This helmet is nice to wear. It’s light weight and the vent system keeps your head nice and cool even in the hotter days. Good value for the money it cost.

Not an upgrade coming from the RPHA70!If, like me, you loved your RPHA70 that you're looking into buying this helmet as a replacement for it, don't do it...Instead of this being an upgrade is a redesign of the 70 to be more touring focused. Many of the new things are actually really cool, like the adjustable internal sun visor and the ventilation being very very efficient.What I find ridiculous is this trend of "prepared for intercoms" and all the TRASH that comes with it. I don't want their Sena and I'm forced to carry the unconfortable slot for the battery that I can feel in the back of my head, the flimsy side plastics that I hear rattle in the wind and that I've cut my finger on when not wearing gloves. And finally the clear increased bulkiness of the shell ... MoreNot an upgrade coming from the RPHA70!If, like me, you loved your RPHA70 that you're looking into buying this helmet as a replacement for it, don't do it...Instead of this being an upgrade is a redesign of the 70 to be more touring focused. Many of the new things are actually really cool, like the adjustable internal sun visor and the ventilation being very very efficient.What I find ridiculous is this trend of "prepared for intercoms" and all the TRASH that comes with it. I don't want their Sena and I'm forced to carry the unconfortable slot for the battery that I can feel in the back of my head, the flimsy side plastics that I hear rattle in the wind and that I've cut my finger on when not wearing gloves. And finally the clear increased bulkiness of the shell just to set up this preparation. It's terrible and I wish I knew how bad it was before I bought it.Last but not least I got a faulty one (sent back to the factory and I haven't seen it in a month now) where the visor mechanism does not latch properly. But when it does... oh gosh is it hard to open with gloves on... If all proper latching ones are like this (I heard they are) that's another annoying thing to deal with in an expensive gear piece.

Good helmet, the noise issue is overblown

Very comfortable. Sun visor is good, visor is good, airflow is good. Eyeglass channel is helpful. I still put my cardio packtalk slim into it, fits okay, just mounted it to the rear.I don’t find it particularly noisy, it’s much quieter overall than my Bell DLX qualifier MIPS. I think the key with this helmet is that if you’re buying up to this, it’s good. Cheaper than shoei alternatives but maybe slightly worse. If you’re into the shoei or aria, or shuberth, this will be louder, but it does still feel quality.I think it’s important to look at the whole helmet and decide what’s really important to you, and what you are willing to pay for it. This is a good helmet, for the price.

HJC RPHA 71 - Plain

Excellent helmet, clear field of vision especially peripheral. Both visors easy to flip up and down, although it takes a bit of getting used to unclipping main visor. More wind noise than my previous LS2 but ear plugs are effective. I have to wear specs and these fit fine. Sena comms are great, and I'm glad I bought them too.

Is it any Better than the RPHA 70?

