‘Premium kit on a budget’
Tested by Steve HerbertMattick for one month
HJC’s new i71 sports touring helmet has a more premium feel than its price would suggest. It’s the second ECE 22.06 helmet I’ve tried and for both I’ve needed to go up to a medium, having always worn a small regardless of manufacturer or style.
It’s instantly comfortable, with plush but firm and perfectly shaped cheek pads. The forehead lining sits low and although there is enough pressure to leave indentations in my skin, over a five-hour, 250-mile round trip it was never uncomfortable.
It’s loaded with features, you get a Pinlockready visor (Pinlock included) with a new locking mechanism that’s easy to use. There’s also an excellent three-position drop-down sun visor with a perfect, neutral smoke tint that provides almost full coverage without any distraction to my peripheral vision. It has mounts for an HJC Smart Bluetooth unit (available separately from £149.99) built into its polycarbonate shell, which is available in three versions for six helmet sizes.
The Pinlock visor isn’t the best and can fog up a bit – especially when it’s damp out and you’re stopped at the lights. The sun visor is worse, as they invariably all are.
Airflow through the lid is limited to mouth and forehead vents but they’re large enough to be quite effective.
True to its sports-touring intentions it works best when you’re sitting upright – a sporty crouch, never mind a full tuck, will have you staring straight at the low forehead lining. The chin strap – especially the side with the D-rings – is annoyingly short which makes it awkward to put on and take off with cold fingers during a winter ride.
At nearly 1800g for a medium it’s seriously heavy, too. My Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ has a poorly designed and noisy screen, but given its heft I’m surprised that the i71 is the noisiest of all four helmets I’ve used when riding it. At least the buffeting and turbulence is minimal thanks to its smooth, aerodynamic shape.
These points are nit-picking though. The i71 is seriously impressive for under £200 for plain colours (£230 for graphics), and feels like a helmet from the next price bracket up. With comfort enough for five-hour ride and beyond, an excellent drop-down sun visor and quality construction.
Quality Value www.oxfordproducts.com