My old Nolan N-01 helmet is six years old, and while it’s held up remarkably well, the thing is old and the padding starting to lose it’s thickness.  I ordered up an HJC Sy-Max II flip-face helmet from PJ Triumph Ducati here in Albuquerque and took possession today.

First impressions:  it’s a bit flimsier feeling than the original Sy-Max.  Granted, the plastics technology is improved int eh last eight years, but it’s incredibly light compared to my Nolan.  The helmet does have a better chin bar release system than the Nolan, which has two tabs to push on either side of  the chin bar; the Sy-Max has one in the center.  Easy to get to, easy to manipulate.  the helmet is comfortable, but there’s a space over the ears in the padding (probably for a bluetooth sound system) that will most likely give more wind noise that the Nolan.

Another plus:  the helmet has an integrated sunscreen.  There is a small lever on the top of the helmet that lowers a sun shade over the eyes.  It is far enough out it does not impact glasses — meaning I don’t need to swap from sunglasses to normal glasses when riding.  A single button releases the shade into the helmet.  It works well.

The ventilation seems pretty good, but I’ll find out more about that tomorrow morning when I ride to work, as I will with the road noise.  The color I chose was anthracite — metallic gray.  It looks good, seems well built, and other than the slightly chintzy feel due to the light weight (which I’m sure I will like when I’m wearing the thing for extended periods of time), it seems like a quality helmet.

Not bad for $200…