Not content with relaunching just one of their RPHA range of premium helmets for 2023, HJC have announced a second major new helmet.
Alongside the new RPHA-71 sports-touring helmet, the Korean helmet giants have unveiled the new RPHA-91 flipfront.
It replaces the RPHA-90S in their range, bringing a sleek new shape to the often-conservative world of flipfrontery.
Like the RPHA-71 the 91’s shell is made from HJC’s new PIM Evo composite of fibres and there are three key ventilation areas.
The new lid, as you might expect, passes the ECE 22.06 safety standard that is gradually taking over from the outgoing ECE 22.05 standard that most helmets meet.
Photography: HJC
Chunky sliding vents on the chin and top look pretty consistent with the normal set-up on a flipfront. There are also twin sliding vents just above the visor and it’ll be interesting to see how effective they are.
The visor is all-new (HJ-37) with HJC’s RapidFire change system (if you hadn’t figured, that means it’s easy to change) and there’s the new sun visor system shared with the RPHA-71.
That’s the HJ-V17 sun visor and its trajectory can be adjusted to bring it closer to, or take it further away from, the rider’s face.
One of the strongest points on the current RPHA-90S is a cosseting interior and HJC promise the new one will take over where that leaves off.
It’s also described as a ‘low-noise interior’ and that suggests it seals well around the neck to eliminate draughts. Again, we’ll have to wait and see when we get our mitts on one and get out on the road.
Photography: HJC
Preparation for HJC’s second generation of Smart HJC intercoms means it’ll be easy to fit systems to stay in touch while riding. Seems as though it’ll probably make it tricky if you’ve got a preferred comms system that you’d like to fit, though.
HJC’s range shows eight plain colours and seven graphics, though the UK collection is more focused, with four graphics and four plain colours (matt black, gloss black, grey and white).
You can see the UK colours in our photo gallery. The new RPHA-91 is expected to arrive in spring 2023 and we’re told you’ll need £449.99 in your piggy bank if you want plain colours. If you’re the decadent sort who wants more than one colour on their lid then that porcelain piggy will need to hold another fifty quid as they’ll be £499.99.