GMAX GM68S Helmet - webBikeWorld

Summary: High quality helmet, interesting selection of graphics; outstanding air flow; outstanding visor optical quality; 3-position LED lights in the rear; and a bargain-basement price.

OK, so it's officially 2008, but we started this review a couple of weeks ago and finished up all the photos and the video and the post-evaluation discussions before the ball dropped on New Year's Eve. I even started turning electrons into HTML code before the Champagne corks popped!

So I'm officially claiming this to be the last webBikeWorld review of 2007, thus making the GMAX GM68S helmet eligible for our annual "Best of" awards for the year. Whew!

And deserving it is -- in a year of lackluster motorcycle helmet releases and thin pickings for everything else (are our criteria getting tougher, was 2007 a forgettable year or are we becoming jaded?), the GM68S was released just in time to make its mark on '07.

Truth be told, I hadn't thought much about GMAX one way or the other prior the arrival of the GM68S. I considered the brand to be, oh, something like a 4th-string contender, to be frank. I've been monitoring their yearly lineup at the past couple of Indy Dealer Expos but I didn't see anything that led me to believe that webBikeWorlders would be interested.

But a recent GMAX ad for the GM68S in one of the motorcycle industry rags convinced me to take another look. My expectations were pretty low and I'll admit that the box sat there for a week or so before I peeled it open.

Now frequent visitors know that we get a much bigger kick out of a product that under-promises and over-delivers, and if this isn't the textbook definition of that, I don't know what is, because the list price for the GM68S is only $119.95.

We bought this one retail for $104.95, including free shipping (in the U.S.A.), and that's not all: GMAX is having a special sale -- they included a free dark tinted visor in a fleece visor sleeve, a nice, thick helmet bag and even an extra LED light cover in dark tint to swap with the standard red cover to give a stealth look, if desired.

That's right -- on top of everything else, the GM68S has 6 LED lights in the back (pioneered by the Akuma V-1 Ghost Rider) which can be rotated through 4 settings: on steady, blinking, fast blinking and off.

Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality
The "Dragon" graphics shown here are available with either a black or white background. The Dragon design wasn't my first choice; I really wanted a GM68S in the "Crusader" graphics, which I think look cool and different. However, the GM68S is so new that sizes and colors were limited when we purchased this one and the black Dragon was the only choice available.

Although the Dragon graphics are nicely done, the design is a bit derivative, in my opinion. Nevertheless, it's well executed and the paint on this example is well above average, with no orange peel nor dust bunnies underneath the thick clear coat. And it's not obvious in the photos, but some of the pinstripes use silver metalflake, which looks very nice, so overall I give the artwork an "A".

What sets the GM68S apart from most of the other helmets in this price range -- and from many competitors costing a lot more -- is that all the parts work, they work well and everything has a good feel. It isn't easy to control quality with this many parts, including the 9 (count 'em) vents; 8 exhaust vents and other bits. That everything works and seems solid and secure is very impressive.

Score: I'll give the GM68S an "Excellent" rating for paint, graphics and design and for overall quality. See the ratings descriptions in the summary table at the end of this page.

Helmet Fit and Comfort and Internal Shape
The GM68S has what we'd characterize as a round-shaped fit. The GMAX byline is "The Better Fitting Helmet", and although I'm not sure what they really mean by that, the helmet fits me ver well indeed, with the caveat that I have a round shaped head.

The size XL shown here runs true to size, neither too small or too large, but just about what is expected from this size, so I'll have to assume that any of the other sizes run true to expectations also.

The removable liner is made with Coolmax fabric, although it's been too cold here lately to evaluate the helmet's moisture wicking properties. The liner snaps are made from some type of plastic, but they seem to hold everything together without feeling loose.

The liner feels comfortable, it isn't rough or scratchy feeling and it has good cushioning. The helmet fits correctly over my head in the vertical dimension, coming down far enough to provide protection to my chin and the lower parts of my jaw.

