Reviews of products and services - HJC Helmets

Location

HJC America
16918 Edwards Road
Cerritos, CA. 90703
http://www.hjchelmets.com/
Phone: (562) 407-2186

What they do

Manufacture and distribute motorcycle helmets

Why I conducted business with them

To get my HJC CL-15 Helmet fixed.

My experience

I purchased a HJC CL-14 Helmet back in 2002 and used it regularly for 5 years. It fit me well, functioned properly, and I never had any trouble with it. The base plate mechanism (the plastic parts on either side of the helmet to which the shield attaches) never gave me any trouble…though it was a bit fiddly when it came to changing shields. I don't change shields very often, so that drawback was never really an issue. In short, I was pleased with the CL-14.

In the fall of 2007, after 5 years of use, I replaced the HJC CL-14 Helmet with a HJC CL-15 Helmet. The CL-15 is slightly different, but is really the same helmet as the CL-14…just the next generation (the CL-14 had been phased out). For the most part, I have been pleased with the CL-15. It fits me well. But, there is one recurring problem that has moved me away from the CL-15 (and HJC entirely): the base plates.

The base plate used on the CL-15 (base plate part number HJ-09 or HJ09) is certainly designed so that shield changes are much simpler than with the base plate used on the CL-14 (base plate part number HJ-07 or HJ07). That's great! I'm all for ease of use.

But, not long after I started using the CL-15 with the new-and-improved HJ-09 baseplate, the shield would pop out of the base plate when I would open (and occassionally when I would close) the shield. This would happen regardless of whether I was stopped or in motion. Opening the shield would sometimes, but not always, let the shield come completely loose from the base plate (most often the left side of the shield). Then I'd be stuck trying to get the shield snapped back into the base plate before the traffic light changed to green or while I was riding with one hand on the bar. Certainly not safe and more than a little annoying.

I put up with this for a while (probably too long). But, just before a 2,500 mile trip in June of 2009, it had gotten bad enough that I didn't want to put up with it throughout the trip. Since the helmet was only a year and a half old, I decided to replace both the base plates and shield and get more use out of it. So, I ordered brand new HJ-09 base plates and a new shield and installed them just before the trip.

I didn't have any trouble during the first half of the trip. But then the same old problem surfaced again. The shield would pop out of the HJ-09 base plate when I would open the shield. Ug, not again. I was quite frustrated…especially after springing for new base plates and a shield only days prior.

I did a bit of investigation into what was causing the helmet to pop out of the base plate. Looking at the shield, there are two protrusions on each side that interface with the base plates. One protrusion is larger and circular and forms the axis upon which the shield rotates. The other protrusion is small and almost pin-like. It slides around an arc in the base plate and helps define some of the detents. It is this smaller protrusion that causes the problem. Or, to be more accurate, it is the channel in the base plate in which this protrusion slides that is the problem. By carefully observing this channel as I opened the shield, I could see that it was flexing outward, away from the helmet. Once it flexes outward too far, the pin-like protrusion jumps out of the channel and then the larger protrusion follows. Whatever the construction or material used, it is obviously inadequate to the task if the channel can flex to the point that the pin jumps out.

Okay, there is the root cause of the problem. Now to talk with HJC directly. I called them up and spoke to customer service. I was hoping to speak with someone who would listen to my findings and perhaps have a solution for me. Instead, the customer service representative didn't want to listen at all. Instead, I was interrupted as soon as I told them my shield was popping out and they wanted to take my mailing address so they could send me new base plates. I couldn't get one word in edgewise that I had already tried new base plates and a new shield. No listening, just a "get this guy off the phone" attitude. Not exactly what I was hoping for.

So, I got the new base plates. They are the same HJ-09 base plates as the originals and the ones I replaced. So, they will flex just like the previous ones I tried.

The CL-15 is now relegated to my top closet shelf and occasional wearing by visiting guests. Since all new HJC helmets use the HJ-09 base plate, I wasn't about to buy a new HJC helmet. Instead, I purchased a Shoei.