Recently purchased the HJC IS Max II modular for about $200. Previous helmet had a loud roar at speeds above 60, mostly due to the venting. The new HJC modular has wind noise at 60+ (you are riding a motorcycle) but the venting system does not roar. This was my main goal to reduce the noise and add some features (modular, drop down visor, pinlock) this helmet does that. I liked the Shoei Neotec and its features equally to the HJC just could not find enough pennies in the piggy bank. :tc1:
Helmets I'm shopping for a new full face or modular helmet
- Thread starter Afan
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2009
- Messages
- 3,063
- Age
- 68
- Location
- West Des Moines, IA
- Bike
- 2022 Kymco AK 550
- 2024 Miles
- 001241
- STOC #
- 8058
Almost forgot... Since you live just a few miles away I highly recommend reading the reviews as mentioned here and then head on over to Struthers Brothers and try a bunch on. I know you've been there before so you know they have a lot of gear. In the past I have gone in there with a print out of an online item I was interested in and after trying on stuff to verify the fit they did price match with the online printout I had. (they do check online just to make sure you didn't just bring in a page from long ago) 
I have a new HJC RPHA-Max, their top of the line modular. I'm not certain that I would buy it again. It has some advantages over it's predecessor, an HJC SyMax2, but also some downsides. First, the advantages.
The ventilation is the best of any helmet I've had. Well, to be more precise, the TOP ventilation is the best. The internal visor does NOT block the ventilation whether it's up or down, a shortcoming of the SyMax2. The front/chin vent is, as with pretty much every full face/modular helmet I've worn, useless. The RPHA is a bit quieter. It is Pinlock ready and equipped. The visor will hold small gaps. Removing and installing the face shield is the easiest I've used to date.
Disadvantages:
The flip-up portion doesn't flip quite as high. This also means it doesn't rotate quite as far back, so I've smacked the chin bar into things because it projects a little farther forward (when up) than I'm used to. If you aren't coming from another modular helmet, this may not be a problem for you.
The visor creaks horribly when raised. The visor MUST be down in order to flip up the face. The locking mechanism is VERY stout, as in I have to hold the back of the helmet with one hand and slam the face down in order to engage the mech, otherwise it may take me 3 or 4 attempts to get the face to lock down.
The ventilation is the best of any helmet I've had. Well, to be more precise, the TOP ventilation is the best. The internal visor does NOT block the ventilation whether it's up or down, a shortcoming of the SyMax2. The front/chin vent is, as with pretty much every full face/modular helmet I've worn, useless. The RPHA is a bit quieter. It is Pinlock ready and equipped. The visor will hold small gaps. Removing and installing the face shield is the easiest I've used to date.
Disadvantages:
The flip-up portion doesn't flip quite as high. This also means it doesn't rotate quite as far back, so I've smacked the chin bar into things because it projects a little farther forward (when up) than I'm used to. If you aren't coming from another modular helmet, this may not be a problem for you.
The visor creaks horribly when raised. The visor MUST be down in order to flip up the face. The locking mechanism is VERY stout, as in I have to hold the back of the helmet with one hand and slam the face down in order to engage the mech, otherwise it may take me 3 or 4 attempts to get the face to lock down.
OP
OP
Afan
... and this is my real name.
That's my plan exactlyAlmost forgot... Since you live just a few miles away I highly recommend reading the reviews as mentioned here and then head on over to Struthers Brothers and try a bunch on. I know you've been there before so you know they have a lot of gear. In the past I have gone in there with a print out of an online item I was interested in and after trying on stuff to verify the fit they did price match with the online printout I had. (they do check online just to make sure you didn't just bring in a page from long ago)
And got to Struthers Brothers, Honda Garvis, Hicklin Power Sports and Fenders cycle.
Outbackwack
Howard
Sorry about that... it's a medium lid anyway. Like others have said, a good helmet will make riding a joy. I can easily ride 12 hour days with my Neotec, and I'm only 5'7"-145#.
One of the things I really like on the Nolan 104 is that you can close the chin-bar with just a flip of the head. I raise the whole face sometimes when stopped, once I start rolling I just nod sharply and the face snaps shut.
And the shield will be automatically stowed if it is open when you raise the chin-bar. Very smooth and slick.
What I don't like is the switch on the side that lets you lock the chin-bar in the up position. I occasionally hit it accidentally with my fingers when raising the lid and then the snap of the head does not close the helmet. Not sure why the switch is here, you are not supposed to use the helmet while riding with the chin-bar up, so why give an option to lock it there?
But one one minor complaint does not make it a bad buy.
No sorry I'm not.
Must be so security cameras can get a good look at your face while you are pumping (and maybe not paying) for gas. They would probably go nuts if your spare helmet hung down from the back of the bike obscuring the license plate - or if you had one of those traffic camera proof covers on the license plate.