The top of the liner has several large channels to direct the voluminous amount of air that's funneled into the front vents down through 8 large holes in the foam part of the liner and on to the rider's head. This is about 6 more holes than are typically found in motorcycle helmets, so clearly GMAX had superior venting in mind when they designed this helmet.

The back of the chin bar is lined with a nicely padded, fabric-covered section of material and the chin bar also has two holes through it to channel the air from the front directly through to the rider's face. This is a definite plus because it isn't often the case; most chin vent air is directed up on to the visor instead.

For more information on choosing and fitting a motorcycle helmet, please see the wBW Motorcycle Helmet FAQ page, which also includes a discussion on head shapes.

Score: The helmet hits all the right buttons for me, so I'll give the GM68S an "Outstanding" rating for its internal shape, comfort and for its roomy front-to-back dimensions.

Air Flow
The GM68S feels like it flows more air than just about any other helmet we've tried. There are 8 front-facing vents that I can count (GMAX claims 9, but I think they're counting the breath guard, which has vents in front) and unlike most helmets, every one of them seems to contribute to the cause.

The chin vent cover rotates down and directs the air through the chin bar and up through a rack of large channels in back of the breath guard.

Two screened openings on either side of the chin bar flow air directly through the corresponding openings in the chin bar padding; light can be seen when looking from the inside-out, so these vents actually do something, again unlike most helmets.

But the top vents are the most noticeable feature of the GM68S; a veritable two-tiered battery of vent openings, just waiting to grab some air. The vent channels that run along the top of the helmet have 5 openings that point directly forward. Each vent has its own sliding switch to open or close the vent.

The shape and the number of vents scoop up a lot of air, which has nowhere to go but down into the helmet through the 8 holes that are clearly visible in the liner (see the Lightbox photo below for a close-up).

GMAX claims 9 exhaust vents, but we count 4 in the rear of the helmet, the two big ones on top that form the back of the vent channels and two smaller screen-covered vents along the bottom of the helmet.

The bottom of the tightly-fitted glossy gasket that covers the base of the helmet does have some openings at the rear, so perhaps this is where they come up with the 9 count, but these openings seem to be backed with the liner and I'm not sure how the air would escape from them.

But in any case, this helmet flows lots of air -- probably about as much air as I've ever felt run through a motorcycle helmet and the equal of something like the old Shoei X-11, which also has good air flow if memory serves me correctly.

Now you'd think it would be easy to make a helmet with good venting if they cared to. The problem is that more vents usually equal more noise, but on top of everything else, the GM68S is actually pretty quiet, considering all those big openings up top.

Helmet Weight
The size XL GM68S shown here weighs 1677 grams (3 lbs., 11-1/8 oz.), which actually isn't bad, considering all the vents, the thick plastic vent channels that contribute to the helmet's substance and the LED light assembly (more on that in a bit).

This puts the GM68S about 2/3 of the way up in the wBW Motorcycle Helmet Weights chart, which compares all of the 84 helmets we've reviewed as of this writing.

1677 grams is in the neighborhood of the AGV Miglia (Modular); the HJC Sy-Max (Modular); the Bell Sprint full-face and the Arai XD (Enduro). But the GM68S is lighter than several other full-face helmets, including the HJC CL-14 and the KBC Force RR.

Some helmets feel lighter than they really are, while others feel a bit heavier than the readout on the scale shows. The GM68S is probably in the latter category. I think the large channels and vents up top, along with the LED light assembly and batteries in the rear, make the helmet feel slightly top-heavy, although it isn't really noticeable when riding because the helmet shell seems just a touch longer and lower than normal and the excellent fit balances the weight.

Score: I'll rate the GM68S as "Excellent" for its acceptable weight considering the number of features and for its good balance.

Visor
The GM68S that was delivered to us has a remarkable visor that more than one wearer has said is the clearest, most optically correct visor they've ever used. It gives an uncanny feeling of having an invisible barrier in front of the eyes; the visor simply disappears and the view ahead seems no different than if the visor was missing.

