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New AFX FX-11 air cooled helmet

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bamaTrider	New AFX FX-11 air cooled helmet		Lead	[-]
HSATF 1st Officer Posts: 3539 03/12/08 10:29 PM	Tags : None I decide to jump off of Rabbi Glenn's thread and open my own here. I tried on the AFX FX-11 Lightforce air cooled helmet today at the dealer. They had it all charged up and ready when I got there. They tend to run small compared to my other FF helmet. I had to order one size larger and will be next week before I can do a full evaluation. My initial evaluation is that the fans do make some noise. I was inside the showroom where it was quiet, but I don't think you would notice them much when riding. Kind of a white noise sound similar to a computer fan. The 5mm LED map light was more than bright enough for nighttime map reading or for looking into your saddle bags at night. I could immediately feel the cool air circulating around and through the inside of the helmet. There were 3 switches just inside the chin bar. One for each fan so that you can run them separately, and one for the map light. Weight felt normal and not too heavy. More on this new helmet after I get the larger size in. Stan "We are different - yet we are the same" 2004 GL1800 Goldwing (Titanium) 1999 Ace Tourer (Silver over Black)
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Fredrider		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5701 03/13/08 5:38 AM	Stan, Thanks for the initial evaluation of AFX' new fancy helmet. I look forward to your next evaluation after you get a size that will fit you. I am especially interested in the noise with and without the fans. I have been thinking of forking over the big bucks to buy a Shoei Multitec modular helmet mainly because of its reported quietness. Shoei always shapes their helmets based on wind tunnel tests. http://www.aerostich.com/files/images/detailed/1264_1a.jpg The two white Nolan N100 flip-up helmets I have been wearing since 1999 have been relatively quiet on the underside (no booming noises associated with that area not blocking off the buffeting from underneath the helmet), but it does have quite a bit of whistling noise through the face shield when I am riding a bike without a windshield. http://www.realclassic.co.uk/techfiles/kit05052602.jpg I have tried an HJC AC-11 because I read in magazines that it was much quieter than the previous HJC full face helmets and FF helmets in general are more quiet than modular/flip-up chin bar helmets. I was severely dissappointed with that AC-11 which three years ago when I bought it was the latest, greatest HJC had to offer. Unfortunately it did not block the bottom, booming noises or the front face shield and top vent whistling noises near as well as Nolan's N100 modular helmet. http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/2004/images/HJCAC10Original.jpg Even more dissappointing is I bought a Nolan X-Lite helmet for half-price from a vendor at the Honda Hoot last year. It incorporated a couple of Nolan's lastest convenience features which I do greatly enjoy including the one-button flip-up chin bar release (my N100's have two buttons and require two hands to get the chin bar to raise up), and the built-in raisable-lowerable sun visor. What is exceptionally bad about Nolan's X-Lite helmet is it has both horrible booming noises and loud whistling noises. Come to find out, this is not a progression of Nolan's previous line. They bought up somebody else's line in Europe and adapted it into their group of offerings. There is no other way to put it, regarding noise, it is by far the worst helmet I have ever tried out. It just plain SUCKS. http://www.motorcyclegiant.com/photos/nol_x1002-2T.jpg I got pretty lucky with my first two helmets. Those Nolan N100's are fairly quiet if I am riding behind a windshield, but I have struck-out miserably with the HJC AC-11and the Nolan X-Lite. My next helmet will be quiet even if I have to pay well over $400. Even though I like the convenience of a raisable chin bar helmet, I would consider a full-face helmet if it were quiet and significantly less expensive than a Shoei. Perhaps AFX' FX-11 will be that helmet. I can only hope... Fred
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bamaTrider		#2	[url]	[-]
HSATF 1st Officer Posts: 3539 03/20/08 10:25 PM	Fred, I got to try out the new helmet this week, although briefly. I have not been on the T with it yet but the road noise was not any more than with my 3/4 helmet with the flip shield down. I stood up briefly on the wing to get above the windshield and into the direct air flow. It was pretty noisy that way, understandably, but there was no whistling noise even at 70 mph. The XXL size does fit me better but the ear pads are still a little too snug for my comfort. Thi is the largest size they offer so I'll need to modify the ear pads to get a perfect fit. There was no problem in getting eye glasses on or off for which is a concern for me. Seems they designed it so that eye glasses would not be hampered by the helmet. I'm not particularly fond of the matte silver finish, but the exhaust fan does seem to keep the shield fog free. The intake fan seems to put a lot of cooler air in your face and will be welcome come higher temps. The 5mm LED map light really puts out, too. After talking with one of the reps, he brought up what he thought was the reason the newer helmets are a little noisier. The newer helmets have less padding in the ear area than the older versions because the newer versions are built so that intercom speakers could be added. They removed the ear area padding to make room for those speakers. I still have one of those older FF helmets that has the padding in the ear pockets, and it is quieter than this new version. I think he may have hit on something, here. More on this helmet later after I've had a chance to evaluate it more on the T. Stan "We are different - yet we are the same" 2004 GL1800 Goldwing (Titanium) 1999 Ace Tourer (Silver over Black)
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Fredrider		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5701 03/21/08 5:44 AM	Stan, I would agree with you and the rep. My Nolan N100's that I bought in 1999 have a lot of padding in the ear area. The HJC AC-11 I bought in 2004 and the Nolan X-Lite I bought last year do not have much padding in the ear area. On the other hand I am intrigued by what I read in motorcycle rags about the low pitch booming noises coming from underneath and passing through buffeting from below while the whistling noises are a result of air leaking through the face shield and/or air vents. Both my HJC full face helmet and the Nolan flip-up X-Lite have those booming noises while on the very same bike the Nolan N100 does not have any hint of low-pitch booming noise. Since I do not wear earphones I would prefer to have less noise and less room for noise to get in. Those low noises are more bothersome than the whistling noises which I usually do not hear when riding behind a windshield. Fred
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