Helmets Really Are Saving Lives

While doing some research, I came across this article from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While the majority of the article focuses on the legal drinking age, the third paragraph emphasizes how the number of motorcycle related deaths has decreased due to the use of helmets. The NHTSA is estimating that 7,502 lives were saved over the 5 year period ending in 2007. How this number is determined is beyond me, but nevertheless, its still good news. It just goes to show that wearing your helmet while riding really can make a difference. No matter what type of helmet you choose to wear, clearly just the practice of wearing one is good news!

HJC FS-15 Carbon Helmet Review

The news that the venerable and extremely popular HJC AC line of helmets was being replaced has been around for a while so it's not much of  a surprise to anyone.  One of our favorite styles of helmets are the all carbon series that many of the manufacturers have been pumping out lately and this is our first chance to get our hands on the replacement for the HJC AC-12 Carbon.....meet the HJC FS-15 Carbon helmet.

The AC-12 Carbon, which we reviewed a few months ago has been officially replaced with the FS-15 Carbon helmet.   Carbon helmets aren't for everyone but they are definitely one of our favorites....I'm a sucker for that sinister looking carbon weave look.  I don't see too terribly many of them around as most riders it seems prefer something a bit more garish and decorative.  I subscribe to the K.I.S.S. principle for most everything I do though.

If you are expecting something totally different from an AC-12 then you are going to be disappointed as the FS-15 Carbon is simply an updated and more refined version of the AC-12 Carbon.   It's probably safe to say that HJC is oneo f the largest producers of carbon fiber motorcycle helmets in the world so you know they've probably figured this stuff out pretty well by now.  Our initial impressions of our HJC FS-15 carbon helmet was great, the quality and construction appears to be visually flawless and that usually means the rest of the helmet does not disappoint either.  Let's find out.

Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality

As we said earlier, the visual appearance of the FS-15 Carbon is virtually flawless.  It's sleek, shiny and the carbon fiber construction showed absolutely no imperfections to our naked eye.   Paint is not an issue but the clearcoat was thick, glossy and showed no imperfections to our visual inspection.

I am probably a bit superficial but I dig helmets that LOOK good first.  Don't get me wrong, a helmet is all business and you want quality when you need it, but let's not kid ourselves.....a sexy helmet that works is sexier than an ugly helmet that works.  The FS-15 Carbon is sexy....period.

Further inspection shows that the vents, interior and visor all fit snugly and work perfectly and we couldn't find anything that didn't look like it was meant to be that way.  Good looks check....how about safety standards?  Check.  The FS-15 Carbon meets DOT safety standards and it carries the Snell certification as well which is an impressive one-two punch.

So far....so good.  The FS-15 Carbon appears to be a stellar example of HJC quality at an affordable price.

Helmet Fit and Comfort and Internal Shape

Helmet fit is always tough to review as fit is so personal to most people but if you've been riding motorcycles very long and have worn a variety of helmets you get to understand the terminology and realize that you will adapt to almost anything as long as the fit isn't unreasonable.

In our opinion the FS-15 Carbon in our opinion provided a comfortable fit that we would describe to the neutral, meaning it is designed to fit a wide variety of heads.  If you have an abnormal shaped head then you probably know it as you probably have a difficult time finding helmets that are comfortable for you.

Liner and Material Comfort

As can be expected from the way the review started, the liner and cheek pads are very comfortable and quite supportive around the face.  The padding is a bit on the stiff side, which might be a function of simply being a brand new helmet, but it was still quite comfortable.

The helmet does provide a snug fit and applies a slight pressure to the cheeks when worn but that is exactly what you want, a helmet that fits snugly with not too much pressure is far better than a helmet that is too loose and will come off in the event of an accident.

HJC calls the liner material "SilverCool" which I have no idea why they chose this but it feels like fleece and was very, very comfortable.  I was able to wear the helmet for several hours with no pressure points and no discomfort of any kind.  I like it....HJC FS-15 Carbon is still doing well.

