HJC IS-16 - webBikeWorld

Summary: Solid helmet with excellent quality and many features at a reasonable price. Includes internal sun visor, large chin curtain and good ventilation.

Background
The HJC IS-series is new for 2009, with three family members: the HJC IS-Max (review), which was recently reviewed on webBikeWorld; the IS-33 "Jet" styled open-face helmet; and the IS-16 full-face helmet that is the subject of this review.

Where the "IS" name came from, what it means and why the numbers "16" and "33" are used is a mystery. HJC uses the two letter designations to represent families of helmets, with the FS-series now apparently taking the place of the HJC AC-series at the top of the heap (here's our FS-15 Carbon review). Then comes the IS-series, followed by the long-lived CL-series.

There's still a CS-series helmet in the mix; the CS-R1 (review), which seemed to be an aberration and one HJC helmet we really didn't care for. The CS-series had a short production run; possibly it is being phased out.

A few other helmets populate the HJC lineup, including the popular Sy-Max II (review); the CL-Max flip-up, which we've never quite gotten around to reviewing; and even a CS-Y line of children's helmets.

It's no wonder HJC lays claim to being the "#1 in the World", with an ever-changing and always-improving lineup of helmets to fit just about every budget -- but mostly targeted towards what might be called the value-oriented customer.

The HJC IS-16
And that formula of continuous improvement with value pricing is represented perfectly by the new IS-16 full-face helmet. First introduced in the U.S. at the 2009 Powersports Dealer Expo in Indianapolis (report), the IS-16 seemed to be the right helmet at the right time.

The worldwide economic recession that started in 2008 was in full swing, with motorcyclists and consumers everywhere finally realizing by February of 2009 just how serious of an issue this would be. The IS-series of helmets offered (and still offers) a very well-made product, packed with features, with modern updated styling (compared to previous HJC helmets) and all at a very reasonable list price of less than $200.00.

This is one of the keys to HJC's success -- the ability to quickly design, produce and distribute some very nice products using a layered pricing strategy that pretty much covers the market, from the $79.99 CS-R1 to the FS-15 Carbon, with each model separated by about $30-$40 or so.

This pricing strategy, by the way, is very successfully employed by the digital camera industry, where a manufacturer will produce dozens of models, each with very slightly different features and each priced with about a 10% or so spread, all the way up the line from the most basic to the most advanced.

The idea is to both cover the market and any consumer price sensitivities, plus outwit the competition by being able to offer every combination of product and feature imaginable -- albeit at the risk of confusing the customer. Just go to the Panasonic or Sony or Canon digital camera website to see what I mean...

Anyway, the IS-16 checks all the boxes: updated styling; excellent surface finish; a variety of colors and graphics; super-quick-and-easy visor change; internally rotating sun visor; removable "SilverCool" liner and even a nice, big chin curtain. Throw in very good ventilation that even features vent passages through the chin bar and you've got a winner.

Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality
Every once and a while, HJC comes up with a ringer, like the CS-R1 (review), which just didn't seem to be up to HJC standards and which was a real disappointment around here.

But they've definitely been back on track with the last couple of helmets, and the IS-16 can sort of be viewed as a "poor man's" FS-15. The FS-15 Carbon we reviewed was and is pretty phenomenal in all respects, and again demonstrates why HJC sells so many helmets. I'll use the FS-15 as a benchmark for comparison here with the IS-16 because the helmets seem very similar to me.

The styling of the IS-16 reminds me a lot of the FS-15 -- obviously a good thing. The IS-16 has what seems to be an updated shell design and overall styling for HJC. Some (most) of their previous helmets were...well, the styling was a bit mundane. But the IS-series is a leap (or at least a step) forward in terms of looks.

Now a helmet is a helmet is a helmet; there's not much that can be done with a round shell that has to meet DOT, Snell, ECE, JIS, et al safety standards. The standards either have forced the typical motorcycle helmet shape, or no one has been able to figure out a way forward yet.

But as any automotive stylist will tell you, it's all in the details. Throw in a feature line here and there and you can dramatically change the appearance and impression of a smooth design -- for better or worse.

