Got a new bucket! HJC rules!

Wow, 2 posts in one day.

Sure enough, last weekend was the brightest and nicest on record this dark Winter. I've been meaning to replace my 5 year old Zeus craptastic basic full face which has been sort of falling apart. I spent a good part of last year going through the same models from the same stores, somehow expecting them to magically part and the perfect fitting helmet with all the right features (and a great price!!!!), to appear. No such luck.

As it happens, I was Powersports on Sunday. They have a good selection of HJC and Shoei helmets, including a bunch of decent modulars. I was looking at a couple of different Scorpion and Zeus models at another location but I wasn't jazzed about the prices I saw. I was willing to go at high as $300, maybe $400, but it better be a decent helmet and last! I happened upon the HJC IS-16 and tried a medium on. Wow! Not only did it fit great for my head shape (sort of narrow I guess) but the padding around the temples wasn't too tight. (I wear glasses) The rest of the padding was very snug, like a new helmet should be. Finally the IS-16 line notably includes an integrated sun visor. You lower the visor by a lever that runs along the top of the helmet. To pop the visor up, theres a big button on the top. The protective, regular visor is also apparently anti-glare and anti-fog.

I picked the "Scratch" design which was the sharpest of the bunch. I'm half expecting to see more than a couple of these helmets with this design on the road this Summer. Oddly from the picture, what looks like real scratches doesn't look half as dramatic when a camera flash isn't going all. Seriously, I didn't know half the lines where there until I look the picture.

Oh! The price? $220 Canadian, at a local shop no less! I'm used to either leaving bikes shops disappointed or pissed off when it comes to selection and price compared to what I see on the net. Bike pants are a prime example. When I can order dozens of different $140 USD (free shipping) riding pants (with armor) from the States online, yet be stuck with 3 different styles at $300+ from the same brand at a local shop, I leave disappointed.

The only other purchase I have planned for the year is a new jacket. I've got a reasonable Infinity air jacket now, but its starting to get loose and is due for a replacement. I'll likely look for something a little heavier and swap between the two.