The liner is removable and HJC claims it to be a "moisture-wicking and odor-free interior with advanced silver anti-bacterial fabric".

One thing worth nothing, especially if you are blessed with Dumbo ears like myself, the ear pockets on the FS-15 Carbon are slightly larger than most helmets and they are fully padded as well.  I often find most helmets tight around my ears and I was ecstatic to find the extra room in the FS-15 Carbon.

Venting and Air Flow

If you've read many of my reviews you know that air flow and venting are important to me.  I live in Georgia and I typically prefer a large volume of air flowing across my head and through the helmet.  The FS-15 Carbon does not appear to offer anything unique as far as venting but it is nonetheless a proven design that works well.

The top vent, chin vent and rear exhaust assemblies are constructed from some sort of rubberized material that is finished in matte black.   Like everything else on the helmet they fit perfectly and look great against carbon fiber weave.  Very sinister and complimentary to the overall look of the helmet.

The top vent is a simple tab that you push towards the rear to open and to the front to close.  It was easy to find and operate even with a gloved hand.   The foam liner has large channels molded into it which allows the air from the vent to pass into the top of the helmet.  Even though the air has to flow through some material to enter the helmet, it does appear to work nicely.   It's fairly cold this time of year in Georgia so I couldn't test it under extreme conditions but we would expect it to work well.

The chin vent is just as simple as the top.  It snaps down to open and up to close the vent.   A portion of the air from the front chin vent is directed through the chin bar onto the face but the majority of it is vented up to the back of the visor to keep it fog free.

I would definitely say that the vents function quite positively and feel firm when operated.  This is important as many lower quality helmets end up breaking the vents after a small bit of useage.  We don't foresee that happening with the FS-15 Carbon.  We should also mentino that the helmet also has always-open, screen-covered vents on either side of the chin bar and always-open exhaust vents in the rear.

Visor System

The FS-15 Carbon uses HJC's proprietary RapidFire visor removal system.  It isn't the simplest design we've seen but it works well and once you get used to it then it is a piece of cake to operate.  Lift the visor all the way up until the two arrows line up; push the trigger and the thing pops right off.  If you can't do that then you sure as heck don't belong on a motorcycle in the first place.

The clarity of the visor is very good and the range of visibility to the peripheral offered no issues.  The visor shuts positively and seals perfectly against the eye port.  Another nice touch is that it offers the standard HJC locking system....push in the rocker switch and the visor will lock shut for when you are approaching supersonic speeds.

HJC claims a 95% protection rating from UV rays and claims their visor to be coated with an anti-scratch and anti-fog coating.    We couldn't measure this or see it but the visor remained clear during our testing so we would tend to think they are being straight.

Noise Levels

Noise is sooooo subjective of a rating that I sometimes hesitate to even include it, so bear in mind that these are MY impressions of the noise levels of the helmet and your mileage may vary.

I expected the lightweight carbon construction to be a bit on the loud side with the HJC FS-15 Carbon helmet.  I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised to find that the HJC FS-15 Carbon helmet is pretty quiet and I was more than satisfied with the noise level that the FS-15 provided.

Just remember that your opinion of the noise level could be quite different and in fact a number of conditions can affect helmet noise including helmet fit, your motorcycle, weather conditions, even what you are wearing for a jacket.

All that said, I don't think anyone would classify this helmet as a loud helmet.

Conclusion

If you've read this far, then you know that I like this helmet.  It impressed me in almost every way and combines great looks, quality construction, HJC engineering all wrapped up in a lightweight and comfortable package that is DOT and SNELL certified.

The nice part of the mix that I didn't get to yet is the price.  MSRP is 449.99 in the U.S.A. which is already a great deal for a carbon helmet built this well but you can find deals even lower than that if you know where to look.

If the Carbon FS-15 isn't your thing then bear in mind that the FS-15 series of helmets also come in non-carbon versions and offer some fantastic deals with a basic solid color FS-15 coming in at an MSRP of $219.99 while the graphic and metallic versions range $224.99 to $269.99 at the time of this writing.