This is not an easy engineering feat, apparently, because even very expensive helmets get it wrong more often than they get it right. Until you've ridden behind a visor as clear as the one on the GMAX, you might not notice, but I can tell you that there's a big difference.

I'm not sure why or how, but all I know is that the visor on this helmet is noticeably better than any other visor I've used on any helmet, and that's pretty amazing.

And get this: at the time of this writing, GMAX is running a special sale -- they're giving away a free dark tinted smoke visor with the GM68S. It comes in a very nice, fleece-lined visor sleeve to match the thicker-than-normal fleece helmet bag that comes with the helmet.

The visor rotating mechanism on our GM68S has 6 detents, which hold the visor in any one of the 6 positions, including a small opening to demist the visor and allow more air on to the rider's face without getting overwhelmed.

This "crack open" feature is suddenly going missing from several helmets we've reviewed recently. A couple of new helmets have only a 3-position visor, with the first opening position bringing the visor half-way up. This is unacceptable, so the GM68S gets extra points not only for its ability to keep the visor open to any of the 6 positions, but also because it feels relatively sturdy and without flexing as it's moved up and down.

The visor seals correctly against the helmet all along the eye port gasket and the gasket has an extra flange on either side at the top to help it seal without gaps. This also involves some extra work and expense and many helmet manufacturers either don't bother to mold the visor to match the helmet contour or they leave a gap at the outer edges, which can be a source of noise.

Finally, the eye port seems a bit wider and taller than average, giving the rider a very good view from inside the GM68S.

Score: We rate the visor clarity, operation and visibility of the GM68S as "Outstanding".

GMAX GM68S - wBW Lightbox - Click photo to view.

Liner Vent Holes	2 LED Covers	Batteries	LED Circuit Board

LED Lights
The GM68S also features 6 LED lights in the rear, located horizontally at the back of the large vent channel assembly.

A switch in the middle is used to cycle the LED lights through off, on, blinking and fast blinking. We tried this feature at night and also during a foggy morning and the lights do help to make the rider more noticeable. I wonder if it's possible that the blinking lights in the rear skirt the boundaries of the law, but we'll have to believe that GMAX did their homework and that the lights are legal.

The switch that turns the LEDs on and off is very sensitive on our helmet and we found the lights turned on unexpectedly more than once after handling the helmet. It would have been better if the switch had a stronger detent, because it's also nearly impossible to locate and feel with gloves once the helmet is on the rider's head. The solution is to switch on the lights before wearing the helmet.

The LEDs have a red cover as standard, but GMAX also includes a dark smoke tinted cover, which camouflages the lights when it's installed but still allows them to be seen. The cover is removed with two Phillips head screws and the two AAA batteries are located behind the circuit board, which is rather hard to remove (see Lightbox photo below). But since LED lights use very little juice, we're hoping the batteries won't need replacing for some time.

I'm skeptical of the cover's ability to keep out water, so if I was going to be riding in wet weather with the GM68S, I'd probably run a thin bead of clear silicone sealant around the edges just to be on the safe side.

But overall, this is a nice feature that isn't just a gimmick, and it definitely gives the helmet yet another advantage.

Score: Extra points for the addition of the LED lights and their potential for safety.

Noise Levels
There's usually a direct correlation between the number and size of the vents and the amount of noise transmitted to the rider, although the reality isn't always so black and white.

When I first looked at the two-tier vent system on the GM68S, I figured this would be one noisy helmet, but I'm amazed that this isn't the case. It sort of blows all the theory away, because although I wouldn't say the helmet is quiet, I will say that it's much quieter than I expected for sure.

The vents induce a noticeable wind rushing noise along the top, and an occasional whistle here and there, depending upon the angle of attack of the rider's head vs. the air stream. I can only assume this might be better or worse depending upon manufacturing tolerances of any one particular helmet.

But overall, I'd say that the helmet is surprisingly quiet, with maybe slightly more wind rushing noise than normal, and what is noticeable isn't bothersome to me and it's a good compromise considering the amount of air that flows in. Some or many helmets make as much noise with little or no apparent air flow, and that bothers me much more because it doesn't make any sense.

