low 80's. Since we only have 2 seasons here, rainy and sunny, I have used the helmets even when it's raining and even with the vents open no water got in. The nose guard inside the helmet does a great job in preventing the wind screen from fogging, specially when it rains. I didn't realize how much noisier this helmet was until I tried riding with real full (no flip chin bars) face helmet, now I know why they gave extra ear pads to be placed inside the helmet. The noise was not that loud to be annoying.

You can't beat the advantages in having a flip helmet. Like not needing to remove your helmet when gassing up or asking directions. Being able to open up the helmet and cool your head when stuck in traffic with mid 80's temperature.

After a few months of use, the pads have followed the contour of my head and has transformed the almost perfect fit to a perfect fit. When it was time to clean the liner, it couldn't get any easier than this, just pop the liners out, wash then hang dry after that just pop it back in.

As for safety ness, I can vouch for this one. I recently got into a low speed accident that has caused me to fall off the bike and land lying down where my buttocks and the rear of my helmet absorbing the impact of my 280 lbs body. I am glad to say that beside from a sore butt, I had no other injuries. Hard as it may I have decided to retire the helmet that probably saved me from major head injuries, due to safety reasons. The helmet had absorb my impact by crushing the liner inside which was evident by a crack only seen from the inside of the helmet.

Pros
Face guard flip up feature very helpful. Helmet is comfortable and nicely vented

Cons
Once detached and reattached, the face shield on some helmets opens on its own.

The Bottom Line
This very nice helmet which may have a hidden flaw. However, the replacement helmet I have has worked extremely well.

Full Review
I bought this helmet when I started riding motorcycles last April. While I was learning how to ride and going at lower than highway speeds, it was fine. Indeed it was better than fine. It was comfortable and I felt very secure in it. The helmet was not heavy and I could ride for long periods of time without any fatigue. I also love the fact that the entire face guard pivots open. That is especially helpful to me as I wear prescription glasses. With the faceguard in the up position it is much easier to put your glasses on after you have put on your helmet. The helmet is DOT approved which is important. You should know it does not get the Snell approval because of face guard pivot system makes the face guard weaker than a fixed face guard helmet. This is a personal choice that every rider must make.

Even as the weather heated up, I still liked the helmet. The vents provided for wonderful airflow. While it wasn't like not wearing a helmet at all, it remained very comfortable and I did not feel as if I was baking my head.

But then I made a mistake. I was cleaning the face shield of my helmet and to make that task easier, I decided to take the face shield off the helmet. That is relatively easy to do as the helmet is specifically made to allow removal of the face shield. However, after reinstalling the face shield, I began to have trouble with it at highway speeds.

When riding at highway speeds, I like the face shield completely closed. This reduces wind resistance and just makes for a far more enjoyable ride for me. However, since reinstalling the face shield, at highway speeds the face shield, on its own opens up. No matter how many times I close it, it pops back open. This was very disconcerting. It also made the ride a lot less enjoyable. I called HJC to see if they could help me. They told me that I had reattached the face shield wrong and had disrupted the fitting between the shield and the helmet. Thus the wind was forcing the face shield to fly open. I listen very carefully to what they said and I went home and I again reattached the face shield following what they told me chapter and verse. I paid special attention to the fitting of the shield on the helmet and it looked uniform. By the way, the Customer service rep at HJC also told me that this was a common problem with the helmet once people detach the face shield.

After I reattached the face shield according to the instructions of HJC's customer service representative, I went out to ride this weekend and while better, at speeds of 65-70 mph the face shield started to pop up again. I have tried to contact HJC again and they have yet to respond.

Thus while I really like the helmet, I must admit that this is a very aggravating problem that makes me reticent to recommend the helmet. As this saga continues, I will let you know if HJC resolves the problem. As of right now I am not happy and if you buy the helmet please be aware that you should remove the face shield that comes with the helmet only at your own risk.

7/21/02

As promised, I would give you an update on what happened. I am not sure that HJC resolved the problem, but the Harley Davidson dealer from which I bought the helmet did. Chicago Harley Davidson gave me a new helmet to replace mine. They agreed that there was a defect in the helmet and the Harley Davidson dealer said that they would resolve it with HJC. I should point out that the Harley dealer told me that they had sold hundreds of these helmets and I was the first one to report a problem. One final point. HJC makes the symax helmet with the Harley logo on it. While I am not normally one who buys things just because they have a brand name on it. It did seem that the face shield fit much more snuggly on the Harley Davidson version of the helmet. I have taken the new helmet out and so far so good at speeds up to 75 mph. I do want to restate that when the helmet works it is a really wonderful helmet.