Bell Apex Double Cross Helmet Review

Bell helmets were a mainstay in the helmet world for a number of years and have just recently risen from the dead to bring back some pretty hot motorcycle helmet designs.  We're going to take an in depth look at a Bell Apex Reactor helmet in this review.

The Bell Apex series of helmets are the value line of helmets in the Bell lineup with the Bell Star series of helmets being the top of the line offering from Bell.  We, just like most of you, are big fans of quality helmets that can be bought at discount prices.  Nobody wants a cheap motorcycle helmet but everyone wants a bargain.

The helmet world is full of choices in this day and age so why would anyone pick a Bell motorcycle helmet?  What makes them worth investigating?  Good question, and one that we had ourselves so we decided to take a closer look at a buddies Bell Apex helmet.

Let's take a deeper look at some of the details.

Helmet Weight

The shell of the Bell Apex is constructed from a Kevlar composite, which typically means a lightweight helmet and the Apex did not disappoint.  It's no featherweight but it did weigh in at a svelte 3 lbs., 9 oz. in the XL size.   So while it isn't a superlight helmet, a Kevlar shell simply sounds cool.

Under power the Bell Apex cut through the air nicely and does no impose a significant amount of buffeting or drag like some helmets can do.  No matter the weight, the design is much more critical to how it feels going down the road.   We road all day with the Bell Apex atop our noggin and felt great at the end of the day.

Bell Apex Fit

The Apex is one of those helmets I would describe as having a "neutral" shape, meaning it isn't round but nor is it the typical longer oval shape helmet.  It personally fit me well, very similarly to the HJC CL-SP helmet that I am so fond of wearing.

Bell has carefully designed their helmets to fit a wide variety of heads and this neutral shape seems to be more and more common with other manufacturers as well.

Bell Visor

I was pleasantly surprised by the visor setup on the Bell Apex helmet.  I recently reviewed an HJC CL-SP and I ahve to tell you, that visor is one of the best I have ever seen.  I expected the visor on the Apex to come up short in comparison but I was pleasantly surprised.  The visor is quite sturdy and produced almost no flex under a moderate amount of torque.

The Apex visor uses Bell's quick release removal system.  It worked quite simply, just raise the visor up the 3rd position, pull down on the D-ring and it pops right off.  A child of 5 could work this visor pretty easily.  I wouldn't hesitate to say it is one of the simplest visor removal systems of any helmet we've tried.

Noise Levels

Noise can be a very subjective factor in a helmet review but I would say this helmet exhibited nothing out of the ordinary when it came to helmet noise.   I rode it on a bike with no fairing and I wear ear plugs so your results may be slightly different, but I was perfectly content with the noise level of the Bell Apex helmet.  The liner was quite snug so combine that with the ear plugs and it's really no surprise that it sealed against my head nicely.

Venting and Air Flow

I am a big fan of motorcycle vents that flow a lot of air and work simply.  The more simple the setup, the better in my opinion.  The Bell Apex sports a top sliding cover that operates two small air vents.  Both of these vents are covered with a fine, mesh screen.  The small size of the vents and the design of the linder did not allow a lot of airflow across the top of the head at all.

Your experience may differ, but when I rode, at the angle that I ride at, I barely felt any air flow at all in the top of the helmet.  This makes for a nice quiet helmet, but very little air flow.  I guess it depends on which is more important to you.

The chin vent on the Bell Apex was a direct contrast to the top vents in that it flowed a decent amount of air.  It's designed similarly, with a sliding plastic cover that exposes two screen mesh covered vents.  The air exits these vents and onto the rider's face through a rectangular opening in the rear of the chin bar.

The excellent flow of the chin vent makes up somewhat for the very poor flow of the top vents but it's still not enough for me.  I am biased in this regard though, I prefer a LOT of air flowing around my head....I can live with extra noise, as long as I have air blowing across my scalp.  Some riders prefer a quiet helmet over air flow though and this helmet is that.  It's dead quiet, at least on my shape head.

Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality

The Bell Apex helmet comes in a number of different graphic combinations from a mild solid color to a wild and funky Yakuza style graphic.  The helmet we looked at was the Bell Apex Double Cross.  This design in our humble opinion was sweet, as we're a fan of a more understated design than something that is over the top.

The surface finish on the Bell helmets is a unique finish that kind of reminds me of the pearl coats that adorned some of the show cars in my youth.  It looks "deep" and was pretty attractive if you ask me.  The graphics were very smoothly applied and appeared consistent around the circumference of the helmet.

The helmet overall was of excellent quality.  The visor fit nice and snug, the liner is outstanding and one of the nicest we've seen.  The fit, finish and construction left nothing to be desired on our example.  Bell seems to be back, and back with a quality motorcycle helmet that you would be proud to wear on the Saturday ride with all your friends.

Conclusion

The Bell Apex meets both DOT and Snell approval and offerws a five-year warranty on the helmet.   In summary, I would say I am pleasantly surprised that the Bell Apex is such a good helmet.  Bell is not one of the names that you typically think of when you think of a motorcycle helmet but that could change over the next few years.  The Apex is available in a wide variety of other colors and patterns, it fits nicely, it's priced moderately, it's quiet and seems to do everything well.

I would list it as one of my all time favorites if the top vents flowed better than they do.  In spite of that, I will say it's a far better helmet than some much better known brands and even some that cost twice what this helmet cost.

HJC CL-SP Helmet Review

This review is going to take a hard look at a helmet we've owned for quite some time now and that is the HJC CL-SP helmet.  If you aren't familiar with HJC helmets then you should know that HJC motorcycle helmets have long been a favorite of riders around the globe.  They provide a great value for the money and incorporate a lot of features found in much, much more expensive helmets.

If you are unfamiliar with HJC helmets then you should know that they basically offer something for everyone.  The "AC" series, consisting of the AC-11, AC-12 and the SyMax, have long been considered the best that HJC has to offer.  The venerable AC-12 has recently been replaced with the FS-15 but a HUGE number of AC-12 helmets are still available and offer a great value.  The AC line of helmets are constructed of a composite fiberglass shell.

The "CL" series of helmets provides a great bang for the buck and is marketed by HJC as being the most popular helmet sold in North America and we believe it.  If you start looking, you will see these helmets everywhere on a Saturday ride.  The CL helmets offer a polycarbonate composite shell and are both Snell and DOT approved. Like the AC line of helmets, the CL series has many of the features often seen in much higher priced helmets but at a much lower price.

The "CS" series of helmets are HJC's economy or value line.  They meet DOT specs and offer a thermoplastic shell.

This 3 tier approach allows HJC to offer something for everyone and we don't doubt one bit that HJC's claim to being the #1 selling helmet in North America is dead on.  As I said before, you will see HJC helmets on riders heads everywhere you look.  After owning a number of HJC helmets over the years, I can tell you that their success is no accident, they offer a great product at a great price.

If you aren't hooked on the brand appeal of a Shoei or an Arai then what more could you esxpect from a helmet at this price point?  The CL-SP line meets both DOT and SNELL certifications, offers superb quality, fit and finish and is very comfortable going down the road.  Let's dig into a bit more detail.

Helmet Weight

Weight is a very subjective thing and if it were up to me I would leave it right out of most of my reviews.  What is heavy to one rider, is just right to another and in reality helmet weight isn't anywhere near as important as the wind resistance that it gives.  A well designed helmet will feel as light as a feather on your head under speed.  I wear an XL and it weighed in right about 3 lbs and 12 oz.

At this weight the HJC CL-SP is not a lightweight but I have to say, you would never call it a heavy helmet after riding in it.  It feels great going down the road and doesn't fatigue you at all.

HJC CL-SP Visor

The HJC CL-SP uses a patented mechanism to provide more tension on the visor to keep it closed and provide a quality seal against the eye port.  One thing that I will say I did not like about this helmet is that the visor can only open to two positions, half way open and full open.  This doesn't allow you to crack the visor in the morning when you need to defog or just get a touch of cool air that the vents can't provide.

