Anyone have any experiance with this helmet? http://www.gmaxhelmet.com/GM11D-SO.html I have looked at the FLY Trekker, AFX FX39 and the MSR Xpedition. The shield on all (3) of these helmets when in the up position are right at my eye leavel. The shield on the GMAX is up out of the way. Any input positive or negitive will be welcome. thanks, Brad
I used one on a 5000 mile jaunt on an unfaired dirt bike. I chose it over the others for the same reason you mention about the faceshield retracting all the way up out of the line of sight. It flows a bunch of air and was as comfortable as could be expected in temps over 100. The tab you grab to raise and lower the faceshield takes a little getting used to, it is on the lower left corner of the shield and most others are a little more forward which improves the leverage you have to raise or lower the shield. This isn't a deal breaker and you quickly adjust but it is a little different. I didn't have any issues with the helmet lifting in the airstream, on an unfaired bike as I lower the shield at around 60 there is a noticable decrease in wind resistance when your looking forward but you get a little head steer when you look left or right, I don't know if that makes sense but the lateral left right steer seems to come more from the faceshield being lowered than the bill/visor. I think for the money it's a good choice, I bought mine online and it's too large, I'm sure that exaggerates the left /right headsteer factor. I have an Arai Profile in large that fits perfectly, my Gmax is XL and just a little too loose, Before this riding season I'm buying another in large and hope that I don't have any issues with helmet shape/pressure spot on my forehead. I like the bill/visor on dirt helmets low on the horizon. I thought the Gmax was better than most in that department but I still did a small mod to lower it way down where I like it. "see pic"
I've had mine for about 8 Months, Replace the inside side pads, (they have different sizes available) fits good now. Bought it to use in the summer heat and it does breath well. Yes the shield is out of sight when up. Also has a notch that holds the shield just open for more airflow. You can also use goggles with shield UP or DOWN It has a larger opening so Over The Glasses goggles fit. There are some other accessories for it on there web site, I think they sell as an snowmobile helmet also. For the money I can't say any thing bad about it. Will be wearing it more when it warms back up.
+1 on different cheek pads. My head measurement said I should be wearing a Medium. With the cheek pads in, I'm not comfortable in an XL. I have replacements on the way and really hope they transform the helmet. Stock cheek pads are 15mm, smallest replacements that I found online are 10mm.
I have one. My head is arai size M but on this gmax, i had to wear size S. Riding anywhere above 60mph, this thing catches the wind, big time. Oh by the way, it is freaking heavy. Suffice to say it is not my primary helmet. And it will never be.
I have one and I'm happy with it. But... my previous ADV-style helmet was a Simpson GS3. Compared to the Simpson, the GMAX is lighter, has a smaller shell, has a far better field of vision, and has better ventilation. I tried on both the GMAX and the Fly Trekker. I initially liked the fit of the Fly better but bought the GMAX because it was a few bucks less and I'm a cheapskate. Both helmets were light years better than what I was used to.
I also have the GM-11.....good helmet....it is not heavy!......I should have bought the size Large though,the XL is a bit to loose. Have some patience,drill some TINY holes in the visor to cut down on the wind drag.
My replacement cheek pads arrived today and did completely transform the helmet. Both the Med and XL are much more comfortable and will be usable now. Just a matter of figuring out if I can use the Med with a balaclava or if I need to get a Large. I will also add that I really like the helmet and as long as it fits comfortably, it's a great deal.
The gmax uses a single shell size across the whole size range. You may swap the pads and liners to get your preferred fit.
Good call. I took a look at the Med and XL and they appear to have the same shell like you said. The liners are interchangeable but the only difference seems to be in the circumference; there's no difference in padding thickness. The difference in size seems to just be from the amount of foam in the upper part of the helmet. The difference is visibly noticeable when comparing them side by side with the liners out. The Med came with 20mm cheek pads, the XL came with 15mm pads. I had to buy 10mm pads and then both helmets fit identically in the cheek area.
Thanks for all the input! The size chart puts me right between a medium and a large. I ordered a size large in hopes it will allow the use of my prescription glasses without too much trouble. The biggest selling point was the ability to change cheek pads to adjust for proper fit. Brad
Just got one of these. Fit great and I like the fact that you can open the shield out of the way enabling you the use of goggles.
Just took mine out for it's first ride on a VERY windy day. I was surprised, below 65 MPH it had minimal wind issues. At 65+ I could feel it moving around slightly. I thought it was a little too visible in the Hi-Vis color so I removed the visor and mouthguard and Plasti-Dipped them. I like it a lot better. I went with the medium, it seems a little snug, but I am sure it will fit fine after it breaks in. ~climbamt
I'm interested in these helmets and have been looking around for reviews. Anyone else have any long term reviews? I'm also curious about the beak. It seems short. Is it actually long enough to keep the sun out of your eyes? My current beak extends as far as my chin bar, so I'm concerned the beak may just be there for looks on this helmet. Thanks.
I used one for most of a season, it was ok - didn't do anything wrong, the beak is quite long on the GMAX. For me, the fit was not the greatest - so I stopped using it. You can and will want to remove the peak for anything above 40mph riding - it's insanely noisy and uncomfortable above that speed. If you are looking for alternative, I can say from experience the Bell MX-9 adventure helmet is a much better helmet all around. Surprisingly, so is the Bilt adventure helmet from Cycle Gear - I picked one up while in Vegas several months ago and rode around the area on a rental bike. The combination of stock windshield on the Triumph Explorer and the design of the peak on the Bilt helmet was very good - no turbulence and therefore no need to remove the peak. The helmet itself was very comfortable and seems to be well built.
I've also had two beaks tear off at highway speeds. It's a decent helmet and I'm not going to be replacing it until it wears out.
