Well, that was interesting...wardrobe failure!

[Great White]

Yes, I said wardrobe failure!

 

No, nothing lewd was exposed!

 

 

Was headed to work after lunch and have to go through a couple security checkpoint to get to where our hangar is. They need to see your face to confirm it to your pass, so I wear a modular helmet. It's always been a easy process: stop, flip the chin bar up, thank you have a nice day, chin bar down and I'm off.

 

Well I pulled up to the check point today, Pushed the release button and heard a "snap" and the release button went slack. Oh Oh, that's not good. Tug the chin bar and sure enough, locked solid.

 

Normally, not a problem right? Just undo the strap and pull the helmet off.

 

Not so fast buckwheat. This helmet curves right in at the base and you need to open the chin bar to get it off without loosing your nose and/or some blood.

 

I'm stuck!

 

So I turn around and head home. I call the boys at work and let them know what's happened and where I'm going. They get a good laugh and offer to call the firehall to cut me out or do the jaws of life thing. Yeah, very funny guys!

 

 

When I get home the missus is still there. We try a couple things and nothing works. I try to pull it off by squishing my nose flat and rotating it while pulling it off. No dice, it wants it's pound of flesh.

 

So I look at the missus and say wait right here. Out to the garage and I come back with a hacksaw.

 

The next hour is spent with me lying on my side on the floor and the missus slowly sawing through the chin bar.

 

Let me tell you: you better trust your missus if she's going at your head with a hacksaw! You really start thinking about everything you've said to her over the last few weeks! Did I do the dishes enough? Take out the trash? clean the house? How many times did I tell her I love her this week? How many times have I told her I love her since she started cutting?

 

 

She gets the chin bar off by cutting it at the end on each side. With the chin bar cut, the shell relaxes and opens a bit and my nose has clear path out.

 

Lift the helmet off and I'm free!

 

 

Well that really sucked and now I have no helmet (well, not one I would wear).

 

But it's not all bad: I'd been eye-balling those new modular helmets with the built in retractable sun shield for a while. A quick trip to the local shop nets me a new HJC IS-Max II. Like so:

 

 

It's end of season so there's a no tax sale on and they have my size in stock in a gunmetal like silver. They chuck on my military discount and I make out the door just a shade under 200 bucks.

 

Well, I needed a new helmet anyways. My "malfunction" one was over 5 years old.

 

Geez, what a day......

Edited October 6, 2015 by Great White

[slowrollwv]

Sad story for the helmet. I have the same one you just got. I didn't get the color that I wanted but like the red one anyhow. I got mine for $189. and no discount. I guess it is where the market is.

[cowpuc]

:rotfl:.. Thats great GW but sorry about the loss of your helmet brother,,, give that wife of yours a hug for us and tell us thanks for her steady hand and careful eye!!

 

Now,, about our forum 's policy... Its situations like the one you just described that us beggars live for!!

[Great White]

Sad story for the helmet. I have the same one you just got. I didn't get the color that I wanted but like the red one anyhow. I got mine for $189. and no discount. I guess it is where the market is.

 

Yep. Retail is 250 here. Guy said the same one if they order them in now will retail for 295. Probably the exchange rate or something, CAD value is in the crapper these days.

 

Mine is a color they call "anthracite":

 

http://images0.revzilla.com/product_images/0097/9450/hjcis_max2_helmet_solid_zoom.jpg

 

I'm looking forward to using the integrated sun visor. I usually just wear a dark shield and just deal with it at night rather than swapping shields. Will be nice to have a clear shield for night and pop the dark one down for day.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Great White

[slowrollwv]

Yes the sun shade is nice on those bright days. And if it is not dark enough, you can get them darker.

[saddlebum]

Hey GW what was your original helmet? Mine is about 3 or 4 years old and I have noticed on the odd occasion the catch can get a little temperamental. Just wondering if I should "A" replace it or "B" lavish my wife with extra praise and attention just in case.

[DblTrbl]

Sux about the helmet but be thankful it wasn't your pants zipper she was using a hacksaw on!!!!!

[Great White]

Hey GW what was your original helmet? Mine is about 3 or 4 years old and I have noticed on the odd occasion the catch can get a little temperamental. Just wondering if I should "A" replace it or "B" lavish my wife with extra praise and attention just in case.

Was a "Vega". Pretty old and haven't seen the brand around in stores for a pretty long time..

Edited October 8, 2015 by Great White

[JohnT]

Oddly enough, similar story, same new helmet. In black cuz that's what fit the day I needed one. My release mechanism in my way to old BP full face just fell apart and would not latch. So when I got to work I went shopping and got the HJC helmet. Love it.

[billmac]

Puc you should have been their to do a how to video.

[Flyinfool]

Now I worry about the latch on my helmet. I have taken it apart to rebuild once already and it is starting to act up again.

 

AIN'T NO WAY MY SWEATY IS GETTING THAT CLOSE TO MY JUGULAR WITH A CUTTING TOOL..........

[Condor]

Had the same problem with a spare I can't remember the name modular a couple of years ago. Luckily a kid wasn't wearing it when the latch broke. When I took the padding out of the chin piece to see what happened I found the that the mechanism was hooked together with a string and it had broke. The thing looked like it was new, but it ended up in the dumpster.... I now wear Nolan NCOM103's. They've been discontinued so I have several waiting on the shelf for when the time comes to get a new one, I have it....