Difficult Review for sure. I own +20 helmets. The RPHA 70 Carbon is by far my favorite for fit, noise, sound isolation for music, cooling, visual, and weight. So how would HJC beat the 70? It's a really good question because the 71 HJC were not able to improve on all those facets that the 70 excelled at.What would I compare the 70 to? Shoei's GT-Air2. That's my 2nd favorite helmet. In terms of style and size, they're similar. The 71 really isn't the next evolution to the 70 but more like being completely new. HJC could have labeled it like the RPHA 80 or something. For reference, the RPHA 12 is like an next evolution of the 11.So why did HJC do what they did? Well, I think it's because the 70 may have catabolized the 11 series, that could be one reason why the ... MoreDifficult Review for sure. I own +20 helmets. The RPHA 70 Carbon is by far my favorite for fit, noise, sound isolation for music, cooling, visual, and weight. So how would HJC beat the 70? It's a really good question because the 71 HJC were not able to improve on all those facets that the 70 excelled at.What would I compare the 70 to? Shoei's GT-Air2. That's my 2nd favorite helmet. In terms of style and size, they're similar. The 71 really isn't the next evolution to the 70 but more like being completely new. HJC could have labeled it like the RPHA 80 or something. For reference, the RPHA 12 is like an next evolution of the 11.So why did HJC do what they did? Well, I think it's because the 70 may have catabolized the 11 series, that could be one reason why the 11 had more graphics to entice consumers? I love my 70 because it's sporty, amazing with racing (speed), and cruising/touring. So why even bother with the 11? To note, I do have an RPHA 11 in carnage graphics (amazing helmet, so snug). I'm thinking, since they recently released the 12, 71, and 91, they wanted to be more focused or centric in what each line would do and didn't each wouldn't go outside those lines.What's good about the 71? The visor and sun visor are levels better than the 70, but isn't top notch like the Shoei's visors. I personally graphene coat my helmets and visors. For those that haven't done that before, I'd suggest ceramic over graphene coating since graphene is more difficult to work with. With ceramic, you can let your helmet and visor sit for up to 10 mins before wiping off, while graphene is 1-2 minutes (Adam's). Also graphene will slightly darken your visor after each application so if you're using graphene, be very careful as a clear visor won't remain clear and can be streaky if not removed in time. I've layered up to 5 coats of ceramic (crystal serum without darkening. Anyhow, I do those things to add durability to my helmets and visors. Lastly for the sun visor on my 70, after 2 years, the actuation lever wore out so when I would have it up and go over a bump, the sunvisor would drop down. The 71 seems 10X more stiffer and has no play so it should hold up well compared to the 70.headliner comfort is much better than the 70 and the 70 wasn't bad to begin with as it was touring inspired so a real plus. The air flow is drastically more flowing than the 70 but this can also be a bad thing when there is too much wind coming into the helmet. I wear earplugs as should everyone, even with those in, the 71 has too much air flowing. I've shut the top scoop and front vent. The problem is with the neck roll as it isn't bulky enough to block out wind that comes underneath the helmet. I don't have a wind screen on my Indian Chief but this helmet wouldn't have that issue with folks that have medium to large windscreens on their bikes.Weight wise, it's slightly heavier than my 70. But fall inline with most modern helmets. I was going to say that the weight gain because of ece certification but it's only DOT. I was assuming that all new helmets were being homologated to ece which would naturally increase weight of all new helmet.Lastly but probably the most important, will your Cardo Edge fit on this helmet? Yes, the cardo mount is fixable so just clean the surface of where you're sticking your mount and apply some heat to the sticky pad, hold for about 30 seconds and you're all set. Your cardo will stick out a bit but i rather have that than the below par and overly priced integrated kit that is proprietary to the helmet. Those worried about your comms system catching on something in an accident, Don't worry about that since your Cardo is designed to detach in an impact; It wont stay on which could catch on another surface.Would I recommend the RPHA 71? Yes, I'd buy it again. With that said, Is it better than my RPHA 70? No. If you're a 1 helmet kind of rider, remember that you can always go into a store to try these helmets on before committing. Revzilla also allows returns for helmets that may not fit well once you receive delivery but remember not to go riding with it. What I usually do is take out the cheek pads and leave the headliner in, I then place the helmet over my head and push down. Your head should settle into the liner without feeling points against the inner shell. If you do feel the inner shell pressing on parts of your head it's going to be uncomfortable after 15-30 mins of riding as those points will become hot spots. I have a round head, Arai helmets fit me best but HJC's "Intermediate" is still great for my head shape.

Looks great, that’s where it ends…

This helmet is something I regret purchasing. It’s very loud- after a couple of hours the road noise and whistling starts to wear on a person. The Sena system that’s designed for this helmet is garbage- can’t hear it at highway speed and the speakers press on the ears in a very unpleasant way (the helmet was comfortable prior to this). Removing the pads for cleaning or installing the comm system is somewhat easy, getting them back in and keeping them snapped in place will becomes an exercise in frustration. I purchased thinner pads to hopefully ease the pressure on the ears and hopefully snap securely in place. Nope and nope. I also discovered this helmet to get VERY hot in warmer weather, looks like it’ll be my spring/fall helmet if I ever get the padding sorted ... MoreThis helmet is something I regret purchasing. It’s very loud- after a couple of hours the road noise and whistling starts to wear on a person. The Sena system that’s designed for this helmet is garbage- can’t hear it at highway speed and the speakers press on the ears in a very unpleasant way (the helmet was comfortable prior to this). Removing the pads for cleaning or installing the comm system is somewhat easy, getting them back in and keeping them snapped in place will becomes an exercise in frustration. I purchased thinner pads to hopefully ease the pressure on the ears and hopefully snap securely in place. Nope and nope. I also discovered this helmet to get VERY hot in warmer weather, looks like it’ll be my spring/fall helmet if I ever get the padding sorted out. Definitely won’t be purchasing HJC again.

