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DOT and ECE Approved HJC C91 Helmet Will Save Your Life for Under $200

Wearing a helmet saves lives; there's no clearer way of saying that. As a friend and I agreed upon once, you can live without an arm or a leg, but you can’t do much without a head.
C91 Modular Solid Helmet 11 photos
Photo: HJC Helmets
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Here’s the deal, if you ever decide to get out of the house and speed away on a two-wheeler, make sure you wear a helmet. Leave the part about looking goofy aside; that just means you don’t know how goofy you’ll end up looking after some road rash.

One of the issues a rider may face when looking for a helmet is the price, but even that won’t be an issue if you know where to look. You can find a good helmet, one that is DOT and ECE certified and under $200.

Since most sane people don’t go flying around at racetrack speeds and just want to be safe while cruising down highways, HJC Helmets offers the C91 Solid modular brain bucket. Why should you care about this jar? Well, as I mentioned, it’s an on-road use helmet for under $200, depending on the dealer you acquire it from. The C91’s MSRP is around $165 (€135 at current exchange rates), but some dealers will run it as high as $195 ($160).

C91 Modular Solid Helmet
Photo: HJC Helmets
If you’ve never heard of HJC, since 1971, this company has done nothing except pour all its attention, innovation, and manufacturing experience into producing helmets. Today, its products are sold the world over, from the U.S. to Europe and Japan. One of the reasons behind this success is HJC's focus on making helmets that are financially accessible.

As it stands, the C91 is no exception to the above statement and includes several features to save your life in the event of a crash. One of the main features of the C91 is the advanced polycarbonate composite shell. Using CAD technology, HJC crafted a lightweight helmet with a great fit, and best of all, it meets or exceeds DOT FMVSS 218 and ECE 22.05 requirements.

For testing, HJC includes energy attenuation, penetration resistance, chin strap structural integrity, and labeling requirements. Obviously, a whole lot more work goes into receiving these certifications, like following all the steps of the 76-page testing manual from the U.S. DOT. Still, one important thing to note is that this helmet is meant to absorb an impact and spread it over a larger area. As for the ECE 22.05 certification, you can use this helmet in around 50 countries worldwide. If you’re in Europe and want to drive around on the road, your helmet must have this certification.

One other feature the C91 includes is a Pinlock prepared HJ-17 shield offering 95% UV protection and RapidFire shield replacement system. This rachet system allows you to replace your shield with no tools whatsoever quickly and easily. Inside the helmet, an integrated Black Dark Smoke sun shield can be deployed with the slide of a finger over the top of the helmet.

C91 Modular Solid Helmet
Photo: HJC Helmets
The interior features SuperCool moisture-wicking technology, which includes removable and washable crown and cheek pads. Glasses grooves are also in place for folks like me who wear bifocals daily, and even speaker pockets ready for Smart HJC Bluetooth functionality. ACS (Advance Channeling System) includes one top vent and one low vent, plus full front-to-back airflow to push out heat and humidity.

The final trick this helmet has in store is a movable chin bar. At the press of a button, the chin bar unlocks and is easily lifted over the forehead, giving you the ability to have a full conversation with folks around, eat a meal, and even grab a drink. Hopefully, you do all that as you’re standing still. When you’re ready to go, pull the chin bar down, listen for a “click,” and away you go.

Oh, and if you do want to start living life in a constant adrenaline rush (riding a motorcycle), make sure you know what a good fit means for your head; otherwise, it might not help at all that your helmet has any certifications at all.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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