The most dramatic difference on the IS-16 (and IS-Max) are the contoured sculpted cutouts added to the side of the helmet and the "power bulge" on top of the helmet, which add a bit of a sharp swept-back look. This instantly gives the helmets a modern "jet fighter" style and avoids the round "ball" shape of the lesser HJC helmets like the CL- and CS-series.

The IS-16 shown here is a simple Anthracite metallic, but the paint and clear coat are very well executed, with no bumps or runs or bits of dust underneath to mar the surface. The clear coat is relatively thick, at least at this price point, and the surface feels smooth and it should provide good service.

In fact, the photos shown here were taken after the helmet was evaluated, not before as is usually the case. We usually take the photos first because the products can (and do) pick up dents, scratches and bugs. Bugs can be wiped off, but you can see from these photos that the clear coat and the surface finish still looks remarkable.

The rest of the IS-16 also has excellent quality, with all the fitments, tolerances and everything else in good shape. If you look closely (not in the photos, because this doesn't show up), you may find a couple of very slight gaps where the top air vents are attached to the shell, and along the back where the complex HJC internal sun visor rotating mechanism is attached. But these are very minor and forgivable in a sub-$200.00 helmet.

One single feature that does stick out as a quality faux pas that doesn't seem to be up to the rest of the helmet is the HJC sticker on the front. It's a simple stick-on vinyl decal and it is not placed under the clear coat. It instantly looks out of place because the edges of the decal are visible -- and, there are a couple of dust or dirt bumps underneath this one that look like pimples sticking out of the surface.

Some owners will peel the decal off anyway, and, in fact, we get occasional emails complaining about logos that can't be removed. My feeling is that HJC really should have either added a nice raised "3D" logo on front, or at least placed a thin decal under the clear coat, because the cheap stick-on decal just doesn't cut it and, I think, affects the overall impression of this helmet.

Score: I'll give the HJC IS-16 an "Excellent" rating for overall quality, surface finish and clear coat and excellent overall fit and finish. See the ratings descriptions in the summary table at the end of this page.

Helmet Fit and Comfort and Internal Shape
The IS-16 has a neutral internal shape that should fit a wide variety of heads. The shape is probably biased slightly towards round, but everyone who has tried the helmet so far has found it comfortable.

It's not as narrow on the sides or as slightly pinched on top as the fit typical of a Scorpion helmet like the EXO-700 (review); the IS-16 feels more like a compromise between the Scorpion shape and the Shoei RF-1000 (review).

The IS-16 fits very much like the FS-15 Carbon we reviewed, so apparently this is the "standard" HJC helmet fit, and as far as a neutral fit goes, it's probably the best compromise we've found in any helmet.

This IS-16 in size XL also is sized to what seems identical to the FS-15 we reviewed; both are about 1/2 size smaller than expected for an XL. The IS-16 in XL then should fit about a 60.0-60.5 cm to 61.0-61.5 cm circumference head, compared to the HJC fitment chart that shows an XL at 61-62 cm.

The helmet is very comfortable, and HJC's "SilverCool" lining material probably helps in this regard. It feels smooth and the liner is put together very nicely, with all the stitches and tucks and seams in place.

As always, make sure you try the helmet on before buying, and try a variety of sizes. The smallest size that fits comfortably is usually the safest. 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.

Liner and Material Comfort
Just about everything that can be said for the more expensive FS-15 goes also for the IS-16, so I'll crib some of it here.

The cheek pads of the IS-16 are ample and, like the FS-15, they fit low, along the bottom of the rider's jaw line. The IS-16 feels very slightly narrow or tapered inwards along the lower part of the liner, which may also add a slight pressure to the cheek pads, but this is better than being too loose and I really don't feel anything obvious in the way of pressure points when I wear the helmet for a couple of hours at a stretch.

The rest of the internal padding is on the thick side and also feels slightly firm. The liner in the IS-16 also has some tufts with padding at the top, which adds to the comfort.

The HJC "SilverCool" lining is removable and claimed to be a "moisture-wicking and odor-free interior with advanced silver anti-bacterial fabric". As was mentioned in the FS-15 review, the use of silver (if the fabric really does include silver) is interesting. Silver is, in fact, used in a type of anti-bacterial cream called Silvadene, which is used on burns.

Like the FS-15, the IS-16 has a similar vertical shape and the helmet also includes a large wind block under the chin, made from the same comfortable fabric as the liner.