Not HJC's best showing

I had very high expectations for this helmet. After reading and watching multiple reviews, I was expecting a well fitting, quiet and capable helmet. Having previously owned both an HJC and a Shoei, I went into this purchase expecting to get near Shoei quality at a slighlty lower price point. I was sold on the graphics and sporty appearance, expecting a suitable lid for more upright riding on a muscle cruiser. I currently believe, I got the quality of a much cheaper lid, but at a much higher price. Some of my main issues are as follows:1. Noise. This is not a quiet helmet and would highly advise wearing hearing protection when operating at speed.2. Lack of aerodynamics. Though this helmet does a decent job of dealing with wind at speed when compared to older ... MoreI had very high expectations for this helmet. After reading and watching multiple reviews, I was expecting a well fitting, quiet and capable helmet. Having previously owned both an HJC and a Shoei, I went into this purchase expecting to get near Shoei quality at a slighlty lower price point. I was sold on the graphics and sporty appearance, expecting a suitable lid for more upright riding on a muscle cruiser. I currently believe, I got the quality of a much cheaper lid, but at a much higher price. Some of my main issues are as follows:1. Noise. This is not a quiet helmet and would highly advise wearing hearing protection when operating at speed.2. Lack of aerodynamics. Though this helmet does a decent job of dealing with wind at speed when compared to older Shoei's, its sport touring design is more suited to lower speed cruising in my opinion, particularly on a bike with a windshield. Any upright or naked bikes without wind protection, the wind will cause buffetting and neck strain trying to force this thing to cut through the air.3. Lack of refined with the shield. The shield is either open all the way or about 2" from closed which causes the transition line in the shield to be right in your line of sight. Also, the tab for the shield is latched on the left side of the helmet, making it difficult to open with your right hand when its locked.4. Odd sizing. Could be due to my head shape, but the front presses against my forehead while the top of my head feels loose. The helmet moves around enough to bother my vision over bumps or while buffeting. And the outer shell appears very large when compared to its internal size.Of course this helmet is not all bad. It offers:1. Decent ventilation, especially with the top vent slid open.2. Decently sized sun visor with multiple adjustments. No light gets by this thing and it doesnt touch my nose.3. Up to date safety features and removable padding.4. Plenty of room for glasses, intercom speakers and boom mic's.If the price point was a bit lower, I dont think I would've been as bothered by its short comings. But for another $100 I could've went with a RF-1400 from Shoei or saved a bit of money and went with a cheaper or slightly older unit from a competing brand.

Overall very good

First impressions is the helmet is very good. Very pleased with the vibration level, and the airflow. Not sold on the breath guard still thinking about it. I will know better in the fall because I have 2 2 week trips planned.

Relatively lightweight with quality drop-down shade

Too early for lengthy review, but first impressions are good. Actual weight for size large is 1627 grams which comes in under the claimed 3.67 pounds. For reference the claimed weight of a medium Shoei RF1400 is 1679 grams.Top vents are not adjustable (always open), the chin vent has small amount of ventilation adjustment. I have not adjust the drop-down shield yet; new location lever on lower left for drop-down shield is intuitive.I can fit a round oval (Quantum X) easily, and this RPHA 71 is not as narrow like the RF1400 or Bell Star. Wearing the HJC around the house only took my head 20 minutes to get the pads "broken in" and any discomfort faded. My hat size is 7 1/4 so the large fits perfectly.Only time will tell about durability and noise at highway speeds ... MoreToo early for lengthy review, but first impressions are good. Actual weight for size large is 1627 grams which comes in under the claimed 3.67 pounds. For reference the claimed weight of a medium Shoei RF1400 is 1679 grams.Top vents are not adjustable (always open), the chin vent has small amount of ventilation adjustment. I have not adjust the drop-down shield yet; new location lever on lower left for drop-down shield is intuitive.I can fit a round oval (Quantum X) easily, and this RPHA 71 is not as narrow like the RF1400 or Bell Star. Wearing the HJC around the house only took my head 20 minutes to get the pads "broken in" and any discomfort faded. My hat size is 7 1/4 so the large fits perfectly.Only time will tell about durability and noise at highway speeds and sidewinds.

Worst pivot kit

HJC really dropped the ball on the pivot kit (visor detent mechanism) on this helmet. It feels like there are several micro-detents at random intervals, but the only positions you can reliably use are all the way down, all the way up and half way open which is not a useful position. The detents at half way and all the way up are excessive and make the visor annoying to operate. The rest of the detents are too weak to hold the visor up. I'm shocked that they released this helmet in this condition.Coming from an RPHA 11, the fit was almost the same and spot on (size S, 56cm circumference, somewhere between intermediate to round oval head). Interior liner feels similar in quality but overall structure feels slightly cheaper, especially the plastic structure around ... MoreHJC really dropped the ball on the pivot kit (visor detent mechanism) on this helmet. It feels like there are several micro-detents at random intervals, but the only positions you can reliably use are all the way down, all the way up and half way open which is not a useful position. The detents at half way and all the way up are excessive and make the visor annoying to operate. The rest of the detents are too weak to hold the visor up. I'm shocked that they released this helmet in this condition.Coming from an RPHA 11, the fit was almost the same and spot on (size S, 56cm circumference, somewhere between intermediate to round oval head). Interior liner feels similar in quality but overall structure feels slightly cheaper, especially the plastic structure around the intercom attachments. The internal sun visor is outstanding like many reviews say.Overall it's actually a decent helmet if you can tolerate the sloppy pivot kit, but I can't.