The GM68S also seems very good at controlling the lower frequency "booming" noises that are typically noticed along the bottom of a helmet. This type of noise can be especially bothersome when riding behind a smaller fairing or windscreen that dumps the "dirty" air on the bottom half of the helmet.

But the GM68S controls this noise very well, possibly because of the standard chin curtain under the chin bar in front or perhaps because the lower portion of the helmet fits correctly along the bottom of my head.

Remember that we always wear correctly fitted, high quality earplugs and an extra helmet liner when riding, and we strongly recommend that you always wear hearing protection also. See the wBW Earplugs and Hearing Protection page for more information on choosing and wearing earplugs.

And also remember that your experience with noise levels will probably be different because it depends on many factors, including your head shape, the motorcycle configuration, prevailing winds and more.

Score: I'll give the GM68S an "Excellent" rating for its ability to control noise, taking into account the amount of air flowing into the helmet.

Miscellaneous
The GMAX GM68S is DOT approved and it has a thermoplastic shell. It uses the preferred D-ring attachment system and the chin strap padding is very good. The end of the strap is secured with a large plastic snap. The chin strap seems more comfortable than average.

Addendum: The ear pockets on the GM68S are larger than average; there is no padding over the ears and a plastic liner over the helmet foam forms the "bottom" of the pocket, so I think that speakers could very easily fit inside the helmet and could probably be secured to the plastic liner without problems.

Conclusion
The GMAX GM68S's styling isn't subtle, but in our opinion the helmet offers high quality with an outstanding feature set. It has the best venting and the best visor clarity all with the best value for the money of any helmet we've seen in 2007 by far and, in fact, it's probably the best helmet deal we've ever seen since we started reviewing helmets nearly 8 years ago.

The helmet has a list price of $119.95 at the time of this writing and we found ours for $104.95, including free shipping, a free tinted visor in its own visor sleeve and the extra LED light cover.

So in a year which had us thinking that there wouldn't be a single outstanding motorcycle helmet, the GMAX GM68S came along at the last minute, and we're giving it the webBikeWorld 2007 "Motorcycle Helmet of the Year" award. Congratulations GMAX! We'll have a full report on the products of the year coming soon...

Product Review: GMAX GM68S "Dragon" Motorcycle Helmet
NEW! Purchase the GMAX GM68S Dragon or the GMax GM68S Crusader from Motorcycle Superstore and help support webBikeWorld!
Manufacturer: GMAX Helmets	Suggested Retail Price: $119.95
Colors: Dragon and Crusader graphics	Made in: Taiwan
Review Date: January 2008 Notes: Unfortunately GMAX is not currently distributed in Europe, only in the U.S. by Western Power Sports and Marshall Distributing and in Canada by Gamma Distributing.
Ratings Scale: For reference, our ratings scale is subjective and ranges from Unacceptable to Poor, Good, Very Good, Excellent and Outstanding.

Note: For informational use only. All material and photographs are Copyright © webWorld International, LLC - 2001-2008. All rights reserved. Read the Terms and Conditions. See the webBikeWorld® Site Info page.

1) The sizing, for me, was not quite as listed. Perhaps I have a different shaped head (seems pretty round to me), but I wear a Shoei Large and my head measures in the range for a Large for GMax, but I couldn't even get my head into the helmet. So, if you can try before you buy it might be a good idea.

2) The second helmet I got was the correct size, but the cheek pad snap attachment broke the first time I tried it . I hope this is not an indication of build quality. The rep I spoke to at Motorcycle Superstore said they were having quite a few returns on these, not encouraging.

3) Motorcycle Superstore has been wonderful to deal with so far. No problems with either of my returns. Every call to them has been answered quickly and professionally. I think I've found another favorite vendor.

I'm really hopeful that the third time will be the charm. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has had issues with these helmets, specifically with quality and durability. I know it's not a $400 helmet, but no matter how inexpensive I think there is a minimum level of quality that should be expected of a protective device."