[Great White]

Now I worry about the latch on my helmet. I have taken it apart to rebuild once already and it is starting to act up again.

 

AIN'T NO WAY MY SWEATY IS GETTING THAT CLOSE TO MY JUGULAR WITH A CUTTING TOOL..........

 

Your sweaty?

 

 

Anyways .........the Achilles heel of the Vega's latch design was that the button pushed up on a cable which pulled the locks in to release. The cable snapped, no release.

 

I wouldn't worry about it unless yours is similarly built or very old and worn....in which case it probably should be replaced anyways.

 

Edited October 8, 2015 by Great White

[Great White]

Oddly enough, similar story, same new helmet. In black cuz that's what fit the day I needed one. My release mechanism in my way to old BP full face just fell apart and would not latch. So when I got to work I went shopping and got the HJC helmet. Love it.

 

I'm a little mixed on it right now.

 

It's comfortable. It looks cool. I like the built in sun shield. It has a nice flat rim that my Sena clamps right on to.

 

I guess the only thing that bugs me is that it fogs extremely easily on cold mornings and if you crack the clear shield to clear it out, the nature of the way the wind enters around the cracked shield forces ice cold air right in to my eyes. They water up immediately. Closing the shield lets my eyes clear, but it fogs right up again. Fogging is twice as bad if I have the sun shield down (cold morning, sun low on the horizon) and won't clear unless I crack the clear shield which blows ice cold air in my eyes, which....well, you get the idea.

 

I haven't tried the removable fog shield that came in the box. I guess I'll have to give it a try...

[tletourneau]

Yep, install the pin shield. It really helps with the fogging. I haven't had an issue since I installed mine. I recommend that once it's installed just leave it in.

 

Sent from my phone.

[Huggy]

Well it's a good thing the wife wasn't mad at you!!

[camos]

Yep. Retail is 250 here. Guy said the same one if they order them in now will retail for 295. Probably the exchange rate or something, CAD value is in the crapper these days.

 

Mine is a color they call "anthracite":

 

http://images0.revzilla.com/product_images/0097/9450/hjcis_max2_helmet_solid_zoom.jpg

 

I'm looking forward to using the integrated sun visor. I usually just wear a dark shield and just deal with it at night rather than swapping shields. Will be nice to have a clear shield for night and pop the dark one down for day.

Sadly, the sun shield is not dark enough but it does help cut the sun somewhat. My Symax II is 5 years old and still working OK except about 6 months ago the shield knob popped off which makes it a bit awkward to lower the shield. Those large Phillipsy looking screws under the clear plastic side covers have a tendency to get loose and can fall out. Lost two of them before I decided to Locktight them. Two years ago the ratchet piece for the face shield had to be replaced because the shield kept falling down. I never close the shield tight but do half close it when riding in the rain. On a dark rainy morning/night it's really annoying to have it close on its own. The paint is wearing off the chin bar where I grab it to raise or lower. A year ago the chin bar mechanism had to be tightened as it would not stay up on its own. Locktighted that too. Have not had any problem with the chin bar latch.

 

Those maintenance issues are pretty minor considering the amount of use my helmet gets. Not a bad idea to round up the replacement parts when you can get them at a good price rather than waiting for something to happen. Something you and your wife might appreciate is the chin bar can be removed without the use of a hacksaw by removing the bolt under the clear side covers.

[Great White]

Here's hoping they've corrected those issues in the last 5 years.

 

Sunsheild works fine for me, even riding straight into the morning sun.

 

[syscrusher]

AIN'T NO WAY MY SWEATY IS GETTING THAT CLOSE TO MY JUGULAR WITH A CUTTING TOOL..........

 

Did you mean SWEETY? I'd be worried too if I had been calling the wife my sweaty!

[friesman]

that sucks about your helmet, but a good story.. I went with the Nolan N44 helmet that is kinda like a modular, but you can never get stuck in as the chin bar comes off. I like the fact this helmet is convertible from full face to open face to shielded. Its the best fitting helmet for my xxxl round head that Ive ever had, (Ive always found the xxl HJC a bit on the tight side)

 

Brian

 

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/nolan-n44-helmet

[KIC]

Now that would have made a heck of a video..... We want the real story...what concessions were made to the wifey ? New convertible ? Diamonds ?? New wardrobe from Nieman Marcus ??? C'mon inquiring minds want to know what you had to give up so that there was no pictures/video and your head is still attached...

[Great White]

Nope, she loves me. That's enough!

 

[camos]

Here's hoping they've corrected those issues in the last 5 years.

 

Sunsheild works fine for me, even riding straight into the morning sun.

 

Perhaps it's just a matter of preference but the sun shield is not as dark as I would like. Bought a second Symax II three years ago for my passenger and as general backup helmet and they are both the same. As for the maintenance issues, everything wears out some time. My everyday helmet has over 11,000 hours on my head so it is doubtful if HJC will try to improve on it without doubling the price. Seems to me that helmet has given better than fair service for a mid-range price.