The ear pockets are slightly larger than normal and they're fully padded towards the shell, so the IS-16 should also be a good candidate for speakers and a microphone. The ear pockets feel slightly larger on the IS-16 and they fit my normal sized ears.

At the risk of getting ahead of myself for the ventilation section, the liner in the IS-16 has 6 vent holes that are perfectly placed over the intake holes for the vents. This includes the two top vents, the two exhaust vents at the back of the internal sun visor mechanism and the two exhaust vents at the lower rear section of the helmet.

That these internal liner holes are perfectly lined up is an important point; even very expensive helmets costing three times as much as the IS-16 usually get this wrong. It must be very difficult to align a helmet liner with the intake holes, which themselves must be lined up through the EPS foam to the outer shell.

That HJC has this nailed on the IS-16 is a very commendable effort that is an excellent indicator of the overall quality, and to me this again shows that HJC is relentless in perfecting these kinds of details that most/many/all others seem to flub.

Score: I'll give the HJC IS-16 an "Outstanding" for an internal shape that should fit the majority of head types, along with a very comfortable lining with generous padding and with outstanding quality of workmanship.

Venting and Air Flow
Those vents and the perfectly aligned vent passages in the liner give the IS-16 very good air flow and ventilation. While the helmet doesn't have the "built in fan" effect of, say, the GMax GM68S (review), it does provide very good air flow through the top and the chin.

Less noticeable, but just as important, is the air venting out the back, through the four vent passages that are lined up with the exhaust ports on the back of the helmet. Many helmets have exhaust vents in the rear, but the passages are buried under the liner. Not the IS-16. They definitely work.

The chin vent uses a door that rotates downwards in two steps. The middle step is difficult to find though, because the detent isn't firm. This vent door does seem a bit flimsy though, and the small plastic tab on top is too flexible and feels like it will probably snap off over time after it sees some use.

Most of the air through the chin vent is directed through larger-than-average vent passages at the top of the chin bar, directing air on to the back of the visor. The chin bar also has two always-open intakes on either side, covered by mesh, just at the front of the long indented "scoop" styled into the side of the helmet.

Again, unlike many/most other helmets, these actually work, directing air through matching vent passages built through the chin bar on either side of the rider's chin. There is a direct air passage from the outside through the chin bar, and the vent holes on the inside of the chin bar are even covered with a round vinyl gasket to give them a nicely finished and quality appearance.

In fact, the back of the chin bar is lined with a type of dimpled material that again gives an impression of high quality in this area that is mostly ignored by other manufacturers.

Curiously, there is a long strip of the "loop" side of a hook-and-loop section sewn on to the inside of the chin bar. I have no idea what this might be used for -- possibly a microphone? HJC and Chatterbox are part of the same family in the U.S., so perhaps they have something cooking... (Update: Possible attachment for Respro Foggy? See comments below).

The top vents operate independently and have a solid switch that opens or closes the vent cover. These also work fairly well, providing adequate air flow. However, the combination of these vents and the large internal sun visor operating mechanism in the rear conspire to add a whistling noise that gives the IS-16 a higher than average noise rating.

I can place my hand over the top of the air vents and the noise almost disappears, and otherwise the IS-16 is a fairly quiet helmet, so it's too bad that these vents spoil the party.

But overall, the IS-16 has very good air flow and ventilation, and special kudos to HJC for really focusing on the tiny details that matter by getting the liner, vent passages, vent holes and overall ventilation to work in concert.

Score: I'll give the IS-16 an "Excellent" for nicely constructed switchgear, positive opening and for good air flow and ventilation.

Helmet Weight
This HJC IS-16 in size XL weighs 1653 grams (3 lbs., 10-1/4 oz.), which is just about mid-pack or average for this type of helmet. The good news is that the internal sun visor doesn't seem to have added too much weight to the helmet.

The IS-16's weight compares favorably with a few other helmets in its range, including the Icon Airframe in size XL at 1657 grams (3 lbs. 10-3/8 oz.); the Arai Profile in XL at 1658 grams (3 lbs. 10-3/8 oz.); and the IS-16 is lighter than the GMAX GM68S in XL, which comes in at 1677 grams (3 lbs. 11-1/8 oz.).