7/28/03

I have now had the replacement helmet for a year and I am happy to say it is working perfectly. I regularly cruise at speeds above 70 mph and since replacing the helmet, the face mask has never flown up regardless of the wind direction. I should point out that I have not removed the face shield from the helmet and have no intention of doing so as I want the helmet to keep on working and I do not want to do anything to mess with it. I am now very happy with this helmet and thus I can now recommend it. Just make sure when you are buying it that you check the face shield and make sure it fits very snuggly and securely when in the down position.

Failed in the field...
Oct 28 '03 (Updated Oct 31 '03)

Author's Product Rating
Product Rating: 1.0

Pros
Inexpensive. DOT approved. The flip up feature is GREAT!

Cons
Noisy. Not Snell approved. Need care to make sure it's clicked in place.

The Bottom Line
Not Recommended. Hinge assembly came apart in pieces after only 450 miles.

Full Review
Note: After writing this review, this helmet actually failed in the field. See the note at the end.

HJC helmets are a great value. I bought mine when the salesman said that dollar for dollar, you simply can't do better.

I've logged a few hundred miles on it, and I have mixed feelings about it.

The nicest feature of this helmet is that it is a flip-up full-face helmet.

That means that not only does the clear plastic shield flip up, but the solid portion that covers your chin also flips up.

The main advantage of this: you can talk while wearing this helmet if you flip up the chin on it.

Other than a chin-strap, the two other noticeable features are two vents (one near the mouth, the other above the forehead) that are adjustable. They can allow some air to flow into the helmet.

It is DOT approved. DOT certification means that the helmet is approved in a variety of likely crash scenarios, usually at lower speed.

The other approval is the Snell Memorial Foundation or "snell". This helmet is NOT Snell approved. Snell means it is certified in high speed, high-impact crash situations.

Ideally, you'd want a helmet that is certified in both Snell and DOT, but it is good enough that it is certified in one or the other.

My other helmet is considerably more expensive: a Shoei Z-Two. It retails for nearly twice as much as this HJC. (But I got it on year-end closeout, so I ended up paying about the same price.)

Some things I have noticed with this helmet:

1. I consider this helmet to be relatively noisy.
2. There really isn't much padding in front of your chin. So, if your chin hits first, it's probably going to break.

Also, I've noticed that you can't simply pull the chin piece down and lock it. Usually when you do that, only one side or the other snaps into place. You then need to squeeze the other side to make sure you have both sides engaged.

The face shields are inexpensive (less than about $30) and easy to replace, without tools.

Other than that, the helmet is solid. Like many things, you get what you pay for.

I consider this part of my "low speed gear" collection. Great for short Summertime riding at less than highway speeds.

Also, when riding in a group, having the ability to move the piece away from your mouth is a huge bonus.

At highway speed, on cold days, or on long rides, I would go with the Shoei.

Some tips on buying a helmet:

1. The most important thing: fit. Make sure it fits your mellon. Not all helmets are the same.

2. Full face is the way to go. Unless you like the idea of grinding your face into the pavement. Lots of nasty things happen on roads, including bugs, and pebbles tossed up from car tires. Unless you really think an accident would improve your looks, a full face helmet is the only viable option. And even a few large bugs in your face could distract you to the point of causing an accident.

3. For most riding, either DOT or Snell is fine. You don't really NEED both, though it doesn't hurt.

4. Make sure the thing vents properly, or it will fog up.

5. The flip up shield is a fantastic feature. I wish more manufacturers would do this.

6. Custom graphics and paint on a helmet REALLY add to the cost. Unless you really need a special paint job, you can save $100-250 by buying solid colors, like this helmet. Plus, your lid won't look outdated in 5 years if it's in a solid color.


Lastly, you may find it beneficial to put information on your helmet. The most important piece of information you can put on a helmet are the words, "Do not remove this helmet!"

Yeah, putting this on a piece of tape on your helmet ruins the cool look of it. But if you get into an accident, you could have a neck injury. And if you're unconscious, some well-intentioned motorist could paralyze you by trying to take your helmet off. Two pieces of tape with this message, on the front and back of your lid, could save your life.

Leave it on, have the paramedics strap you down with it, and they can cut it off in the ER.

Dress for the slide, not the ride.

Failure: I rode with this helmet for about 450 miles. At 450 miles, I went to push the visor up and it started to resist after an inch or two.

I took the helmet off and pushed harder, and the hinge assembly came apart in pieces.

