PAGE 77 www. FavoriteRidesAndDestinations. com | ridermagazine. com

FALL 2016 ISSUE 02 / VOL. 01

IF THERE’ S ANY STYLE OF HELMET that’ s made for touring, it’ s the modular. It offers the frontal impact and weather protection of a full-face helmet with the convenience of a flip-up chinbar. Enjoy gas stops, snack breaks, map checks, casual chit-chat and selfies without ever loosening the chin strap. Yes, you’ ll see some folks riding with the chinbar raised, but most modulars aren’ t designed for that and their crash protection can be seriously compromised by doing so.

At $ 199.95, GMax’ s GM64 is one of the least expensive modular helmets you can buy, but that doesn’ t mean it skimps on features. The“ thermo plastic poly alloy” shell’ s perimeter frame design uses a single, constant-sealing surface for the face shield and chinbar to help keep out wind and cold air. A large, spring-loaded latch on the front of the chinbar releases the metal-on-metal locking mechanism so it can be raised. The chinbar’ s dual pivot design allows it to rotate farther back and closer to the crown of the helmet, which GMax says“ increases the line of sight” and“ lessens fatigue by maintaining an even distribution of weight.” While parked and not riding, we presume. I’ ve worn the GM64 daily for weeks, and one drawback is a significant amount of friction in the dual pivot mechanism that requires extra effort to raise the chinbar and pull it closed again.

Closable vents in the chinbar, crown and top of the helmet and several exhaust vents in the back flow a decent amount of air, and the aerodynamic shell shape and well-padded neck roll keep wind noise within acceptable limits. The clear face shield has been coated for anti-fog, anti-scratch and UV400 protection, and a lever on left side of the helmet deploys and retracts the drop-down sun shield. Although the sun shield occasionally tapped my nose when deploying it, it never touched my nose while riding and I appreciate its full coverage and dark tint. The removable, washable comfort liner and cheek pads are made of moisture-wicking Coolmax and they remain plush and comfortable after hours in the saddle. A padded D-ring chin strap secures the GM64.

In addition to the friction in the chinbar pivot, the GM64 has two other drawbacks. First, at 4 pounds, 5.4 ounces( size small), it’ s among the heaviest modulars we’ ve ever tested.

Second, sizing and fit are unusual. Having tested dozens of helmets over the years, I have a fairly universal medium-sized head, but the medium GM64 was much too loose. I’ ve been wearing a size small, which fits better, but is tight front-to-back and somewhat loose side-toside. If you’ re considering a GM64, make sure you try on several sizes before buying.

Though it has a few shortcomings, the GM64 is a full-featured modular helmet at an affordable price. It comes with a helmet bag and 3M reflective decals that can be placed on the helmet for added nighttime visibility. Available in several solid colors($ 199.95) or the Derk Flat Black / Silver graphic($ 209.95) in sizes XS-3XL.

Greg Drevenstedt

For more information: Visit g-max. com