Summary: A great SHARP 5 star rated helmet which was discounted heavily later in its life cycle so can make a great buy. Average build quality, ventilation and noise reduction but comfortable with good visor release mechanism. Discontinued but still available.
- Very light – 1.5kg
- 5 star SHARP safety rated
- Average wind noise
- Average ventilation
- Good visor release system
- Discontinued line
- List Price £299. Target Price £149
HJC are a Korean company with a growing reputation for producing good quality mid-priced motorcycle crash helmets and this 5 star rated HQ-1 is exactly the reason why.
The HJC HQ-1 is really light – the lightest HJC make. So it’s surprising that such a light lid scores the maximum 5 stars in the SHARP test; and a great testament to HJCs designers and engineers.
Owners say the lining is really comfortable. It stays tighter than most new helmets so when you’ve used one for a while (see our fitting guide) even though there will be some give over time, it should stay tighter than most, which is good for safety.
The visor is easy to change with a simple-to-use spring release mechanism which is a must if you need to clean your visor regularly. Forehead and chin vents are adequate.
The HQ-1 is around average for wind noise, with users reporting that it’s average or good for noise suppression (views mostly dependant on the the relative noise of the helmet they’ve been using before trying the HJC – but not particularly glowing).
The HQ-1 has been around for a while and since they’re not as well known as some brands, tend to get discounted more readily and be included in helmet sales pretty often. Meaning there are bargains to be had and substantial discounts from the list price. Which means the HJC HQ-1 with its 5 star SHARP rating is an excellent buy compared to many more expensive crash helmets for sale.
For other helmet reviews check out either our Crash Helmet Reviews or SHARP 4 & 5 Star Crash Helmet reviews sections! And if you’ve tried any of these helmets, we’d love to hear what you think by commenting below. Thanks! Billy.
Best place to buy an HJC crash helmet?
If you want piece of mind when you buy, we recommend you buy from Sportsbikeshop. They're based in the UK and offer outstanding service (9.8/10 on Trustpilot) including 365 day refunds. They may not be the cheapest but are our recommended retailer for quality of service.
FC-Moto offers the best range of helmets, scores a decent 8.7/10 on Trustpilot - and are based in Germany. If you want good prices with the widest choice, we recommend you check these guys out.
GetGeared is another recommended UK retailer, with a no-quibble 365 day returns policy and scoring 4.8/5 on eKomi.
Please click any picture below to visit their helmets pages. And if you buy from any, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you - a massive THANKS! (it's how we finance the site). Click here for more info on our recommended retailers.
More HJC crash helmet reviews/info?
Visit our HJC page to quickly browse all our HJC helmet reviews including all the latest safety-rated full face and modular/flip up helmets.