From "stahlsau": "Hi, i'm stahlsau from Germany and i just wanted to thank you for this review, this is by far the best helmet I've ever owned. Since they aren't sold normally here in Europe (I bought) one at eBay US, and after
a fair amount of time at the customs (about 4 weeks) it arrived.

After opening the box i was really impressed because of all that stuff that is shipped with it, be it an additionally visor, a darkened cover for the LEDs, ... Well, the LEDs seem a bit childish to me...I just don't like the idea. It's like flaming airbrush on cars, just a bit too much. But no matter, I've installed the dark cover and now no one can see them.

The visor is, just as stated in the review, the best I've ever seen. The clear vision is superior to all other visors I've had before, and fogging is no big problem too. Sure there are helmets with double visor that don't fog, but they mostly have a somewhat blurred vision (sorry, English isn't my first language, I hope you get what I mean ;)). The locking in any desired position is very save too - I ride a naked bike and it doesn't move at 200km/h with the visor a pin open.

The fit is superior to all other helmets I've tested, too (I have a round head, and size XL fits absolutely perfect). I've never experienced such a tight, but none-hurting fit everywhere around my head, it feels just comfortable and safe.

The double-D-lock seemed to suck at first, but well - if you get used to it, it's really easier than the other locks. I always thought double-D is a step back, but that doesn't seem so anymore.

The noise level is pretty high I think (as stated before, naked bike without any windshield or s/t). It's not that the visor lets too much wind through or something, it's just a high peeping noise all from 60km/h up to the end. Like a flute or something. I'll try to soften the air inlets with a file, maybe that will help. On the other side, after a few minutes you don't hear it anymore...

Anyways, the absolutely Best Thing (tm) is, that this helmet is totally neutral in the air. With a naked bike at 200km/h there's no force up/down or left/right, no turbulence, nothing (sure, the pressure of the wind from front is still noticeable ;))

From "D.S.": "Just so you know, you are right on with this helmet. I bought one because a local motorcycle store had recommended it. They were out of stock and on backorder so while waiting to get in, I found webBikeWorld. I really thought at first that the salesman was just trying to get me to buy any helmet since they didn't have the much more expensive one that I went to buy.

I am so glad that I found your site, because after reading the review I ordered through Motorcycle Superstore and got the helmet for about $50 less than the dealership. I don't know that I've ever said this about anything before, but I will say it now, this helmet is worth so much more than what it cost and I still would have thought I got a great deal at full dealership price! price!

I ordered a S even though GMax suggested a XS for me. I have problems with chronic migraines and didn't want to have a helmet that was too tight. The small is perfect, fits better than any helmet I've ever had and looks great too!

There's nothing about the helmet that I don't like and I will continue to go to webBikeWorld for reviews and suggestions! Thanks for a great job!"

From "C.K.": "Hello. I recently picked up one of these based on your excellent review.

Wow. What a great helmet, even at twice the $107 it cost me to get it to my door. After some searching on the Motorcycle Superstore site, I found a separate listing for the SPC model. It comes in a very subtle flat black color, which really shows off the red LED cover on the back, and the chrome mesh in the vents.

Oh, and those vents. Amazing. They actually open to the inside of the helmet, instead of through magical channels we are forced to assume are there.

The visor, another feat. Perfectly clear, and like you said in the review, until you've experienced it, you can't know how good it can be.

The chinstrap could be a little softer, but I have a feeling it will slowly break in just fine.

Thanks for a great review, and info on a helmet I never even would have known existed without you."

From "K.P.": "I am sorry, but I have to disagree with your take on the GMax helmet. It has a great price and a FANTASTIC face shield, but the helmet is so noisy that my wife and I have gone back to our HJC's after only about an hour of riding. We broke out the earplugs on the way home and it helped some, but we were not able to hear the radio or each other over the wind noise.

