HJC i71: HJC’s latest mid-price full face polycarbonate all-rounder.

HJC certainly don’t stand still. They rattle through new models faster than Leo DiCaprio. And the i71 is their latest full face polycarb offering, presumably replacing the HJC i70 – their last mid price full face polycarbonate helmet.

Both helmets have pretty well the same specs (sun shield, Pinlock, D-ring fastener) and while the Euro i71 does have the latest ECE 22.06 certification (so should theoretically offer slightly improved protection levels) the US version is still plain DOT certified. That’s because HJC does alter helmets slightly between markets so they’re not dual ECE and DOT – with the Euro i71 having a micrometric fastener not a d-ring).

Plus, the i71 is ready to accept HJC’s latest generation of bluetooth headset – that’s the Sena developed SMART 50B and 21B headsets.

So if you’re thinking of buying one, read on for more of what you can expect from the HJC i71…

• Polycarbonate full face helmet
• Sports-touring all rounder helmet
• Quick release shield with Pinlock (included)
• D-ring fastener
  
• Drop down sun shield
• 3 shell sizes
• Fitments XS-XXL
• 3 year warranty
• Expect to pay $220-$270

Looking to buy an HJC i71?

Please click below to visit the HJC i71 helmets pages at our recommended store or Amazon. And if you buy from either store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

The bottom line is that the HJC i71 should be a good all-rounder helmet – suitable for commuting or touring and most rides inbetween.

HJC reckon they’ve improved ventilation by reworking the top vent and enlarging the mouth vent to let more air in. Looking at the helmet, there’s only a single rear exhaust vent that’s quite high up so my guess would be you’ll probably not feel much cooling all over, more just around the top of your head.

The shield system looks good though. It’s quick release (open shield, pull a tab and the shield pops off – quick push back on to refit) and when you fully close it, it has an auto-lock to keep it in place. That’s fine as long as the unlock is easy – and with the i71, there’s a new ‘press to unlock’ mechanism that looks really simple.

And of course, the good news is that the i71 comes with a Pinlock anti-fog insert in the box which not many helmets do but is a must if you ride where it’s cold, rainy or humid.

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The sun visor’s operated by a slider on the bottom left edge of the helmet. It’s actually underneath the panel where the comms unit can be installed so it’s tucked right out of the way. The sun shield’s anti-fog treated which is good, and it’s actually slightly adjustable for depth of drop and how far the bottom pushes away from your face (up to 10mm) by using a little switch under that comms panel.

HJC says it adjusts according to your morphology. What that really means if you’ve a big honker, then it’ll help stop the sun visor pressing against it – maybe – a bit.

Still, it’s good to see HJC innovating and you never know, it might come in useful.

In UK/Eu i71s come with a micrometric fastener – and as usual that’s a double-d ring in the US. Not entirely sure why we always get double d rings instead of ratchet fasteners but I guess somebody somewhere has done some market research to show they’re preferred?

As mentioned, the i71 has a polycarbonate shell. That’s fine for great protection, but it does mean the helmet might be slightly heavier (than composite or carbon helmets). It’s not Snell tested though – time was tht HJC used to get all their lids tested by Snell but I guess they just have so many helmets these days, they decided it wasn’t worth the $$$s.

Interestingly, the Eu version has passed the latest mandatory stafety standard test in Europe – that’s the ECE 22.06 test – so head over to our UK/Eu site if you want to know where to buy one of those helmets instead (though if you get pulled by the cops, it’ll not be legal in mandatory helmet states).

And if you’re looking to fit a bluetooth kit to your helmet, the HJC i71 is designed to fit HJC’s own latest gen SMART 50B and 21B headsets. They’ve been designed alongside motorcycle bluetooth specialists Sena, so they should be decent. And if you do buy one of these kits to make a fully integrated headset, there’s speaker pockets inside the helmet and a panel on the left that you can snap the controller into – and a pocket for the battery at the rear.

And while the speaker pockets mean you should be OK using your own 3rd party bluetooth kit on the i71, mounting a controller might be a bit tricker because the place you’d usually mount it is already taken by HJC’s pop-off panel. Not ideal.

Overall though, the HJC i71 looks like it should be a good all-rounder and good value for money. It’s got most of the features you’ll probably be looking for in a modern sports touring lid. And while it’s got just a plain ole polycarb shell, HJC do know how to make a decent performing helmet – and usually ones that don’t break the bank.

Looking to buy an HJC i71?

Please click below to visit the HJC i71 helmets pages at our recommended store or Amazon. And if you buy from either store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

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