So today I picked up a new helmet. Up to this point, I have been riding on the motorcycle with my three year old Fulmer Modular helmet. It is stated in manuals that you should plan to replace your motorcycle helmet every 3-5 years, due to deterioration of the resins and foam meant to lessen your injury during an impact. My helmet was in the lower end of the age range, but I was looking for a helmet which would be more quiet on the ride, and didn’t have the ability to accidently open up during a crash (as the modular could).
I made a visit to my local Kawi dealer, and scored a good deal on this HJC branded CL-15 Dragon helmet. What really sealed the deal was both DOT and Snell ratings. The old helmet only had DOT, which is the lesser of two standards.
The fit on this helmet is really comfortable. I had to go with XL to keep from being squeezed to death though. It has a fully removable crown liner, and cheeck pads. This is good, because sweat can really lead to a lot of bacteria and smells in there. I can throw the linings in the washing machine and air dry. Perfect. The shield is really, really clear. I literally forgot that it was there after awhile. It was like looking through glass. I am going to be picking up a smoked one though, as I really don’t like to wear sunglasses while my head is crammed in there. My only complaint would be that there is a minor visual distortion caused by the shield which I noticed rather quickly when I got underway on my drive home. It was slightly distracting. Should get better when i am used to it.
as far as venting, it has three direct vents on the front. Two are above your forehead, and one is near where your nose is. It has 4 venturi vents (two front, two rear). These use suction from passing outside air to pull moisture and heat out of the helmet. They worked pretty well, considering the direct flow vents were closed (due to the fact I didn’t know they were closed until I got home). Sitting at red lights during the 100 degree afternoon were uncomfortable, but that was because the sun was shining in through the wonderfully clear shield and heating my face. One I was moving, it was quickly reduced.
One feature which is increasingly popular on helmets (except my old one) is a chin strap retention system. This basically consists of a snap attached to the end of the strap which allows it to snap in place, to the end doesn’t flap around in the wind. Simple system, but is very effective. I can’t tell you how many times going down the highway with my Fulmer I was repeatedly beaten in the chin by the flapping strap.
The only negative I have found, there is still a rather large amount of wind noise at speeds over 50 mph. A $2.00 set of ear plugs will remedy that though.
There is an accessory breath guard you can attach for when the weather cools down. Unfortunately it is an option accessory and not included. I will have to pick one up when the weather takes a dive.
In conclusion, I am pleased with this helmet. It retails for $129.99, however I picked it up for 15% off thanks to the fact I bought my motorcycle there. Good purchase, and would recommend to the budget consious.
TJD
