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The old HJC CL-12 has hit the five year old mark and it�s time to retire. Not that�s its dead from crashing and the like, its just old and newer stuff is calling. Since I�ve kind of stuck to the five year old policy it pains me to spend more than $200 for a helmet and protection gear (individual piece�s price). So w/ that in mind all the big names (Arai, Suomy, Shoei, etc.) were kind of out of the running. The HJC has served me well (kind of loud, fits pretty well), so I started my search with HJC again.
Their newest line is the AC-12. It comes in carbon fiber and decorated. The decorated ones are typically appliqu�s, they look great but you can see tiny wrinkles in the corners. A lot has changed in five years, the shells and liners are vastly improved. The liners are now removable/replaceable. My head falls into the oval fit medium size, so out of the box the forehead felt a little tight. The first long ride confirmed that impression as I had quite the red mark on the forehead. A couple of stops later taking the helmet off at each stop seems to help break in the foam making it more comfortable.
Quiet, you bet there is a huge difference between the CL-12 and the AC. This helmet is way better, the seal around the visor is much improved and the pivot point is tighter. Time will tell concerning longevity but the CL-12 pivots points held up great for five years (NOTE: just because it is quieter, you still need to wear ear protection).
Visor replacement is a snap, the HJC website even provides videos to prove how easy it is. W/ the visor in the up position, a small lever on each side releases the visor. Replacement means positioning the visor and pressing in on the pivot points, snap it�s in. Several visor choices are available as accessories from HJC.
A helmet bag is provided as well as the instructions and obligatory safety stuff. A breath guard is also included. A wind seal for the bottom of the helmet is an accessory from HJC.
Overall, this helmet is hard to beat concerning price and features. If you�re like me and prefer to update gear on a regular basis to keep up with safety features this one is hard to pass up. The pillion�s helmet is up next and I�m sure we�ll be shopping HJC first again.
HJC Webpage
Their newest line is the AC-12. It comes in carbon fiber and decorated. The decorated ones are typically appliqu�s, they look great but you can see tiny wrinkles in the corners. A lot has changed in five years, the shells and liners are vastly improved. The liners are now removable/replaceable. My head falls into the oval fit medium size, so out of the box the forehead felt a little tight. The first long ride confirmed that impression as I had quite the red mark on the forehead. A couple of stops later taking the helmet off at each stop seems to help break in the foam making it more comfortable.
Quiet, you bet there is a huge difference between the CL-12 and the AC. This helmet is way better, the seal around the visor is much improved and the pivot point is tighter. Time will tell concerning longevity but the CL-12 pivots points held up great for five years (NOTE: just because it is quieter, you still need to wear ear protection).
Visor replacement is a snap, the HJC website even provides videos to prove how easy it is. W/ the visor in the up position, a small lever on each side releases the visor. Replacement means positioning the visor and pressing in on the pivot points, snap it�s in. Several visor choices are available as accessories from HJC.
A helmet bag is provided as well as the instructions and obligatory safety stuff. A breath guard is also included. A wind seal for the bottom of the helmet is an accessory from HJC.
Overall, this helmet is hard to beat concerning price and features. If you�re like me and prefer to update gear on a regular basis to keep up with safety features this one is hard to pass up. The pillion�s helmet is up next and I�m sure we�ll be shopping HJC first again.
HJC Webpage