The IS-16 feels balanced when riding, and the overall shell shape helps, because the helmet does not feel like it has any unusual tendencies towards lifting or buffeting.

See the wBW Motorcycle Helmet Weights page for charts comparing the weights of all of the open-face, full-face and flip-up helmets we've reviewed.

Score: The HJC IS-16 gets a "Very Good" rating from me for its balance and not-too-heavy feel.

Visor
Like the FS-15 and other HJC helmets, the IS-16 uses the HJC "RapidFire" visor removal system. As you can see towards the end of our video, this is one of -- if not the -- easiest and quickest visor removal systems that can be found.

Lift the visor all the way up until the two arrows line up; push the trigger and the visor pops right off. Putting it back in is about as easy. The IS-16 also features HJC's locking system to hold the visor shut. Push in the rocker switch on the left-hand side and the visor will lock shut, for racing or riding at extra-legal speeds.

Visor clarity is very good and the range of visibility seems about average -- not exceptional -- in both side-to-side and top-to-bottom dimensions, although the vertical range may be just a touch narrower than average.

The face shield is nearly identical to the one used on the FS-15; it has the same slightly larger than normal lifting tab on the left-hand side, which is very useful. The visor shuts positively and seals perfectly around the entire eye port gasket.

Also like the FS-15, HJC says the visor provides 95% protection from UV rays and it's coated with an anti-scratch coating, but they do not say anything about the IS-16's visor having an anti-fog coating. It's been too warm to tell, so it's unclear (pun) at this point how well the visor will work in cold weather.

Unlike the FS-15, there are no Pinlock anti-fog system (review) nubs on this visor. Also, the IS-16 visor eye port gasket does have small thin rubber sections on each side, so the visor seals completely around the eye port.

OK, so here's the bad news. The visor has only 3 positions: closed, half-open and fully open. I'm not sure if this is an issue only on this particular helmet, but I don't think so -- it doesn't seem that the rotating mechanism has a first short detent to hold the visor open slightly for defogging.

This is a definite shortcoming and something that is also surprising, having noted HJC's attention to detail above. The visor can be finagled into opening slightly, but it's very difficult to do and it shouldn't be. Every helmet visor should definitely, positively have a first small opening to allow for defogging or ventilation.

By the way, I can wear wire-framed sunglasses with the helmet, although there is no special accommodation or design for eyeglass wearers as far as I can tell.

The rotating sun visor is standard HJC fare, but we still do not like the overly-complex slider mechanism on the top back of the helmet. It forces the rider to use the visor in only one of 3 positions: fully retracted, fully rotated or about 3/4 of the way rotated down.

You have to reach behind the helmet, pull the little bar forward and find the first notch about 3/4 of the way towards the front. Push again and the visor drops about another 4 mm. To release the visor, you have to push the button and the spring forces the visor back up to the retracted position.

We think it would be much simpler and probably add less weight and complexity if the rotating internal visor used a simple friction-based slider on the left side of the helmet, like most of the other manufacturers use. This would allow the visor to be rotated and stopped at any position, and relocated to any position.

If you have the HJC visor rotated all the way down and then want to raise it back up a notch, you first have to release the visor with the spring-loaded button until the visor retracts all the way back up into the helmet, then push the visor back down again. And there's no way to place the internal visor just above your line of sight to block the sun. You're either using it or aren't.

On the plus side, the internal sun visor does exhibit excellent optical qualities and, in the fully lowered position, it remains out of the rider's line of sight.

Score: I'll rate the visor clarity, operation and visibility of the HJC IS-16 as "Very Good", but a "Poor" for the absence of a defogging detent, the "let's do this for the sake of being different" sun visor rotating mechanism and the missing anti-fog treatment.

Noise Levels
Other than the whistling noise that is unfortunately caused by the combination of the top vents and the rotating sun visor mechanism on the back of the helmet, the IS-16 is relatively quiet.

It's really too bad about those top vents, because if I cover them with my hand, the helmet becomes very quiet and probably would have been one of the least noisy helmets we've reviewed.

Turbulence-induced noise around the bottom of the shell is well controlled, probably mostly due to the large chin curtain that comes installed on the helmet.