I believe the helmet too narrow for a good fit with our J&M head sets too. We don't normally wear ear plugs unless it is very windy and were very happy we had them in the saddle bags.

I'll be fair. Perhaps the wind coming around and over the windshield of a Goldwing were not the conditions you tested in, however the wind noise was so bad I have a hard time believing this hat could ever be even close to quiet.
Keep up the work though. I think most of your reviews are dead on."

Editor's Reply: Thanks for the feedback. Yes, riding behind a fairing or windscreen can completely change the perceived noise levels in a helmet. We've mentioned this many times -- windscreen turbulence is one of the biggest factors in helmet noise. As we state in the helmet reviews, we always wear high-quality, correctly fitted ear plugs; all bets are off without them.

I think the GM68S is more oriented towards Sportbike riding than touring, and it probably wouldn't be my choice of helmet for installing speakers or for a touring bike with an upright seating position. We usually try the helmets on several different bikes during the evaluations, with and without windscreens, but it's impossible to know how the helmet will react on every motorcycle type with every rider and riding condition.

The air coming over the top of the Goldwing's windscreen is probably causing lots of turbulence right at the top of the helmet where the big intake scoops live, so I guess I'm not surprised that this helmet may be noisy on a motorcycle of this type.

From "L.Y.": "After I read your review I went and bought the helmet and I love it. Since this model is so good, any chance of your reviewing the GM58? It looks like it has less protruding vents, and might be quieter and less turbulent, and it costs less. If it fits the same I'd consider getting one.

Keep up the good work, especially with helmets like this one and the Akuma (Ghost Rider, Stealth), since I'll never get to actually see one in a store since no stores keep them in stock. Cycle Gear should really pick these guys up instead of whatever crappy cheap sub-$100 helmet I saw there last time, but they probably won't because the great value will make their Arais and Shoeis look bad. Thanks!"

From "K.D.": "On Jan. 23, 2008 my red, white and blue Gmax helmet kept my head from being crushed. The Missouri Highway Patrol Report "states": Traveling at a speed 130mph+ "on my 1200 Yamaha V-max" failed to negotiate a left hand curve to travel off the right side of roadway striking a ditch ejecting the driver head first...

I was released from the hospital on Jan. 24 with some internal head injury. If this helmet would not (have) held up, I wouldn't be here to write this letter today. My Gmax helmet has only scratches and a missing face shield. Gmax is the only helmet I will ever wear..."

From "J.N.": "On a clear day you can see forever… Not always true with a full face helmet but very true with the GMAX. Addressing some of the issues already brought up:

From "R.C.": "I have now had my new GMAX Crusader for a couple of weeks, and I LOVE IT ! I was worried about the fit of it's internal shape on my moderate Oval shaped head, so after checking the sizing on the website, I ordered a Small, and it's right on...

My Extra Small Arai Profile was just a wee bit too tight in the cheek pads , and also took quite a while to pack out and fit right- (and our Vancouver, Canada dealers don't stock thinner cheek pads - special order only!). After 3 months of wear, the Profile fit almost as well as my new Gmax G68s Crusader does out of the box - it's in a size small, without the too tight cheek pads.

After a few days of wearing it now, I believe the GMAX is the best fitting helmet I have ever owned. The finish and graphics on the GMAX definitely put helmets costing 5 or more times as much to shame, including my 2007 model Arai! And the visors - wow! Great vision, easy changing, 2 visors, c/w the soft visor bag - This is the best deal I have ever seen in a helmet.

I am not concerned about the lack of a Snell certification, as I will continue to use my Arai for the racetrack, and the more comfortable, lighter, better ventilated, and way quieter GMAX on the street.

Everyone comments on the LED's and I believe they should be standard on all helmets. I swapped the red LED cover for the smoked one as it matched the colour of my Grey/Silver Crusader perfectly. It appears the LED's are brighter with the red cover on, and I will swap back tonight, as I commute daily, and at this time of year north of the 49th it's still dark before 8 am, and again when I ride home around 6 pm.