I have to change my rating to "not recommended". HJC makes great helmets at great prices, but this failure is enough to make this helmet something to avoid.

Pros
Comfortable!! Easy & cheap to replace visors! Price!!

Cons
Flip mechanism had to be checked regularly to ensure it closed properly! Too noisy!!

The Bottom Line
Great for couriers or commuters in town but buy some good earplugs if you intend using it out of town.

Full Review
I bought this helmet whilst working as a motorbike courier after ruining several helmets due to having to take them on and off 50+ times a day as most offices insist you remove your helmet for security reasons so a flip up lid seemed like the ideal solution!!
The helmet had a good fit although unlike some of the more expensive brands I don't think they have different shell sizes just different sized padding hence the helmet looks huge on me compared to others I have owned!!
The flip up design was great for town riding and the flip mechanism worked great for the first 4 months but after that I needed to double check it as it didn't always lock properly which made me worry that it might not stay closed if i had an accident but this fault was probably due to the excessive use as a courier lid and I think it would last a lot longer as a commuter lid.
The good thing about this helmet is the visors are cheap and easy to replace and I didn't have any problems with the visor misting up. The padding inside the helmet lasted well and the helmet was comfortable to wear but a little heavier than I was used to.
The worst thing about this helmet was the noise level and I would recommend ear plugs for out of town speeds!
This would be a great helmet if you do mostly town riding,commuting,courier work etc but i think it could do with some improvements on the noise level and flip mechanism!!

Pros
Cheap, convenient

Cons
Noisy, only useful in warm sunny weather

The Bottom Line
Only buy if you need a convenient around-town helmet for good weather.

Full Review
You don't pay much for the Symax, and you don't get much. This is a *noisy* helmet. And on the highway, any gusts of wind or turbulence cause the face shield to flex enough to break the seal between the face shield and helmet, causing both additional noise and, in the rain, water to run down the *inside* of the face shield, where it gets the cheek pads damp. Finally, there is no chin curtain to keep gusts of wind from coming up the front of the helmet in cool weather. Enough wind came up the front in cold weather to make my eyes tear over. You're not supposed to need to wear goggles under a full-face helmet! I discovered when I stuffed a scarf under there to make the helmet comfortable in cool weather that the vents that are supposed to direct air over the visor to keep it from fogging up don't actually do anything -- no matter how I set the vents, there was no air flow over the visor, requiring me to crack it open slightly to keep from fogging up.

The face shield, other than the fact that it doesn't seal well, is the one thing that works well. It is easy to change without tools, and if you insert it properly, the ratchet feature allows you to reach up with your left hand at a stop light and pop it up slightly to keep the visor from fogging in cool weather. The flip-front feature also worked well for me, though you must tug on both sides of the latch to make sure it latches on both sides. But the fact that it doesn't do the most rudimentary thing that a helmet is supposed to do -- keep the wind out of your eyes and the rain off your face -- means I can't really recommend it.

Summary: This helmet is only useful in warm, sunny weather while you're wearing a good set of earplugs (which you should wear anyhow, BTW, since even a good helmet allows enough noise through at 60mph to cause hearing loss).

Pros
Versatile, lightweight, comfortable.

Cons
Noise, minor engineering flaws.

The Bottom Line
I think it is a solid investment. I would actually consider looking at the next generation of HJC SyMax to see if they fixed those minor issues.

Full Review
I got this helmet unused when I got my new motorcycle. It is very versatile because it gives me the option of opening up the shield or the entire lower portion of the helmet.

I live in Phoenix, AZ and commute. When it gets warm and I'm not going too fast, I prop it up to cool off. It has never come down on me, however I would not recommend fast head movements as highway speeds. The chin portion, while up, might give you whiplash with it up.

Commuting involves concrete roads, other cars, and wind from all over. This means noise. This helmet is able to house CB phone or small speakers. This might contribute to the noise. It may be due to the construction as well. The seal on the chin portion to the head portion does not feel weatherproof. I cannot feel the wind while it is closed, but I can sure hear it. So I invested $2 in earplugs and that problem is 100% cured.

The only other issue that is a bit "sucky" is the visor. It's a great visor with no issues when closed. But when it is open, even a 1/2 inch it vibrates so it becomes difficult to see of because the thing is moving up a down. I wish it could just stay there. This is only at highway speeds though.

This might be due to poor manufacturing. I'm sure the prototypes didn't do this or else they would have fixed it, right?

This helmet is DOT approved and I hear that this model will be Snell approved in 2005. No flip up helmets are Snell approved I believe.

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