■ oxprods.com ■ From £399
The new HJC flip up helmet is a little deceiving. Pick it up and it doesn’t look like a flip up.
Have a feel, try the visor mechanism and vents – it feels like a nice sporty helmet.
Only the red catch at the bottom of the chin gives you any hint the chin bar comes up. It’s light, too – not as light as a modern racing helmet, but light enough to ride all day, even on upright classics without any fairing protection.
While the outside is a pretty standard lightweight composite, inside feels sumptuous and I have to say, as good if not better than some of the Japanese brands – certainly better than the BMW System helmet I use.
Whether it stays like that (my previous BMW helmet was still like new inside after five years) is another matter.
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But the cheek pads can be changed for new or different sizes. The visor is easy to use, has great peripheral vision and it comes with an anti-mist insert.
The strap is an easy to use metal buckle and the drop-down tinted visor works nicely, too.
This is a very nice helmet, and not just for the price – it feels a lot more expensive.
HJC are a brand that just seems to be gaining confidence which is nice to see, as the long-standing opposition seem to have rested on their laurels. This is a great, all-year round helmet.
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