favorite helmet still at old price (pictures, links)

My very fav. modular helmet, the GMAX GM54s

went up in price recently from about $120 to $160.

This morning (7 Aug. 2015), I found the helmet for $123 [HERE].

The new GMAX open face version of the same helmet usually costs $80,

but the same vendor has that for $56! [HERE]

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with GMAX or the linked Vendor.

Wow, what a great price! Jeez, even at $160.00, it's still a totally awesome deal, I think.

As I read it, it's FREE SHIPPING as well for the $123 one... (anything over $99)

Even better for us So. Cal folk.... the store is in Laguna Hills, Calif. Way cool!

I really like my Icon Alliance and my HJC CL-16 helmets for the times I want to wear them instead of my Variant, but they are both getting a little bit long in the tooth, and I've never had the pleasure of owning a modular.

Always wanted to try one of this style, just for fun. The (imagined by me) prices have always been too high for a random experiment I thought, but now I'm not at all convinced I can keep my wallet closed, lol

arrgh

L.B.S. said:

I really like my Icon Alliance and my HJC CL-16 helmets for the times I want to wear them instead of my Variant, but they are both getting a little bit long in the tooth, and I've never had the pleasure of owning a modular.

Always wanted to try one of this style, just for fun. The (imagined by me) prices have always been too high for a random experiment I thought, but now I'm not at all convinced I can keep my wallet closed, lol

arrgh

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The modular is nice when you can just flip up the face to talk, pump gas, or eat. (or kiss Mrs. StratTuner IF you're me!)
For those who wear eye glasses, it's also very conventient as I don't have to take my glasses off/on when ever I put the helmet off/on.

As I mentioned, the sun visor is worth it's weight in GOLD on long trips, and it's adjustable. It can be down half way unlike other cheaper models where the sun visor is spring loaded and is either all the way down or all the way up.

I like to set it at half way down so I can look out and up through the dark lens but then look down at the instruments without the dark lens.

OK... during these posts, I excanged emails with the sales people there.
My open face helmet will be ready for in-store pickup next Wednesday.

Wow... have to leave work a little early to drive to Laguna Beach! Darn... what a chore! rolleyes

It would have been $15 more to ship it anywhere, so it's still a good deal.

I'll stick with a full face or modular. Open face not for me as too often when involuntarily exiting a bike the rider leads with his / her chin.

Fuzzy said:

I'll stick with a full face or modular. Open face not for me as too often when involuntarily exiting a bike the rider leads with his / her chin.

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Yep! on that one... got the GM54s (modular full face) for that reason.

The open face one comes with a chin piece, I noticed in the video... to help with that.... it doesn't flip up like the full modular, but you can snap it on and protect your chin a little more.
(NB: the chin piece is extra and NOT included.)

[video=youtube;v42Ctp7q9qw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v42Ctp7q9qw[/video]

Here's a video that shows the chin piece install/removal. The demo guy says it's more to keep the wind out. Hmmm...


[video=youtube;s_y25eHVhSE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_y25eHVhSE[/video]

Sure wish more helmet companies made loooong-oval helmets. As it is, only Arai's Signet-Q (and former Profile) fits without giving me a headache.

MZ5 said:

Sure wish more helmet companies made loooong-oval helmets. As it is, only Arai's Signet-Q (and former Profile) fits without giving me a headache.

Click to expand...

Pretty much all I've ever owned has been the Signet line.
UNTIL I found my HJC IS-17 IS-17 Solid
[video=youtube;d2JLp4_BFxk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2JLp4_BFxk[/video]
My local Honda store had a midnight sale that started at 9pm. Each hour the discounts got greater than the hour before. At 11pm (the last hour of the sale), I wandered in the store and saw the helmet... in my size... black... AND IT FIT!
I really can't tell the difference in fit between the Signet and the HJC. (this model only).
Bottom line... $56 OTD!
SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a great price Rick.

I settled on the IS Max 2. The fit was great and since I have my Harry Potter glasses, it was the most comfortable to wear with glasses. Chose the solid as it was a touch cheaper. The white I figured would be more visible and retain less heat...doesn't hurt that it matches the bike either 0.o. When I was shopping I thought the sun shade was a gimik until I experienced late evening riding into the sun...aaahhhh.

IS-MAX 2 Solid

potter0o said:

The white I figured would be more visible and retain less heat...doesn't hurt that it matches the bike either 0.o.

IS-MAX 2 Solid

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Read a study a couple years ago that verified a significant reduction in accidents with a rider wearing a white helmet vs a black helmet. The helmet is most visible thing as it is typically higher than cars around it.

ricksride said:

Pretty much all I've ever owned has been the Signet line.
UNTIL I found my HJC IS-17

Click to expand...

Interesting. Thanks for the reference, ricksride. HJCs have always been among the worst headache producers for me. In fact, I bought an HJC which I thought was that model, but it didn't look quite like that, before buying my Profile about 6 years ago. Couldn't make it 20 minutes without a big headache.

Still want a Snell-certified modular that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. LS2 is supposed to have another out next year. Great find, OP!

StratTuner, or anyone with the GMax modular, how would you rate the wind noise? I have the open face model, 3XL (yes, still fits in frunk). Its way quieter than my full face HJC and generic modular. I don't know if it's the massive size or if noise is just amplified in enclosed helmet. I have the giant madstad windshield, but when I put on a full face, it's deafening.

HueyFE said:

StratTuner, or anyone with the GMax modular, how would you rate the wind noise? I have the open face model, 3XL (yes, still fits in frunk). Its way quieter than my full face HJC and generic modular. I don't know if it's the massive size or if noise is just amplified in enclosed helmet. I have the giant madstad windshield, but when I put on a full face, it's deafening.

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I would say average, but I'd also recuse myself from rating any helmet for noise. When I go on long rides, I always wear earplugs (hearos brand). They protect what's left of my feeble hearing, and they have (as you might guess) excellent wind noise reduction.

How's the air flow on this helmet?

netizen said:

How's the air flow on this helmet?

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I would say below average, must as I love the helmet. History: 30 years ago, I got used to helmets of the 1980s. No air flow at all... so the first time I put on a helmet with real air fow..channel cut through the padding...was amazing... the GM54s is ok, but nothing matches that first time.

Well, I ordered one of these. Revzilla has very good reviews on this helmet.

My #1 priority in a helmet is usually ventilation, but my Nolan N43 air will keep me happy on the hot days. It's a modular with a lock in chin bar (removable), but it is not a flip up modular, so adding this helmet will give me some good choices. As long as it's not super hot I can wear the GMAX and for the really hot days I'll use the Nolan N43.

BTW In case your wondering the N43 air is not and never was available in the US. Only Europe was lucky enough to get it. I Imported mine at added expense just to get some real good air flow. I wish it was a modular... It's great in every other way.

Fuzzy said:

Read a study a couple years ago that verified a significant reduction in accidents with a rider wearing a white helmet vs a black helmet. The helmet is most visible thing as it is typically higher than cars around it.

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I believe that. My own observations show that black helmets (and black clothing) do a good job of making riders unnoticeable.

Also, I've noticed that cars no longer come painted in colors, rather your choice of shades of grey (50?). They, too, are becoming invisible against the backdrop of the landscape. The positive thing there is that if you wear a hi-viz helmet, you will stand out even better.