Note that our helmet evaluations are normally a combined effort of several riders over time, on different types of motorcycles with and without windscreens. We always wear correctly fitted, high quality earplugs and a helmet liner. We strongly recommend that you hearing protection is always used when riding. See the wBW Earplugs and Hearing Protection page for more information on choosing and wearing earplugs.

Note also that noise levels will most likely differ from rider to rider. Noise levels are caused by many factors, including the rider's head shape and the how well the helmet fits; the type of motorcycle and windscreen; the individual rider's noise level tolerance; and even prevailing winds and the type of clothing that is being worn. For more information on helmet noise, visit the wBW Motorcycle Helmet Noise page.

Miscellaneous
The HJC IS-16 helmet uses HJC's "polycarbonate composite" shell. It meets DOT safety standards when sold in North America. The HJC IS-16 sold in the UK meets ECE 22.05 safety standards and is also ACU Gold approved.

The helmet uses the preferred D-ring attachment system and the chin strap padding is quite good. The end of the strap is secured with a large snap. The chin strap seems more comfortable than average.

The HJC IS-16 has a one-year warranty. It's interesting to note that our FS-15 Carbon has a 3-year warranty, according to the documentation in the helmet box.

Conclusion
The HJC IS-16 is an excellent all-around helmet with excellent quality and many advanced features. After owning and wearing one, it's hard to justify spending spending more money on other helmets that first may not have the same quality and also may not have the features and comfort as the IS-16.

A couple of minor quibbles aside (and the lack of the defogging detent may be a deal-breaker for some), the IS-16 has to be one of the best bargains in motorcycle helmets today, and the bonus is that it's backed by a company with a world-wide presence, so parts and availability should not be an issue.

webBikeWorld Review: HJC IS-16 Motorcycle Helmet
BUY IT! Get your HJC IS-16 helmet with this link to the Motorcycle Superstore and help support webBikeWorld!
Manufacturer: HJC Helmets	List Price: Solids $189.99; Metallics $194.99; "Scratch" $199.99; "Arkanium" $204.99
Colors: Solids, Metallics and Graphics. Sizes: XS to XXL Shell Sizes: Unknown.	Made in: Korea
Review Date: June 2009 Notes: DOT only. Helmet provided by Motorcycle Superstore for this review (more).
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 - 2000-2009. All rights reserved. See the webBikeWorld® Site Info page. NOTE: Product specifications, features and details may change or differ from our descriptions. Always check before purchasing. Read the Terms and Conditions!

From "J.G." (8/09): "I've had the IS-16 for about a month and, unfortunately, I have to return it. The clear visor fits the helmet very badly, not closing correctly at the bottom. It seems to me to be very noisy. The helmet also jiggles and vibrates at speeds exceeding 60 mph. I would like to be able crack it open a little bit for defogging and a little fresh air, but there is no "stop" for that. It fits very well and I like the tinted slide-down interior visor. The chin strap is nicely padded."

From "B.S." (7/09): "Have been using the HJC IS 16 for two weeks now and doubt I will need another helmet this summer. I work graveyard and leave for work when it is dark and come home in the morning sunshine. It's a great helmet and when you consider picking it up for around $150 I can't see anything coming close."

From "B.C." (7/09): "In reference to your review of the HJC IS-16, I'd like to offer the following comments. First, great and thorough review as usual! As a new rider, your findings and observations led me to put the IS-16 at the top of my list for my first helmet, and I ended up purchasing one recently.

As with the previous commenter "B.H.", my helmet also has a detent for cracking the helmet about .5 cm which should be enough for de-fogging purposes. I am also curious about your comments on sizing. I measure as a medium according to HJC's sizing guidelines, but when I stopped in at a local shop, the medium IS-16 I tried on was way too big. I think I have a fairly typical head shape - round, maybe slightly oval, and the size small fit me much better.

Keep up the great work!"

From "LCR" (7/09): "After reading your review, I decided to buy the HDC IS-16. They had to exchange it twice and finally, I got my money back... The problem was the Visor: I got water (from light rain) inside the visor. I changed the visor, then the helmet but still got water inside. Above 85 mph, weird vibrating plastic noises appeared on the side and were very annoying. Unfortunately, the sun visor is... perfect!"

