I’d never used a HJC before and was quite intrigued about the budget yet feature-packed HJC C70; a replacement for HJC’s popular IS-17 model.
So what’s the C70 all about? Well, it’s a full-face lid, which comes in a wide range of colours, designs and finishes.
Apparently the lid has been wind tunnel tested and the air channels are supposed to reduce wind noise and buffering. I don’t have a wind tunnel, but I never experienced any buffering and it felt comfortable while riding, so it must have worked, right?!
So what about wind noise? It’s hard to compare between brands, as this was my first time using a HJC, but I didn’t think it was a noisy lid (air channels or not) and only slightly noisier than the very quiet HJC RPHA 11 I’ve subsequently worn.
The polycarbonate lid comes in sizes XS-XXL (one shell size for XS-M and another for L-XXL) so you should be able to find a good fit. I was impressed with the fit, but found the interior gave a little over time, so don’t worry if it’s a bit tight at first, as mine was.
Photography: Jamie Morris
In the UK, we get a D-ring fastening, while Europe and the USA get a micrometric fastener.
The helmet is quite light yet achieves a five-star SHARP rating, which I was impressed about considering the price (from £139.99 at the time of latest update). My C70 (size small) weighs 1500g, which is comparable to my two AGV K3-SV lids at 1450g, which both have a four-star SHARP rating.
Whilst I was checking the SHARP ratings for the C70, I checked them for the RPHA11 Venom II (£499.99 at the time) I’ve been wearing. This one weighs 1300g and has a SHARP rating of three stars. This made me think about whether the Venom graphic was that important to me!
HJC boast about an ‘Advanced Channelling Ventilation System’ (ACS) on the C70, which features one intake vent on the chin bar, one on the top of the head and an exhaust vent at the back.
Looking inside the lid, you can see the ACS in the form of channels sweeping from front to back of the EPS impact liner, drawing hot air up and out of the lid. They definitely work, as I could feel the air moving on the top of my head!
I would have liked some more ventilation options, but I’m also used to AGV helmets that have tonnes of vents, and therefore make slightly more wind noise.
I wore this HJC lid over summer and found myself undoing the visor slightly to allow a little more air to enter the lid. If I was keeping this helmet, I think I’d remove the chin curtain on warmer days, which would mean I could keep the visor locked down.
HJC also state that the C70 features a larger eye port for greater visibility. I didn’t notice this while wearing the helmet, but I can say the C70 allows good peripheral vision, and up and down vision, while riding in a sports bike position.
Talking about vision, the C70 comes with a clear visor, which is Pinlock-ready (there’s no insert in the box), anti-UV, scratch-resistant and treated with some kind of anti-fog treatment.
I tried the helmet in the rain, with the breathguard but without a Pinlock, and wouldn’t recommend it. I was so glad when I fitted an optional Pinlock ProtecTINT insert as this meant I didn’t have to ride with the visor and vents open to maintain clear vision.
I ride with Pinlock inserts in all of my helmets and wouldn’t expect a visor’s anti-fog treatment to hold up to testing in the British weather unless it was really, really expensive, so I wasn’t too worried about this.
The visor can be fitted and removed quickly and easily, without tools, thanks to HJC’s RapidFire quick visor replacement system. It does the job, no complaints.
I also love the clip on the front of the visor which is how you open, close and lock the visor in place. After a bit of getting used to, I’ve found that it ensures a really good seal in the rain, with no drips down the top of the visor like I’ve had in other lids.
The C70 comes with a dropdown internal sun visor, which is a feature I love. The mechanism is great, nice and smooth. It is operated by a tab that you can slide up and down, located on top of the helmet.
On previous IS-17 models this feature was spring-loaded and I know of some riders who have had trouble with this mechanism failing after a lot of use. The C70 has no spring, which means that although you can’t lock it open or closed, you can also keep it at a height that works best for you.
If anything was to go wrong, which it hasn’t while I’ve been using it, there’s a one-year warranty. I found all the mechanisms on the lid very easy to use with gloves on.
The interior of this lid is really smooth, which was something I hadn’t expected for the price. It’s fully removable and washable, which is the norm these days, but it also has moisture-wicking, anti-bacterial ‘SuperCool’ fabric too.
The lid has got loads of room to fit an intercom, though I struggled to fit my Cardo Scala Packtalk Bold removable mount between the outer shell and EPS liner. There are slight recesses and little flaps of material by your ears, which helped when fitting the speakers.
Although I’d prefer more vents, I think I’m picking faults with a really well priced budget lid, as I want to give you something to read!
I’d buy this lid in a heartbeat, which is what really matters. The fact this is five-star SHARP rated and my more expensive RPHA11 is three-star rated speaks volumes about the quality.
I tend to feel lids in this price range are for newer riders, in case they take a tumble or decide motorbikes aren’t for them, but this helmet isn’t just for newbies.
I think the range of designs HJC have created for this lid, and the quality in front of me, make this lid look more expensive than it is. You could have a couple of different colour options, depending on your bikes or moods!
I’d never used a HJC before, but I love them now! I think HJC have designed a really well priced lid, with good features, great impact protection and a variety of designs to suit every rider. What’s not to like, for £149.99?
Vision
A larger eye port gives increased visibility and I was happy with the view. The visor mists up without a Pinlock.
Ventilation
I would have preferred maybe one or two more vent options, but again I think I’m being picky!
Fit & Comfort
The helmet is really comfy and the smooth anti-bacterial lining wicks away moisture.
Build quality
It seems pretty good, but just in case… there’s a one-year warranty.
Features
It’s a budget lid so some fancy features are missing (proper speaker recesses and emergency-release cheekpads for example). Other than the lack of a Pinlock insert as standard all the key features are present.