Tonight I am going to make a pair of thin ear pocket fillers from upholstery foam and cover them with Coolmax... I did this on my noisy Arai, and definitely improved the noise factor, so I am looking forward to a nearly silent riding experience on my Ducati Monster (even the Termi's with db killers out sound much more subdued in the GMAX!).

My helmet is always in the wind above the small fairing on the Monster, which has the taller Zero Gravity screen fitted, and up to 120mph, I have not noticed any appreciable buffeting. This GMAX seems to cut the wind just fine, and stays very quiet, although, due to winter temperatures around the freezing point every day, I have not opened any of the vents! I have put foam in the little chin bar vents to stop their flow as well...my helmet did not come with spare batteries nor the vent plugs, mentioned by another owner in the comments here...

I also really like the way the visor clicks positively from closed to just a tiny bit open, then to larger openings, smoothly and evenly... Due to the cold weather, I keep it open 1 or 2 notches, and that seems to flow enough air for de-misting, without freezing my face off, or causing my eyes to tear up. I also like the high eye port opening, as I get a better view ahead when tucking in behind the screen. My Arai obscures my vision, with it's black visor vents in the way, when tucking in, so I have to sit taller and hold my head a bit higher up into the wind, in order to seen the road farther ahead.

All in all, I think it's the best helmet value ever! The older manufacturers had better get their act together - both the quality and the pricing of their products needs improving, as this GMAX G68s proves!"

From "B.B.": "Ride: 2005 FZ6, with a Laminar Lip. Location: Bradenton, Florida. Date: 1/22/08

I was riding with an HJC SyMax. I have been researching helmets and trying them on for about 6 months. I have tried the Arai, Shoei, Suomy, Scorpion, Shark, HJC, and KBC. I had narrowed it down to the Shoei X-11. The fit, finish, and especially the air flow were all the major factors of why I had chosen that helmet.

The problem was that I just could not justify spending between $400-$500, on eBay, on a helmet when the helmet I have was working fine. It was a little loud and a little heavy, but the MAJOR problem with it is that it is HOT HOT HOT, and a hot helmet in FL doesn't work well.

I read your review of the GMAX, so I did a little internet research on the company. There really is not much to see out there, so I thought I would go out on a limb and give it a try.

All in all I think this is may be the best helmet I have ever owned. Those other manufacturers could learn a thing or two from GMAX, and they better watch out!"

From "E.K.": "Before giving a helmet its final rating, you should always check to see whether the helmet has EPS below the ear, around the jaw and at the chin.

The GMAX does not. This is a serious safety issue that needs to be addressed. Most helmets in the GMAX price range do have EPS in these areas, something that does make a helmet safer."

From "H.T.": "Weather conditions: 70 degrees, wind 20mph. Location: Sarasota, Florida, Date: January 19, 2008.

1. For $108 delivered - A Best Buy. I would question why anyone would need to speed $500 or more for a helmet after using the Gmax GM68S Dragon.

3. The medium fit was tight, but it got better the more I wear it. Tighter fitting than my Nolan or HJC lids.

4. Riding my VTX1300C wearing this helmet, the twin-engine single crank-pin rumble now sounds like I’m riding a scooter. Blipping the throttle now sounds like “MaWomph” instead of “BARAANG!”

5. Now that the motorcycle noises are muffed, you hear turbulent wind noise going over the Hondaline tall windshield-helmet interaction. Duck down behind the windshield and most of that is eliminated too.

6. Riding my FJR1300AE wearing this helmet, the wind noise is high with all vents open, but close ALL the vents and crack open the visor 1 or two notches, and with GIVI windscreen all the way down, the helmet is pretty quiet, eliminating all lot of the distracting turbulence - clearly better than the Nolan or HJC. Raise the aftermarket GIVI windscreen up 2/3rds with the same venting makes the ride comfortably quiet. Nearly eerie. Results will likely be different for your bike, windscreen, and riding ergos.