The fit and finish of the visor was very good.  It is not uncommon in the lower end helmets to have a visor that doesn't seal all that well against the eye port but that was not the case on the HJC CL-SP helmet.  It closed positively and sealed nicely.

Visor removal is a piece of cake and I might even say that the HJC CL-SP has one of the nicest visor removal setups that we've seen.  The simpler the better and this one is very simple but has a quality feel that feels very secure and positive. Switch the rocker lock switch off, raise the visor, push the lever to the open position and the visor comes right off.

Helmet Fit and Comfort

This is one of the areas that this helmet REALLY shined.  We have the good fortune to test, ride, wear, destroy a ton of helmets over the course of time and this simple little HJC CL-SP helmet is one of the most comfortable we have worn...ever.  The liner is cushy and very comfortable against your skin and it exudes quality construction.

HJC offers a removable liner that is finished off with a nice mesh liner so you can't see through to the shell.  The liner's fabric is made from what HJC calls Nylex "bioceramic" fabric.  This is a very smooth fabric that they treat with anti-bacterial properties and is designed to wick moisture away from the skin.

I don't know about the science behind it, but it looks good, feels good and felt good on my head.

The CL-SP internally is a bit on the round side.  I am one of those fortunate ones that has a moderately neutral head.  It is slightly oval but not enough that I can't wear most motorcyle helmets.  The HJC helmet lines are usually designed to fit a wide range of heads, which is part of the reason they are so popular.  They fit.

Venting and Air Flow

Venting and air flow is very near and dear to my heart as I live in Georgia and it gets hot here in the summer time.  Heck, it gets hot here in the winter time so I prefer helmets that flow large volumes of air.

The trend lately has been to put these god awfully ugly giant vents on helmets that look like they would suck in more air than a 747 but in reality they usually just make a lot of noise.  The HJC CL-SP is a helmet that has bucked that trend.  They provide a subtle and very simple venting system that works well.

The chin vent is a simple to operate open/close vent setup that works well.  It feels very solid and snaps open or shut with a very positive feel.  This same chin vent flows air right onto your face through a pair of vents in the rear of the chin bar.  I love a helmet that puts air directly on your face, the more the better for me.  I should note that a small amount of the air is directed up onto the back of the visor to help keep it clear. It worked well.

The HJC CL-SP also has two very simple top vents that use a sliding cover to expose the vent.  Like everything else on this helmet, the covers are easy to use and feel good when you operate them.  I had no trouble operating with or without gloves.  The vents are small, so I wasn't expecting much but I will say the air flow was very good, much better than I expected.

Noise Levels

I look at noise levels like I do helmet weight.  It is very subjective and what would be considered too loud for one rider might be just right for another.  Their are too many variables that go into rating the "noise" of a certain helmet.

I will say this, the HJC offers a simple venting system and a snugly fit visor combined with plush liner and interior so it should be no surprise that I found this helmet to be pretty quiet.  I don't notice any unusual wind noise or excessive sound of any kind.  Cheap motorcycle helmets are usually a bit louder than the high end helmets but that simply isn't the case here.

Conclusion

Helmet snobs will always turn up their nose at a helmet like the HJC CL-SP but honestly I can't figure out why.  I actually like this helmet much more than many of the high end helmets I have ridden with in the past.  I am an HJC fan and have owned a number of these helmets from the day I started riding.  In fact, an HJC was my very first helmet that I ever owned, but you can bet it won't be the last.

MSRP on this helmet is 170 to 190 dollars depending on the paint scheme so take a look at the helmets we found for you below....I think you will agree.....you can save yourself a LOT of money on a great motorcycle helmet.

Check out the bargains you can find below OR Click Here to see all of the paint schemes available.

Icon Mainframe Helmet Review

The Icon Mainframe Hooligan Helmet might be the perfect compromise between buying a high end motorcycle helmet or cutting costs and going with a cheap motorcycle helmet to save bucks.  What we are saying is that it's a great bang for the buck.

