Member Contributer Olive Posted August 12, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 12, 2011 The Symax is a flip-face helmet, and that is definitely a plus for convenience. However the air flow of this helmet was such that it easily scooped insects, including wasps and bees inside the helmet at highway speeds. After this happened three times in rapid succession I concluded it was helmet related rather than a freak occurance. So the helmet was quickly relegated to a shelf, used only for the occasional in-town tripswhere speeds didn't induct insects. The other issue I had with this helmet was the aerodynamics - not the most comfortable helmet I have worn. Needless to say, this helmet didn't see a lot of wear. After retiring my other helmet I pulled it back out and dusted it off as the best short-term option. After a few rides the flip mechanism that allows the face to open failed in the shut position. I figured that something had jammed, but at least it jammed in the closed position. The front latch felt like it was broken, no longer attached to anything. This failure concerned me because as far as I was concerned the helmet was almost new. I would estimate that I had put only 2,500 kilometers of ride time on this helmet, which is negligible. Before pulling the helmet apart I decided it might be beneficial to do a quick search on the net to see if others have encountered the same problem. I ran into the following article which brings up definite safety concerns with the Symax and I thought it appropriate to bring it to the attention of others who might be wearing or considering this helmet. http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/hjc-sy-max-2-flip-up-failure/ When I pull mine apart I will post up some photos. I haven't pulled it apart yet because I need a shorter screwdriver, however I have a pretty good idea what to expect. This helmet is definitely a disappointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graves Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I like the concept of a flip up but it's failures like that that keep me from buying one. Thanks for the heads up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Olive Posted August 12, 2011 Author Member Contributer Share Posted August 12, 2011 I like the concept of a flip up but it's failures like that that keep me from buying one. Thanks for the heads up. More concerning than the failure is the construction of the helmet and the attachment of the latching mechanism. I may not be a mechanical engineer, but it is pretty obvious that the helmet's flip face latching mechanism is unlikely to hold up to any sort of impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer thereisnospoon Posted August 12, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 12, 2011 I'm still sorry I bought the one that I have :( probably less than a couple thousand miles. didn't have the bug ingestion problem but it was noisy and didn't ventilate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted August 13, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted August 13, 2011 I never owned one long enough the encounter the latch problem..... Bought one, rode it for 3 hours draft was so bad it dried my eyes till they were painfull brought it back to the shop bought an Arai..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superfunkomatic Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Interesting. I've had one that I use occasionally (about 4 years old). Worked fine except that the visor doesn't seat around the seal very well. Haven't had any issues with it, yet…. I've got a couple other helmets I like wearing more so this one has been used very rarely. I'll check out the article. ** - correction - my helmet is the original Symax (not the one in the article). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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