7. The face shield is virtually invisible and distortion free - and the field of view is wider and a little taller. But, it is not polarized. This is the only helmet I’ve owned where I can change the face shield. Contrary to instructions, raise the face shield all the way up, then down one notch, then press down the slide release. It’s simple - and easier to clean.

From "D.B.": "I received my Gmax GM68S Crusader helmet a few days ago and gave it a good looking over before riding with it. The fit is great. I actually fell right in the range of a small and am very happy with it. I did find a few very minor spots in the finish that were not perfect, but I was looking really close to find anything. Hardly noticeable, and the graphics of the red crusader more than make up for any blemishes.

I rode to work with it today and it was a cool (45 F) and extremely foggy. It did fog up quite a bit, but I stuck my Respro Foggy in and had no problems. I read one owners comment of constant air flowing through the chin area, and I found some small foam plugs inside the helmet box to block those off from the inside (along with extra batteries).

It was very quiet (I always wear ear plugs), no lifting at speed, good visibility through the visor and noticeably lighter than my HJC CL-SP (wBW review) or Scorpion EXO-700 (wBW review).

As a side note, how come webBikeWorld has never reviewed the Respro Foggy? It's my favorite anti-fog method I have found.

From "N.F.": "My new GMAX GM68S was delivered just several days after your review. I have been using it since then. I haven't powered up the sublight engines (that is what that funky port on the back with the pushbutton is, isn't it???), but otherwise I've been on surface roads and freeways with the helmet, with good results.

I like the helmet. I measured my cabeza at 23" and change, and ordered a large. The fit on my head is good, but my nose rubs the chin bar. I figured with enough miles, the helmet may wear a couple of millimeters off my nose for an improved profile. Fancy that: a cost-effective helmet that not only is attractive to wear, but makes me more attractive when I take it off. BONUS!!! What about some slimming leathers, next?

I noticed that the stock shield fogs up pretty easily. Don't have that problem with my OGK FF4 or KBC Force RR. With those helmets, I don't have to raise the shield at stoplights in the mornings, but I do with the GMAX. I guess I'll have to order the Salclear products (wBW review). Do they make head wax too, so I can apply a little polish and continue my new motorcycle accessory-based, self-beautification regimen? No one ever told me that the more I ride motorcycles, the more attractive I'd become. WHOA!

Wind noise and airflow are both acceptable, and the fit and finish met my expectations (set by you in your review). Another satisfied customer, based on webBikeWorld. Keep up the great work."

From "L.S.": "Rick, just got my Gmax GM68S Dragon. I love it! The fit is the best I've had yet -- the size chart on the Gmax website was perfect, and it's very comfortable. The finish is incredible. The color, design, and paint scheme of the black color I got is awesome, it's beautiful. Looks great on my head when I look in a mirror, from all 3 angles -- head on, from the side, and from the rear.

The detents on the face shield are tight (maybe even too much so, but I'd rather have it that way than the reverse). And those lights -- unbelievable!

One thing about this helmet -- it flows A LOT of air, even with all the vents closed. Part of the source of the air may be the vents on the front bottom that are always open. I wore it yesterday in 37° weather, and then last night in 26° weather. I won't be wearing it anymore in the winter. Just too cold.

Also, I can't really asses the noise characteristics of the helmet yet. The major noise that bothers me when I ride is the low pitched, booming wind-rushing noise that comes up from underneath my helmet. I haven't been able to really asses that because I just put the Two Broters VALE slip-on on my K1200R, and that thing is so obscenely loud, it completely drowns out the wind noise, even with custom earplugs.

I've ordered the power tip noise suppressor (for the exhaust) which should arrive any day. If it doesn't reduce the noise substantially, I'll have to take the Two Bros off and put the stock muffler back on.

But I did notice that the Gmax has full cutouts for the ears, which I think removes some of the noise insulation that other helmets have, and thereby allows me to hear more exhaust noise than with my HJC CL-SP (wBW review). I'll write more after I put the noise suppressor on.

Thanks for alerting me to this great helmet. Looking fwd to riding with it in the hot summer weather."