Icon Mainframe Hooligan Specs

This Icon helmet sports both DOT and SNELL ratings which tells you right out of the gate that you are dealing with a quality helmet from a safety point of view.  It sports a Dyneema/fiberglass composite shell for strength and has removable cheek pads for comfort and washability.

The Mainframe also sports a fairly sophisticated venting system that works very well.  As many of you might know we live in Georgia so it's HOT and a great venting system is an absolute must.  In fact my preference is towards helmets that flow a LOT of air.

The Icon helmets also sport a "no-tool" replacement visor system that makes swapping your face shield a quick and simply operation and to top it off it also includes a removable anti-fog breath deflector.  I personally don't care for these and usually remove them but to each their own.

So that's the basics, let's see if the Icon Mainframe series of helmets lives up to their billing.

Icon Helmet Sizing

Proper sizing of your helmets is one of the most critical factors in how happy you will be with your helmet selection.  I am fortunate that I have a normal shaped head that is slightly oblong...which is the most common head shape there is.

Finding your proper size is very simple and you can check the Icon Sizing Chart to make sure you order the right one for your head.

Icon Fit and Finish

One thing we could almost guarantee that you will be ecstatic with is the appearance of your Icon Helmet.  Icon is quickly making a name for itself when it comes to putting out a very attractive helmet....hot might be a better term.

The Hooligan that we tested was simply an awesome looking helmet.   The orange-flame design combined with the chrome base is simply cool.  Old school flame job combined with hot contemporary graphics and materials.

I could barely go anywhere without someone commenting on the helmet so if visual appeal is important to you, (and we KNOW it is) then the Icon Mainframe Hooligan will not disappoint.  Quality paint, superb clear coating and nice construction combine to make an attractive looking helmet.

Icon Visor System

I am not going to say anything on the visor system other than to say that it is exactly what Icon bills it to be...the simplest visor changing system on the market.  Changing a visor on an Icon Mainframe helmet is a piece of cake.

It's billed as an optically correct 7 position visor as well.  I like visors that offer a wide range of options when it comes to the detents and this one does not disappoint.

You won't be disappointed.

Icon Venting System

The Icon venting system sports the usual array of vents found on helmets of this type.  A chin vent handles incoming air for the face and visor while a three position forehead switch acts as an additional ram-air vent to significantly increase the overall cooling of the helmet.

I found the top vent system to flow a decent volume of air.  As I told you earlier, I like a LOT of air and this helmet does an admirable job of keeping air flowing around your head.

The only thing I wasn't all that impressed with was that the vent appear to be a bit on the fragile side and I fully expected them to break.

I must admit they've held up admirably over the last few months and I have no complaints.

Icon Mainframe Noise

I really hate talking about noise when it comes to helmet reviews as noise is so subjective.  What is a loud helmet to one rider might be perfectly acceptable to another.  It's a topic that is always asked about though so I usually address it.

To me, the Icon Mainframe was a bit noisier than some of the other higher end helmets.  I suspect it to be the top vents that stick out in the wind a bit but it was neither excessive nor was it out of the ordinary for a helmet in this price range.

Icon Mainframe Hooligan Conclusion

Overall I think you would be very happy with the Icon series of helmets.  I have had the chance to review an Icon Airframe helmet and I really liked it.  I think Icon is going to have a bright future in the helmet world as they are already making a dent and selling more helmets every month than the last.

The Icon Mainframe Hooligan is a nice blend of old school style and contemporary flair.  The flame job reminds  you of the hot rod days of yesteryear but the styling and chrome overlay is hot enough to let you know that this is definitely not an outdated helmet.

Judging by the amount of comments that I received on this helmet, there is no question that it's a hot style that is sure to make you the envy of your buddies on the Saturday ride.

Product: Icon Mainframe Hooligan Helmet
MSRP: $300
Buy It Now: Icon Mainframe Hooligan Helmet

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