From "B.H." (7/09): "Apparently HJC has read your review & considered your opinion because I got my IS-16 yesterday & it has a detent in the visor for cracking it open just a bit. I like this helmet very much (I knew I would after reading your review) it is much quieter & lighter (& newer) than my old AVG Z9."

From "A.S." (6/09): "HJC seems unique in the (motorcycle) helmet industry as they have a helmet “system “ with additional accessories to change the function of their helmets, i.e. snowmobile visors, both heated & unheated; and model specific breath guards that work better than anything else.

Those vents on the side of the chin bar serve to draw steamy breath out of the helmet to help prevent fogging, and that Velcro strip at the bottom is indeed as K.A. pointed out to attach the bottom of the breath guard.

HJC’s model specific breath guard plugs into those chin vents and really helps draw out moisture laden breath, in fact an HJC helmet with these chin vents and a HJC breath guard is the most fog free helmet I think you can get.

Using a chin curtain and a breath guard on a helmet without these vents is a disaster, your breath is not exhausted from the helmet and winds up on the visor causing fogging. The visor cracking function is important but with HJC’s breath guard in you shouldn’t need it even when stopped. I guess this is one time it’s ok to say yes to crack..."

From "D.Y." (6/09): "I second the email about the Velcro strip at the bottom inside of the chin guard on the helmet. It's there for a breath mask.

I have an HJC CS-12 snowmobile helmet and they are identical to the CL-12 series of motorcycle helmets. Basically all HJC does is place a double paned shield on it, and insert a breath mask to convert the helmets to a snowmobile helmet. I actually just take out the breath shield and place a single paned shield on it for summer motorcycle use."

From "J.O." (6/09): "I have been using this helmet for about 6 months. I bought it as an upgrade from an (HJC) AC-11. The main selling feature for me was the internal visor. I wear glasses and the sun visor works great with them. It can be easily deployed as lighting conditions change without pulling over to change back and forth from clear to tinted glasses.

Also, I bought them at a local bike show as a " show deal " from a local Honda dealer for $149 CAD. They are selling normally here for $239 CAD. I think this is a good helmet even for the list price and I am very satisfied."

From "B.J." (6/09): "Having owned an IS-16 for the past couple of months I concur with most everything Bill mentioned in his review.

I have nearly an identical helmet to the one reviewed here Mines L instead of XL, but otherwise the same) and though my visor is limited in opening settings it does have an initial opening of a maybe a cm (maybe a little less) that does a perfect job of de-misting or simply adding a bit of airflow on hot days.

Now this may seem odd, but it could be the visor, not the helmet that is making the difference. I have a CL-15 that uses the same HJ09 visors as the IS-16 and when I purchased it, it had the same small opening setting we're talking about.

After a few months of owning the CL-15, I got a nice sized scratch on the visor. I ordered a replacement and when I put in on the CL-15. When I went to open it, it would not stop at the tiny opening and instead the first opening was a couple of inches. I took both visors off and compared them very closely and could not find a discernable difference in the design, but every time I swapped them, the openings were indeed different for each visor.

Since the IS-16 uses the same type visor as the CL-15, it could be the same situation. I can also confirm that the visor on my IS-16 is antifog as it will not fog up and you can feel the coating on the inside of the visor. It could be that like in the case of the CL-15 visors, the IS-16 visors may differ slightly in design depending antifog and maybe even country of origin.

In the case of my CL-15 visors, the original with the small opening was made in China, while the replacement did have a different country of origin (that escapes me at the moment). Perhaps HJC can shed a bit of light on this?"

Follow-up: "I spoke with newenough about (the) issue I was having with my IS-16 visor (it would pop out on the left side when raised randomly) and they confirmed that there is an issue with certain visors from HJC and that they are working on getting replacements for the HJ-09's.

Apparently this particular issue does affect the small opening issue. I will be talking to them again this week as they are going to replace one for me. This affects other helmets besides the IS-16, for instance I have a CL-15 that uses the same visor and has the same issue."

From "K.A." (6/09): "FYI, assuming HJC is following the pattern I saw on all my previous CS-series helmets, that strip of "loop" material in the chin bar is for anchoring their own version of the Respro Foggy internal mask...which always worked better than the Respro equivalent on my CL-14 when I actually purchased the accessory."